There are three ways to wear protection in this collection, and they are not variations on one idea. One turns something away from you. One keeps something closed. One ties it on.
Turn it aside
The eye is the oldest form — a figure that looks back. Hamsa and evil eye pieces, peridot, and the black stones all work this way. They are worn facing outward, on the side the wearer does not see.
Keep it closed
A ghau box does the opposite. It does not look at anything; it holds something and shuts. The thangka pendants, the cinnabar relief, and the opening lockets in this collection are all containers — the protection is the thing inside, not the surface.
Tie it on
The third form has no figure at all. A red cord, a vajra knot, a five-color braid — here the protection is in the tying, and the form is the knot itself. Several pieces are nothing but cord and a small silver or jade bead at the join.
Choosing
Pick the form rather than the stone. If you want something that looks outward, take the eye. If you want something to carry inside it, take the box. If you want it to disappear under a sleeve, take the cord.
How a ghau opens and is worn covers the second form in more detail.
