Astrological
Botany
A bit of Culpeper's philosophy and rules for treating diseases
astrologically from Culpeper's Herbal and, in italics, interpretation
of his meaning by Jeanne Rose from Herbs and Things:
1.
Fortify the body with herbs of the nature of the Lord of the
Ascendant, 'tis no matter whether he be a Fortune or Infortune
in this case. Strengthen your body with herbs belonging to
the planet ruling your rising sign.
2.
Let your medicine be something antipathetical to the Lord of
the Sixth. Let your medicine be herbs in opposition to the
planet ruling your sixth house.
3.
Let your medicine be something of the nature of his sign ascending.
Let your medicine be herbs belonging to your rising sign.
4.
If the Lord of the Tenth be strong, make use of his medicines.
If the planet ruling your tenth house [house of honor] is strong,
use his herbs.
5.
If this cannot well be, make use of the medicines of the Light
of Time. If you can not use any of the above, then use herbs
that have been proven over a period of time.
6.
Be sure always to fortify the grieved part of the body by sympathetical
remedies. Strengthen the sick part of your body with remedies
that have an affinity to that part. As an example, elecampane
is ruled by Mercury and Mercury rules the respiratory and pulmonary
circulation, therefore elecampane is good for consumption and
colds and coughs.
7.
Regard the heart, keep that upon the wheels, because the sun
is the foundation of life; and therefore those universal remedies
Aarum Potabile, and the Philosopher's stone cure all
diseases by fortifying the heart.
The
Signs and their Plants
Aries the Ram—March 21–April 19, ruling
the head, eyes, face, cranium, upper jaw, right and left cerebral
hemispheres, carotid arteries: hemp, mustard, broom, holly,
dock, thistle, fern, garlic, onions, nettles, radishes, poppies,
peppers, rhubarb, blackberry, cowslip, marjoram.
Taurus the Bull—April 20–May 20, ruling the
neck, throat, ears, palate, tonsils, cerebellum, occipital region,
7 cervical vertebrae, larynx, pharynx, lower jaw, vocal chords:
daisies, dandelion, myrtle, gourds, flax, lilies, larkspur,
spinach, moss, lovage.
Gemini the Twins—May 21–June 21, ruling the
shoulders, clavicle, scapula, arms, hands, upper ribs, breath
and oxygenation of blood, bronchii, lungs: madder, tansy, vervain,
woodbine, yarrow, meadowsweet, privet, dog grass.
Cancer the Crab—June 22–July 22, ruling the
stomach peristalsis, lower part of the lungs, breasts, esophagus,
diaphragm, liver, stomach: daisy, agrimony, alder, lemon balm,
water lilies, rushes, cucumbers, squashes, melons, water plants,
water betony, honeysuckle, hyssop, jasmine.
Leo the Lion—July 23–August 22, ruling the
spine, back, heart: St. John's wort, angelica, bay laurel, bugloss,
borage, celandine, eyebright, chamomile, daffodil, cowslip,
anise, fennel, dill, poppy, yellow lily, marigold, agaric, peony,
rue, saffron, heliotrope, mint, lavender, mistletoe, parsley.
Virgo the Virgin—August 23–September 22, ruling
the abdominal and umbilical region, lower liver, spleen, duodenum,
intestines: barley, oats, rye, wheat, succory, skullcap, woodbine,
valerian, millet, endive, privet.
Libra the Balance—September 23–October 23,
ruling the lumbar regions, kidneys, reproductive fluids, skin,
adrenals, internal generative organs: white rose, strawberry,
violet, watercress, primrose, pansy, heartsease, lemon thyme.
Scorpio the Scorpion—October 24–November 21,
ruling the nose, pelvis of the kidneys, sacral vertebrae, red
corpuscles, ureters, genitals, bladder, rectum, prostate, uterus
and external reproductive organs: basil, heather, horehound,
bramble, bean, leek, wormwood, blackthorn.
Sagittarius the Archer—November 22–December
21, ruling the hips, femur, ilium, coccygeal vertebrae, thighs,
sciatic nerve: mallows, wood betony, feverfew, agrimony.
Capricorn the Goat—December 22–January 19,
ruling the knees, skin, hair, and joints: comfrey, henbane,
nightshade, black poppy.
Aquarius the Water Carrier—January 20–February
18, ruling the legs below the knees and the ankles: myrrh, frankincense,
spikenard.
Pisces the Fishes—February 19–March 20, ruling
the feet and toes: mosses that grow in the water, ferns, seaweed.
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