Modern man is removed from astrological time, yet still somehow senses that the same event that occurs at different times during the day has different flavours during each occurrence. Familiarity with astrological time is of the essence when embarking on the path of medical astrology, as each day and each hour in that day has a planetary ruler, and the efficacy of the medicinal plants ruled by those planets is improved when picked or ingested on a day and during an hour corresponding to that planet.

Monday is ruled by the Moon, hence the reluctance to get out of bed on a Monday morning as her essence is not conducive to haste and stress, Tuesday is ruled by Mars, Wednesday by Mercury, Thursday by Jupiter, Friday by Venus, Saturday by Saturn and a Sunday by the Lord of Light, the Sun. Astrological hours are not normally 60 minutes in duration – the time is calculated from sunrise – at the stipulated location – to sunset, and that period is then divided by 12 to determine the length of each hour.

The ruling planet of that day rules the first hour and the sequence of planets is then followed in strict order. Saturn is the first planet after the firmament, followed by Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and lastly the Moon. So on a Monday the Moon would rule the first hour, followed by Saturn, then Jupiter and the rest of the planets follow in order with the same principle applying to night time hours.

Medicine in ancient times

Leading practitioners of physick were astrologers with Hippocrates and Galen being two of the most prominent. Astrology, astronomy and mathematics were viewed as one science and it was unheard of during the period 1200 to 1700 for a practitioner of physick not to be versed in all three branches. Strict rules were adhered to regarding the planting of herbs and medicinal plants, their subsequent harvesting and their application and administering thereafter. We would be wrong to assume that this was based on superstition and old wives tales when the greatest minds the world has known subscribed to this method – just as today our scientists and doctors test and experiment with medication, so too did the ancients and experimentation with these laws was most certainly addressed. Just as most men, even the “common people”, had knowledge of the temperaments of man so too were they cognisant of the planetary rulerships of days and hours – the sayings that we still use today such as the “witching hour” or the “hour of darkness” were not invented due to someone's flight of fancy.

Plants and their planetary rulers

Rulership was allocated by the ancient authorities based on the essence of the planet in relation to the essence of the plant and this allocation is not a random occurrence – the true nature of the properties of the plant and planet need to be grasped in order to understand rulerships. It is quite common to have more than one planetary ruler for a plant based on different properties, but in general there will always be one over riding characteristic that aligns it with its ruling planet.

Here are a few simple examples for each planet: Saturn – Senna, Hemp, Yew and Vervain; Jupiter – Flax, Borage, Liquorice and Lungwort; Mars – Nettles, Garlic, Horehound and Thistles; Sun – Saint John's Wort, Rosemary, Eyebright and Celandine; Venus – Mugwort, Thyme, Valerian and Labdanum; Mercury – Aniseed and Marjoram; Moon – Colwort, Mandrake, Mushrooms and Poppy. Natural medicine is extracted from the plant and is used in its pure form or it is blended with other plant essences to form a composite – most allopathic medicine was originally also derived from plants, for example the origin of aspirin is from Salicin which is found in White Willow Bark.

Everything that exists has a planetary ruler and the astrologer is able to determine the ruling planet of the medication concerned (provided he has the knowledge to do so) and to then proffer advice on the best time to take it to improve its efficacy and therefore the results required.

Diseases and their planetary rulers

Just as the medicine that cures is ruled by a planet, so too is the disease and an understanding of the nature of the diseases and ailments is also required. Each of the 7 planets and each of the 12 signs of the zodiac rule a part of the body with the planets then having rulership over the type of disease that manifests. For example Saturn rules diseases that restrict thus constipation, water retention and the body's inability to absorb nutrients fall under his jurisdiction. It is delightful to read the ancient texts as the vernacular of that time is so rich and descriptive – Saturn rules “rottenness of the gums”, Jupiter diseases of “the sinews and gristles”, Mars “falling of the hair”, the Sun all “distempers of the brain”, Venus the “secrets” (sexual organs), Mercury “madness” and the Moon “coldness and lameness of the veins” – to name a few.

The crux of the matter once again is that the essence or nature of the disease matches the essence of the planet, and the physician of old after diagnosing the illness, would then prescribe the correct plant tinctures or poultices suited to the nature of the disease and subsequent treatment would commence.

The procedure and preparation

Physicians prepared their medication in advance choosing the right time of year, appropriate cycle of the Moon and the corresponding day and hour to pick specific herbs and plants. Such was the reverence for the craft that they would turn towards the East when picking plants ruled by Saturn as he delights in that Quarter of the Heaven – the same principle would apply to the other planets. The herbs were then either stored appropriately for blending and mixing when required, or tinctures and powders were prepared in advance, once again choosing the corresponding day and hour. The medication would then be prescribed for the patient who would be issued with strict instructions as to when to administer it. It was assumed by the physician that the patient had knowledge of the planetary hours and days, which he in fact did.

The application of the astrological principle

While the medical field has changed since ancient times, the astrological principles remain the same. The astrologer can still set a chart for the decumbiture of the patient – the time that the patient falls ill or takes to their bed – and time the recovery of the patient, while the application and ingestion of the prescribed medication is applied at the correct hours and on the correct days. It stands to reason that if the patient were critically ill this luxury would not apply – just as it was in days of old – an emergency remains just that. This principle however can be utilised on a daily basis when taking vitamin supplements, medication for non life threatening diseases or chronic medication, all that is required is the knowledge of the essence of the medication and the corresponding hour of the day.

If the medication is used to restrict, take it during a Saturn hour, if it is used to expand, a Jupiter hour, if it is for the brain/mind then during a Mercury hour and so on. Multi vitamins can be ingested during a Jupiter hour to maximise absorption, most definitely not during a Saturn hour, medication for the lungs can be taken during a Moon hour and medication for inflammation during a Mars hour – the list is endless but the salient point is that even in today's times, with some good old fashioned knowledge and common sense, we can invest wisely in our health.

Conclusion

Application of the astrological concept of time can be applied to all walks of life, if you cultivate a herb or vegetable garden, plant the seedlings during the correct hour and on the correct day, and harvest the crop in the same manner – the results will surprise you. When asking for a raise, it is best to do so on a Jupiter day during a Jupiter hour, you will not get it on a Saturn day, when engaging in matters of the heart Venus would apply, for conception and birth the Moon is the ruler, for sporting activities or cut throat business meetings consider the essence of Mars and if you need to cram for an exam Mercury would be appropriate.

What is required is not so much that we slow down, this seems virtually impossible, but that we tune ourselves into real time and not man made clock time – the effort is worth it as has been proven over centuries. Initially it takes a concerted effort but as with most things, if practiced often enough, it soon becomes a habit – on that note, if you are thinking of breaking a habit such as quitting smoking, do so on a Saturn day during a Saturn hour – you are more likely to succeed.