The Pillars of the Sky: The Psychological Weight of the Royal Stars
Before humanity charted the complex, rapid movements of the planets, our ancestors looked to the immovable anchors of the night sky. In ancient Persia, roughly three thousand years BCE, sky-watchers identified four exceptionally bright stars that appeared to hold the heavens in place. These were the Four Royal Stars: Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares, and Fomalhaut. Positioned at the four cardinal points, they were considered the sacred guardians of the East, North, West, and South.
In traditional astrology, a planet tightly conjunct one of these stars in a natal chart is interpreted as a marker of immense, almost fated potential for success and prominence. However, the ancients understood that such cosmic elevation never comes without a cost. Each Royal Star demands a specific, rigid behavioral condition. Fail to meet this condition, and the star promises a catastrophic, public fall from grace.
At the Wilfred Hazelwood Clinic, our lead therapist Martyn J. Shrewsbury frequently encounters the psychological resonance of these stellar myths. Drawing upon his early academic foundation in Classics and Social Anthropology from Swansea University, Martyn views these ancient celestial conditions not as literal curses, but as profound psychological warnings regarding the human Shadow.
Aldebaran and Antares: The Axis of Integrity and Obsession
The sky is divided by a powerful axis running from the constellation of Taurus to Scorpio. Here, we find two of the most formidable Royal Stars, sitting in direct opposition to one another.
Aldebaran, the fiery red eye of the Bull, is the Watcher of the East. It promises immense material success, leadership, and eloquence. Yet, the condition of Aldebaran is absolute moral integrity. If an individual compromises their ethics, cuts corners, or betrays their principles to achieve their goals, the star's energy inverts, stripping them of everything they have built. Psychologically, this mirrors the destructive cost of cognitive dissonance, where the betrayal of one's core values eventually fractures the psyche.
Directly opposite sits Antares, the Heart of the Scorpion and the Watcher of the West. Antares offers extreme intensity, strategic brilliance, and the courage to face the darkest aspects of life. Its nemesis, however, is obsession. The trap of Antares is allowing healthy drive to mutate into fanaticism, extremism, or destructive, vengeful obsession. In the consulting room, an Antares complex often presents as a brilliant client whose singular, obsessive focus on a goal or a grievance is actively destroying their emotional and physical well-being.
Regulus and Fomalhaut: Vengeance and Noble Ideals
The second axis of the Royal Stars is equally demanding, requiring individuals to temper their ego and their spiritual ambitions.
Regulus, the Heart of the Lion, is the Watcher of the North. It is perhaps the most famous of the four, associated with kingship, military honour, and sweeping charisma. In Hellenistic Astrology, a tradition Martyn studied extensively through comprehensive training at The Astrology School of Chris Brennan, Regulus elevates an individual to positions of supreme authority. The condition? The absolute avoidance of revenge. If a Regulus individual uses their power to exact petty vengeance against those who have wronged them, their empire will inevitably collapse. The psychological lesson here is the mastery of the ego; true authority requires the strength to forgive.
Finally, Fomalhaut, the Watcher of the South, rests in the constellation of Piscis Austrinus. This is a deeply mystical star, offering profound spiritual insight, artistic genius, and a charismatic, almost guru-like influence over others. Fomalhaut demands that the individual’s ideals remain pure. If they allow their spiritual gifts to be corrupted by material greed, or if they use their insight to manipulate others, the ensuing fall is swift and severe. This perfectly encapsulates the danger of "spiritual bypassing" and the narcissism that can infect those in the healing or esoteric professions.
The Royal Star as the Jungian Shadow
To modern minds, the idea of a star dictating a "fall from grace" sounds fatalistic. But through the lens of analytical psychology, this dynamic makes perfect sense. Following his Post-Graduate Diploma in Jungian Studies and clinical training with The Centre for Applied Jungian Studies, Martyn recognises the conditions of the Royal Stars as classic encounters with the Jungian Shadow.
Carl Jung posited that every extreme light casts an equally deep shadow. The more power, influence, or spiritual insight a person accumulates (the light of the Royal Star), the more intensely their unconscious, unintegrated urges (the Shadow) will fight for expression. The "nemesis" of each star, compromised integrity, obsession, revenge, and corruption, are simply the most common manifestations of an unchecked Shadow tearing down an inflated ego.
When a client presents with a natal chart heavily influenced by a Royal Star, the therapeutic goal is not to invoke fear of a pre-destined disaster. Instead, it is an invitation to do rigorous, honest shadow work. To safely hold the power of Aldebaran, one must constantly interrogate their own morals. To wield the influence of Regulus, one must actively process their anger before it calcifies into a desire for revenge.
Carrying the Weight of the Heavens
Astrology, when practised at its highest level, is a tool for radical self-accountability. This synthesis of ancient observation and modern psychological rigor forms the backbone of the work at the Wilfred Hazelwood Clinic.
Martyn brings together his foundational astrological training under Steve Judd, his deep Hellenistic and Electional knowledge, and his ongoing studies in Psychological Astrology with the Mercury School of John Green. As an IPHM-accredited holistic practitioner, he helps clients understand that having a "fortunate" birth chart is not a free pass to an easy life. Often, it is a mandate for heavier psychological lifting.
The Four Royal Stars remind us that the universe does not grant power without a corresponding demand for character. By exploring these ancient archetypes in therapy, we learn to recognize the subtle whispers of our own destructive tendencies, ensuring that as we rise, our foundations remain unshakeable.
