‘Zodiacal Man’, Nerve Channels, Dermatomes, and Meridians

November 2021

Copyright © by Judith, 2021

It is tempting for those familiar with dermatomes, acupuncture meridians, and/or spinal nerves to switch around Zodiacal Man’s two thousand year traditional sign rulerships to suit other medical systems. This would be similar to waltzing into the arena of the venerable Traditional Chinese Medicine and, without empirical experience, deciding to switch around the acupuncture meridians to serve Zodiacal Man (or Woman)! We wouldn’t think of doing this.

This article explains why all systems can happily coexist within the framework of “Homo Signorus” without deciding, for instance, that “Sagittarius rules the hips”, instead of the thighs, because of a dermatome!

Students rightfully note how the spinal nerves or meridians arising from one zodiacal zone, may, in fact, enervate body parts or organs “ruled” by other sign zones, some far distant. For instance, a cranial nerve situated within the brain stem falls within Zodiacal Man’s ‘Zone 2’: “Taurus”. Taurus governs the lower jaw, ears, and neck. However, this nerve innervates the distant colon, located in opposite sign Scorpio: Zone 8.

The neophyte might well conclude that this cranial nerve is therefore governed by Scorpio, instead of Taurus! This approach assumes that the destination should rule, instead of the origination. This approach misunderstands the ancient system, and how it works. We must comprehend that the body’s twelve Zodiacal Zones are twelve fixed loci of a specific type of cosmic energy associated with each season.

It’s therefore essential to clarify how Zodiacal sign zones work. Let’s walk through the steps of how “rulership” by sign works in the context of Zodiacal Man.

1. Zodiacal Man, or Homo Signorus is the concept of the human frame sliced horizontally, as a loaf a bread, through twelve zones, reflective of the twelve fold cycle on the ecliptic circle-cycle. Each of the twelve zodiac signs is allotted one zone. Homo Signorus is a foundational concept to astrological medicine.

2. What does zodiac sign “rulership” imply (in medical astrology)?: Zodiac zone “rulership” implies a seat, or locus of reception for the specific cosmic energy of each zodiac sign, or any planets passing through it, or aspecting same. This locus is linked to a defined region of the body, thus “Taurus” is the neck. (I’ve introduced the term “Zone 2” as a ready way to more easily understand this locus).

3. How do zodiac signs share physical influence with planets?: Vessels, bones, muscles and nerves do certainly have overarching sign and planet influences, functioning within Homo Signorus. (E.g., Mercury rules “nerves”; Mars, “muscles; and the bones are under “Saturn”, etc.) Planet-based function and rulership is distinct from the concept of Zodiacal Man, but works beautifully within it.

   Many students wonder how is it that a sign and a planet can both rule the same organ. Well, why not? A house can have two owners, or a government two parties. We will explain further below (4).

   All vessels, muscles, flesh, nerves, and bones in each body zone are strongly “ruled”, by that zodiac sign zone ( i.e. influenced by both natal and transiting planets quincunx, or in hard aspect to this zone (sign); and/or to planets tenanting that zone). However, our organs and physiological functions are shared with planetary rule. Thus, a sign rules a general region, and everything in it, whereas the planets govern each specific organs and, as with signs, general functions throughout the body. Let’s explore this fact more deeply.

4. Signs govern zones. Signs and planets co-govern physiological functions, and some glands and organs.

   Here is an example. Let’s comprehend this puzzle of sign/planet co-governance! 

   Gemini governs Zone 3 (upper lungs, bronchial tubes, shoulders, hands, arms, fingers).

   Gemini and its ruling planet Mercury co-govern peripheral and afferent nerves in general, and also, the capillaries, in general (throughout all twelve zones). Rather than “rulership”, envision the seat of Gemini as residing Zone 3.

   To reiterate, zodiac signs not only rule one of twelve body “zones” as described in (1), but also pertain to distinct physiological functions. This concept is related to, but different from zodiacal zones, per se.

   Here is a second example: Scorpio, and its ruler Mars, together govern excretion. Scorpio also rules distinctive excretory organs (colon, bladder, etc.), but also the perspiratory function throughout the body, regardless of zone. Mars also governs excretion, and further shares with his sign Scorpio, certain organs within Zone 8.

   And, only rarely, do we see an organ ‘rulership’ far afield from a sign’s home zone. Our prime example is the nose, traditionally placed under Scorpio’s auspices, instead of Taurus (Zone 2). However, Taurus is Scorpio’s opposite sign, so this zone anomaly is explained by what astrologers know as ‘reflex’. Nose accidents can astrologically present under transits either Scorpio or Taurus. The ancients discovered this nasal anomaly, which bears out reliably in practice.

5. Zodiac sign zones are also strongly influenced by transits to that zone (will be discussed later).

6. Origin points of nerves within a zone are still “ruled” by their origin zone, e.g. cranial nerves are generally under Aries and Taurus (head general, and lower head). And, drifting dermatomes are still beholden to their zodiac zone.

7. Destination points and body parts controlled by these often distant nerve origins are now not “ruled” by that nerve origination zone. The destination point is now governed by the zone (sign) it resides in, and/or the sign that rules its specific function. Zodiac zone rulership is not a drifting matter!

   In practice, when problems arise in the destination zone, one might very well observe an accent in both the nerve or meridian origin and destination zones, tied together through a close aspect or quincunx (quincunx means a dis-connect, or non-aspect). Or one might see an accent exclusive to the locale of the problem (in this case, our destination zone). In practice, The zodiacal sign of the experienced medical issue is the sign emphasized in the natal and transit. Why? Because the discomfort exists in the seat of received energy for that specific sign (zone).

   The same rule adheres for injuries. The zodiac sign of the injury site is astrologically emphasized, rather than extended nerve channels (see Example: paralysis, below).

8. Origin and Destination zones are connected by aspects, often quincunxes! One often witnesses planets existing at both nerve origination and destination zones (signs). They remain influenced by their zones. Quincunxes indicate a remote causation.

EXAMPLE: Paralysis

You have a case of paralysis due to a spinal injury at the neck. This occurs at age 23.  First, the subject’s natal chart will typically show a propensity for neck issues. This can be shown by an afflicted planet in Taurus (Zone 2),  lunar nodes in Taurus-Scorpio; or afflictions by malefics to Taurus. This later would occur if say, both natal Saturn and Mars were in hard aspect, and/or, quincunx to the sign Taurus. Also, Taurus on the natal chart’s 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 12th houses enhances the tendency. However, all houses are candidates!

One might also see a natal emphasis in signs associated with paralysis. Gemini, Sagittarius are most prominent in all manner of paralysis and palsy, followed by Aquarius, then Leo. The signs involved in each independent case may depend on the bodily location of the paralysis.

How do vessels, nerves, etc. fit into Zodiacal Zones? A zodiac zone of the body is a locus or seat of the seasonal energy of that sign. Within that zone, we see many sub-rulerships. Taurus rules the neck. Natal and transiting planets through Taurus influence the neck. Within the neck we have nerves, These will “live” under the auspices of the neck, Taurus, but be also ruled by Mercury. The neck has vessels - veins and arteries. These will reside under the general rule of Taurus, and be influenced by the transits of planets moving through this sign. However, veins share influence from Venus and Aquarius, and arteries with Jupiter and Sagittarius. The medical astrologer confronted with a complaint of the jugular vein, examines Taurus, Venus, and Aquarius!

This is a kingdom with a Queen (Taurus), and her many lords and ladies living within her court (the neck) My metaphorical lords and ladies are the planetary and sign sub-rulerships and shared rulerships existing within Taurus (or any other zone). This system is no more or less complex than other traditional systems.

Transits, Progressions and Body Zones: On the date of the above example incident, transits will typically afflict Taurus (injury to neck, Zone 2 of Zodiacal Man). Planets may afflict other body zones too, but this never displaces Taurus’ rulership of the neck, regardless of the influences extended from the plexuses located in the spinal stem.

One student said he could not believe this because the brachial plexus, located in the neck, serves the arms, and thus, must rule them. This led him to conclude that the neck must be ruled by Gemini, instead of Taurus! It was difficult for him to grasp that although the nerve origins of the brachial plexus. located in Taurus’ Zone 2, do not “rule” Gemini’s Zone 3, (the arms and hands), even though they do enervate them. However, this enervative influence does not disturb the classical zodiacal zones! Still, he would not believe.

I said, “OK, let’s test this”, and spuriously pulled up the chart of Superman actor Chris Reeves, who became a quadriplegic after falling from his horse. I’ve not previously worked with this chart Reeve’s chart offers us a near-perfect example.

Natally, Reeves displays a Ptolemaic singleton Jupiter in Taurus, retrograde, dominating his natal chart’s upper horizon, and situated within five degrees of the fixed star “Algol”, long associated with all manner of death by neck injury. Jupiter is in the bends (an intensely stressful condition for any planet), and situated only four degrees from the malefic Mars-Saturn midpoint.  Jupiter is the apex of a quintessentially difficult “Yod” aspect, between both malefics, Mars and Saturn. Throw Neptune into the Yod formation. Pluto also squares Jupiter. This is what I netted in a five-minute observation.

Reeve’s Jupiter is indeed under severe affliction. This one case, selected randomly, bears out our point.

The zodiacal zone of the injury site will hold true, even if the result of the injury, (in this case, paralysis), is experienced elsewhere. This does not mean the experience won’t likewise be indicated. Let’s summarize Jupiter’s natal troubles in Reeve’s chart.

• Jupiter is quincunxed by Mars in Sagittarius within 2 degrees. Sagittarius rules horses.

• Jupiter is exactly quincunx Neptune in Libra.

• Jupiter is is quincunx Saturn in Libra by 4 degrees.

• (The above shows retrograde Jupiter in the apex of a Yod created by both malefics (see below).

• Jupiter is located three-four degrees off the precise Mars-Saturn midpoint (malefics combined).

• Jupiter is almost exactly in “the bends”, i.e. square the two Lunar Nodes.

• Jupiter is located at 20 Taurus, within one degree of Mars’ North Node (an extremely heightened degree for Mars).

• Jupiter is squared by Pluto.

• On the day of the injury, the Moon and the South Node joined in Taurus. I’ve not yet had time to study the transits, transit midpoints, and progressions for this date, but I am sure they will prove provocative.

Summary

In traditional medical astrology, acupuncture meridians, dermatomes, and spinal nerve ganglia situated in a specific zodiacal zone do not “rule” the zodiacal zones that extend to, influence, and/or enervate them. The classical concept of zodiacal zone “rulership” implies a “seat” of energy, receiving cosmic rays adhering to the province of a zodiacal sign. This bears out empirically.

To change zodiacal zone rulerships to suit these other systems, disorders the entire medical system, is inaccurate in practice, and wholly unnecessary. Before doing so, study with real cases at hand, with natal charts and transits for several years, and see what you discover.

Traditional medical astrology is as authentic and venerable a medical system as any, and deserves the same respect and cautions provided other traditional medical systems.