Fashionable Talismans
Is Self Actualization the most Potent Magic of All? Maybe…
It’s October, the twilight time, the Season of the Witch, when the veil between the worlds becomes thinner. So much of what I’ve created recently for Weapon of Choice New Orleans seems to nod to otherworldliness, be it sacred (the ARCHANGELS tops and necklaces, the stained glass saint floral chokers) or profane (the tarot-inspired lace necklaces and body harnesses, twin rhinestone snakes slithering through the rose garden of the Rose Adiago harness, the Hand of Fate & Sword of Fortune charms found on the Chestplates and lots of other jewelry throughout the collection).
To many people, “magical thinking and superstition may seem ridiculous. They are things that attract the ignorant and the impressionable. However, and paradoxically, the irrational actually influences our brains more than many would like to believe.
Psychology professor Bruce Hood demonstrated the effectiveness of superstition during a talk at a science fair in the U.K.
Hood challenged the audience to try on a blue jacket in exchange for ten pounds sterling. Several volunteers agreed to the proposal, but before they could try the jacket on, Hood told them that the garment had belonged to infamous English serial killer, Fred West.
With this knowledge, most of the volunteers simply refused. They were faced with an instinctive rejection of the ‘ominous,’ and a discomfort that is the basis of superstition. This occurs even in the most rational people (at a science fair). Interestingly, the experiment ended when Hood informed the volunteers that jacket really didn’t belong to any serial killer, showing that our minds powerfully determine our attitudes towards everyday objects.
In addition to the “sentimental value” of the objects we’ve inherited from our parents, grandparents, or those that were present at historical moments, objects also typically carry a lot of psychic energy. These don’t need to be explained scientifically to recognize their importance. Think, for example, of the relics of Catholicism and crucifixes.
Using these same principles, it’s possible to create amulets and talismans to suit our own needs and to use…objects as allies.” (FaenaAleph, Oct 12, 2016)
I have, perhaps subconsciously, been creating talismans. The carved howlite skulls, the angel or tarot card cabochons, roses, the swords….all highly symbolic unto themselves, and then when combined together and hand-stitched to embroidered lace, they take on a more personal and interactive depth than regular costume jewelry. Consider Weapon of Choice New Orleans’ work a sort of a three-dimensional spell, a way for you to deposit and harness psychic energy and intention.
One of my personal core beliefs (and frequent sayings) is “Life is short. Show people who you really are.” Human beings have basic psychological needs for personal growth and development throughout their entire lives. If Weapon of Choice New Orleans has a raison d’être, it’s to be a conduit by which the individual has an opportunity to express themselves, visually, to the fullest. By accomplishing this kind of self-actualization, you will be on the road to meaning and purpose in your life. How great will it be to say you truly lived? There’s only of you on the planet, so get busy!
Be who you are.
That’s magic, baby!
Love,
Laura
Oct 2020