08 The Strength Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on July 5, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

In the classic image of the Strength Card,
we see a woman holding a lion’s mouth open,
remarkably she is not being eaten.
The Strength card is attributed to both
Leo (the Lion) and the Hebrew letter Teth (the Snake).

The Strength Amulet
the Strength Amulet

This path is similar to the Empress:
it unites the two opposing pillars of Mercy and Severity (see “the Tree of Life”),
however instead of the imagination it is through inner Strength.
This uniting force between opposites resides within the realm of the Will.

Strength represents
the patience of learning a situation to such a degree
you are able to see the issue from all perspectives.
The classical image of a woman opening the mouth of a lion
refers the process of teaching the beast to speak,
thus able to perceive the conflict from an opponent’s perspective.
The champion of the Strength card is the negotiator.

This is also the card of harnessing the energies within the body and mind itself.
The study of Kundalini, the Charkas, Aikido,
Ti Chi and Trance Dance (example: whirling dervish).
Each of these studies incorporates the harnessing of such energies
when focused become quite formidable.
This inner strength is sometimes called “harnessing of Chi”,
a practice where one may use the powers of passion
for purposes beyond the lusts of the flesh.

In making the Strength Amulet,
I combined the powerful Leo image and the body of Serpent Power,
uniting the images of power between the East and the West.
With the Hebrew letter of Teth on the forehead and touched with a touch of fire:
the Strength Amulet is to be focused on one’s True Will
(the driving force of one’s life)
and the strength to maintain focus and control.

Individuals who are studding Kundalini, Yoga,
martial arts, warriors, firefighters
and other people whose life is demanding Inner Strength
would find appreciate the Strength Amulet.

07 The Chariot Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on July 3, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

The Chariot is a classic image.
A man resides in a chariot at a stand still,
harnessed by two Sphinxes,
the mythological creature that demands of you the important questions in life:
Who are you?
Why are you here?
What is your purpose?
Although the vehicle is designed to move,
it appears to be stationary.
This is implying that the vehicle (the body)
contains the spirit and moves
from one plane of existence to another while in meditation.
The Chariot is associated with the Hebrew letter Cheth:
the letter meaning “Enclosure” much like the Crab of Cancer.
It is hard on the outside and soft and sensitive on the inside.
Within the shells of ego,
we carry images of ourselves for protection and self identity.
Like an old cart our perceptions are fragile,
one small stone in the road will make the vehicle fly apart.

The Chariot Amulet
Chariot Amulet

This card is also about the space within the circle:
Sacred Space;
like our bodies the walls defining the Sanctuary of a church or circle in a grove.
Sacred space is a place of purpose or the commitment of an oath taken.
If a breach of this sacred space is corrupted,
then it must be cleansed,
cleared or torn down and started anew.
Trust is a sacred Space,
one that must be honored by those who are a party to it.
It can ruin a friendship,
tear apart a marriage
or start a war.
Sacred Space provides a place of Health,
Virtue and other nurturing qualities.

When creating the Chariot Amulet,
I focused on the circle as the primary shape;
replaced the Sphinxes with Unicorns,
emphasizing the importance of Truth.
In Western Lore,
the only person that can see the Unicorn
is an Innocent: a Virgin.
The Idea is simple,
only those who are Pure of Heart can know Truth.
I placed the Charioteer as the central figure and his background is of stars:
when beholding the Truth,
we may encompass All Things.
The I-Ching refers to this state as “Witnessing the Tao”.

The Chariot Amulet is for those who create and maintain Sacred Space,
whether it is a Lawyer working with contracts,
Clergy that would be performing Marriages,
someone who creates and maintains sanctuaries,
alters, courtrooms, homes and gardens.
It is for Healers and other body workers,
marinating the Temple of the Body,
Guardians and Keepers of the Peace,
the Home Guard.

The Chariot Amulet represents Health, Honor, Protection and Virtue.

06 The Lovers Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 30, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 10 Comments

The Lovers card has evolved over time;
the images have altered from a man looking to two women,
trying to decide which to choose,
to two brothers,
to an image of the Garden of Eden;
each attempt to describe an aspect of the card’s meaning.
The Lovers is attributed to Gemini,
the Air Sign of Duality;
Mercury,
the planet of pure communication and the Hebrew letter Zain
described as “the Sword”:
it can both unite and divide a country.

The Lovers Amulet
Lovers Amulet

Following the Hierophant
(The Higher Self or Inner Authority)
The Lovers describes the process where we unite the “parts of the Self”.
The Lovers have been called “the Marriage of the Sun and Moon”
(ha-regesh);
in Jungian Terms the Consciousness and Sub-consciousness
Unite and yet still hold their essence,
that which makes them separate remains.
This is a dynamic balance maintained by the “Higher Self”
or “Super-consciousness”.

In creating the Lovers Amulet,
I have united the classic images with a pair of wings,
signifying they are “one thing”.
The man and woman are touching hands and feet:
joined together in their efforts and path.
The bodies are turned away from each other:
moving apart.
The Swords are crossed over head:
conflict.
Their hair is braided together:
The Lovers cannot be separated.
Over their heads is a radiating disk representing one’s Higher Self.
I made two versions of this amulet;
The Larger Lovers Amulet is heavier and more detailed.
The Smaller Lovers Amulet still holds the design, but is smaller for those that wish a lighter amulet to wear.

The Lovers Amulet is for Fathers and Mothers,
Siblings, Special Friends,
Husbands and Wives,
Sweethearts and Grandparents
for people that are working toward inner balance,
anyone who wants to offer Love to others

05 The Hierophant Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 29, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, MetaPlace, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

Anyone who has set up a tent
and suffered the weather has seen the importance of a good tent stake.
If the stake is not solid,
deep and well anchored,
the entire tent will collapse.
The Hebrew letter associated with the Hierophant is Vav: the tent stake,
a well-grounded (when set) object that will hold up an entire community.

The Hierophant Amulet
The Hierophant Amulet

In Classic image of the Tarot we see the “Hierophant”
(comes from the Greek: “hiera, “the holy,” and phainein, “to show”);
offering a blessing to be in turn directed to others.
Its effect continues through the members of a given community
thus weaving the fabric of love and strength through out society.

In my own representation of the Hierophant
I focused on the hand of blessing,
the fingers in the circle of spirit,
the arm trailing in roots below into matter.
The embodiment of these symbols are religion itself:
reaching into the realm of the spirit
while grounded into the rituals of daily life.
The actions of everyday existence empowered
with the intent of reaching the divine,
establishes a relationship with the godhead.
The central element is the blessing itself;
the art of bestowing the divine to each other
is what gives religion its lifeblood.

In MetaPlace,
I have created a setting illustrates the energy flow
of The Hierophant:
blessings to Earth,
Service to the Divine.

The Hierophant Amulet
is excellent for teachers, nurses, healers of all kinds,
clergy and any one who has chosen the path
to serve the community through Teaching, Healing and Service.

04 The Emperor Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 27, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, MetaPlace, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 10 Comments

The Emperor is a culmination of all of the previous Tarot Keys.
Combining Inspiration (the Fool),
Focus of Will (the Magi),
Knowing the Past (The High Priestess)
and Imagining Possibilities (The Empress),
the Emperor moves forward to make things happen.
Attributed to Aries,
the first of the Sun Signs and the “Maker of the Way”,
the Emperor harnesses his primary Tool:
Vision to survey the world around him and act accordingly.

The Emperor Amulet
Emperor Amulet

In the classic image of the Tarot Card,
we see him seated on a cube
(a symbol of the material world)
with his crossed legs forming another symbol of matter,
his face in profile
(you cannot know everything about him)
holding the sphere and cross in one hand
(the symbol of spiritual dominion).

In making the Emperor Amulet,
I have created a composite of symbols that represent these aspects:
The Octopus, both an alien intelligence and of this world.
Highly intelligent and perceptive yet we cannot fully understand the Octopus’ perspective,
though it can perceive us as much as it needs to.
Its Eye pierces the environment and its tentacles are fully able to manipulate its domain.
It is before a pyramid:
architecture that is both solid,
can withstand the test of time and is precise in its creation.
Above it is the letter Heh: the Window of perception;
tongues of flame (first fire).

In MetaPalce
I have set this piece upon a cube
(emphasizing the material world)
and paced it in a lava bed (primal fire).

The Emperor represents both the perception of the world
and the manipulation of it through precise control.
Those that choose the Emperor
would harness its emphasis on being in a position of Power
and saddled with its responsibilities.
More than an amulet of influence,
it is one of perception so that one would know the right response to in a give situation.
Hence the Emperor is attributed to Process,
Procedure and Ritual.
This is an amulet for Clergy, C.E O., President, or chairman,
Fathers or anyone with Duties and Responsibilities
of others under their care.

03 The Empress Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 26, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, MetaPlace, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 7 Comments

The Empress combines the Focus of the Magician and the Memory of the High Priestess.
Placing the Ideal Goal into an environment where it may grow and develop into an actuality.
The Hebrew letter attributed Her is Daleth: “the Door”.
Venus is Her symbol: the direct merging of Spirit (the circle)
and Matter (the Cross):
Love.

The Empress Amulet
The Empress Amulet

Classically we see the Empress seated in a field of wheat,
she herself is pregnant.
The Empress is often referred to as “Mother Earth”
or “Gaia”;
the concepts that form around Her do not manifest
without touching the physical plane:
grounding (planting) them and nurturing them into fruition.
These images all focus on the necessary steps to making things happen:
focusing on one’s goals,
recalling the information needed to make things happen
and the necessary vision and commitment to move forward.
The Empress’ Door can swing both ways,
we are reminded that what we say and what we do matters;
it influences our lives and creations.

The Empress Amulet presents these things:
two hands lovingly hold a crystal ball;
within the ball is the image of Dalth:
the doorway of manifestation.
One must imagine and care for a thing before making it happen.
Below is a bundle of ripened wheat, symbolizing the fruition of the imagined goal.
In MetaPlace
I have created an animated scene of a the Empress Amulet
set in a garden with wheat and other fruit of the land,
symbolizing the effort and care needed to produce anything worth doing.

When choosing to manifest an idea,
the Empress Amulet reminds us:
it takes visualization,
perseverance
and dedication to step over the threshold
from wanting something
and the love and commitment of making it happen.
The Empress Amulet is perfect for the Artist, Team leader,
Executive, anyone whose task it is to Manifest the Vision.
It is also for the Environmentalist:
the symbol of Gaia,
all things natural to the formation of Life on the Earth
is symbolized by the Empress Amulet.

02 The High Priestess Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 25, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Jewelry design, MetaPlace, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 9 Comments

The third “Key” of the Tarot is called the High Priestess:
the third emanation from the “source of all things”.
Within the Tarot the High Priestess
(like the Fool and the Magi)
is a state of being rather than an actual person,
it represents the source of consciousness
and its connection to our own awareness.

The High Priestess Amulet
High Priestess Amulet

In the classic image of the Rider card,
we find her seated in a garden flanked by the pillars
of form and force, mercy and severity.
The High Priestess is attributed to the letter Gimel,
known as “Camel” or “the ship of the dessert”;
inferring her constant motion,
bringer of new awareness and perspectives.

I have created the High Priestess Amulet to hold these concepts:
like pillars:
her arms stretch above,
using her own form to translate the Moon’s “unattainable image” into water
(consciousness)
flowing from her skirts.
Unattainable herself,
the High Priestess “Draws down the Moon”,
veiled by her hair: only her eyes are perceivable.

High Priestess with meditation card

In MetaPlace
I created an animated scene where she is the source of water through out the Tarot Garden.
From her skirts flows “consciousness”,
becoming a stream surfacing where other water images emerge.
I also included a video showing where she is placed on the Tree of Life.

In choosing the High Priestess Amulet,
one is seeks a connection within themselves to the source of all,
seeking the memories of the collective unconsciousness
one may better understand the world and live accordingly.
As the Fool is Youthful Enthusiasm and Instigator,
the Magi of Focused Manifestation;
the High Priestess brings Self Awareness,
the Knowledge of Memory and the source of Wisdom.

01 The Magi Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 24, 2009
Posted in: Jewelry design, MetaPlace, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

The second of the Major Arcana is the Magician or Magi.
It is attributed to the letter Beth and referred to as “House” inferring a kind of containment.
Although it is indeed the second of the cards
it is given the number “one” and the rest of the Keys follow in succession.

The Magician Amulet

The Magi Amulet
Mercury
Focus and Concentration
“ Beth”

Magi Amulet

Classically it is an image of a youth before a table.
Upon it: the Disk, Cup and Sword with his right hand above holding the wand
and his left hand point to the earth.
Attributed to Mercury,
the Magi is Spirit acting as communication between Matter and Persona:
lighting fast and with absolute celerity.

Unlike the Fool before him,
the Magi knows his purpose and harnesses himself to be the focus of his will:
“making it so”.
The Magi reviews the tools at hand
and makes his life manifest in the way he envisions it.

In MetaPlace
I have created a Virtual Garden that frames each of the Major Arcana.
For the Magi I have created an animation that illustrates
the gathering of energy and the focusing of intent.
The piece is suspended in air,
giving the impression that the process has not yet grounded
– in an every flowing process of manifestation.

In designing the Magi Amulet
I have stripped away everything that would distract one from the core meaning.
The image of the pointing hand:
focusing intent and making manifest one’s own potential.
Magi Amulet is to help one focus on one’s work,
study or bringing a project to fruition: manifesting one’s goals.

00 The Fool Amulet

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 23, 2009
Posted in: Amulets, Multi Faith, Tarot. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

Each of the first 22 cards,
known as the Major Arcana,
are referred to as “Keys”
to understanding ourselves
and our place in the world.
Each Key is an illustration of those concepts.
The first is “the Fool”
often referred to as “zero”:
Before Beginning.

The Fool Amulet
Before Beginnings
“Alph”

Classically
it is the image of a youth
who has been equipped with all the tools he needs
to make a life for himself
tossed over his shoulder,
hanging on the end of a pole
as if unconcerned.
One hand holds a rose:
his passion
something that he is well familiar,
perhaps it is all he is concerned with.
Followed by his dog
he set forth:
off a cliff.

The Fool is attributed to Aleph:
the Ox
a being that pulls a cart
unconcerned as to where it is going:
a driving force
pulling us along
whether we are paying attention or not.

As an amulet,
Shaped like an egg
with the letter
“Aleph”
embossed on the front.
To help one remember
to keep a fresh outlook,
open to new experiences and ideas.
At times one needs to dismiss old habits,
confining perspectives
and take the leap of faith required
to move forward in one’s life.
This amulet is for those
who wish to break out of the old molds
and start anew.

Mirrors by Merlin

Posted by Amulets by Merlin on June 22, 2009
Posted in: Custom Motorcycle Mirrors. Tagged: , , , . 4 Comments

In the year 2000,
I was approached by Jeff Luffman to make a mirror for his ’87 Softail.
Up to that point I had created jewelry and sculpture,
however I had not yet created anything for a motorcycle before.
The idea was a simple one:
a skeletal hand holding a mirror about 3” tall.
I cast it in Bronze and later chromed.
The Mirror was created in time for the 2001 Bike Show in Richmond Virginia where he took second Place!
He was approached by Biker Magazine where an article about the bike and mirror was featured in the March 2001 issue.

First Mirror

The First mirror: 2 5/8″ glass with a bronze skeletal hand
The bike it was mounted on took second place
in the National competition in Richmond, VA
then featured in Biker Magazine

Since then I have created several mirrors,
each one of a kind sculptures,
usually opposing pieces to mount on the handle bars of their rides.
I have created Eagles, Dragons and skeletal hands holding disks,
ovals and even a pair of coffins with the Grim Reaper embossed on them.

Grim Reaper Mirrors

Grim Reaper Mirrors
Custom, one-of-a-kind set of mirrors
with specially cut class
sculpted by hand and cast in aluminum
then chromed
The design was inspired by the bike’s paint job

I have also chanced my approach to create the sculptures to be cast in aluminum:
they are lighter and may be polished rather than chromed,
depending on the client.
I have also made mirrors for sports cars as well as bikes.

When I begin the design,
I examine as many images of the bike or car as are provided by the client
and work up a variety of designs for them to choose from.
Once a design is agreed upon,
I begin carving the original sculptures in wax.
They are then cast in aluminum, ground, tooled for mounting and polished.
If they are to be chromed, then the added step is taken.

Because of the various steps in design and the amount of detail I usually put into the work,
I have yet not created any “stock” mirrors.
Each is a one of a kind creation designed for the specific vehicle it is made for.
Commissioning a mirror (or other Motorcycle accessory) takes time:
each piece is a complete sculpture.
The result: you will have a mirror that is like no other,
designed just for you.
If you wanted one “like” the coffin Mirrors (for example)
the pair you commission will only be similar, not a copy:
I never take molds because of the intense detail is excessively difficult to duplicate.
The result is True Art for you Ride.

When deciding on a pair of mirrors, please have a series of good pictures of your Ride
focusing on the paint, other accessories and the over all lines of the vehicle’s design.
Keep in mind that I carve everything by hand and that takes time.
Chroming often takes an additional six week waiting period,
so please provide yourself at least three months for your mirrors (or other accessory) to be completed.

I look forward to hearing from you!