Stones in the water // The Capricorn Stellium’s Effects on Health // Coffee + Carmelite Water
After taking some time off for the birth of my son, I’m back to talk more medical astrology--and what a time to come back! We have a huge pileup of planetary energy (known as a stellium) in Capricorn with Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and the south node all sharing space in the sign, not to mention the Sun, Venus and Mercury’s recent passage through as well. While these transits indicate a historical moment of rare opportunities portended by the ending and beginning of cycles, there are also physical implications as well, especially for those of us who have natal planets in Capricorn or any other of the cardinal signs. This month, to honor the focus on Capricorn, I am dedicating some time to discuss the sign of the mountain goat--the master of time who rules over the physical structure of our bodies.
Capricorn—Saturn’s Sign
Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the furthest planet that the ancients could see with the naked eye. Because of it’s distance, the archetype of Saturn became conflated with the outer edge of reality, physical boundaries, time and limitations. Physically, Saturn’s energy has a blocking, limiting, shrinking or delaying energy in the body, and it traditionally rules the “hard” or external elements of the body such as minerals, bones, joints (with special affinity to the knees) and the skin’s structure.
Due to Saturn’s association with time, it is also synonymous with the process of building as a natural result of time’s passage. This is one of the reasons why, in the Chinese system, Saturn is symbolized by the earth element. It’s energy is dense, concrete and material, which also connects it to the organ that is responsible for storing the condensed digestive fluid called bile--the gallbladder. All manner of stones, cysts, fibroids, tumors or hard growths also fall under Saturn’s domain, and the discovery of such conditions is often triggered by Saturn transits.
Saturn’s Psycho-spiritual Role
Saturn has the reputation of a bad guy, known as a “malefic” in traditional astrology. In evolutionary astrology, however, the role of Saturn is viewed without bias or the moral binary as a teacher whose lessons include patience, perseverance, dedication and non-attachment. Without challenges in life, growth and evolution would not be possible, and it is by overcoming Saturn’s obstacles that we learn to find deep reservoirs of internal strength through wisdom. Saturn-dominant individuals are no stranger to struggle, as life teaches them that the key to building anything is time, consistency and discipline.
Saturn is the lord of karma, and where it sits in our chart is where our karmic lesson for this lifetime has been inherited through our ancestral, epigenetic patterning. We often see similar Saturn placements or aspects in the charts of family members, as the lesson takes form over many generations. This is where we can also see inherited physical conditions occurring, as the physical vessel comes to manifest emotional trauma patterns. Therefore, conditions involving Saturn often need to be approached with a multidisciplinary treatment--physical, emotional and spiritual. This is where herbal medicine truly shines, due to our plant teachers’ ability to re-pattern our physical and energy bodies.
Using a multidisciplinary approach to Saturn is essential because the hard, undigested emotions that a Saturn challenge creates can manifest in the physical realm as actual stones in the body if the emotions become suppressed. Kidney stones, for example, are a manifestation of fears, gall bladder stones come from repressed anger and uterine fibroids often arise from sexual trauma in the mother’s side of the family. Similarly, cancers of any sort always have a psycho-emotional component. Of course, focusing on the physical condition itself may alleviate the symptoms in the immediate moment, but if the underlying emotional pattern is not dealt with, you may leave yourself open to frequent recurrences.
Saturn’s Energetics + Remedies
Your natal placement of Saturn and its aspects shows you which organ system will be affected by the tissue state of cold depression, as well as what aspect of life may be colored by sadness, guilt, doubt or karmic heaviness. Herbal medicine has the power to create shifts in both the physical and emotional bodies, which is what makes it such a profound ally when those challenging astrological transits hit.
The herbal energetics that combat Saturn’s influence qualities associated with Saturn’s counterpart, Jupiter. Keywords are warming, moistening, relaxing (to the musculoskeletal), stimulating (to the nervous system and organs of elimination) and nourishing. Emotionally, this translates to any herb that has an uplifting, anti depressant, calming or soothing effect. Some examples might include St. John’s Wort, cannabis (sativa strains) or lemon balm.
The Current Saturn/Pluto Conjunction
Saturn is currently dancing with Pluto--another planet that indicates multigenerational effects. We have talked about Pluto as ruling the eliminatory processes of the body, and so when we combine the archetypes of these two planets together we are looking at conditions which limit, block or slow down our bodies’ processes of elimination or a lack of glandular secretion. Things like constipation, poor lymphatic drainage or low fluid levels may come up during this time. How this will affect our bodies, if at all, depends on where this transit falls in your natal chart, the most physically challenging placements being the 1st, 6th, 8th and 12th houses. Other health indicators include an aspect to your ascendant or its’ ruling planet, or an aspect to natal Chiron.
For example, I have been finding that the current Saturn/Pluto conjunction has played out in my life as challenges with breastfeeding. Capricorn, the sign in which this conjunction is taking place, rules my 2nd house, which represents self-esteem and the wealth we create by our own two hands (or in my case, breasts). In my son’s chart, this conjunction is taking place in his 4th house which is related to the stomach and digestion. Despite a constant drip of fenugreek tea, I have not been able to meet the little one’s demand for milk, exemplifying the limiting effect of Saturn and indeed triggering Saturnian feelings of doubt, sadness and low self-esteem.
In energetic terms, the strongest force that can break up packed and dried earth is water. Herbally, this means that the best allies to combat against Saturn and Pluto’s less desirable effects are adaptogens, demulcents, relaxants, expectorants and bitters (as they stimulate glandular secretions). Emotionally, channeling the energy of water can mean practicing flexibility and release. Knowing your natal Saturn placement can help you be more specific when it comes to selecting herbs, for example, as this transit is taking place in my Capricorn 2nd house, I might focus on herbs that also boost and nourish the thyroid, such as ashwagandha, blue flag iris or kelp.
Another manifestation of the Saturn/Pluto transit is a restructuring of some aspect of our physical bodies, whether internally or externally. This can mean everything from body work, such as massage or chiropractic care, to the more Plutonian domain of surgery. This transit offers us a choice and an opportunity for change, an evolution for the better. Saturn’s serious nature calls on us to take a realistic and grounded approach to our current health issues--for some it may be a do or die moment, with the events of the past year coming to a final culmination. This is a great time to implement a new health strategy or protocol as challenges moving forward will require us to be flexible and creative.
The Involvement of Jupiter
Saturn and Pluto aren’t the only forces influencing our Capricorn house--Jupiter’s involvement there as well will magnify the effects of Saturn and Pluto due to Jupiter’s expansive energy. This will be true for health issues as well--Jupiter may illuminate where a health problem has been developing in our system for quite some time, and its’ presence means that help from a healthcare provider will be beneficial, timely and well-met. We may receive help in the form of advice, expert health care, a sharing of knowledge, a bit of luck or a serendipitous event. Since Jupiter-related health issues often arise from excess, we may be coming to terms with the physical consequences of some of our excessive behaviors or lifestyle choices.
Capricorn Herbs + Remedies:
This month, I will talk about one fabulous herb loved by many Capricorns, Coffee, as well as a recipe for Carmelite Water to encourage the use of herbs in our daily lives.
Coffea Arabica
Coffee Bean
Coffee is a much-maligned and overused herb these days, and indeed has quite a complex and nuanced history of usage. The history and social effects of coffee’s ubiquitous popularity is a fascinating topic and merits a conversation of its’ own, but today we will simply focus on coffee as an herbal remedy.
Everyone is familiar with the cup of coffee and the stimulating effect it has; as a remedy for hangovers, the mid-day slump, morning sluggishness or creative blocks it’s reputation is unsurpassed. A brew from the beans stimulates energy, circulation, digestion and urination. It increases the heart rate as well as the processes of diuresis, the secretion of gastric enzymes and peristalsis.
Those who love coffee will note the effect that it has on cognitive abilities, making one feel sharper and quicker-thinking. In fact, numerous studies have shown that drinking coffee increases short-term memory and recall abilities, as well as decreasing the risk for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's. Coffee also has a beneficial effect on the liver, decreasing abnormal liver enzymes even with decaffeinated extracts, suggesting that caffeine is not the only compound at work. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, perhaps helping the liver in it’s role as the body’s detoxifier.
Coffee has also been extensively studied for its effects on insulin resistance, mitigating the negative effects of this metabolic disease such as inflammation and retinal damage. Studies have shown that people who drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day have a significantly decreased risk for developing insulin resistance. Heart disease, often strongly tied to insulin resistance, is also decreased in people who regularly drink coffee. Coffee produces a rise in arterial tension, making it helpful for poor circulation and vertigo, as well as the dull, pounding headaches that are exacerbated by moist or humid conditions. Finley Ellingwood notes that coffee also acts as an antispasmodic and bronchodilator, lending it some use in the treatment of asthma.
The benefits of coffee as an herbal supplement are contingent on several factors, including the source of the beans, your constitution and state of health. As coffee has become so popular, it has become one of the most highly pesticide-sprayed crops to increase crop yields. Of course, the toxin exposure will outweigh any benefits that the plant itself has and may contribute to sensitivities and immune irregularities. In addition to this, coffee is addictive and overused in our culture. It has become quite common to see caffeine extracts in many energy supplements at levels that can become dangerous to the heart instead of beneficial. Coffee is an herb that should not be used to replace a good night’s sleep, otherwise you may begin to experience the uncomfortable side effects of jitteriness, energy crashes or digestive upset.
Coffee is also not for everyone--individuals who have a nervous, high strung or energetic constitution may not react well, as well as those with high blood pressure. Those with fast metabolisms may react adversely to coffee’s effects on gastric secretions, causing imbalances to digestion that can lead to ulcers or diarrhea. However for those dominant Capricorn/Saturn energy folks, there’s nothing better than a hot cup of joe!
Carmelite Water
Lemon balm is the star of this recipe; it is a wonderful remedy for Saturn, as it lifts and relaxes the spirits. The wine and Angelica root’s warmth combats the coldness of Saturn and promotes glandular secretion, softening Saturn’s hardness. The bitterness of lemon peel does the same. Lastly, nutmeg eases Saturn’s tenseness.
Ingredients:
1 bottle of white wine
1 cup lemon balm (fresh is best but dried will work as well)
1/2 cup Angelica root
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a glass jar and shake well. The infusing time is up to you--the longer you leave the herbs to infuse, the stronger the taste and medicinal property will be! You can also omit the alcohol and enjoy this recipe as a tea.
