Dr Bernadette BradySunday May 28 2018UAC

Stars, Souls and Stories - the you before your

horoscope

The planets move against the stars and in relationship to each other but the do not change their relationship to each other – they give us eternity.

The symbol of eternal time

The Djet Pillar

The Stars provide us with a view of eternity and for the Egyptians of the Old Kingdom this was a view of the divine.

Unas Pyramid Temple, Saqqara, photo B.Brady Nov 2017

Unas Pyramid Text, Saqqara, photo B.Brady Nov 2017

Pyramid Texts of Unas, the first book and the earliest known religious writings. This section focuses on the ascent of the soul to return to the stars.

Unas Pyramid Text, photo B.Brady Nov 2017

‘ I am a star which illumines the sky, I mount up to the god that I may be protected, for the sky will not be devoid of me and this earth will not be devoid of me for ever. I live beside you, you gods of the Lower Sky, the Imperishable Stars.’ (§1454 – 1455).

The King joins the Immortal Stars, the gods.

• The King having died goes to the west. • With the help of others, amongst who is his

sister the star Sophis (Sirius), he moves to the eastern horizon where he rises as a bright star.

• This bright star then joins the circumpolar stars representing the eternal or imperishable gods.

Summary

In denying the finality of physical death,

the Egyptians gave us the

idea of soul –

complex and vast and they linked this

soul to the eternal stars.

Soul for the Egyptians

Was a way of maintaining

the unchanging perfection of the

universe

John Baines, "Society, Morality, and Religious Practice" in Religion in Ancient

Egypt , ed. Byron E. Shafer (London: Cornell University Press, 1991), pp 145-6.

Plato’s view of soul and stars

Plato reflected this Egyptian notion of soul:

‘You forget that creation is not for your benefit: you exist for the sake of the universe.’

Plato, Laws: 903c.

Plato’s view of soul

In Laws Plato talked of the relationship between body and soul:

‘Of all the things a man can call his own, the holiest (though the gods are holier still) is his soul, his most intimate possession. There are two elements that make up the whole of every man. One is stronger and superior, and acts as master [the soul]; the other which is weaker and inferior, is slave [the body]; and so a man must always respect the master in him in preference to the slave.’

Plato, Laws, trans. Trevor J. Saunders, Plato, Complete Works (Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, 1997), 726.

‘Thus he [god] spoke, and once more into the cup in which he had previously mingled the soul of the universe he poured the remains of the elements, and mingled them in much the same manner; they were not, however, pure as before, but diluted to the second and third degree.

And having made it he divided the whole mixture into souls equal in number to the stars, and assigned each soul to a star;…. He who lived well during his appointed time was to return and dwell in his native star, and there he would have a blessed and congenial existence.’

Plato – The Timaeus links the stars to soul

Plato, Timaeus 41 d- 42 b

The ascent of the soul to the stars

But the stars also set and return to earth as the earth spins

‘All the souls had now chosen their lives, and they went in the order of their choice to Lachesis, who sent with them the genius whom they had severally chosen, to be the guardian of their lives and the fulfiller of the choice: this genius led the souls first to Clotho, and drew them within the revolution of the spindle impelled by her hand, thus ratifying the destiny of each; and then, when they were fastened to this, carried them to Atropos, who spun the threads and made them irreversible, whence without turning round they passed beneath the throne of Necessity;’

Plato – The Myth of Er - the soul’s return

Plato Republic X, 620 d-e

The Spindle of Necessity

The Spindle of Necessity by Marc Brodsky

The Spindle of Necessity is the turning of the earth

This turning of the earth also links planets with stars by what is known as parans.

The stars joined to your planets in this way provide a view of your link to the divine, the eternal, or a view of your ‘soul’.

Star and planet parans thus reveal who is the youthat exists before your horoscope.

The divine spark, your star-stuff, that blended with the planets, and the earth of your angles, to form you.

Another view of a chart

Parans

Sky Watching – as the earth turns, Jupiter rises as Zosma (Leo) touches the meridian - MC

The turning of the earth, the marriage of star, planet and earth

Q

Mars setting is in paran to the star which is rising

R

Jupiter culminating is in paran to the star which is setting

A paran is the union of star with planet causes by the ‘turning’

Plato saw this as the soul ‘star’ encountering the planetary diamon

What do the star parans add to your understanding of yourself?

• Stars are linked to your planets by the spinning of the earth. The turning of the spindle of necessity, which is the turning of the heavens.

• Through your planets, the stars are planted into the earth of your horoscope. Spirit meets matter.

• By working with stars in this way – the turnings -you are glimpsing the YOU before placed into your horoscope.

• The essence of you before your horoscope – spirit, soul……

What Stars to Use

Stars – ‘bright’ by mythology rather than by light

There are over 9,000 visible stars in the sky, and over one thousand stars that have proper names. In astrology I have worked with 64 of these stars. It is the stars that are mythologically rich which govern this selection. All the bright stars attract mythology but also some small dim stars will also hold strong mythological themes.

Which Stars to Use

Bright Stars and Charts

Stars are allocated magnitude to calibrate their brightness. The lower the

magnitude of a star the bright it is. For example the sun is the brightest star in

the heavens and its magnitude is -26.74. A full moon will be around -13 and a

really bright Venus will be around -5.

The brightest star, apart from the sun it Sirius in Canis Major and its magnitude

is -1.46.

There are 15 stars that are between magnitude -1.46 and magnitude 1. These

are, in order of brightness:

Sirius (Canis Major), Canopus (Carina),

Arcturus (Bootes), Toliman (Centaurus)

Vega (Lyria), Capella (Auriga),

Rigel (Orion), Procyon (Canis Minor),

Achernar (Eridanus), Betelgeuse (Orion),

Agena (Centaurus), Altair (Aquila),

Aldebaran (Taurus), Antares (Scorpio), and lastly Spica (Virgo)

Not surprisingly they attract a large amount of mythology.

Small Stars with a great deal of mythology

Stars collect mythology by virtue of their brightness but also of their location in

the sky. Sometimes a star which can be quiet hard to see will carry a great

deal of mythic links. These are some of those stars.

Diadem (Coma Berenices)

Al Rescha (Pisces)

Acubens (Cancer)

Zosma (Leo)

Fomalhaut (Pisces Austrinus)

Regulus (Leo)

Alcyone (the Pleiades)

Ras Algethi (Hercules)

Ras Alhague (Ophiuchus)

Sadalsuud (Aquarius)

Sadalmelek (Aquarius)

Schedar (Cassiopeia

Vindemiatrix (Virgo)

Turing’s Mercury

• Rising when Regulus is On Nadir orb 00 mins 17 secs -Receiving recognition for noble ideas, provided one avoids intrigue• Culminating when Alkes is Rising orb 00 mins 57 secs -To undertake detailed and precise work•

Culminating when Facies is On Nadir orb 01 mins 07 secs - A pessimistic attitude, or one who is judged, or speaks, harshly

• Setting when Mirach is Rising orb 00 mins 08 secs -The translator, a person who builds rapport between ideas or languages• Setting when Menkar is On Nadir orb 01 mins 54 secs - To speak for the

collective• On Nadir when Vega is Culminating orb 00 mins 40 secs - A visionary with a

very persuasive voice, or charismatic ideas - Circumpolar

Alan Turing – one of the key inventors of the computer

Moon -Culminating when Rigel is Rising orb 01 mins 06 secs - The metaphysician, or one who is drawn to alternative, or hidden wisdomsSetting when Vindemiatrix is Rising orb 00 mins 56 secs - A watcher, of people or events

Mercury -Rising when Ras Alhague is Rising orb 02 mins 00 secs - Interested in spreading, investigating, or studying methods of healingRising when Rigel is Setting orb 01 mins 09 secs -Strong personal views, to be strong-minded or stubbornCulminating when Alphard is Setting orb 00 mins 16 secs - The revealer or holder of secrets, an investigating mind, a sharp tongue

Aleister Crowley – Occultist and magician

Beatrix Potter – Creator of Peter Rabbit children’s stories

Her Venus -Culminating when Dubhe is Culminating orb 00 mins 04 secs -The healer who seeks the well-being of others, and/or a lover of children - CircumpolarCulminating when Scheat is On Nadir orb 01 mins 52 secs -Independent ideas concerning fashion, relationships and social customs - Curtailed passage

Jupiter - World view, expansion, optimismCulminating when Vindemiatrix is Setting orb 01 mins 46 secs - To gather others around an idea, a teacher

Jupiter - Bill Gates • Rising when Sadalsuud is Setting orb 01 mins 12 secs -

To benefit by the fortunate turn of events• Culminating when Zuben Elgenubi is Rising orb 00 mins

19 secs - A humanitarian who looks for the big solution• Setting when Deneb Algedi is Rising orb 00 mins 13 secs -

The reformer or expert who paves the way for others

Setting when Regulus is Setting orb 01 mins 28 secs -To be involved with those who hold high office

AppendixA few star meanings taken from….

Diadem

A Woman’s sacrifice.

Diadem is thus linked to feminine strength.

However, it is strength which does not seek glory or

personal fame but rather belongs to the quiet

workers, the people who slave for years helping or

working for the benefit of a group but who never

seek personal recognition or fame. At times the

sacrifice that it asks may seem beyond the person's

ability to give. give

Al Rescha

The Sacred Knot, the pulling together of

ideas

.It represents the point of contact between two

types of knowledge: the joining of different ideas

to create wisdom and understanding, or the

marrying of two concepts to create a greater

concept. This is a gentle star that indicates a

tendency to seek different connections, to look

at things in a different light, to join separate

concepts in search of a greater understanding.

The Love of Life.

Acubens can shape one’s spiritual attitudes and arouse a

belief in the concept of resurrection, whether in a religious

way or simply as an optimistic outlook on life, open-

minded to all its diverse possibilities. It can also attract a

person to the profession of, or at least stimulate an interest

in, the bringing in of new life; or, conversely, helping in the

process of death. This star’s themes are those of life and

resurrection, a gatekeeper, a midwife of incoming or

outgoing, the cycle of life.

Zosma

The back of the Lion – victimisation

The planet in a chart that is tied to Zosma will suffer. It

may be through naivety resulting in a victimized

situation, or it may be reflected in the work of a social

worker or care-giver. This is not a star of glory and fame

but rather of the invisible work of dealing with the victim,

either in oneself or in one's work.

Acubens

The Watcher of the South – Idealism and

charisma.

Fomalhaut contains a touch of the mystic, a sense

of magic, and is based on high ideals or lofty

visions. It can bestow charisma on an individual as

they seek to express the divine in art or poetry, for

this star is also the bitter-sweet madness of the

poetic mind challenged to remain in the physical

world. This is the child stolen by the fairies who

must reject the sweet non-life and fight to return to

the mortal world of death and pain.

Regulus

Success but the need to avoid revenge.

The importance of this story is that it is a myth

which goes beyond the military honours and

success associated with Regulus. Like the other

three Royal Stars, great success can be gained but

only by facing a particular nemesis. For Regulus,

this nemesis is revenge.

Fomalhaut

Inner vision but judgemental.

This star seeks the inner eye, the third eye. Alcyone is

associated with a desire to seek inner knowledge and

is linked to the Fates and the judgment of the dead. It

is a star which suggests visionary and mystical

abilities, but also a potential for ruthlessness or

judgmental anger. It can be associated with great

insight, but also narrow-mindedness.

Ras Algethi

The acknowledging the natural order

If Ras Algethi is in a chart it will indicate, via the

planet to which it is linked, a sense of order or

correctness, or a seeking of this order. There is a

spontaneous need to submit to or honour

something larger than oneself. This can give a

sense of purpose to one's life, or it can be simply

the adoration of another human - being a fan.

Alcyone

The Healer

The themes of this star are that of the healer,

teacher, or one who is wounded. With this star in a

chart one is drawn to the healing professions, or at

least has a natural gift in that area. What one

chooses to heal may vary and it can lead to a life in

politics or other areas of “social” healing. Whatever

the symbolism of this star in a person’s life, the

driving force of its expression is to repair that which

is damaged, to heal.

Vindemiatrix

The Gatherer, to collect and gather

The name Vindemiatrix means Grape-Gatherer, for it was said to

be the heliacal rising signal to harvest the grapes. Even after

precession removed Vindemiatrix from this important calendar

time, the Greeks and Romans maintained her identity as the Grape

Picker. Vindemiatrix, connected with the time of harvest, therefore

implies a time of action, a time to pick what one has sown. This

star will not force its mark onto a life, like the great Spica or one of

the Royal Stars. However, it will indicate that one is a collector or

gatherer. Art collectors, stamp collectors, people who gather facts

or things, are the expression of this star.

Ras Alhague

Lucky One of the King, making one’s own luck

Both these stars bring life and fertility and

Sadalmelek, in the right shoulder, is associated with

opportunities which are of one’s own making. A

blessing in life, for it implies the ability to water one’s

own ideas, to nourish one’s own thinking and have

the skill to coax dreams into form.

Sadalsuud

The Luckiest of the Lucky, a natural rapport

If this star is active in a chart then the area of its

activity is one in which there is a natural flow, a

natural rapport with situations. Some will call it

luck but it is more akin to being in rhythm, being in

tune with the events of the time, being connected

with an ensouled world.

Sadalmelek

Schedar

The Queen, to have dignity

This star is the symbol of the queen, the natural ability to command respect

through wisdom. This star represents the ability to take a leadership role based on

the feminine model which incorporates intuition and mysticism, just as the

masculine model incorporates strength and focus. This star represents a strong

woman who exudes dignity, and rules by the power of her respectability and

honour. With this star in a chart, one can rely on their instinct to always function

with propriety, to know that dignity is the source of one’s power.

Groups

Mysticism/Insights

Adventure

Power/Material World

Vocation/Mission

Hardship/Difficulties

Groups

Fame/Opportunity

Dignity

Sacrifice

Joy/Happiness

Reliability/Steadiness

Knowledge/Learning

Another way to meet the stars

Betelgeuse Fame/Opportunity Orion

Bellatrix Fame/Opportunity Orion

Sirius Fame/Opportunity Canus Major

Aldebaran Fame/Opportunity Taurus

Antares Fame/Opportunity Scorpio

Regulus Fame/Opportunity Leo

Fame - Success

Zosma Sacrifice Leo

Alphecca Sacrifice Corona Borealis

Diadem Sacrifice Coma Berenices

Sacrifice

Joy and Happiness

Acubens Joy/Happiness Cancer

Sualocin Joy/Happiness Delphinus

Mirach Joy/Happiness Andromeda

Saladsuud Joy/Happiness Aquarius

Saladmelek Joy/Happiness Aquarius

Knowledge and Learning

Deneb Algedi Knowledge/Learning Capricornus

Ras Algethi Knowledge/Learning Hercules

Rigel Knowledge/Learning Orion

Scheat Knowledge/Learning Pegasus

Spica Knowledge/Learning Virgo

Vindemiatrix Knowledge/Learning Virgo

Castor Knowledge/Learning Gemini

Pollux Knowledge/Learning Gemini

Toliman Knowledge/Learning Centaurus

Dignity

Schedar Dignity Cassiopeia

Alderamin Dignity Cepheus

Dubhe Dignity Ursa Major

Ras Alhague Dignity Ophiuchus

Reliability

Markab Reliability/Steadiness Pegasus

Rukbat Reliability/Steadiness Sagittarius

Alnilam Reliability/Steadiness Orion

Vocation

Alhena Vocation/Mission + Gemini

Agena Vocation/Mission Centaurus

Alkes Vocation/Mission Crater

Denebola Vocation/Mission + Leo

Murzims Vocation/Mission Canis Major

Polaris Vocation/Mission Ursa Minor

Zuben

Elgenubi

Vocation/Mission Libra

Alcyone Mysticism/Insights Taurus

Vega Mysticism/Insights + Lyra

Formalhaut Mysticism/Insights + Piscis Australis

Al Rescha Mysticism/Insights Pisces

Ankaa Mysticism/Insights

Deneb Adige Mysticism/Insights Cygnus

Mysticism - Spiritual

Hardship

Alphard Hardship/Difficulties + Hydra

Achernar Hardship/Difficulties Eridanus

Menkar Hardship/Difficulties + Cetus

Algol Hardship/Difficulties + Perseus

Capulus Hardship/Difficulties + Perseus

Facies Hardship/Difficulties + Sagittarius

Acumen Hardship/Difficulties Scorpio

Aculeus Hardship/Difficulties Scorpio

Acrux Power/Material World Crux

Thuban Power/Material World Draco

El Nath Power/Material World Taurus

Mirfak Power/Material World Perseus

Procyon Power/Material World

+

Canis minor

Zuben Eschamali Power/Material World Libra

Power

Arcturus Adventure + Bootes

Phact Adventure Columba Noae

Canopus Adventure + Carina

Capella Adventure + Auriga

Hamal Adventure Aries

Alpheratz Adventure Andromeda

Altair Adventure Aquila

Adventure

o Working with starso Look at the sky and start to teach

yourself how to recognise the stars you are working with.

o With any key aspect in a chart ask yourself the question, what stars are involved?

o Learn the stars by their stories not by keywords.

o These stories sit underneath the horoscope and reach or touch the person through the natal planets. o In this way you can think of the stars

as the spark which is you before your horoscope. The issues that are you from another older or deeper level.

Remember, we are more than just the planets!

Things that can help you learn more about stars

• The full set of Fixed Star lectures from the diploma – available as a complete set for

downloading from http://www.astrologos.co.uk/astrology-shop/course-materials/

• Studyshops – Fixed Star and Charts and/or Fixed Stars and phases – check out this

web page

• http://www.astrologos.co.uk/astrology-shop/studyshops/

• Books – Bernadette Brady’s books on Fixed Stars

available Amazon.

Starlight Software

Free paran service at:www.Zyntara.com

FREE Archive of the Visual

Astrology Newsletter on this web

page

http://www.zyntara.com/starlight_

newsletters.htm

But the most important thing is remember to look up at the stars!

https://www.astro.com/