A little something for the @2019grimoirecchallenge prompt on celestial energies.
A large part of my practice and spirituality revolve around my connection with stars. I have been fascinated with the night sky and space since I was a little kid, and I’ve always felt most “witchy” or “druid-y” while stargazing on a summer night, or realizing that a specific planet or constellation was overhead in the dead of winter.
It has always frustrated me to no end that there aren’t more books on the topic. Sure. We draw down the Moon or the Sun, but the stars are beautiful and powerful and good for something other than interpreting astrological information! Sandra Kynes wrote a really lovely book entitled Star Magic: The Wisdom of Constellations for Wiccans & Pagans which was sort of what really kicked my interest in incorporating stars into my regular practice. So here are some ways that I work with stars, and some ideas you may want to try.
Stargazing / Astronomical Knowledge: For me, the seasons are just as much about what stars I can see in the sky at a given time as they are about the weather and agricultural cycles. I follow NASA’s social media accounts, my local planetarium’s listings, and other stuff to keep track of things like meteor showers, which constellations or planets will be hanging out in the sky, eclipses, etc. I also take as many opportunities as possible to attend the planetarium’s programs. Last month I saw one about black holes. My boyfriend and I went to watch a documentary about Mars, and another about Saturn as date night ideas. It’s fun, you learn lots, and it deepens your understanding of the Universe, and your own local night sky.
Some stars have also been important for centuries and were named by ancient and medieval astronomers. Old alchemical texts suggest what these stars’ properties were and can provide another fun historical / scientific learning experience.
Drawing Down Star Energy: Just like one might draw down the Moon or Sun in ritual, you can totally draw down the stars, too! Some stars, as I mentioned above, were long associated with specific magical properties. You could find where they are in your night sky, and draw on them specifically for a particular spell. You could call, for example, on Polaris (The North Star) for guidance and clear direction. Maybe there’s a meteor shower situated in the constellation Orion; you could time your ritual so that you could draw on the warrior/hunter energies of that particular constellation to help you with a particular goal. Or, just let the silver, shimmery, peaceful light of the stars and the vastness of the Universe shine down on you and your energy.
Constellations / Star Symbols as Magical Sigils: I like to use the patterns of the constellations as sigils to charge my spells or to help myself through tough times. One I use a LOT is Orion; he represents for me a fighting spirit, perseverance, and is usually high in the sky when I’m at the peak of my seasonal depression episodes. It always felt like he’s been cheering me on, and so I will utilize that constellation pattern in work geared towards pushing through tough times. Some of the named stars also have symbols associated with them. I’ve used them in crafting sigils from time to time.
Making Tarot Spreads: I like to make tarot spreads to use based on the constellations as well. For this, I usually take into context the mythology behind the constellation as well as personal significance, and then come up with questions or information I’d want to receive from that particular energy. An example of one I made using the constellation Orion can be found here.
These are the specific ways I’ve been incorporating my love of the night sky into my practice. I’ve come across a book that reinterprets the constellations in context of The Mabinogion called Dark Land, Dark Skies: The Mabinogion in the Night Sky by Martin Griffiths. As a Druid, this book has been super exciting, because it makes for a sort of Celtic understanding of the constellations. It is a bit dense though as far as scientific language goes, so it’s been a slow read. It’s encouraged me to make up my own interpretations as well in relation to The Wylde Hunt- sort of a bit of creative fun! I’m also currently working on developing a sort of rune system using constellations, planets, and specific stars, but it’s not quite ready to be shared yet!
Do you work with stars? How do you bring them into your magical practice?
Happy Stargazing, Rachel
