Talismans - moments in time

The oxford dictionary describes a talisman as

1: an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune

2: something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects  Talismans are believed to hold energy or magical powers which are believed to protect, heal or sometimes even harm. There are often small so that they can be carried with the owner of the talisman and often take the form of jewellery.

 

Moments in time and connections to people Talismans evoke magic and memories and have been popular through history

A touch of magic

The idea of a magical talisman may seem farfetched to some, but often even the most sensible among us will be in possession of an object of some form that holds sentimental value to its owner. Maybe it’s a ring handed down from a favourite grandma or a pendant you were wearing when a memorable moment happened in your life. In some form or another we all believe that objects hold a form of physic powers and bring us comfort, hope or luck.

 

Talismans hold no scientific value but capture the minds even of non-believers as shown is the sweet anecdote from Niels Bohr (Noble Prize-winning physicist) – a visitor noticed a horseshoe hung above the entrance to his home, the visitor asked if “he really believed in such things!” To which Bohr replied, no he was a man of science but “I’m told they bring luck to even those who do not believe in them!”

 

In this blog post I’ll be taking you through some of my favourite talismans and their meanings throughout folklore. From the humble honeybee, to the life changing dragonfly, you’ll find out the hidden meaning of these talismans and discover which handmade silver talisman suits your personal life story.

 

The humble honey bee

Since ancient times the honey bee has been a symbol of family & hardwork.

The humble honey bee as talisman through out history

 A symbol of hard work, sustainability, and life, the honey bee works hard to provide for its family hive. In ancient folklore the bee is one of the most prominent talismans, folklore tells us that it is very important to tell a bee hive your family business as they are very protective of their family – a wedding, new baby and especially a death must always be shared with the bee.

In Greek mythology bees are magical creatures, protectors of woodland spirits, fairies and nymphs. Bees are seen as protective and family orientated.

Did you know?

1. If a bee lands on your hand, you are very lucky indeed! Sit quietly and don’t frighten the bee.
2. A bee on your hand is a sure sign that money is on its way to you!
3. If a bee lands on you head, success is on its way
4. If a bee flies into your home it is considered very good luck. Just remember to leave a window open so that the bee can fly out again after showering you with good fortune. Always treat the bee kindly, if you try to shoo the bee away your gold luck will vanish
5. The saying “As Busy as a Bee.” Comes from the knowledge that a worker bee might travel as much as 16 km (10 miles) a day in search of nectar and pollen.
6. When a bee finds food, it goes back to its hive and does a “waggle dance.” This is to communicate to the other bees which direction to go and they fly directly to it or “make a bee line” for it.

 

The enlightened lotus flower

Since time began the lotus flower has been a symbol of strength and enlightenment.

 An enlightened Talisman - the lotus flower The magical lotus flower has fascinated humans for generations, with a strong will to live this pretty flower is much more than meets the eye.

 The lotus is often thought of as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Its roots can grow in the dirtiest waters and still produce one of the most beautiful flowers.

 With roots firmly grown in mud the lotus flower submerges under the murky depths of the river (due to the waxy properties of the lotus flower’s petals). water every night and re blooms with the morning sun – fresh and clean without a trace of mud.

 With this daily flowering ritual its easy to see why the lotus flower has long been associated with re-birth, enlightenment and spirituality. This daily resurrection is certainly inspiring and shows a real will to live.

 Did you know?

1. Lotus seeds can survive thousands of years without water According to a folklore, the muddier and opaquer the water, the more beautiful the Lotus flower when it emerges.
2. The ancient Egyptians believed lotuses had the ability to resurrect the deceased, as seen in Book of the Dead transformation spells.

Beautiful lotus flower proverbs Three of my favourite lotus flower sayings to inspire

1. “As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world.” – Buddha

2. “From the mud of adversity grows the lotus of joy.” – Carolyn Marsden

3. “The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud.” – Buddhist Proverb

The majestic scarab beetle

Symbolic of transformation and protection, the scarab beetle was favoured by the ancient Egyptians. The majestic scarab beetle Symbolic of transformation and protection, the scarab beetle was favoured by the ancient Egyptians.

The magical scarab beetle Since ancient Egyptian times, Scarab beetles have been a symbol of immortality, transformation, eternity and protection. Egyptians believed Ra, the sun god, moved across the sky during the day. In the same way, dung beetles roll dung up into a ball. It makes their food portable and gives them somewhere to lay their eggs. Scarab beetles navigate Using Celestial Orientation and are the first known species in the animal kingdom to do so.

Did you know?

1. Scarab beetles can be conveniently divided into 3 groups, Rollers, Tunnellers and Dwellers.
2. Dung beetles influence the ecosystem in many ways and are great at protecting the environment.
3. They help cycle nutrients in the soil when they bury the dung or carrion. The high flying dragonfly

Dragonfly

Long favoured in folklore, the magical dragonfly is a symbol of living life to the fullest.

A reminder to live life to the fullest Dragonflies have long been favoured in myths and legends. A symbol of change and new beginnings, they are often associated with living life to its fullest due to their natural life cycle.

Dragonflies spend most of their lives as nymphs below the water's surface, and only exist as beautiful dragonfly for around six months (often having lived a nymph for up to four years). Because the dragonfly is only in its final form for a few months, they're a symbol of living in the moment and taking advantage of the short time given.

One of my favourite folklore stories about dragonflies is from Native America. This lore proposes that dragonflies were once dragons. A coyote tricked a dragon into shapeshifting, and it couldn’t change back, it’s transformation into a dragonfly was final. As a result, the dragonfly symbolises change, speed, living life to the fullest

Did you know?

1. Dragonflies were some of the first winged insects to evolve, some 300 million years ago.
2. Dragonflies are amazing flyers; they can fly in any direction and hoover on a single spot for a minute or more.
3. Their amazing flight movements have inspired engineers to similar movements within drones. Not only can dragonflies move in an agile way, they can also fly incredibly fast – reaching top speeds of up to 18mph.
4. Dragonflies play their part in maintaining the environment and are great pest controllers. In a single day a dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day.

Express yourself with the handmade silver talisman collection. Now that you know the unique story behind these talismans which one will you pick to tell your story?