If you got here through the QR code on the box of Fu talismans at ConVocation 2025 that promised to explain what the talismans were, hello! Since this will be a publicly accessible blog post, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, hello, too — this is just going to be notes to de-mystify a Thing that I’m going to be distributing during two of my lectures.

Here’s what the full sheets look like, outer casing and interior where the actual empowered Fu 符 is. Because of the way it’s going to be folded, you’ll note that the left outer casing view has the Ba Gua printed upside down per that view, but once folded into the final talisman, it’ll be right side up aligned with the interior Fu 符. Same with the 64 stylized sigils (explained below) for medicine, healing, and healer.

I crafted a set of 108 Fu talismans, and each is numbered by hand for your reference, as you see in the above photo. This replicates an energetic process to facilitate community or collective healing. We lean on each other’s strengths, and also lend one another our strengths, in a collective unbroken circle of mutual love, respect, and care. We’re stronger together.

You’ll see how each one has a handwritten number to show which numbered copy out of the 108 you got. One, this conveys that this is a closed loop of love and support — us, your peers, the friends you’ve made here at ConVocation, and my personal blessing for this magical community that you are a part of. It also shows that it is, well, in art-speak, a Limited Edition. =D

There’s a swipe of non-toxic acid-free glue keeping the folded talismans sealed, so let’s take a look at what’s inside:

The original version of that Fu talisman you see in red was inked by hand with a calligraphy brush, though the top Ba Gua was drawn with an ink pen. Then I scanned it in and printed out copies of it, which are these talismans you’ll see. The talisman is then folded into thirds and sealed. The outer casing of symbols support and amplify the interior Fu.

This is a soul healing and protection talisman, which is intended to be a form of preventive care that safeguards the soul from fragmentation. (We’ll explain what all of that means during the Sunday soul retrieval, theory and practice, lecture.)

I also wanted the talisman itself to be a teaching tool of tradition, so the specific sigil symbolism utilized come directly from established traditional practices of soul retrieval 收驚 (shou jing or in Hokkien, siu-kiann). Above are not my designs, but actual soul retrieval talismans, each one crafted by a different temple in Southeast Asia. Clearly you’ll see how mine looks the same, because I’m working with the same Traditional Chinese characters.

Although Fu talisman crafting itself is probably categorized under Taoism, the actual practice of it, at least in southern regions of Asia, is predominantly syncretized with esoteric Buddhism. That’s why the main power driving this talisman is an invocation of Kuan Yin, via Om Mani Padme Hom (pronounced “ohm mah-nee bey-may hom” both by the Tibetans and the Mahayana Chinese).

Anatomy of the Fu Talisman Distributed During Class

The following explains the meaning behind the various elements of the soul protection and healing talisman.

The outer “casing” of the talisman further fuels and support the main talisman in the interior of the folds. Here you’ll see the Later Heaven Ba Gua (eight trigrams) for invoking specialized power and then the three lenses or Seals of “Fu Lu Shou,” meaning Prosperity, Status, and Longevity. The center Taijitu (“yin yang symbol”) represents energetic balance and harmony.

The back of the casing features the four characters “靈魂安定, Ling Hun An Ding,” meaning May the Spirit be Fulfilled/Peaceful and Stabilized/Always Secure and Grounded. The four characters forming the seal start at the top right corner above and go in clockwise order. “Ling Hun An Ding” is a common incantation or affirmation (whatever English-translated term you want to assign it) that strengthens and stabilizes the soul, preventing it from fragmenting. And if there has been mild fragmentation, it commands the inner spirits of the body to draw upon its energetic resources and heal itself.

The inner fold shows 64 stylized sigils representing Healer, Medicine, and Treatment (and can be used as both the noun and the verb): “醫, Yi,” which serve as supporting energy for the inner spirits to draw from so that it has the strength and ability to heal itself.

The 64 is representative of a complete cycle of cosmic forces, i.e., the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, or Yi, attuned here specifically for the intention of healing, medicine, and to empower the archetype of The Healer.

Above it, activating the healing is the Om Mani Padme Hom mantra in Sanskrit.

The main talisman that you see above is explained in detail in Appendix E of the lecture outline (downloadable above). It’s an “Om Mani Padme Hom” talisman that channels the pillar of healing, rejuvenation, and fortification in the universe, invoking Kuan Yin, and stabilizing the talisman’s carrier with Hexagram 26, 大畜, Cultivate the Supreme.

Ack, I could only find one easily-accessible example of a temple-crafted talisman utilizing Hexagram 26 (above third one from the left), so you’ll have to trust me that it’s commonly seen. The lecture outline notes that is a supplemental download will get into more detail on the traditional and historical use of I Ching hexagrams in crafting Fu 符.

The Charging Ritual

The charging ritual took place during the latest full moon, Feb. 12, 2025, at 6:52 am Pacific Standard Time, with the sun in Aquarius at the ascendant hour, so basically sunrise, and the moon in Leo. It was in conjunct with Mercury and Ceres at the time, giving the rising sun a great deal of planetary spiritual support.

And that was after preparing consecrated space to consecrate my printer (don’t laugh) so I could print out the 108 talismans, and consecrating the space with yin-yang water and incense to hand-cut and assemble each paper talisman.

The ritual consisted of weaving 108 recitations of the Great Compassion Mantra (I know it gets translated into English as “Mantra” but it’s probably more accurately described as a dharani), which you can read more about and download a copy of here. Each talisman is uniquely stamped, which is what infuses it with channeled divine blessings.

In class we’ll also talk about the believed magical properties of invocation, and the history of working with sound as a mechanism for healing.

There were many reasons I opted to go with an invocation of Kuan Yin for these talismans that I would be giving out to ConVocation attendees in Michigan. I intuit that Kuan Yin is going to feel more accessible to this particular audience. For those interested in esoteric Buddhism or Taoist mysticism, or trying their own hand at magical traditions from the Sinosphere, working with Kuan Yin is a great entry point for total beginners.

Nine “Extra Dose” Healing Talismans

9 of the 108 healing Fu 符 have an extra little something:

It’s the Om Mani Padme Hom talisman (that’s my own unofficial name for it) that also has the mantra “Namo Guanshiyin Pusa” on the reverse side folded and tucked into the main yellow talisman.

These nine underwent an additional specialized prayer ritual so that they’ll end up in the hands of those who may be needing such healing the most.

Not only are they the nine out of our 108 collective who may need this extra dose of healing more than the others at the time of receipt, but eventually they will cultivate great strength and gifts that they’ll then be able to pay forward, that will become pillars that the collective can lean on for support during future troubling times. That’s the intention crafted into these specially selected nine.

I’ve kept a record of which nine (since all 108 talismans are numbered) are the extra dose Fu. I’ll post a photo of those nine after we return from ConVocation 2025, so you can check your numbered Fu and see if it was one of those nine, and perhaps put together its implications and what it means to you that you were one of the nine who received it. =)

What To Do With Your Talisman

There really are no set rules here. Plus, to actually be effective for you, it’s going to be on an individual case by case basis. What works powerfully for one person might be ineffective and incompatible for another.

The Hubby James, my aunts, my father-in-law, and my mother carry the Fu talismans I crafted for them in their wallets. Some of my cousins keep them in their backpack or tucked into the handbag they carry everyday. If there is a particular location you have to be at routinely that doesn’t have great energy, or has very draining energy, keeping it somewhere out of sight in that location could be super helpful and stabilizing. Or keep it in a drawer of your nightstand so as you sleep, its juju (yes, that’s what I’m calling it) will do its magical healing thing while you rest. Rest is actually the best time for your body to rejuvenate and heal itself.

If you find yourself wanting to throw away the Fu talisman, but also have the intention of wanting to do so respectfully, a common tradition in Taoism, Buddhism, and also Shinto is to burn it and then scatter the ashes. Likewise, you can bury it.

Finally, if you’re asking me, then my personal opinion is it’s okay to simply throw it away via recycling it. The ritualistic way to do so is to wrap it with white paper or seal it inside a white envelope, say some respectful words of farewell, and then recycle the talisman that’s been wrapped in white.

“May I Replicate and Craft This Talisman, Too?”

If you are asking me that question about this talisman design, then my answer is yes, because I freely share it as public domain. I designed it and the aspects of it that I incorporated from culture-specific tradition are open. So yes, please feel free to replicate and craft your own Om Mani Padme Hom talismans based on this design I’ve shared.