| What is a talisman? | | | | from God. |
| The word "Talisman," derived from the | | | | Hamsa |
| Greek verb "teleo," means, primarily, to | | | | The Hamsa is known as the hand of Miriam |
| accomplish, or bring into effect. The | | | | or Hamesh hand. The Hamsa serves as an |
| Talisman is an object marked with magic | | | | ancient talismanic way of averting the |
| signs and is believed to confer on its | | | | evil eye and providing a "protecting |
| bearer supernatural powers or | | | | hand" or "Hand of God". The Hamsa often |
| protection. Virtually every religion in | | | | appears in stylized form, as a hand with |
| human history has offered as adherents | | | | three fingers raised, and sometimes with |
| small decorative objects which purpose | | | | two thumbs arranged symmetrically. |
| is to do anything ranging between | | | | Five metals ring |
| healing, protection or success. | | | | According to the ancient kabalistic |
| Talismans and sacred geometry | | | | text, the secret of the five metals ring |
| Very often the talismans symbols are | | | | success is that at the specific time of |
| taken out of sacred geometry. The term | | | | the creation of the ring with these five |
| "sacred geometry" is used by | | | | metals, Jupiter's influence is summoned |
| archaeologists, anthropologists, and | | | | forth. Jupiter is the star of |
| geometricians to encompass the | | | | development and expansion, and success |
| religious, philosophical and spiritual | | | | is at it's strongest at the specific |
| beliefs that have sprung up around. It | | | | time of the ring's creation. The layer |
| is a term covering Pythagorean geometry | | | | on the top of the five metals ring is |
| and neo-Platonic geometry. Sacred | | | | pure gold. Below it there is a layer of |
| geometry is often referred to as a | | | | lead and tin, and the last layer is |
| language of G-d. Sacred geometry symbols | | | | copper, while the ring itself is made |
| are a means of bringing subtle, inner | | | | out of silver. |
| realities to a focus in outward | | | | Tree of life |
| expression. Within the fundamental unity | | | | The Tree of Life is one of the most |
| of consciousness, certain symbols, such | | | | familiar of the Sacred Geometry Symbols. |
| as the lotus lifting itself in purity | | | | The structure of the Tree of Life is |
| above the muddy water, possess universal | | | | connected to the sacred teachings of the |
| relevance and power. | | | | Jewish Kabbalah. The Tree of Life is |
| Ancient Egyptian Talismans | | | | explained in Sefer Yetzira ("Book of |
| Scarab beetle | | | | Creation"). The book explains the |
| The young scarab beetles emerged | | | | creation as a process involving the 10 |
| spontaneously from the burrow they were | | | | divine numbers (sefirot) of God the |
| born in. Therefore they were worshipped | | | | Creator and the 22 letters of the Hebrew |
| as "Khepera", which means "the one who | | | | alphabet. The 10 sefirot together with |
| came forth". The scarab-beetle god | | | | the 22 letters constitute the "32 paths |
| Khepera was believed to push the setting | | | | of secret wisdom". |
| sun along the sky in the same manner as | | | | Buddhist Talismans |
| the beetle with his ball of dung. In | | | | Buddha |
| many artifacts, the scarab is depicted | | | | Buddha images provide a reassuring |
| pushing the sun along its course in the | | | | reminder of the basic tenets of Buddhist |
| sky. | | | | religion. Just as Buddhist religion is |
| Ankh | | | | practiced in many different ways, the |
| The Ankh is a symbolic representation of | | | | Buddhist image also serves a wide |
| both Physical and Eternal life. It is | | | | variety of ritual purposes and has |
| known as the original cross, which is a | | | | different meanings for different people. |
| powerful symbol that was first created | | | | Buddha can be invested with a huge |
| in Ancient Egypt. Ankh is typically | | | | amount of information, meaning and |
| associated with material things such as | | | | implication; they evolve and they are |
| water, air, sun, as well as with the | | | | given life. The Buddha image cast in the |
| Gods, who are frequently pictured | | | | human form gives it a value presented as |
| carrying an Ankh. | | | | calm, still and serene. |
| Heart | | | | Mandalas |
| In Egyptian history, the heart replaced | | | | The Tibetans create their beautiful |
| the heart which was removed during | | | | Mandalas from colored sand and if you'll |
| mummification. Sometimes assimilated to | | | | take a metal plate and cover it with |
| the Bennu, "Soul of Râ", it brings the | | | | sand and make it vibrate with different |
| protection of both Osiris and Râ. | | | | sounds, you will be able to see |
| Other Egyptian talismans | | | | different structures that are formed in |
| Buckle or Knot of Isis, Djed, Ba, Two | | | | the sand, that are very similar to the |
| Fingers and Udjat or Eye of Horus. | | | | sand Mandalas. In the end, after a few |
| Christian Talismans | | | | weeks when the Mandalas is finished, |
| The cross | | | | they simply wipe the sand off Mandalas |
| The cross of Christianity was a symbol | | | | to show the non-attachment to the |
| of the faith. It was previously | | | | illusion of the external, and also to |
| considered a pagan symbol, with several | | | | show the constant change and the process |
| early church fathers objecting to its | | | | of life and death that takes place in |
| use. The cross represents Christ's | | | | the external world of illusion. |
| victory over death and sin, since it is | | | | OM |
| believed that through His death he | | | | Om (ॐ) is the most sacred syllable |
| conquered death itself. | | | | in Hinduism, first coming to light in |
| Fish | | | | the Vedic Tradition. The syllable is |
| The fish's first known use as a | | | | sometimes referred to as the "Udgitha" |
| Christian religious symbol was sometime | | | | or "pranava mantra". The symbol of Om |
| within the first three centuries AD. | | | | contains three curves, one semicircle |
| Christians began using the Greek word | | | | and a dot. The large lower curve |
| for "fish" as an acronym for "Jesus | | | | symbolizes the waking state; the upper |
| Christ God's Son, Savior". Followers of | | | | curve denotes deep sleep (or the |
| Christianity were called Pisciculi; the | | | | unconscious) state, and the lower curve |
| root of this Latin word is "fish". | | | | (which lies between deep sleep and the |
| Jewish and Kabbalah Talismans | | | | waking state) signifies the dream state. |
| Star of David | | | | Tibetan Knot |
| The name David in ancient Hebrew (during | | | | The Tibetan knot (Srivatsa or the |
| the time of King David) is made up of | | | | endless knot) is one of the eight |
| three letters "Dalet", "Vav" and | | | | symbols of the Tibetan Buddhism. The |
| "Dalet". The letter Dalet in ancient | | | | Tibetan knot can stand for karmic |
| Hebrew is actually a triangle. King | | | | consequences: pull here, something |
| David used the six pointed star as his | | | | happens over there. It is an apt symbol |
| signature (the two triangles of his | | | | for the Vajrayana methods: Often when we |
| name). The middle letter "Vav" means six | | | | tug at one part of a knot while trying |
| - The six pointed star. The six-points | | | | to loosen it, another part becomes |
| symbolize that God rules over the | | | | tighter. You have to work with the knot |
| universe and protects us from all six | | | | to enable it to come undone. In its |
| directions: North, South, East, West, Up | | | | endless configuration, it evokes the |
| and Down. King David used this symbol in | | | | cyclic nature of rebirth and also calls |
| the battlefield on his shield as an omen | | | | karmic connections to mind. |