The astrological chart of a person gives us a well-rounded picture of various areas of a person’s life. Most people are interested in getting an astrological reading for matchmaking or career-related advice. Few people realise that the astrological chart also holds valuable information about lots of other more unglamorous areas of life. One of the valuable things that a chart can tell us is information about the diseases and illnesses that we are prone to. When we have this knowledge it empowers us to be more careful to take precautionary and preventive measures to preserve our good health.
History Of Medical Astrology
The history of medical astrology is as old as astrology itself. Astrologers of yore have associated planets and the signs with different parts of the human anatomy. The astrological poem Astronomica that was composed by Marcus Manilius in the 1st century AD tells us of this association. Vedic astrology has also long held methods by which the astrologer could determine the tendency to illness and disease in a person’s chart.
Vedic Astrology – Disease-Causing Factors
In Vedic astrology, the strength of the person’s ascendant and the ascendant lord gives us an overview of the person’s general constitution. In addition to this, the 6th, 8th and 12th houses give us detailed information about medical issues. A qualified medical professional is the only person who can diagnose a disease in a person. But, a competent astrologer can accurately identify the part of the body or the kind of disease or illness that the native is likely to experience.
Sixth House
The sixth house is the house of debts, disputes and diseases. So, it is the primary house for information about diseases. An astrologer would study the sixth house as well as the sixth lord to determine inclinations to sickness. The sixth shows maximum negative effect during the Dasha or Bukthi of the planets it is connected to. This is a planet that is in any manner connected with the sixth house. A planet that is in the nakshatra of which the lord of the sixth house is the sub lord can even be the disease-causing planet. So, one should not just take the overview of the sixth house and jump to conclusions. It is best to leave the understanding of such an important matter to an experienced astrologer.
Eighth House
The eighth house is the house of death and conversely indicates the longevity of the person. Although the eighth house has such a scary name, one should also look at the other Maraka houses and planets before reaching premature conclusions with regard to a person’s lifespan. However, the eighth house gives clear indications as to the amount of stress, anxiety, surgery, accidents and danger that a person would face. This includes the danger of diseases.
Twelfth House
The twelfth house is the house of loss, isolation and confinement. This includes being confined to a hospital bed. So, one looks at the twelfth house and all the planets that are related to it to see the likelihood and circumstances of a person being hospitalised.
So, as we can see the sixth house tell us about the disease, the eighth about surgery, danger and death and the twelfth about hospitalisation. When one finds that the significators of these houses are in effect together one can see an indication of an illness and how it will manifest. When the sub lord of the ascendant is associated with these three houses the danger of sickness is high.
Vedic Astrology – Disease Curing Factors
Similar to the interpretations of the causative factors of disease in a Vedic chart there are also indicators of cure from health problems as well as indicators of good health.
First House Or Lagna
The first house indicates the vitality and the vigour of the person. Therefore, if the ascendant and the ascendant lord are in excellent placement with regard to the house, nakshatras as well as aspects and conjunctions from the other planets it indicates excellent health to the native. The converse is also true.
Fifth House
The fifth house is 12th from the sixth house of disease. It is indicative of the negation of the significations of the sixth house. It is the house of loss of disease or the end of a disease. When the person is going through a Dasha/Bhukti of the planets connected to the fifth house their health improves. It is also the house that indicates the cure of the disease.
Eleventh House
The sixth to the sixth house is the eleventh house and so it indicates the cure to the disease. If there are absolutely no planets that are in any way related to the eleventh house, in the nakshatra owned by the lord of the eleventh house and if the eleventh lord is not well placed or in the nakshatra or under the sub lordship of malefic planets it shows that there will be no cure for the disease. Most prolonged periods of sickness or chronic disease are found to happen during the periods of planets associated with the sub lord of the sixth house lord combined with a weak eleventh lord. Since the twelfth house is the house of hospitalisation, the eleventh house naturally signifies discharge from hospitalisation.
The Rasis And Interpretation Of Disease
We identify the twelve Rasis as fixed, movable or dual. This nature influences the type of sickness or disease in a horoscope. When the disease-causing planet is in a movable sign it causes a short duration of disease. Fixed signs indicate that the disease is going to be long and prolonged and perhaps even chronic. Dual signs show disease that is neither long nor short.
Movable signs show that the disease can affect the head, kidneys, stomach as well as skin. An afflicted planet in a fixed sign shows problems with heart, throat, blood and urinogenital areas. The mutable signs indicate intestines, lungs, digestion and nerves.
The Rashis And The Parts Of The Body
The houses of the horoscope, as well as the signs, indicate parts of the body. Many schools of astrology around the world follow similar principles.
Aries: Head, Face, Brain
Taurus: Throat, Lips, Ears, Neck
Gemini: Shoulders, Arms, Hands, Lungs
Disease: Chest, Breast, Digestive System, Stomach, Elbows, Ribs
Leo: Spine, Back, Heart, Forearms, Wrists
Virgo: Lower Spine, Abdomen, Spleen, Intestines
Libra: Lumbar Area, Kidneys, Skin
Scorpio: Bladder, Anus, Nose, Pelvis, Appendix, Urinary and Reproductive Organs
Sagittarius: Hips: Nerves, Arteries, Thighs
Capricorn: Kees, Joints, Teeth, Skin and Bones
Aquarius: Circulatory System, Ankles, Legs
Pisces: Lymphatic System, Toes, Feet
The Planets And The Organs Of The Body
The planets are associated with different parts and organs of the human body. The sun represents the back, heart, spleen, brain, vitality and the left eye of a female and right eye of a man. The Moon is indicative of the left eye of a man, right eye of a woman, breasts, stomach, uterus, ovaries and saliva. Mercury is the primary significator of the nervous system. Mercury also governs the brain, speech, lungs, hands, ears, arms and hair.
Venus is responsible for a person’s complexion as well as throat, internal reproductive organs, ovaries, kidneys, muscles, bile and gallbladder. Mars also controls the bile and gallbladder.
Mars governs the external generative organs . Jupiter is the planet that is studied for information on the liver, hip bones, arteries, the right ear, feet and thighs. Saturn is the planet that signifies the bones, teeth, joints, left ear and the spleen.
The Planets And Doshas
In addition to the particular organs of the body, the planets also govern certain aspects of health. The Sun’s position in the chart indicates the vitality of the person. It is a heat giving bilious planet. The issues that it can create are heart and circulatory problems, fever, headaches, baldness, bone cancer, bad eyesight, spine, stomach and gallbladder problems.
The Moon signifies mental happiness. Since it governs water it has a large say in the functionality of the body. It is a mixture of Vata and Kapha Doshas. It is particularly important to study the moon for the chart of a woman or a child. When afflicted it can give psychological problems, sleep problems, depression, insomnia, lung problems, anaemia, blood pressure issues, cough cold and general weakness.
Mars is dry and fiery and is Pitta. It controls the blood, digestive fire, head, inflammation, burns, accidents, fractures, surgery, epilepsy, pox, jaundice, typhoid, boils and issues with temper.
Mercury is unique in that it rules Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Afflicted Mercury affects the nervous system and gives neurological problems. It creates skin problems, balance problems, impotence, deafness, memory issues, respiratory and intestinal diseases.
Jupiter is phlegmatic in nature. It is warm and mild. Jupiter rules the fat in our body. It can give issues with arteries, hips, feet, circulatory and lymphatic congestion, liver problems and thrombosis.