The Magic Of Good Luck Charms and Amulets

First of all we should understand the meaning of the words of which we speak.  An Amulet, and in this case the closely related term Good Luck Charm, is defined as “an object that protects a person from trouble”, and is a very close relative of the term Talisman, from the Greek, which is translated as “to initiate into the mysteries” and is really part of objects which are intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner.  Amulets can be many different things including plants and animals, pendants and rings, statues, coins, drawings, gems or simple stones, or even words spoken on certain occasions, such as Namo Tassa Bhagahato Arahato Samma Sambuddhasa which are used to ward off evil or bad luck.

Talismans and Amulets vary considerably, for example in ancient China it is said that it was good luck to capture a cricket live and keep it in an osier box, while figures of elephants are believed to bring good luck and money if one “pays” them, hmm?, and in India demons escape from the sound of small bells in the wind.

Protection against supernatural powers has been an important asset for all of recorded history and amulets have always played an important part.  Soldiers especially, and others involved in dangerous activities, have traditionally used amulets to increase their luck and ward off evil.  Amulets are not just restricted to soldiers or peoples of certain areas or tribes, but they are found all over the world in fairs, museums, shops and homes. Additionally, it is said that in some of the Far East societies the amulets must be prayed over for days by monks to gain their maximum power.  There a top of the line amulet may bring in as much as 10,000 baht (300 or more dollars) which may represent a month or more in wages for many Thai’s.

The world may know good luck charms but the Thai’s seem to have the inside track as it seems that practically every Thai has at least one to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and prosperity.  These good luck charms are almost always blessed by monks and are held in very high regard by Thai society.  Much of the prestige of the charm is based on factors such as who made it, where it was made, the beauty of the amulet, and its reputation for bringing good luck.  In short, although the majority of the people in the world may scoff at the power of the Good Luck Charms and Amulets, millions of people worldwide wear them and believe in their powers.

Good Luck Amulets and Talismans in Folklore

Amulets and talismans are in fact nothing more or less than good luck charms and after all that is exactly what millions of people in this world look for; shop for, and crave for in their lives.  What we’ll be looking at here is a brief look back at the history of these good luck symbols in various cultures of the world.

These symbols are as different as the many and varied cultures of the world and differ considerably according to their times and places of origin as well as their societies and religions.  After all, an amulet may certainly represent a God or a symbol of deity such as a cross or a bull or an “eye of Horus”, or another such representation according to the culture.  Some societies even use gemstones as symbols of deity.

In parts of the Caribbean certain drawings are used as amulets, such as in certain types of Voodoo, and religions take into account the color of candles they use because of the significance of attractions or repulsions.  Additionally, speaking of attraction and repulsion, it is believed that certain perfumes and essences have that power, while a bit better known; a rabbit’s foot is credited with the powers of certain magical abilities.

We all know of course from books and movies that garlic and crucifixes kept vampires away, but it is not as commonly known that the hammer of Thor still offers protection in some places in Scandinavia and Germany against thieves.  Naturally we all know about the good luck charm that is known as the four leaf clover.  (don’t confuse that with the shamrock which symbolizes the Christian Trinity)  Also interesting to note that elephants were said to attract great good luck and money IF…that’s IF… one offers bank notes to them.  Hmm, interesting, huh?  And believe it or not in a small locale called Tyrol, it is believed that small bells make demons escape when they ring in the wind or when a door or window opens.

Buddhism is an interesting religion with many traditions which are somewhat unknown to most westerners.  After Buddha’s death circa 485 BC, amulets bearing symbols of Buddha such as conch shells, the footprints of Buddha, and others were commonly worn.  Tradition really spread greatly after the 2^nd century when the Greeks began carving actual images of the Buddha which were hungrily acquired by native Buddhists in India.

We all know that amulets and talismans, or when you really come down to it, Good Luck Charms in general, can be found literally all over the world among people from all nations and in all social statuses.

Symbols of Good Luck From Past to Present

All known cultures from the deep past to those of the present have given many indications of beliefs in desiring to procure the virtues of good luck and ward off the bad, and have often gone to somewhat extreme measures to aid them in so doing.  They have used all types of symbols, charms, talismans and amulets that represented good luck to protect them against negative powers and elements and hopefully solicit the aid of the virtuous powers.  Today people call upon the desired powers in forms such as tiny magnetic figures on the car’s dashboards, in women’s purses, men’s wallets, as pendants, rings, key chains, door threshold ornaments, in dresser drawers, in sports locker rooms, and on and on, in an endless list of locations.

There have been many symbols, or you may say charms, which have represented good luck to the bearer and they have been taken very seriously in their respective time and places and they include:

The Caduceus; an ancient symbol of good luck in India, Egypt, Greece and many other Mediterranean cultures…used to fight illnesses and bring peace and harmony.  The snake coiled around the pole represents the balance of good and evil. This is a common logo used by medical professionals today.

The Star and the Acorn were considered to be good luck symbols in ancient times with the Star representing perfection and the Acorn attractiveness and virility to the opposite sex.

The Chinese believed that the ancient dragon mask was a symbol of good luck to the bearer, and of course the horseshoe is a modernly famous symbol of luck preventing the “evil eye” from entering a person’s life or his home.

Some other famous symbols of good luck charms are four leaf clovers (or shamrocks), wishbones from Thanksgiving turkeys, and rabbits feet which are now traditionally worn on key chains by many as symbols of welcoming good luck.

In addition to the aforementioned symbols ancient coins are worn as pendant charms with the belief they carry good energy to ward off present day evil; in addition we hear of blessing oils being worn in small vials to protect and bring good luck; and of course Lady Bugs are said to be omens of good luck and if one lands on you that is a special good luck symbol.

This is not the end of course; there are many more examples of good luck symbols from all corners of the world and the power that they have over the well being of people, whether real or imagined.  This is actually a great story of cultural diversity and how it makes very little difference in the beliefs that the people of the world have in these types of good luck charms.