During my years in trying to understand Taoism, I have noticed some things that people do that for me would be "preposterous, superstitious and crazy".

I have a friend with is learning his occult knowledge from a spirit guide. From my understanding his spirit guide prescribe methods of raising psychic abilities by ingesting charms: draw something on a piece of paper burn it in a cup and add water and drink it up. In fact it is very normal for temples to dispense this sort of charm through mediums to whoever seeks this "charms"

Recently I came across wat-his-name misato or something who had done a study on the effect of word and prayers does to water by observing its crystalisation. I realised maybe there's truth to this after all.

Now I do energise the water im drinking using a mantra, a word, a number, besides using of the usual crystals and sunlight. I idea of drinking ashes never appeal to me but I am keeping an open mind.

A friend went to a lecture/appearance of the Dali Lama.  She had the opportunity to receive special healing and other things.  In one of the rituals for her, they had her ingest a small bit of bone from a Rinpoche (deceased) in a special tea.  They gave her a packet with other things for her to ingest with water until they ran out.  
I believe that vibration affect the water we drink.  Words, music, images, all vibration of some sort will affect water. All my water bottles have words and image on them now.
Do you know what your friend was told to draw on the paper?
Just curious.

I dont know what symbol my friend used to increase the psychic force, I have tried out others. Some they have chinese words/characters, some symbols of guas from the ba gua, compass points, names of deities and gods, squares etc...

The school of taoism my friends has chosen tends to branch towards shamanism.

Another situation I have come across during my travel in bangkok last year for work. I was staying in this hotel where they have certain rooms that this kind of talisman pasted above the door. I requested room change every time they try to put me in there. For me that's the symbol of someone has done spiritual work in that room and I dont want to find out why..........

I believe that anything positive in itself can be a "good luck charm" or talisman.

Even thinking a positve thought and visualising is going to bring positivity into your life.

I do however think some spiritual advisors are a little quick to advise silly thing like swallowing ashes etc.

But I guess some people NEED a physical or tangible sense that something good will come from their actions