Difference Between Charms, Enchantments, Amulets, And Talismans

Difference Between Charms, Enchantments, Amulets, and Talismans

Charms: A charm's main magical purpose is to bring about luck, happiness, love, good fortune, health, etc. It isn't strong magic, but it's something. Ex.: "See a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck", that's a charm and it's said by school children all the time. It's an object that is spoken over to give it a little bit of magic. It doesn't have to rhyme, and it can be whispered, but it can help bring about a minor magical intention. (It's like the first-level armor you get in a video game. It's not strong, but it helps)

Enchantments: Enchantments are usually worn or carried and the objects are themselves magic. They are wearable or portable spells that effect the wearer/carrier. They can have a much larger effect than charms can, however, they are a bit more complex in the making - creating a spell, speaking over it, and whatnot.

Enchantment hows and whys can be found here.

Amulets Amulets are magical objects that protect people from evil spirits, negative energy, disease or illness, general harm, bad luck, etc. People believe that the amulet has some kind of magical power that protects the person possessing the charm.

Amulets are all different types, which includes herbs, stone, garlic, coal, horseshoes, plant or animal parts, coins, or any other metals. Amulets also include various signs and symbols. Amulets can be of the general type or can be personalized or changed according to the person going to use them.

It is often used in the form of jewelry so that it stays within the person every time and the chances of losing it becomes negligible. Amulets are natural objects and do not harm anyone. They improve the quality of life of a person having it as they satisfy the natural desired of the individual.

Talismans Talismans are magical objects supposed to give strength and power to the person possessing them. People also believe that it provides some kind of magical abilities to the person having it.

Talismans are natural amplifiers. They boost up the energy and empower the people leading them to make the right choices. Talisman is usually in a single piece, made up of gemstone or any other crystals. Talisman is a magical charm that can be customized or changed according to the person.

The talisman can be personalized according to the requirement. Some of them are supposed to bring joy and happiness, some of them bring health, some bring good quality of life, and so on.

Let's Talk About Hagstones

Hagstones are rocks with naturally occurring holes in them. These rocks are usually found by bodies of water, and the hole is created by erosion from the water. I personally also consider shells with holes in them hagstones.

Editing bc someone mentioned this: the holes in shells are not caused by erosion but actually by creatures burrowing holes into shells. I know this and still consider them hagstones because they both involve holes and water, but that's just what I do in my craft personally.

Hagstones are considered to be good luck, to help with fertility, protection, healing, and seeing and communicating with spirits.

Some claim the only way to use a hagstone at "full" power is by finding it yourself or if it was given to you as a gift. Some people even say it has no power if you buy it yourself. "It only works if you find it yourself." I honestly think that's some superstitious (and slightly ablist) bs because mine were purchased and work just fine. Don't let superstition stop you from buying a pretty rock.

Anyways, here are some other superstitions regarding hagstones:

It is said that hagstones can ward off or attract the fae, as well as see through glamours. if you wish to attract some, you can pour morning dew through a Hag Stone hole and anoint yourself with it. 

It's said that if you find a large hagstone, big enough to walk through, if you walk through with your partner you'll be blessed with a baby.

To have a good dream and calm mind tie one to your bedpost.

Nailing a hagstone to a boat will disperse oncoming storms

To make a wish come true place a hagstone in your left hand and rub it clockwise while thinking about your wish.

Tie them to something you want to protect to protect it.

Some say if you hold a hagstone you can't lie.

I personally keep one infront of my scrying mirror to keep spirits from leaving the mirror. I haven't anointed my stone with morning dew or seen much but looking through it definitely gives me a strange feeling. It definitely feels like a film infront of the world has been stripped away when you look through it.

Either way it's a pretty and cool rock

I am a witch who's trying to get back into witchcraft after an immense amount of burn out. The burn out wasn't due to the witchcraft, it was due to things piling on my brain in general. What sort of things do you suggest to ease myself back into it? If you don't have an answer that's okay, just thought to ask

I've been dealing with this myself and i actually just made a video on it that I really like not too long ago, so I think I can help you!

How to Come Back to the Craft After Burn Out (+ A Guide to doing Witchcraft with Low Spoons) 

I was burnt out in general and because of the craft, particularly because of the way I was filtering my personal practice through social media. I realized a lot of my burnout was tied to pushing myself, and shame. I feel like maybe this is common. This is a mix of both personal and witchy advice, and I may be projecting, but I think you have to focus first and foremost on not rushing back in and getting overwhelmed by adding a bunch of stuff to your routine at once and trying to do everything right or perfect. A good practice or routine is sustainable, not perfect. Perfect is the enemy of good, and also the enemy of done. I've had to focus on this a lot recently. 

With this in mind, you might be wondering where you should even begin when it comes to actually practicing again. Remember to go slow. I’d suggest thinking about what you were doing and interested in before and start practicing and researching whatever sounds the most fun when you’re ready. You could also go over any notes you had about your practice before, if you had a blog or something look at that, etc. You get the idea! It will help you remember and might inspire you. If you really enjoyed tarot for example, you could do that when you feel inspired to. Starting slow is important. if you want go slower you could just do whatever practices you were doing before, or like now, whenever you feel like it. You could also try working witchcraft into your routine. Routine is hard for a lot of people but it doesn’t have to be intense. It can just be adding one thing. That’s all it needs to be. It could be something you do once a month, once a week, when you wake up, after you brush your teeth, only some days or whatever you think will make you feel the best.  

Of course I don’t know anything about your practice but to inspire you and others, here’s some ways you can easily introduce magic into your life. 

Daily divination  A tarot card every morning is what I like to do but you could use any kind of divination you like! 

Meditation  Meditate for a few minutes every morning/evening. Even 2 minutes makes a difference. Also, despite popular belief meditation does not have to be emptying your mind. 

Dream interpretation  Interpret or just journal about your dreams! Honestly journaling in general I think is great for witches. 

Witchy items of the day  Pick out some items to carry on you for the day. This could be crystals or herbs you want the properties of, a hag stone, or other items with properties you want to draw to you or use in your practice. 

Intention in drinks & food!  If you have coffee or tea every morning or day you can stir intention into it. Clockwise for things you want in, counterclockwise for things you want to banish. Or that’s the typical belief/way people suggest doing it. You can also stir sigils into it or add items to your drinks/food with or by intention. 

Enchanting personal care  Another way you can bring magic in your everyday life is enchanting personal care products. I’d do this for added layers of warding but you could get super creative with this and do whatever intention you like. 

Sigils sigils sigils  Sigils are fun to make. You can use them for a ton of other things on this list. Stir them into your drinks. Draw a sigil on your skin using lotion. Write them on your walls for warding. Sigils, sigils, ... sigils! 

Spritz cleansing If you have a hard time cleansing or not a lot of energy right now when you DO have energy you can put together a mixture for cleansing using a spritz bottle and then you have it done and ready to go ahead of time for many cleansing sessions. Beware of herbs and things you add if you have any allergies/pets. Actually just research any plants you handle anyway. 

Layering your wards  If you’re struggling with burn out right now you probably don’t have a lot of energy so this is a tip I like for when this happens and just the long term overall. Always add small layers using different methods to your personal and spacial wards. An example of this I love is some of the above, carrying an item with strong protective properties or writing sigils on the bottom of your shoes/sewing them into your clothes/etc are some other ideas I love. Customize as needed! Be creative! 

Basically just think of things you do everyday and try to make it witchy! Or think of practices you want to do more, like maybe cleansing, and figure out how to make it easier. 

Also I did mention research. I think in addition to picking a practice to try again or add to your routine, picking a topic to research that sparks interest may help too. Here are some ideas for that!

Intention 

Cleansing 

Charging

Grounding

Warding 

Circle casting 

Consecration 

Visualization 

Meditation methods 

Divination types (some are listed below)

Tarot 

Oracle cards 

Lenormand 

Pendulums 

Runes

Scrying

Astrology 

Palmistry 

Dream interpretation 

Spell types & spell construction 

Taglocks 

Sigils 

Other symbols & what they mean

The Theban alphabet 

Color magic 

Moon phases 

The Elements 

Correspondences of days, times, etc 

Crystals 

Moon water

Black salt

Plants, herbs, and spices in witchcraft  

Local plants 

Local history & folklore 

Pantheons & their deities 

Deity work

Spirit work

Astral projection 

Hope this helps 💕

Might as well save people some time.

The difference between pentagram and pentacle is this

- a pentagram is a five pointed star - from the root word Pent meaning 5.

- a pentacle is a talisman, often with a pentagram on it. From the root word Pend meaning “to hang”

Now there is a lot to look at in history and uses but that’s the core difference in the words.

Credit: Soulpreneur Life™