Weekly Stars ~ A fixed star for every birthday by Darkstar Astrology

Libra Decan 3 ~ Oct 13 to 23 2018. The new monthly horoscope runs as an Egyptian decan, ie 10 days. It will start as the Sun moves into a new decan and looks at what fixed stars it hits. The star interpretations are written for those born with their Sun on that degree, but the general mood of the day will carry that flavour too. Libra decan 3 needs to go through a period of initiation, maybe an endurance test that involves some suffering. During this period then, we may have to go through some tough times where we are pushed to prove themselves. Certain people will be harshly judged because their ideas or behavior is controversial in some way.

Brilliant White Intellect & Shadow Workers

October 13

Libra 20º 37 ~ Alpha Volans in Volans the Flying Fish. 4.1*

Alpha Volans in Volans, “fish flying, evokes the idea of a thing in a foreign environment; “a fish out of water” is a metaphor for something being out of its element; a stranger, exile, foreign.” As I said already that these people can be seen as the bad guys and exiled. Volans’ derivative, “volatile” means to be fickle with rapid mood swings which again reflects the gemini triplicity. Here the subject may well be swinging from black to white. Sinner or saint.

October 14/15

Libra 21º 52’~ Heze in the girdle of Virgo the Virgin. 3.4
Libra 22º 09’~ Foramen in the keel of Argo Navis the Great Ship. 1.9

The star Foramen “Of the nature of Saturn and Jupiter. It causes peril, dignity, piety, usefulness and acquisitiveness, and gives danger to the eyes.” Foramen used to one of the most noted objects in the heavens since it was the 2nd brightest star in the sky. It has dimmed since then, but is still significantly bright. This star, situated in the keel of the great ship has been associated with Eridu, the Lord of the Waves, the mysterious human fish god. This star lies at the heart of the keyhole Nebula, so it is surrounded by an enchanting glowing dust cloud. Again we see the process of transformation from fish to man.

October 16/17

Libra 23º 50’~ Spica in the ear of wheat held by Virgo the Virgin. 0.9

Spica is the famous star in the wheat sheaf held by Virgo “It gives success, renown, riches, a sweet disposition, love of art and science, unscrupulousness, unfruitfulness and injustice to innocence.” Many elected charts for businesses or marriage will aim to have Spica rising for Robson says it gives “Unbounded good fortune, happiness, ecclesiastical preferment, unexpected honor or advancement beyond native’s hopes or capacity.” Spica also “in early astrology was, like all of Virgo, a sign of unfruitfulness and a portent of injustice to innocence; but later on, of eminence, renown, and riches.” This paradox of a fertility symbol such as the sprig of wheat being associated with barren Virgo used to bother me. But now I think it makes sense if you think that the fertility could be associated with ideas and creativity that isn’t necessarily biological, since if one is not distracted by raising children it can devote more time to other projects. I think Spica’s fortune also comes from good timing. Successful people know how to align themselves with cycles, when to sow and when to reap, when to buy and when to sell.

Manilus says of Virgo as a whole “will direct to study, and she will train their minds in the learned arts. She will give not so much abundance of wealth as the impulse to investigate the causes and effects of things. On them she will confer a tongue which charms, the mastery of words, and that mental vision which can discern all things” [1]. Brilliance and talent seem to be the fruit of the wheat shaft of Virgo. I see Spica as signifying the Ceres/Demeter archetype. “spicifera est Virgo Cereris” — “The Virgin with her sheaf belongs to Ceres”. [2] However there is a blurring between tropical and sidereal Virgo now as I have already covered Persephone in the three Virgo decans. What we have here in Libra decan 3 is more like a Venus as Lucifer (Morning star) or Eris. This is Persephone, post-underworld, with more of the qualities of Lilith. Our Libran Eris has been through Virgoan Ceres’ “portent of injustice to innocence” and is now crowned with “eminence.” [3] In Virgo we have Babylonian Inanna and now in Libra, over the threshold of the equinox, we get her darker sister Ereshkigal. Spica can signify one who has taken the bite of the apple. The person has acquired wisdom from life experience. Spica blends this with a rigorous intellect that will also crave higher learning.

October 18/19

Libra 24º 14’~ Arcturus in the left knee of Bootes the Herdsman. 0.04
Libra 24º 15’~ Nekkar near the left ear of Bootes the Herdsman. 3.6

Arcturus “It gives riches, honors, high renown, self-determination and prosperity by navigation and voyages.” The Ebertins say it “has a Jupiter-Mars nature, and a reputation of achieving “justice through power”. It therefore makes the native belligerent and quarrelsome, especially if attached to Mars and Jupiter by conjunction. A really go-ahead and enterprising spirit is the rule. Lasting success is promised if further good aspects are present. ” [4]. Robson also says Arcturus rising gives “Good fortune, with many cares and anxieties through own folly.” Arcturus has much more of an edge than Spica, but as they are so close, the influences can be blurred somewhat. Arcturus seems to give more of a Mars/Jupiter mix making one brave, impetuous and enthusiastic. Arcturus is the prime star of the herdsman and burns a golden red. He is said to be Icarius the father of Erigone (Virgo).

Other stars in Bootes are the golden yellow star Nekkar. The Chinese knew it as Chaou Yaou meaning “beckon and excite” The pale orange and green Izar at the end of this decan is stunning through the telescope, is found in the the herdsman’s sexy loins and was at one time known as Pulcherrima, the beautiful one. In Arabic it was known as “the belt of the shouter”. So you can definitely see a divide once you pass 24º Libra.

October 20

Libra 27º 01’~ Gamma Hydra in Hydra the Watersnake. 3.3
Libra 27º 29’~ Delta Centaurus in Centaurus the Centaur. 2.8

We have one lonely star Gamma Hydra in the water snake. Robson says the constellation Hydra “is said to give an emotional and passionate nature, threatened by great troubles, and to cause some interest in shipping.” Lastly we have Delta Centaurus in the Centaur. This is not the same as the archer of Sagittarius. This is actually Chiron in the heavens and is positioned above the crucifix and making a sacrifice of Lupus the wolf that follows in Scorpio. “This half-human and half-animal composition has led many writers to treat them as liminal beings, caught between the two natures, embodied in contrasted myths, and as the embodiment of untamed nature..” [5] This fits well with Libra’s position between seasons. By Libra decan 3 we are on our way to the bestial sign of Scorpio and the pagan festival of Samhain (Halloween) on the 31 October. Chiron/Centaurus was also a great teacher and mentor, but who also taught us how to harness and control our wild side.

October 21/22

Libra 28º 06’ ~ Izar in the loins of Bootes the Herdsman. 2.7

“Izar, is a binary star, 3 and 6, pale orange and bluish green, lying on the loins of the Ploughman.” It has had a few changes of name during it’s history. “The analogous Perizoma was used for it in the Alfonsine Tables. Why it was so favored in nomenclature is not known, for with us it is noticeable only from its exquisite beauty in the telescope, whence it is fast monopolizing the name Pulcherrima (“beautiful one” from Latin pulcher, “beautiful”), given to it by the elder Russian 19th century astronomer Struve.” [6]

“Bootes is identified with Icarius, who was killed by some shepherds he had made drunk with a flagon of wine given him by Bacchus/Dionysus. In consideration of the grief of his daughter Erigone and their hound Maera, Jupiter placed her father in heaven as Bootes, together with herself as Virgo and the hound became one of the Dogs. (Canis major or minor.)” ~ Anne Wright. The Bootes constellation as a whole according to Vivian Robson “is said to give prosperity from work, strong desires, a tendency to excess, a fondness for rural pursuits, together with some liking for occultism.” [7]