THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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To: alt.magick
From: catherine yronwode 
Subject: Re: Amulets (best protection?)
Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 07:52:05 GMT

Chaos Blizzard wrote:
> I was wondering if you know if these things work.  I have found
> two and dont know which one would be better.
> 
> 1) http://www.oldarts.com/pages/index.htm 
> (click on Chi-ro Qabalah Amulet)
> As I wanted the protection one....
> 
>     -OR-
> 
> 2) http://www.enlightenedpath.co.uk/epath_04.html 
> Also another protection amulet.
> 
> I dont even know if those sites are safe to buy off of, 
> well im sceptical about the first site (oldarts), as there 
> server isnt really secure and it doesnt care if you dont 
> puch the right stuff in.
> 
> Thanks,
> Cody

Protection amulets vary in form greatly from one culture to
another. Each has its adherents and believers. Generally
speaking, however, it is considered that an amulet is merely an
example of the jeweler's art unless the maker has made it in a
magical way -- or unless you or someone with magical knowledge
empowers or "charges" it. Thus some amulets -- like Thai penis
amulets, for instance -- are said to vary greatly in their
efficacy, with even simple bones ones made by forest monks being
considered more powerful than lovely sterling silver ones that
were not consecrated by monks. 

As a seller of amulets myself, i find that those i feel the best
about are the ones that visually appeal to me and that have
historical or folkloric backgrounds that are highly traditional.
I then take the time to work with them, smoking them in incense
and consecrating them to my personal use. 

In short, i think there is no one "best" or "strongest" amulet --
because magic is not like Advanced D&D where everything is rated
for "power" -- rather, one's reaction to a given amulet will be
based on how familiar one is with its style (the mano fico amulet
is highly protective to Italian folks, but other may not "get it"
and the Hamsa Hand with a Mogen David and eye at the center is
extremely powerful as a protective amulet among Jews, but Moslems
would want it without the Mogen David and Scottish folks would
probably just shake their heads and go, "huh?" if they saw one. 

I maintain a rather large site on amulets called the Lucky W
Amulet Archive at 
    http://www.luckymojo.com/luckyw.html

It's not a sales site but rather a museum collection of amulets
from around the world, although i do have a few examples for sale
as well at my occult shop. To see links to all of the protective
amulets in my personal collection (and i have only scratched the
surface when it comes to creating a world-wide historical
collection of such amulets), go to this page:
Protection Spells and Protective Amulets
    http://www.luckymojo.com/protectionspells.html

You ask "if these things work." Well, that strikes at the very
heart of the question, "Does magic work?" No one here can answer
that for you, but asking the question as you do leaves you open
to a bunch of posts from folks who want you to use MENTAL magic
or PSYCHOLOGY rather than amulets. I am not among those folks. I
have used both protective and luck-bringing amulets all my life
(i am now 56 years old) and i have had a great deal of
satisfaction from them. My car is also decorated with such
amulets, as well as with religious figures. It has never been in
an accident, nor have we received a ticket while driving it. See
the Mojo Car covered with lucky charms and religious statuary at
    http://www.luckymojo.com/mojocar.html

Finally, you ask if those sites are secure to order from. You can
always telephone your order, your know. If a site gives no phone
number, i would not trust them, but virtually every site that
sells things and also gives out a phone number will accept
telephone orders if you worry that their server is not secure. 

Good luck, 

cat yronwode

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Subject: Re: Amulets (best protection?)
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Chaos Blizzard wrote:
> 
> Oh and no that site doesnt have a telelphone number, or an
> address. My problem is I can't find anyone else that sells
> talismans with better detailing than they. I could always use a
> credit card that has insurance against online credit fraud. Just
> as I would locate the where the server is for the site and report 
> them to the police, or fbi.

Interesting that in your search for amulets of protection, you
are discussing ways to potentially protect yourself from the
amulet makers! :-)

Both companies have pretty sites but are not managed along my
idea of how to build confidence among customers. Yet their model
-- the highly mysterioso one -- has been used successfully for
decades by a US talisman maker called Tyrad / House of Talismans.
Tyrad has a street address, but no telephone number is ever given
out to the public. 

As you noticed, oldarts.com -- Circle of Raphael -- has no
contact information -- no way to call to place an order, to check
on your order, to request a replacement if the order arrives
damaged, to inquire about the use of the amulet. 

The other shop, enlightenedpath.uk.orgm -- Guardians of the Light
and Practitioners in the Old Arts -- is even more secretive, for
i could not even find an "about us" type page.  

Of course you could do a search on who owns those domain names if
you are curious, and see where that leads. But they don't want to
be contacted like that, as is highly evident. 

As i see it, buying from these places is like buying a meal
through a slot in the wall rather than sitting down in a
restaurant or a friend's home for dinner. It may be tasty and
healthful -- or it may not -- and in any case, you have not
connected with the maker of the item in any meaningful way.

It's your call... 
 
Cordially,

cat yronwode 

Lucky W Amulet Archive -------- http://www.luckymojo.com/luckyw.html