Originally written in July, 2019 / Revised October 10, 2021
The summer nights (winter in the southern hemisphere) are dominated by certain constellations and stars. There are many options to see bright stars during this time with the summer triangle of Deneb, Vega, and Altair along with Capella to the far north setting earlier and earlier. In July, we are in a Sirius drought as the brightest star (after the Sun) seen from Earth is on the other side of the Sun until early to mid-August (depending upon your latitude).
At this time, however, I’ll turn my attention to Arcturus and Spica, which are easily spotted after sunset, with Arcturus high in the sky to the south and Spica a bit lower also in the south. These two stars, from different constellations, share a bit in their ancient stories as well as the constellations they are a part of.
In June, July and August, these two stars highlight the southwestern and western skies and are easily distinguishable from other, fainter stars around them. Both stars occupy the lattitudal or zodiacal degree of 24 in the sign of Libra. Both are alpha stars of their respective constellations and those constellations have a deep relationship with the seasonal cycles of the Earth, especially around crops and harvest time.
Myth, Story of Arcturus and Bootes
Bootes, the constellation anchored by the star Arcturus comes from the ancient Greek word for “herdsman”, “ploughman” or more literally, “ox-driver”. The constellation depicts a human figure with a tool or weapon in one hand and a leash in another hand. Bootes was alternatively called the “bear-driver” as he seemed to push or pursue the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major) around the pole star.
The stories about Bootes vary but they all connect this constellation to assisting the spin of the sky around whatever star currently occupies the pole star. In modern times, that is the star Polaris. 2000 years ago, no visible star occupied that position. Polaris, which is part of the “Little Dipper” or Little Bear (Ursa Minor) was nearby and all of the circumpolar stars rotated around that empty point as the Earth spun around its axis.
Going farther back in time, at 4000-4500 BC, the constellation Bootes stood “upright” in the northern sky and below the stars of the Dragon’s tail, which roughly marked the “pole position” as Polaris had not yet become the north polar star. This alignment of Bootes was only visible north of about 43 N latitude. That meant most of Europe and northern Asia and northern North America were able to see that take place. Today, one has to travel to near the north pole in Greenland or Svalbard Island to see Bootes in that way. This may have been why Bootes has been called Atlas (according to Star Lore by William Tyler Olcott pg 74)
NOTE: The star witht he closest position as “pole star” in 4500 BCE (6500 years ago) is Edasich in Draco the Dragon Constellation
In some stories, Bootes represented Icarius, a grape-grower who invited Dionysus to his vineyards. Dionysus provided Icarius with the secret recipe of making wine and after an untimely death at the hands of Icarius’ friends (who drank the wine) who thought he had poisoned them due to their hangovers. Dionysus was unhappy about his friend’s death and cast Icarius upon the stars as the constellation Bootes.
The star Arcturus, a light orange-red star and the fourth-brightest star in the sky (not counting the Sun) is known as the “watcher of the bear”. Because Arcturus has a fast-paced proper motion (relative to other stars), its position in the sky has noticeably changed over the millennia, which means the constellation of Bootes has changed in its shape over long periods of time.
Arcturus, like the star Spica, sits at the 24-degree mark of the sign (not the constellation) of Libra. Both of these stars represent the Sabian symbol of 25 Libra (since Sabian symbols count from 1 to 30 and signs count from 0 to 29), which means “Falling golden leaf teaches life to rebellious school boy”, according to Dane Rudhyar’s book, The Astrology of Personality, page 292. Rudhyar goes on to share what 25 Libra means, “Discovery of deeper elements of wisdom after intellectual knowledge wearies. Growth through awareness of basic meanings.”
I look at that symbolism as being reminded of the essentials and the essence of cyclical process of life. It also shows to our ego that there is always something more to learn from that which is around us. All things complete, paving the way for reflection and wisdom and, of course, a new beginning.
Arcturus sits on a leg of Bootes (depending upon a person’s interpretation, it could be a foot, ankle, knee, calf, upper leg, etc. or even a lance/staff) of a person was born with Arcturus within five degrees of their Ascendant, Moon, Mars, Venus or other personal point on their chart, this star adds elements of the cyclical wisdom of the star and its ancient connection to the turning of the Great Wheel of the sky. Powerfully, this star connects to the ancient marriage of land and sky.
While the star Spica tends to relate to the feminine principle (and more directly to the seasonal energy of Earth and agriculture) in the form of the priestess, Arcturus can be symbolized as a care-taker of the cycles and nature’s intimate role, driving us to move in harmony with them. Arcturus occupies a point in the sky that can be a guide or a bridge between the northern polar wheel and the zodiacal constellations.
There is great depth in the stories and myths generated from the star Arcturus and if Arcturus is a personal star for a person, it is important to tune into the orange jewel in the sky. William Olcott has four pages dedicated to this star in his book, Star Lore (pages 76-80). The star’s name goes back in time farther than the name of the constellation, Bootes. Olcott shares that Arcturus was designated as “the palace of the Emperors” by the Chinese and the was known as the “the Keeper of Heaven” by the early Arabs.
Arcturus marked the 13th lunar station or nakshatra (as they are called in their zodiac) in ancient India. According to Robert Powell, in his book, History of the Zodiac (page 118) this nakshatra is called Svati and generally in Indian astrology, this nakshatra tends to be described as “beneficial”. While in Shamanic Astrology, that form of judging a planet or star on whether it is good or bad, the focus is more upon the essence of its role in the greater pattern in the sky. However, it is important to see other meanings related to the sky as doing so can make contributions to our understanding of astrology.
Bernadette Brady shares in her book, Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars (page 79) that, “A strong Arcturus in your chart will indicate that you are a pathfinder, a person who needs to create a better way of life or a new way of doing something, not just for yourself but for others as well. There will be a strong sense of leading others involved with this new path or new idea.” This is an interesting take on Arcturus as Daniel Giamario has this star within 2 degrees of his natal Ascendant in Libra and one can see the forging of new transmission of ideas and concepts into the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm™.
Spica and the Priestess Constellation
I’ve been referring back to Spica on a few occasions already above. To expand upon this, the star Spica sits at 24 degrees Libra and we can use the same definition of the Sabian Symbol here, but this star has major differences to Arcturus.
The two stars are intimately linked together, but what makes Spica different is its embodiment of the feminine principle and it is looked at as a “stand-in” for Venus in the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm™. In late October, on or about the 28th or 29th, Spica has its technical heliacal rise (first visible rise in the morning ahead of the Sun in the east), but more likely for most of the populace it is on Halloween or Samhain and truly becomes visible at the “cross-quarter” day when the Sun reaches 15 degrees of the sign of Scorpio. Arcturus generally starts to become visible during that period as well (a few days earlier than Spica).
In the fall of 2017 (October and November), the Me Too movement reached a critical moment with many powerful men in the US called out for their abuse of power over women. It was a time when Mars and Venus were dancing together in the sign of Virgo and the star Spica was visible in the evening, fading to become transformed and re-born at the end of October. Jupiter was in the sign of Libra too, crossing by the star, along with Vesta and Mercury in the area. And when Spica finally rose in the morning sky, Venus and Vesta were conjunct and were right there with the star. Mars had been passed by.
Spica is powerful symbol for sovereignty in the feminine and that symbolism was on full display then. In 2018, we saw a new culmination of that movement as large numbers of women were elected congress in the United States in early November. On election day, November 6th, Venus (retrograde) was only three degrees from Spica and the dwarf planet Ceres was near an exact conjunction with Venus.
In the vast majority of stories and myths around the Priestess constellation. For the last few thousand years, the Priestess represented the harvesting of the crops and the feminine symbol of Earth Mother and Ceres were associated with here. The constellation nurtured and bore her fruit in the northern hemisphere to humankind and all others.
The Priestess constellation also symbolizes the honoring the natural cycles of the Earth and a connection to the food harvested in the late summer. In the ancient skies, the Priestess constellation had an affiliation with the goddess Ceres, the mythology and story of Persephone as well as the Egyptian goddess Isis. The constellation was also looked at with a connection to Rhea, daughter of Saturn. In most of the cultures across the Mediterranean, Asia Minor (Middle East), Southern Asia and in China, in South America, there is always a connection with wheat or other harvested grain (pgs 381-385 Star Lore by William Tyler Olcott).
Bernadette Brady writes in her book, Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars (pgs 270-271) that this constellation “is considered by some astronomers to 15,000 years old in human awareness (which was about the time spring equinox occurred in this constellation)”. Brady goes on to discuss the connection between the Priestess constellation, the annual harvest as well as Earth’s seasons. More cultures, Brady and Olcott mentions, that a goddess, maiden or some other feminine persona is emblazoned upon that constellation with its attending connection to agriculture and Earth seasons.
For those born with the star Arcturus near a personal point on their chart would also have Spica involved. According to Brady, “Spica represents a gift of brilliance, a hidden or obvious talent, skill, or ability that is out of the ordinary. The word ‘gifted’ applies to strong Spica people, and whatever this star touches, it will illuminate in some way.”
One can see with those words the strong connection between Arcturus and Spica. But the difference of Spica representing the sovereignty of the feminine where Arcturus acts more as a driver or care-taking of the Great Wheel. While Arcturus has mostly been associated with a “masculine-like” imagery, it is not necessarily so as it is easily more of just a human figure.
Stars are Included
Drilling deeper into the understanding of astrology, it is important to have a relationship with both the planets (including Sun and Moon) and stars. Even the word, “understanding” has its roots in the “standing” among, between, under or in the midst of whatever the subject or physical / intangible area is. We can “stand under” the sky and stars or heavens and start to “under stand” them by simply being present with them.
In the shared thoughts around ceremony and working with the planets and stars. It is ongoing in our lives to have a relationship with what is around us. Even if we are not consciously working with the stars and planets, on some level there is a relationship present with the sky in all of us. The stars are truly included in that picture.
Just as electricity was becoming the norm over the Western World, we were beginning to dim the lights of the heavens. But the stars are not forgotten (outside of astronomers). Over 80 years ago, the light of the star Arcturus opened the World’s Fair in Chicago, IL in 1933. The organizers of the fair used the light of Arcturus to turn on the light of the World’s Fair. It was a modern way to bring the cosmos down to Earth and honor our relationship with them (perhaps in an Aquarius kind-of-way).
In that understanding, the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm™ is always inclusive of those twinkling jewels, helping us navigate the cosmos physically, spiritually, psychologically and symbolically. The history of astrology began with the relationship between the Earth and Sky, which is inclusive of humanity’s relationship with that Earth-Sky polarity. Arcturus and Spica are two examples of stars that have lived in our souls for many millennia.
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