Amulets were first used in history to keep infants from an early death, and in an extended sense they still keep us from death of soul created by lifeless buildings and spiritless furnishings. Everyone knows that a bland environment generates a bland spirit. We don't think about them as objects of magic, but we make amulet choices everyday as we inspect the leather in a walking shoe or feel the texture of a shirt or blouse.

Thomas Moore, The Re-enchantment of Everyday Life