Talismans & Mantras: Part 2
Ok, so first thing’s first: Jonathan Majors is one FINE, UPSTANDING YOUNG MAN, but that’s not why we’ve gathered here today. I saw this video some time ago along with another where Vogue magazine followed him for 24 hours, as they have done for a number of celebrities. For some reason, I can’t seem to find that original video. Nevertheless, the two posts achieved their objectives: They gave me a deeper insight into Majors and the rituals and relics of a creative. Majors letting us in on his essential items and Amanda Gorman sharing her powerful mantra inspired me to start thinking about my own. What artifacts have I collected or created that are usually on or about my person? What are the talismans that center and remind me of my power and purpose?
My phone. Obviously. I don’t need to tell anyone how essential a phone is. It’s the one object that is always with me and does so much for me. My phone has fed and guided me, provided light in darkness, kept me connected and informed; it’s helped to keep me out of danger and into trouble. While it’s paramount to my everyday life, I’ve been learning how important it is to silence it and disconnect from it every now and again.
Coffee in my favorite mug. My day usually does not get started unless I have a cup of coffee. Unlike Jonathan Majors’ clay cup, this mug doesn’t have a special story or origin, at least not one that I’m aware of. It’s just an aesthetically pleasing mug that I found while thrift shopping one day. Its design is so hodgepodge that I had to have it: Some type of brass or pewter handle, attached to a black ceramic vessel adorned with an enlarged white plaid pattern atop a terracotta base. It’s a statement mug that I, admittedly, love to drink from on conference calls…
My water bottle. My good friend Tiffany gifted this water bottle to me for my birthday in 2020 and it’s been by my side ever since. (Fun fact about me: Receiving gifts is one of my top love languages; so, thoughtful and useful gifts almost automatically become talismans.) No matter where I move throughout my apartment, it follows me: It’s on my desk while I’m working, on my couch-side tray as I write and on my nightstand for those late-night thirsts. It even tags along sometimes when I dare leave and face the world. It’s glass and, therefore, reusable and sustainable and comes with a vegan leather sleeve for easy carrying. I love it (as I take a sip!)
A notebook. My newest trinket and another gift from a close friend. On my self-care, mindfulness, and therapy journey, I’ve discovered an increased need and love for notebooks and pads. I’m actively writing in…about 4 or 5 different ones currently. In this one, I journal. In others, I make to-do lists, and in another; I give thanks and gratitude for every gift and blessing I have, both big and small.
The wonder twins: Pax & Sony. While I often use them separately, together they make one hell of a dynamic duo! My vape plus noise-canceling, extra bass headphones equal a transcendent experience. These two re-center me and help me focus on my goals. They reconnect me to my divine creativity. They quell fear and anxiety, returning me to self. When on the treadmill or elliptical, they make me invulnerable and unstoppable.
Not shown are my yoga mat and coveted Tumblr cap, which signifies my love of the site where I originally put down my blogging roots. My yoga mat and I have been intimate for countless hours. It has seen me thru struggles and triumphs; my frustrations and my growth, It’s there when I’m at my most energetic and my most fatigued.
So, what are some of your talismans and mantras? Tell me on my IG or Twitter.
Photo Credit: https://currently.att.yahoo.com
