|
Talisman : An inanimate
object which is supposed to possess a supernatural
capacity of conferring benefits or powers in
contradistinction to the amulet (q.v.), the purpose of
which is to ward off evil. It was usually a disc of metal
or stone engraved with astrological or magical figures.
Talismans were common in ancient Egypt and Babylon. The
virtues of astrological talismans were as follows : The
astrological figure of Mercury, engraven upon silver,
which is the corresponding metal, and according to the
prescribed rites, gave success in Merchandise; that of
Mars gave victory to the soldier; that of Venus, beauty,
and so of the rest. All such talismans likewise are more
powerful in the hour of their planet's ascendency. There
are three general varieties of these potent charms: i. The
astronomical, having the characters of the heavenly signs
,. or constellations. 2. The magical, with extraordinary
figures, superstitious words, or the names of angels. 3.
The mixed, engraven with celestial signs and barbarous
words. To these, Fosbrook, in his Encyclopedia of
Antiquities, adds two others :4. The sigilla planetarum,
composed of Hebrew numeral letters, used by astrologers
and fortunetellers ; and 5. Hebrew names and characters.
As an example of the most powerful of the latter, may be
mentioned the sacred name of Jehovah. The famous tephillin
or phylacteries, used in Jewish devotion, and which were
bound on the head, the arm, and the hand, may be regarded
as talismans, and they were the subject of many
traditional ceremonies. We may also mention the mezuzofch
or -schedules for door-posts, and another article of this
description mentioned in the following quotation from the
Talmud:" Whoever has the telphillin bound to his head and
arm, and the tsitsith thrown over his garments, and the
mezuza fixed on his door-post, is protected from sin."
Writing of talismans in his Occult Sciences, Mr. A. E.
Waite says: " I. The Talisman of the Sun must be composed
of a
pure and fine gold, fashioned into a circular plate, and
well polished on either side. A serpentine circle,
enclosed by a pentagram must be engraved on the obverse
side with a diamond-pointed graving tool. The reverse must
bear a human head in the centre of the six-pointed star of
Solomon, which shall itself be surrounded with the name of
the solar intelligence Pi-Rhe, written in the characters
of the Magi. This talisman is supposed to insure to its
bearer the goodwill of influential persons. It is a
preservative against death by heart disease, syncope,
aneurism, and epidemic complaints. It must be composed on
a Sunday during the passage of the moon through Leo, and
when that luminary is in a favourable aspect with Saturn
and the Sun. The consecration consists in the exposure of
the talisman to the smoke of a perfume composed of
cinnamon, incense, saffron, and red sandal, burnt with
laurel-wood, and twigs of dessicated heliotrope, in a new
chafing-dish, which must be ground into powder and buried
in an isolated spot, after the operation is finished. The
talisman must be afterwards encased in a satchel of bright
yellow silk, which must be fastened on the breast by an
interlaced ribbon of the same material, tied in the form
of a cross. In all cases the ceremony should be preceded
by the conjuration of the Four, to which the reader has
already been referred. The form of consecration,
accompanied by sprinkling with holy water, may be rendered
in the following manner :
" In the name of Elohim, and by the spirit of the living
waters, be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of
will.
' Presenting it to the smoke of the perfumes:By
the brazen serpent before which fell the serpents of fire,
be thou unto me as a sign of light and a seal of will.
" Breathing seven times upon the talisman:By the
firmament and the spirit of the voice, be thou unto me as
a sign of light and a seal of will.
" Lastly, when placing some grains of purified earth or
salt upon the pentacle:In the name of the salt of the
earth and by virtue of the life eternal, be thou unto me
as a sign of light and a seal of will.
" II. The Talisman of the Moon should be composed of a
circular and well-polished plate of the purest silver,
being of the dimensions of an ordinary medal. The image of
a crescent, enclosed in a pentagram, should be graven on
the obverse side. On the reverse side, a chalice must be
encircled by the duadic seal of Solomon, encompassed by
the letters of the lunar genius Pi-Job. This talisman is
considered a protection to travellers, and to sojourners
in strange lands. It preserves from death by drowning, by
epilepsy, by dropsy, by apoplexy, and madness. The dangers
of a violent end which is predicted by Saturnian aspects
in horoscopes of nativity, may be removed by its means. It
should be composed on a Monday, when the moon is passing
through the first ten degrees of Capricornus or Virgo, and
is also well aspected with Saturn. Its consecration
consists in exposure to a perfume composed of white
sandal, camphor, aloes, amber, and pulverised seed of
cucumber, burnt with dessicated stalks of mugwort,
moonwort, and ranunculus, in a new earthen chafing-dish,
which must be reduced, after the operation, into powder,
and buried in a deserted spot. The talisman must be sewn
up in a satchel of white silk, and fixed on the breast by
a ribbon of the same colour, interlaced and tied in the
form of a cross.
" III. The Talisman of Mars must be composed of a
well-polished circular plate of the finest iron, and of
the dimensions of an ordinary medal. The symbol of a sword
in the centre of a pentagram must be engraved on the
obverse side. A lion's head surrounded by a six-pointed
star must appear on the reverse face, with the letters of
the name Erotosi, the planetary genius of Mars, above the
outer angles. This talisman passes as a preservative
against all combinations of enemies. It averts the chance
of death in brawls and battles, in epidemics and fevers,
and by corroding ulcers. It also neutralizes the peril of
a violent end as a punishment for crime when it is
foretold in the horoscope of the nativity.
" This talisman must be composed on a Tuesday, during the
passage of the moon through the ten first degrees of Aries
or Sagittarius, and when, moreover, it is favourably
aspected with Saturn and Mars. The consecration consists
in its exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of
dried absinth and rue, burnt in an earthen vessel which
has never been previously used, and which must be broken
into powder, and buried in a secluded place, when the
operation is completed. Finally, the talisman must be sewn
up in a satchel of red silk, and fastened on the breast
with ribbons of the same material folded and knotted in
the form of a cross.
" IV. The Talisman of Mercury must be formed of a circular
plate of fixed quicksilver, or according to another
account of an amalgam of silver, mercury, and pewter, of
the dimensions of an ordinary medal, well-polished on both
sides. A winged caduceus, having two serpents twining
about it, must be engraved in the centre of a pentagram on
the obverse side. The other must bear a dog's head within
the star of Solomon, the latter being surrounded with the
name of the planetary genius, Pi-Hermes, written in the
alphabet of the Magi. This talisman must be composed on a
Wednesday, when the moon is passing through the ten first
degrees of Gemini or Scorpio, and is well aspected with
Saturn and Mercury. The consecration consists in its
exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of benzoin,
macis, and storax, burnt with the dried stalks of the
lily, the narcissus, fumitory, and marjolane, placed in a
clay chafing-dish which has never been devoted to any
other purpose, and which must, after the completion of the
task, be reduced to powder and buried in an undisturbed
place. The Talisman of Mercury is judged to be a defence
in all species of commerce and business industry. Buried
under the ground in a house of commerce, it will draw
customers and prosperity. It preserves all who wear it
from epilepsy and madness. It averts death by murder and
poison; it is a safeguard against the schemes of treason
and it procures prophetic dreams when it is worn on the
head during sleep. It is fastened on the breast by a
ribbon of purple silk folded and tied in the form of a
cross, and the talisman is itself enclosed in a satchel of
the same material.
" V. The Talisman of Jupiter must be formed of a circular
plate of the purest English pewter, having the dimensions
of an ordinary medal, and being highly polished on either
side. The image of a four-pointed crown in the centre of a
pentagram must be engraved on the obverse side. On the
other must be the head of an eagle in the centre of the
six-pointed star of Solomon, which must be surrounded by
the name of the planetary genius Pi-Zeous, written in the
arcane alphabet.
" This talisman must be composed on a Thursday, during the
passage of the moon through the first ten degrees of
Libra, and when it is also in a favourable aspect with
Saturn and Jupiter. The consecration consists in its
exposure to the smoke of a perfume composed of incense,
ambergris, balm, grain of Paradise, saffron, and macis,
which is the second coat of the nutmeg. These must be
burnt with wood of the oak.poplar, fig tree, and
pomegranate, and placed in a new earthen dish, which must
be ground into powder, and buried in a quiet spot, at the
end of the ceremony. The talisman must be wrapped in a
satchel of sky-blue silk, suspended on the breast by a
ribbon of the same material, folded and fastened in the
form of a cross.
"The Talisman of Jupiter is held to attract to the wearer
the benevolence and sympathy of everyone. It averts
anxieties, favours honourable enterprises, and augments
well-being in proportion to social condition. It is a
protection against unforeseen accidents, and the perils of
a violent death when it is threatened by Saturn in the
horoscope of nativity. It also preserves from death by
affections of the liver, by inflammation of the lungs, and
by that cruel affection of the spinal marrow, which is
termed tabes dorsalis in medicine.
" VI. The Talisman of Venus must be formed of a circular
plate of purified and well-polished copper. It must be of
the ordinary dimensions of a medal, perfectly polished on
both its sides. It must bear on the obverse face the
letter G inscribed in the alphabet of the Magi, and
enclosed in a pentagram. A dove must be engraved on the
reverse, in the centre of the six-pointed star, which must
be .surrounded by the letters which compose the name of
the planetary Genius Suroth. This talisman must be
composed on a Friday, during the passage of the moon
through the first ten degrees of Taurus or Virgo, and when
that luminary is well aspected with Saturn and Venus. Its
consecration consists in its exposure to the smoke of a
perfume composed of violets and roses, burnt with olive
wood in a new earthen chafing-dish, which must be ground
into powder at the end of the operation and buried in a
solitary spot. The talisman must, finally, be sewn up in a
satchel of green or rose-coloured silk, which must be
fastened on the breast by a band of the same material,
folded and tied in the form of a cross.
The Talisman of Venus is accredited with extraordinary
power in cementing the bonds of love and harmony between
husbands and wives. It averts frdm those who wear it the
spite and machinations of hatred. It preserves women from
the terrible and fatal diseases which are known as cancer.
It averts from both men and women all danger of death, to
which they may be accidentally or purposely exposed. It
counterbalances the unfortunate presages which may appear
in the horoscope of nativity. Its last and most singular
quality is its power to change the animosity of an enemy
into a love and devotion which will be proof against every
temptation, and it rests on the sole condition that such a
person should be persuaded to partake of a liquid in which
the talisman haslbeen dipped.
" VII. The Talisman of Saturn must be composed of a
circular plate of refined and purified lead, being of the
dimensions of an ordinary medal, elaborately polished. On
the obverse side must be engraven with the diamond-pointed
tool which is requisite in all these talismanic
operations, the image of a sickle enclosed in a pentagram.
The reverse side must bear a bull's head, enclosed in the
star of Solomon; and surrounded by the mysterious letters
which compose, in the alphabet of the Magi, the name of
the planetary Genius Tempha. The person who is intended to
wear this talisman must engrave it himself, without
witnesses, and without taking any one into his confidence.
" This talisman must be composed on a Saturday when the
moon is passing through the first ten degrees of Taurus or
Capricorn, and is favourably aspected with Saturn. It must
be consecrated by exposure to the smoke of a perfume
composed of alum, assa-foetida, cammon6e, and sulphur,
which must be burnt with cypress, the wood of the ash
tree, and sprays of black hellebore, in a new earthen
chafing-dish, which must be reduced into powder at the end
of the performance, and buried in a deserted place. The
talisman must, finally, be sewn up in a satchel of black
silk and fastened on the breast with a ribbon of the same
material, folded and tied in the form of a cross. The
Talisman of Saturn was affirmed to be a safeguard against
death by apoplexy and cancer, decay in the bones,
consumption, dropsy, paralysis, and decline; it was also a
preservative against the possibility of being entombed in
a trance, against the danger of violent death by secret
crime, poison, or ambush. If the head of the army in
war-time were to bury the Talisman of Saturn in a place
which it was feared might fall into the hands of the
enemy, the limit assigned by the presence of the talisman
could not be overstepped by the opposing host, which would
speedily withdraw in discouragement, or in the face of a
determined assault." (See Ceremonial Magic.)
Home | Alternative
Medicine | Astrology | Channeling
|
Divination |
Esoteric & Occult |
Food
|
Life
After Death | Michael
Teachings
| Mind
& Body | Paranormal
| Philosophy
& Religion |
Relationships
| Spiritual
Growth
| World
Issues
|
