Chaos

Magick and Talismans

by Anousen Leonte

Copyright 2015

other works by the author:

Sigil Meditation
Sigil Magick: the Basics
Evocation Through Sigil Magick
Scrying Without Tears
Dream Magick

This brief booklet is written on making talisman's from the standpoint of chaos magick rather than
traditional ways. A talisman, simply defined, is a crafted magickal object, or an object which possesses
both magickal power within itself and an ability to act as a magickal influence. Technically anything
which is both material and has magickal power can be looked upon as a talisman, though traditionally
talismans were a special class of magickal object, created through highly specific instructions. If you are
not already familiar with chaos magick, it is a style of magickal practice which begins with Austin Osman
Spare (1886-1956) which emphasizes innovation rather than tradition and the free use of belief—that is,
using belief as a tool rather than a reflection of reality. It also focuses on a type of spell-casting known as
sigil magick, which I will describe later. The basic difference between traditional forms of magick and
chaos magick is that traditional forms of magick are conveyed in the context of old belief systems,
whereas chaos magick does not subscribe to any particular belief systems, but rather is free to utilize any
of them, as well as utilizing more modern and individualistic forms of magick such as art and the creation
of one's own system. A talisman in chaos magick follows these same ideas. Though it may be created in a
way that is similar to traditional methods, the chaos magician can also put his or her own stamp on it, so
to speak, using the methods of creating sigils and "charging" the sigil with an altered state of
consciousness.
Talismans can be utilized to favorably influence oneself or particular area. Since they are a material
object, they can be placed on one's person or in strategic areas in order to act as a conduit for continual
magickal influence. Talismans were historically used for both good and evil purposes. A talisman could
be created for protection, good lucking, making oneself more attractive, achieving wealth, etc. just as a
talisman could be created for causing illnesses, misfortune and poverty. As with all forms of magick, the
power inherent in the process of making and using talismans is neither beneficial nor detrimental in itself
—it all depends on the intention of the talisman's creator.

The steps of the creating a talisman are:

1. Constructing the talisman

2. Charging the talisman

3. Using and destroying the talisman

In this book I will describe each of these three steps succinctly but in enough detail that you will have all
you need to get started. However, I advise reading other books on talismanic magick, as this small booklet
is by no means comprehensive. There are aspects to talismanic magick not touched upon here and, like all
forms of magick, if you truly want to devote yourself to this art you must consult a wide variety of sources
and engage in many different experiments. With that being said, enjoy! And good luck!
 1. Constructing the talisman

The key to a chaos magick talisman is the sigil. Sigil is the Latin word for seal, referring to the seals used
for various Spirits in old grimoires, though in chaos magick a sigil is something the chaos magician
creates for a specific purpose. What results is a highly personalized symbol which can be magickally
charged and used as a source of power. However, the use of a sigil on a talisman is somewhat different
than basic sigil magick. But before getting into that, let's look at what a sigil is and how it is made.

To create a sigil, you must begin with a desire. This desire is then written out as a statement, such as: I
will receive a rare gift. After that is done, usually repeating letters are removed, and also possibly
vowels, giving us: WLRCVGT. Then these letters are overlaid upon each other, resulting in a strange
design:

This is also how a sigil is created for a talisman. However, sigil magick and talismanic magick are
different. In sigil magick, the chaos magician focuses upon the sigil while engaged in an intense state of
altered consciousness, like pain, sex, anger, etc. The focus should be as intense as possible and eventually
reach a point where it can go no further. After that, the sigil must be destroyed and forgotten. If it
resurfaces in the mind, it must be quickly cast aside, and something else must be focused upon. Eventually
the sigil is forgotten entirely and it is at that point when it can manifest its influence.

In talismanic magick, the sigil is designed in the same way, but is etched upon the talisman's material
rather than destroyed. In basic sigil magick, the sigil's power is released in a comparatively violent and
dramatic way upon the sigil's destruction, whereas in talismanic magick the sigil's power is released
slowly in a constant flow, combined with the other elements of the talisman. Whenever the mind
concentrates upon an abstract symbol, a door is opened to magickal power. The question is how swiftly
this magickal power is released and by what method. In the case of talismanic magick, the power is
infused into the talisman's material. It then flows out steadily, influencing the immediate surroundings. In
some cases, the "surroundings" which are influenced are none other than the chaos magician whereas in
other cases it might be a special location such as a building, room or part of a landscape.
Yet just like sigil magick, it is best to forget about the talisman. Once it is placed, one ought to not think of
it at all. If the magickal energy which is transmitted to the talisman remains in one's conscious mind, then
it will try and operate through one's ordinary consciousness. Chaos magick is based on the principle of
using magick in an unconscious way, as described above, and therefore if the talisman or its meaning and
power resurfaces in the mind, it ought to be banished. This allows it to manifest effects outside the mind.

Items to be placed in the Talisman

You can place certain items in the talisman to enhance its effect, also. This is known as sympathetic
magick and it is rooted in the idea that certain objects and materials have special resonances with other
things and events. It is believed that such resonances can be used as actual magickal influences or as a
means of making magickal influences more powerful. For example, if you are a painter and want to create
a talisman to increase your artistic inspiration and productivity, you can take paint brush bristles and
place them within the talisman. If you have a business you want to be successful, you can place your
business card in the talisman, or some other small objects from your business. This is not entirely
necessary but it may increase the efficacy of the talisman.

Wax Talismans

One of the best ways to make a talisman is using wax, which has a Lunar energy. Just as wax absorbs and
expresses whatever coloring is placed within it, wax talismans are good for absorbing and expressing any
and all types of energy. Wax has no inherent energy in itself and is therefore an excellent medium through
which to absorb and transmit magickal influences.

In order to construct a wax talisman, you will need the following ingredients:

1. A thin but pliable Tupperware square container

2. Clear wax (gulf wax)

3. A means of coloring the wax such as food coloring or water-color paint

4. A stirring stick

To make a wax talisman, first heat the wax on a stove in a pot that is designated for no other purpose.
Once the wax melts, be sure not to get any of it on the stove or the bottom of the pot. If you do, the next
time you use the stove or that pot the wax will smoke. Then pour the melted wax into the square
Tupperware container. Place the coloring in the wax and stir until the wax is completely colorized.
Before the wax cools and sets up, you can place in whatever meaningful items or substances you wish.
Then, once it is cool and hard, you can engrave your sigil upon its surface. To make it more visible, you
can fill the engraving with black ink, or another color ink if you wish.

Wood Talismans

Wood has inherent earth energies and it is especially beneficial for matters involving natural processes
such as the functioning of the immune system (health), fertility and agriculture. To create wood talisman,
all you will need is a small block of aesthetically pleasing wood and some means of burning the sigil
upon it. A magnifying glass and a sunny day can potentially work, but suitable wood burning tools can be
purchased quite cost-effectively and are much more accurate. First etch the sigil upon the wood in outline
form, then burn it in. It is that simple. However, a wooden talisman cannot contain objects unless you craft
the talisman as a small box, placing the sigils on the top of the box or upon its sides.

Clay Talismans

Clay has a Saturnian energy to it. Whereas wax absorbs and transmits because it is a clear substance,
without inherent colors, clay has its own color and binds whatever is placed within it. This is good for
negative magickal acts such as curses or spells of protection. The solidity of the clay resembles the
solidity of the desired energy and magick.

The best form of clay use is one which will set up and dry in the open air. It should be sufficiently
flattened at the top so that the sigil can be etched upon it, and thick enough that different items can be
placed within the clay. Again, it is not difficult to make. Simply form the clay around the items you will be
using, keeping them entirely contained, then make a flat surface on the top of the clay as well as the
bottom. When it is still wet, etch your sigil, then once it is dry you can paint it in.

Metal talismans

Another way of making talismans is using metal. The use of metal in talismans is very ancient and is often
associated with astrological powers and influences. However, some forms of metal (such as gold) are
rather expensive if you purchase them in large amounts. Gold, silver and copper leaf are fairly common
and affordable and the talismanic sigil can be painted upon their surface quite easily. Historically, the
most common series of astrological correspondences with metal has been as follows:

Sun - Gold

Moon - Silver

Mercury - Brass

Venus - Copper

Mars - Iron
Jupiter - Tin

Saturn - Lead

Obviously you do not want to use real mercury to make a talisman, so brass is a sufficient substitute if you
are creating a Mercurial talisman. As for Saturn, you can use sheets of lead ballast, provided you take the
necessary safety precautions when using it.

Astrological correspondences

While wood samples will simply be the color of the wood (although you can paint them), clay and wax
have the benefit of being in any color you wish. This will allow you to incorporate astrological
symbolism in the talisman which will heighten its effect. Here is a quick list of the seven classical planets
of astrology and colors often associated with them:

Sun - Yellow

Moon - White, light purple

Mercury - Orange

Venus - Green, pink

Mars - Red

Jupiter - Blue

Saturn - Black, dark purple

Each of these luminaries and colors is associated with different effects. To simplify it:

Sun - pride, self, positions of authority

Moon - calm, inspiration, intuition, magickal power

Mercury - intellect, logic, speech, magickal power

Venus - love, sexuality, beauty

Mars - strength, warfare, health

Jupiter - positivity, wealth, expansion, success, joy, beginnings

Saturn - negativity, poverty, contraction, loss, sorrow, endings

The correspondences of each are much more complex than this, but you can take this small list as a basic
starting point for experimentation. For example, if you want to achieve a position of authority at work, a
Solar talisman would be your best bet. If you want artistic inspiration, Mercury or the Moon are best, etc.
I also would recommend purchasing some good books on astrological correspondences if you wish to get
the most out of this type of magick. The different correspondences between the luminaries and different
aspects of life is quite vast.
 2. Charging the talisman

There are numerous ways you can ritually charge your talisman—and, in fact, since chaos magick is all
about innovation, creating your own specialized ritual is highly recommended. However, a few basic
elements should be incorporated. They are:

1. A ritual beginning, middle and end

2. A special ritual space

3. An altered state of consciousness directed towards the talisman

Many forms of magick incorporate these elements but they are especially important when it comes to
talismans. The mere creation of a talisman is not enough to give it magickal power—even though the act
of creating it is is part of charging it—and each of these three elements provides the necessary direction
of energy to it.

By performing a ritual with a beginning, middle and end, your mind is conditioned to draw forth energy
within itself (the beginning), transmit it to the talisman (the middle) and then cease the transmission (the
end). Whenever the mind performs acts in this way, it naturally attaches significance to them and transmits
its magickal power. The ritual space also conduces to this. The place in which the ritual is performed
ought to be free of other influences. If you have an altar, this can function as the ritual space, or you can
demarcate a special room or part of a room for this purpose.

The altered state of consciousness is the most difficult part. Talismans perform better with prolonged
meditations upon them. While sigils can be charged through a quick rise and fall of tension—such as
sexual energy, anger, pain, etc.—a talisman subtly absorbs your magickal influence like a sponge. Just as
a large sponge which is quickly dipped in water then taken out will not be fully wet, so too a talisman
will have less magickal energy within it if it is charged too quickly. The quickest and easiest way to
induce a sufficiently long and altered state of consciousness is to use colored lamps, music and
meditation. My book The Magick of Color and Light goes into great detail on how to construct colored
lamps and use them, but they are not very complicated. Simply take a hurricane lamp or other clear piece
of glass which has an open bottom and top, paint it the desired color with heat-resistant glass-paint and,
once it is dry, place a tea-light candle in it. It will bathe the area in a soft magickal light and this has an
excellent effect on the mind. It is easy to slip into magickal states of consciousness this way. As for music,
I prefer droning ambient music with a slightly darker edge to it. Ideally a song should last for 10 minutes
or more, and you should gaze at the talisman while listening to the music. This will help you slip into an
altered state of consciousness.

While you gaze at the talisman, visualize your energy flowing into it. If the talisman has an astrological
energy associated with it, you can visualize a colored light emanating from you into the talisman, as well
as that light emanating from the specified luminary. For example, if you have created a yellow talisman to
harness and transmit the magickal influences of the Sun (or what is traditionally associated with the Sun),
you can visualize the yellow light emanating from both your body and the physical Sun towards the
talisman. Of course, I'm not asking you to subscribe to astrology as a belief-system, but part of chaos
magick is believing anything for the duration of a ritual, provided it is useful. While you charge the
talisman, believe whatever it takes to deepen your state of altered consciousness. When the ritual is over,
you can and should forget about it entirely.

Do not worry if your consciousness does not feel sufficiently altered at first. If you are a beginner in
magick, it will take time to slip into the proper state. However, by using colored lamps and music it will
be far easier. And even if your consciousness does not overtly feel altered, this does not necessarily mean
that it isn't altered. Continue creating talismans and note their effects. By meditating often you will
eventually be able to reach deeper and deeper states of consciousness, but the very act of sitting silently
and gazing at a talisman you created in colored light while listening to music will cause the mind to act in
a way different from normal -- a way that is magickally potent.
 3. Using and destroying the talisman

Once the talisman has been created and charged, the next step is to actually put it to use. The nature of the
talisman, however, determines exactly how you will use it. For instance, if it is designed to curse or bless
a certain area, the talisman will need to be placed near that area. If, however, the talisman is for personal
power or protection, it will need to be kept on you.

Placing the talisman in a strategic area.

To influence a certain area, the talisman should be placed near the area, but not where it can be seen or
vandalized. Burying the talisman is the best way to conceal it, but that is not always possible. Before
placing it in an area, make sure the area has a spot where the talisman can rest undisturbed. If not, the
talisman will likely be seen by someone and stolen or destroyed. You do not want this to happen,
especially considering the talisman has your magickal energy within it. If you are placing it in an area, you
may also want to consider making the talisman as small as possible. The size of the talisman is not so
important as the amount of magickal energy transferred to it. Smaller talismans are easier to hide,
obviously. However, burial is the best choice.

Having the talisman on one's person

The talisman, as you know, has the potential to influence the local area. If you place the talisman in your
pocket or upon a necklace, that influence will be transmitted to you, as well as to what is in your
immediate vicinity. This is why talismans were often used for protection, as the influence "to protect" can
be assigned to the talisman and, so long as it is on one's person, the likelihood of encountering danger will
be lessened. Of course this is not 100% assured for there are other factors involved, but it is a good idea
nonetheless. Here, smaller talismans are preferable—pocket size or one that can be worn on a necklace.

Using the talisman to increase the power of other magickal workings

You can also create a special talisman to increase the magickal power of evocations and other workings.
The most common form of this special talisman is the "pentacle" used in Wicca and forms of ceremonial
magick. A pentacle is specifically a five-sided star shape, often made out of wax, wood or metal,
symbolizing the elements of earth, water, air, fire and Spirit. It is placed on the altar as a means of
favorably influencing whatever ritual is occurring, as well as for protection. You can create your own
talisman for the same purpose. However, it is not a good idea to make a talisman which uses astrological
symbolism if you are going to use it with all magickal workings. The pentacle, for example, covers all
elements. It may seem like a good idea to make a Lunar or Mercurial talisman, as these two astrological
forces can enhance magickal effects, but if you are performing a ritual involving other planets, the
energies may have the potential to clash. I would recommend experimenting with it if you are curious, but
it is better to start out using a talisman which isn't associated with any particular energy or which is
associated with all energies. If you want it to have astrological associations, it would be best for it to
cover all associations, first, then note the results. After you have some success with it you can try other
experiments.

Some chaos magicians develop their own personal sigil out of their given name, or out of a magickal
name. A talisman can also be made for this and its presence during rituals should increase the ritual's
power. As with other sigil-based talismans, the personal sigil is carved or drawn on the talisman's
material surface and then it is charged. Afterwards it can be incorporated into the ritual.

Evocation

In addition to constructing and charging talismans in the way outlined above, you can also incorporate
magickal evocation into your talismanic magick. There are many ways to do this, but the two most
prominent forms are:

1. Crafting a Spirit's sigil as an actual talisman

2. Using a Spirit to help charge the talisman

In the first case, you can create a large talisman for a particular Spirit, engraving the Spirit's sigil upon it.
For example, if you want to make a talisman for the powers of Venus, you can make a green wax talisman
and etch the sigil of the Venusian Spirit Hagith upon it:

This has the potential of heightening the magickal effect, as the talisman has more energy in it than normal
sigils.

In the second case, you can perform a ceremonial evocation ritual with the talisman present and ask the
Spirit evoked to help you charge the talisman. It can be a personal talisman, with a sigil you created, or it
can be the Spirit's sigil. This also has the potential to increase its power.
 Destroying a talisman

Not all talismans need to be destroyed, as some will simply lose energy over time if they are not charged
periodically, rendering them magickally inert. However, if you run into a situation where you feel the
influence of the talisman is no longer beneficial, the talisman should be destroyed.

Before destroying a talisman, its energy should be ritually visualized as returning to you. As with the
ritual involved in charging the talisman, such a ritual takes place in the opposite way, with you visualizing
the talisman's energy leaving the talisman and re-entering your body. This energy can be perceived as a
color emanating from the talisman or in some other way, but the basic principle is that it is a reversal of
how the talisman was initially charged.

Once you feel the talisman's energy has been sufficiently drawn back into you, you can then go about
physically destroying the talisman. The talisman can be destroyed in any number of ways—and, if the
energy is drawn back into you, the way it is destroyed is not so important—but I recommend not re-using
any of the elements of the talisman. A talisman can be cut up, burnt, pulverized, etc.
 5. Conclusion

Talismans can be an excellent tool for the chaos magician, for they regulate the flow of magick in a
continuous and harmonious way which other forms of spell-work may lack. It is not for no reason that
talismans are one of the most universal and popular forms of magick, and even those who do not have
proficiency in other forms of magick may benefit from them. I apologize for how brief this book is but I
would rather give you pure information rather than fill space. I have tried to include everything I could by
way of practical explanation and theory, but I am sure I overlooked a few things. This is just one book,
after all, and to fully gain and understanding of the world of talismanic magick you must not only create
and use talismans, but I also recommend reading up on the subject as extensively as you can. There are
many different approaches out there—some of which may be more powerful than what I've described here
—but I hope this will be enough to get you started.