Introduction.Astrology is the study of cosmic influences, that is, influences
associated with the motion of the Sun, Moon and planets and the
position of the stars that are considered to affect all
living creatures, including humans. It is also the study of the
relationship of the motion and position of these heavenly bodies
with physical events. Return to the Medical Astrology index. History of Astrology.The present distinction between astronomy and astrology is only relatively recent. In fact, most of those considered to be the founders of modern scientific astronomy, including Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 - 1543), Johannes Kepler (1571 - 1630) and Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727) were competent astrologers. The origins of astrology lie long before these intellectual giants however, and although the starry heavens have been used by man as a guide since time immemorial, the art now designated as astrology is considered to have originated with the Chaldeans, in Babylon, Mesopotamia, (now Iraq) around the fourth millennium BC. It was practiced in the temples, where it was blended with religious elements and was an important resource for farmers as well as physicians. It is thought to have spread to Egypt around the third millennium BC, as the first records of its use by Egyptian rulers as a predictive tool for agricultural events such as the likelihood of good or bad harvests, and the fate of the nation in relation to its fortunes in war and peace, are dated at this time. It may well be however, that comprehensive knowledge of the heavenly bodies in Ancient Egypt is much older, as recent study of the pyramids has brought new evidence to light that indicates that the principal Giza monuments form an accurate terrestrial "map" of the three stars of the "belt" of the constellation of Orion, as these appeared in the sky in 10,500 BC. Inevitably the knowledge of the Egyptians and Chaldeans spread throughout the ancient and later the classical world. It was easy for the ancient Greeks, who were great traders and seafarers, to see the potential benefits of astrology, and they adopted this at an early stage. By the 8th. century BC, astrology had already become so important in Greek life, that the Greek poet Hesiod could write in his long poem ”Works and Days”, that the positions of the planets and stars should be used to determine propitious times for the commencement of all kinds of endeavors. By the 5th. century BC astrology had become an inextricable part of Greek medicine and it is recorded in the writings of Hippocrates (460 - 375 BC), who is considered to be the father of modern medicine, that he taught astrology to his students so that they could determine the critical days of an illness. As the Roman Empire expanded its frontiers, it incorporated Greece at an early stage of its conquests, with the result that Greek culture with its highly advanced sciences became a source of considerable influence on Roman culture. With that influence came astrology, which rapidly grew in popularity and quickly became an increasingly important part of everyday life, reaching its zenith in imperial times, when it was used by people at every level of Roman society and was interwoven into almost every part of Roman culture and life. Perhaps the most important work on astrology was written in the first half of the 2nd century AD by the Greek philosopher Ptolemy. It is a colossal compilation of works from previous centuries that consists of two parts: The Almagest and The Tetrabiblos. The Almagest deals with the astronomical movement of the Sun, Moon, and planets, while the Tetrabiblos deals with astrological interpretations of these movements. As many ancient works on astrology were destroyed in the disastrous fires at the Great Library of Alexandria, these books now represent the most complete extant record of ancient astronomy and astrology. As the power of Roman Empire waned and Europe entered the Middle Ages, much of the influence of Roman culture remained. To this was now added a new cultural force, that of the Arabic Empire that had conquered the Eastern Roman Empire, including its main centre of learning, Alexandria, and by virtue of this had inherited the Greek wisdom traditions, which they soon expanded and enhanced. These advances were readily absorbed by Middle Age Europe and became incorporated into its cultural philosophy, bringing about considerable progress in science, medicine and alchemy - the forerunner of modern chemistry. The philosophy that bound all these disciplines together however, was astrology, as may be seen from the medical terms that were in use in the 13th. to 17th. centuries, that defined different human characteristics according to astrological influences from the Sun, Moon and planets, such as mercurial, saturnine, lunatic, venereal, jovial and martial. These terms are still in common use today and remain a tribute to the work of those times. After the 17th. century, astrology's influence on the sciences began to decline. The reasons for this were varied. A new scientific materialism was dawning that rejected everything that did not appear to have an obvious physical explanation. The realization that the earth was not the centre of the universe, but like the other planets revolved around a simple and ordinary star in a universe of a myriad stars, somehow seemed to undermine the belief in astrology, even though a number of eminent minds of the time, including Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727), pointed out that astrology is about the relationship between planets, and could therefore be valid no matter which heavenly body was at the center of the solar system. As a result it was used for little more than the publication of farmer's Almanacs for predicting the weather, and for entertainment in the form of regular "starsign" columns in newspapers and periodicals. Some - albeit very few - genuine consultant astrologers do remain as do those Traditional Healers that use their knowledge of astrology for medical purposes. Return to the Medical Astrology index. Medical Astrology.Astrology has always played an important part in traditional
medical systems the world over, and Graeco-Arabic Medicine was no
exception. Let us now have a look at the principles and practice of medical
astrology. Please note that this is only a basic overview, as
astrology is a complex and deep subject, that requires a great
deal of study and knowledge.
Traditionally the most common astrological methods used in
medical astrology are natal transits (the birth chart compared to
the current position of the zodiac and the planets) and horary
astrology (hora = hour, a chart based solely on the current
position of the zodiac and planets). A medical horary chart is
also known as a decumbiture ( = lit.: "lying in") chart, as it is
normally cast for the time the sufferer takes to their bed.
Transit charts have only come in use relatively recently and
decumbiture charts are by far the most ancient approach. Return to the Medical Astrology index. Astrological Influences and Effects. In medical astrology each of the seven planets provide their own unique influence towards the outcome of an illness, depending on the location of the planet in the zodiac. The twelve zodiac signs represent certain aspects of the physical body, which include specific regions and one or more organs and their functions. The 12 Houses represent environmental or "mundane" influences or effects.
Return to the Medical Astrology index. Considerations in Medical Astrology. There are three primary things considered in a medical astrology
chart of any type; these are: 1. the Sun, the zodiac sign and
House it is in, and any relevant influences from other planets; 2.
the Moon, the zodiac sign and House it is in, and any relevant
influences from other planets, and; 3. the Sixth House, the zodiac
sign on its cusp, any planets located in or associated with the
House and any relevant influences by other planets. The Sun is
usually considered to be the primary indicator of the health of a
male, with the Moon being of secondary significance. For the
female the Moon is the primary health indicator, while the Sun is
of secondary significance. The Sixth House refers to health
matters in general and is the most important House in a health
related chart. There are also other things
to consider, such as the placement of the planets in the sky,
that is the zodiac sign and House the planets are
located in, and their relationship to one another, in
other words, whether there is a significant
aspect (angular alignment) between planets. Of course
there are a number of other considerations that are not
mentioned here, but this is, as stated before, just a basic
overview.
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