Rituals for the Road: Making Your Own Talismans, Amulets, Charms
Before you travel for work, study, and pleasure, it’s good to create charms and talismans of power. You can also craft your own ritual tools from what you gather in your travels. Nature will often provide you with tools: shells, bark, and stones. In addition, you may also meet new spiritual teachers as you make your way on the pilgrimage that is life. Pay attention and you will learn much and receive many gifts.
A Medicine Wheel shamanic group run by Brooke Tarrant taught a group of drumming novices, myself included, how to make rattles and drums from recycled leather and sheepskin. In fact, all the materials we used to decorate our rattles and drums were found objects: crystals, sand, tiny shells, and sticks from the forest floor. Last, we used “feather medicine” and decorated the rattles with rawhide and found feathers, each with personal totemic meaning. With a final drumming circle and fire ceremony, we blessed the drums and rattles and each other. During the ceremony, we used both the new and old rattles and drums in some immensely powerful energy cleaning and healing. Even physical aches and pains were alleviated with these new tools. Rituals for the road should also be recorded in your Book of Shadows: what you find, who you meet, and what you create. When the spirit moves you, you should be creative. You can construct a sand mandala or take photographs on the beach to preserve your inspiration. One lovely custom from long ago: Upon your return home, create shadowboxes, which are really like little shrines of the sacred objects from the road.
Amulets
Amulets are protective adornments that date back to the beginning of human civilization. Evil eye amulets are perhaps the most globally popular, believed in most cultures to be capable of warding off a hex by reflecting it back to its origins. In some cultures, amulets were devoted to a god or goddess, and the wearer was protected by that divinity. Horns, hands, and the phallus have all been popular amulet shapes throughout history. We know from archaeological discoveries that the inhabitants of the ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia wore amulets. People in that time wore cylindrical seals covered in precious stones, as well as animal talismans to inherit the qualities associated with different animals.
Ancient Egyptian amulets are on display at museums everywhere. They used their amulets in elaborate burial practices. To make the charms, they used faience, which is glazed ground quartz that is usually colored blue-green. The Egyptian royals and priests also wore precious and semi-precious gems and crystals as amulets. The eye of Horus was the most significant, and usually this was made of lapis lazuli. Other creations included the lapis lazuli scarab, symbolizing rebirth; the frog, symbolizing fertility; and the ankh, representing eternal life.
In the classical age, Romans wore amulets that were metal cylinders containing parchment inscribed with protective words.
The popularity of amulets extended beyond pagan people when organized religions embraced the idea. In medieval times, religious people would wear verses from the Torah, Bible, or Koran in amulets around their necks. Even today, many Catholics wear medals honoring saints. Celtic symbols and imagery pervade trendy shops as Wiccans and modern pagans have updated and re-popularized the wearing of amulets.
You can make your own amulets for yourself or friends. It is important that you believe your friends will truly benefit from amulets, and that they are aware of the special qualities and powers associated with these special charms. First, you must select a crystal associated with the desired energy. Hold the crystal in your hand until it gets warm, then visualize the specific power the stone is offering. If the amulet is for you, wear it as a pendant or tuck it in your pocket.
Stone: Amethyst
Powers: Prevents inebriation; helps with sobriety
Stone: Aquamarine
Powers: Guards against malevolent spirits; attracts wisdom; helps overcome fear of water/drowning
Stone: Bloodstone
Powers: Brings luck; wear while traveling
Stone: Carnelian
Powers: Keeps away evil sprits
Stone: Diamond
Powers: Brings good fortune; lends force to valor; should be worn touching the skin and works best as a gift
Stone: Emerald
Powers: Cancels out magician’s power
Stone: Jade
Powers: Guards health of and protects, especially children; creates prosperity
Stone: Jasper
Powers: Aids in defense against venom of poisonous insects and snakes
Stone: Jet
Powers: Helps expel negativity, especially when set in silver
Stone: Moonstone
Powers: Brings fame and good fortune; wear while traveling
Stone: Turquoise
Powers: Good for a horse’s gait when affixed to a bridle
All About Talismans
Talismans, like amulets, are decorative and magical objects. If you’ve ever read the story of King Arthur, you’ll remember a supernatural sword, called Excalibur, which was given special powers by the Lade of the Lake. It is this sword, a talisman, which gives King Arthur magical powers.
Unlike amulets, which are passive protectors, talismans actively transform the wearer to hold certain powers. Crystals and gems already hold power, but with a talisman, special powers can be naturally occurring, or you can instill powers during a ritual. A talisman can be any object or symbol that you believe possesses mystical qualities.
Talismans are used for many different reasons. They can bring love, luck, wealth, and protect you from death or harm. For instructions on creating a talisman, consult a grimoire, or spell book. Here is a list of sacred stone shapes for amulets and pendulums when you are trying to figure out how you want to create ritual talismans and charms.
To maximize the power of the talisman that you design and make, consider the following tried and true suggestion: Keep in mind that this will work even better if you place the item on your altar to energize it. On a new moon night, light a candle that corresponds with your intention or hope. Green is for abundance, red is for power and love, blue is creative and spiritual vision. Burn the candle for one hour every evening.
I also like to create gifts of love for the special friends in my life. I like to gather seeds and herbs in my travels. If you create good luck talismans for your friends and loved ones, your good intentions will be repaid many times over. I keep a stock of tiny muslin drawstring bags on hand to make the talismans, but the talisman can be even more powerful if you sew the bag by hand and stuff the dried herbs and flowers inside. For a courage talisman, use mullein and borage; for safe travels, use comfrey; for protection, use snapdragon; for healing, use rue; for success, use woodruff; for strength, use mugwort; for beauty, use an acorn. In the appendix on page 320, there are many other options you can choose from in the Language of Flowers chart.
Keep these herbal talismans with you at all times and advise your friends to do the same. These bring good luck when you carry them in a purse, pocket, or even in a string around your neck.
Sacred Stone Shapes for Talismans and Amulets
Shape: Ankh-shaped stones
Use: Represent the key to life; develop creativity, wisdom, and fertility
Shape: Clusters
Use: Bring balance and harmony into your life
Shape: Diamond-shaped stones
Use: Attract riches; bring energy of wealth/abundance
Shape: Egg-shaped stones
Use: Give new ideas to wearer; denote creativity
Shape: Heart-shaped stones
Use: Promote romance, self-love; love energy
Shape: Holes that form naturally in stones
Use: Can see visions/spirits if you look through the hole by moonlight
Shape: Human body-shaped stones
Use: Bring energy and strength to whatever body part they look like
Shape: Obelisks
Use: Energy activators
Shape: Octahedrons
Use: Good for analysis, organization, healing; bring order to chaos
Shape: Pyramid-shaped stones
Use: Bring energy upward
Shape: Rectangular rocks and crystals
Use: Energy of God; symbolize male energy; protection; good for love/sex spells
Shape: Round stones
Use: Universe, the Goddess; spirituality, femininity, pregnancy; used in love spells to promote attraction
Shape: Square stones
Use: Bring prosperity; plenty; represent the earth
Shape: Triangular stones
Use: Protect wearers; guardians
Roadside Wisdom
Prosperity and purification go hand in hand. One of the greatest tools for purification is sage. While every metaphysical store has it in quantity, I highly recommend gathering or growing sage yourself. Aromatic sage dries quickly and can be bound into thick “smudge sticks,” which you should keep at the ready in a fireproof clay dish. To make a smudge stick, take dried sage leaves and bind them with green and gold thread wound nine times around the bundles and knotted at each loop. Leave room for a handle at the base of the wand, where you wind and knot the green and gold threads thrice more. This will honor the three Fates who hold the thread of our destiny in their hands: Clotho spins the thread of life; Lachesis chooses its length and outcome; and Atropos cuts the thread.
Use your smudge stick at any time purification is in order, especially if you’ve moved, started a new job, bought a new car, or purchased any second-hand clothing or furniture. This will help remove any energy that might be clinging from the previous owner. Light your smudge stick and, moving clockwise, circle the area or items to be purified. Speak aloud:
Great Spirit, with this smoke, your blessed protection I invoke. Out with the bad, in with the good. Harm to none and blessings to all.
As you travel through your life, you will acquire many sacred things, items which call to you and form part of your ritual equipment. By honoring those found items, you honor also your voyage, and Nature herself. Value these sacred things; they serve as your connection to your past, and your travels. The destination is often less important than the journey itself. The journey is the adventure that enables you to grow and gain in wisdom. Creating amulets and talismans and designing your own rituals are unique ways to fully experience your journey through life.