The Talisman of Charlemagne: A Token of Divine Favor

The Talisman of Charlemagne is a legendary object said to have been possessed by the great emperor Charlemagne. According to myth and folklore, this talisman held immense power and was believed to grant its owner various abilities and protection. The origins of the talisman are unclear, with different stories attributing its creation to different sources. In some versions, it is said to have been a gift from a powerful sorcerer, while in others, it is believed to have been discovered by Charlemagne during one of his many conquests. Regardless of its origins, the talisman was said to have possessed incredible properties. It was believed to provide the wearer with invincibility in battle, protection from harm, and the ability to understand and speak all languages.

Since it’s the beginning of the year, I thought now would be a good time to share my own working pagan calendar for this year. I say it’s “my own”, because it’s what is working for me, and I don’t prescribe it for anyone else. Your own pagan practice should be specific to your our place and time and personality–or else it’s not really “pagan” as I understand that word. But I offer mine here by way of an example.

Imbolc is definitely the worst of the contemporary Pagan holidays for this kind of anachronistic and anatopic like anachronistic, but for place observances. When exactly I will observe the event depends on when I observe certain seasonal changes, like the first buds on the trees in the spring or the first fall of leaves in the autumn.

It was believed to provide the wearer with invincibility in battle, protection from harm, and the ability to understand and speak all languages. Some even claimed that it had the power to heal the sick and bring good fortune to its owner. The talisman of Charlemagne became a symbol of power and authority during his reign, and its possession was often seen as an affirmation of one's status and connection to the great emperor.

No-Nonsense Paganism: One pagan’s calendar

I’m frustrated. I just experienced another public Imbolc celebration which included an explanation of how, in Britain in the time of the Celts, February was springtime. Meanwhile, I’m looking at a forecast for the next two weeks and the temperature will be hovering just above freezing. This is typical for this time of the year where I live (at the bottom tip of Lake Michigan where Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan meet).

Why are we talking about spring in the literal middle of winter? Why are we talking about Celts and Romans did hundreds of years ago? And why are we ritually honoring the bodies of water like the Ganges and the Nile, when there’s a lake within walking distance and one of the Great Lakes not far off?

Imbolc is definitely the worst of the contemporary Pagan holidays for this kind of anachronistic and anatopic (like anachronistic, but for place) observances. But contemporary Pagan practice is plagued by it.

We need a no-nonsense paganism–or rather no-nonsense paganisms (plural). Paganisms which are grounded in and arise out of the specific circumstances of our lives. As Steven Posch has written, “the only pagans that we can honestly be is the pagans for our own time and place.”

Since it’s the beginning of the year, I thought now would be a good time to share my own working pagan calendar for this year. I say it’s “my own”, because it’s what is working for me, and I don’t prescribe it for anyone else. Your own pagan practice should be specific to your our place and time and personality–or else it’s not really “pagan” as I understand that word. But I offer mine here by way of an example.

And I say it’s “working” and “for this year” because I change it all the time–definitely from year to year, and sometimes over the course of the year. There’s spaces at the end of my calendar to indicate that it may expand. Yours should probably change too over time, because you are changing over time.

You’ll notice right away that there’s way more than eight observances. There’s nineteen as of now. I really don’t think “eight is enough” to sustain a spiritual practice. And, in addition to these these seasonal events, I have a daily practice, which I’ve written about before here.

Some of the observances are fixed dates based on solar events, like the solstices and equinoxes. Some are seasonal events, which are moveable, meaning they can happen on any day over a span of time. When exactly I will observe the event depends on when I observe certain seasonal changes, like the first buds on the trees in the spring or the first fall of leaves in the autumn. This forces me to pay attention to the world around me and to take time out of my day-to-day when I notice certain changes.

Some of the observances correspond to the traditional “Wheel of the Year”, but others do not. I’ve kept what makes sense to me and tossed the rest. Some of those I’ve kept, I’ve change the meanings to correspond to the time and place I live. No pretending it’s spring in Imbolc. And, if the winter solstice is celebrating the light in the dark, it make sense that the summer solstice should be about the dark in the light.

Some of the events are based on popular events, like Halloween and Thanksgiving, because I believe there is a lot of social-psychological potentiality that builds up around these dates, which we can turn to our own uses. Some of the events happen on a single day, and others, like the Yule season observance I did last month, last several days. And some of the observances are planned for specific times of day, like the winter solstice at midnight or the summer solstice at noon.

John Halstead is a native of the southern Laurentian bioregion and lives in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago. He is one of the founders of 350 Indiana-Calumet, which worked to organize resistance to the fossil fuel industry in the Region. John was the principal facilitator of “A Pagan Community Statement on the Environment”. He strives to live up to the challenge posed by the statement through his writing and activism. John has written for numerous online platforms, including Patheos, Huffington Post, PrayWithYourFeet.org, Gods & Radicals, now A Beautiful Resistance. He is Editor-at-Large of HumanisticPaganism.com. John also edited the anthology, Godless Paganism: Voices of Non-Theistic Pagans. He is also a Shaper of the Earthseed community which can be found at GodisChange.org.

And I say it’s “working” and “for this year” because I change it all the time–definitely from year to year, and sometimes over the course of the year. There’s spaces at the end of my calendar to indicate that it may expand. Yours should probably change too over time, because you are changing over time.

It was said to have been passed down through generations of rulers and nobles, with each one benefiting from its mystical properties. Over time, as the legend of the talisman grew, so did the desire to possess it. Many sought to claim the talisman for themselves, believing that it would grant them the same power and success as Charlemagne. However, the talisman's whereabouts and true nature remain a mystery, adding to its allure and mystique. Today, the talisman of Charlemagne is mostly regarded as a myth or legend. It has become a part of folklore and storytelling, adding to the rich tapestry of Charlemagne's legacy. Whether it truly existed or not, the talisman remains a captivating symbol of power, protection, and the legendary emperor who once ruled Europe..

Reviews for "Charlemagne's Mythical Talisman: A Fascinating Tale of Intrigue and Destiny"

- Sarah - 1 star

I found "Taliaman of harlemagne" to be incredibly boring and difficult to get through. The writing style was dry and the characters were one-dimensional. The plot was confusing and lacked depth. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

- John - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Taliaman of harlemagne" based on the intriguing synopsis, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The pacing of the story was slow, and I often found myself losing interest. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, there were several plot holes and unanswered questions that left me feeling unsatisfied. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this book.

- Emily - 2 stars

I had a hard time getting into "Taliaman of harlemagne". The writing style was overly descriptive and verbose, which made it difficult to follow the story. The characters lacked depth and I found it hard to care about their fates. The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying, leaving me feeling disappointed. I would not recommend this book to others, as I did not find it enjoyable.

- Michael - 1 star

I found "Taliaman of harlemagne" to be a tedious read. The plot was convoluted and confusing, making it hard to stay engaged. The characters were forgettable and lacked any real development. The writing style was also dry and lacked any emotional impact. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

Unearthing the Story of Charlemagne's Mysterious Talisman