Talismans Pleasing to the Senses
Clockwise from right: Crate & Barrel's Kenzi wind chimes; Rocky Mountain Hardware's silicon bronze horseshoe; Connection mezuza by Dror Benshetrit for Alessi; bamboo flute by Nyoman Lentong; rosemary-scented candle from Michele Varian; 19th-century Russian salt "chairs" at À La Vieille Russie.
If you are a feng shui expert or, for that matter, a Jewish grandmother, you are likely to believe that a scrupulously clean and tidy home is the first defense against bad spirits. (No place to hide.) But even at the risk of cluttering, you may want to acquire a talisman or two. The following demon-repelling goods not only have the endorsements of ancient belief systems (in some cases, several), but they are also pleasing to the senses (in some cases, several).
Salt, for example, has been sacred to everyone from Pueblos to Buddhists. Have it on hand to toss over your shoulder by storing it in beautiful saltcellars, like a pair of antique silver Russian ones from À La Vieille Russie ($6,500). The Chinese feng-ling, or musical wind chime, was hung from the eaves of 11th-century pagodas and shrines to chase away ghosts, a practice that spread to Japan and beyond. Today, you can make your own fearsome racket with Crate & Barrel’s “Eastern inspired” Kenzi iron wind chimes (about $60).
Rosemary is the workhorse of herbs, a mind-clearing, romance-promoting, bad-energy-deflecting shrub that can substitute for frankincense in a pinch and even be used to summon elves. If you’re not planning to cook a pork roast anytime soon, you can scent your home with a rosemary candle from Michele Varian ($45).
Even if the Evil Eye is bold enough to peer into your Jewish grandmother’s immaculate home, it must do so across the threshold, whose doorframe will likely be marked by a mezuza. This traditional Jewish emblem of observance is often thought to ward off evil. The contemporary example shown is by the Israeli-born designer Dror Benshetrit for Alessi ($92).
By some accounts, horseshoes are good-luck tokens because they are traditionally made of iron, a material with many practical uses. Given that the Bronze Age trumped the Iron Age, Rocky Mountain’s silicon bronze horseshoes ($144 each) may be nailed to a door with extra assurance.
Activated by the breath and made of a super-lucky plant, bamboo flutes are considered powerful tools by feng shui practitioners. No need to learn “Greensleeves” to make a flute attract energy to a depleted part of your home. Just hang it on the wall. This hand-carved model was designed by the master Balinese flutemaker Nyoman Lentong (about $90).