Everyone would like a powerful amulet, right? A magical charm to help you do whatever - stay healthy, find love, prosper, get a publishing deal.... Or perhaps you'd rather benefit from others' gullibility and simply invent one to sell? Russell Brand claims his new amulet (retailing at £188) will protect people from 'evil energies' and WiFi signals.
Anyway, I recently wrote a piece about amulets for Writing the Magic, (my patreon account) so I'll share something of it here - after all, people have put their faith in lucky charms and amulets since the dawn of time, and when I found an obscure book on the subject buried in my tbr pile, it was obviously my destiny to open you all up to the possibilities it offered.
Have to admit, there are books lurking on my shelves I don't even remember buying (often charity shop bargains), and The Book of Charms and Talismans by Sepharial, published in 1924, is one. (Above illustration is the frontispiece)
Sepharial was the pen name of Walter Gorn Old, 1864-1929, once a well respected astrologer and Theosophist. Presumably he was also interested in Enochian magic, as Sepharial is the name of an angel in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. He wrote numerous esoteric books in his day, and was editor of Old Moore's Almanac.
For all his credentials, Sepharial was apparently no fan of indexes or bibliographies. It took me quite a while to find the information to accompany his colour plate of charms and talismans, even using the key he provided (below), so I'll save you the effort.
1. The Necklace of Flies
Sepharial tells us the fly is an emblem of activity and swiftness, and a necklace of flies would have been worn as a talisman by travellers to ensure safe and speedy travel.
2. The crescent
A crescent talisman, taking the form of the crescent moon, which can be worn as a protection against the evil eye. Also symbolic of the new crescent moon (points left) the talisman can help with new projects (Sepharial needed a few paragraphs to say that).
3. Counterpoise of collar (Menet)
A symbolic talisman to bring joy and health, associated with the planet Venus. According to Sepharial, this talisman can help you find true love, as well as strengthening your resilience to illness.
4. A winged Scarab
The scarab was an amulet commonly worn by ancient Egyptians, and is symbolic of the creator of the universe, the sun god Ra. A green stone scarab inlaid with gold was placed on the chest of a dead body, or sometimes embedded in the heart during the embalming process, to help the deceased avoid evil spirits on their journey through the underworld.
5. The leopard's claw
A charm for protection against attack from wild animals. Originally this came from the belief that some people had the power to transform into leopards, which enabled them to destroy their enemies, and wearing a leopard's claw as a talisman protected you from this fate.
6. Crescent
Another form of crescent moon talisman.
7. Uzat Eye of Horus
Represents the sun, which is the eye of the day, and also the all-seeing eye of the deity. An amulet to protect against enchantment, evil and disease.
8. Frog
Worn by both the living and the dead, frog amulets helped ensure the wearer's well-being in life and the afterlife. The Egyptians probably linked frogs to fertility because of the animal's prolific reproduction, and women may have worn amulets like this one to assist in pregnancy and delivery. (Sepharial didn't bother to include this information anywhere in his book, so I researched it separately)
9. Black Cat
Black cats are considered to be powerful and protective figures in many cultures, and are often associated with good luck and prosperity. (Again, Sepharial forgot to include anything in the book about black cats..)
10. Pentacle of Rabbi Solomon
Magical talismans are Sepharial's key interest, so he provides a ton of information about their meaning and when to make them. Anyway, the Pentacle of Rabbi Solomon the King, shown in the illustration, can be made any day of the week (most talismans have to be made on certain days to be effective), and is an essential talisman for evoking spirits. Also, if you're wearing one, you are protected from all evil genii. (Sepharial goes as far as suggesting you cut the talisman out of his book to save time, and put it in a silk bag to keep it on your person)
11. Fish
A charm of good fortune to help increase wealth and fertility, often made from mother of pearl.
12. Swastika
Of course Sepharial wrote this book before the rise of the Nazis in Germany - and the swastika is an ancient symbol of good fortune, which can be traced right back to the neolithic. A pity the nazis hijacked it...
13. Horseshoe
Again, Sepharial doesn't include any explanation, but the horseshoe is generally seen as a good luck charm, and a protection against evil.
Of course if you want to know more, there are thousands of other charms and amulets you can research - and when it comes to talismans, Sepharial included a lengthy chapter on that subject alone.
This is simply an intro to give you some background material if you need an amulet in your next work of fiction. I also guarantee that any of those I've listed will give you protection from Russell Brand, if needed...
Lu Hersey
Patreon: Writing the Magic
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