Magic squares have been associated with good fortune for over 4,000 years. They have been used to create powerful talismans for good luck and protection. What factors give them this property and how can we use them for our own purposes?

History of Magic Squares

Wu of Hsia, founder of the Chinese dynasty that bears his name; he discovered a turtle whose shell had the markings of a perfect Magic Square (3 x 3). This square, known as Lo Shu, or ‘Image of the River’ became the basis for the I Ching, Ki and other forms of Chinese divination.

In the West, during the Middle Ages, magic squares were engraved in silver and sold as talismans. They were considered as a protection against disease. In India, Magic Squares date back to the 11th century.

In the West, the Magic Square of Wu became the ‘Square of Saturn’. Cronelius Agrippa studied and named a series of Magic Squares for the various Planets, and attributed various properties to the squares based on their connection to these planets in Astrology.

Physical properties of magic squares

Magic Squares have (2) properties that make them perfect as magical formulas to create talismans: their symmetry and repetition.

Magic Squares have the symmetric resolution property. By their nature, they form a complete pattern. The fact that all the rows, columns, and diagonals of the figure add up to the same total gives them balance. The universe as a whole is a system in which we obtain balance and wholeness. The very cycle of Life is seen as an endless circle, a continuous pattern that repeats itself over and over again; A Magic Square models this pattern.

Magic Squares also give us endless repetition. We can add each row and column at a time and come up with the same result over and over again. This is the very nature of spells; a charm or prayer that is repeated over and over again to build momentum and gain power to work.

Building a magic square

One of the wonderful things about Magic Squares is that anyone can build them. You don’t have to be a great artist to draw them, they are made entirely of numbers. With just a little bit of research, you can create your own personal talisman in no time.