copyright (c) 2007 Lynn Woodland
December is a month packed with a complicated interweaving of sacred holidays, family traditions, crass commercialism, and overindulgent partying. At the core of it all is the deep, magical rebirth of light that many world religions celebrate in slightly different ways. In the United States, the outer expression of this natural and spiritual event can give rise to an exhausting overload of lights, shopping, and social gatherings. Often referred to as the “Season of Giving,” it’s the time of year retailers live for, and the end result of all this retail activity is a deluge of exchanged gifts, some heart-felt and some perfunctory.
In June, when light reaches its peak, we explore the profound connection between light and love. Those who’ve had near-death experiences describe the light beyond death as being virtually indistinguishable from unconditional love. So, at this point where light is birthed out of darkness, perhaps the magical point to it all—what we’re grasping for through the mountain of packaged things—is the rekindling of sacred love. It’s easy to lose this point in the overlay of cultural expectation where gifts can become more a fulfillment of social obligation than a sacred offering.
So this week’s lesson involves finding the magical essence in a physical object and making it sacred through the creation of a spiritual talisman that will start as a tool and one day become a gift. The exercise will draw upon intuition, imagination, and clear intent to find an object, discover its meaning, and give it power. As a tool, it will become part of our ritual on the solstice in a few weeks. When its work with us is done, we’ll pass it on as a precious gift.
Spiritual traditions of all kinds use sacred objects as reminders of spiritual experience. The symbolic object is a trigger that helps take the mind to a spiritual state, and then the state leaves a psychic impression on the object that imbues it with power. Through repeated use, as we direct intention into the spiritual tool, we actually charge it with an energy that many psychics can see or sense. Thus, the object takes on a power in and of itself, in addition to its symbolic value, to trigger spiritual experience.
Selecting an Object
The object you pick to become your talisman could be anything. You’re to find it rather than choose it, letting your intuition guide you to something—you don’t need to know why. For this lesson, I recommend not reading ahead until you’ve done each step suggested. Intuition and imagination are to guide this process and knowing too much about the next steps may cloud your perceptions.
Where you choose to look for your object is entirely up to you. You may take a walk outside or go to a mall. You may even find it among your own possessions. Before your search, read the following meditation to put you in the right frame of mind. Plan to take time immediately following the meditation for your search rather than doing the two at different times. If you don’t find an object in your search, let it go and trust that something will just come to you in the next few days, probably when you’re least expecting it.
Meditation
Relax your body and quiet your mind with some deep, slow breaths…. Take some time to still your thoughts and create a peaceful state of mind….
Softly, let your awareness expand to include your spiritual self: the beautiful, radiant being of light that is your true Self; a part of you that is always whole, perfect, and wise without limit….
Just weeks from the shortest day of the year, take in the profound darkness of the season. Picture it in your mind’s eye as deep and all-encompassing. Hear its silence; feel its stillness. The letting go and pulling within of the natural world has created an emptiness that’s both barren and deeply peaceful.
As the light of the physical world is diminished, the inner light of spirit becomes more visible. As the outer world lies stark, stripped of its summer displays of color and life, it becomes ready for the renewing impregnation of light that comes just when it can’t get any darker.
As your imagination carries you through the quiet world of deep fall, feel the energy of the season attuning you to similar states within your own being. Let the dark without awaken your spiritual vision; let the barrenness of nature help you find the place in yourself that awaits renewal. Reflect on where you feel most empty; where in your life there’s an open space ready to be filled….
Know that a quiet, inner birth is on its way; one that will change you from within and inspire new dreams. It may end a time of despair or struggle. It may simply bring you more fully into yourself. There may be no outer signals of this—in this time of darkness, your only true guide is your inner knowing. So, trusting that something wonderful is coming even though you don’t know what, let a feeling of excitement and wonder build within you….
Now you’re ready to begin your quest for the perfect object that will become your spiritual talisman. Take some deep breaths to bring yourself back to an alert state.
The Search
As you begin your search (first being sure you’re fully grounded from the meditation if your journey takes your driving), “think” about it minimally. Imagine that your direction is coming from the center of your body rather than your head, easily guiding you to where your object will be. This may take you walking outside your door or to a favorite spot in nature. You may feel drawn to a favorite boutique or a dollar store, a huge mall or a junk shop. You might not even need to leave your home to find it. It doesn’t matter where you decide to do this exercise; you’ll find the correct object. As you look around, do it as a walking meditation. Imagine your higher, wiser, spiritual self is leading you to the perfect thing, and you don’t need to understand why it’s right. Don’t read any further in this lesson until you’ve found your object.
Creating a Talisman
A talisman is a physical object imbued with spiritual properties. It serves as a channel for spiritual energy and life force. They are created as tools and have often been used for such purposes as protection or healing.
The process of turning your object into a talisman will blend imagination and intention. Imagination is a fluid, receptive state through which our conscious mind easily accesses intuition (even though we might not recognize it as such). Intention is a directed, focused state that, when combined with imagination, turns day-dreaming into creation.
An Exercise in Imagination
So, turning your imagination up full volume, imagine that your object has a story to tell. Imagine that it has a history, and that you’ve become the temporary steward of something magical and mysterious. Now, write a story about this object. Listen to your imagination and let the object speak to you. Have fun with this. Be sure your story answers the following questions:
What is it as a sacred power object?
What is its special power?
What is its history?
Why has it chosen you?
What has it come to help you do?
How are you to use it?
Don’t read on to the next part until you’ve written your story.
Focused Intention
Through creative imagination you’ve now explored a specific direction of spiritual empowerment. No doubt, everyone doing this exercise has ascribed very different powers to their object. Look at what you’ve written as more than a story. Assume that your imagination, tapping into intuition, has shown you a spiritual direction that is or will become very important for you. Even if you don’t fully comprehend its relevance as yet, trust that you will.
In the story-writing, you used your imagination in an intuitive way to evoke insight and awareness. Now you’ll use imagination in a focused, intentional way to imbue power. As mentioned earlier, symbolic objects used as spiritual tools become powerful with use: the object is a catalyst for a spiritual state and the spiritual state impresses the object with energy. A state of strong intention increases the object’s effectiveness as a tool. This item that has already been a catalyst for imagination will now become an object of power.
Meditation on the Talisman
Relax your body, quiet your mind, and take some deep, slow breaths….
Holding your sacred object, imagine yourself to be wise and powerful in the ways of spirit. Picture yourself as a Priest, Priestess, healer or shaman—someone experienced with spiritual tools and confident in your own power. As you hold this talisman in your hands, use the power of your mind to imbue it with all the properties described in your story. (Even if you don’t believe you can do this, imagine yourself as someone who can.) Feel universal intelligence and life force channeling through you into the object, bringing it to life. You might notice your hands heating up as you hold the talisman. Feel its helpful magic already starting to work….
Let it speak to you in words, pictures, or feelings, giving you a glimmer of a wonderful rebirth coming to you. Let your imagination play with this. Remember, imagination opens the door to intuition…. Make this vivid and real, and when you find yourself believing in the talisman’s power, your work is complete. You have created a sacred object of power.
Continuing to Work with Your Talisman
From time to time over the next few weeks, take your talisman out and meditate with it. Work with it in whatever way feels right: imbue it with power; use it as it calls you to; absorb its healing and other powers; listen to its guidance. As you work with it, let a feeling of excitement and anticipation build—a sense that something wonderful is about to happen and you don’t know what. Know that your talisman is directing you to a new path of spiritual direction, empowerment, and enlightenment, the full significance of which may not become entirely clear until the solstice. Ask it to give you a glimmer of the miraculous birth that’s coming your way and look for signs and signals in your life. Expect small miracles, synchronicities, and signs everywhere you go.
And, though it may not be for months or years, at some point you will know your talisman’s job is done, and then you will pass it on as a sacred gift to the next person who is meant to be its keeper.