Seven Basic Steps For Making Charms taken from Wicca 2000 by Patricia Telesco 1. Find an object that somehow represents your goal by its shape, color, or other quality. 2. Cleanse the object 3. Charge the object (this is especially true of talismans) 4. Bless the object by calling on a personal diety or another Sacred power appropriate to your goal. 5. Work during auspicious astroloigical phases, if desired. (This is necessary for talismans.) 6. Create the charm using spells, incantations, or any other metaphysical methods that will empower it for use. 7. Carry it with you regularly, or put it where the energy will do the most good. In considering what item(s) should become part of your charm, the final use of the token is if the utmost importance. A token for your garden will need to weather the elements. Tokens for children need to be durable and nontoxic. Charms and amulets for pets need to be similarly safe and resistant to wear and tear. I generally suggest you keep personal charms small. That way you can easily carry a variety with you to meet almost any need as it arises. on't overlook the potential in clothing either. A tie can bind magic in it's knot, a scarf might be empowered as an amulet for health, and perfume or cologne can become a love charm. Get creative! Second, after you've found the central object, it needs to be cleansed of any residual energy. Cleansing leaves you with a spiritually clean tool intoo which you can put the energies desired. (See charging below). To purify your token, pass it through smoke from a purgative incense ( like frankincense, cedar, or pine). Alternatively, soak it in salty or soapy water. If these options don't work becasue of the medium's sensitivity, visualize the object being filled with pure, white light that pushes out any unwanted vibrations. Third, charge your token. Charging equates to filling the token with energy that's sympathetic toyour goal. for matters of logic, reasoning, power, health, leadership, and the like, leave the token in sunlight for several hours. The sun is associated with masculine attributes and the conscious mind. for matters of intuition, nuturing, psychism, emotions, inner transformations, and the like, leave the token in the moonlight for several hours. The moon is associated with feminine attributes and the subconscious or psychic mind. While tokens charge up, you can chant, pray, or recite spells over it if you wish. This improves magical potency. Step four is blessing. This usually takes the form of a deeply sincere prayer. Effectively, a blessing puts the token before the Sacred Powers with a stated purpose and requests that Divine favor be bestowed on the object and its purpose. By definition, a blessing is necessary for fetish creation, but optional for other charms. Step five is also optional for all charms except talismans- that of working during auspicious astrological phases. every hour of the day, each day of the week, every phase of the moon, and each sun sign can influence a charm's creation. For example, it might be best to make a charm to draw love during a waxing moon so love "grows". Or, you could make a talisman for improved judgement, when the moon is in Sagittarius. In and of itself, timing won't make or break your magical work, but it certainly can help it along. A good astrological calender will assist you in finding harmonic working times along with the chart below. Now you are ready to finish your charm. The methods for completion depend on the object's use and your personal spiritual path. Thematic correspondences Moon Full moon: maturity,fulfillment, mastery Waxing moon: growth, integration,progress Waning moon: banishing, decreasing, halting Dark moon: rest, peace Moon in Aries: enthusiasm, loyalty, sincerity Moon in Gemini: versatility, improved perspective Moon in Taurus: faithfulness, affection Moon in Cancer: devotion, thrift Moon in Leo: magnetism, romance, honesty Moon in Virgo: generosity, recognition Moon in libra: grace, sociability, affection Moon in Scorpio: pride, zeal Moon in Sagttarius: idealism, liberation Moon in Capricorn: dignity, passion Moon in Aquarius: detachmetn, optimism Moon in Pisces: instinct, sentiment Sun Dawning Sun: new beginnings, hope Noonday sun: health, blessings, luck Setting sun: endings, completion Sun in Aries: diligence, determination Sun in Taurus: persistance, tenacity, friendship Sun in Gemini: sensitivity, change, flexability Sun in Cancer: imagination, security Sun in Leo: generosity, leadership, confidence Sun in Virgo: levelheadedness, responsibility Sun in Libra: charm, diplomacy, communication Sun in Sagittarius: enthusiasm, toerance, adventure Sun un Aquarius: creativity, practicality, accomplishment Sun in Pisces: kindness, love, empathy Once created, keep the token in an appropriate place. If you've made it for yourself, carry or wear it regularly. If made for your home or the people who live there, put it near the hearth- the hearth of the home. For friends, create the charm in the form of a decorative accent piece and give it to them as a gift with a note of explanation. For pets, put the token where they sleep or eat. For children, stuff it in a pillow or sew it into a coat pocket. This way the charm can radiate magic where it will do the most good.