by Margaret Penner
Choinski
Sarah was born on
She has 23.5 degrees Gemini rising. In looking at her birth
chart, what do you see as potential health problems? What is the weakest link in
her physical, emotional, or mental bodies? What problems could arise in the long
term, if she doesn’t take responsibility for her wellbeing? What health
maintenance measures could she incorporate into her lifestyle to ensure that she
doesn’t suffer any major illnesses? What is Sarah’s concern? Could it
possibly be connected with the December 2001 solar eclipse at 22
degrees Gemini, an event that lay directly across her
Ascendant/Descendant axis and opposed her Jupiter? Just
recently, transiting Saturn has passed over her Jupiter,
Ascendant, and into her first house of the physical self. Along the way
it squared itself and the Sun. In medical astrology
there is a clear procedure with which to begin the assessment. One looks at the
Ascendant, its ruler, aspects to the ruler, the sign of the ruler and its
mode, the Sun, the Moon, the sixth house and any planets therein.
Since the Ascendant
is the “point of life” [2] it reflects the
vitality of the native and their ability to recover from illness. The sixth
house cusp sign describes the physical place of weakness, and its ruler adds
further information about the nature of any potential illness. Sarah has Gemini
rising, ruled by a ninth house Mercury in Aries. Her sixth
house is entirely taken up with the sign Sagittarius, ruled by a
detrimented Jupiter in Gemini placed just behind the
Ascendant. The process of
investigation is meant to boil things down to the most likely health scenario.
Exact diagnosis is very difficult, given the multitude of prospects every human
body offers. As stated previously
however, since an affliction in one part of the mutable cross can result in
symptoms associated with another sign in the same mode, Sarah could also be
prone to Piscean type illnesses. Saturn or
Neptune afflicting the ruler of the sixth is thought to denote illness
that is lengthy and likely to become chronic, due to the contrary nature of the
native. Sarah has both Saturn and Neptune in hard aspect to
Jupiter. Goldstein-Jacobson states that “Saturn is the greatest
offender” and in Sarah’s chart Saturn holds a peculiar position. Medical astrology has
pinpointed a lunar
response reaction---called the “reflex action” [11]---where
unacknowledged emotional instincts for self-protection pop up as physical
symptoms associated with the sign opposite the Moon. Sarah, with her
fallen Moon in Scorpio,
is prone to experiencing complex and unpleasant feelings of such intensity that
they would dominate her every waking moment when in force. Her desperation to
find relief from such turmoil would lead her to pushing situations to the brink.
For Sarah,
Taurus associations indicate the physical area where
the emotional crisis may lead. This could be anything from her voice
(laryngitis, tonsillitis), lower jaw and teeth (lockjaw), jugular vein (pain in
the neck), thyroid (huge weight gains/losses and general feelings of being
unwell), palate (loss of sense of taste), throat (swollen glands) to body
coordination (loss of balance or lack of physical grace).
[12] Taking Sarah’s
tendencies into consideration, I would alert Sarah to the areas of likely
physical weakness: her nervous system (Mercury in Aries), lungs,
and bronchial tubes (Jupiter in Gemini), mucus in the lungs and
accidents to the feet (Sun in Pisces). Health crisis is
usually triggered by pressure being exerted on a difficult natal pattern that
contains the natal version of the transiting or progressed planet. Transiting
Pluto is coming soon to conjunct the Descendant and thus oppose
Jupiter---ruler of the sixth house---and the life-giving
Ascendant. In concert with this, transiting Saturn will be
squaring natal Mercury---ruler of the vital Ascendant---and also
squaring Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto (all ruled by
Mercury). The natal T-square is going to feel this
pressure very strongly. Because of the sheer
power of the transits and progressions current, I cannot negate the warning
through vague suggestions. Sarah has a natal midpoint of
Mars/Pluto = Ascendant; this indicates a great force of control
which she brings to bare on her physical body.
[16]
At the same time she has natal Jupiter sitting on the Ascendant, blowing out any tendency she has to excess.
The coming transits will trigger this aspect scenario. Sarah is facing a
critical time for her physical well being.
There are no precise formulas to correlating one’s astrology with specific illnesses, although
tendencies can be noted. Generalized observations only are to be expected from
those astrologers who are not certified in health care. Sarah has come to seek
information on her general health. Her chart clearly shows a tendency to illness
that is mental in origin, that is, her mind has much control over her body’s
physical responses. Copyright 2003:
Margaret Penner Choinski
Earth Elephant Astrology Bibliography Beyerly, Paul,
The Master Book of Herbalism, Culpepper, Nicholas,
Culpepper’s Complete Herbal, Omega Books, 1985
(1653) Brau, Jean-Louis;
Weaver, Helen; Edmands, Allan, Larousse Encyclopedia
of
Astrology, McGraw-Hill,
1977 Cramer, Diane,
Medical Astrology: An Introduction to Medical
Astrology de Vore, Nicholas,
Encyclopedia of Astrology, Astrologic Research Society,
1947 Garrison, Omar V.,
Medical Astrology, Warner, 1973 Goldstein-Jacobson,
Ivy, Simplified Horary Astrology,
Houlding, Deborah,
The House: Lawlor, Gretchen N.D.,
Your Health and Moon Sign Nauman, Eileen,
Medical Astrology, Blue Turtle Publishing,
1982 Raphael, Medical
Astrology, Spica Publications, 1999, (1924) Spencer, Neil,
true as the stars above, Victor Gallancz,
2000 Tyl, Noel,
Synthesis and Counseling in Astrology, Llewellyn,
1998 [1]
Goldstein-Jacobson, Ivy, Simplified Horary Astrology, Pasadena
Lithographers, 1960, p.189. She states: “Gemini is extremely susceptible to
outside and current contagion.” [2] Houlding,
Deborah, The House: [3] de Vore,
Nicholas, Encyclopedia of Astrology, Astrologic Research Society,
1947, p.239. This is a particular degree span (15 degrees Libra to 15 degrees
Scorpio is the traditional range). By lying within this area the Moon is thought
to be debilitated. Houlding speculates that the idea of its debility may stem
from the placement of the Aries vernal equinox on the Ascendant and thus via
combusta occurs in the Sun’s setting point, a place thought to represent death.
(From The Houses: [4] Cramer,
Diane, Medical Astrology: An Introduction to Medical
Astrology http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com/MedicalAstrology29.0.htm [5]
Ibid [6] Lawlor,
Gretchen N.D., Your Health and Moon
Sign http://www.stariq.com/Main/Articles/P0001772.HTM [7]
Goldstein-Jacobson, p.197 [8] Ibid,
p.189 [9] Ibid, p.
193 [10] de Vore,
p.33 [11] Lawlor, as
above. [12]
Goldstein-Jacobson, p.189 [13] Lawlor, as
above. [14] Garrison,
Omar V., Medical Astrology, Warner, 1973, p.128,
168-78 [15] Nauman,
Eileen, Medical Astrology, Blue Turtle Publishing, 1982,
p.33 [16] Tyl, Noel,
Synthesis and Counseling in Astrology, Llewellyn, 1998,
p.829
What is the
problem?
Medical astrology is one particular speciality where the question “What brings you here?” is greatly
pertinent. The astrologer needs to know---is the client ill at that moment? Have
they previously sought treatment? If so, has the treatment helped or not? What
does their doctor think? If they are not currently ill, it should be noted that
a client does not present for a medical reading without some health concern(s)
in mind already.
With this was a conjunction of the ruler
of the sixth house. These events alone are enough to precipitate health
problems, most likely through a drop in energy and quite possibly an increased
susceptibility to colds, influenzas, and whatever else might be going around
(Gemini, with Saturn
afflicting). [1]
Adding to this crisis and upping its intensity is the square to natal
Sun/Saturn from transiting Pluto in Sarah’s sixth house, currently still in
effect.
Also, transiting Uranus in Pisces has
now come to square the sixth house cusp, suggesting the sudden onset of illness.
Sarah is also in her Pluto square Pluto phase.
Although generational, this mid-life transit cycle is an important milestone for
those who reach it. And this is a major set of transits setting off a major
aspect pattern! The astrological justifications for Sarah to seek advice are all
there.
Procedure in reading the
chart
The Sun is the giver of life and its condition is very important to
knowing the basic strength of the life force. The Moon offers a subtle
comment on the emotional well being of the native, as well as anything to do
with fluids in the body. The mode of the Ascendant’s ruler is noted; any afflictions
in its sign will affect the entire quadrature. In turn, the predominant
quadrature will indicate the type of illness and description of its physical
location.
Already there are indications that her vitality and her
illnesses (such as they are) have a close relationship with each other.
Mercury is nervy in Aries, hot and active. Increasing the heat is an
applying conjunction (Mercury went retrograde 2 days after birth) of
Mercury to its ruler, Mars in its sign of rulership. The
Sun is also in the ninth house in Pisces, a weak sign that does not support rude good
health.
The Moon is co-ruled by Mars and is
in Fall in the later part of the fourth house, and in traditional astrology is
said to be via combusta.[3]
This condition could sap the Moon’s nutritive value. Mercury is in
a Cardinal sign, which alerts the astrologer to the possibility of illnesses
affecting the head (Aries), breasts and stomach (Cancer), kidneys
(Libra), and/or skin and bones (Capricorn).[4]
However, with the mutable signs (Jupiter/Ascendant square both
Sun/Saturn and Uranus/Pluto; Sagittarius
taking up the whole sixth house) presenting such a strong statement in her
chart, including the angles of Ascendant and Descendant, I
feel that the mutable quadrature holds the most information as to the nature of
any illness she might incur.
Investigation
However, Sarah’s chart shows a great Mercurial influence,
highlighting the nervous energy she would have coursing through her system. The
fact of her sixth house of illness, the Sun, and Saturn being
ruled by a detrimented Jupiter in Gemini and conjunct the
Ascendant, leads me to conclude that
she is her own worst enemy when it comes to her physical well-being.
This is not to say that Sarah is deliberately
making herself ill. Most of us at some time or another act contrary to our own
physical self-interest. But just as common is the case where someone can fall
into a certain pattern of physical, emotional, and mental reaction, creating an
ongoing pathology through the domino effect. This is what is really being
measured by medical astrology---the nature of the reaction to life itself.
With the mutable
quadrature as the predominating cross active in her chart, and the planets
involved in the mutable T-square being ruled by Mercury or Jupiter
(with Neptune
sub-rulership), the indicators are of illness which is mental in
origin,
[5] acute, and recurring.
With Mercury in Aries and conjuncting
Mars, headaches, fevers, inflammation of
nerves, vertigo, or facial spasms could result.
[6] Insomnia from the
sheer inability to shut down her overactive mind is indicated. There could be
extreme restlessness and an irregular pulse. An efficient way to check the
nature of a native’s illness is to employ the straightforward approach offered
by horary astrology.
Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson writes that: “The ruler of the 6th carries the illness to the part of the
body represented by the Sign it is in”
[7]
and in Sarah’s case this is Gemini, indicating problems with the
breathing apparatus, collar bones, shoulders and arms, hands, cerebro-spinal
nervous system, and all the senses.
[8] The picture is
beginning to narrow down to potential illnesses like pneumonia or
asthma.
These would
include the overproduction of phlegm or mucus, affections of the feet or toes,
and gout. She could suffer from bad reactions to drugs, alcohol, prescribed
medicine; she could even develop psychosis or hallucinations due to psychic
disturbances.
With
Virgo affliction she is prone to colitis and other bowel disorders,
metabolic imbalance, intestinal tract problems, malnutrition, lack of stamina
and interestingly, problems of the solar plexis (Sun conjunct
Saturn in Pisces opposing Uranus and Pluto in
Virgo). Sagittarius
indicates the general circulation and motor nerve action, hips, thighs, and
their bones.
The problems that can come out of this are gout (again),
hip joint diseases, fevers, liver complaints and hardening of the
arteries.
[9]
It would be common sense to recommend to Sarah that she doesn’t smoke and should drink moderately!
Coffee’s stimulating effect is probably best avoided for Sarah too. I think it
would only serve to fray her nerves to a heightened pitch.
Although
fairly high in the picture and making many aspects, Saturn is in a sign
that is inimical to its stern nature. Saturn is also
combust [10]
, which makes it hard for Sarah to find her feet when she really needs to stand straight.
The Sun’s brilliance heats up the dismally cold Saturn,
but also blinds Sarah to the inner authority at her disposal. The fact that her
Sun is applying to put Saturn in a position of being cazimi suggests
that Sarah will be able to draw strength from it when necessary.
The All-Important "Lunar
Response"
Her natal Venus in Aquarius squares the Moon, and so Sarah does not find support in
her female friendships nor does she enjoy sharing her “weaker self” with anyone.
When under stress she could overdo indulgences that could lead to weight gains
(Jupiter on the Ascendant). Her perceived lack of being
nurtured and cared for leads her to find pleasure so that she can feel better.
This is definitely a place of emotional pitfall for Sarah, and she needs to know that
there are many good professional counsellors who can offer her a safe place and
healthier way in which to expose the dark side of her lunar self.
It is possible that conventional medicine may not affect these symptoms and
eventually the symptoms would take on the characteristics of her natal
Moon’s
sign. [13] This is not
necessarily the failing of medicine, but rather suggests a more mysterious, even
mystical law underlying the reaction/response triggers.
When we are
suffering our attention is aroused!
If conventional medicine has been tried without any
measurable improvement, then a visit to a medical astrologer is entirely
appropriate at this juncture.
Chronic anxiety
(Saturn in Pisces), insomnia (Mars and Mercury in
Aries), psychosomatic illnesses (Venus in Aquarius squaring
the Moon), negative thought patterns (Mercury in Aries
conjunct Mars; Mars quincunx Moon), sudden onset of
appendicitis (Uranus in Virgo), danger of poison, menstrual
problems, throat infections (by reflex) (Moon in Scorpio), and
emotionally induced conditions resulting from pessimism (Sun in
Pisces conjunct Saturn in the ninth house). [14]
Taken overall
there seems to be a great need for Sarah to divest herself of potentially
poisonous emotions as well as to encourage the growth of spiritual
inclinations.
With Saturn combust, squaring its ruler Jupiter and
the life-giving Ascendant, her inner sense of authority can restrict her
faith in any divine force at work in her life. Since her faith (or natural
optimism) is thwarted by Saturn’s condition, her
body’s ability to overcome illness and heal itself is compromised.
[15]
The trine
from
She would benefit greatly from
meditation to help her relax and get to know her inner self. ****Flower essences
such as Bach’s Rescue Remedy are harmless when used as directed, and do offer a
gentle, if gradual, relief. I really do feel that Sarah is a woman of delicate
spirit, and she needs gentle and varied treatments. Aromatherapy, the use of
coloured gems and wearing of certain colours are all recommendations I can make
with clear conscience.
At this time Sarah must be extremely vigilant in her self-care.
My recommendation here is that Sarah visit a qualified
hypno-therapist or begin immediate use of self-hypnosis tapes that specify the
healthy activation of her inner Parent. Natal Saturn has to be convinced
that there was never a better time for it to manifest its protective abilities.
Rather than crushing the Sun, Saturn needs to throw a mantle over
the Sun.
Rather than undermining the Ascendant, Saturn
needs to lift from below, bolstering Sarah’s sense of her resistance to disease
in times of crisis. Sarah’s inner authority is her best defence. With
Saturn operating as Captain of the Guard, Sarah is more likely to
willingly seek out the best (Saturn)
professional advice she possibly can get.
Fortunately, her Mercury in Aries demands straight talk
without prevarication. Before Sarah arrives for her reading, however, I would
have developed a strategy for relaying the information in a way that would suit
the Piscean signature of her chart.
Sarah doesn’t need to be scared, she needs to believe that this is a special
time in her life.
The opportunity for
personal power and unbreakable self-belief is at hand. I think December 2004
will see a change for the better----where progressed Mercury in
Pisces ingresses Aries, and progressed Moon in
Pisces conjuncts Saturn in Pisces---bringing joy to a
disbelieving Saturn? Time will tell. There is, however, the feel of
a phoenix rising from the ashes when all of this is over. And there is every
reason that Sarah will weather the crisis. After all, her first house ruler,
most elevated and conjunct its dignified ruler, rules her sixth house ruler and
is stronger than it. This is a very good sign in terms of her ability to
overcome illness.
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