The Capricorn Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 16, 2010
Posted in: Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

Capricorn is
Cardinal (initiation, creativity and leadership)
Earth (socially acceptable, very polite, prudent, and aroused by sensory stimulation).
Capricorn’s house begins with the longest night of the year
and the promise of longer days, yet the winter deepens.
This conflict is reflected in Capricorn’s qualities.

The Capricorn Amulet

The Capricorn Amulet

Saturn’s limiting influence of Capricorn is dominate;
associated with the confines of Time itself,
Capricorn does best when limited to deadlines
and delineated spaces and shine under pressure.
Capricorns are extremely solid,
practical and determined.
Even as winter sets in,
Capricorn “sees the light at the end of the tunnel”
though they deem it nearly unreachable,
their determination cannot be thwarted
even when faced with insurmountable odds.
Thus they become extremely dependable both as workers and managers.
Because they perceive everything as “weaker” than themselves,
they trust little they themselves did not set in motion,
they test and question everything,
thus they can become tedious when faced with uncertainty.
Their powers of manipulation have given them the phrase
“I Use” for everything from objects,
people and situations.

The Capricorn Amulet reflects the Capricorn’s essence
of fierce determination and drive to complete their goals;
solid Earth texture framed in a solid circle of delineation.

This amulet is for both the Capricorn sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses under which you are born:
December 22 – January 19/20,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Capricorn in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are analysts, quality control,
advisers, managers and workers of all kinds.

The Sagittarius Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 15, 2010
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Sagittarius is
Mutable (flexibility, service-providing and expansion)
Fire (liveliness, energy, passion, enthusiasm, valor and action)
and is principally aware of and concerned with
humanitarian and existential concerns.
The House of Sagittarius is between the time when the veil is the thinnest
and moves toward the longest night of the year.

The Sagittarius Amulet

The Sagittarius Amulet

Ruled by the planet Jupiter
(Jove may be envisioned by a Sheriff with a tin star:
happily providing peace and stability with good humor,
yet ever vigilant to keep things in order with a serious threat of punishment)
Sagittarians are optimistic and freedom-loving,
Jovial and good-humored, honest and straightforward,
intellectual and philosophical.
However if provoked can be blindly optimistic, hasty, superficial, tactless and agitated.
Their one tendency is brutal honesty
providing them with the tools of a good sounding board.
Their greatest dislike is falsehood and simply cannot tolerate deceit
or the people that use it as a weapon to get what they want.
Their first response is to destroy what they perceive as a danger to others
or mark it as “off limits” to the unwary.
They are honorable, honest,
trustworthy, truthful, generous and sincere.
They are usually on the side of the underdog in society
they will fight for a cause they believe to be just,
and are prepared to be rebellious.

The Sagittarius Amulet holds the classic symbol of the Drawn Arrow,
derived from the primal concept of the House:
“I Perceive”.
One of the most common phrases of a Sagittarius is:
“Get to the point!”
The amulet is framed in a deeply carved circle and textured with fire.

This amulet is for both the Sagittarius sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses under which you are born:
November 22 – December 21,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.

It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Sagittarius in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are in Law enforcement and the judiciary branch of society,
leaders of all kinds, trouble shooters, warriors and councilors.

The Scorpio Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 13, 2010
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Scorpio is a
Fixed (stabilization, determination, depth and persistence)
Water (cooperative, companionable, hospitable and sociable)
and straddles Samhain,
the time of the year when the veil between worlds is the thinnest.

The Scorpio Amulet

The Scorpio Amulet

Scorpios are self-confident, intelligent,
and strong-willed offering their opinion whether you like it or not.
Ruled by Mars
they will resort to cutting verbal
and physical violence when angered;
and like Mars it’s symbol also uses the “Broken Cross”
(arrow at the end)
signifying a quick movement through matter.

Scorpio itself
is associated with Transmutation
beginning with the Scorpion:
reactionary and hard pressed to get more then a basic self-centered response.
Once they grow older,
Scorpio becomes the Eagle,
still set apart yet with a much better perspective;
allowing them to see beyond their own issues
and encompasses a broad view.
Finally they evolve into the Phoenix:
harnessing their experience of the Human Condition,
allowing their perspective to stretch beyond
even the whole of the Human Experience.
Thus the short phrase “I Create”
applies to both their inward progression
and the outward response to their drive of self Transmutation,
producing a fierce beauty in their wake.

The Scorpio Amulet holds the classic Glyph of Scorpio:
double crescents with the arrow
(cross of movement) at its tail;
the symbol is encircled by a deeply cut frame
and textured with turbulent water.

This amulet is for both the Scorpio sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses
under which you are born:
October 23 – November 22,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Scorpio in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are Artists or in professional careers
such as medicine chemistry and physics,
yet good in any task that requires sound judgment and creativity.

The Libra Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 11, 2010
Posted in: Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

Libra is
Mutable (adaptability, service-providing and expansion)
Air (curious, initiative, original, and well-disciplined, quick thinkers).
Libra tends to be associated
with Law and Justice because of
their ability to perceive a situation
and find its balance intuitively.
When associating themselves with others,
they tend to be extremely diplomatic
yet when faced with primal issues
of right and wrong,
become very hard lined and stubborn.
Hence they are at times referred to as
“The iron hand in the velvet glove”.

The Libra Amulet

The Libra Amulet

Libra’s phrase is
“We Balance”
because of their unconscious drive
to create order in their lives
whether it be with friends and family
(seeking a peaceful settlement)
their environment
(they love symmetry)
or themselves as they seek to keep healthy in mind body and spirit.
For all their efforts to keep things balanced,
they tend to get caught up in their own perceptions
and tend to over look new information as it arrives,
thus their tendency to miss ideas threatening their perspective,
and become upset
(more with themselves)
as their world view becomes distorted.

Libra is associated with Venus,
a planet usually associated with Love
because it is the balance between
the Spirit (the circle)
and Matter (the cross);
thus Libra tends to be concerned with emotional issues,
not taking kindly to insult
and tend to carry grudges,
yet reward their focus of affection
with the greatest kindness and compassion.

The Libra Amulet
holds the classic symbol of the scales
with a deep cut frame “brushed” with air
moving in a multitude of directions.
The Scales of its central focus
provide the balance between directions,
actions and intent.

This amulet is for both the Libra sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses
under which you are born:
September 23 – October 23/24,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Libra in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are practicing Law,
educators, councilors and arbitrators.

The Virgo Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 10, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 4 Comments

Virgo is a
Mutable (adaptability, service-providing and expansion)
Earth (socially acceptable,
very polite, prudent, and aroused by sensory stimulation).
Standing between Summer and Fall;
neither truly fixed nor truly movable,
it partakes of both in the same way as Gemini and Pisces.

The Virgo Amulet

The Virgo Amulet

Virgo’s qualities may be well described
as “I Analyze”
for it observes what is there and considers its worth.
They are good in creating and keeping order in all of its many manifestations,
yet because of their natural attraction
to “everything in its place” will argue about their lack of it.
(Pardon the mess) More often than not,
they hide what they feel for fear of committing to a relationship,
careful about expressing their feelings.
The friends they do make are solid relationships that will last a lifetime.

Virgo takes pride in being realists,
yet may slow down a project by their demand for precision.
Practical with their hands,
good technicians with inventive talents,
Virgos are thorough, hard working,
conscientiousness perfectionists; and are easily discouraged.

Because of their ability to see every angle of a many-sided question,
and drive for a practical result they are frustrated
with philosophical concepts because they “seem” unrealistic and long-winded.

The Virgo Amulet’s frame is a deep cut circle featuring the classic symbol in the center,

framed in the texture of soil; like the earth holding the potential of bounty.

This amulet is for both the Virgo sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses
under which you are born:
August 23 – September 23,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet should you wish
to emphasize the qualities of Virgo in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are storekeepers,
writers, gardeners, merchants and traders.

The Leo Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 9, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

The Leo Amulet represents the qualities
of Fixed (stabilization, determination, depth and persistence)
Fire (enthusiasm, courage and action).
Leo tends to be single minded when performing a task,
but like the feline that is associated with the Astrological House,
Leo can be distracted by the pretty sparkle of objects and ideas,
sidetracked by a call of rescue for those in distress,
often leaving their own problems suspended and unresolved.

Leo amulet

Leo Amulet

A phrase that expresses the House of Leo
is “I Will”
because of the baseline objective is to manifest their intent.
By instinct they seem to dominate everything around them,
and those who are friends and family recognize their “unspoken” prerogative.
One of the planets associated with Leo is Uranus
which governs societies,
clubs and any group dedicated to humanitarian or progressive ideals.
Also associated with Saturn:
the principles of limitation, restrictions, boundaries,
practicality and reality, crystallizing and structures;
and governs ambition, career, authority and hierarchy,
and conforming social structures.
These qualities in Leo can produce some of the most effective results for good and ill.

The Leo Amulet is sculpted in flame,
frozen and “fixed” into the shape of the classic glyph of Leo.
The frame carries the texture
into the surrounding field and background of the amulet.

This amulet is for both the Leo sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses under which you are born:
July 23 – August 23,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Leo in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are leaders, paramedics,
doctors, counselors and heroes of all kinds.

The Sigil Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 7, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Druid Jewelry, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry. Tagged: , , , . 1 Comment

A few years ago I
created Jewelry for Isaac Bonewits.
He created renderings of several designs
and sent them to me to create for his special line of Jewelry.
One of them is the Sigil Amulet.

The Sigil Amulet

The Sigil Amulet

In his words:

“The Druid Sigil is most often rendered as a circle with two vertical lines passing through it (see left). Frequently this is drawn, painted, embroidered, etc. as a wreath of leaves with two staves (or spears for the warrior types) passing through…

“Where did the Druid Sigil come from? Nobody knows for sure. It first became associated with Druidism in modern times by the founder of the Reformed Druids of North America, David Fisher, in 1963 c.e.. He claimed that it was a symbol of Druidism in general and the Earth Mother in particular…

“Regardless of its historical origins, I think that it is a quintessentially female symbol and is thus psychologically powerful….

“While the Reformed Druids of North America and their immediate offshoots have kept the Druid Sigil as their primary organizational symbol, and many members of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF) use it as well, other Neopagan and Mesopagan Druid groups have altered it or ignored it completely.”
(Be sure to visit his website for more in-depth descriptions and histories)

The Design itself is a wreath of oak leaves
with two staves as Isaac had rendered it for me.
The bail from which to hang the amulet
is configured to preserve the illusion of the staves:
appears more complicated than a normal bail,
but just as effective to hold the chain or cord.
On the reverse side of the “signature”: “Bonewits” and that of the artist: “Merlin” or
Kirk McLaren of Amulets by Merlin.

Through his travels Isaac presented these amulets
with his books and other items;
he even created a special portion of his website to feature the work.
You may purchase these amulets through my site.
Each piece purchased, Isaac’s Widdow receives a royalty
extending his legacy
to promote good will and clarity to the world.
To learn about Isaac Bonewits, his writings and more,
you may visit his website.

To learn more about the Sigil Amulet,
please Visit the Sigil Page.

The Cancer Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 6, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry, Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

The Cancer Amulet represents the Cardinal Mode of Water.
The Cardinal Mode refers to first phase of the element: activation.
Cardinal mode Houses are often energizers of ideas, people and events.
They are the activists of the world.
Cancer being of the element of water tends to work on an unconscious level,
often unbeknown to them selves they set people or events into motion
by tapping directly into the emotional unconscious both of them selves and others.
Their primary response is “I Feel”,
which is in turn translated into physical and intellectual action.

The Cancer Amulet

Like the crab that it is associated with,
Cancer Folk tends to keep to them selves,
presenting a hard exterior,
on the surface “feeling nothing” yet deep beneath there is a soft heart
which is easily damaged.
They glorify in privacy and keep their impressions close,
almost incubating their projects and planed responses.
The inner-most portion of the symbol is protected
both by the frame and the “shell” of the symbol.
Like the hermit Crab who dons a pretty shell when the mood strikes him,
the Cancer symbol of the classic “Crab” is surrounded
by the textures of water “under pressure” ready to break loose when appropriate.

The Cancer Amulet is for both the Cancer sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses under which you are born:
June 21 – July 23,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet should you wish
to emphasize the qualities of Cancer in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are solitaries,
leaders, creators of all kinds and secret geniuses.

The Gemini Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 5, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Pagan Jewelry, Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

The Gemini Amulet is one of “Mutable Air”,
thus the piece is textured to produce a sense of breezes flowing
in two directions at once,
ever changing directions depending on what it surrounds.

The Gemini Amulet

The Gemini Amulet

With the ability of self reflection,
The Twins
provides two sides to every issue and puzzling through the paradox.
The seeming conflict may drive another House crazy
with the two streams of information colliding at every turn,
but the element of air gives it the flexibility
to see oneself and appreciate the conflicts,
thus providing a space where paradox my be held together
without conflict to gain wisdom and understanding.

Without a firm hand to balance these opposite views,
Gemini can become confused,
undecided and lost within them selves.
This sign of the twins,
nether positive nor negative yet the potential of both.
Mutable air combined with Mercury brings strong communication,
versatile, witty, logical inquisitive, spontaneous.

The amulet itself holds the qualities of Gemini:
the textures of air moving in opposite directions
with the possibility that it might change directions at any time.
The Gemini symbol of two staves set beside each other
provides the duality of view, and perspective.

This amulet is for both the Gemini sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses under which you are born:
May 21 – June 21,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign,
the house the moon occupied while you were born.
It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Gemini in your life,
actions, position in your community or home;
perfect for those who are seekers of knowledge,
blue collar philosophers, writers, poets, actors, musicians and consultants.

The Taurus Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on February 4, 2010
Posted in: Amulets, Pagan Jewelry, Wiccan Jewelry, Zodiac Amulets. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

The House of Taurus is a solid,
Fixed state of Earth.
Following the ground breaking House of Aries,
Taurus allows the dust to settle
and watches how the pieces fall,
glad that there is no longer any movement.
In fact,
like the associated creature of the Bull,
Taurus settles down to enjoy
the surrounding landscapes
and is glad of it.

The Taurus Amulet

The Taurus Amulet

Taurus is often quite charming,
loves beauty in all of its forms
and when in its settled state
very affectionate and kind.
Like the Earth beneath your feet,
Taurus is reliable in a pinch;
you need not check you feet when Taurus is at you back.
When turned to,
their solutions to problems are more often quite practical.

Taurus is often entranced with objects of all kinds
and enjoys collecting them whether they are functional or not:
simply the idea of collecting them
and arranging them for display
is a favorite pastime in their more leisure moments:
a favorite practice of Taurus
is to take the doors off the kitchen cabinets
to view the array of dishes and plates;
hence : “I Have” is their bi-line.

The Taurus Amulet is simple and bold:
The frame is cut deeply around the traditional symbol
to indicate the depth of the Taurian being;
they extend far beyond the surface.
The texture is reminiscent of the strata of sedimentary rock.

This amulet is for both the Taurus sun and moon signs:
The Sun signs are those of the Zodiac houses
under which you are born: April 20 – May 21,
or if you are more concerned with your moon sign:
the house the moon occupied while you were born.

It may also be used as an amulet
should you wish to emphasize the qualities of Taurus in your life,
actions, position in your community or home.
It is perfect for those who are accountants,
shipping and receiving clerks,
bankers, collectors of all kinds,
home makers, secretaries and guardians.

To get your Taurus Amulet
Please visit my Taurus Amulet page