To better understand health problems in our chart, we can refer to the solar chart, which I study before I look at the natal chart.
Mauriene Pierce, Astrologer
My late husband, who was a professional astrologer, said he learned more from the solar chart than from the natal chart. For anyone who has never constructed a solar chart, put the exact degree of the Sun on the cusp of the first house with the consecutive signs in the same degree on all the other 11 houses. (All houses are equal.) Then put in all planets according to their degree in their signs. Then, of course, insert the transiting planets for further reading.
Taking the Sun as the giver of life thru all of the signs, we find that in each separate sign the general health conditions are ruled by the strengths of the Sun at birth, accented by the sign that is on the Ascendant at the time of birth. By looking at the rulership of the 6th house of health conditions and the planets therein, we can get an idea of that person’s state of health.
For a person who has his or her Sun on the 1st house cusp (Aries), the sign Virgo will be on the 6th house cusp. Therefore, Mercury is the ruler of the health of Aries natives in general. This sign rules the head so there is a strong connection between it and Mercury where health conditions are concerned. Mercury is a very volatile planet and moves very rapidly. Its aspects change very quickly and this is also true of the general conditions of most Aries people. It is their mental attitude that affects the health stronger than any other consideration. An Aries person who is under good influences is alert, quick, active, and very vigorous in all of his actions. If Mercury is involved in critical influences at any time, we will find the Aries person reacting very strongly to these influences. Their illnesses are very sudden and their recovery is just as rapid as their collapse. Their mental is, as already stated, the most important factor in the lives of these natives and will bring an abrupt and almost unexplainable change in their health.
With Taurus on the cusp of the first house, we find that Libra is the rule of the 6th house and Venus is the ruler of the Taurus health as well as the ruler of the sign itself. Therefore, Venus is predominant in Taurus health conditions. For example, we find that the Taurean is normally in good health when circumstances bring a desired amount of pleasure and creature comforts. They enjoy being allowed to do as they please, to take things easy, and have food and drink of the best kind. Therefore, the easiest way to get a native of Taurus out of any feeling of ill health is to provide all of the things necessary for their greatest comfort. Aspects to the native Venus of these people will influence their health either for better or worse, according to the influence in force.
When we look at Gemini by placing the Sun on the Ascendant, we find that Mars or Pluto is the ruler of the 6th house since Scorpio will be the ruler of the position. Mars brings action, energy, force, a picture of good health. This person desires to be on the go and doing something constantly. A change of scenery, activity, or in fact a change of almost any kind is the best pick up for any person who is Gemini. Give the person something new to do or something different to think about and he will almost immediately forget the ordinary forms of illness.
With Cancer on the cusp of the first house, we see Jupiter is the ruler of the 6th. Give a Cancer person an opportunity to expand his personality, a chance to be a little more prominent in order to get out of his hum-drum existence and he will become very personable at once. Cancer people have a lot of optimism and a real desire to be in good health, which improves as the years go by and they are more vigorous in later life.
Coming to Leo on the 1st house cusp, Saturn, which is the planet of restriction, is the ruler of the 6th house and it does affect the health of the average Leo by restricting his heart action in some form. These people should avoid overwork, overnervousness, as well as over indulgence in fast living. Saturn here acts as a balance and normally a Leo person is very healthy.
Coming to Virgo, we find Aquarius is on the 6th house cusp, therefore Uranus becomes the ruler of the health. These people are always trying to find something new in the line of medicine. They want to investigate the new and untried. They will use almost anything if something tells them it will help a health condition. Truth is, their health is normally very good and the less medicine they take, the better off they will find themselves physically. A normal amount of rest, exercise and careful living is the best medicine.
That well-balanced person born under Libra usually takes care of his health through some inner understanding of the best things to do for himself. Pisces is on the 6th house, ruled by Neptune, the planet of liquids. Libra people are influenced strongly by the liquids in their bodies when health is considered. They must see that the elimination of liquids through the kidneys is perfect or else they are likely to be in difficulty. Usually they have little trouble for they seem to understand just how they must handle their living to keep themselves in ship-shape order.
We come again to another Mars ruled signed, that of Scorpio, and we find that in this case Aries is the ruler of the 6th house. Therefore, Mars is the double ruler of health. These people are desirous of doing, doing, doing. They have an insatiable desire to accomplish. Consequently, this strong force of Mars is never considered when health is involved. You will find they suffer from overwork or overdoing in some line, either mental or physical. Their greatest illness comes from abuse of the physical body through overuse of the Mars energy, which is their inheritance. An understanding of the need to take things easy, to rest, and to live in a sane manner will answer all the Scorpio health problems.
Next we come to the 9th sign, Sagittarius. When you put this sign on the 1st house cusp, we find Taurus rules the 6th and therefore Venus rules the health here. The love life of these people strongly influences their health. They need companionship, love and understanding, and a certain amount of luxury. With favorable conditions, they will have little difficulty in health. Any important difficulty may be found through negative aspects to the native Venus. This might cause trouble through accidents or overindulgence in pleasure.
With Capricorn on the Ascendant, we find Mercury is the ruler of health conditions (Gemini on 6th). The mental viewpoint is very important. Capricorn is a strong, long-lived sign, and they are capable of handling their mental angles. But in the case of negative aspects of Mercury, we find them becoming despondent and moody due to the mind being unable to see its way out. They fume and fret over triffles which in other signs would be overlooked. However, this will not hold them down long.
The Aquarian health conditions are ruled by the Moon, which is the ruler of Cancer, the 6th house of Aquarius. Aquarian health depends naturally very strongly on aspects to their Moon. This fact is also influenced prominently by the phases of the Moon during the various times of the month. Many Aquarians wonder why they feel so much better under a new moon or full moon than they do at other times during the 28 days. A careful analysis of their charts and their lives will show a strong influence of both born under the sign.
Coming to the last sign of the Zodiac, Pisces, we find the Sun is the ruler of health of those people. This is one of the finest pictures in the entire Zodiac from the angle of health conditions. The sunshine of itself can do more to make a Piscean feel good than all the medicines you can find in drugstores. They will find that under ordinary conditions that if they live a normal life with a light diet and much time out in the sunshine, their health will be very good.
References:
- World Astrology, February 1938
- “Astrology, the Key to Better Health”, by John Thacher