Ficino Talismans (Image of the Cosmos)
"
He
should, therefore, imprint this figure of the whole world on the
very birthday of the world."
Marsilio
Ficino
This Talisman was inspired by the famous Renaissance Philosopher
and Astrologer Marsilio Ficino. In his revolutionary work (for his
times) "De Vita" (the Book of Life) published in 1489 where Ficino
synthesizes Medicine, Astrology and Magic, In the chapters dealing
with the subject of magical Talismans he suggests a Talisman for
the cosmos:
"
How to Construct
a Figure of the Universe."
"
But why, then, should we neglect a universal image, an
image of the very universe itself? Through it, they seem to hope
for a benefit from the universe. The adherent of these things,
if he can do it, should sculpt an archetypal form of the whole
world, if he pleases, in bronze, he should imprint this
subsequently at the right time in a thin gilded plate of silver."
"
But when exactly should he imprint it? When the Sun has
reached the first minute of Aries. For astrologers customarily
tell the fortune of the world - at least, what is going to
happen in that year - from this moment, since it is the return
of its birthday."
I am following Ficino's instructions and will assemble and
consecrate this Talisman when the Sun will enter the first minute
of Aries, As Ficino explains this is considered the birthday of
the world, the beginning of a new cycle. The Sun in 0 Aries is not
only an invocation of images of birth and beginning, it is also
entering the sign of its exaltation, where it is extremely strong
(essentially dignified) therefore this is also a solar Talisman,
which has ingrained in it the image of the whole cosmos as it is
inherent in the Sun itself; the powerful Architect and
life-generating force of our solar system It is, in a sense, a
Talisman that encapsulates the universal image of birth and life,
and it helps us tune our-self to the generating forces of life as
a whole.
A limited edition will be assembled at the exact ingress of the
Sun in the sign of Aries.
The Talisman is set with traditional stones ruled by the different
planets:
Moon - Moonstone
Mercury - Emerald
Venus - Peridot
Sun - Pink Tourmaline
Mars - Amethyst
Jupiter - Yellow Topaz
Saturn - Sapphire.
The names of the planets are written in Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic.
The outer circle is the Ancient Egyptian glyphs of the zodiac.
"
He
should therefore imprint this figure of the whole world on the
very
birthday of the world. but don't you see how beautifully the
argument that the whole world was born at a particular time will
help
us in this discussion? For it is born in any and every year. In
the
horoscope of a person, don't astrologers measure first in
what sign, in what degree, in what minute was the Sun? And then
they
lay the foundation of the whole figure. And in any year
thereafter, as
soon as the Sun enters the same minute, they think that the man
is as
it were, reborn; and thence they prophesy this year's
fortune."
"
Therefore, just
as in man it does no good to do this unless
he is, so to speak, reborn, and he cannot be, as it were,
reborn,
unless he had been born at some particular time, so it can be
conjectured that the world, too, was born at some time, namely,
when
the Sun entered the first minute of Aries, because a particular
Lot of
the world being reborn, so to speak, is revolved through the
same
position in every year. At this time, therefore, he should
construct
the figure of the world."
Ficino realized that the universe itself is a living thing, or in
his own words:
"There will be
some men or other, superstitious and blind,
who see life plain in even the lowest animals and the meanest
plants,
but do not see life in the heavens or the world ... Now if those
little
men grant life to the smallest particles of the world, what
folly! what
envy! neither to know that the Whole, in which we live and move
and
have our being, is itself alive, nor to wish this to be so"
Therefore as a Neoplatonist, he believed in the integration of the
Cosmos itself with the human soul and this integration found its
way to his Astrology and this Talisman.
About the Author
David Weitzman
The jewelry artist David Weitzman combines ancient and sacred knowledge into a unique line of jewelry designed to bring people both beauty and inspiration. David's artwork harnesses the power of spiritual symbols and sacred geometry from around the world to bring those wearing this sacred jewelry happiness, vitality, excitement, and love.