The Star of Stars

Sirius is the “Star of Stars”, for none shine brighter, more illustrious, or glitter more distinctively, thus earning the name the "Propitious Star of Heaven”!

Telos and Powers

The telos and powers woven into and arising from this talisman: attain prominence; strengthen the powers of magic, rain making, healing, and effective communication with the spirits of air; warding off evil influence; establishing bon accord, loyal companionship, and love; attaining and securing wealth; having general good fortune; being futile and fruitful; and enacting providence into action.

Election

These talismans will be crafted on 26th of March, the day of Jupiter, in the hour or Venus, as the Waxing Moon and Jupiter are rising in Cancer conjunct to the projected zodiacal degree of Sirius. This is a unique election with Jupiter having stationed direct very close to this degree. Equally, the next best conditions to get Venus within close proximity to the projected degree of Sirius with the Moon Waxing will not occur until 2029, and the similar condition with Jupiter, not until 2037.

Talisman

The talisman will be crafted in either stunning, natural, ethically-sourced Aquamarine crystals with handmade settings smithed in sterling-silver, or in pristinely clear Aquamarine cabochons set in 14k-gold or sterling-silver as a pendant or ring. The associated glyph and image (main glyph for cabochons, glyph and images for crystals) will be carved onto the stones and the stones set with a portion of the associated herbs timed to the election above. This project has been in the works for almost three years and I am delighted to finally craft it.

While the ancient and medieval sources of astral magic and astrology are divided on the planetary attributions of Sirius, giving it to Venus or to Jupiter/Mars, not only is this election unique, but in my observations over the past month of Jupiter’s retrograde, anticipating its station near this project degree of Sirius, I have come to understand and experience the following. Jupiter is undoubtedly linked to Cosmic Order and Authority, and when tied to Sirius through appearance, we have such Cosmic Authority being directed into Action, Sirius being the Arrow Star. Jupiter is directly tied to Marduk, extending this back further, to Enlil symbolically, as they both serve as establishing divine law, cosmic order and authority. Sirius is knowledge, skill, and execution, and like Ištar/Venus transmitting and distributing the celestial influence into the world. I explore this lore in an extended form below

Variants, Please see the info on ring size to check the availability.

• 5mm Aquamarine cabochon pendant (sterling-silver or 14k-gold)

• 5mm Aquamarine cabochon ring (sterling-silver or 14k-gold)

• A Aquamarine crystal pendant, 8.4 carats 3.1 x 0.4 x 0.5 cm (sterling-silver)

• B Aquamarine crystal pendant, 9.65 carats 2.0 x 0.7 x 0.7 cm (sterling-silver)

• C Aquamarine crystal pendant, 7.9 carats 1.9 cm x 0.6 cm x 0.7 cm (sterling-silver)

• D Aquamarine crystal pendant, 13.25 carats 3.4 x 0.6 x 0.5 cm (sterling-silver)

• E Aquamarine crystal pendant, 13.5 carats 3.7 x 0.7 x 0.45 cm (sterling-silver)

• F Aquamarine crystal pendant, 10 carats 3.1 x 0.7 x 0.45 cm (sterling-silver)

• G Aquamarine crystal pendant, 3.2 carats 1.9 x 0.5 x 0.25 cm (sterling-silver)

• H Aquamarine crystal pendant, 4.0 carats 1.8 x 0.5 x 0.45 cm (sterling-silver)

• I Aquamarine crystal pendant, 7 carats 2 x 0.6 x 0.5 cm (sterling-silver)

• J Aquamarine crystal pendant, 11.1 carats 2 x 1.8 x 0.7 cm (sterling-silver)

• K Aquamarine crystal pendant, 6 carats 2.2 x 0.55 x 0.5 cm (sterling-silver)

Ring Size Options - Ring Size Conversion Chart

• J UK, 5 1/4 US, 49 1/2 EU (14k 1mm gold or 5mm silver)

• L UK, 6 US, 51 1/2 EU (5mm silver ONLY)

• N UK, 7 US, 54 EU (5mm silver ONLY)

• P UK, 8 US, 56 1/4 EU (14k 1mm gold or 5mm silver)

• R UK, 8 3/4 US, 58 1/2 EU (14k 1mm gold or 5mm silver)

• T UK, 9 3/4 US, 61 1/2 EU ((14k 1mm gold or 5mm silver)

• V UK, 10 3/4 US, 63 3/4 EU (5mm silver ONLY)

• X UK, 11 3/4 US, 66 1/4 EU (5mm silver ONLY)

• Z+1 UK, 13 US, 69 7/10 EU (5mm silver ONLY)

Glyphs, Stone, Herbs, Images of Sirius

As to the associated glyphs, stone, herbs, and images of Sirius, there is no better source than the De Quindecim Stellis and the associated texts. For this I will turn to the excellent translations of Regulus Hess.

“This is a star of the south, and it is among all other stars the greatest and most visible. So too is its power on earth of great efficacy[...] [I]t is a star of [natural] fortune[.] [...] And if there be need of an image, its virtue will be for good and great honor.” (Hess 2022. 22-23).

“The [Stone] is called Beryl [Beryl Aquamarine]. It is clear after the manner of Crystal or sea-water; and it is as if it were an eye, and ought to have angles through which its splendor proceedeth. Its virtue is of great honor and great benevolence in imposing concord among kings and other men; and when the Moon is with [Sirius], then is its virtue augmented, especially if it be on the ascendant or midheaven.” To which Hess adds this note on it being set in gold, ‘And if it be set in gold it giveth them with it.... It is of great power to friendship and love. It giveth great friendship betwixt two men, if thou touchest them with it…It is of great power to make concord and love.”―Seph. Raziel, 2.7, p 69.’ (Hess 2022. 28-29).

“The [herb] is Savin. This ought to be placed beneath Beryl, together with Mugwort, Dragonwort and a bit of the tongue of a Serpent; and let it be done when [Sirius] shall be on the ascendant or midheaven, the Moon being joined thereto. Know thou that whoso should have this ring, he will have favor with the spirits of the air and the peoples of the earth; and he will have the power to send a great peace among kings, other earthly rulers, and between quarreling husbands and wives.” (Hess 2022, 33).

“Under Canis Major [Sirius] they made the image of a harehound or a virgin girl. It confers honor, good-will and the favor of men and aerial spirits; and it gives the power of placating kings and princes and other men, and of effecting concord among them.” (Hess 2022, 88)

While the lore of Sirius is diverse, throughout the myriad ways it is storied we find that Sirius is linked to prominence, magic, rain, communicating with the spirits of air, bonaccord, divine providence made action, and loyal companionship.

Babylonian Starlore

The Arrow was the name given by the Babylonians to the star Sirius. While it is indeed its own asterism with accompanying starlore, Gavin White notes that it is also “always incorporated into a larger constellation figure called the Bow.”

“This larger constellation, located among the stars of Canis Major are the stem of the Argo (Puppis), is figured as a female archer. She represents Ištar [...]. The Dedra zodiac represents Sirius in both its Egyptian and Babylonian formats. The female archer can be seen on the left hand side and in the centre the Sothis cow [with Sirius above its head], the Egyptian version of Sirius that is sacred to Isis. I believe the bird on a high perch [a symbol which undoubtedly ties Sirius to the height of Summer and the Solstice] seen on the right of the Dendra image is also part of the Sirian complex of symbols, larger because of the combination of perching bird and arrow regularly found on Babylonian entitlement stones.” (White 2014, 71).

White goes on to unpack the general name given to Sirius in Sumerian, MUL-KAK-SI-SÁ. MUL, as many will be aware, informs us that this is a star name. KAK depicts a wooden peg or stake and is used to write the verb ‘to build or make’, referencing the ritual peg set into the foundation of a building. The compound SI-SÁ means ‘to be well, straight, true’; ‘to be successful, to prosper’. It is this compound that lends to the astrological lore for the Arrow being known as “the Star of Wealth”.

Within Babylonian star-lore we find three deities that are tied to Srius: Ištar, Ninurta, and Marduk. The connection with Ištar we explored above, while Ninurta earliest associations were to farming and irrigation. Marduk later took on these associations while Ninurta became more closely tied to war, as we find in the epitaph for Ninurta, “The Weapon of the Gods”. Furthermore Marduk, alongside Enlil, who prior was the originator of cosmic order, was often depicted with a bow and arrow, the primary symbol of divine kingship in Mesopotamia, indicating victory and providence, and in Enuma Elish arms himself with a bow and arrows to fight Tiamat, the bow becoming a celestial symbol of his triumph.

Here we can see the two of the planetary forms that become entwined with the Sirius in later sources: directly Venus, with Ištar, and Jupiter as Marduk, through function and divine authority.  If Jupiter/Marduk represent Cosmic Authority, Venus/Ištar represents the dynamic power that manifests and distributes this power within the world.

The Babylonians divided the heavens in three bands, given to the three senior gods.

The circumpolar region and the standing stars to the ancient god of cosmic authority Enlil/Nunamnir. The arch of heaven and the starry path of the luminaries and planets to heavenly Anu/An/Anum. The southern most region of the sky and its associated stars to wise Ea/Enki. The Arrow (Sirius) is within this southernmost region.

While Enlil is the creator of the cosmic principles (singular Me, plural Mes, pronounced ‘May’ or ‘Mays’), it is Ea/Enki, creative intelligence and wisdom in the world, that gives these ontological powers (Mes) to Ištar, who in turn transports them to her city Uruk. In this way cosmic power moves from being stored within the divine upper most region of heaven and into our world. 

The Original Star Goddess

I would be remiss on even a cursory exploration of Sirius not to go deeper into its Egyptian aspects.

We begin with the original star goddess, Sopdet (Greek Sothis) the goddess who personified Sirius, literally meaning “the sharp and pointed one,” referring to the star’s brilliance. Sopdet appears from Egyptian Old Kingdom text (c. 2500 BCE) onwards as the star goddess that heralds the flood of the Nile and the bringing of fertility and renewal. At the time, Sirius’ heliacal rising, its first appearance just before sunrise after being hidden by the Sun’s light, coincided closely with the annual Nile Flood that was so instrumental to their culture’s antediluvian farming.

During the Middle and New Kingdoms, Sodpet increasingly merged with Isis. Isis was already established as the divine mother, a restorer of life, and the magician who resurrects Osiris. These themes were symbolically matched with Sirius as a star of rebirth and renewal. Equally, the constellation Orion was associated with Osiris, so this pairing is quite natural as we have Osiris and Isis in the sky. Within Egyptian astral theology, Sirius becomes the celestial manifestation of Isis and the powers that she wields, the star heralding their manifestation in the world, linking Sirius to magic, fertility, and divine powers made manifest

The Dog Star

I now would like to turn to an exploration of the association that Sirius has within the dearest of all human companions, the Dog.

Loyalty, companionship, intelligence, utility, and resourcefulness are some of the key qualities of dogs. As Sirius is often known as the Dog Star, its asterism figured as a dog following the constellation of the Hunter, I am compelled to unpack these aspects of the stars association.

Much as the bow and arrow becomes a technological extension of the will of the hunter, ensuring sustenance and prosperity, and of the warrior, ensuring victory, the dog becomes a companion and co-conspirator of shared will.

We saw with the associations of Sirius with the Arrow above, it may not be the vehicle that propels will, but it is undoubtedly the thing that strikes the target and enacts the will sent, it has a material intelligence to perform this task.

Much like the arrow, the dog brings speed alongside its own innate intelligence and broad sense perception to carry forth our shared objectives, while providing living companionship along the way.

Now to cite some useful references from Diana Rosenberg:

“Dogs are universal emblems of faithfulness, guardianship, watchfulness, fidelity and conservatism; they are mythic helpers and protectors, especially of women and children. Associated with death, they are psychopomps (conductors of souls) to the afterworld, messengers traveling between higher and infernal powers, keepers of the boundaries between this world and the next. Having been a companion in life, a dog is believed to continue so after death, interceding and interpreting for the soul with the gods of the underworld…[I]n Phoenician iconography the dog accompanies the Sun, and is an emblem of Gula. the Great Female Physician, as an aspect of the Mother Goddess symbols of sincerity and trustworthiness…They also associated the dog with Aesculapius, the God of Medicine; it healed by rebirth into a new life, because its fidelity survived death.

“Probably the first animals domesticated by humans, dogs, because of their intelligence and wisdom, were regarded by many cultures as the ancestors of civilization; it was believed that they brought fire to mankind. To Amerinds, the dog, interchangeable with the coyote, was a thunder animal, rain-bringer, fire-inventor, culture hero, intercessor, messenger, mythical ancestor. Iroquois sacrificed a white dog at the new year so that it would carry their prayers to the next world.

“Among obedience and subjugation of passions through the Law; an attribute Celts, dogs accompanied hunter gods, war gods and heroes; they were associated with healing waters and Nodens, god of healing. The arrival of a dog signified future prosperity.

“In Egypt dogs were a tribute of Amenti, the Great Mother; they guided the hawk-headed solar god to keep the Sun on the right path, and were sacred to dog-beaded Anubis and to Thoth (Hermes) as a messenger.” (Rosenberg 2012).

Final Reflections

Over dinner recently, I was speaking with a friend after having just taken her very noble dalmatian Nala on a walk to the beach. Amongst the cloud-filled Scottish sky, which was clear only in a high column to the south,  I saw both Sirius high in the lower southern sky with Jupiter prominently raised above. I was swimming in the rich and windy darkness with these two great lights as Nala, a playful, very white dalmatian darted about around me.

It is always a joy to be with the unfolding of the world in this way.

At dinner, my friend asked a seemingly naive, though to me, profound question, “How is it that we get something in the sky tied to such grand things like Juptier, and then we have The Dog Star?”

I loved this question. I could immediately see the way the Dog was running across the earth along the arch of the southern sky. I felt the closeness of the constellation and the way that we figure it as such an intimate animal, the dog, as a perfect way to understand this intimacy.

Sirius is part of a complex and highly visually intriguing part of the sky, being so bright, so very sparkling, and so close to earth, it is no wonder that Sirius is The Star of Stars for their brilliance has graced our eyes for as long as we have been human and before.

Bibliography

Hess, R. 2022. De Quindecim Stellis: The Comprehensive Translations of Hermes on the Fifteen Fixed Stars. USA: Renaissance Astrology Press.

White, G. 2014. Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-lore and Constellations of Ancient Babylonia. London: Solaria Publications.

Rosenberg, D. 2012. Secrets of the Ancient Skies: Fixed Stars & Constellations in Natal & Mundane Astrology. USA: Ancient Skies Press.