Depression (Anxiety, Melancholia, Panic Attacks etc), Suicides etc in Medical Astrology
Depression (Anxiety, Melancholia, Panic Attacks etc)
According to MediLexicon’s Medical Dictionary, depression is: “a mental state or chronic mental disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, loneliness, despair, low self-esteem, and self-reproach; accompanying signs include psychomotor retardation (or less frequently agitation), withdrawal from social contact, and vegetative states such as loss of appetite and insomnia.”
In addition to Mental Disorders and Astrology , Depression has the following astrological indicators
Houses – First House (self, brain), 2nd House (mental state), 4th house (happiness, emotions, emotional peace), 6th house (nervous system), 7th house (sexual dissatisfaction / disorder)
Signs – Afflicted watery signs (especially cancer and pisces; Pisces indicates self destruction; 4th house/cancer for emotional strength and happiness); Signs of Saturn – Capricorn / Aquarius – (Excess of Watery elements; and Lack of Fiery elements – Fire being antidote of water / depression)
Planets: Moon (primary ruler of mental and emotional state, desires, expectations), Mercury (ruling nerves, lower mind, intelligence etc), Sun (atma bala – self confidence); Saturn (ruling obstruction, negativity, limitation, loss, denial, sacrifice, punisher for bad karma etc); Neptune co-ruler of Pisces; Venus (ruling sex life of Man) and Mars (ruling sex life of woman)
Primarily – Weak/Afflicted Moon/Sun/Mercury in difficult square / conj with saturn, pluto, Rahu / Ketu OR close affliction to Moon /Sun / Mercury causes depressive state of mind. Anxiety, over emotional nature, inability to enjoy life, lack of confidence, insecurity and over-possessiveness are some of the indications of bad condition of Moon.
Depression – Moon Saturn, Mercury Saturn, Afflicted Saturn in 1/3/6 houses, Saturn in Virgo, Mercury afflicted in Aries, Moon-Neptune, Venus Saturn, Saturn or Capricorn/Aquarius emphasis, Saturn MC, Moon Pluto, Saturn Neptune, Mercury Pluto, Saturn – Sun / MC, Moon – Saturn / MC, Pluto – Moon / Saturn, Moon – Saturn / Neptune, Mars – Saturn / Neptune
Depressive Psychosis – Neptune MC, Mercury – Neptune / MC
In addition to weak / afflicted Moon, its important to analyse 4th house (mental happiness), 7th/12th house (sexual happiness) and 6th house (nervous system) for root cause. Saturn acts as principal obstructer, limiting factor in life. There is need to measure Sun / Moon hard aspects to Saturn / Pluto natally, for the potential of episodic or chronic depression. If any of the trans Saturnian planets approaching a natal Sun or Moon through conjunction, square or opposition then the predisposition has already been put into play since birth. If by progression a Sun or Moon hard aspect is building then there is the potential of emotional and ego functions falling into a depressive and fractured state especially when in combination with Saturn and or Pluto, both natally or progressed.
Strong Ascendant (or Ascendant lord) and Strong benefics like Venus / Jupiter / unafflicted Mercury will offer protection from depressive tendencies.
Astrologically some Depression tendencies can be seen in the natal chart as well as temporary Depression through Transit / Solar Return / Progression Charts. As a caveat, astrology only gives potentials, it does not compel
Illustrated Combinations for Depression related Tendencies:
Moon Conj /Square or under aspect by Saturn; Moon in paap-kartari yoga (malefics in 2/12 of natal moon)
Moon in Rahu / Ketu Axis
Sun Conj /Square or under aspect by Saturn
Mercury Conj /Square or under aspect by Saturn Or in Rahu/ketu axis ( anxiety leading to depression, nervous breakdowns, hypertension, and insomnia) – more so if Mercury affliction in airy signs
8th house affliction – sudden bad events, fear, lack of divine blessings etc
Mercury / Moon afflicted by 8th lord
Weak mercury in watery signs, esp if afflicted Sun/Saturn, Moon/Saturn, Sun/Pluto, and or Moon/Pluto; Mercury/Pluto, Mercury/Saturn renders Sun / Moon / Mercury weak Progressed Moon or Sun could also move towards a hard aspect to either Saturn or Pluto also leads to the possibility of a deep depression, if natal Sun/Moon are weak Weak Ascendant (Lagna) with Rahu / Ketu Axis.
Clinical Psychology currently defines nine types of depression: Chronic Depression; Major Depression; Postpartum Depression; Seasonal Affective Disorder; Atypical Depression; Psychotic Depression; Bipolar Disorder; Situational and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
Ancient physicians were primarily concerned with the flow and balance of temperature and moisture. Depression was recognized as energetically cold/dry or alternatively, cold/moist. The astrological causes of depression were generally attributed to several sources, primary being the cold influence of Saturn acting alone or through his signs Capricorn and Aquarius. Dr. H.L. Cornell’s Encyclopedia of Medical Astrology lists “melancholy”, and “morbid states of mind and body” under Saturn. This opinion was widely held in antiquity.
In regards to depression, the classical character of water signs in excess precisely fits the symptoms of chronic depression, i.e. ‘melancholia’ far better then do the practical, hardy, and realistic earth signs. (Personally, I’ve not observed many earth sign natives presenting the “sleepy” symptoms of this ailment.)
However, Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio in affliction are indeed famous for presenting (when negative) all the clinical symptoms of chronic depression: fatigue, introversion, grief, sorrow, apathy, no pleasure in life, aversion to exercise, fear, hopelessness, self loathing and suicidal ideologies, plus a profound love of sleep. Water signs also comprise the three “mute” signs of tradition, and are naturally associated with the 8th house of death and the 12th house of sorrows. Weeping is a watery activity!
C.E.O. Carter’s, discussion of ‘Melancholy’ in his Encyclopedia of Psychological Astrology writes “the water signs all tend to moodiness”. Any random perusal through sign descriptions of Pisces penned by historic authors lends keywords (when negative) as “sensitive”, “repining”, “self abnegating”, “lazy”, “resigned”, etc
Water signs (particularly Cancer and Pisces) are dominant in presenting symptoms of Chronic Depression, in addition to the signs of Saturn: Capricorn and Aquarius. Water sign Scorpio appears to be more conducive to bouts of the more extreme Major Depression.
FIFTEEN ASTROLOGICAL SIGNATURES OF CHRONIC DEPRESSION
(Always look for “three testimonies”. Chronic Depression is a potential if three or more of the below listed testimonies are observed in the same chart. If only one of the below fifteen conditions is present, don’t assume the native suffers this malady. Most people will have one of these conditions in their natal charts! Give added weight to the first five signatures in the list. These five are very strong indicators.)
Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Mercury in water signs, especially Pisces and Cancer (two or more placements). Scorpio appear more prone to Major Depression, the more extreme form of the disease
Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Mercury, Venus or Jupiter in Saturn’s signs (Capricorn or Aquarius, most especially Aquarius).
Light Deprived Birth Charts and Depression: A New Finding – Birth near dark of Moon, (in Last Quarter, Balsamic or early New phase), especially when also born a night, and also during Winter (Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces). A midnight, winter birth at New Moon would present the most extreme case! Last quarter Moon qualifies.
Saturn dominant in any sign or angle, or in hard aspect or quincunx to Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus or Neptune (especially to the Moon), contributes to this malady.
Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter or Neptune closely conjunct the natal South Node.
Heavily tenanted water houses (4th, 8th 12th whole sign houses) – The 12th house is the traditional ‘house of sorrows.’ If there is a primary house of depression, this is it! Saturn, Moon, Mercury or South Node in this house offer testimonies for possible depression.
Great stress across the 3rd-9th house axis (whole sign houses). Saturn or Lunar Nodes in 3rd, or 9th are typical, or several malefic posited across this axis.
Mercury or Moon at 27-29 degrees of water signs or earth signs or Saturn’s signs (Aquarius or Capricorn).
Neptune afflictions and conjunctions to Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Mercury, Saturn. In particular, the Sun conjunct Neptune within one degree produces strong utopian longings for escape from this world. Note: Although symptoms may concur, “Neptunian” depression is of a different psychological and energetic origin than is Saturnian depression.
Moon ‘afflicted’ – e.g. Moon ‘Besieged’ between malefic Saturn, Mars; in hard aspect to Saturn or Neptune (#4, 9); conjunct either Node (especially the South); in “the bends”, i.e. closely square her nodes; in 8th or 12 houses; in fall or detriment (Scorpio or Capricorn); isolated by standing in a hemisphere or quadrant alone as a “singleton”, eclipsed, center of T-square or Yod; quincunx Saturn, Mars, Uranus or Pluto; closely conjunct outer planets Uranus, Neptune or Pluto.
An absence of natal fire signs (occurring with any of the above testimonies.) – Fire is hot/dry and antidotes cold/wet energies of depression. Fire signs bring warmth, purpose, fun, cheer, muscular activity optimism and stimulation. (Saturn in fire signs does not necessarily help, because his cold nature suppresses fire.)
The Sun and Mars weak by sign and placement in the chart (occurring with any of the above testimonies.)
Venus weak and afflicted: Lack or loss of affection and pleasure contribute to depression.
Malefic emphasis in the natal 12th whole sign house from the natal Moon.
LONELINESS IN ASTROLOGY :
Saturn, Venus, Ketu, 3,8,12 houses and lords are responsible for loneliness.
Planet of loneliness is Saturn.Saturn means lack of something. Loneliness can occur due to lack of friendship /social contacts.
Venus means love. Loneliness can occur in situations like the feeling of love cannot be given or received.
Ketu is the planet of detachment, hence it can cause loneliness.
3rd House rules loneliness because it is 12th from 4th house. ( 4th house rules friends, family, home, mother land etc and 12th means loss). So if a person is away from home, family ,motherland, he is likely to be lonely. Also 3rd house rules your thought process-how you think and communicate. 3rd house rules your relationships with friends, siblings, neigbhour’s etc. ( don’t get confused with 7th house which rules committed relationships and business partnership )
8th House rules loneliness because it is linked with sadness, depression, stress etc.
12th House also rules loneliness.
When lords of 3,8,12 houses are afflicting the houses of 1,4,9 or their lords, they are likely to cause loneliness.
1st house represent self esteem, personality etc. Low self esteem can cause loneliness.
The reason for internal loneliness is your personality factor. 4th house is General happiness. 9th house is your horizons of your mind ,personal growth etc.
Water signs see through the human condition. As a response, Water conditions us to resonate to what its truly like to experience multiple emotions at once. Water planets never feel just one emotional high but several at once, many times these are not even evident to the Watery person experiencing them, only through solitude can a person with strong Water signature know what hurricane, tsunami, or wave hit them at that moment in time. Emotions are felt deeply because the whole psyche is submerged and must be shifted through like a sieve, emotions are constantly integrated and reflected on much more than the other Elements.
Cancer/4th house is the container of emotions. In Cancer emotions take on many vessels, boxes and containers. Emotions of all kinds fill Cancer up, the more fulfilled, the more connected they feel to life. Like Pandora’s box, Cancer planets can’t let anything escape without identifying with it first. Cancer planets must constantly seek out the whys, ifs, and nots. It must know why it felt a certain emotion, if that emotion has hurt others, and if not, will they themselves get over the upset. Cancer has much duality within, emotions for Cancer cause them to constantly think how these emotions affect themselves and the people around them, a polarity between others and themselves. Being ruled by the Moon, emotions are extremely strong in this sign. Emotional well-being is at the heart of Cancer planets, Cancer can feel emotions in others, this gift helps them to focus on the needs and wants of humanity. Emotions can exhaust Cancer planets because emotional deluge is a real problem for this sign as the senses are extremely heighten, and never turn off. Cancer planets are always on alert and vigilant in emotional protection. This sign is highly private and guarded, and can be enigmatic when it comes to sharing their own thoughts, they rather help others with their own feelings. Being ruled by the Moon has its own set of gifts and hindrances. Being the most connected to parenting, the womb, roots and family; they can have the most difficult time with emotions of the three Water signs. Much rides on these emotions, and much can be lost at the same time, a loss the Cancer planets don’t want to fathom. Cancer being a container can hold on to Water for a very long time. Which brings me to Cancer’s ability to hold onto feelings long after these emotions are not productive to the psyche. Any planets in Cancer may have a hard time with emotional refinement (planets in Cancer may take on much more than they can handle), one must look to the opposite sign Capricorn to understand how Capricorn energy can help with emotional purging.
Scorpio/8th house emotions are like a warrior spirit, the emotions are not contained like Cancer or they need no container, as no container can hold them; for Scorpio emotions when intense feel more like a cut, gash, or stab. These are primordial and instinctual Waters. Emotions in this sign are raw and unfiltered, emotions can feel like life and death, painful, and/or exuberant. Scorpio planets deal with emotion in a more direct manner, out of all the three Water signs, Scorpio can burn through emotions quite quickly, which is why Scorpio planets have a knack for seeking out experience that can transform and “boot-up” the emotional reservoir. Life for Scorpio planets need to be challenging, planets in Scorpio need to feel and experience the highs and lows at extreme levels. This is how they deal with chagrined feelings or any emotions for that matter, Scorpio planets are not about cozy and soft, they are more about seeking out what makes the World go around, they need to investigate the emotional Waters, to explore the human psyche. Without this searching, emotions only stagnate and become unhealthy especially to the organs it has rulership over. Scorpio emotions need to work on solutions, they’re not happy with open ended situations. Scorpio planets need results, like Mars and Pluto, emotions are reeled in and honed, at the opposite end emotions can become brutal, obsessive, possessive and choked up. Scorpio planets revel in emotional intensity, all Scorpio planets seek out this intensity and thrive on these emotions, it’s transforming fuel, it powers those planets to greater heights.
The final sign Pisces/12th house shows emotions that must take flight. Emotions in Pisces takes on both characteristics of Cancer and Scorpio. Like Cancer, Pisces has a much larger container for emotions that include the whole World and not just the personal. Like Scorpio, Pisces is transformed by the emotions it has experienced, and like Scorpio it seeks out experiences, but unlike Scorpio these emotional experiences are boundless and free. Emotions in Pisces can be quite profound and inexplicable, emotions in Pisces can cause torment, nightmares, or lovely feelings of heighten beauty and oneness with all things in the World. Planets in Pisces seek revelation, they seek emotional truth with no ego, when tears flow they seek sincerity not crocodile tears, Pisces planets seek authenticity (co-ruler Jupiter will not take anything less). Like Cancer, Pisces has duality which is much more heighten, although Pisces planets seek authenticity they also seek elusiveness and illusion. Pisces needs to feel that life has many secrets and trappings. They need to feel that life has not shown all its colors. Emotions in Pisces can become confusing because the symbolism for Pisces is two fishes in opposite directions, one fish seeks the physical and the other one seeks to transcend, all Pisces planets will have this playbook inherent in its operation. Emotions in Pisces can be extreme events because of the duality and polarity within the sign, the feelings come from deep within, that even Pisces natives have a hard time understanding. Emotions for Pisces are a very much submerged and/or unconscious affair. It’s an affair because Pisces is always courting between the conscious and the unconscious, between light and dark, between Earth and Heaven. Emotions are always dual in nature, and need time to come to the surface. These affections act similar to a fish’s swim bladder, Pisces emotions can never be rushed, they must rise to the surface slowly and with conscious effort to become aware. As one can’t work on issues unless the issue is brought out into the open, this is also true of Pisces. Pisces should not seek to hide emotions and substitute other things or people as a way to deal with feelings, they like the Salmon must always return home, to not runaway from their foundation, to always find a way to ground emotions and live in both the physical and spiritual World, planets in Pisces are built to live in both Worlds with balance.
Suicides
Suicide is a voluntary and intentional act that arises from inner or outer frustration, fear, or humiliation.
Core Astrological Factors for Suicide in a Natal Chart
Houses – 8th house (death), lagna (Ascendant – self and its intentions), 7th house; Secondary houses like 3rd house of courage; 4th/12th house of end of life
Planets – Sun (Self, ego, self esteem, atma bala / Will-Power), Moon (mind, emotional state / mood, thought); Afflictions from Saturn (Denial, Loss, Limitation etc), Mars (Anger), Rahu/Ketu(Karmic). Few consider the role of mercury as decision maker (suicide an erroneous judgment); Neptune as planet of escapism
Signs – Watery signs for their emotional overflow
The conjunction or aspect of benefic Jupiter, blissful Venus or a powerful 9th lord will help the native in overcoming suicidal tendencies.
Late MC Jain has relied on 4th house (end of life), Pisces (sign of self undoing) and Neptune along with Karmic Controlling planets and Rahu/Ketu for suicides.
Suicide is an undesirable way to die, for it is said the astral bodies of suicides hover around the Earth without peace until their time for resolution comes.
Principal astrological combinations for Suicidal tendencies (suicides or attempts)
- Weak and/or afflicted first/7th house (either by placement of fall planets and/or aspect of fall planets);
- Moon and Sun both luminaries under aspect of Mars and Saturn;
- Weak Lagna (Ascendant) lord in 11th house in Rahu / Ketu axis along with both luminaries afflicted by Saturn;
- Lords of first and 7th house in fall OR one of the lord in fall and other house under aspect of fall;
- Lord of 7th house and Sun in Fall and Sun afflicted by Saturn
Few research astrologers have observed Chiron as conj / square to Sun / Moon / Mars etc in natal charts of the people committing suicides.
When Sun, Moon and Mercury [soul, mind and thinking] are afflicted by nodes and Mars and Saturn are associated in a horoscope the, native finds it difficult to survive and commits suicide. If Nodes are not having any relation with any planets may cause psychological imbalances which may relate to suicidal tendencies. Lord of ascendant is weak as compared to lord of 8th house indicates low will power and weak logical mind. Moon is related with Saturn/8th house indicates mental imbalances causing suicidal tendencies. Native having ascendant’s signs as watery [Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces] and airy [Gemini, Libra, Aquarius] are more prone to suicidal tendencies as they are very emotional and sensitive compared to other elemental signs.
Depression and addiction take many forms in the astrological chart. A prominent Saturn can cause depression through a sense of one’s own failure. A strong Chiron can bring one’s inner wounds to the surface where emotional sensitivity is the central experience. Neptune can bring about a desire for escapism and a tendency to avoid the harsh realities of life. But underlying many forms of depression we find a weak Mars and a buildup of anger and rage that becomes turned against itself in helplessness.
Anger is associated with depression, and it is often the denied or unexpressed anger or aggression which correlates most closely in depression. In the astrological chart, anger and aggression correlate with the planet Mars. The placement of Mars in the birth chart reveals how comfortable the individual is with expressing their own needs and how they respond when those needs aren’t met. Infants demonstrate the purest expression of Mars: an infant is hungry, they cry to be fed. There are no filters when those needs are expressed but if the needs are not met, frustration is the result. Habitual frustration leads to anger, chronic anger leads to rage. This kind of anger and frustration can erupt into violence on an external level, or internally.
Mercury and Suicide Tendency
Vedic astrology suggests that moon controls thoughts in our mind and mercury controls our judgment. When this mercury(budha) is afflicted by other planets, it gives us wrong judgment and in few cases it provokes towards committing suicide.
Saturn controls and decides our longevity and if it is connected to 8th house, it very long lifespan. When saturn is weak, it either kills the person in early age or gives constant health issues.
Sun is the only planet which doesn’t provoke suicide or any depressive thought leading towards suicide.
Sun represents self-esteem, ego and superior nature and when it is strong, a person never lets himself fall into depression, even though moon might try to force him. Even if sun is weak a person lack the willingness to fight with situations and will compromise with his living conditions and in such cases, mercury takes control and provokes suicide tendency. Saturn decides if that person will actually die or not.
Mercury conjunction/affliction with other planets and mode of death in suicide cases:
Mercury with Rahu : Consuming poison, pesticides, injecting poisonous fluids, jumping off high buildings, suicide bombing etc.
Mercury with Moon : Drowning in wells, ponds, rivers, ocean etc water bodies.
Mercury with Ketu : Attempting suicide in holy places (believing that dying there will attain salvation), consuming chemicals like potassium cyanide, consuming excess dose of sleeping pills or drinking liquid mercury. This also causes schizophrenia.
Mercury with Saturn : Sleeping on railway track, rash driving and creating accidents, attempting suicides on roads, self stabbing, hanging with rope.
Mercury with Mars : Suicide by slitting wrist or throat, setting themselves on fire, self shooting with gun, giving self electric shocks.
Mercury with Venus : Attempting painless suicides like consuming drugs or poison before sleep, self accidents etc.
Mercury with Jupiter : Suicide by practicing yogic methods like pranayama, completely controlling respiration, attempting jeeva samadhi or by performing own cremation
If no planet is afflicting mercury and still if sun and moon are weak, mercury provokes depression and suicidal thoughts but will not give courage to actually attempt suicide.
In Krishnamurti Paddathi, if the sub lord of the 8th cusp is deposited in the star of a planet signifying Maraka or Bhadhaka houses and also the 8th house and well connected to Mars, one is prone to suicidal death, due to the inability to return the borrowed money, or limitless trading. If the lord of the 8th cusp sub is Mars and if he is lord of or connected to Lagna and the 8th house and be a significator to 8th very much, indicates unnatural death during the period of a planet who is the Bhadhakathipathi Note that the ‘Ayushkaraka’ planet Saturn should not be a significator to the 8th house also.
When saturn is also weak and during bad dasa related to 2,7,8,12 houses, such person will attempt suicide. If Rahu is powerful and yogakarak in chart, this suicide attempt will fail.
Collected
Anandamayee 