More on "Malefic" Talismans

I want to expand a bit on the use of "malefic" talismans. Let's look at the fixed star Algol as an example. Vivian Robson in Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology (admittedly a modern source but with a lot of good traditional material) says of Algol in a natal chart, "It causes misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others. It is the most evil star in the heavens." at 124.

However, as a talisman Algol, "gives animosity and audacity, guards the members [of the wearer] and makes victorious over what you wish." Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars. Silver Algol Talisman

This at first seems paradoxical, how a "bad" talisman be good? Firstly, it appers that one use of malefic talismans is to direct that "bad" energy outwards away from you as protection. This certainly fits what Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars says, plus I have been getting pretty consistent reports about how the Algol talisman works. Algol is described as "a bulldog" and you go through an initial stage where he is rather rambunctious. The day I put my Algol talisman on my fixed star altar my electronic thermostat went blooey! and my Internet connection inexplicably went out. However, once this initial stage is over, people describe Algol uniformly as the most powerful protection talisman they have ever dealt with, actively going out and neutralizing threats to you.

This initial stage of problems is also not surprising giving that indeed we are dealing with a malefic talisman, note that Hermes says the Algol talisman gives "animosity", so along with the very powerful benefits we have some problems. Malefics tend to be like that in horaries or natal charts, since even when fully dignified and thus capable of providing benefits they always seem to have a bit of an edge. I have Saturn in Aquarius, his sign and triplicity, but still get a certain amount of Saturnine melancholy.

Finally we have the issue of inconsistencies among our sources. Robson says of the Pleiades star cluster, "They are said to make their natives wanton, ambitious, turbulent, optimistic and peaceful; to give many journeys and voyages, success in agriculture and through active intelligence; and to cause blindness, disgrace and a violent death. Their influence is distinctly evil and there is no astrological warrant for the oft-quoted passage Job (xxxviii. 31) "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades…?" which is probably a mistranslation." at 182.

Yet Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars says the Pleiades talisman, "protects the light of the eyes, gathers daimons and spirits of the dead to come and speak and makes [the wearer] to know of secret and hidden things."

Which is "right?" Personally I am not sure that there is one correct interpretation here. I have used the Pleiades talisman and found that it is excellent for discovering occult secrets. Silver Pleiades talisman. Yet at the same time I have used the Pleiades in horary as a negative indication and gotten correct readings.

Perhaps this is another example of the inadequacy of the scientific idea of a single objective reality when applied to the spiritual realm. Not all subjective realities appear to be accurate, but at the same time, it sure doesn't seem like there is a single objective reality either!