Astrologers tend to be a holistically inclined group, understanding that both subtle and powerful interweaving of energies infuse an individuals' life patterns. We are complex beings, more like a gigantic work in progress than a finished, packaged and catalogued piece.

It is natural for us to see multiple meanings in every symbol, and relationships between the bodies of our solar system and our physical bodies, thoughts, goals and activities. No wonder my most well attended classes and workshops are about introductory medical astrology.

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If the goal is to name a disease or condition by use of astrological relationships, that implies alignment with the simplicity of focus and specificity of the Western medical model. This requires a great familiarity with signs and symptoms akin to a long-term "hobby," vocation, or perhaps career involvement in a Western medical field. As a non-medical person, I focus on the concepts behind the symbols and relate them to the most basic understandings of how our bodies function, attempting to blend several divergent philosophies into holistic groups.

It is not necessary to name a condition or disease to effectively select modalities or activities to alter the stasis of that condition. Understanding of energy patterns would be more helpful than knowing the name of a condition, which changes anyway, in various medical systems.

In Western medical tradition, naming a condition does not imply the treatment or even the direction of treatment. This is not so in some Asian medical styles, but they are much older and based on restoring balance. Analysis of cause or influence is something we astrologers are very familiar with; as we are always looking for astrological sources to describe possible influencing factors. Knowing the source of the problem is subjective to one's perspective.

The medical or healing traditions of non-Western cultures do not name singular diseases but describe patterns of being or conditional states of disharmony or harmony. As holistic astrologers we are very likely to be aware of individuals

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trained in medical models encompassing a wide range of awareness, such as chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, nutritional consultants, and acupuncturists. This may include both Western simplicity of focus, and the understanding of many contributing factors pointing to possible activities and attitudes encouraging individual optimal health.

It is possible to consider a chiropractor who looks only for subluxations or misalignment of bones, muscle tightness or flaccid conditions, as a rigid example of modern Western medicine. A chiropractor who additionally uses energy manipulation, such as polarity therapy, flower essences, muscle testing, is by inference considering illness to be affected on many levels, including the etheric.

Without assuming a total exclusion of recent traditional Western models, an astrological focus may include emotional, spiritual, metaphysical, and genetic predisposition to certain physical or mental states.

Astrological indicators can include the planets, their placement by sign and house and aspect relationship to one another and to the angles; several asteroids, Uranian planets, fixed stars, and some Arabic parts.