One of the questions I've been seeing often on social media is what to do with already existing talismans during certain planetary retrogrades. Those who ask this question seem to be concerned with the retrograde periods of the planet who's energies had been used to empower a certain talisman, but there's also the case of Mercury retrogrades regardless of the nature of the talisman.
I blame ye "experts" in the latter case because they usually mask their utter lack of astrological knowledge and ignorance with respect to that topic by warning people of staying away from Mercury retrogrades whenever doing magix. The only reason you'd have to be concerned about Mercury retrograde if you're performing a ritual for working with another planetary force is if the planet of choice happens to be involved in a hard aspect with Mercury retrograde (or any other planet, retrograde or otherwise).
Otherwise, Mercury retro should be of no concern (unless you choose to follow some self proclaimed holier-than-thou whatnot), while the Moon, its phase, aspects (and location in the sky) should be studied as much as the planet of choice. The Moon does channel all other celestial energies and reflects them onto the Earth, while Mercury, although connected to the occult arts, is merely used as a warning due to the aforementioned "experts".
A planetary talisman works as following:
The planetary force called upon in ritual empowers the talisman with that planet's energies. The nature of those energies at the time of the ritual will remain inside the talisman and act on manifesting the goal for which the talisman was made until such time the talisman is decommissioned (unless the talisman is created in such a way as to decommission itself after a certain task has been completely achieved). This happens regardless of whether the person has performed the ritual at a very auspicious astrological time with respect to the planet of choice, or otherwise. The latter case is the most common, especially amongst those who make and sell magical talismans (although there are a few who make use of astrological elections).
Moreover, it is best to inscribe the talisman and consecrate it during the same ritual! I recently wrote this article in which I explained at what point during the ritual I inscribe the talisman. This way, both the body and the soul of the talisman are created (so to speak) under the same nature of the planetary energies. Even more so, they are being created under the same condition of the heavens at large at the time of the ritual, something that usually makes or brakes magical operations in general.
For example, if you're making a Venus talisman for love it is best to inscribe it and consecrate it during the same ritual, irrespective of its complexity and the nature of the talisman base (paper, metal, crystal, etc.). If you choose to inscribe the base with specific symbols and sigils and whatnot at a certain time and later on perform the consecration ritual at a time Venus is stronger than usual, it might just so happen the time you had chosen to inscribe it is poor in regards to beneficial Venus workings. The mere inscription of the talisman makes it a magical object and we need look no further than the Picatrix or other Arabic sources for this.
It can also happen the other way around, meaning you choose to inscribe the talisman at a time Venus is stronger and then perform the ritual at a later time. The time of the ritual can turn out to be awful with respect to your desire and so a decently made talisman will become empowered by Venus energies that are adverse to your end goal.
But if you inscribe and consecrate the talisman in one go, while Venus is strong, you will have created a talisman that has far better chance of manifesting your desire.
Unfortunately, things are not quite that simple and more details need to be studied and considered whenever planning a talismanic operation. That is, if we want to make a powerful talisman that will do its job very well and not some crap trinket that can make things worse for us. The planet's location in the sky must also be considered, since some sectors of the sky allow for the planet's energies to manifest in ways that are easier to take advantage of regardless of the planet's strength at the time.
Additionally, any aspect the planet is involved in and the other planet(s) involved in those aspects should be studied in detail. Hard aspects will generate more resistance in the path of manifesting your desire and can also cause adverse effects while pleasant aspects will do the opposite. Planets in enmity to the planet of choice will also generate tension. Applying aspects will be far stronger while separating ones much weaker, etc.
I almost forgot to address the planet itself with respect to its directional transit at the time of the ritual. In general, talismans made for beneficial purposes should be made when the planet of choice is direct while talismans for malefic purposes can be made when the planet is retro.
Finally, I've mentioned the necessity of studying the Moon.
Once the talisman is made it will work on manifesting your goal. It will encounter more or less resistance along the way based on the nature of the ongoing transits over your natal chart, but it won't be bothered by any future retrograde period of the planet of choice for its creation, or any other planet for that matter.
For example, if you're making a Jupiter talisman to increase your income you may very well notice the talisman itself will produce less desired effects whenever Saturn happens to be transiting your natal second house. It's likely you won't be noticing anything of the like if Jupiter happens to go retro in another sector of your chart.
That is not mandatory to happen and it depends on quite a few variables, but in general Saturn transits through the second house impose the need for the native to construct a solid foundation in regards to income and managing personal goods. The person must learn how to generate a stable income that would cover their expenses as well as allow them to enjoy themselves, seek and take advantage of secure income sources, avoid financial difficulties, save money, etc.
Efficiency is key in all of this as Saturn usually does not allow people to overdue in either spending money or energy obtaining it. This period can result in a diminished income, less income sources, personal goods getting lost or broken and so on. The same applies to any other talisman with respect to hard transits over the natal house that covers the area of life for which those talismans were made.
Furthermore, a talisman made concerning an area of life covered by a house that bares a nasty placement in your natal chart can appear to work less effective than if your natal house were free of such placement. While a Saturn transit over your natal second house will last only for so long, the effects of a natal Saturn placement in the same house will last for life. Thus, these influences will offer more or less resistance to your Jupiter talisman.
The amount of resistance differs depending on Saturn's strength while transiting your natal house or its location by sign in your natal chart, respectively. Any aspects transiting or natal Saturn makes with transiting and/or natal planets can increase the amount of that resistance. Resistance to a strong Jupiter talisman for money can increase considerably in cases where the person's natal Saturn is in their second house and it experiences hard aspects from transiting Saturn (and other planets as well). In this situation the periods surrounding one's Saturn return can add even more resistance to the already existing Jupiter talisman, but oppositions and squares between transiting and natal Saturn can also hinder the talisman from manifesting income to its fullest.
That is not to say, in this example, that a strong Jupiter talisman is not useful in overcoming adverse Saturn influences while the old dude transits or is located in your second house. But it may also happen you will encounter difficulties when it comes to making that Jupiter talisman. Various mundane circumstances may prevent you from being able to perform the appropriate ritual at the best time you can come up with. That will end up diminishing the strength of the Jupiter talisman and thus reduce its ability to overcome Saturn's influence over your second house.
For example, you find a good election on a Monday evening in the hour of Jupiter, the big guy being strong in the chart and on the ASC or MC at that time. But for some unexpected reason you run out of money and find an additional source of quick income to get you out of that financial sinkhole. It just so happens that additional source of income will have you performing certain activities on Monday evening, right during the time you had selected to make the Jupiter talisman and you cannot afford to go home and perform the ritual.
You decide to perform it the following Thursday in an hour other than Jupiter's, but again, you won't be able to have Jupiter on the ASC or MC because of the aforementioned additional source of income that's keeping you busy. Instead, your talisman will be made later in the evening, but by that time Jupiter will be located in a succedent house, eleventh or eighth. Since succedent houses manifest planetary influences in ways that require the person to work more in order to benefit from them, the effects of your Jupiter talisman will be lessened. It will help you increase your income, but mostly through opportunities that are not so easy to take advantage of. If th talisman happens to be made with Jupiter in a cadent house, it will likely manifest opportunities that are out of reach no matter how much you try to take advantage of them.
This is the case for all talismans, but I've chosen to talk about planetary ones in particular because basically anyone can come across the signs the planets are stronger and weaker in with a simple search and also look up their location in the heavens in a similarity simple fashion.
If you want to know more about making a talisman you can check out my talisman class. I keep the astro stuff simpler in there, but by following those instructions you'd be making far better talismans than many. For complex, detailed astro stuff you can check out Asteria.
