Signs of Mental Illness in Traditional Astrology

[carriere.francois]

Hello everyone,

Can somebody tell me where I can find some good rules for "finding" mental illness in a natal chart? I looked in Christian Astrology, chapter CVII, but it was not clear. One has to look at ASC., Moon and Mercury. In the chapter on Directions, I found that Saturn can be involved in senility.
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Regards,
François CARRIÈRE

[sasha_i]

Hi,

One reference comes in my mind for the moment: Rethorius (chapter about the nature and force of the seven planets- the translation of James Holden, published in 2000, or the one made by Giuseppe Bezza, the last one is on the site Cielo e terra- free access).

As a personal experience, I find relevant also the 12 house (of course presenting a malefic conjuncture)

[sasha_i]

I forgot to mention what tells Rhetorius about this issue (speaking about "mental abilities"... ) .

When mercury rules the death (I would say has dominion over death) it brings madness, alienation, detention, epilepsy.

[margherita]

[carriere.francois]

Hello Gjiada and Sasha,

Thank you for your tips!

I have Ptolemy's tetrabiblos. So, I'll read it right now. Actually, in French, Morin's Book XXI and Ptolemy's book are the two basic books we were taught to study, traditionally. Makes me a bad student...

Sasha, can you give me the title of Holden's translation of Rethorius, and where I can find it (perhaps its edition, I suppose the AFA)? Thank you.
_________________
Regards,
François CARRIÈRE

[sasha_i]

[Martin Gansten]

[carriere.francois]

[kerenhappuch]

Hi CF,

It's not traditional astrology but I have found hard Jupiter/Saturn aspects (ie tight square or opposition) to be a signal of potential difficulties in a native's mental health. The clashing of the expansion/contraction principles seems to put a strain on a person. This can lead to manic depression (swinging between extreme Jupiter behaviour only to crash back to Saturn, and round and round...) or similar syndromes. This depends on the houses Jup/Sat are in and their relative strength/dignities etc, as well as the rest of the chart, obviously. I've seen episodes "set off" by Mars transiting either the Jupiter (manic) or Saturn (depressive) end of the aspect (especially if other planets in the chart are involved in creating the hard aspect pattern).

I've also seen Saturn/Sun oppositions in two cases of alcoholism in young people - one Sun Taurus/Saturn Scorpio, one Sun Gemini/Saturn Sagittarius - Saturn demands too much and the Sun loses self-worth as a result perhaps.

Keren

[carriere.francois]

Hello Keren,

Thank you for your answer. The Jupiter-Saturn aspects may correlate Mars-Saturn aspects also, I guess. Jyotish gives attention to the node axis, especially the North node. However, one must remember that they can aspect by opposition or trine. So probably if Mercury is trine or on the node axis, one may (and only may!!!) expect some psychological problem. I saw an astrology book from an American psychiatrist and almost every aspect (of all the planets!) were mentioned. So I better forget how to find mentally illness on a birth chart
_________________
Regards,
François CARRIÈRE

[SourPatch]

[carriere.francois]

[Philip Graves]

Dr. Mitchell E. Gibson is the author of 'Signs of Mental Illness'. Earlier 20th century studies on the same topic have included 'Astrology and the Abnormal Mind' by Dr. W. J. Tucker, and 'Astropsychiatry' by Dr. Harry Darling. Both are normally readily available on the used book market.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to read any of them thoroughly though I have copies of all three. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to mention those other references as further reading for anyone interested.

Oh, there is also 'Mind and Body in Astrology' by Ronald Harvey, which is a medically oriented book too I think. I'm not so sure about 'Astrology in Relation to Mind and Character' by A Mental Specialist, however, which may be a little more general.

[RC]

If Mercury is in the Twelfth House and badly afflicted, especially by Saturn or Mars, and also if combust or behind the sun, there is a danger of insanity.

Uranus should also be considered, especially afflicted in 6th house.

Uranus in Pisces, where it is now can be a bad placement for tendency to insanity if it is badly afflicted.

RC

[Gunhilde]

Sorry, I just found this thread!

I had a long private conversation about this with another member very recently. I have the 'tight Saturn/Jupiter opposition' spoken of...and although I am not a diagnosed manic depressive, I have had tendencies toward this my whole life, particularly the depressive side of it, as I have a Saturn/Moon conjunction, though out-of-sign (28 Aries moon/2 Taurus Saturn). Saturn is in my 3rd house, and Jupiter in the 9th, and it's not too much of a stretch to see how these planets manifest themselves in my chart.

I also have a 12th house Mercury squared Uranus in the 8th! Again, rather highly strung, mentally, although I wouldn't say I'm unstable. Despite appearances sometimes to the contrary, my IQ is quite high, and I have certain mental 'party pieces' that I think come along with this aspect; one of these is a near-encyclopaedic memory retention of famous people's Sun signs. Makes a great party trick!

But insane? No way. I've had to learn how to 'shut off' my thoughts, though, through meditation and yogic breathing, or I'd never get to sleep. Having a 9th house Jupiter has its benefits, yes it does.

I was at my most unstable when Pluto conjuncted my natal Venus at 17 degrees Sagittarius. THAT was a doozy, since it came only a couple of years after my Saturn return had finished. Nearly wiped me out, it did.

I would agree in general about Mercury/Uranus aspects, though. One of my brothers-in-law has a stellium in Leo of Mercury/Uranus/Venus/Mars. Talk about histrionic and slightly mad. He's had a tough time these last few years.

GH