Spica

Spica was supposed to launch days weeks ago. I am neck deep in an energetic complex which feels… quite frankly, profoundly endless. Like Spica has been the Alpha and the Omega underpinning all of living existence and natural magic this entire time but I am just now finding out(?), and how on Earth am I supposed to do that justice?

I am exhausted from editing / airing our first Hypnotic Healing Attunements, finally making manifest L’etoile, and the next thing last thing I have to do did immediately before Spica (— can you tell it took forever to write this?—) is as dauntingly significant and high-stakes as the task writing this write-up and putting her Talismans + Materia into the world feels like (or worse).

And yet: Spica has the answer.

She always does, apparently!

Chop wood; carry water.

Or more within our the realm of our devotional arcana…

Till soil; plant seed.

And let Nature take her course.

Let Powers beyond us take the wheel from there.

Only ever so often does human intervention behoove a natural process — which all magic is. Which all growth is. Which all creation is.

And yet: there is tons and tons of heavy lifting the humans must do.

Literally and metaphorically.

Which is why Ptolemy states Spica is primarily of the nature of Venus, and to a lesser extent, Mars (Tetrabiblos book 1). Though more commonly in most sources, Venus with Mercury, and sometimes, Venus and Jupiter. 

What can we say… our girl is multi-faceted! Though we are getting ahead of ourselves!

Maybe you’ve never even heard of Spica before; in which case, it is the honor of my incarnation to introduce you.

Maybe you’ve heard just enough to know you probably want Spica in your Sphere because she’s famous for being ONE of the most Beneficent stars, if not THEE MOST Benefic the palette of our night sky has to offer.

That was essentially as informed as I had been, before this. Before now.

I knew of Spica as the Virgin’s Spike in the constellation of Virgo — which delighted me to no end given the anatomical inference and dissidence with the whole concept of virginity as-relates to dicks.

But such is a nod to absolute feminine potency.

To parthenogenesis — which stems from the Greek words for “virgin” and “creation”, known more colloquially throughout cultural Christendom as immaculate conception. Practiced by snakes; creatures who lay eggs.

There is no keeping this write-up streamlined. It is TOO magical!

Spica is not actually one star, but two. Like Algol (the most malefic star) and Antares (the most Martial star), it is a binary set that revolves around one another which registers to us on Earth as a single, brilliant point.

The brightest in Virgo, and 16th brightest overall — 1900 times that of our Sun visually speaking — but due to especially high levels of ultraviolet radiation, emits much more invisible light than can even be perceived.

The two hot blue luminaries can be differentiated only by their “spectra” (which we’ll come back to later), and are egg shaped because of their pull on one another. Eggs of course having to do with the feminine mysteries, the womb itself, creation, incubation, fecundity, and the growing season, as well as birth.

And birds — a primary key to the Spican arcana — who supply the eggs many people eat for breakfast the world over (Spica gifts foodstuffs; wheat for the toast and corn for the masa), and are born from them. Who make feathers, which were one of the original writing implements.

To find Spica, it is said (from the Big Dipper) to “arc to Arcturus,” double that distance, then “spike (or speed straight) to Spica.”

Our Shimmering Patroness is the lowermost anchor of several important “asterisms” — a term which means collections of stars which form figure-like patterns. These are distinct from “constellations”, which are 88 defined, NationState-like star groupings (map second image below). The Big Dipper, for instance, is an asterism within the constellation of Ursa Major (The Great Bear).

Tracing from Spica to Regulus maps closely along the path of the Sun; also called the Ecliptic. These are two of the brightest, closest stars to that line (Regulus being the closest of any).

Including Arcturus creates a closed pattern known as the Large Spring Triangle, which, if one substitutes Denebola (another star in Leo) for Regulus, forms the Small Spring Triangle.

This perfect pyramid is also the lower half of the Great Diamond or The Virgin’s Diamond when extended upward to include Cor Caroli.

The Bowl of Virgo becomes what I have called The Virgin’s Chalice when elongated to include Spica, and if you go from there straight up to ζ (Zeta) Virginis, that line is regarded as The Horn of the Azure Dragon in the Chinese system.

The Ecliptic — the Sun’s path — is an important thing in astrology because it’s where we get the signs which comprise our Zodiac from, out of those 88 constellations which have been mapped overall; and it’s especially important in this write-up because of Spica’s unique relationship to both the Ecliptic and the Sidereal Zodiac.

SIDE NOTE: You can see above why Ophiuchus “the 13th sign” gets play every once in a while as the only constellation the Ecliptic includes which isn’t part of our named Zodiac; and you can also observe physically where some of Scorpio’s lore around being subterranean and hidden comes from. I find it fascinating that the Serpent Bearer (aka Asclepius), and its brightest star, Ras Alhague, shows up so prominently in relationship to the world, and indeed, magical texts and practice, just not in the way modern materialists who write “gotcha” articles about astrology say so.

Back to our regularly scheduled Spica broadcast, sort of — Spica is responsible for the “discovery” of the phenomenon known as Precession, when in 127 BC Hipparchus observed that the star had moved 2° compared to previous data on its location. Let this serve as confirmation of the star’s relationship to science, mathematics, record-keeping (writing, printing), and innovation.

Precession, like the Ecliptic, also relates to misunderstandings about the Zodiac in terms of comparing the Western to the Vedic — and which of the two is “correct.”

In actuality, they are simply different things used for different types of astrology.

Truth is primarily a matter of intricacy x perspective; and what matters above all is sheer utility.
That one chooses the Right Tool for the Right Job (and has mastered using it!)

The difference is that the Tropical Zodiac is based on the Sun’s movement starting with the Vernal (March) Equinox marking 0° Aries, and is therefore seasonal and geo-centric; determined entirely by the Sun-Earth relationship.

This initiates the Spring planting season in one Earthly hemisphere and the Autumnal harvest in our other.

Whereas the Sidereal Zodiac is often referred to as Stellar, defined in the standard-default Lahiri Ayanamsha by the position of (drumroll…) Spica — which the Vedic’s call Chitra — marking 0° Libra (which is then projected opposite to locate the start of Aries!).

Note that not all Sidereal Zodiacs do it this way. There are many types! The Lahiri is just the most common. And the Lahiri is not the only Chitra Ayanamsha, either! 

Our own Sun is just as much a Star as Spica, so it’s not quite fair to say that the Sidereal Zodiac is “Stellar” and “ours” isn’t. It’s just a question of which Star gets priority — which layer or plane of the firmament one is exploring.

The interior of our own Solar system, or what lies beyond it.

In one sense the theoretical opposition between the Sun as Ruler of Aries and the Tropical Zodiac, vs. Spica as a signifier of Libra (/Virgo) and the Sidereal, mirrors what each one specializes in. And even what the two cultures who primarily utilize them value.

One is more agentic, self-centered and willful — preferring to see astrology as a tool to be used for the Individuals’ self-exploration (if at all!), juxtaposed by a greater exterior force which reigns supreme and relates to Karmic causation; something to be delicately, meticulously, and often purposefully adjusted via spiritual and worldly action. Astrology being more of a given in the Vedic worldview, while commonly looked down upon by the Western Elites and mainstream.

The Self vs. the Scales. Or crudely, Fate vs. Free Will. 

Chitra refers to both the Star Spica and that of the 14th Nakshatra which contains it, and partially because it is responsible for starting the default Sidereal Zodiac (and partly because of Indra’s Net — more soon!), “It is held that the entire Zodiac is made from Chitra,” in the words of Mr. Cole.

The Vedic lore on Chitra is so rich and instructive.

And the Picatrix — the Bible of Astrological Magic — tells its readers to look to the Indians for many of their Spiritual technologies, because they are innately so much better at it than everyone else (see Chapter 5!). It is astro-magical cannon to seek the Vedic take on such matters. And it is why Austin (and many others) have become bi-Zodiacal in the first place.

Always I DIGRESS…

While the star is located at 24° Tropical Libra (due to Precession), it resides in the middle of its Nakshatra meaning Sidereally it straddles half of practical, analytic Virgo and artistic, diplomatic Libra.

As such, it represents the marriage of beauty with craftsmanship; form with function, and what is Lindy with technological progress; regarded as a bright gem or pearl, who is called “the shining one,” “precious,” “bejeweled,” and “decorated.”

It has to do with raising and sourcing materials, and exalting them through artful effort. A diamond mined raw from the Earth does not shine and shimmer in the same way it will after being cut, faceted, and polished to perfection by a trained hand and eye.

After being competently crafted into a composition that catches and refracts the light just so.

Are diamonds inherently valuable; especially in the rough? Some more than others for their ultimate potential — their clarity, color, and size, but Spica has to do with value added via innovation, craft, and artistry; the perfection of form. In this sense, it relates to the creation of things which are not only pretty, but useful. And finished.

Grade-A raw materials are better things to begin with than any subpar or conventional one, but Value-Added Tax (VAT) is a concept for a reason. And a Spican one, at that!

No chef ever on a cooking show waxes poetic about “loving to work with old, bug-eaten ingredients past their prime!” like they do “freshly picked, organic, heirloom produce!” But a bad cook (or a bad diamond cutter!) can take the finest natural ingredient the world has ever seen, and still ruin it.

To make something better because you touched it is a rare and valuable skillset indeed.

It is much easier — and more common — to simply make things worse.

Diamonds have many scientific, industrial, and commercial applications beyond being the subject of one of the greatest marketing “advancements” of the 20th century (— though being Venus’ jewel does incline them to marital relations!); including in speakers, supercomputing, etching / writing any less-hard surface (almost all of them!), and beautification via diamond-tipped dermabrasion.

It’s also fascinating how lab-grown diamonds are getting lots of attention for impacting the diamond market. The ability to grow diamonds in labs is, in and of itself, a Spican innovation because all technology is inherently Chitran; affirming the Star’s Mercurial effects. And illusion is another core theme of Chitra’s lore.

Which makes it interesting that jewels can be man-made relatively cost effectively — since they are common composites formed by special conditions re-creatable in labs, whereas metals are more difficult to simulate, as rare base elements themselves. Worthy of mention since gems and metals are the primary material foundation of the Talismanic Astrological tradition, and channel energies quite effectively, as the skeletal and organ systems that transmit astral energies into our planet.

Synthetic man-made simulations, however, are not Spiritually alive or energetically efficacious in the same way something formed in the belly of the Earth over the course of thousands or millions of years is; like the difference between the doing of actual Magic and the performance of stage magic — which is why lab-made stones are never used for Remedial applications. 

…A reckoning headed like a comet for those seeking spiritual benefits from the perfume industry, which has become dominated by Rahu-ruled, petroleum-based synthetics almost exclusively (— for more on this, see the “Natural Fragrance” and “Spiritual Considerations” tabs here.)

One of the things Chitra teaches — in addition to Magic Itself — a thing almost every great scientific thinker in history also studied; is that appearances are not always as they seem. Something must look right, smell right, AND act right, or it ain’t the real thing.

Though let it be known that diamonds specifically are not even the primary gem associated with Spica; they are just Queen of the radiant, light-reflecting gems in general and governed by Venus, co-ruler of the star’s nature. The two go-to stones in Vedic are principally Mercury-ruled emerald and pearl (— why consecrated Remedial-grade emerald + pearl feature throughout this series!).

Pearls are interesting because — as detailed in Jupiter in Cancer’s write-up — they begin as a tiny speck of abundant, cheap raw material (a grain of sand) irritating the oyster, which gets built into this luminous precious thing born from the sheer practicality of attempting to quarantine it.

Probably discovered because someone engaged in the infinitely utilitarian act of eating one one day — oysters being the metaphorical egg of the pearl; and pearls being the gems of the sea — and then thought, ooh pretty! What if I made adornments out of it? 

The process of creating pearls mirrors the artistic process, which is the result of the seed of a thing or idea being discovered, meditated upon (planted), built upon, and honed all the way into Being. They are also symbols of Divine Truth and Knowledge, in addition to the preciousness of life and prosperity nature provides.

Chitra the Nakshatra is ruled primarily by two Hindu deities that are somewhat synchronized as earlier and later versions of the same Power, but with differing lore depending on when they’re being talked about. The similarities are obvious:

The earliest is Tvasta; a primordial CraftsGod given credit for the creation of all living beings and also, specifically wombs. He is regarded as an Ancestor to Humans and is the guardian of the Soma — the Immortal Elixir, upon which all other Gods (even Indra — King of the Deva’s and Tvasta’s father or brother, depending on who you ask!) rely.

Tvasta also crafted Indra’s perfect form (the whole of his body) and imbued it with “manly courage”, in addition to outfitting him with his thousand edged thunderbolt — Indra’s Vajra, which earned him renown and supremacy.

This according to The Divine Forces of the Lunar Naksatras as Portrayed in the Vedas, which goes on to share stories the boil down to: Tvasta and Indra fought a number of times (despite how indebted and reliant Indra was toward his creator…), but Indra always won, and Indra ended up having to slay a bunch of demons who tried to build a stairway to actual heaven within Chitra. Since Indra foiled them, he too is associated with the Nakshatra’s beneficence.

The other more modern ruler (Tvasta’s natural evolutionary extension) is Vishwakarma (who Austin quickly explained as “a more pivotal, elegant Hephaestus”); the Divine Architect, Carpenter, Mechanic and Fabricator who produced all created things, but notably the dwellings, weapons, and chariots of the Devas, including Shiva’s Trident, (again) Indra’s Vajra and wooden Soma bowl, and perhaps most significantly in regards to Spica: Indra’s bejeweled Net (which we’ll STILL come back to!).

Doing internet research brought me to one of the most fruitful, detailed, and humble of Spican resources, this random Facebook post with 1 like from 2017, which states:

…He is said to be an adept in Maya, the illusory force which keeps alive the drama of life. Vishwakarma uses his knowledge of Maya to create, mutate and fashion new forms out of the pre-existing ones, an act which seems like magic to others.

… Chitra is the architect of the Universe and thus relates closely to Brahma, the creator among the holy trinity. In fact Vishwakarma… is one of Brahma’s direct mind-born sons. Chitra conceals within itself the laws and arrangement of the Universe on all planes of existence.

Two of the eight Taoist Immortals gracing the Emerald Parlor: Ts’ao Kuo-chiu who wore “court robes” before adorning “wild plants” while studying “the way,” located in both the sky and his heart; and Ho Hsien-ku who subsisted on a diet of “moonbeams and pearl powder”, who was “saved by a magic wand,” ate an immortal peach and grew wings.

—

Freedom Cole in Science of Light I says of Vishwakarma and Chitra (bold emphasis + emerald inline = mine):

… His name literally means the all (viśva) worker (karmin), so he relates to work and production, which he has tremendous energy to accomplish. He is an Āditya who has the power to bring resources into our lives. He is sometimes considered an incarnation of Brahmā, as the manifest form of the world creator who makes all things (— this, we’ll explore in depth on May 20th!).

These natives are known to be honorable (māni), especially when they use their energy for community service or to perform karma yoga. In this way, these natives can become great karma yogis. Propitiation of Viśvakarma gives the blessings of children, similar to Brahma (Aldebaran) and the Pitrs (Regulus).

Chitra means ‘to be painted’ and represents the ornamentation the native either wears or creates. It may also indicate that visual mediums and imagery play an important role in their lives. Natives of this star are known to wear nice clothing and jewelry, either made by themselves, or with an eye paid to the detail in the craftmanship of the item (— this launch had me eyeing jewelry of a new style; something my fallen Venus-Ketu doesn’t typically enjoy wearing!).

Chitra also refers to the future projections we make for our life, and is linked to the dhyana yoga aspect of meditation (— did develop a practice this cycle of nightly meditations to the point of visionary experiences via binaural beats, and produced / launched the Hypnotic Attunements intended to guide others through meaningful meditations using the same!).

Viśvakarma is all about planning, figuring out what and how to build. The entire zodiac is actually built from Chitra, and this is why the ayanamśa comes from this star.

When the Sun was too bright for his wife, Viśvakarma trimmed (— honing and pruning are Spica things… to achieve perfection, one must typically “trim the fat” or “sort the wheat from the chaff”) one-eighth of his rays. From this he made the discus of Visnu, the trident of Siva, the spear of Karttikeya and all the weapons of the other gods.

These natives can be skilled artisans working with metals and stones, marble, gems and jewelry. They find success in careers related to this type of work or weaving, sewing, fashion design, interior decoration, architecture, engineering, mathematics, machines, creating new things, or making old things better.

The body of these natives is generally well formed with good features as they have received the blessing of the divine architect himself. They can also be very secretive as the craftsman keeps his private life separate from his work. Natives of this star enjoy learning to constantly expand themselves.

Let it be known that one does not need to be a native to partake of the benefits of Chitra Nakshatra. They can use high-quality Spican Talismans and Materia such as these to tap Her thick, pulsating veins of pure, golden world-building potential.

Though it feels appropriate to disclose that I myself am a Chitra Sun, with Spica heliacally rising. Just as we offered up the Mr. as our living, breathing example of Jupiter in Cancer, in this case (unfortunately for my “secretive nature…”), we have moi. But it’s honestly a pretty good example!

My ~design imprint~ for years before ~waves hands~ ALL THIS was called FORM & FUNCTION [ web production], and Sphere + Sundry is nothing if not a buffet of visual and technical spectacle, making the old new again via innovation for the times, precision, efficacy, being of genuine service, and natural, actual Magic.

And… I created and conducted the Thema Mundi operation… and we craft goods from plant-matter and naturally derived fragrance… and convert gems and metals into utilitarian, magically-operant jewelry…

It almost doesn’t get more classically Chitran!

Exploring some Western lore, Spica is commonly seen as the sheaf of wheat or ear of corn in the Virgin Maiden’s left hand. The constellation itself — that of Virgo — is always regarded as a supremely important Goddess, known by different names in different times by different people:

Isis to the Egyptians (where Spica can signify a lute); Shala to the Sumerians; Vesta to the Romans; and to the Greeks: Hestia, Dike (called “Justice” when sired by Zeus and Themis; one of the three Horae and sister of Eirene), and Astraea (the “Starry One”, when brought forth by Astraeus and Eos).

Gratitude to Spican native Ariana Felix for connecting Spica’s significations to the Goddess Oshun in the Ifa / Yoruban traditions, who similarly aligns with wealth, world-building and creativity!

From Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 25 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.)  via theoi.com on Astraea:

“[Constellation] Virgo. Hesiod calls her the daughter of Jove [Zeus] and Themis. Aratus says that she is thought to be daughter of Astraeus and Aurora [Eos], who lived at the time of the Golden Age of men and was their leader. On account of her carefulness and fairness she was called Justice [Dike], and at that time no foreign nations were attacked in war, nor did anyone sail over the seas, but they were wont to live their lives caring for their fields. But those born after their death began to be less observant of duty and more greedy, so that Justitia (Justice) [Dike] associated more rarely with men. Finally the disease became so extreme that it was said the Brazen Race was born; then she could not endure more, and flew away to the stars.”

The “Golden Age” is considered to be around 10,000-12,000 years ago during the dawn of agriculture, when Humanity began cultivating crops like wheat and barley, which allowed for population booms and the rise of civilization. It was a more peaceful time, socially-speaking, before enough wealth had been amassed in localized areas to begin fighting over, and settlements worth conquering were established.

Note that while Spica is associated with all of the colors and the rainbow’s full spectrum — an optical cone-shaped consequence of light refraction, often through reflective surfaces such as gems, glass, or water — She is especially allied to the bright green of new-growth and the gold of harvest.

Wheat begins as bright, verdant shoots and aureates to indicate harvest-time, which is a very literal manifestation. But it also refers to the metaphorical evolution of cultivating desirability and value, which can then be converted into currency, whether “green” (cash!) or coin (gold!).

Cut wheat stalks are not food like a diamond in the rough is not yet a ring. Both require laborious processing, which increases their worth, usefulness, and potentially, aesthetic appeal.

Note also that “green” is a term meaning “inexperienced,” especially in a new trade or craft. Which also denotes some degree of purity and even virginity, freshness and naiveté — key concepts of Virgo. In contrast to a well-seasoned operator creating the “gold standard” in a certain “field” (— where the crops of commerce and research are planted!), or being “worth their weight in gold,” which essentially means:

Valuable beyond measure — typically for their utility!
Such a person may also be called a Golden Goose (Lucian voice: bird!).

Spica’s association with color is likely one of 10,000 reasons why birds are transmitters of Spica’s blessings.

Peacocks (whose feathers can act as lasers!), parrots, and many other bird species are some of the most multi-colored living creatures people commonly come across outside swimming coral reefs. 

Hawks, crows, and birds in general have been haunting me this never-ending launch cycle, with an incredibly notable experience documented once and twice two-hours later on Instagram, due to… spectral… developments. This hawk been seen in the same place numerous times since (but never before!), and hawks have been flying directly in front of my car’s path over and over again.

Another time, Austin and I were walking outside with Lucian and a huge bird flew just feet overhead, so close that we ~HEARD THE AIR~ from the power of each giant wing flap; a phenomena the likes of which neither of us had ever experienced!

And then walked toward an open air garage which triggered a bird trying to escape through a closed window (interpreted as one of many Spica desperately wanted to fly free!).

And THEN these Illennium: Odyssey syncs at Sphere (itself a huge Thema Mundi manifestation! Also, at the time of Spica’s launch “The Eagles” are in-residency!), which feature a phoenix followed by winged maiden motif. You get a multi-colored cosmic egg cracking open and the bird being born just past 2-minutes directly below, with super resonant lyrics and visuals all-round.

And, they created a real glowing 3D phoenix to fly around the stadium! (seriously, click that!) Not just a thing on a screen; something ~real~ and the actual 3D world.

The above graciously brought to my attention by another eagle-eyed Spica native, Adam Newton.

Images of birds are used to impress Spica’s powers in gems and metals (among other ymages), which magically grant the following —

Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Book II:

“Conferreth riches, and maketh one overcome contentions, it taketh away scarcity and mischief…”

Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars, parts I-III (The Quadripertitus):

“(Spica) Signifieth those thing about which men laugh, jest and are gladdened …maketh one wholly to conquer in causes and it delivereth a man from difficulty and distress …causeth the bearer to accumulate much wealth.”

Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars (Liber Enoch):

“Its virtue is to increase the wealth of him that beareth it worthily… It conquereth causes in the court of law and extricateth a man from distress and difficulties…it will make him that beareth it very rich.”

Crows can be especially relevant here because the Corvus constellation is a near neighbor eyeing Spica’s glittering bounty, and there was an incredible crow manifestation (which links to Buddy!) the day of the operation. Which I’ll come back and expound upon in further detail when there’s time.

Rainbows and spectral beams are another really important key here. They show up around Spica energies all the time, and connect back to pearls, and a sundry other related arcana.

First thing to know, is that when you mix all colors of LIGHT with one another, you get WHITE LIGHT.

The ~archetypal~ natural pearl symbolizing spiritual purity and creative bounty — one of the key•stones of Chitra — typically looks white with a soft glow to the naked eye, but reveal themselves to be comprised of manifold colors under a microscope. (And of course, they also just come in a wide variety of natural colors, and relate to foodstuffs more than any other gem.)

If you watch this video, the only natural pearl is shown quickly at the very beginning (might have to rewind or you’ll miss it).

Then dyed and plastic (like petro-chemical derived synthetics used in you know what!) are shown, which illustrate the same qualities from which spiritual properties and significance are derived are either no longer (or were never) present. Which is also why Remedial-grade stones in the Vedic tradition are never dyed.

Raw honey under a microscope is also spectral (see the Ritual Honey listing), and it has been scientifically documented that the moment sperm meets the egg — when the opportunity for new life is created — a spark of very real light is instantly emitted.

Indra’s Net (third mention’s the charm!) is not only a mythological item of tremendous import, it’s a scientifically and spiritually resonant philosophy, vital to the Buddhist and Hindu worldview. And it’s made of either lustrous gems, (such as diamonds), pearls, or drops of water (which serve as prisms to separate light into individual colors / rainbows).

These are at every intersection of an infinite spider-like web, which reflects all of creation. Each gem / pearl / drop is a node of consciousness — you or I, for instance; a tree or a bird — which reflects against all of the other nodes, generating change that impacts the whole.

This is a clear allegory for how all living beings are inter-connected and co-reliant, but more subtly, how the entirety of the created Universe is reflected in each and every individual at all times, relating to the Holographic Universe Theory… which relate to lasers, which are used to make holograms… and the intense, unified sources of light lasers are composed of. Which are created most usually from crystals, water, and mirrors, or again, potentially — peacock feathers.

Which is the umpteenth way “all (in creation; in the Zodiac) is made of Chitra“.

ANYWAY. See how easy it is to get lost in these woods?

We’ll explore all that in-depth in our upcoming May release.

You know what else lasers are like?

Spikes of light.

Spikes as in Spica.

I had a meditation-induced vision this launch cycle of embodying a big beefy unicorn with a glorious mane; the focus going from the strength and beauty of its snow-white form to the thick girth at the base of the horn, tracing all the way up to the very tip.

There was this sense of getting to be this pure, noble creature because I had all of the defense and “weaponry” I needed in that tiny little point. At the end of the spike.

That only that much of me needed to be capable of “violence”, because it was so sharp and so effective. That its precision and specificity was capable of overcoming all obstacles.

I told Austin next I saw him, and he said some things that led to wonderful insights:

How unicorns in legend can only be captured or ridden by virgin maidens who are pure of heart. How alicorns (name for the unicorn’s horn; also the term for unicorns with wings) are the opposite of prisms (which break light into rainbows) by spiraling energy toward a specific unified point.

How unicorns are white — just as light is before it gets differentiated into the visible color spectrum showcased by rainbows. How rainbows and unicorns often appear together in motifs (even in living memory, as with My Little Pony and Lisa Frank).

Another sync: Robert showing us Death of a Unicorn (after the beefy unicorn vision)! Highly recommend.

—

That spikes and alicorns are essentially magic wands for directing energy.

That fine-tipped points serve to etch magic into gem and metal, and holy letters into papyrus and now paper, and thusly, impress their marks most readily upon creation.

Regarding the nature of the Talismans + Materia on offer, Spica’s Electional Architect Austin Coppock shares —

The waxing Moon and great star Spica rise together in the East. The Moon, that consummate transmitter of starlight, carries Spica’s piercing light across the plane of the Earth.

The Moon is not alone in this task, though. Exalted Jupiter looks down from the sky’s zenith to bless this work with power and clarity. The Moon and Jupiter are not only in perfect aspect, but also receive one another, Jupiter in the Moon’s sign, and the Moon in Jupiter’s triplicity and face. This grants Luna the power to raise the incubated starlight to commanding empyreal heights.

Offering further assistance to the operation is clever Mercury, already risen in the first house of the figure. Mercury, strong in both its triplicity and bound, is deeply entwined with Venus.  The two are in mutual reception, spiraling together the technical and aesthetic, form and function, into a double helix of divine engineering.  It is these very strands which Spica always seeks to weave together into excellence-in-creation, and thus the energy of Mercury and Venus’ mutual reception is happily directed by the precise star.

Carried by the Moon, blessed by Jupiter, and with the powers of Mercury and Venus at its disposal, bright Chitra is here positioned to penetrate our sub-lunary realm with focused brilliance.  A rainbow spiraled into a single, radiant point. A many-hued blowtorch of smokeless star-fire, held firm in the deft hand of the divine artist.

 

—

Believe it or not, there is still more.
But I must begin laying out pictures for the public launch before returning,
and am pretty tuckered from getting it this far.
There is more than enough for now!

This song presented itself as this series’ sync-anthem!

“I’m falling like a feather, soft and light… with Eternal Love, Stars Above… all there is and ever was… I want it all… I want it all… a blade of grass, a grain of sand, the moonlit sea to hold your hand…”

—

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 41. 212 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :

“Virgin Astraia (Astraea), nurse of the whole universe, cherisher of the Golden Age, received Beroe [i.e. the goddess of the city of Beruit, which was famous for its law-courts] from her mother [Aphrodite] into the embrace of her arms, laughing, still a babe, and fed her with wise breast as she babbled words of law. With her virgin milk, she let streams of statutes gush into the baby’s lips, and dropt into the girl’s mouth the sweet produce of the Attic bee; she pressed the bee’s riddled travail of many cells, and mixed the voiceful comb in a sapient cup. If the girl thirsting asked for a drink, she gave the speaking Pythian water kept for Apollon, or the stream of Ilissos, which is inspired by the Attic Mousa (Muse) when the Pierian breezes of Phoibos (Phoebus) beat on the bank. She took the golden Cornstalk [i.e. the star Spica which Virgo holds in her hand] from the stars, and entwined it in a cluster to put round the girl’s neck like a necklace.“

From Hestia’s Muse:

Mythology tells that she loved mankind deeply and wanted to stay as long as possible, but could not stay and also maintain her purity. Finally during the Iron Age it was said she ascended to Olympus, fleeing the growing wickedness of Humanity and became the constellation Virgo – to shine her light of purity on us from a distance.  Legend also holds that one day Astraea will return, ushering in a new Utopian Golden Age.

The Creation of Birds by Remedios Varo, created circa 1957.
Excerpt from website linked in title below (emphasis mine):

“The artwork presents a scene that is rich in allegory and mystical elements, characteristic of Varo’s oeuvre. At the center, an owl-like figure cloaked in a feathery raiment sits at a wooden desk, participating in the ethereal act of creating birds. The figure holds a piece of equipment resembling a violin bow and uses it to paint or perhaps animate the birds onto a clear pane, which allows the creatures to take flight into their existence. The presence of a palette and the engagement in a careful, deliberate creation process suggests a metaphor for artistic creation itself, with the figure acting as an intermediary between the imagination and reality.

Around this central act, various objects and forms contribute to the dreamlike atmosphere: a strange lamp-like structure that appears to be balancing celestial bodies, a bird observing from the floor, and additional avians taking flight through arched windows that bathe the scene in a soft, enigmatic light. The precise rendering of each element within the geometric space further emphasizes the thoughtful, almost scientific approach to what seems to be an otherworldly moment of genesis.”