The Talisman is a fantasy novel written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Published in 1984, the book tells the story of a young boy named Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his dying mother. Jack embarks on a perilous journey through parallel universes, known as "Territories," in order to retrieve a powerful talisman that can heal his mother. In the novel, Jack possesses a unique ability called "flipping." This allows him to travel between the real world and the Territories, which are interconnected by a mysterious portal. Throughout his journey, Jack faces numerous obstacles and encounters different characters, both friend and foe, who assist or hinder him in his quest.
September 23 marks the 2019 Autumnal Equinox — a day when the sky is equal parts dark and light. It’s also the date that witches celebrate Mabon, one of the pagan festivals in the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel of the Year is the cyclical calendar of festivals that modern pagans celebrate. The Wheel symbolizes the continuous turning of time and mirrors nature’s cycles of death and rebirth. Named for the God of Welsh mythology, the festival celebrates the harvest and the life and that summer created as we prepare for the long, cold nights of winter.
After Khurana began shifting away from the label of Hindu 20 years ago to separate herself from what she called a tradition that was connected to caste violence, she said she started questioning and opting out of holidays and traditions that felt like they no longer fit into her post-colonial intersectional feminist perspective. Sacred Iseum s handcrafted items will enhance your magical life, and the accompanying information on how to use them will help educate and empower you.
Throughout his journey, Jack faces numerous obstacles and encounters different characters, both friend and foe, who assist or hinder him in his quest. One of the main themes in The Talisman is duality. The story explores the idea of parallel universes and the interconnectedness between them.
How to Celebrate The Fall Equinox as a Modern Witch
You've seen the days start to get shorter and the temperatures start to fade. That means the autumnal equinox is just around the corner (or the vernal equinox, for the southern hemisphere). According to softschools.com, "Following the autumnal equinox, those in the northern hemisphere begin to experience the sun's rays less directly, resulting in colder temperatures. In the southern hemisphere, they experience the opposite. This is because the earth rotates on an axis with a tilt of 23.4 degrees. People would not experience seasons if the earth did not rotate on a tilted axis. The temperatures would remain the same and the length of day and night wouldn't change. There would be no seasons."
Instead, the autumnal equinox marks one of two days a year where the length of day and night are precisely the same. Its significance has been recognized for thousands of years across rituals, traditions, and groups of people. As a modern witch, you have a number of ways available to you with which to greet the first day of fall. Think of a fall harvest: it is more than just the time of year for pumpkin spice lattes, a sudden interest in tarot, or Halloween. A harvest is a reaping, an examination of the end of a season and a marker in between another. Whether or not you celebrate Mabon (the "second harvest" of Wicca) officially, or just want to mark the shortening days until the winter solstice, there are as many options to celebrate as there are leaves just beginning to fall from trees. Below, see only a few of our favorite ideas.
##Give Thanks to the Season — Starting in the Sky
A new season means new constellations. The next time night falls, look up in the sky: the scales of Libra are there as a marker for the season. Confused? According to Space, "When the Romans invented the Libra constellation, approximately 3,500 years ago, it contained the Autumnal Equinox — the point in the sky where the sun crossed the equator on its way from the Northern Hemisphere to the south. That's the time of the year when days and nights were equal." Witches Trunk Show by Magickal Folk boasts an entire Libra-based autumn workshop, curated to "cover all aspects seasonal energy including yoga for Libra, moon rituals, a guided visualization and mediation, myth & lore around the Constellation of Libra, related deities, as well as the fate, light, shadow and alchemy of Libra." Knowing more about the autumnal equinox starts with knowing more about Libra, and Magickal Folk's Fall Series subscription box is a great place to start.
In addition, Magickal Folk explains, "During the Libra season, we balance the scales, perform rituals of justice, honor the empress, find grace, forgiveness, and awaken our inner beauty along the way. We feel it is important to understand the physical effects of the items we take internally so we will also learn about the medicinal and magickal properties of those items in the kits through Materia Medica and hands of herbal learning." Different subscription options offer you different elements of witchcraft with which to dig deeper into this time of balance, from altar tools to spellwork to modern apothecary tools.
##Enhance Your Practice (Wiccan or Otherwise)
Think of the autumn season like acorns: what we put away now can nourish us well into spring. That's why taking some time to invest in your practice can strengthen your intuition and keep you focused on what matters — what's inside. Box of Shadows is a Wicca-Inspired subscription for "eclectic" souls, and they explain that they "aim to be a resource that focuses on the ever-important path to continued growth, over outward aesthetics." Again, it helps to think back to the nature of the season: If harvest season is about collecting grain to then be stored, or burrowing acorns to be unearthed in the spring, then marking the autumnal equinox can be about making spiritual, intuition-based deposits into the practices that make you feel full, warm, and known — especially before a winter spent inside, during a pandemic. Connect yourself to the spaces around you and invest in your Wiccan practice, then cozy in and let the sun go down.
##Set an Intention for the Season
Harvest festivals and full moons can be moments to pause and recognize the journey towards a culmination, but there's more to the equinox and the harvest season than looking back at what brought us here: you can also look forward to the shorter days and restorative season on the other side of Samhain on October 31. Use the Tamed Wild Box to define your intention-setting lunar ritual, or a ritual specifically for the equinox. Billed as a "monthly delivery of magic and earth medicine," Tamed Wild includes 4-5 items with each delivery, ranging from crystals, herbs & teas, ritual tools, altar items, jewelry, essential oils & other lifestyle pieces. A perfect autumn bonus? Every delivery includes a 1/2oz sample of artisan-blended tea. What better way to mark the autumn equinox than with a nice warm cup of tea and your intentions for the season ahead?
##Invite Magic Into your Life
Again, each Mabon celebration, or marking of the autumnal equinox, provides an opportunity to reap what you have sown — literally, if you've planted, but also metaphorically. The Wiccan holiday of Mabon is also "a time of balance and reflection" and giving thanks, according to Learn Religions. The autumn marks a perfect time to work on your current goals and develop plans for new ideas, so you can relax and hibernate (so to speak) in the winter.
Those new ideas and hopes that you hold close at the equinox can be pulled into the full magical circle of craft with Sacred Iseum's Sacred Boxes. After all, autumn is back-to-school season, too, so why not expand your knowledge of the craft so that by the first day of spring, your practice is deepened and magic is more thoroughly in your life? Sacred Iseum's handcrafted items will enhance your magical life, and the accompanying information on how to use them will help educate and empower you.
The autumnal equinox, like the spring equinox and the summer solstice, holds a powerful position on the Wheel of the Year celebrations, so mark Mabon from September 21-24 if you wish to celebrate, and set your intentions to deepen your practice as the nights get deeper, too.
Now Trending
- The Gift Shop
- New Arrivals
- Top-Rated Escape Rooms in a Box
You've seen the days start to get shorter and the temperatures start to fade. That means the autumnal equinox is just around the corner (or the vernal equinox, for the southern hemisphere). According to softschools.com, "Following the autumnal equinox, those in the northern hemisphere begin to experience the sun's rays less directly, resulting in colder temperatures. In the southern hemisphere, they experience the opposite. This is because the earth rotates on an axis with a tilt of 23.4 degrees. People would not experience seasons if the earth did not rotate on a tilted axis. The temperatures would remain the same and the length of day and night wouldn't change. There would be no seasons."
It delves into the concept of alternate realities and how the choices made in one world can have consequences in another. The Talisman combines elements of fantasy, horror, and adventure. It showcases Stephen King and Peter Straub's storytelling abilities, blending their distinct writing styles seamlessly. The novel is filled with vivid descriptions, intricate world-building, and memorable characters that come to life on the page. Critics and readers have praised The Talisman for its imaginative plot, richly developed characters, and atmospheric writing. It has become a beloved classic in the fantasy genre, earning a dedicated fanbase over the years. The success of The Talisman led to a sequel, Black House, which was published in 2001. Overall, The Talisman is a captivating and thrilling tale that takes readers on a journey through multiple dimensions. It showcases the talent of two accomplished authors and remains a standout work in the fantasy genre..
Reviews for "Peter Straub's The Talisman: A Modern Classic"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Talisman" by Peter Straub. I found the story to be confusing and convoluted, with too many unnecessary subplots and characters that were hard to keep track of. The writing style felt tedious and drawn-out, and it took me a long time to finish the book because I just didn't feel engaged with the story. Overall, I didn't find it to be an enjoyable or satisfying read.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Talisman" by Peter Straub, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The concept of the parallel worlds and the quest for a magical talisman seemed promising, but the execution lacked depth and coherence. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of slow development, and the characters felt underdeveloped and two-dimensional. Additionally, the dialogue felt unnatural and forced at times. Overall, I found "The Talisman" to be a disappointing read that didn't live up to its potential.
3. Mark - 1 star - "The Talisman" by Peter Straub was a complete waste of my time. The plot was fragmented and confusing, with no clear direction or purpose. The characters were shallow and uninteresting, and I couldn't bring myself to care about their fates. The writing style was overly descriptive and meandering, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. I struggled to finish the book and ultimately found it to be a frustrating and unsatisfying read. I would not recommend it to anyone.