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148 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

amulets can also be made or drawn.

Charm: Spoken or written magickal words. Also,

objects carried on one’s person for their magickal

powers or properties.

Cantrip: A written spell or charm that reads the same

forwards or backwards.

Object link: Any object, such as a lock of hair, which

by association becomes a link between the magi-

cian and the person for or against whom the magick

is being worked.

Ligature: A magickal binding of a person.

Measure: A length of cord used to measure a person’s

height—often made as a part of an Initiation rite.

Pact: A binding written oath, or agreement between

two entities.

Fetish: Any object believed to have magickal power.

Icon: A sacred image or representation of a deity or

spirit, such as a picture or statue.

Poppet: A doll or figurine made in the image of an

actual person or animal that acts as a focus for

magick. Also called fith fath.

Witch bottle: A container filled with reflective or

sharp objects and buried near the home to deflect

away negative energy.

Lesson 7: Amulets and Talismans

Amulets

An amulet (from L. amuletum, “means of de-

fense”) is an object charged with magickal power for

protection, or to turn aside bad luck, illness, or evil,

and carried on one’s person. Traditionally, amulets

are usually made from found natural objects—espe-

cially ones whose unusual shape or color caught one’s

eye—such as holy stones, fossils, crystals, shells, me-

teorites, acorns, bones, etc. These would be drilled

with a hole and strung on a cord to be worn around

the neck, or else kept in a little gris-gris (GREE-gree)

bag worn around the neck. The magickal properties

of such objects were felt to be intrinsic (“within”).

No single amulet is all-purpose (other than for

general “good luck”), but they are not usually as spe-

cific as talismans. The Roman naturalist, Pliny the

Elder (23–79 CE), described three basic types of amu-

lets, based on their purpose: protection against mis-

fortune, healing and protection against ill health, and

medicinal.

Here are a few traditional amulets: A necklace of

chicken bones worn around your neck protects against

psychic attacks. A black holey stone is a powerful jinx-

breaker and keeps away evil. Garlic worn around the

neck keeps away vampires (and everyone else also!).

A mandrake root cures ill health and protects against

evil. Turquoise protects against the “evil eye.” The

most popular good luck amulets are four-leaf clovers

and rabbit’s feet (but first, ask the rabbit!). To attract

good fortune, wear an amulet of sarsaparilla root

around your neck, light a green candle, and chant three

times: “Bad luck decline; good luck be mine!”

In addition to simple found natural objects, an-

cient Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Arabs, He-

brews, Greeks, and Romans created countless sculpted

amulets based on symbolic images. For instance, frogs

promoted fertility; ankhs were for long life; the udjat,

or “Eye of Horus,” was for good health and protec-

tion against evil; the scarab beetle protected against

evil magick, and guaranteed resurrection in the Af-

terlife. To the Assyrians and Babylonians, rams stood

for virility (male sexual potency), and bulls for viril-

ity and strength. Eyes and phallic symbols are nearly

universal protections against evil spirits and the “evil

eye.”

Religious symbols are also popular amulets. Pa-

gans wear images or symbols of their gods (such as

the Hammer of Thor, the Caduceus of Hermes, or the

Eye of Horus). Jews wear the 6-pointed Mogen David

(“Star of David”). Christians wear crosses, fish, and

medals of saints. Witches wear pentacles.

Talismans

A talisman is a specially made object charged

and endowed with magickal powers, as a tool to ac-

complish a specific purpose. There are talismans for

making fortunes, winning in gambling, preventing

sudden death, improving memory, and even making

good speeches. Like amulets, talismans are usually

carried on one’s person. The most powerful talismans

are ones actually made by the person who will be us-

ing them. A talisman made for you by someone else

can never be as strong as one you make yourself.

A talisman can be of any shape or material, but

traditionally, some substances are more appropriate

than others, and their use will imbue the talisman with

more power. The most commonly used materials for

talismans are based on the planetary correspondences

for the days of the week (see 3.VI.5: “Table of Corre-

spondences Planets”). Look at the chart, and see that

each day is associated with a planet, and each planet

is associated with a concern. Because each planet also

has an associated color and metal, talismans reflect-

ing those concerns should be made of those metals—

or at least painted in those colors. (Because metallic

Mercury is a liquid, tin or aluminum are considered

appropriate for Mercury talismans.)

Most talismans are made in the form of metal

discs, with appropriate sigils and symbols engraved

on each side. Then they may be worn on a chain as a

pendant. Suitably engraved talisman disks can, of

course, be purchased at most occult shops. But if you

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