Your Health in the Heavens - Transformational Astrology

by Donna Taylor
Scorpio Rising Astrology Services


When we gaze up at the stars, few of us would ever think that the planets could have an effect on our health, and yet Culpeper, the famous herbalist once said, 'medicine without astrology is like a lamp without oil.' Hippocrates also pronounced that 'a physician without a knowledge of astrology had better call himself a fool rather than a physician.' So what is it about astrology that makes it such an indispensable tool for achieving health and well-being? Perhaps it's because astrology can give us such highly detailed information about ourselves on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level, and fulfilment in these four areas is essential if we are to be healthy and happy.

The mirror of the soul

Imagine looking into a mirror. As you peer at your reflection, you can see every tiny line, every contour, each wrinkle and every hair in your eyebrows. Without mirrors we'd be pretty clueless as to our physical appearance. Astrology works in a similar way reflecting our psychological, emotional and spiritual selves. Indeed, it is often called the mirror of the soul, and that is a pretty fair description because encoded in our birth charts is every ounce of information that we need to know about ourselves. From our strengths and abilities, and our career and romantic inclinations to our deepest fears and insecurities, our astrological chart displays the reflection that can empower us to change our lives, if we just have the courage to look.

When used from a healing perspective, astrology can help us to identify and transform the following factors which can create disease:

Imbalances of energy

Suppressed or denied emotions

Denied or frustrated needs

Areas of low self worth

Blockages and negative patterns

Lack of purpose

Negative or self limiting attitudes or beliefs


Planets and health

Everyone is familiar with sun signs - we all know what sign we are and yet this only provides one piece of the astrological jigsaw puzzle. Also contained within the chart are the positions of all the other planets in our solar system from the Moon and Mercury through to Neptune and Pluto. The signs and areas of the chart within which the planets reside, reveal a colossal amount of information about us, as do the relationships they make with each other, otherwise known as aspects. When a planet is in a weak position or when two or more planets form tense aspects with each other, the result is inner stress, and as we know, prolonged stress is the number one cause of illness. Because the planets are constantly moving it is also possible to see when the periods of greatest stress will be, how long they will last, and the best way of responding to the stress.

Each of the planets represents a particular type of energy, and when viewed medically, relates to a certain area of the body, and governs a physiological function.

Planet	Represents	Anatomy and Physiology
The Sun	Our vital energy and consciousness.	Heart, spine, immune system
The Moon	Our emotions and unconscious	Breasts, stomach, bodily fluids, mucous, fertility
Mercury	Our intellect and communication	Nervous and mental system, breathing, speech, hearing
Venus	Our creativity, relating and balance	Hormone function, kidneys, homeostasis, ovaries
Mars	Our drive and assertiveness	Muscles, inflammation, sexual organs, white blood cells
Jupiter	Our self belief and ability to grow	Liver, fat metabolism, blood, growth hormones
Saturn	Our fears, insecurities and structure	Bones, teeth, hair, skin, joints the structure of our body
Uranus	Our individuality and intuition	Rhythmic pulsation and co-ordination
Neptune	Our spirituality and imagination	Pineal gland, right brain function appendix, osmosis
Pluto	Our dark side and transformation	Elimination, reproduction, regenerative ability

Physical well-being

On a physical level, the unique planetary combinations in our charts reveal our tendencies towards ailments and disease and what the likely causes are. Imbalances within the four elements - air, fire, earth and water can also indicate physical problems. Someone with little or no fire in his or her chart may have poor digestion and feel the cold more than others. These people would benefit from eating spices and warming herbs, and taking more exercise. Someone with excess air would need to take care of their nervous system and may benefit from eating calming foods such as oats, and taking up a relaxing pastime such as mediation or yoga. Someone who was low in earth signs or planets would need grounding, and so spending time in nature and doing physical things such as gardening and cooking would create the balance they lack. These are really simple steps that anyone with only a slight knowledge of astrology can take.

Just as we can divide the 12 signs into the elements, we can also divide them again into three main groups - Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable, otherwise known as quadruplicities. These three groups have different ways of expressing energy, and since illness occurs due to an imbalance of energy, we can determine why we become ill by understanding how we express our energy.

The Cardinal Signs
Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn

The Cardinal signs have a strong energy which they need to learn to use constructively, otherwise it can turn to bossiness, aggression or frustration. This in turn can lead to contagious illnesses, M.E. and accidents as they fail to recognise their limits. They need to learn to let go of the need to be someone and recognise that they already are someone, regardless of achievements, family, relationships or career. Meditation will help them to reflect, and martial arts will help channel their forceful energy in a constructive manner.

The Fixed Signs
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius

The Fixed signs have a stable kind of energy, but often have difficulty in adapting to change and letting go - not just physically, but also of old emotions, thoughts, beliefs and habits. If they hold on too much, they may suffer from congestion, growths, cysts, tumours and blockages. They would ideally be suited to physical therapies such as deep body massage and rolfing which help the body expel accumulated toxins. Dance, singing and tai-chi will free their fixed energy and help them to be more flowing and adaptable.

The Mutable Signs
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces

The Mutable signs have a very fluid energy and can easily adapt to change. Mutable people however, do need grounding and relaxing as their energy tends to be scattered and easily distracted, so walking, gardening, yoga, deep breathing and meditation would be ideal. Since they have delicate mental states and are easily worried, the gentle therapies such as Bach flower remedies, aromatherapy and homeopathy would be particularly suitable. Mutable types may find that having a bottle of Rescue Remedy on hand particularly useful to calm their delicate nerves.

Identifying emotional needs

Astrology can show the physical weak spots in the body, but more importantly it can reveal the toxic emotions which lead to the weak spots. Emotional wellbeing is essential if we are to be healthy. Most of us have noticed that when emotionally upset, whether it be anger, hurt, despondency, fear or shock, we are much more likely to go down with a cold or flu, or if already unwell, will notice that our symptoms become worse. By being aware of our emotional tendencies and working on them, we can understand why we react in ways that are ultimately damaging. The biggest astrological clue to our emotional responses can be found by studying the position of our Moon. A strongly placed Moon will reveal a person who can express their feelings easily and feel good about taking care of their own needs as well as the needs of others. Likewise, if we want to see how someone expresses anger, we would look to his or her Mars. If Mars is placed in an outgoing sign and has no difficult aspects, anger will be expressed much more healthily than someone who has Mars in a sign which leans towards suppression. If this person's Mars also suffers from inhibiting aspects, we would perhaps expect their anger to be channelled inwards with damaging results. If our Mars isn't particularly well placed, we will need to find an alternative way of channelling our energy - martial arts or meditation for example.

All in the mind

You may have heard the phrase, healthy mind, healthy body, and a healthy mind is just as important as emotional well-being, because it is in the mind that our beliefs and attitudes are formed, which in turn govern how we feel about ourselves and how we act emotionally. If we hold negative beliefs about ourselves in some way, we will hold ourselves back and this can then lead to frustration and resentment as we see others having or being what we secretly long to be or have. The most illuminating signpost in this respect is the planet Saturn. Wherever Saturn is in our charts will show the areas of life that we have most difficulty with. If Saturn forms difficult aspects to any of our other planets, we may suffer from depression, melancholy, low self esteem and a 'what's the point?' attitude. The planet Pluto can reveal our compulsions, obsessions and phobias, and the parts of our personalities where we feel out of control, whilst Mercury, the planet of communication governs the way in which we think and communicate. An over active Mercury can show a worrisome mind that is unable to switch off, leading to a constant state of stress.

The souls' journey

The final step towards healing is to look at the chart from the soul's perspective - an often ignored but vitally important key to well-being. Illness occurs when we become disconnected from our true selves and fail to fulfil our potential. If we are frustrated on a spiritual level and feel our lives are meaningless and purposeless, over a prolonged period of time this will eventually manifest itself in the physical body in the form of illness. We all have a unique path in life, a destiny to fulfil, and yet so many of us wander from this path and become lost and confused. What did we come here to do? What is our purpose? What really fulfils us? Does our life have meaning? These are the vitally important questions which create spiritual fulfilment and give us a real zest for life. Dr Robert Leichtman sums it up nicely when he says that 'the purpose of the body is to express the light of the soul.' But in order to let our light shine, we first have to know where the switch is. A good astrologer can guide you towards discovering your inner light by helping you understand what it is you were put here for, whilst simultaneously helping you understand and deal with your fears and negative patterns.

Astrology at its most productive can help us transform our lives and live our dreams. Only when we're being really true to ourselves will we be totally healthy and happy. Of course, not everyone needs to consult an astrologer to discover their purpose, but for those of us who desire growth and greater self awareness, it can be an enlightening experience.

Donna is a professional astrologer and counsellor, who regularly writes for newspapers and magazines, and has appeared many times on radio. She works with clients on a one to one and postal basis and produces a range of charts to suit her client's needs. Her work with Astro-Synthesis - a new therapy incorporating astrology, psychotherapy and homeopathy - allows her to help people transform their lives and achieve health and well-being. For more information you can contact Donna on 01484-400872, email donna@scorpiorising.freeserve.co.uk or visit her website at http://www.scorpio-rising.co.uk

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