The Seven Sisters: A Little Starlight for the Witching Season
Some nights, the sky looks as though someone has overturned a little jar of stars.
In this photograph, a handful of silver-blue lights gathers beside the dark silhouettes of the trees. There is something wonderfully witchy about the scene: branches at the edge of sight, darkness all around, and a small gathering of stars that seems to be keeping its own counsel.
Meet the Pleiades, better known as the Seven Sisters.
The sisters behind the stars
The Pleiades are an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. Their familiar name comes from Greek mythology, where seven sisters—Maia, Electra, Taygeta, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, and Merope—were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Sterope is also called Asterope.
In one telling, the sisters were pursued by Orion and transformed by Zeus into doves before finding refuge among the stars. Like many old stories, theirs has more than one version. But that image of sisters gathered together in the heavens offers plenty for a witch to ponder.
Protection. Kinship. A place to belong when the world feels a little too hungry.
A small circle of light
For a modern witch, the Seven Sisters can become a personal symbol of connection: the people who stand beside us, the ancestors we choose to honor, and the parts of ourselves we are learning to welcome home.
Look at the photograph again. The trees occupy so much of the frame, yet your eye keeps returning to those little lights. That is a useful image to carry into the darker season. A kind word, a firm boundary, a familiar voice on the telephone—small things can give us somewhere to rest our attention when everything else feels overwhelming.
We can bring that same intention to an altar. A few stones gathered into a circle can remind us of the people we love. A handwritten name can make room for someone we miss. A quiet moment beneath the sky can become a practice simply because we return to it with care.
A Seven Sisters wishing ritual
This is an original, modern ritual inspired by the cluster and its mythology. Adapt it freely to your own practice.
You will need seven small stones, a scrap of paper, and a few unhurried minutes. A window with a view of the night sky is lovely; this photograph can also serve as your focus.
- Make a little constellation. Arrange your stones in whatever pattern feels right. Leave enough space between them to see each one clearly.
- Give each stone a purpose. Try protection, courage, clarity, rest, belonging, hope, and wonder—or choose seven intentions that speak more closely to your life.
- Choose what you need tonight. Touch the stone that represents it. Write one simple intention on your paper: “I will make room for rest,” “I will ask for support,” or words of your own.
- Speak your wish. Read the words below, or speak from the heart.
Seven sisters, gathered bright,
Hold my wishes in the night.
May I tend the light I bear,
And meet the dark with love and care.
Place your paper beneath the chosen stone. Before you finish, decide on one small action that will help you honor your intention tomorrow. If you asked for belonging, reach out to someone. If you asked for rest, give yourself permission to leave something until morning.
Keep your little constellation for as long as it feels meaningful.
Carry a little of the sky with you
What we love about this photograph is its softness. The stars glow, the branches blur into shadow, and the whole scene feels like something glimpsed at the edge of a dream.
It invites us to linger. To let our eyes wander. To imagine seven sisters keeping company above the trees while the night settles around us.
The next time you step outside after dark, take a moment to look up. There may be a little gathering of light waiting for your attention.
Which of the seven intentions would you carry into tonight? Tell us in the comments.