The History of Medical Astrology
For millennia, humanity has looked to the stars not only for navigation and storytelling but also for answers to pressing questions about health and wellness. Medical astrology is a field that connects celestial movements to human physiology and has deep roots in ancient cultures, significantly influencing the development of medical practices. Although modern medicine has largely distanced itself from these traditions, the history of medical astrology provides valuable insights into how early societies sought to understand the body and its ailments through a cosmic lens.
Ancient Origins: Aligning Health with the Heavens
The origins of medical astrology can be traced back to some of the earliest known civilisations. In ancient Mesopotamia, astrologer-priests were among the first to document connections between celestial events and earthly phenomena. They observed that planetary alignments could predict seasonal changes, crop cycles, and even the likelihood of disease outbreaks. The planets were associated with gods, each governing specific aspects of life, including health. For example, the planet Mars, associated with the god Nergal, was linked to fever and epidemics, while Venus was thought to influence fertility.
In ancient Egypt, astrology was deeply entwined with medicine and spirituality. Egyptian healers believed that the movements of celestial bodies influenced the health of both individuals and communities. Temples dedicated to healing gods, such as Thoth and Imhotep, also served as centres of astrological study. The Egyptians developed calendars and star charts to determine auspicious times for medical treatments and surgeries, often aligning these practices with lunar phases.
Greek and Roman Contributions: Foundations of Astrological Medicine
The fusion of astrology and medicine reached new heights in ancient Greece, where scholars sought to systematise these practices. Hippocrates, often hailed as the "Father of Medicine," believed that a physician needed knowledge of astrology to understand the patient holistically. For Hippocrates and his contemporaries, astrology was not just a mystical art but a practical tool for diagnosing and treating diseases.
“A physician without a knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician.” Hippocrates
The Romans inherited and expanded upon Greek astrological medicine. Galen, a prominent Roman physician, integrated astrological principles into his extensive writings on anatomy and disease. He emphasised the role of planetary influences in critical phases of illness, such as the “crisis days,” when a patient's condition could improve or deteriorate depending on the alignment of the stars.
The Medieval Period: The Zenith of Medical Astrology
During the Middle Ages, medical astrology flourished in Europe, becoming a cornerstone of medical practice. Universities taught astrology as part of the medical curriculum, and many physicians were trained in casting and interpreting astrological charts. The Zodiac Man, a diagram mapping the human body onto the zodiac signs, became an indispensable tool for medieval doctors. Each zodiac sign was linked to a specific body part: Aries rules the head, Taurus the throat, Gemini the arms, and so on down to Pisces, which governs the feet.
The Zodiac Man (Medical Astrology)
This symbolic framework was not theoretical—it directly influenced medical decisions. For instance, physicians consulted astrological charts to determine the best times for bloodletting, a common medieval treatment. They believed that performing procedures during unfavourable planetary alignments could do more harm than good. Similarly, lunar phases were used to guide surgeries, with the waxing moon considered ideal for interventions promoting growth and healing.
Astrology also played a role in diagnosing and preventing diseases. Astrologers examined planetary conjunctions to predict epidemics, a practice that gained urgency during events like the Black Death. Treatises on medical astrology, such as those by the Arab-Islamic scholar Abu Ma’shar, were translated into Latin and widely circulated, further cementing the practice in European medicine.
Renaissance and Enlightenment: A Crossroads for Medical Astrology
The Renaissance brought a renewed interest in astrology, fuelled by the revival of classical texts and the burgeoning humanist movement. Influential figures like Paracelsus sought to integrate astrological insights with emerging medical knowledge. Paracelsus viewed the human body as a microcosm of the universe, where celestial forces influenced not only physical health but also spiritual well-being. Paracelsus contributed substantially to the rise of modern medicine by pioneering treatments using new chemical remedies, including those containing mercury, sulphur, iron, and copper sulphate, thus uniting medicine with chemistry.
Know that there are two kinds of stars-the heavenly and the earthly, the stars of folly and the stars of wisdom. And just as there are two worlds, a Little World [the Microcosm, man] and a Great World [the Macrocosm, the Universe] and just as the little one rules over the great one, so the stars of the microcosm rule over and govern the Stars of heaven.
Paracelsus (Jolande Jacobi, ed.) page 152.
Astrology during this period was not confined to theoretical discussions. Astronomers like Johannes Kepler and physicians like Nicholas Culpeper actively applied astrological principles in their work. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, a widely read medical text, aligned plants and remedies with zodiac signs, suggesting that astrological knowledge was crucial for effective treatment.
Richard Edlyn: The Astrologer Who Predicted the Great Plague
Richard Edlyn (1631-1677), a London astrologer, rose to fame for correctly predicting the Great Plague of 1665 based on his astrological analysis. His prediction, grounded in the belief that celestial events influence earthly affairs, showcases the role of astrology in understanding and responding to disease outbreaks in early modern England.
While studying the Astronomia Carolina tables in his Bishopsgate Street surgery, Edlyn became alarmed by an upcoming Great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. Conjunctions, or alignments of planets, were believed to herald significant events, and Edlyn, following astrological principles, sought to decipher the implications of this particular conjunction.
Edlyn created a horoscope to analyse the conjunction's potential effects. He determined that Saturn and Jupiter would meet in Sagittarius, a fire sign, and that Saturn, associated with medical calamities like fevers and "unwholesome Airs", would exert a stronger influence in this conjunction. He also observed that Mercury was in Scorpio, a "treacherous sign", and Mars, another fire sign, was in Leo, the rising sign. These findings, combined with an upcoming Saturn-Mars conjunction in 1664, led Edlyn to conclude that a significant threat loomed over London. The astronomical tables he used were calculated for London's meridian, confirming his belief that the city was in danger.
Motivated by a desire to warn his community, Edlyn published his findings in Prae-Nuncius Sydereus (1664), predicting a "very great" plague in London before the end of 1665.
Impact and Context
Edlyn's prediction gained further traction when two comets appeared over London in December 1664, seen by many as additional signs of impending pestilence. Newspapers reported on these celestial phenomena, fueling public discussions and prompting citizens to seek further explanations from astrologers. Daniel Defoe's fictional account of the 1665 plague, A Journal of the Plague Year, describes the widespread fear and "universal melancholy" generated by these astrological forecasts.
2 comets in 1664
While some viewed astrologers as opportunistic doomsayers exploiting public naivety, Edlyn maintained that his intention was to alert Londoners and encourage them to prepare for the plague. He included recommendations in his prognostication, ranging from prayers and home remedies to consultations with specialist doctors.
Edlyn's prediction highlights the close relationship between astrology and medicine in early modern England, and how astrologers, like Edlyn, played a role in forecasting and advising the public about disease outbreaks. His work, alongside that of his contemporaries like John Gadbury and John Goad, contributed to an early form of public health engagement, utilising astrological principles and data analysis to understand and respond to the threat of disease.
Gadbury's Innovative Approach
John Gadbury, a prominent astrologer in 17th-century London, sought to enhance the legitimacy of astrology by incorporating quantitative data from mortality bills into his analysis of plague outbreaks. His book, London’s Deliverance Predicted (1665), exemplified this approach by combining astrological theories with empirical observations of plague mortality.
Gadbury believed that the causes of plague were rooted in celestial events, particularly the influences of the planets Mars and Saturn. He attributed the pestilential nature of plague to Mars's dry, hot, and choleric nature, while Saturn's earthy, cold, and dry qualities were thought to prolong illnesses.
To refine his understanding of the specific celestial configurations associated with plague outbreaks, Gadbury turned to historical mortality records, charting the weekly plague deaths for major epidemics in 1593, 1603, 1625, and 1636. He meticulously compared these figures with the corresponding planetary positions, seeking correlations between the two datasets.
Gadbury's analysis focused on the astrological aspects –– the angular relationships between planets –– and their influence on disease progression. He found that unfavorable aspects, such as oppositions and squares, between maleficent planets like Mars and Saturn, coincided with increases in plague deaths. Conversely, favorable aspects, like trines and sextiles, between benefic planets like Venus and Jupiter, aligned with decreases in plague mortality.
This analysis provided Gadbury with a set of patterns to search for when predicting the future course of plague. He applied these patterns to the ongoing Great Plague of 1665, using the revolution horoscope and planetary aspects to forecast the likely trends in plague deaths for the remainder of the year.
Gadbury's approach, while seemingly unusual from a modern perspective, was informed by the growing interest in empirical observation and the use of numbers in natural philosophy and medicine during the 17th century. His work reflected the influence of figures like John Graunt, whose analysis of mortality bills had sparked widespread interest in extracting valuable insights from these records. Gadbury recognised the potential of this new approach to bolster the credibility of astrology and provide more reliable predictions for the benefit of the public.
However, despite Gadbury's efforts, his reliance on astrological theories ultimately hindered the acceptance of his work among the emerging scientific elite , as exemplified by Henry Oldenburg's critique of Gadbury's focus on planetary aspects. Ironically, the quantitative methods that Gadbury adopted from Graunt and others would eventually contribute to the decline of astrology's influence in the study of disease, paving the way for more empirically grounded approaches like those pursued by Caspar Neumann and Edmond Halley.
The Enlightenment era marked a turning point. The rise of the scientific method and a growing emphasis on empirical evidence challenged the validity of astrology. By the late 17th century, medical astrology was increasingly viewed as pseudoscience. Nonetheless, it retained a foothold in popular culture and folk medicine, particularly among communities resistant to mainstream scientific practices.
In recent decades, medical astrology has seen a modest revival, particularly within the realms of alternative and holistic medicine. While it is no longer a mainstream medical practice, some individuals turn to astrological insights as a complement to traditional healthcare. Modern proponents often focus on astrology’s ability to provide psychological insights and promote self-awareness, rather than its historical claims of predicting or curing diseases.
For instance, contemporary practitioners might analyse a client’s astrological chart to explore emotional or mental health patterns, framing these observations as tools for personal growth rather than definitive diagnoses. The language of medical astrology today is less about planetary "influences" and more about symbolic correlations, offering a framework for holistic wellness.
The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction on December 21, 2020, sparked discussions among modern astrologers who linked the alignment to a period of great transition. Some associated the shift into the air element (Aquarius) with the restructuring of societal systems, echoing the upheaval caused by the pandemic and what we now see playing out on a global scale.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Medical Astrology
The history of medical astrology is a testament to humanity’s enduring desire to connect the macrocosm of the universe with the microcosm of the human body. From ancient Mesopotamian temples to medieval hospitals and Renaissance herbalists, astrology has shaped medical thought in profound ways. While its role in modern medicine is minimal, its historical significance remains undeniable.
Medical astrology invites us to reflect on the ways cultural beliefs and scientific paradigms intersect in the pursuit of healing. Whether as a historical curiosity or a tool for self-reflection, it offers a unique perspective on the relationship between the cosmos and human health—one that continues to inspire fascination and debate.
