Albert Camus said that charm is “a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.” He was referring to charm in the sense of personal charisma, but his definition also applies perfectly to the objects we carry to attract good fortune in various forms. Charms ask for material results that we may have no reason to expect or deserve, but leave the “how” and “when” open-ended. A charm shifts reality by shifting consciousness through several modes:
​

• The labor of creating the charm focuses the attention of the practictioner and of the bearer on the desired effect.
  
• Taking action and making an effort in the physical world opens it to the possibilities you are suggesting. Astrologer Donna Cunningham calls this “manifestation through commitment.”
• Components of the charm may be chosen for the power given them by our shared consciousness. For example, the gemstone rose quartz is traditionally used to attract affection: the shared belief of many people in its ability to do so is self-fulfilling. If this sounds like hogwash to you, try this: the only reason you can turn a piece of rag paper into food is because of our shared belief in the value of a dollar.
• Components of the charm may be chosen for their personal associations. A father may want to include a lock of his child’s hair in a charm for a happy family life. The smell of tarragon reminds me of my mother’s kitchen, so I included that herb in a charm I created for her hospice room.
• Carrying, looking at, or meditating on a charm refocuses the bearer’s attention, like a spiritual mnemonic. 

My charms may include representative or abstractly symbolic graphical elements, gemstones, herbs, wild plants, animal parts like feathers or bones, metals, personal objects, and more. The finished product is an attractive pouch that you an tuck in your coat pocket or slide under your pillow. The creation of an effective charm requires the full participation of the bearer. I can guide the process, provide knowledge of traditional correspondences to help you choose materials, and construct the object with intention, but I cannot replace your own focus and commitment.