What is Medical Astrology?
It is the application of astrology in addressing illness, injuries and diseases by the use of plant medicines and other remedies that are attributed to the twelve signs of the Zodiac and their corresponding planets.
Medical diagnosis and treatment is one of the most ancient uses of astrology. It was used by the ancients as an integral aspect of health care. Evidence of this has been found in Egyptian papyri, Babylonian texts and Sumerian tablets, as well in India and various parts of Europe. Today, this branch of astrology sadly appears to be the least popular usage of this detailed art and science. Medical astrology today is not practiced by the majority of licensed medical physicians who diagnose and treat disease. The modern practice of medical astrology does not necessarily entail "medical advice". That is strictly tied in with the legal qualifications of the individual who is practicing.
Hippocrates, known as the Father of Western Medicine is among the first astrologers in 5th century BC in Greece, who taught his students how to determine the number of critical days associated with a sickness. He is quoted saying:
“A physician without a knowledge of Astrology has no right to call himself a physician.”
- Hippocrates, c. 460 – c. 375 BC
The great Swiss alchemist, philosopher and astrologer who was born in c. 1483 believed that every metal and plant possessed certain qualities that can attract planetary correspondences. He created several talismans that were meant to treat various diseases. The author, Nicholas Culpeper born in Surrey England in 1616 applied the medical principles of the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen. He incorporated some medical astrology into his book, Culpeper's Complete Herbal.
A fancy name for Medical Astrology is “iatromathematics”, which is considered a pseudoscience by many, but has proven itself to be useful in countless situations. No matter how much it is scoffed at today, astrology overall has survived every major catastrophe and every generation in every continent. Civilizations come and go, but astrology remains because it is integral to the very compass of the earth. As the Hermetic saying goes, “as above, so below”.
Medical Astrology can be incredibly useful to doctors, counselors and healing practitioners of all types. With trained eyes, a natal chart can reveal a detailed picture of what is going on with a person's health, the reasons behind it, and what kinds of remedies a patient is most likely to respond well to. This includes emotional and mental health.
Zodiac and Planetary Correspondences in Medical Astrology
Below are a few loose correspondences but there are many more precise areas of influence that come into focus using astrology.
In general, the signs of the zodiac rule the following body parts:
Aries: the head
Taurus: the throat
Gemini: the upper extremities
Cancer: the breast
Leo: the heart
Virgo: the intestines
Libra: the lower back
Scorpio: the genitals
Sagittarius: the thighs
Capricorn: the knees
Aquarius: the ankles
Pisces: the feet
In general, the planets influence the following physical conditions:
Sun: lifeforce energy
Moon: psychosomatic patterns
Mercury: mental states
Venus: female issues
Mars: male issues
Jupiter: overgrowth
Saturn: chronic ailments
Uranus: spasmic conditions
Neptune: difficult to diagnose
Pluto: infectious diseases