How Natal Planets at Critical Degrees Can Impact Your Health in Astrology
Being healthy can be quite the chore,and no matter how healthy we are in general, we all likely have at least one little thing that plagues us (pun intended!). Since astrology can be used for everything, it can also be used for this, and by analyzing your natal chart, aka your birth chart, you can see indicators for various health challenges you may experience in your life.
One of the ways you can see a potential health issue in your natal chart is if you have any natal planets located at a critical degree. The critical degrees contain, as you guessed it, critical energy, and this can play out healthwise with whatever health stuff the critical planet rules. Each planet rules a different part of the body, and that can be where the health issues are found.
These might be health issues you already have or have had, and they can be lifelong. They can also come sporadically, when triggered by transits, or they might indicate one big health issue that comes up at one point in your life, like a major illness that you combat for some time before getting through.
You can also have temporary health issues thanks to a progressed planet coming to a critical degree. The progressed chart adds one day to your date of birth for every year you've been alive, so your current age, and this creates a new chart. It reflects your maturation and growth, and can be used for prediction like this. But the progressed planets keep moving, so it doesn't stay at a critical degree, hence this being temporary.
Let's Get Technical: What Are the Critical Degrees?
There are thirty degrees in every Zodiac sign, and 360 degrees in the entire Zodiac wheel. Every 13 degrees or so is a critical degree. This connects with the Lunar Mansions. There are many different schools of astrology for the Lunar Mansions, but the one we mostly use in the West is Arabic.
The Lunar Mansions are a timekeeping device, and follow the movement of the Moon through the Zodiac. The average daily motion for the Moon is 12 degrees, 51 minutes, 26 seconds (which we round up to 13 degrees), and every point is the start of one of the Lunar Mansions, and the start of every Lunar Mansion is a critical degree.
So, the critical degree placements are:
0, 13, and 26 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn)
8-9 and 21-22 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius)
4 and 17 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces)
So, what does each planet rule healthwise that could experience issues if at a critical degree?
Parts of the Body Ruled by Each Planet:
The Sun: Having the Sun at a critical degree can indicate overall health issues thanks to the Sun ruling your body in general. Health issues could come up that impact your entire body as a whole. Also look to the planet that naturally rules the Zodiac sign your Sun is in. The Sun does rule your heart, so there can be issues with high or low blood pressure, heart disease, or irregular heartbeat, so pay special attention to your heart. The Sun also rules your back, so watch for back issues.
The Moon: Having the Moon at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your stomach, pancreas, or chest. There can be digestive problems, or with the pancreas creating insulin, things like diabetes or blood sugar problems. The chest can be issues with your breasts since the Sun rules the heart and Mercury rules the lungs.
Mercury: Having Mercury at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your lungs, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, and digestion. Allergies and asthma can be an issue. You may need to watch for carpal tunnel syndrome or trigger fingers, and can have digestive issues, especially from stress. Mercury rules stress, so there can be stress-related illness. Mercury also rules communication, so watch for health issues that impact your ability to communicate.
Venus: Having Venus at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your neck, throat, thyroid, kidneys, or lower back. There can be issues with your vocal cords or that impact your ability to talk. There can be thyroid issues or kidney issues, so this can also link to diabetes, like the Moon. If both the Moon and Venus are critical, definitely watch your blood sugar like a hawk. Your lower back may have issues, especially with constant strain. It's also possible that Ceres could rule the neck and throat, so a critical Ceres could indicate that as well.
Mars: Having Mars at a critical degree can indicate health issues with the head. This can mean headaches and migraines, dizziness, poor eyesight, eye problems, mouth problems, or scalp problems. Mars rules oily skin, so there can be acne. With Mars being heat, there can be issues with fevers. Mars rules accidents and injuries as well, so you may be injury-prone. Mars rules testosterone, so there can be challenges keeping it steady.
Jupiter: Having Jupiter at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your liver, hips, or upper legs. You can have sensitive hips prone to dislocation, or may need hip surgery at some point. Liver problems can arise, especially from drinking. Jupiter rules expansion, so don't overdo it with anything, otherwise this can lead to problems. There can be issues with the thighs like cramping, strain, muscle tears, or stiffness.
Saturn: Having Saturn at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your skin, joints, teeth, bones, knees, or gallbladder. Saturn is dry skin issues, so think eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis. Joints can be creaky, there can be torn ligaments and tendons, or not enough cartilage. Teeth can be prone to cavities and other issues, especially if not taken care of properly. Bones can be brittle and broken easily. Knees can be a challenge. There can be gallbladder stones. Saturn is the late bloomer, so you may become healthier as you get older and struggle when young. Saturn also wants responsibility, so you can have major health issues when you're not properly taking care of yourself.
Uranus: Having Uranus at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your lower legs or ankles. You can get lots of cramps in your lower legs, have circulation issues, and spider veins or varicose veins. Your calves can tighten and be prone to soreness. Your ankles can be sensitive and prone to sprains. With Uranus being the unexpected planet, health issues can also come up unexpectedly, or in unusual ways.
Neptune: Having Neptune at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your lymphatic system and feet. You may get bunions or corns, or have arch issues. You can be sensitive to all medicine and drugs, have sensitivities or outright allergies to them, and need to watch for toxins. You're likely super sensitive to anything in the air, water, soil, food, etc. and need to be careful with what you eat, drink, and generally put in your body. Since Neptune is the foggy planet, you may find that it's hard to get a proper diagnosis quickly for ailments, you're prone to getting misdiagnosed, or you get illnesses that have no treatment.
Pluto: Having Pluto at a critical degree can indicate health issues with your reproductive system or system of elimination. There can be issues with fertility, hormonal imbalances, PMS/PMDD, and things like PCOS, endometriosis, etc. Your rectum, colon, and bladder can all be quite sensitive, and you may be prone to fissures, infections, hemorrhoids, and things like constipation, diarrhea, and other digestive problems.
Recap:
the critical degrees have critical energy that can bring challenges
based on the critical natal planet, this can indicate health issues throughout your life
this can temporarily arise with progressed planets
