As a follow on from the previous post, today we’ll take a brief peak into the vast and complex subject of medical astrology. Although a great deal of medical astrology relies on examination of a decumbiture (drawn up for the moment a person takes to their sick bed) rather than a horary chart, similar principles can be applied to a horary question in some instances.
In a horary chart looking at the question of the existence of a curse or malefic spiritual influence, if there are no signs of curses or harassing spirits in the reading, but you (or the querent) are experiencing debilitating symptoms, it is a good idea to briefly examine the chart to see if there are signs of illness. Illness may not have been the subject of the chart but, if it exists, it will be present in the reading.
In particular, it is a good idea to examine the Ascendant, the Lord of the Ascendant, and the luminaries and take note if they are afflicted by other planets, especially by the Lord of the 6th or 8th houses. As per William Lilly’s Christian Astrology, the Ascendant, the Moon and the dispositor of the Sun are significators of the spirit while the Lord of the Asendant and the dispositor of the Moon signiify the external and internal members.
Lilly also gives the following rules to judge whether a sickness is in mind or body. If these signs of mental distress or physical issues are present, the remedial measure might be no more mundane than visiting a doctor or some self-care.
1. If the Ascendant, Sun and Moon are all weak or afflicted – the disease is in whole body
2. If the Dispositor of the Sun, the Dispositor of the Moon, and the Lord of the Ascendant, or at least 2 of them, are afflicted – the disease is in the spirits and some indisposition of mind. (This is because the Lord of the Ascendant and the Dispositor of the Moon are significators of the animal faculties, which is to say, the unconscious mind
3. If the Ascendant, the Moon and the Dispositor of the Sun are all (or at least 2 of them) impeded – the infirmity is in the mind and not in the body
4. If the Ascendant and Moon are both unfortunate and the Lord of the Ascendant and Dispositor of the Moon are free – the indisposition is in the mind but not body
5. If Saturn is Lord of the Ascendant. or Lord of the Hour, or Lord of the 12th or 6th, or if the Moon separates from Saturn, or if Saturn is in the 6th or 1st house, or if Saturn squares or opposes the Lord of the Ascendant – the cause is some melancholy or anxiety or some affliction of mind
6. As above, but with Jupiter – then the cause is some bodily issue
7. If the Dispostor of the Moon and Lord of the Ascendant are unfortunate by the Sun, or combust, or under his beams, – the infirmity is bodily. (Note, Lilly says combustion is a sign of malefic spiritual contact if a curse reading, so in this case, because of the nature of the reading, this would actually be a sign of a curse not necessarily illness.)
8. If the Lord of the Lord of the Ascendant and the Dispositor of the Moon are unfortunate in their fall, detriment, or otherwise afflicted – the disease is in the mind rather than in the body
9. If planet/s in the Ascendant, or the Ascendant, or if the Dispositor of the Moon in the 12th house, are afflicted by sextile, square or opposition of Mars – the disease is in both mind and body. (This assumes that Mars is not Lord of the 12th, in which case a curse is signified.)
10. If a malefic planet beholds the Ascendant and not Moon, and if the Dispositor of teh Sun) is afllicted – then the querent is grieved in the mind, but not sick in body
11. If the degree ascending and degree where Moon is are more afflicted than the Lord of the Ascendant and Dispositor of the Moon – the disease is more in the mind than body (and vice versa)
12. If the Lord of the Ascendant and the Sun are in their exaltations, and the Dispositor of the Moon is in detriment, fall etc, – then the disease is in the body and not the mind
13. If the Dispositor of the Moon and Dispositor of the Sun are in detriment, fall, peregrine, retrograde or combust, and the Ascendant is in square of the Moon; and free from ill aspects of malefics – then the querent is “vexed with a tormented soul”
14. When the Sun, Lord of the Ascendant, or Lord of the Hour, or Lord of the 12th , is significator of the querent – this shows a mind “vexed with haughtiness, vainglory, self-conceitedness, pride, etc”. Venus – luxury, lascivious desire for women, wherewith both body and mind are disturbed. Mercury – fearful imaginations, anxiety, especially if afflicted.
Some other significators of illness that are dependent upon astrological conditions to consider:
1. If the degree of the Lord of the Ascendant, Sun or Moon in the Nativity are near a present eclipse or some great conjunction – this is an unfortunate sign for illness
2. If the Sign of eclipse or great conjunction which presages evil, or the sign of the 8th house in the Annual Revolution of the World (i.e., the Aries Ingress) falls in any angle of the nativity, but especially the Ascendant – this can be a bad sign, especially in the presence of an illness
3. If a sign ascends in the horary where there was a malefic planet in the Nativity of the querent – this can be an indicator of illness