Andrew

Magic: Hymn to Procyon

Image for Procyon
the image and text I wrote during the transit..

Tomorrow, 18 September at 8:41am (at least by me in central Connecticut), the fixed star Procyon is crossing the mid-heaven line in an applying conjunction with the Moon.  As I’ve been working on developing a series of poems around the fixed stars like Cetus and like Spica and the Pleiades and Alcyone, it appears to be time for another such poem, for those who intend to work with this particular star.

The nature of the star is a little unclear from the literature I’ve consulted. Some seem to think of it as an unlucky star that brings initial success followed by disaster; others appear to be of the opinion that it is a giver of health, and of favor from gods, spirits, and mortals.  Also, some say that it brings loyalty and greater connection to friends and family. Several sources suggest that it is a breaker of enchantments and witchcrafts. I could do without the sudden disaster, myself, but the rest of that sounds pretty good.

Little Dog-star with your wiggling tail,
Procyon, preserver of worldly health,
confer upon me favor without fail —
and guard me from witchcraft and acts of stealth
which seek to claim power over my heart.
For you are like Mercury and Mars,
a clever herald and yet set apart
by marigold and agate in the stars
as bearing a warrior’s countenance.
Pennyroyal and buttercup both gleam
as great gifts of your spirit’s sustenance,
reflecting love of your life-giving stream.
Procyon, by your rooster and three maids,
accept our praise; dispense your bount’ous aids.
If this winds up being part of your practice tomorrow, I’d love to know. In the meantime, the poem serves as an additional marker of the sky for me.  I’m looking forward to being able to pick out Procyon in the winter sky when it’s no longer crossing the midheaven in the early morning.
One of the things that I’ve really been enjoying about writing these poems, though, is the way in which it makes me feel like I’m a part of the universe. The poem is a link, however tenuous, between me and a distant star. The mysterious plant and mineral relationships, between agate and pennyroyal and marigold and rooster and three maids help me feel that I’m connected to my ancestors and to ancient history in a more visceral way.  It feels good to be so joined and linked up with powers and processes that extend beyond my own relatively limited viewpoint.
As is frequently the case, I’m indebted to Mr. Christopher Warnock, esq, for his work in astrology; and to the members of the Spiritus Mundi   list on Yahoo, which looks at problems and questions in traditional astrology. Without their knowledge and assistance and community, I would never know about these times of transit and movement.
Liked it? Take a second to support Andrew on Patreon!

One comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.