“Those who really desire to understand, who are looking to find that which is eternal, without beginning and without an end, will walk together with a great intensity, will be a danger to everything that is unessential, to unrealities, to shadows. And they will concentrate, they will become the flame, because they understand. Such a body we must create, and that is my purpose.” ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti
On the day we are born, we are gifted wisdom, myth and magic through the meanings of the stars that touch our planets through what is known as parans. Within us live constellations within constellations, layers upon layers of spiritual depth and wisdom, and while we hold it all, we all have our own unique paths in this life, along which we will shape and embody love and purpose.
In star based astrology, one of the first things we may begin with are our natal heliacal rising and setting stars. This can be interpreted as a path to destiny; a unique rhythm within which we are born and may follow with and of their light.
Your natal heliacal rising star is the star that was first visible in the eastern dawn sky on the day you were born, after a period of being invisible in the sky. In other words, this star rises, so it shows what rises from within you. So it is considered a significant astrological marker that links to your soul’s journey, inherent gifts, and ancestral ties.
Essentially, your natal heliacal rising star is the star that defines or shows the soil of which you are “born” – your past, gifts and talents and ancestral imprints. It can often be interpreted to define your life purpose, core drive, and a kind of story you will live out or start from. Your heliacal rising star is a foundational part of your story, and a spiritual path you begin with, carrying within itself ancestral gifts and your own natural gifts and talents also.
A natal heliacal setting star is the star that was setting in the west just before sunrise on the day of your birth. Symbolically, it is a star that returns to the immortal realms or heaven realms, so in a natal chart spiritually this represents the purpose the immortals or demigods gifted to your soul for you to lead a fulfilled life.
Your heliacal setting star shows what you are meant to bring into completion and perhaps even as legacy in this life, especially as you mature later on life. It may often be interpreted as a gift from the spiritual realm for you to achieve in life. In other words, your heliacal setting star is like gifts from the “immortal” realms that you’ve been given, or a sense of mission or higher purpose, that will call you to express. It’s seen as a spiritual path and higher goals you seek; a mission you are meant to achieve.
Let me guide you through an example, and suppose you have fixed star Ankaa from the celestial Phoenix constellation as your rising, and Arcturus from the Bootes constellation as your natal heliacal setting.
Having an Ankaa rising shows you have an ability to rise things, rise consciousness, elevate things into something more purposeful, and essentially, you support life. With Arcturus setting, you bring these spiritual abilities and emotional transformations into guiding people towards their own rising in life; so most likely, you will step into a role of a guide later in your life. Edgar Cayce called Arcturus the “highest civilization in our galaxy”, so this rising and setting axis usually show spiritually evolved natives, who become advocate for humanity in some shape or form.
Fixed star Ankaa is found at the crown of the celestial phoenix in the southern Phoenix constellation. This constellation is one of the twelve southern constellations introduced in the late 16th century by the Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman.
On their voyages to the East Indies, mapping out the southern hemisphere skies, and inspired by the elegant, beautiful, exotic and rare East Asian birds that had began to enter the European markets, they named quite a few of the constellations after the birds, such as Grus named after the crane, Tucana named after the toucan, Pavo named after the peacock, and the Phoenix constellation named after the mythological phoenix.
Something I often see with natives who have stars from these constellations touching their planets by prominent parans is that they often have some rare gifts to offer others – which is kind of like that consciousness imprinted here through the stories and voyages of the names. The purpose of these names also at the time was to foster some unity or connection between different cultures, and Ankaa natives especially often have something quite unique, or love antique shops, vintage stores, distant travel and just bringing in or offering a different view or style or taste.
They can have a love for colours, and as children be drawn to many colours, or as teenagers experiment with colourful makeup, nail colours, fashion, etc. While it may seem as an ordinary thing, what’s actually moving as energy all along is that they inspire within others also to bridge differences, experiment, explore different cultures and tastes, and essentially, foster a sense of unity.
The southern constellations showing from left to right the celestial Phoenix constellation with its brightest star, fixed star Ankaa of its crown or head; then followed to the east by the Grus constellation, the crane; Tucana constellation, the toucan; and Pavo constellation, the peacock.
Ankaa is the brightest star in the celestial Phoenix constellation, found at the crown of the phoenix, or some people would say as its neck; to me I’ve always seen it as its neck. There isn’t much research about Phoenix and Ankaa, but through my decade long professional spiritual astrology work with clients, as well as my own mystic’s path and intuitive insights, this part of the sky has always felt like the grace of the Chinese phoenix fenghuang, but I do also feel its Greek and Egyptian phoenix rising from the sacred inner fire temples; an inspired movement towards infusing light and moving others too towards a higher way of being, some elevation or expansion of consciousness. There’s always a gentleness and deep spiritual strength that I feel and see in the lives of Ankaa rising natives. The union of deep water and sun fire resides here in this constellation.
The Chinese phoenix, or fenghuang (凤凰), is a mythical bird symbolizing harmony, unity, virtue, prosperity, and peace, appearing only in good times and representing the Empress when paired with the Dragon, the Emperor. It embodies the cosmic balance yin-yang, which aligns with the water and fire marriage in this part of the sky with Tropical Pisces and Phoenix Sun, blending it into one body. And it’s a body of artistry and elegance, as the fenghuang is too, blending in its outer appearance features of various birds such as the crane and peacock.
Especially with Ankaa at its crown, to me it’s always felt like the grace and flawless movement of the crane and I also see peacock feathers like eyes of the spiritual wisdom they’ve gained, and graceful strength to move through various emotional depths and changes. Flexibility as water, and fire as powerful will forward. In Chinese culture, fenghuang would adorn imperial crowns and be seen as wedding symbols. There’s grace with Ankaa rising natives, and lasting fame and recognition.
What I find with Ankaa is its ability to nourish and support life into its being through all of its phases and waves – and this is seen through its mythology as the phoenix rising in both Egyptian and Greek mythology. There are various versions of course, but in general, every 500 years the phoenix will build a nest of incense, spices and cinnamon bark, and burn itself under the rays of the sun in order to be reborn as new, rising itself again.
The phoenix is the sacred bird of Apollo, god of sun, light, wisdom, prophecy and music, and as such, Ankaa is seen as being of the sun and sun’s characteristics: as life and light giver. Natives with Ankaa rising have an ability to communicate the idea of life and light; they have an ability to infuse the wisdom or light within situations. They are a supporter of life itself, and often have success and lasting fame.
With their nest they build – it’s kind of like a sacred temple, and within it they allow themselves the wisdom of time to transform them and rise them, to also root them in their spiritual core, and of this, they are able to then rise others. They can be quite spiritual and religious also, not in a dogmatic way, but in a deep trust and sacred surrender way; having deep trust in life itself, in the divine timing and order.
And with Arcturus, being the spiritual evolution itself, they end up being a guide to others, as well as keepers of wisdom and guardians of esoteric knowledge, guiding people with virtue and wisdom, and may be very pioneering in some way also, or reach high positions in society.
They may often feel like they called by others for their insight, or that people find them or seek them out during their times of change; and that’s because these natives carry the energy of catalysts – they help others shift their perspectives, dissolve their limitations, and essentially, Ankaa rising natives help others light their inner flames, light the candles and matches, helping them awaken or resurrect their own forgotten power.
Ankaa rising enters the room and light the match. They can often walk a path of truth, exposing truth, cutting through illusions, break outdated patterns, and help others rise into their authenticity. They often live with a sense that they must “become who they really are,” no matter the cost, and will be drawn towards other people who are also very unapologetically authentic and walk a path of truth regardless of the cost. Societies have rarely, if ever at all, supported authenticity, so there is a cost to being truly authentic, but Ankaa rising walk in a body of flame they’ve created themselves, which has no other way than to be true.
With Arcturus setting, the immortal gifts given are those of pure grit and strength and authenticity, so they end up usually becoming a guide or mentor in some way, stepping into their destiny of leadership. They carry deep wisdoms of rebirths and pass it forward with integrity and grace. They can be quite revolutionary and innovative also, because Arcturus is a visionary.
The Ankaa-Arcturus combination is a spiritually evolved axis, often indicating someone who goes through deeper emotional and spiritual transformation early in life, but they mature to become a guide, mentor, innovator, or protector for others, and someone who others keep seeking for wisdom and insight, especially during times of seeking to rise higher. They became the flame itself, the one who nurtured its own fires and is now able to shine with stability for others also, shining their paths forward and nurturing the inner sacred flames.
Relationship wise, this shows that there is shift from emotional intensity towards emotional stability as the native enters in their later 30s and early 40s. The Ankaa rising creates a lot of fire, passion and a sensual nature, which then alchemizes into discernment and often a completely different love evolutionary cycle.
As they move through the fire waters of the Ankaa rising, these natives mature into understanding what they no longer wish to resurrect and replay in their lives, and instead, they use their passion with discernment to choose an emotionally deep partner. The natives become more selective and raise their standards, and make choices out of authenticity, wisdom and emotional truth and emotional clarity. There isn’t much tolerance for shallowness, superficiality, inconsistency, drama, and emotional immaturity. It is usually in their later 30s and early 40s that these natives enter a beautiful love cycle where they can step into their full relational power and live the love they were always destined to have.
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Cover art is the beautiful Japanese painting Phoenix and Sun by the artist Itō Jakuchū.
