Do Amulets really work ?

One morning - in Thailand then - I set out for a walk with an open mind. I came to the stall of an old man who wanted me to buy something. His English was reasonable so I let myself be persuaded to look into the bizarre things he was selling: amulets.

I asked him ‘which one is the most powerful you have’ and he pointed to one with a monk on one side and a king on the other. He said this would be good luck in finances for me and will protect me from bad things while travelling.

Of course I wanted to know how this could be. He explained for a while, but our languages did leave a barrier between us. However he let me have one of his precious pamphlets about this monk with also his writings on it, all in Thai.

I spent some time chasing further info on this particular monk, Rama IV and amulets in general and……. holy moly…… what a gate I walked through.

Not only did I find out about the collecting and doing business side of amulets in Asian countries, there are shops after shops, stalls, internet sites and magazines totally dedicated to what seems to be a boom with amulets at the moment that could likely collapse any time. They are a ‘fashion thing’ much like the cross and celebrities like to show them off.

This amulet seems to be the most expensive and powerful amulet available. It depicts the Buddha.


I also learned a lot about this monk and how he learned and applied the wisdom of Rama IV and why this amulet is considered powerful although it looks like not much to it.

Yesterday I showed it to a Thai friend and she immediately raised her hands palms touching to her forehead and confirmed its protective and good luck qualities for me. ‘How did you know that this amulet is powerful’, she asked.

I don’t know, I just listened to an old man.

I don’t even know whether it works. It does seem though that I’m followed by luck. But is that because of the amulet ?

Do amulets have special powers ?

How do they work ? Why one amulet and not the other ?

I don't know if they work.

It seems to me the consideration of whether they work would almost have to be completely separate discussions depending on whether we are discussing the ability of a person to make their own amulet -- that seems like one possible route of effect; or believe in one they bought, the same path; versus the ability of an amulet, let's say that a person knew nothing about at all, to affect them, which seems like a whole different things.

There's a whole heck of a lot of stories about previously reasonable people mailing rocks back to Hawaii after what seemed like bad luck followed them -- legends about that they heard and ignored, but finally got them convinced they had to give them back.

The Ghost Shirts had zero effect against bullets at Wounded Knee. Nor did the white man ever go away.

Totemic, spiritual, fetish, amulet, and other sorts of talismans might 'work' in a placebo sense depending on the belief of the wearer, but, otherwise, there's a limit, especially when it comes to stopping bullets or driving out the white man.

reply to post by SovannaMaccha


Yes, refer to the placebo effect and why faith works...

Original intent. If it was an original design/product of one who has only benevolent wishes for those who may find their product, then there is a true tie to the originating wish or blessings of good fortune. Unfortunately in many parts of the world, non-benificial folk have learned to copy designs, but you will never feel the draw to the copies. In a bad analogy: It's like a 1959 cadillac compared to a 1979 Pontiac. (Like I said, a bad analogy.)

reply to post by SovannaMaccha

They worked pretty good in Diablo 2 but I haven't played it in ages.

when a nice girl wears an amulet of a certain size and on just the right length of chain...
well, during certain intimate activies one will find out pretty quick why they call them magic

If you believe in something it gives you confidence. People seem to respect confidence. This confidence can sometimes get you ahead.

I could get into possible frequencies and how wearing a particular shape can help to raise your frequency but I think symbols or designs coupled to stones or conductive metals, not heads, would better reinforce that possibility. I think the first sentence would apply.

AliceBleachWhite
especially when it comes to stopping bullets or driving out the white man.

Maybe those are especiallllllllllllllllllly eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil. LOL

reply to post by SovannaMaccha


Would you mind posting a picture of yours? If that's rude to ask, I apologize, I'm just curious. I love amulets. I feel better when I wear a necklace, ring, bracelet, or all of it. People treat me nicer. This may be psychological. But it works for me. I get compliments. I was in a jewelry store for wedding ring repair, two girls who WORK THERE which means they see all kinds of jewelry, were bananas on a garnet ring I have. I'm thinking, Yup, that's why I wore this. Plus to happiness, social skills, confidence. It works for me.

rickymouse
If you believe in something it gives you confidence. People seem to respect confidence. This confidence can sometimes get you ahead.

I could get into possible frequencies and how wearing a particular shape can help to raise your frequency but I think symbols or designs coupled to stones or conductive metals, not heads, would better reinforce that possibility. I think the first sentence would apply.

May be possible that the latter could actually increase the former.

reply to post by RedCairo


That is very possible. A conductor could accentuate the senses and a stone could balance energy by acting as an energy sink and buffer.

i think its all in how you use it
garlic banishes the evil sprits that makes a person ill when one eats it
but not by hanging it over the door

Danbones
i think its all in how you use it
garlic banishes the evil sprits that makes a person ill when one eats it
but not by hanging it over the door

I can tell you, rubbing it all over your body is an evil spirit attractor, and people stay well away from you...cos they know you're eeeeeeviiiillll...

Å99

she had a snake for a pet
and an amulet
and she was breeding a dwarf
but she wasnt done yet...

...is that a sears poncho?"

Frank Zappa

I think maybe there are amulets and then there are amulets
depends where they come from I guess

If you're a good looking girl and you wear an amulet while wearing a low cut shirt....doors are opened for you.

OrphanApology
If you're a good looking girl and you wear an amulet while wearing a low cut shirt....doors are opened for you.

Heh! Any man worth having should be opening them for me anyway. ;-)

Actually I open them for other women. I'm such a gentleman!

I have known a few people from other cultures who believed utterly in amulets. They were completely rational and even skeptical in every other way but they had something they had worn most of their life and felt they had cause to take it seriously.

When I am facing the fact that I don’t know everything that is definitely a moment where I give myself to trusting that things will work out just fine. I’m not quite sure to where I send this trust maybe here an amulet could substitute. It seems to work



I tend to hide my amulet and keep it very private and personal (sorry won’t publish it for view).

I think if someone uses an amulet showing it off at the spot that might attract attention and if that spot is not attracting by itself I can’t see an amulet being much helpful.