Buying a talisman?

New Magician Help & Introductions
1

Suppose I decided to buy some sort of pendant because I have very little artistic ability.

The talisman, when I got it, would need to be banished and charged.

You can focus quite a bit of intent into a sigil or piece of work you are creating yourself. You can’t really do that with a purchased talisman.

How do you get a lot of intent into it?

I am thinking about this talisman…

Third Pentacle of Saturn
This is a good seal to carry around to defend yourself from the plots against you hatched by others against you. It is also an excellent talisman to repel evil spirits.

Is it possible or should I really just make my own, not matter how stupid it looks.

Is there sympathetic magick I could use with it

2

I always recommend that people should create their own tools, and do their own legwork. You’re quite right that in creating that piece yourself, you can put a great deal of intent it. That doesn’t make it strictly better- it only means that your physical and energetic actions are in sync at the time of creation.

Remember, the idea that physical and energetic planes are at all separate is only a mnemonic device. Time and space are only as limited as our perceptions of them. In order to get he same result out of a piece you didn’t make, I would suggest going through the motions of having already created it yourself. The more you know about the processes used to make it apart from you, the easier this will be. I’ll use the example of a cast pewter necklace below.

Cleanse out your talisman thoroughly, and sync with your deeper state. See the talisman you have before you, and all its aspects, as a design on paper. You have the final product in your mind’s eye (And in your physical hand), but it is not yet made. Right now, you have only the beads of pewter to be cast into your Talisman.

Select the wax you’ll use to carve the shape of your talisman. Feel the smooth mass beneath your hands, the comfortable handles of your tools. Carve your talisman into shape, shavings at a time, before pouring the mold solid around it. Heat the furnace, and bring your pewter up to temperature. Use the heat of the furnace to melt the wax from the finished mold, leaving only the hollow in its place. Melt your metal in the crucible- feel the heat of it, the weight.

Speak whatever words you need to at this time, to whomever you will, as you pour molten metal into mold, solidifying the talisman’s body into shape within. Break the mold, releasing your finished talisman. Polish and bless it, do whatever finish work you like. Then, repeat the actions of blessing which you have carried out in the physical, as well.

Everything that is before you is of your creation- half the work is reminding yourself of the power you possess. It’s easier to do this if you physically made something with your own hands, but having physically made that thing with someone else’s hands is very nearly the same.

3

What if I created some sort of small, credit card sized talisman and had it laminated. Could I carry that around in my wallet and be good. (you need the talisman to be on you to be effective, so would the wallet work, or is it better as a pendant, where it would be against your skin)

I could use some sort of sympathetic magic too. So Divine Names, right colors and time, maybe incense.etc.
You know, whatever I could think of that would add meaning and power.

(just not two kinds of magick that might conflict, although I am getting the idea that a magician can use anything from any tradition he wants, as long as the mage thinks it is OK)

One of the reasons talismans fascinate me is because they are magick that is already working. So it is “emergency” magick against baneful spirits or attack.

The other reason it interests me is because it is almost always being used as sympathetic magic. So you get an idea of how planetary, solomonic, and say natural magick can work together.
I am hoping to apply what I learn from talisman creation into my candle magick.

Anyway, I am reading a book called “Making Talismans - Living Entities of Power” by Nick Farrel (its a llewellyn book)
Anyway, it is saying that I should study and practice the Kabbalah Cross, LBRP, and Middle Pillar meditations for at least 3 weeks before I begin a talisman.

Is that really necessary to get started?

I am a RHP sort of worker. So I am baptized and I pray daily. If I am going to use Angels to power my talisman, do I really need the visualization/concentration to charge the talisman or will my faith be sufficient. (when working with Angels or Saints from my own tradition - I would not try to bypass the necessary meditations if I went outside of my tradition)

4

Yes, if you are going to use the method described in the book. There are many ways to create talismans, but if you are going to use the author’s method, then it is always best to follow the instructions as written.

5

Ok, so I will keep reading because this book is more of an overview. So i don’t know if this is just if I am making one in the Golden Dawn trradition or not.
Anyway, I will read the rest of the book.

6

I actually just finished reading the book. The method is the authors own, but he tells you how to adapt it to specific systems, like Golden Dawn or pagan.

7

So it seems we are back to an assertion you made the other day.

For someone with my traditions, I should study Kabbalah.

I’ve been doing the Caim for protection (in my case, really just for practice but one day I may need real protection) The Caim is an old Celtic circle of protection - it is a Brother ADA thing (you mentioned you were not familiar with it previously - that is why I expanded so much)

Anyway, I do the Caim and then I do this faltering/f*ed up version of the Middel Pillar.meditation

So I will just put the Kabbalah Cross in between them and keep going with my practice until I get better at it.

Anyone know of a good introductory book on kabbalah for magick, I don’t mind learning more Kabbalah but I would like to learn the stuff that will help me first. Like the meditations for focus and intent, those will help me right away, if I can learn them.

So is there a book for me?
and maybe you can help me with this too
Are there any good videos that will guide me through all 3 meditations. I can substitute the LBRP for Caim if that makes it easier (I’ve looked all over YouTube and can’t find one that pulls it all together or it takes 45 minutes of talk to get to the exercise)
Anyway, I can’t find a good guide video that I like so I am using written material to help me with the pronounciation of Divine Names and individual YouTube videos to get me through the rest. Anyway, it works but just not well. Primarily, everyone seems to pronounce the Divine Names a little differently, that messes me up

What is the best way to learn these meditations?

BTW - will I learnt to like/enjoy meditation - because right now it really sucks.

8

Any book on the Golden Dawn will help you with Kabbalah. They established a lot of its usage in the Western Tradition.

However, I highly recommend The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford by Lon Milo Duquette. It’s funny, irreverent, and gives you the basic lowdown.

The best way to learn the meditations is whatever works. There is no “one right way” to pronounce the Divine Names. Whatever provokes the most powerful sensations for you is what is right. Experiment with your pronunciation and vibration and find your own sweet spot.

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