This coin probably isn’t for you.
Why?
This coin is heavy. It’s a little over 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter (approx. 40 mm), and I forged it out of steel. It’s bumpy, has small bits of forge scale stuck to it, and it’s more than likely to be slightly off-center. If you somehow found this post by searching for “hand-made” coins, then you will no doubt have noticed that the other coins look a lot better, a lot smoother, shinier, fancier, and professional.
I’m an artisan blacksmith, not a properly equipped company that makes coins by the millions, and definitely, not a Chinese manufacturer that can export tens of millions of coins.
I personally designed this coin; I made the coin-dies in my little shop behind my house; I designed and built a punch to make my own coin blanks; and I hot-forged (minted) each coin, one by one. It’s a slow but enjoyable process.
Description
A mixture of my own personal life philosophy and stoicism influenced the design of the coin. I spent 20 years in the military, have traveled the world, been to war, and have had my fair share of ups and downs. This coin helps me cope and gives me more clarity to think rationally and stay on track.
Colors
- Natural Steel is bright and more or less uniform in color.
- Blued Steel is darker with accents of brighter steel. The color can range from a deep blue or black to brighter blues. Results vary from coin to coin.
Coin Elements
The outer ring on the front side of the coin has the words DISCIPLINE, FAITH, and FORGIVENESS.
- DISCIPLINE: May you have the discipline to do what needs doing.
- FAITH: Have faith in yourself and the process that your actions will lead to future success.
- FORGIVENESS: Forgive yourself when you fail. You will fail (a lot). Forgiveness is for you. Don’t get mired down by your own shortcomings, failures, and mediocrity. You do what you do. Let that be, and strive to do better next time.
The inside ring on the front of the coin has the words ACTION, FAILURE, and GROWTH. This is the way. This is the correct cycle in life. One must act, and said action often leads to failure. Growth occurs when we analyze the situation, learn from our mistakes, and act again.
Marcus Aurelius is quoted as saying,
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Marcus Aurelius
The obstacle is the way. Failure is an asset from which we can learn and do better.
The Triskele
The Triskele is the swirling pre-Celtic symbol seen in the center of the coin, and the words on the inner and outer rings orbit this symbol. The triskele is ancient, dating back to Neolithic times, and is found on the kerb stones of Newgrange in Ireland (circa 3200 BC).
There are a few theories on the meaning of the symbol. For me, it represents the flow of life and that often life, as it were, happens in threes.
Breathe
This is my trigger word. This is the action I take to get back into my rational brain. It’s placed here on the coin to remind me to breathe when stuff happens when I enter fight or flight mode.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Get a grip?”
I once read that the phrase “get a grip” came from an old Stoic practitioner. I can’t verify the story’s accuracy, but it’s a good story, whether true or not.
The story goes that when he was forced into that fight-or-flight monkey brain, he would squeeze his fist. He would grip his hand into a fist as a trained response to help him back into his rational and analytical brain.
As it happens, my great-grandfather did something similar. When angry and close to losing control, he would grip something nearby with considerable strength and count to ten (or until the rage subsided). He never lost his temper in front of others.
Simply put, there are so many things that happen to us daily that we have zero control over, from crazy drivers to lousy weather.
When something happens to me, I take a conscious breath in through my nose and then slowly let it out. I feel the air pass over my lip and cool my nostrils. I listen to it rasp in and out. My body remembers my learned state of mind achieved through hours of breathing exercises and meditation.
I breathe to stop feeling and start thinking.
And this, too, Shall Pass Away
Most of us have heard the saying, “This too shall pass,” but I prefer the earliest English citation of the phrase, which dates back to 1848. When read, this too shall pass has a broader sense, like everything has its season. The weather will change. You feel down, but that won’t last forever. You’re poor, but with the right actions, you can become rich.
And this, too, shall pass away has a more specific meaning for me. First, encompassing the “too” between two commas drives home that this will happen to me. It has happened to and will happen to others, but it will happen to me. Second, adding the word “away” after “pass” has only one meaning. You are going to die. I am going to die.
The saying is very similar to, if not the same as, Memento Mori, remember you will die, but of course, in English.
Thinking about the impermanence of your existence might seem dark and depressing to some, but for me, it is about focusing on the now. Yes, we will all die someday, but we live in the moment. We live right now.
It’s important that we live for a living. Live every moment to its fullest.
The Celtic Tree of Life
I know, two Irish Symbols on the same coin are screaming my heritage. In my own words, let me tell you about my thoughts on it.
The Celtic tree of life has branches and leaves reaching towards heaven, the universe, and roots reaching down into the earth. We are all connected, all part of the larger cosmos. Furthermore, there are strong spiritual meanings concerning the Tree of Life, talking of other worlds and past ancestors, but for me, I like to focus on the universal nature of existence.
So that’s it, my imperfect coin. It’s heavy, bumpy, and might not even be round. It was forged from steel and requires daily usage to maintain its condition. Steel rusts if left to the elements, and so too will this coin. However, carry it in your pocket, pull it out, and consider the message every day, and it will last a lifetime.
Available for Purchase
This coin can be purchased on my Etsy shop at the following link.
