A Medical Astrology Primer

Here then is my first foray into writing out a primer for the practise of the medical astrology. I shall begin with making a few key observations. I think one of the fundamentals has to do with interrelatedness in very much the same vein as any astrology; the aspects create a relationship between principles as much in the physical body as they do in the psychic one; that is why a major aspect configuration will usually manifest in the physical somewhere along the line. It takes a fairly powerful psychic emanation to punch through into matter of course (I am from the school that like Ouspensky believes that matter is merely a shadow that is cast by vibration; it is thus the lowest vibratory expression; actually this is exactly how I believe astrology works) and a more powerful aspect pattern creates a greater flow or blockage in the psyche thus it is more likely to manifest into the body. Major aspect configurations, especially t-squares are more likely therefore to manifest in the body.

I should make one important qualification to this because evidently there is a factor of mental health as well, so Neptune I find especially relevant in that regard. It need not be confined to the physical body of course; for example a tight square between Neptune and the Moon can indicate alcoholism, especially if Cancer, Scorpio (or less often) Pisces is involved. This can of course cause functional disorders as a result, and mental health problems which are themselves predisposed by the spiritual tension inherent in the aspect itself. You get the idea and it is the most important thing to remember, the physical is just the last and most urgent emanation of the psychic; so aspects have their psychic inclination which in turn suggests a physical expression. That may include a spiritual, psychological or existential bridge between the two and the bridge may never express in the physical realm at all of course.

1. You cannot consider the health in isolation from the tone of the entire chart; which is something that all astrologers understand but occasionally forget. A lot of tension to Jupiter from the luminaries suggests an approach to life that tends to over-indulgence and subsequent negative consequences. This manifests in the body as a liver problem, or rather, it manifests anywhere downstream of the liver as a problem, but it is not thus isolated from the psychic attitude to life that is hinted at by stress between Jupiter and the luminaries.
2. In my experience there is no more important point in the chart for stress-related afflictions than that of Pluto. Interesting, not least because stress is a “modern (that should be post-post-modern) affliction” of course and Pluto is less than a century from discovery. Pluto is the point where the body eliminates that stress, often volcanically. There is more to it of course, but you can use your experience and understanding of Plutonic principles to good effect here.
3. Pay special attention to any stellia of planets or angles which contain Pluto because this diffuses the elimination point; it could then manifest as a point between Pluto and one of the major angles, or through a conjunction; Saturn if involved might give a tendency to eczema, not least due to the drying effect of Saturn and its influence over the dermis.
4. Similarly aspects to Pluto might indicate blockages to that elimination or ‘vents’ for the stress, precluding the need for elimination. A subject with Jupiter in Pisces for example may find that meditation is the solution to their stress-related issues.
5. Other configurations in the chart indicate various other principles. The Sun represents the overall vitality, moon functional issues, hyleg is important for gauging the constitution. Saturn limits, blocks dries and is cold while Mars heats, Jupiter expands and gives too much flow, Venus harmonises, Mercury quickens and so forth.
6. Planets also affect systems; Jupiter the liver, Saturn bones and skin, Mercury affects the arms and hands; follow the rulerships. There is too much to list here, you know this stuff. Same with the signs themselves.
7. Midpoints are often more relevant to medical issues than traditional aspects; especially midpoints between Pluto and other planets or the Asc. A midpoint between Pluto and Jupiter for example might be relevant for someone with liver problems. Midpoints often act as physical points of equilibrium between planetary principles.
8. This last point points to a fundamental tenet of medical astrology, semi-squares often indicate health warnings.
9. Pluto is a tough cookie and always acts in deadly earnest. It requires a great deal of self-awareness and courage to meditate on death but this is probably the only effective deterrent to Pluto problems. Well, there are others I am sure, but Pluto is the god of the underworld, our personal underworld and the death principle within us; so until we have faced that, we are likely to be rocked with Plutonic dread from time to time, especially as we grow older. There is no easy way to counsel it either, because talking to people about their mortality is the last great taboo, unless they have faced it, accepted and moved forward, in which case they probably won’t be consulting with you in the first place. If you know what I am getting at here then you know what I am getting at here, right?
10. My own belief is that Pluto was revealed to us in 1930 because we have moved into a higher evolutionary vibration; we are therefore wracked by Plutonic assimilation/elimination issues in a way that previous generations were not; this is a new journey for us and containing this intensity was always going to cause difficulties for the generations born since. This is especially prevalent in those for whom Pluto is stressed, angular or otherwise significant in the chart and insofar as medical astrology is concerned it is usually (in my limited experience) at least as important as all other factors combined. I realise that sounds potent, but what is Pluto if not potency personified?
11. Pluto eliminates via the degrees provided it is able to. It is more likely to eliminate if there are supporting indications, thus Pluto in the latter degrees of Virgo may well give liver problems, but if the chart also contains Moon square Jupiter then it dramatically increases the potential. The signs indicate likely manifestations; the generation with Pluto in Leo are much more likely to suffer from heart disease, with Virgo allergies and assimilative and digestive dysfunction, with Libra renal and kidney disease and so forth.
12. The key observation is that the physical body is the final arbiter of the psychic body; we all understand this as astrologers, but it is patterns of behaviour which dictate illness, even if that pattern is conferred at birth; then we are just carrying something over with us. True cure is only possible if we can understand this and face up to our own Plutonic realms. I say look to Pluto’s house to see where we need to transform, then we have an insight into our cure and thus our liberation.

It is useful to list all the sensitive degrees in a chart and to look at the midpoints for further insights, promote points associated with Pluto, then Saturn and Jupiter, strong stellia, and the closest aspects and especially midpoints between Pluto and other strongly configured points. Check the Ascendant and lord of the Ascendant too; find the stressed points and blockages, they usually play out in the body in the same areas.

In the next article I shall look at one or two specific cases to illustrate better my method and approach and hopefully that will clarify some of the key insights set out herein.

If you enjoyed this post, consider supporting Chirotic Journal, and get access to exclusive content.