There are
many charms, spells and enchantments that require the use of a talisman in
their working. Unlike amulets, which are naturally occurring objects, a
talisman must be created in order to imbue the tool with its proper power
and focus.
The simplest talismans are those that only need to be a
symbol or word inscribed on a piece of paper. Depending upon the work you
are attempting, they may quickly grow more complex and difficult to
construct. Some require expensive and exotic metals and gems and etching
into their surfaces to complete as per instructions.
While a small
simple talisman may be created in a matter of minutes, there are those
that require vast amounts of time to complete. You may be required to
actually find a way to mine and smith the ore yourself or perform some
other time consuming task in order to acquire the materials you will need
for its construction. Rituals concerning their making also run the
gauntlet from a simple blessing to the following of multiple cleansing of
the practitioner or working only during specific phases of the moon and
planets.
Amongst all this time and effort to use material objects
to create a material object, where does the magic enter into it? How does
it go from being pieces and parts to a powerful magical tool? The giant
secret underlying a talisman's power was stated in one simple sentence of
Israel Regardie's book 'How to Make and Use Talismans'.
After
working through the majority of the text that described the specific
materials and rituals needed to create various talismans, their purposes
and the etheric entities that they are used to summon or contact, was
found this easily overlooked sentence. It stated that ALL the preceding
instruction was designed merely to help the student make sure that they
had adequately convinced their subconscious mind that the item WOULD work.
Quite simply put, the power that drives your talisman is the same Force of
Will that is required for all your magical workings. It derives from the
unshakable faith that your Will is capable of performing the magical work
you are preparing for.
This does not mean that one should cut
corners or do shoddy work. The building up of the requisite Force of Will
can be an essential part of a practitioner's success. There are some that
are sure enough within their abilities to work great magic while sitting
in their housecoat at the kitchen table. Others may still need the
psychological aid that a full-blown and fully costumed ritual provides for
them to make the work real enough for their minds to make it so. Whichever
way makes you the strongest is the one right for you.
Even with a
strong faith and will, one should take care to prepare certain talismans
correctly. Many higher level works involve dealing with powerful etheric
entities that may have no particular need or desire to aid the human
magician. In order to request their time and effort one should go to
whatever lengths are needed to make the contact point appropriate and
inviting. Just as you would not invite the presence of an influential
human with a photocopied invitation, you would not want to use an
improperly constructed talisman to call upon a powerful etheric
entity.
Talismans are not particularly 'magical' in and of
themselves so much as they are a focus point by which you can channel your
mental energy. Like a key for a lock, your talisman must still be able to
access the sublime forces that influence the universe around you to flow
into the shape you desire.
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