Planetary Humors

Category: Traditional Medical Astrology

Keywords: humor, planets, planetary, attributions, implications, clinical, humors

1. Introduction

Planetary Humors refers to the traditional astrological doctrine that correlates the seven classical planets with the four elemental qualities—hot, cold, dry, moist—and, by extension, the four humors—sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic—used in premodern medicine. The framework emerges from the Hippocratic and Galenic medical model of temperament and bodily fluids and is integrated with the astrological theory of planetary qualities elaborated by Hellenistic and later astrologers. In the Hippocratic corpus, the balance of blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm is tied to health and temperament (Hippocrates, trans. Jones, 1931). Galen formalized temperaments and their diagnostic utility, situating hot/cold and dry/moist as the axes of clinical interpretation (Galen, trans. Singer, 1997). Astrology contributes a structured map of cosmic “heating,” “cooling,” “drying,” and “moistening” influences via the planets, signs, and aspects (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822).

In this doctrine, Saturn is cold and dry (melancholic), Jupiter warm and moist (sanguine), Mars hot and dry (choleric), the Moon cold and moist (phlegmatic), the Sun hot and (moderately) dry, Venus warm and moist, and Mercury variable according to configuration (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822). These attributions underpin traditional medical astrology’s assessments of temperament, vulnerability, and regimen—diet, sleep, exercise—and inform timing strategies for procedures and treatments (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647). While such correlations were standard in Hellenistic, medieval, and Renaissance medicine, contemporary readers should understand them as historical constructs; examples herein are illustrative, not universal rules, and any practical application must consider the whole chart and individual circumstances (Lilly, 1647).

Historically, the doctrine crystallized as Greek medicine met Hellenistic astrology, then passed through Arabic/Persian scholarship and into European practice. Ptolemy codified planetary qualities in Tetrabiblos; Al-Biruni summarized them for practitioners; Renaissance authors such as William Lilly applied them in decumbiture and electional charts (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647). This article surveys foundations, core mappings, traditional techniques, and modern perspectives, and cross-references related topics such as Four Humors, Zodiac Signs, Essential Dignities & Debilities, Houses & Systems, and Synodic Cycles & Planetary Phases. It also flags relationship nodes essential for graph-based study—rulerships, aspects, houses, and fixed stars—positioning the topic within BERTopic clusters like “Traditional Medical Astrology” and “Planetary Dignities.”

2. Foundation

Traditional medical astrology rests on a common language of qualities that bridges medicine and cosmology. The medical side comes from classical authors who posited that health depends on a dynamic equilibrium among four humors in the body—blood (warm/moist), yellow bile (warm/dry), black bile (cold/dry), and phlegm (cold/moist)—each aligning with an elemental temperament and seasonal pattern (Hippocrates, trans. Jones, 1931; Galen, trans. Singer, 1997). The astrological side supplies a systematic classification of celestial agents by the same qualities. In Tetrabiblos, Ptolemy assigns Saturn to cold and dry, Jupiter to warm and moist, Mars to hot and dry, the Sun to hot (and dry), Venus to moist and temperate warmth, the Moon to cold and moist, and Mercury to changeable mixtures, shifting with aspects and sect conditions (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822).

The zodiac signs and elements extend the matrix: Fire signs carry choleric heat and dryness; Air signs sanguine warmth and moisture; Earth signs melancholic cold and dryness; Water signs phlegmatic cold and moisture (Lilly, 1647). The triplicities, modalities, and domicile rulerships inform planetary expression, while essential dignities—domicile, exaltation, triplicity, term, face—describe contextual strength (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647). For example, Mars rules Aries and Scorpio and is exalted in Capricorn, shaping how martial heat and dryness manifest by sign and condition; conversely, detriment and fall qualify or obstruct expression (Lilly, 1647).

Astronomically, the seven visible “planets” are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn; their cycles are foregrounded in traditional practice because they are observable and were historically used for calendrical and medical timing (NASA Solar System Overview, 2024; Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822). Observational states such as heliacal rising/setting, retrogradation, being under the Sun’s beams, combust, or cazimi were considered to modulate planetary potency in ways that intersect with humoral implications—e.g., combustion often “burns” or debilitates function, while cazimi intensifies and purifies it (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647).

Historically, the Greek synthesis moved through Late Antiquity into the Islamic Golden Age, where authors such as Al-Biruni cataloged planetary natures, medical correspondences, and electional rules, transmitting a coherent toolkit into Latin Europe (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934). Renaissance astrologers, notably William Lilly, refined practical methods—decumbiture charts, surgical elections, and regimen advice—bridging clinical humoral judgment with astrological timing (Lilly, 1647). Within this foundation, practitioners analyze natal temperament, accidental conditions (houses, aspects, motion), and temporal triggers (transits, profections) to understand how planetary qualities may correspond with individual humoral balance. See related entries: Traditional Medical Astrology, Essential Dignities & Debilities, and Planetary Hours & Days.

3. Core Concepts

A concise map of planetary humors begins with planetary qualities and expands to clinical and symbolic associations:

• Saturn: Cold and dry; melancholic temperament; associated with bones, chronic states, obstruction, and depletion (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Culpeper, 1655).
• Jupiter: Warm and moist; sanguine temperament; growth, liver, arterial blood, regulation, and protection (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647).
• Mars: Hot and dry; choleric temperament; inflammatory processes, fever, bile, accidents, and acute crises (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Culpeper, 1655).
• Sun: Hot (and dry); vital heat, heart, circulation, and overall vitality (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822).
• Venus: Warm and moist; sanguine/plethoric tendencies; reproductive system, venous blood, relaxation, lubrication (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Culpeper, 1655).
• Mercury: Variable; nervous system, respiration, and the modulation of other natures by aspect and sect (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822).
• Moon: Cold and moist; phlegmatic temperament; fluids, digestion, fertility, and waxing/waning states (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822).

These correspondences are interpreted through the zodiac and houses. Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) emphasize heat and dryness; Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) accent warmth and moisture; Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) align with dryness and cold; Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) align with cold and moisture (Lilly, 1647). In medical delineation, the 1st house signifies the physical body and temperament; the 6th illness and labor; the 8th critical procedures and risks; and the 12th chronic or hidden afflictions (Lilly, 1647). Essential dignities modify the delivery of these qualities: Mars in Capricorn (exaltation) delivers disciplined, constructive heat and dryness; Mars in Cancer (fall) can signify misdirected heat in moist tissues (Lilly, 1647).

Rulership networks are central for graph-aware study: “Mars rules Aries and Scorpio, is exalted in Capricorn,” while “Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius, is exalted in Libra,” “Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, is exalted in Cancer,” “Venus rules Taurus and Libra, is exalted in Pisces,” “Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, is exalted in Virgo,” the “Moon rules Cancer, exalted in Taurus,” and the “Sun rules Leo, exalted in Aries” (Lilly, 1647; Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822). These dignities directly color humoral emphasis in a nativity or decumbiture.

Aspect ecology provides additional nuance. Traditional authors treat the square and opposition between malefics as harsh mixtures—e.g., “dryness” (Mars) conflicting with “coldness” (Saturn)—which can correlate with depletion, strain, or inflammation obstructed by chill (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647). In general astrology, “Mars square Saturn creates tension and discipline” is a modern condensation of older observations about labor under constraint; in medical contexts, the emphasis lies on the qualitative mixture rather than psychological labels (Lilly, 1647).

Fixed stars also integrate with humoral theory. Ptolemy characterizes the heart of Leo (Regulus) as of the nature of Jupiter and Mars—warm and moist combined with heat and dryness—an elevated, royal mixture (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822). In later stellar lore, contact with Regulus has been linked with leadership and prominence, though outcomes depend on the full chart and condition of the involved significator (Brady, 1998). See Fixed Stars & Stellar Astrology.

Cross-references: Essential Dignities & Debilities for strength systems; Houses & Systems for medical houses; Aspects & Configurations for aspect meanings; Zodiac Signs for elemental-humoral correspondences.

4. Traditional Approaches

Hellenistic astrology provided the theoretical scaffolding by uniting medical temperaments with planetary qualities and celestial timing. Ptolemy sets the standard: “Saturn is essentially cold and dry” while Jupiter is “temperate and fruitful” (warm/moist), Mars “burning and mischievous” (hot/dry), the Sun the source of vital heat, Venus moistening and temperate, Mercury variable, and the Moon cold and moist, governing growth and decay (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822). These descriptions supplied clinicians and astrologers with a cosmological physiology keyed to seasonal cycles, winds, and climates.

The Arabic/Islamic tradition systematized and transmitted practical methods. Al-Biruni’s compendium details planetary natures, medical correlations, and electional cautions, offering rules for venesection, purgation, and medication timing based on lunar phases, sign placements, and planetary hours (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934). A representative guideline—“avoid letting blood when the Moon is in the sign ruling the body part to be cut”—propagated widely and appears in later European sources (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647). Abu Ma‘shar’s Great Introduction, a cornerstone of the medieval curriculum, elaborates dignities, receptions, and sect—concepts that decisively color the therapeutic reading of planetary qualities (Abu Ma‘shar, trans. Yamamoto & Burnett, 1998–2011).

In Renaissance England, William Lilly’s Christian Astrology provides the most detailed English-language treatment of medical horary and decumbiture. He outlines how to judge the patient’s temperament from the Ascendant, its ruler, the Moon, and significant fixed stars; how to read crisis days by lunar motion; and how to elect times for interventions (Lilly, 1647). Lilly also distinguishes accidental and essential strengths, advising that benefics in good condition support recovery while malefics in critical places or rulership can indicate severity, obstruction, or necessary but harsh procedures (Lilly, 1647). Nicholas Culpeper, a physician-astrologer, fuses Galenic therapeutics with astrological timing in his treatise on decumbiture and in his herbal, assigning plants by planetary ruler and humor to guide treatment selection (Culpeper, 1655).

Traditional techniques cluster into several streams:

• Temperament analysis: Medieval and Renaissance authors weighed sign, season, sect, Ascendant ruler, Moon’s phase and sign, and notable fixed stars to classify a native as predominantly sanguine, choleric, melancholic, or phlegmatic, sometimes in mixed types (Lilly, 1647).
• Decumbiture: Casting a chart for the onset of illness to diagnose, prognosticate crisis days, and judge the outcome; the Moon’s condition is paramount, as are aspects between significators of the patient and disease (Lilly, 1647).
• Electional medicine: Timing bleeding, surgery, purgatives, and bathings; avoiding operations when the Moon is void, afflicted, or in the sign ruling the target body part; choosing planetary days and hours that support the desired humoral action (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647).
• Regimen and prophylaxis: Aligning diet, sleep, exercise, and environment with the native’s temperament and seasonal cycles to maintain balance—e.g., cooling and moistening for excessive choler; warming and drying for phlegmatic excess (Galen, trans. Singer, 1997; Culpeper, 1655).

A short quotation illustrates the medieval sensibility: Al-Biruni notes, “In bleeding and cupping the Moon should be in a sign favorable to the part affected and free from evil aspect” (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934). Such rules assume a layered cosmos in which celestial qualities imprint conditions of heat, cold, dryness, and moisture into bodily processes.

The humoral map also intertwined with dignities. For example, a choleric planet in domicile or exaltation was thought to express its heating/drying function more coherently, potentially aiding “noble” operations like cautery or surgery; in detriment/fall, its qualities could be misapplied, inflammatory without resolution (Lilly, 1647). Aspect doctrine—especially malefic squares and oppositions—was read in terms of difficult blends (dryness obstructed by coldness, etc.), aligning with how physicians interpreted complex fevers and crises (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647). Traditional medical astrology is therefore a method-rich synthesis of cosmology, physiology, and practical rules. See also Planetary Hours & Days and Lunar Mansions & Arabic Parts for timing auxiliaries.

5. Modern Perspectives

Contemporary astrology has revisited planetary humors through the lens of historical recovery and integrative practice. The traditional revival, led by translators and scholars, restored access to primary sources and clarified techniques; this includes editions of Abu Ma‘shar, Sahl, and Al-Qabisi, along with renewed study of Ptolemy and Lilly (Abu Ma‘shar, trans. Yamamoto & Burnett, 1998–2011; Lilly, 1647). Modern authors have rearticulated temperament analysis for today’s readers, refining procedures and emphasizing ethical use; for example, research on temperament synthesis across chart factors has been advanced in contemporary scholarship (Greenbaum, 2005).

At the same time, empirical scientists have not found robust evidence that astrological factors causally influence personality or health outcomes. A well-known double-blind test reported no support for astrologers’ matching of charts to personality profiles (Carlson, 1985). Mainstream medical consensus therefore regards astrological medical claims as unsubstantiated. Given this, responsible practitioners frame planetary humors as a historical interpretive model rather than a diagnostic or therapeutic system; any health-related decisions should be made in consultation with qualified healthcare professionals.

Modern applications tend to be integrative and symbolic. Practitioners may employ temperament analysis as a reflective tool for lifestyle alignment—sleep, nutrition, exercise—in tandem with established medical guidance, emphasizing that astrological insights are adjunctive and non-prescriptive (Lilly, 1647; Culpeper, 1655). In herbalism and traditional medicine communities, planetary rulerships are sometimes used as a symbolic taxonomy for matching plants to constitutions and seasons, echoing Galenic regimen principles (Culpeper, 1655; Galen, trans. Singer, 1997). In psychological astrology, humoral language can be a bridge to archetypal feeling-states—dryness as boundary/structure, moisture as connection/flow—though this reframing remains symbolic and not clinical.

Integrative approaches combine traditional accuracy with contemporary ethics:

• Historical fidelity: Qualities, dignities, and techniques are presented with citations to primary sources (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647).
• Contextual interpretation: The whole chart, sect, and life context are weighed before offering any temperament sketch, emphasizing individual variation (Lilly, 1647).
• Practical modesty: Timing suggestions (e.g., avoiding procedures during adverse lunar conditions) are discussed as elective preferences, not medical directives (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934).
• Transparent limitations: Readers are reminded that examples are illustrative only and not universal rules or clinical advice (Carlson, 1985; Lilly, 1647).

Fixed star work likewise has evolved. Modern researchers situate stellar traditions in historical context and test symbolism across case material, while cautioning against deterministic readings. For instance, Ptolemy’s classification of Regulus with a Jupiter/Mars nature is treated as a reference point for symbolic synthesis rather than a prediction in itself (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Brady, 1998). Overall, the modern view preserves the intellectual richness of planetary humors while aligning practice with contemporary standards of evidence and ethics. See Traditional Medical Astrology and Fixed Stars & Stellar Astrology for further study.

6. Practical Applications

This section outlines techniques for using planetary humors in a historically grounded and ethically transparent manner. These procedures are illustrative only; outcomes vary, and the whole chart must be considered (Lilly, 1647).

• Natal temperament sketch:
  1. Note Ascendant sign and its element/modality for baseline qualities. 2) Evaluate the Ascendant ruler by sign, house, dignity, and sect for primary coloration. 3) Assess the Moon’s sign, phase, and aspects as a proxy for bodily rhythms and fluids. 4) Synthesize contributions from the Sun (vital heat), Saturn (cold/dry), Jupiter (warm/moist), Mars (hot/dry), Venus (warm/moist), Mercury (variable), adjusting for combust/under beams or hayz/sect (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647; Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934). The result is a mixed temperament, not a single label.
• Transit analysis:
  • Mars transits can correlate with an uptick in heat/dryness themes—motivation, inflammation, or urgency—modulated by aspect to natal Saturn (cold/dry) or Jupiter (warm/moist). Cold/dry Saturn transits may reflect consolidation or inhibition. Always integrate house topics and medical context; no single transit determines outcomes (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647).
• Synastry considerations:
  • Compare partners’ temperamental emphases for lifestyle compatibility—e.g., a strongly choleric individual may thrive with routines that a phlegmatic partner finds restorative. This is not deterministic; it provides language for negotiation around diet, sleep, and activity levels (Galen, trans. Singer, 1997; Lilly, 1647).
• Electional pointers:
  • Historically, practitioners avoided procedures when the Moon was void of course or afflicted, and particularly avoided operating on a body part when the Moon transited its ruling sign (e.g., avoid head procedures when the Moon is in Aries) (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647). Supportive elections emphasized benefics in good condition, the Moon waxing and well-aspected, and, when feasible, planetary days/hours matching desired actions—e.g., Mars hour for cautery, Venus hour for soothing measures (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Planetary Hours & Days).
• Horary/decumbiture:
  • In a decumbiture chart cast for illness onset, tradition evaluates the Moon’s state, the Ascendant and its ruler, and aspects between significators of the patient and disease to judge crises and recovery windows (Lilly, 1647). This is a diagnostic language of qualities and timing, not a replacement for clinical evaluation.

Best practices:

• Document sources and reasoning for each judgment.
• Emphasize options and timing preferences, not prescriptions.
• Encourage collaboration with medical professionals for any health decision.
• Reiterate that examples are illustrative only and not universal rules (Carlson, 1985; Lilly, 1647).

See Houses & Systems for medical houses (1st, 6th, 8th, 12th) and Essential Dignities & Debilities for strength assessment.

7. Advanced Techniques

Specialized work with planetary humors relies on fine-grained traditional conditions:

• Sect and hayz: Day charts favor the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn; night charts favor the Moon, Venus, and Mars. A planet in hayz—aligned by sect, sign polarity, and above/below horizon—operates more coherently, refining its humoral delivery (Abu Ma‘shar, trans. Yamamoto & Burnett, 1998–2011; Lilly, 1647).
• Combustion, under beams, and cazimi: Proximity to the Sun alters potency and quality. Combustion can sear or obscure a planet’s expression; cazimi (within 17′ of the Sun’s center) is said to purify and empower it. These states recalibrate humoral output—e.g., combust Venus may show scorched moisture or depleted ease (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647).
• Essential and accidental dignity: A planet strongly dignified by domicile/exaltation may deliver a more balanced, effective quality—e.g., exalted Mars in Capricorn supplies disciplined heat/dryness—whereas peregrine or debilitated planets may manifest erratically or excessively (Lilly, 1647; Essential Dignities & Debilities).
• Aspect patterns: Evaluate mixtures—hot/dry (Mars) with cold/dry (Saturn) in square/opposition suggests dryness compounded by chill; benefic receptions can mitigate harsh blends. Triangular flows—e.g., Moon trine Jupiter—often indicate supportive moistening to balance excessive dryness (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Lilly, 1647).
• House specifics: The 6th house focuses on illness and labor, 8th on procedures and critical thresholds, 12th on chronicity and confinement. Angular placement intensifies expression; cadent placement disperses it (Lilly, 1647; Houses & Systems).
• Fixed stars: Incorporate stellar natures from classical sources with care. Ptolemy assigns the heart of Leo (Regulus) a Jupiter/Mars nature; conjunctions with significators of vitality (Sun) or the heart (Sun/Leo) have been read as regal or magnifying, but interpretations vary with dignity, sect, and overall condition (Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Brady, 1998; Fixed Stars & Stellar Astrology).
• Timing stacks: Combine planetary days/hours, lunar void-of-course checks, and synodic phase considerations to refine elections—always ensuring that medical advice comes from healthcare professionals (Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Synodic Cycles & Planetary Phases; Planetary Hours & Days).

Across these techniques, precision in source-based method and humility in claims are paramount.

8. Conclusion

Planetary humors articulates a historical synthesis in which the astrological language of hot, cold, dry, and moist is mapped to planets, signs, and timing to support temperament assessment, prognosis, and electional judgment. From the Hippocratic-Galenic theory of humors to Ptolemy’s planetary qualities and through the practical handbooks of Al-Biruni, Abu Ma‘shar, Lilly, and Culpeper, the tradition offers a coherent, internally consistent framework for reading bodily and environmental balance (Hippocrates, trans. Jones, 1931; Galen, trans. Singer, 1997; Ptolemy, trans. Ashmand, 1822; Al-Biruni, trans. Wright, 1934; Lilly, 1647; Culpeper, 1655).

For practitioners, key takeaways include: assess temperament as a mixed profile; weigh sect, dignities, houses, aspects, and lunar conditions; and, when electing times, avoid high-risk patterns historically cautioned against, especially regarding the Moon and the relevant body part. Throughout, maintain transparency about historical limits and avoid deterministic claims. Contemporary research has not validated astrological causation in health, so any application belongs in a reflective, adjunctive domain alongside professional medical care (Carlson, 1985).

Further study naturally extends to Essential Dignities & Debilities for strength assessments, Houses & Systems for medical topics, Fixed Stars & Stellar Astrology for stellar natures, and Planetary Hours & Days for timing. As topic modeling and graph approaches link rulerships, aspects, houses, and fixed stars, “Planetary Humors” sits at the intersection of BERTopic clusters like “Traditional Medical Astrology,” “Planetary Dignities,” and “Medical Elections.” The doctrine’s enduring value lies in its rigorous symbolic vocabulary and in the disciplined methods that integrate celestial qualities with embodied experience—historically informative, practically careful, and interpretively rich.

External Sources (contextual links embedded above):

• Hippocrates, Nature of Man (trans. W.H.S. Jones, 1931) – Perseus Digital Library
• Galen, On the Temperaments (trans. P.N. Singer, 1997) – Cambridge/Loeb editions
• Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos (trans. J.M. Ashmand, 1822) – sacred-texts.com
• Al-Biruni, Book of Instruction (trans. R. Ramsay Wright, 1934) – sacred-texts.com
• Abu Ma‘shar, Great Introduction (trans. Yamamoto & Burnett, 1998–2011) – Brill
• William Lilly, Christian Astrology (1647) – archive.org/Skyscript
• Nicholas Culpeper, Decumbiture (1655) – archive.org
• Carlson, S. (1985). Nature 318: 419–425
• Brady, B. (1998). Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars – Weiser