The need for protection and safety is inherent in all people. In childhood, a little person knows that his parents are taking care of him, and as an adult, he can only rely on himself. Well, and a little more on the "higher powers", and in order to surely provide yourself with such protection, various amulets and talismans are made.
What is a talisman
Initially, amulets should be distinguished from talismans. The latter could only be made by people who have the ability to communicate with the spirit world and other "higher powers". Talismans served to protect against a specific misfortune or evil that really threatens a person (from illness, injury during the war, from the evil eye, etc.).
The amulet could be made by any person on his own, and it was done rather "just in case." The amulet could protect both the person himself and his house, as well as everyone living in it. Amulets were made for children, for the house, and even for livestock. And, of course, the protective force was invested in the simplest, everyday things. It was convenient and logical: the objects that a person used in everyday life, at the same time, protected him from adversity.
Traditional amulets of the Slavs
One of the simplest amulets for the house was … an ordinary broom. If you put it with the handle down, it protected the dwelling from damage.
Items made of iron (needles, pins, horseshoes) also served as a talisman against the "personal use" evil eye. It was believed that this material, like a lightning rod, is able to divert all negative energy from a person. Only forged iron was suitable for the role of a talisman, and this is no coincidence: during forging, the metal came into contact with elements such as fire and water, which gave it additional strength.
Items such as scissors and knives had special functions. Opened scissors were hung around the house to protect a woman in labor and a newborn child from evil. A knife, stuck into a window frame or a jamb, protected the dwelling from unkind forces.
Mirrors have also long been considered objects with magical powers. A double looking at a person from the looking glass is his keeper, therefore, the place of his dwelling was treated with particular care. Until now, a broken mirror is a harbinger of misfortune, and they try to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Items of clothing also had security functions. It included jewelry, ritual embroidery on shirts, and, of course, a belt. A newborn baby was girded with a ribbon to protect him from evil and disease, and this tradition has survived to this day. Such a ribbon was an individual amulet for a person for life. And at a later age, girding, a person protected himself from damage, so the belt was an obligatory attribute of both men's and women's suits.
Some foods were also considered to have protective powers. Bundles of garlic were traditionally hung in the dwelling to protect the house and its inhabitants from evil spirits. It was believed that salt has the ability to absorb negative energy. It was poured under the threshold of the house so that visitors with bad intentions could not harm those living in it.
What can be considered a talisman
If you follow the tradition, even now the most common object can become a talisman. You can use both traditional amulets (knives, belts, rings, pins, etc.), and any others.
The power of the amulet can be increased by exposing it to the elements (for example, fire or water), reading a conspiracy over it, or even consecrating it in the church. By the way, amulets and crosses can also serve as a good individual amulet.
The most important condition for turning an ordinary object into a means of protection from evil and misfortunes is the belief of the person himself in the power of the amulet: the stronger it is, the more energy will be fed to the thing, which means that it will be better to keep its owner.
