Antares II

These are the second Antares talismans I have crafted, and once again, I chose to use a real scorpion as the foundation. The scorpion was molded, and scorpion waxes were created. These waxes were then cast in solid sterling silver to fashion pendant talismans set with rose-cut Amethyst gemstones and saffron underneath, as advised in Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Although conceptually similar to my previous talismans, they are an entirely new design, markedly different from those crafted a few years ago.

In this write-up, I will focus solely on details relevant to these talismans. For a more extensive exploration of Antares mythology you can refer to my previous writings [link here].

The Heliacal rise of Antares on the 23rd of December 2024 was the election utilised for the inspiriting of these talismans.

Antares, a first-magnitude star at the heart of the Scorpio constellation, radiates a fiery red brilliance. In ancient China during Confucius's time, Antares was known as Ta Who, meaning 'the Great Fire.' In Latin, it is called "Cor Scorpii," denoting the Scorpion's heart, and in Arabic, it's Al Qalb, simply translating to "heart."

Al Qalb refers to both the star Antares and the 18th Lunar mansion. The Shams Al-Maarif tells us that the  spirit of this mansion is fortunate, rectifying previous corruptions. The Picatrix tells us that carrying an Al Qalb talisman alleviates fevers and pains of the stomach. Agrippa adds that crafting an image of a scorpion under the Heart of Scorpio provides intellect, memory, good color, and protection against evil daemons.

These are the primary attributes of these Antares talismans. I categorize them as apotropaic as well as potentially beneficial to our physical and mental well-being—which I consider an extension of their apotropaic qualities.

I don't typically reference Arabic mansions in making fixed star talismans, however,  I had a profound experience with the spirits of these talismans, prompting a deeper dive into available lore.

 I was given an abstract understanding about the nature of the body as being a physical manifestation of stories; that is, our bodies are grown from the stories of our lives woven together in an intricate tapestry. Each story has its home in the body, for example; one story may lodge in an organ, another in a limb. Some of our stories nurture us while others poison us. These are stories we have told ourselves, or have been told about ourselves that are misaligned with our true selves. 

At the time of making these talismans I was experiencing an ongoing stomach pain causing distress. It was during this election that I realized  I was holding onto a negative, fabricated story about myself. Once believed, such stories persist like internal judges. I saw a connection between this story and the pain in my stomach, then I rewrote it.

In the subsequent days, I noticed a significant alleviation of the pain. The transformative nature of this star became evident to me when reading about the etymology of the word 'Scorpion,' which is rooted in the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) term 'Sker,' meaning 'to cut’. I understood Antares as an editor and a physician of the heart, cutting away spiritual impediments. She pulls at the tapestry threads that are tainted with malice and fear stemming from fractures in our hearts, and cuts away the debris.

I decided to delve into the contemporary discourse surrounding "the stories we tell ourselves" which in psychology is termed “personal narrative." In the words of American psychologist Dan McAdams, "We are all storytellers, and we are the stories we tell." These narratives, fueled by our internal dialogue, are the tales we weave to make sense of experiences, ultimately shaping identity and imparting meaning to our lives.

The personal narrative resembles a tapestry, interwoven with events, emotions, and reflections, forming a cohesive and ever-evolving storyline. Acknowledging the unreliability and constant flux of memory, psychology sheds light on negativity bias, where negative experiences leave a deeper imprint, serving as an intricately wired safety mechanism within us. This means that we are far more likely to remember negative experiences than positive ones.  Insights from physics and neuroscience consistently challenge our perceptions; recognizing that only a fraction of our surroundings can be perceived through our five senses emphasizes the limited nature of our understanding of the world.  Collectively, this information illuminates the unreliability of our personal narrative in constructing an objective truth, stressing the importance of taking an active role as conscious editors of our narrative.

When we consider the profound impact of our personal narratives on our conscious understanding of ourselves and the world, it becomes crucial to take necessary steps to cultivate awareness of them and their origins. Apotropaic magic and fostering relations with protective spirit allies are essential for practitioners of magic and divination. Peter Kingsley, scholar of the Greek mystical traditions tells us that apotropaic, in its ancient context, means facing that which frightens us directly, with respect and reverence, in order to create distance; to create a turning away. We can consider it to be alike the word pharmakon; which means both the poison and the remedy. The magic of the poison lies at the heart of the Scorpion, Antares is the illuminator. In contrast to magical escape routes and glamour spells of forgetfulness, apotropaic magic confronts the fear and the poison head-on, pulling it out of the shadows and into the light where it can be transmuted. 

These Antares talismans are ritually hand crafted in sterling silver, quenched with volcano water containing Sword and Scythe's, Milk of the Basilisk, set with rose cut Amethysts with saffron placed underneath. These talismans are smaller than most of my previous, talismans they measure 1 1/2" x 1/2" and are hang on sterling silver chains with the choice of 20" and 24". 

You can view the Antares II Talismans here