Skyscript Astrology Forum

hello all,

I have been attempting to research and determine traditional/medieval based planetary rulerships and sign associations for newer derivitives and classifications of drugs (heroin,mood-enhancing pharmaceuticals,methampetimines,LSD,etc) and could use some help.

In a medicinal sense it would seem I would assign rulership based on the effects of the drugs or even their elemental makeup.

Though most have the same source but different usages in their derivitives, while some are more dangerous due to their restricted regulation.

I would appreciate any educated opinions...

for example, if the Moon rules poppies, does it rule opium?

thanks for your time...

In traditional herbal medicine, planetary virtues were extracted from plants that were said to have the virtues of those planets, either by using decoctions or extracts from the roots, leaves, seeds, etc ? so I don?t see why not. Since opium is made from poppy seed, I would say it passes on the lunar virtue, especially in its ability to sedate, relax, or allow hypnotic states. For the same reason the nicotine plant is governed by Mars and tobacco promotes the virtue of Mars in being a stimulant.

I found this comment at http://opioids.com/poppy.html

Poppy is one of the most important medicinal plants. Traditionally, the dry opium was considered an astringent, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic, and sedative. Poppy has been used against toothaches and coughs. The ability of opium from poppy to serve as an analgesic is well known. Opium and derivatives of opium are used in the pharmaceutical industry as narcotic analgesics, hypnotics, and sedatives. These compounds are also used as antidiarrheals, antispasmodics, and antitussives (14.1-35). Opium and the drugs derived from opium are addictive and can have toxicological effects.

Thanks for your reply Deb,

Deb wrote:In traditional herbal medicine, planetary virtues were extracted from plants that were said to have the virtues of those planets, either by using decoctions or extracts from the roots, leaves, seeds, etc ? so I don?t see why not. Since opium is made from poppy seed, I would say it passes on the lunar virtue, especially in its ability to sedate, relax, or allow hypnotic states. For the same reason the nicotine plant is governed by Mars and tobacco promotes the virtue of Mars in being a stimulant.

this is the way I have been making determinations as well, though it gets tricky with some things...for instance, I noticed Lilly lists poppy under the rulership of Saturn as well, as he does for Hemp.

In Al-Biruni's lists in the "Book of Instruction..." he gives rulership of Hemp to the Moon, while under his indications of Foods and Drugs...Saturn governs things "...that are narcotic and poisonous."
Under the Moon are those that are "...sometimes useful, sometimes detrimental, and are not in constant use."

Is it that rulership is indicated by use or intent?

Could it be that Saturn rules Cannabis Hemp when use for fibre (durability), and poppy when heroin is extracted (due to the extreme incapacitation of the effects, or even the slavery atmosphere of the addiction)?
Perhaps the Moon rules poppies in their natural state of opium milk and sedative tea. And Luna resides over the dried cannabis indica flowers and hashish produced naturally for theraputic reasons.

I would like to use this thread to compile a lists of medieval/traditional assignments of rulership for various natural and synthetic drugs and medicines based on different inputs. If anyone has sources or theories on rulership, please, do share.

For instance, LSD is produced from fungus that grows on rye-grain. Who rules rye?

would we all agree that methampetimines are a Martian drug?
if so what of MDMA ("ecstacy")? it is a amphetimine derivitive.

I would assume that Mars also rules Cactus, Agave? Tequilla? Peyote?

I give fungus like Psylocibin Mushrooms and Cubensis to the Moon, though I wonder of Coca, Mercury or Mars?


food for thought....

A couple more links for you.

The first links to a very good site ?Gardening by the Moon? http://www.decaelo.com/moongarden/index.htm - which includes Culpeper?s planetary rulerships of herbs. Generally, I?d say Culpeper was the better authority because of the depth to which he studied the subject.

The second lists rye as falling under the rulership of Saturn (according to Rex E Bills). I?m not sure of the source for this rulership, but I was guessing Saturn myself since it is similar to barley.

http://www.decaelo.com/moongarden/culpe ... #physitian
http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/sevengrains.htm

You will find some variation in the rulerships attributed because, like you suggest, different authors emphasised different effects. Saturn rules many herbs which are potentially poisonous or inimical to life, but I believe the overriding basis for the planetary associations given to the herbs is the effect they have upon the body. For example, many of Saturn?s herbs are astringent and cause contraction of tissues that reduces inflammation whereas Mars?s herbs would promote inflammation as a way to counteract infection by bacteria. It seems reasonable to take the same approach to the effects of drugs, though I suspect that most of them will have at least some Saturn or Mars connection, since an immoderate use can cause harm to the body. The herbs of Jupiter and Venus by comparison are relaxing and generally inoffensive - though I suppose there is an argument that wine is harmful too when taken in excess!

To quote myself from work produced elsewhere:

"Although there often appear to be wide differences in the planetary rulerships allocated to herbs and plants, it is important to remember that the rulerships could vary depending on what part of the plant was being considered and to the use it was being put. For example, roots were thought to influence the brain, stems the skeletal structure and flowers the lower belly and genitals. Obviously the system was far more complex than this. Therefore the differences may not be as wide as at first appears."

Seeming anomolies can disappear when you consider the part of a plant, rather than simply the plant itself.

Also -

"Agrippa explained how different things were associated with each planet. For example, a plant that bore fruit was related to Jupiter whereas its flowers related to Venus, seed or bark to Mercury, wood to Mars and leaves to the Moon. This means that a plant does not have a single planetary ruler but that the ruling planet is chosen according to the use to which it is being put. "

What we're often looking at is the simplification of a sysem. Prior to Lilly, many sources gave planetary combinations in rulership, rather than single planets. As in this from Agrippa -

"Wherefore, all that bring forth fruit, and not Flowers, are of Saturne and Jupiter, but they that bring forth Flowers, and Seed, and not fruit, are of Venus, and Mercury..."

To complicate matters further, if you're using a Galenic system then you're working in four degrees each of heat and moisture, providing a complexity of rulerships we've now lost.

Finally, Al Biruni admitted himself in his book on minerology, (yes, I read some strange stuff sometimes), that popular planetary rulerships were often at variance with rulerships used by astrologers. Which is presumably why he contrarily places copper under the rulership of Mars.

Kim