Talismans and amulets represent humanity's oldest and most universal form of magical practice—the creation, consecration, and carrying of physical objects imbued with supernatural power. Found in virtually every culture across all periods of history, these charged objects serve as focal points for magical intention, protective shields against harm, attractors of beneficial energies, and tangible links between the material and spiritual realms.
While often used interchangeably, traditional magical theory distinguishes between these two categories:
Function: Passive protection; deflecting, absorbing, or repelling negative energies, evil spirits, illness, bad luck, or psychic attack.
Energy: Defensive, protective, purifying, banishing
Examples: Evil eye beads, protective pentacles, Saint Christopher medals, Hamsa hands, red string bracelets, iron horseshoes, protective herbs in sachets
Function: Active attraction; drawing specific energies, opportunities, spirits, or conditions toward the bearer. Actively creates change.
Energy: Attractive, magnetic, transformative, empowering
Examples: Love attraction charms, prosperity talismans, success seals, planetary talismans from grimoires, power objects, vision quest medicine bundles
In practice, many magical objects combine both functions—protecting while attracting, or attracting protective forces. The distinction is more theoretical than absolute, but understanding the directional energy (repelling vs. attracting) helps in proper construction and consecration.
Elaborate system of amulets placed on mummies: scarab beetles for resurrection, Eye of Horus for protection, djed pillars for stability, tyet knots for Isis's protection. Specific chapters of the Book of the Dead prescribed amulets for safe passage through the afterlife.
Carved gemstones (engraved gems) bearing divine images, magical words, and planetary symbols. Orphic gold tablets with passwords for the underworld. Bulla worn by children for protection until adulthood.
Grimoire talismans from texts like the Key of Solomon, planetary seals from kameas (magic squares), agnus dei wax medallions blessed by popes, reliquaries containing saints' relics.
Quranic verses in lockets (ta'wiz), magic squares with divine names, hand of Fatima amulets, elaborate talismans from texts like the Picatrix combining astrology, geometry, and sacred language.
Mezuzah scrolls on doorposts, phylacteries (tefillin), amulets inscribed with divine names and angel seals, kameas (magic squares) of planets and Sephiroth, protective spells using combinations of Hebrew letters.
Taoist talismanic seals (fu), Buddhist protective sutras carried in amulet boxes, omamori charms from Shinto shrines, feng shui protective objects, jade carvings with auspicious symbols.
Yantras (geometric diagrams) on metal or paper, mantra-inscribed rings, sacred thread ceremonies, protective amulets blessed by gurus, Tibetan prayer wheels and gau boxes containing sacred texts.
Mojo bags/hands in Hoodoo containing personal concerns and curios, gris-gris in Vodou, resguardos in Santeria, protective necklaces of elekes beads, Congolese nkisi power objects.
Medicine bundles containing sacred items from vision quests, protective fetishes, dream catchers, turquoise jewelry for protection, ceremonial objects imbued with tribal power.
While specific traditions vary, most talisman/amulet creation follows this general structure:
Based on medieval and Renaissance grimoires, particularly the Picatrix and works of Cornelius Agrippa:
Creating a Jupiter Talisman for Prosperity:
African-American folk magic tradition of creating small fabric bags containing magical ingredients:
Creating a Money Drawing Mojo:
Simple but powerful method using sympathetic magic and color symbolism:
Protection Cord:
Modern but effective method using the inherent properties of minerals:
Simple paper magic found in multiple traditions:
Love Drawing Petition:
Advanced practice of binding a spirit entity into the talisman to actively work on your behalf. Requires proper spirit conjuration skills and ethical consideration. Found in grimoire magic and some shamanic traditions.
Creating matched pair of objects that remain energetically connected regardless of distance. Used for maintaining connection between loved ones, remote healing, or establishing psychic links.
Combining multiple magical systems in one object: planetary seals + runic inscriptions + crystal + herbs + sigils. Each layer adds specific energy and creates complex multidimensional tool.
Using living plants as talismans (potted basil for prosperity, aloe for protection). Requires ongoing care and relationship. Plant's health reflects and affects the magical working.
| Metal | Planet | Magical Properties | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Sun | Success, wealth, vitality, masculine power, confidence | Prosperity talismans, success in business, solar magic, vitality |
| Silver | Moon | Psychic ability, intuition, feminine power, dreams, emotions | Psychic development, lunar magic, goddess work, dream talismans |
| Copper | Venus | Love, beauty, attraction, artistic creativity, harmony | Love talismans, beauty magic, artistic inspiration, attraction |
| Iron | Mars | Protection, strength, courage, grounding, banishing spirits | Protection amulets, courage talismans, grounding, fairy protection |
| Tin | Jupiter | Expansion, abundance, luck, legal success, wisdom | Prosperity, legal matters, expansion of consciousness, luck |
| Lead | Saturn | Binding, banishing, protection, endurance, limitation | Binding spells, protective seals, banishing, curse tablets (defixiones) |
| Mercury/Quicksilver | Mercury | Communication, travel, commerce, intellect, transformation | Communication magic, mercurial talismans (rarely used, toxic) |
| Brass | Sun/Venus | Protection, healing, solar energy, attraction | General purpose protective amulets, affordable alternative to gold |
| Stone | Properties | Talismanic Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Amethyst | Spirituality, sobriety, psychic protection, crown chakra | Psychic development, protection from intoxication, spiritual connection |
| Black Tourmaline | Powerful protection, grounding, EMF shielding, banishing | Protection amulets, grounding talismans, electromagnetic protection |
| Carnelian | Courage, vitality, creativity, motivation, sacral chakra | Courage talismans, creative inspiration, sexual vitality |
| Citrine | Abundance, manifestation, confidence, solar plexus | Prosperity talismans, success in business, manifestation work |
| Clear Quartz | Amplification, clarity, programmable, universal | Universal talisman, amplifying other stones, clarity of mind |
| Hematite | Grounding, protection, confidence, deflecting negativity | Grounding amulets, protective jewelry, confidence talismans |
| Lapis Lazuli | Wisdom, truth, spiritual power, third eye, communication | Wisdom talismans, truthful communication, Egyptian-style amulets |
| Malachite | Transformation, protection, heart healing, abundance | Transformation talismans, heart chakra work, prosperity |
| Rose Quartz | Love, emotional healing, self-love, heart chakra, compassion | Love talismans, heart healing, self-love amulets |
| Tiger's Eye | Courage, confidence, protection, prosperity, willpower | Confidence talismans, prosperity, protection during travel |
Pentacles (5-pointed stars for elements/protection), hexagrams (6-pointed for planetary magic), septagram (7-pointed for fairy/otherworld), sacred circles, vesica piscis, flower of life
Hebrew names of God (YHVH, Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai), angelic names, deity names from your tradition, names of power from grimoires
Planetary sigils from kameas, angelic seals, goetic demon seals, personal sigils of intention, traditional protective seals (Seal of Solomon)
Elder Futhark runes for specific purposes (Algiz for protection, Fehu for wealth, Kenaz for knowledge), bind-runes combining multiple runes, runic words of power
Deity images, saint pictures, animal totems, mythological scenes, alchemical symbols, astrological glyphs, Egyptian hieroglyphs
Verses from holy books (Bible, Quran, Vedas), protective psalms, mantras written on paper, dharani scrolls, Theban alphabet for concealment
Middle Eastern protective amulet shaped like an open palm, often with eye in center. Wards against evil eye. Found in Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities across Mediterranean and Middle East.
Blue and white concentric circle amulet from Turkey and Greece. Reflects the evil eye back to sender. Commonly hung in homes, worn as jewelry, or placed on babies and animals.
Gnostic amulets featuring the deity Abraxas (rooster head, human body, serpent legs). Name contains Greek letters totaling 365, representing totality of creation. Popular in late antiquity.
Six-pointed star or pentagram used to command spirits. According to legend, King Solomon used ring bearing this seal to control demons and djinn. Featured prominently in grimoire magic.
Ancient Egyptian beetle-shaped amulets symbolizing resurrection, transformation, and protection. Placed over the heart of mummies with specific funerary texts inscribed on the flat underside.
Norse protective amulet worn as pendant. Calls on Thor's protection and strength. Historically worn in defiance of Christian conversion; modern revival in Nordic neopaganism.
Talismans and amulets require ongoing care to remain effective:
The most comprehensive medieval text on talismanic magic. Contains elaborate instructions for creating planetary talismans, astrological elections, suffumigations, and magical images. Essential for understanding the Islamic-Hermetic tradition of talismanic art. Dense and complex but foundational.
Comprehensive Renaissance magical encyclopedia. Book II focuses heavily on celestial magic including planetary talismans, magic squares (kameas), appropriate timing, and correspondences. Synthesizes medieval grimoire tradition with Neoplatonic philosophy.
Classic early 20th century survey of talismanic traditions worldwide. Covers gemstone lore, planetary magic, zodiacal correspondences, and historical amulets. Well-researched compilation of traditional knowledge, though some interpretations dated.
Influential grimoire compiling earlier sources. Extensive section on talismanic magic with planetary seals, sigils of spirits, and consecration rituals. Heavily influenced the Golden Dawn and subsequent Western ceremonial magic.
Authoritative guide to African-American folk magic materials. Extensive coverage of mojo bags, lucky charms, roots, and curios used in Hoodoo talismanic work. Based on historical sources and living tradition. Essential for understanding American folk amulet practice.
Collection of Syriac Christian protective amulets, prayers, and charms. Demonstrates Middle Eastern Christian magical practice blending Biblical tradition with regional folk magic. Valuable for understanding Near Eastern amulet traditions.
While focused on sigils, contains excellent section on creating talismanic objects using modern chaos magic techniques combined with traditional correspondences. Bridges historical and contemporary practice effectively.
Scholarly study of Jewish folk magic including extensive coverage of amulets, kameas, mezuzot, and protective charms. Examines Kabbalistic amulet traditions and their integration with European folk practice. Academic but accessible.
Modern standard reference for crystal and stone correspondences. While New Age in orientation, provides comprehensive directory of stone properties for talismanic use. Practical and well-organized.