Fixed star Alcyone is the major star in the famous Pleiades Star Cluster. The Pleiades are found in the shoulder of Taurus the bull, positioned from 29º Taurus to 00° Gemini*. Different cultures throughout the ages have a mythology around these stars because this cluster is so striking in the sky.
The Pleiades stars are also known as the seven sisters. In Greek myth, the sisters became stars because Zeus took pity on their mourning the death of their family. Most of the seven sisters still reside in the sign of Taurus as you can see from the list below. Alcyone is the brightest star with a magnitude of 3.0
- Taurus 29º 25’ ~ Electra. Mag 3.8
- Taurus 29º 26′ ~ Celaeno. Mag 5.4
- Taurus 29º 34′ ~ Taygeta. Mag 4.4
- Taurus 29º 41′ ~ Maia. Mag 4.0
- Taurus 29º 42′ ~ Merope. Mag 4.2
- Taurus 29º 44′ ~ Asterope & Sterope. Mag 5.8
- Gemini 0º 00′ ~ Alcyone. Mag 3.0
In the medieval times the fixed star Alcyone (representing the entire Pleiades) was known as a magical Behenian star and in talismans is said to give magical power and knowledge. In Esoteric Astrology, the seven solar systems revolve around the Pleiades star cluster, and of course, there are many websites all over the net claiming to have channeled information from them.
“The Pleiades’ role, then, is to help seekers become consciously aware of Divine Knowledge and Wisdom, which is why their etheric, astral and mental bodies must be purified before being able to integrate with that spiritual realm. The Pleiades represent a spiritual “station” where the Perfect Model within seekers is energized and comes alive on earth.” Plotinus.
So it’s really no wonder that the Pleiades featured so strongly in 2012 astrology. The Pleiades are revered up to the present day by Ufologists and they are also featured in the Cherokee Rattlesnake Prophecy. We are all expecting mass awakening but what is it about this constellation in particular that inspires such great expectation?
It is strange because when you study Alcyone’s actual meaning, it really is a mixed bag. Although the star confers wisdom, there is also a bunch of really negative associations with it also. This may be due to the Judeo-Christian habit of warning the general mob away from anything magical, but if you look at the lifestyles of some of the natives born under these stars, there could be some truth in Robson’s grim interpretations.
Bohemian Lifestyles
Another association with Alcyone is homosexuality. Both Robson’s and Ebertin’s books were published around 1930 when gay sex was still illegal. Just like any fixed star associated with unchaste female sexuality was demonized, so it is the case with Alcyone. I would read Robson’s interpretations bearing this in mind, which why I have set them beside Bernadette Brady’s evaluations for comparison.
So the Pleiades are generally seen as having an overdose of Venusian energy. Remember Venus has her dark side since she was both the goddess of love and war in Babylonian times. Venusian style ‘war’ can be underhand and manipulative. Here’s what Manilus says about the Pleiades star cluster:
“they will smooth their hairy limbs with the porous pumice, loathing their manhood and craving for sleekness of arm. They adopt feminine dress, footwear donned not for wear but for show, and an affected effeminate gait. They are ashamed of their sex; “ [1]
Ok, there actually are a few great homosexual examples on the list. The best example is the beautiful and supremely talented Rufus Wainwright, who has Alcyone rising by 42’. He is the perfect Venusian gentleman and is certainly not ashamed of his sex.
He dresses occasionally very flamboyantly, but mostly tastefully and romantically, like an 18th-century poet. Rufus has also had his brush with death when he was raped and nearly strangled aged 14 in a park.
Later Rufus also suffered from Alcyone’s threat of blindness. At the height of Rufus’s crystal-meth addiction in 2002 he temporarily lost his vision. He is no longer an addict and his musical direction has matured to include his passion for opera.
I note David Beckham is also in the rising list. Despite being a manly football idol, he is certainly not in the slightest bit bothered about wearing feminine garments! He has been known to sport a sarong and nail paint, which is unusual, to say the least in the macho field of sport.
The Pleiades Constellation
There is definite evidence of “disgrace” in some of the natives below, usually stemming from scandalous love affairs that threatened their public profile.
The effect of Venusian indulgences in the form of alcohol or drug abuse are also observed to have a detrimental effect on some of these peoples careers and performances.
“The Pleiades causes bereavement, mourning, sorrows and tragedies.” 3. Alcyone is a cluster, so it is also said to give blindness or accidents to the face, but the modern interpretation of eyesight problems is an inner vision.
There are a fair few fatal car accidents and drug-related premature deaths on the celebrity list, so the proximity to death is clearly there.
Because this cluster rose at sunset around November, this star is also associated with a judgment of the dead and fate. In many countries, a day was set aside around this time to mourn those who died in battle.
“The Pleiades gives ambition and endeavor, which gives preferment, honor and glory. Not a good omen with regard to relationships to the opposite sex”. [2]
So this star has connections with passing over to other dimensions. This could be where the mystical side of Alcyone comes into it and with it the attainment of occult wisdom. The judgemental side of this star can be quite harsh though because it dishes out karma with no mercy or compassion.
Gruesomely, in common with Robson’s more negative findings, Alcyone with the Sun gives us one subject who truly did possess an ‘Evil disposition’. Serial Killer Jeffery Dahmer took the lives of 17 men and boys. His murders involved rape, mutilation, necrophilia and even cannibalism.
Alcyone Keywords
Wise, magical, scandalous, rocky relationships, disgraced, immoral, visionary, insightful, intuitive, ruthless, fated, judgemental, critical, criticised, insightful, fascinated by the occult, fascinated with the deep soul, gothic, homosexuality, gay icon, idolised, passionate, in touch with the anima, being true to yourself, vain, venerated, indulgent, spoilt, easily flattered, flirty, beautiful, romantic, tragic, mournful, artistic, melancholic, melodramatic, poetic, ritualistic, ambitious, talented, theatrical, ravishing, handsome, well dressed, aesthetically aware, designer, dandy, destined.
Alcyone & Planet Combinations
Alcyone Rising “The rising Pleiades are indicative of those who are homosexual, like to be flattered, and (with a poorly positioned Mercury) impudent in speech.” 4. “To have artistic or intuitive vision, but recognizing that such vision has the shadow side of giving and receiving harsh judgement”
• Rufus Wainwright, Jessica Savitch, Dionne Warwick, David Beckham, Jacky Chan, Anna Freud.
Alcyone Midheaven “Disgrace, ruin, violent death. If with the luminaries it makes its natives military captains, commanders, colonels of horse and emperors.” 6. Bernadette Brady says if this star is on a pivotal point at birth (the angles) that it gives “A strong sense of knowing, a strong vision of destiny, a desire to walk the correct, if not the popular pathway” 5. In the past I think that not following the traditional pathways could well result in ‘disgrace’ or even ‘ruin’ (if homosexual).
• Edwin Hubble, Montgomery Clift, Pebbles Santiago, Patty Hearst, Erik Menendez, Donna Summer, Eddie Fisher.
Alcyone Sun “sickness, disgrace, evil disposition (used to be a term in astrology for homosexuality), murderer or murdered, imprisonment, death by blows, stabs, shooting, beheading or shipwreck..” [6] “The ruthless visionary, a passionate but potentially arrogant person.” [5]
• Cher, Harvey Milk, Jeffrey L Dahmer, Dale Winton, Morrissey, Malcolm X, Laurence Olivier, Bertrand Russell.
Alcyone Moon“ Injuries to the face, sickness, misfortune, wounds, stabs, disgrace, imprisonment, blindness,”[6] “Insightful to the darker side of life.“ [5] A fascination with societies underworld may indeed put you at risk of “stabs” I guess.
• River Phoenix, Frida Khalo, Katherine Hepburn, Ian McShane, Edith Paif, Dionne Warwick, Juan Manuel Fango.
Alcyone Mercury “Many disappointments, loss of possessions, much loss from legal affairs, business failure, trouble through children” [6] “To be insightful and brilliant, but struggling with the darker side of human nature” [5]
• Anna Freud, Tammy Wynette, Cilla Black, Bjorn Borg, Audrey Hepburn, Natasha Richardson, Mary Wollstonecraft.
Alcyone Venus “Immoral, strong passions, disgrace through women, sickness, loss of fortune.” [6] “A love of theatre, art or rituals; The poetic soul” [5]
• Dame Nellie Melba, Kylie Minogue, Marlon Brando, Karl Marx, Gregory Peck, Nancy Reagan, Giuseppe Pelosi, Amy Dumas.
Alcyone Mars“Many accidents to the head, loss and suffering through fires”[6] “To be aware and sensitive to difficult social issues. The critic”[5]
• Andy Warhol, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Tammy Faye Bakker, Helena Bonham Carter, Glenda Jackson, Eddie Fisher, Griffith/Banderas Davison,
Find The Pleiades In Your Chart
If you don’t have a chart, yet get a free one here: FREE HOROSCOPE MAKER. To work out the exact position of Alcyone, stars move forward through the zodiac at one degree every 72 years. You can find all the star positions here: The Fixed Stars in Longitude Order. *Alcyone positions:
1900 – 28° 48′ Taurus*
1950 – 29°18′ Taurus
2000 – 00°00′ Gemini
