This is Part II of a series on the “stars of my mysticism,” fixed stars that I’ve seen in relation to seers, mystics and those who wish to work with the divine. This is an informative read for anyone who has parans/conjunctions with these stars or wishes to develop your own mystical capacity (Interested in developing relationships with stars? Stay tuned, I’ll be releasing some thoughts on star devotion soon).
Below is an introduction to the concept of mysticism, helping outline what sorts of benefits and pathways arise to one interested in the divine and unseen. The same introduction is featured on my previous part of the series, where I discuss Fomalhaut, Vega and Schedar. You can find part I here.
And if you want to explore your own stars of mysticism, plus all the stellar threads connecting your life to the divine, book a fixed star consult with me. My books for October are currently open
May this work find those who need it and serve them well.
On Mysticism
I have long been drawn to the concept of mysticism. It has always had a religious connotation, which, as a devotional babe, I love, but with a weird, feral quality too. Mystics weren’t the same as popes, abbots, priests or pastors. They didn’t seem to need a specific institution or practice to access their insight; only an intimacy with the beating heart of god.
Etymologically, “mysticism” comes from the Greek mystikos meaning "secret, connected with the mysteries," which derives from mystes, “one who was been initiated”. So already, we see a connection between mysticism and the hidden, more specifically the desire to uncover the hidden truths of this world. Evelyn Underhill, in her book on the subject, says that mystics are distinguished by “the finding of a ‘way out’ or a ‘way back’ to some desirable state in which alone they can satisfy their craving for absolute truth”. Mysticism is, in some form, an epistemology, but one that looks beyond the human mind for answers. I am reminded of a college professor who saw me as stuck between the path of the academic and the mystic; he encouraged me towards the former but that points towards a wider devaluing of the wisdom mysticism can provide.
While academia and the conscious intellect can do so much, ignoring the unseen locks us out from wisdom and “powers unknown to ordinary men”. Underhill reminds us that all mystics operate under the “inextinguishable conviction that there are other planes of being than those which his senses report to him”.
Mysticism is the journey of making good on these convictions, these inner stirrings. Properly practiced, mysticism can be a well of knowledge, intimacy and bliss; it can help us with our divinatory potential, our creative practice and can serve as a solid foundation for a magical practice.
Today I want to talk about mysticism through the lens of fixed stars that are considered “mystic”. Already, the stars are attuned to our souls,1 our transcendent spirit that connects us to the divine, as well as animates our life and breath.2 But these stars are singled out for a certain numinous, intuitive quality. Having theses stars in paran to your chart or working with them ritually can help you access the hidden mysteries of the divine, whether that be for making decisions, art; creating connections to the unseen, practicing magic or just reveling your connection to the deepest truths. These stars speak to the power of the inner life, which can often be in conflict with the outward world of fame, commerce and productivity. The more you come into contact with the mystical, the less you may find yourself out of step with the milestones and expectations the outside world has provided us.
Alkes
Alkes is a star at the base of the Crater, or cup, constellation. Its myth begins with the question of thirst. Apollo asks a crow (immortalized in the Corvus constellation) to fetch some water but the animal loiters by a fig tree. He brings back a water snake to explain his long absence but Apollo quickly realizes his deception and sets both animals, as well as the cup, into heaven The cup rides on the back of the snake so the crow can never get past its folds, leaving him ever-thirsty. The Dictionary of Symbols tells us that all cups’ “sole function is to contain”. Being atop Hydra, home to Alphard, we see the well beneath from which the cup draws its water is powerful, emotional, deep. Put together, we see Crater as holding what is sought after or quested, which often changes us in the process.
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