Making talismans from live organisms?

General Discussion
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I’m trying to blur the line between the mundane and the magical in my home. To this end, I’m thinking of getting pet fish, one of each color of the spectrum, to inhabit a modest tank, which is to be a microcosmic representation of my sphere of existence. I intend to consecrate and empower each fish as a living talisman, through which the spirits of wealth, protection, love, etc. can shine their powers through the fish of their corresponding color, into my material sphere. As long as they live, each fish is to spiritually function like this, and the energies will (theoretically) shine into my sphere in balanced, sustained proportions.

If not fish, then perhaps decorative plants of each color of the spectrum.

I only hesitate because I don’t know what this could do to the organism. I want to avoid needless animal/plant cruelty or wasting money.

I’ve made talismans from “non-living” materia. This would be my first time to make a talisman that is still breathing, growing, procreating, and eating food to continue living in this material realm.

Has anyone here had any experience with making living talismans like this? If so, what are some of the things that I should consider when I’m making mine? What does it do to the plant or animal to have a spirit’s energies coursing through it during every moment of its material life? How do I sustain their effectiveness as talismans - is it the same or different from sustaining a “non-living” talisman?

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Well fish have short lives and may be in pain for a longish period from some disease we know nothing about, so I’d hesitate to use something so relatively flimsy and short-lived as a channel for such huge power myself?

Also, they’re considered unlucky in a lot of the ancient Egyptian lore.

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What about bugs?

When I perform black magic,a lot of spiders tend to creep up in my room,and go away when I do a banishing.Now,I love spiders.I like having spiders.Spiders are also sacred in Islam,and their alliance is something that brings me back to early childhood.

These spiders are living breathing amulets.I keep lots of spiders in my room.They absorb the magic that I do,and further it’s effect,they act on my behalf.I talk to them,I listen to them,I feed on them(there is NO way I could say that without going all Reinfield Creepy ;)),as in,I absorb their energy.

Bugs represent that creepy and alluring side of black magic.That one part we’re taught to hate,and fear,and that makes us want it…and that atavistic desire to hate and fear it,but be thoroughly fascinated by it…

Even I,a long time bug-lover,and biologist,had problems,when I was younger,with annelids(obviously,I’m OK with them now)

So the spiders in my room are living breathing amulets that empower me,and I fuel them.They count,don’t they?

As for plants,I don’t really have that many in my house,but whenever I’m at a temporary place with lots of flowers,adnd stuff,I do charge them.Again,I talk to them,I listen to them,I feed on them.

But yeah,really give the whole spiders thing a chance.

1 Like
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Yes, I had LOTS of spiders around when I worked with Ahriman and the spirits associated, and Azazel seems to like flies a lot.

We need c.j. lee on this one really! :slight_smile:

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Not sure about animals, but I do know that if you add an artificial elemental (servitor) to a plant or tree it grows like freaking crazy. Why not think about surrounding your house with elementals (the way you speak about talismans makes me think of elementals) by adding them to the trees and bushes in your garden, provided you have a garden of course.

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I think this might be what you’re looking for

[url=http://www.stencilrevolution.com/tutorials/how-to-make-moss-graffiti/]http://www.stencilrevolution.com/tutorials/how-to-make-moss-graffiti/[/url]

7

Got no bugs, and no spiders. I guess that tends to go hand in hand. I’ll forego the pet fish idea, thanks for the info about them being unlucky in Egyptian lore. No garden of my own either. So it looks like it’s down to houseplants.

The Cusp, that is a beautiful idea. I was thinking of just getting some potted plants, inscribing the proper sigils on the pots, and empowering them like you would any talisman. To arrange and grow plants into the form of sigils: now that is brilliant.

8

Bump.

Something that occurred to me:

Talismans tend to need regular feeding in order to keep their power up. But with living talismans (plants, pet animals) how do you keep its power “fed”? I assumed that living talismans naturally maintain power for the duration of their physical life, but then since this is my first time making them.

For example: you evoke a spirit, during which time you burn incense for it. You consecrate the incense ash to that spirit, and ask it to empower the ash in the manifestion of its powers. Then you mix that ash into some soil. Out of that soil, you grow some moss into the shape of a sigil (thanks Cusp for that link to that great idea!) Is it accurate to assume that, since the moss has taken components of the consecrated ash into its living cells, the moss is now empowered for as long as it’s alive?

1 Like
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Anyone?

Ok. Maybe the question I should ask, before anything else, is this: Why do you make your talismans out of “non-living” material?

I looked all over the internet, and there’s no mention of how to make talismans out of the living. All the info is about how to make talismans out of rocks, minerals, plant roots, dried plant leaves or flowers, and so on.

But nothing about using a whole plant that is still in soil, growing, or an animal that is meant to continue breathing, eating, living.

I get that some of it is for portability. It’s easier to carry a root piece, or wear a crystal as jewelry, than a whole live plant or wriggling dog. Or do reasons go beyond just portability?

Are there other reasons why “non-living” material is preferred over living, in terms of making talismans?

(Also: my 100th post!)

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Gratz on the 100th post! :slight_smile:

Free will?

Dogs, cats, goldfish, all have free will, things they prefer, things they fear, shun, dislike - a piece of brass or card that has a talisman inscribed doesn’t?

So, sentience?

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Thanks, Lady Eva! :slight_smile:

About the topic. I can see how sentience and free will might be a factor in choice of talisman materials. Then again, isn’t everything of the earth imbued with sentience? You can talk to a plant or a crystal of the earth. They’ll talk back. If they or the spirits that reside within can talk back, then certainly they have sentience?

Furthermore, I was assuming that as living beings, plants and animals would be a naturally renewing source of power for as long as the organism and its spirit is alive. It’s the theory, anyway. Yet we take only their leaf, their root, flower, a shard of crystal - when with their permission we could bring them home whole, to grace our space with their naturally renewing powers? Or take a stray cat who “adopts” you. I recently heard that the Archangel Michael, who is associated with the lion, will sometimes give people cats for power, protection, messages, whatnot. Surely, that cat has more magical value alive than just its preserved cat’s claw to carry around in a flannel bag?

I don’t know. The fact that there’s nothing to be found about making talismans from live things has me thinking that it’s for good reason. Moreso that no one I know, and no one here, seems to be in the practice of making living talismans. If that’s the case, I’ll drop this cockamamie idea of making living talismans. But in the spirit of enlightenment, I still want to understand why it’s the case.