LESSON 24
The Making of Talismans
Talismans are a very versatile kind of magical tool, and there have been many different methods to create them throughout the history of magic. In the IHC system, a talisman is not something you make as a one-time project and then consider it done and ready. Rather, the talismans you make will change and develop after you have made them. If neglected, their magic attributes will fade, perhaps completely. If properly cared for and used, they will grow more efficacious.
In simple terms, a talisman is an object that concentrates in itself a certain type of psychic force. Psychic here means something related to the PSYCHE (see the various diagrams in the home page), and not to the particular sensibility to extra-corporeal phenomena that some seem to possess. Each talisman is a focus point for ideas, emotions, intentions, desires, and other bits and pieces of a complete psyche. Usually, a talisman will be dedicated to one very specific concept, and have a single purpose--at least in the beginning. When freshly made, talismans tend to be the more effective the more specific they are. A talisman to protect one from anxiety will be a little less effective at first than one made to help one speak in public; a talisman to attract wealth will be a little less effective than one to increase one's ability to perceive business opportunities, and so on. As the first step to creating a talisman is to decide what the talisman will be used for, you may ask yourself the following questions to determine that:
1) What do I want this talisman to help me with?
2) In what way will this talisman help me?
As you can see, it is as important to define how the talisman will help you as it is to define what you want from it. This will help you create a more focused magic implement at the start, and also help you build a relationship with each talisman you create. It will also help you select which Ruler will be appealed to as a patron for the creation and upkeeping of the talisman, an important step in the creation process.
As you start to practice the art of making talismans, you should restrain your natural desire to make as many as you possibly can. Maintaining a collection of magic implements can be draining on your psychic energy, not to mention the costs to your personal time, space, and material resources. My advice is to not add more than one talisman a year to your magic toolbox, at least until you are confident that you can maintain and use them all. Later in your magic career, you may not only keep a greater number of talismans at once but also create more general-use ones. For now, just stick to having one talisman with a very specific purpose.
Your first talisman will be one whose value to both your spiritual development and mundane life will reveal itself to you over time. It will seem trivial at first, but as your relationship with it deepens, so will the benefits from it increase. Follow the instructions below to make the "Talisman of Good Words."
MAKING THE TALISMAN OF GOOD WORDS
FIRST STEP - Purpose and Patron
As previously explained, it is important to start by defining what you expect your talisman to do for you, as well as how it is supposed to do that. For the purposes of this lesson, these two questions have been already answered for you. The Talisman of Good Words will help you improve one of the three main ways in which you influence the world around you (and beyond!), and it will do so by inspiring you to adopt better speech patterns. At this point in your studies, the esoteric nature and power of speech must be sufficiently clear to you, so this lesson can focus on the practical aspects of talisman making and use. The Talisman of Good Words is supposed to be a simple, but powerful tool to gradually and constantly improve the logos you put out into the world. Since all of the virtues of the Rulers are equally important for the purification of your understanding and discourse, this talisman will be dedicated to the Seventh Ruler as a representative of the whole group.
SECOND STEP - Selection of the Vessel
This part will be left to you, as only you can find the best object to work as intended upon yourself. As a practical piece of advice, I will tell you to choose an object that you can carry on your person on a regular basis. The ideal talisman vessel is something that can be hung on some sort of string around your neck, pinned to your clothes like a brooch, or merely carried around in your pockets (though this latter option could increase the risk of you losing your talisman). Other than that, look for an object that feels equally as inspiring as the objects you selected for your Oratory. After so choosing the vessel for the talisman preparation, and after modifying it in any way you find necessary (like adding a string to it, customizing its appearance,etc.), you can proceed to its consecration.
THIRD STEP - Consecration
The last step in talisman making is the Consecration. This is a very similar operation to the one described in Lesson 9; however, it only applies to the vessel of the talisman making, i.e., in this Consecration you will transmute the rather mundane object you selected into a true talisman. When it comes to part [5] of the Consecration, in which you would recite the prayer over each item, you will instead just recite the following prayer over the vessel:
Father-Mother of All
Send your Light through me
to make this humble object
a holy Talisman of your power
May this vessel receive and house the highest Logos
under the direction of your Seventh Ruler
so that it may purify my speech
guiding me in the way of Good Words
It is not strictly necessary, but a good idea to perform this Consecration as a part of a fuller rite, performing the Opening and Protection rites before the Consecration, and the Closing afterwards.
USING THE TALISMAN OF GOOD WORDS
Using the Talisman of Good Words is simple. Before speaking in any situation, touch the Talisman of Good Words and visualize the bright light of the Mind being sent to you from the Seventh Ruler. Make yourself keenly aware that the virtues of the Rulers are now compelling you to speak in a kind and truthful manner. Moreover, that your speech will be inspired by the Rulers to manifest the most appropriate quality for the situation (e.g., it will sound strongly comforting when you talk to someone expressing their concerns).
REINFORCING THE CONSECRATION
You can repeat the Consecration of the talisman from time to time, especially after periods in which you felt like you needed to use it more frequently or after a rather long period of time without using it or carrying it on your person.
Additionally, remember that the simple fact that you are carrying the talisman with you is a way in which its magic is reinforced. If you keep bad speech habits while carrying it (i.e., if your speech manifests the vices of the Tormentors more than the virtues of the Rulers), that will have a contrary and weakening effect on your talisman.
In fact, you may completely invert the talisman's effects if you consistently depart from the ideal of Good Words when you are not using it. When you find yourself falling into bad speech patterns, use the talisman more often but also reinforce its consecration more often. It will help you to perform the Rite of Expiation regularly during such times.
Lastly, if you haven't already been doing so, start adding to your daily records on your journal the *quality* of the words you speak to others during your day. What virtues or vices did your words express? How do you think your speech made others feel? What are the things you could have said better, or not at all? Create the habit of examining your own speech by writing down a daily analysis of what you say.