Charm Casting: Part 2 - Choosing Charms

In hindsight, this is a big enough topic that I'll put the rest of my information about supplies in one or more subsequent posts!

How many charms should you have for a charm casting set? You can get started with maybe a dozen, and you can expand into the hundreds - but only if you want that many. A good target number takes onto account how many charms you're casting in an average reading. I use 30-50 charms of a specific size or smaller, in a typical reading; that's about how many I can fit in my cupped hands, and my hands are small. I also like having choices, though, so I have over 200 in my current set. It really depends, but I would emphasize that you can start small and decide on a final number later.

My maps are 10-12 inches across, so I've found that charms measuring no more than 20mm on their largest side are the right size. If you use larger maps, or maps with big sections, bigger charms may work too.

A good charm has a distinct meaning to you. You don't have to memorize all of the meanings - I have a document listing them - but the associations should make sense to you. If a potential charm appeals to you but you can't easily think of a meaning, try setting it out where you'll see it and give it some time for something to come to you. I don't advise buying a ton of charms that simply look cool when you don't have meanings for them yet; you might not find them practical.

On the flip side, if there's a meaning you know you want in your set, think about what symbols might represent it. There are all kinds of literal charms out there, plus other types of little trinkets like coins, glass pebbles, and game pieces you can find - there will almost definitely be something in that shape or image that you can use. And deciding on meanings can be a way to focus your charm search so that you don't end up with 250 charms...but not any for a specific purpose you wanted.

Depending on whether your kit has a theme, you may want to be more specific with some meanings. For example, a business theme might lend itself to having separate charms for short trips, long or far trips, and permanent relocation. A relationship oriented kit might not need those, but it's handy to have a way of distinguishing between a long term relationship and a fling.

You may also want to look through things you already have before you buy anything new. I had a collection of foreign coins from my dad's business travels, I don't anymore, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't save them for things like this, even though he wasn't a good or kind person and I might have to grapple with those memories if I used something he gave me.

Any kind of symbolism is fair game; pop culture is not cringe! I have a tooth charm in my set because of Dune, a blue dress for the song of the same name, and a whole set of Final Fantasy XIV job crystals.

The meaning you give a pop culture charm may have more than one level; my Dune tooth usually represents something you shouldn't forget, but if you know the context, you won't be surprised that sometimes more sinister overtones of betrayal, mutual destruction, or a lost cause are relevant too.

If you're incorporating an existing symbol set with existing meanings, like the runes, use one that you already vibe with. You don't have to be an expert yet; you can use notes like I do for my charms in general. But I would say you should have an attachment to that symbol set and be committed to learning it well.

Next, you'll want to consider material. Who knows what cheap charms from Amazon are made out of, and why pay for sterling silver when that means worrying about tarnish? Crystals may not be a good idea if you cast the same way I do, by dropping the charms about 4-6" suddenly - they may eventually break.

Brass and pewter don't require any special care that I know of, are inexpensive, and are used to make charms in many shapes. I also like wood or plastic game pieces.

Speaking of game pieces, let's talk about my favorite ones: meeples. These are small, abstract figures of people that you can buy individually or in small sets on Etsy. Meeples are great to represent the querent and maybe others in the situation: Did it land standing (the person is in a good and capable position), lying on one side (some difficulty), lying down (off guard), stepping on another charm (supported by whatever that charm represents), pointing an arm toward something (has that as a resource or help), maybe even upside down and off of the board (the situation is out of their control)? There are so many ways to interpret a meeple and the charms around it! And they're cheap and come in many colors!

Other generally useful charms to consider include:

• Something for timing, like a 12 sided die for the months of the year
• Charms representing the problem and the solution, such as a lock and key
• Something to point to what's important, like an arrow, or what will help, like a hand

If you end up with a lot of charms, or just have some specific charms you always use, consider separating out some of your charms in a different container or a different part of your storage container. If you always use a meeple but choose other charms at random, it's good to know where your meeple is! You may also have charms for things like timing, that come out when they're relevant; having them in a specific pocket to choose from is better than digging through your entire collection to find them.

Now, where do you find new charms and what do you do if you have to buy multiple of the same charm in a pack?

Etsy is currently a great place to look for charms. Between tariff bullshit and Etsy treating sellers worse and worse, I don't know if that will continue to be the case, but I can hope. Michaels is another option; sometimes I browse their charm and bead aisles looking for new ideas.

If you end up with duplicate charms, trading with others may be a possibility, but it's not the only one. You can give one charm to a querent or keep it yourself for use in a spell bag related to getting whatever you were looking for info on, and replace it with a duplicate. Carrying a charm with you after the reading is a way to amplify its effect if you program it appropriately, spell bag or no spell bag.