Tag Archives: healers
Recently I’ve stumbled across the book again I’ve been dying to read ever since my interest in classic astrology literature was sparked. It’s a book titled “Three books on life” (De Triplici Vita) by 15th century healer/ philosopher/ priest/ astrologer Marsilio Ficino. If you want to read the actual text, or at least the Kaske edition, there are only bits and pieces to be found on the internet. If you want to read the entire thing and you don’t know any Latin, it will be quite costly.
Ficino seems to be at odds with astrology at times, I’ve found an in depth article on this site. I myself found my answer to his rejection and acceptance of astrology in the following quote from “Three books on life”:
Someone… will say: Marsilio is a priest, isn’t he? Indeed he is. What business then do priests have with medicine or, again, with astrology? Another will say: What does a Christian have to do with magic or images? And someone else, unworthy of life, will begrudge life to the heavens. …Christ, the giver of life, who commanded his disciples to cure the sick in the whole world, will also enjoin priests to heal at least with herbs and stones, if they are unable to cure with words as those men did before. But if those things are not sufficient, he will command them to compound them with a seasonable breath of heaven and apply them to sick people. For with the same breath of heaven by which he incites animals everywhere, each to his own medicine, even so does he provide most abundantly for the life of all…. …Marsilio is not approving magic and images but recounting them in the course of an interpretation of Plotinus. And my writings make this quite clear, if they are read impartially. Nor do I affirm here a single word about profane magic which depends upon the worship of daemons, but I mention natural magic, which, by natural things, seeks to obtain the services of the celestials for the prosperous health of our bodies. This power, it seems, must be granted to minds which use it legitimately, as medicine and agriculture are justly granted, and all the more so as that activity which joins heavenly things to earthly is more perfect. From this workshop, the Magi, the first of all, adored the new-born Christ. Why then are you so dreadfully afraid of the name of Magus, a name pleasing to the Gospel, which signifies not an enchanter and a sorcerer, but a wise priest? For what does that Magus, the first adorer of Christ, profess? If you wish to hear: on the analogy of a farmer, he is a cultivator of the world. Nor does he on that account worship the world, just as a farmer does not worship the earth; but just as a farmer for the sake of human sustenance tempers his field to the air, so that wise man, that priest, for the sake of human welfare tempers the lower parts of the world to the upper parts… Lastly, there are two kinds of magic. The first is practiced by those who unite themselves to daemons by a specific religious rite, and, relying on their help, often contrive portents. This, however, was thoroughly rejected when the Prince of this World was cast out. But the other kind of magic is practiced by those who seasonably subject natural materials to natural causes to be formed in a wondrous way. Of this profession there are also two types: the first in inquisitive, the second, necessary. The former does indeed feign useless portents for ostentation… This type, however, must be avoided as vain and harmful to health. Nevertheless the necessary type which joins medicine with astrology must be kept.
Ficino argues that there is a place and use for astrology in medicine (the healing profession), which can peacefully coexist with the Christian religion in his opinion as a priest. He does this by explaining there are two types of practitioners of “magic” (as astrology is seen by the church) and only one has a right to exist.
It’s astoundingly beautiful material to read, though not something you attempt to plough through on a busy weeknight.
Cesar Millan & Daddy
Recently the new season of ”The Dog Whisper” has started on the Dutch National Geographic Channel. I always watch it on Friday evenings, even if there’s little spare time left for me these days. I love this man, Cesar Millan. I might not be a dog person, but I can watch this show forever. With a grin on my face I talk back to my television: “Cesar, what you’re saying right now must work on people as well!” He doesn’t always think so. “There’s a good side to every dog, they’re not people”.
It made me insanely curious about his birth chart. Where does Cesar’s gift and intuition come from? After scouring the internet for his birth information I had to come to the conclusion there is not a publicly known birth time. A shame, but there are still a couple of things that stand out by taking the noon chart of the 27th of August 1969.
Cesar has a very powerful stellium of 4 planets, including the Moon’s nodes. The part of the stellium that resides in Libra is opposite Chiron. Pluto/Mercury gives an intense way of communicating; people like that will not rest until they get to the bottom of an issue.
Birth chart Cesar Millan, 27th of august 1969, unknown birth time
I always have to think about his approach on insecure dogs: “You can’t stop now”, “You have to follow through”. Jupiter/Mercury is the epiphany of an educator, people like that have to spread their message. Uranus, who is the bridge in this stellium, creates an approach that is directed towards freedom and ways of expanding the horizon. Often these people are ahead of their time and not seldomly they are perceived as having an alternative approach / philosophy. The involvement of the healer Chiron is of course an exact match with an individual that deals with rehabilitation professionally.
The part of his stellium that’s in Libra is to be heard in many episodes: “A calm assertive pack leader makes for a balanced pack”. Above all Librans seek harmony and balance.
It must have been hard on Cesar to express his inborn knowledge that is more instinctual than intellectual in his younger years, specifically if that includes an unaspected Mars. That’s a lot of energy that has to come out! The presence of an unaspected Mars depends on the used orb and position of the Moon derived from the actual birth time.
As a closing statement I’d like to point out his Mercury in a critical degree (opposite the Aries point). At some point in their lives, people with this placement will catch public interest. It’s an indicator for fame. My own fascination with this charismatic man? It’s probably due to my own stellium in Libra and my Mars conjunct his Venus, despite the fact that I’m more of a cat person myself:)
