The Astrology of Judgement and Health

Let’s face it – we’ve all been conditioned to judge ourselves since we can remember – both overtly and subliminally. I doubt I have to spend any time convincing you that you’ve been taught to think of yourself and others in a myriad of terms that essentially reduce to “good or bad.” Today, I want to talk about this life-restricting illusion, and how even Astrology shows us the connection between judgment and our health.

Judgement doesn’t let life flow

For a moment, think of something you feel guilty about and judge yourself for it. It feels heavy and restrictive. It brings you down, makes the body tense, rigid, and locked up. Think of how you feel stepping into a room of people with the weight of self-scrutiny on your shoulders? Under this fear of judgment born of self-criticism, you cannot speak or act freely. In a way, you are locked in a cage. This disrupts the flow of energy/life in ourselves.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that the spherical structure of a cell is changed by thoughts, feelings, and emotions. They become elliptical: appearing pressed down, as though bearing some weight. Scientists say that this elliptical shape is the basis for disease. In many ways, our own self-judgment has been laying the foundation for our illnesses.

Perhaps then, it is no coincidence that the Astrological karakas for disease are the same as judgment. We see this through Saturn, the 6th house, and the sign of Virgo.

Saturn: Indicator of the diseased and the Judge

While Saturn can be karaka of longevity, it also represents the diseased. Saturn is also known as the judge. And what does judgment do? It is a killer of energy, joy, and limits our possibilities. This is the way that Saturn restricts life: by creating a consciousness of judgment, lack, and limitations. In medical astrology, Saturn slows/weakens the physiological function of the planets it conjuncts.

Opposite of the Saturn-ruled signs of the Zodiac are the Moon and Sun. The Moon is the carrier of our vitality via the blood and the one with the “round body” as described by Parasara (going back to our spherical cells). This represents adaptability and fluidity – the opposite of rigidness. The Sun is our inherent prana, or energy, and represents acting in accordance with our true nature, whatever that nature is. The Sun and Moon are also the planets of our self-image: do we see ourselves under gentle or harsh light? The goal is to honor however life chooses to flow through us, with awareness instead of judgment.

But, when in good dignity or in a good deeptadi avastha, Saturn gives disease resistance and in some cases points to longevity. It seems apt that healing the difficulties Saturn indicates in our charts (which is where we experience the greatest feelings of lack/criticism towards ourselves), is a great boon to our health.

The 6th House, Virgo, and Illness

The 6th house is not only the house of diseases, but it’s also the house of improvement and personal refinement. Feeling as though you need to improve has its origin in not feeling good enough.

The 6th is the house of Virgo, the sign of piercing through information and deciding what is good and what should be discarded. It is the sign of “purity” and attempts to shield oneself against anything deemed dirty, impure, bad, etc. Virgo has the power of discernment. The problem is, Virgo often doesn’t just discern: it labels things as being “no good”, which causes mental aversions.

A lot can be said about Virgo and health. We could even say that Virgo’s discernment and ability to discard “bad” things is an ally to health. But the thing about Virgo is that it always seems to deal with health issues despite its fussiness and particularities. If Virgo balanced itself with Pisces, that is – made good decisions but released its aversion to things it considered “bad” (let go of judgment) chances are Virgo would have better health.

Pisces: The sign of liberation and freedom from judgment

Opposite of Virgo, is Pisces. Pisces represents swimming with the currents and being exposed to everything in its environment. There is no way of avoiding contaminants if you live in water, which mixes with and accepts everything. It swims with its own excrement – a concept that would horrify the stereotypical Virgo and everything it represents. Pisces is the sign of releasing judgment by instead switching to merely observing everything good, bad, clean, dirty, fresh, rotten it comes in contact with. This is in complete contrast to Virgo, who wants to protect itself against anything it has judged as unsafe, harmful, bad, etc.

And because the 12th house represents the freedom and escape from 6th house issues (disease being one of them) we can see that adopting some of these Piscean qualities helps balance strong aversions that cause complexes and rigidness.

Release Judgement by Replacing it with Awareness

If you understood the power of the mind and the effect it has on your body, then letting go of harsh criticism towards yourself should be taken just as seriously as any diet or exercise you might do in the name of health. It may feel like judgment is the whip that is going to “make you better,” but you always get more of whatever you direct your energy towards. Time and energy are precious. Don’t waste your time, energy, and consciousness beating yourself down.

It’s not an easy habit to break, but logically you can tell yourself that regardless of what changes you want to make, or what you’re unhappy about with yourself, judgment never helps your cause. Whatever judgment you make, those limitations, aches, pains, or problems are held in place. Letting go of your judgment is the catalyst that will lead to greater vitality, and the changes you want to see.

At any rate, take it easy.