April Owen Society: Odds Fobs and Gear Knobs: Accidental Talismans

While Dr. Xavier Day and I rarely see eye to eye, it is clear that we both couldn’t agree more how important it is for a magician to clean house. Most people of this modern age are familiar with the basic principle of the ancient concept of Feng Shui; in that the flow of energy in our environment is a reflection of the flow of energy within us. If our environment is so cluttered that physical movement is restricted, we should not be surprised if we are mentally restricted as well. The things in our environments are a reflection of our individual development. We all have things, but objects have an uncanny ability to store the essence of a particular memory, concept, emotion or place. Things then have a potential to become Accidental Talismans which was the focus of my presentation, Odds, Fobs and Gear Knobs: Accidental Talismans for the Owen Society April meeting.

There are many definitions of what a Talisman is, however I think a simple explanation is that a Talisman is a charged magical object. It is charged by magic. Magic (if you remove all the mystery and spiritualism) is simply will. Will is desire. Desire is an emotion. What then is an emotion? Well emotion, is a response to a memory, place, people and OBJECTS. It’s a pattern that comes full circle. A circle of which we would all be wise to be mindful.

A simple object can become an accidental talisman in several different ways. Things that are no longer used, such as clothes that no longer reflect your CURRENT size are accidental talismans. Obstructions, like a couch so littered with extraneous things that you no longer can sit on it becomes an accidental talisman. Distractions are accidental talismans, as are things that are avoided, things that hide something else and things that are unresolved. One of the most difficult accidental talisman to address I feel are things that invoke negative thoughts or emotions and these often take the form of gifts. This is that atrociously ugly lamp that your Aunt Mildred gave you. You feel for a multitude of reasons that you can’t get rid of the blasted thing, but it’s so hideous you begin to avoid the room IT lives in. Essentially, you allow this object to hold you hostage in your own home. Gifts from former lovers are also full of talismanic energy. Particularly if it is a portable item to be worn if you come into contact with your former lover and you are still wearing the item, you can only expect that connection between you to be instantly restored. Your lover will invariably think smugly to themselves “I gave her that!” If you restore the connection to your former lover, how can you possibly hope to establish a connection with someone else?

If objects are a reflection of our development, imagine for a moment a hall of mirrors in a fun house. It can be extremely disorientating, because within that hall of mirrors it’s very difficult to determine where you have been and where you need to go. Likewise if we are clinging to objects that have nothing positive to offer us in the present; then it is difficult to focus on the future and who we wish to become.

The best way to diminish the power of our Accidental Talismans is to give them a new home. Send Aunt Mildred’s lamp to a good charity and someone will find joy in it! Where it held you hostage, someone else will see potential and possibility. A question we all need to consider is do we really want our reflection to be of a hideous lamp? Or do we seek more creative possibilities? The bottom line is: possibility needs room to grow. Now go clean your house.

Approximately 13 people attended my lecture including Mr. M, Britney Gears, Televte Sunderland, Lainie Petersen, Alan P. Salmi, Catherine MacPherson, Oktyater Khaboror and Jean Julien Brumaire. Dr. Xavier Day, the professor’s esteemed college was also present as was of course, Professor Marius Mandragore. I am of course Amber McCoy (*), apprentice to the Professor.

(*) Amber McCoy is the Steampunk persona of Ame Kesa Morghan.

2014 March Owen Society: The Steampunk Magician's Toolkit

On this March Sunday Dr. Xavier Day had for all the participants of the Owen Society a complete Magician’s Toolkit. Complete with more than one device for divination which the good doctor explained was crucial for the inner peace of any would be magician, Steampunk or otherwise. When doing any kind of magical working, it is always a sound idea to check the ethics of the desire with divination. A reading that portends a warning does not necessarily mean you shouldn’t proceed with your intention, but it might give you an idea as to what the consequences may be. It’s up to the individual magician to determine if the consequences are worth the desire.

The consequences can be a bit of a messy affair that is the nature of all magic. Cleansing is also immensely important. Dr. Day delighted attendees not only in brewing samples of many cleansing oils for the toolkits, he included the recipes so that Owen Society members could replenish their supplies once they had been put to use. In addition to these oils were oils for charm and spell work with an explanation of their possible uses. However the creative magician of course can divine their own uses for such oils and with some herbal skill could brew up more possibilities of their own.

As an accomplished herbalist himself Dr. Day reminded the participants that plants are also living things. To carefully harvest a flower or a few leaves from an accommodating plant is one thing; but work with the root should be used with care and respect as this is taking the full life of the plant. Humans may have many gifts, but we share this world with many living things that have their own gifts. We should take care not to give the human status one too lofty for reality.

The reality is of course that human beings also have their limits and so too does the magic a human might create. You can’t expect a spell to work in an orderly fashion if you’re living in complete chaos! Dr. Day repeatedly drove home the point, “CLEAN YOUR HOUSE!” He concluded with the idioms be enticed, be specific, be CLEAN, be informed. Words most certainly to live by.

Approximately 20 people were in attendance at Dr. Xavier Day’s (*) lecture including one new member, Mr. Jason Winslade. Additional attendees included Jean Julien Brumaire, Thomas Forsyth, Oktyater Khaboror, Mr. M, Janet Berres, Nikki Deasy, Marie Gross, Mark Lancaster, Janet MacDonald, Alan P. Salmi, Cardinal Hymie Aloysius Pederasium, Helene Plushbottom and of course Professor Marius Mandragore and his esteemed colleges and friends Taliesin McCoy, Ymor Odwyn y dwr, Eitel August Graf Von Pappenheim and the Professor’s apprentices Delores Dion and myself, Amber McCoy (+).

(*) Dr. Xavier Day is the Steampunk persona of Matthew Ellenwood

(+) Amber McCoy is the Steampunk persona of Ame Kesa Morghan