Planets in Medical Astrology: The Sun

Planets in Medical Astrology: The Sun

Shen

The Sun relates to the Chinese concept of Shen. Part of the function of the Shen is to connect the inner 'timeless' aspect of the person (the spirit) to the third dimensional quality of specific time and space the individual happens to be in. The Sun, thus, enables our soul and spirit to exist and function in the present moment. A healthy Sun or Shen is able to be in the world, to make decisions, to say or do the right thing to the right person at the right time and to know its place in the grand scheme of things. If the Sun is negatively aspected natally, or by transit, then the Shen can become disturbed and the individual may lose their sense of appropriate time and place and become disorientated.

Anatomy and Physiology

The Sun's main physiological actions include the generating of heat, vitalising the etheric energy, integrating the body's various functions and processes. It generally has a drying effect on the body and assists in all processes that require circulation.

The Sun is said to govern the right eye in the man and the left eye in the woman.

Heart

The Sun reveals the urge for self-consciousness. This self-consciousness occurs on three levels in relation to the three aspects of the Sun. The physical, outer Sun stimulates the need to have physical consciousness. This physical consciousness and self-awareness through the body manifests strongly in the organs of ego, which are the heart and the circulation of the blood and through the quality of warmth. The heart of the Sun stimulates in us the desire for awareness of the soul. This soul awareness also has its seat in the heart but radiates outward contacting and kindling the soul force in the hearts of others. Soul awareness through the heart of the Sun corresponds to the awareness that we are a solar system being and thus allows our consciousness to expand to include all the planets and all the etheric space between the planets. The Central Spiritual Sun, when contacted, brings about an awareness of Monad or Spirit and the Cosmic nature of self.

The Sun is responsible for etheric vitalisation of the solar system. The etheric energy on Earth, in nature and in humanity all derive from the Sun. The strength of the etheric or vital force available to an individual is closely linked to the astrological condition of the Sun at the time of birth. A well-placed Sun has traditionally been a sign of a healthy and robust constitution, while a negatively aspected or weakly placed Sun often indicates a weak constitution, a lack of vigour and a greater propensity to illness. Particular configurations indicating a possible weak constitution include aspects between the Sun and Saturn or Neptune with the positive aspects of the trine just as likely to reveal weakness, as there is little resistance to any negative influence. Also the organ or anatomical structure governed by the Sign in which the Sun is placed may have a weak etheric vitality if the Sun aspects Saturn or Neptune or conversely may be over functioning if aspected by Jupiter or Mars or there may be chaos in the etheric structure and blueprints if the Sun is negatively aspected to Uranus.

Conducts and reinforces the Ego, sense of I'ness and identity. This is then relevant to:

Shen

Shen within the heart organ, which is the Chinese medical term for the identity of self. Shen must be well seated within the blood and yet must also be able to leave the blood and heart for the purposes of sleep and death.

Immune system

The self identity within the immune system. This especially relates to diseases of allergy, the T helper lymphocytes. A weak Sun in relation to the immune system may lead to:


Childhood weakness of the thymus gland, autism and behavioural disorders.

Inability to know self in relation to blood cancer, e.g. leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloproliferative disorders, multiple myeloma, bone marrow dysplasia.

Allergies due to foreign proteins leaking into the blood, a weak Ego force within the gut, hence there is not enough or effective catabolic breakdown of the food.

Heart

The structure and aspects of heart function. Relevant points to consider are:

Cardiac muscle form and function:


Excessive cramped solar functions (e.g. with malefic aspects to Mars) leads to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Toxic muscle diseases (e.g. B12 vitamin deficiency, alcohol related, viral such as coxsackie B, drugs such as chemotherapy) relate to problems especially between the metabolism (related to the Moon and Jupiter) and the Sun-muscles. Note the liver (Jupiter ruled) is the Chinese mother of the heart.

Fibrosis and scarring of the cardiac muscle, usually after myocardial infarction. Usually due to Saturn aspects with the Sun.

Cardiac rhythm disorders

This last especially relates to the relationship between Mercury, Sun and Uranus. The electrical transmission must travel appropriately from the Sinoatrial node (SA), to the Atrioventricular (AV) node, down the Bundles of His (right and left) and into the myocardial muscles. If Mercury is afflicted within the chart then it may have a deleterious spin-off on solar function in the transmission.

Tachycardic problems - excessive Mercury transmissions to the Sun, e.g. Mercury conjunct Mars.

Bradycardic problems and blocks - ineffective Mercury transmission to the Sun, e.g. a weak Mercury.

Uranus may impart chaos to the rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation.

Paced patients, i.e. patients with pacemakers. Saturn may have become conjunct with Sun, either natally or by transit.

Consider also the balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic systems, this is also related to Venus within the kidneys and adrenals.

Spine and back

Especially relates to the thoracic spine and vertebral column. This pertains to the alignment, uprightness and strength-stability of the spine. The Self or Ego provides uprightness over the childhood phase. Hence the child has an upright spine from ancestral influences, but must develop a curvature within the cervical and lumbar spine as a test for their Ego-hood. Problems include:

Poor alignment such as scoliosis and kyphosis. Consider also the syphilitic miasmatic influence of an afflicted Mercury. Also heavy excessive Moon related karma of the ancestors, so that the child is unable to throw these off during the 7 year cycles of childhood development.

Uprightness problems, such as elderly persons falling towards the ground, progressively fixed spines in non-vertical alignment (e.g. ankylosing spondylosis). The patient has lost connection to life purpose, hence the spine is no longer growing towards the Sun (compare with the stem of the plant which grows upwards vertically).

Weakness of the spine-vertebral column (especially the lower spine), look at the Venus relationship to the Sun. Venus regulates the kidney function which governs the spine-vertebrae.

Bud