Medicine, Heaven, and the Rhythms of Creation: Reflections on Natural Astrology
For most of history, the study of the stars was not a mystical art but a science. Physicians who cared for their patients and studied anatomy also charted the movements of the moon and planets. For a medieval physician, heaven and body were woven together in the great pattern of divine design. Understanding this pattern is seen as an act of reverence for the Creator, not as a disdain for Him.
Doctor as Astrologer
In the great universities of the Middle Ages—Paris, Bologna, Oxford—medical students studied astronomy and astrology. Astronomy means the measurement and geometry of the sky: how the moon moves, how eclipses occur, and how calendars are calculated. Astrology means understanding how these celestial rhythms affect life on Earth—weather, crops, tides, and the human body.
It is believed that the body itself reflects the universe. Medieval manuscripts often show the “Zodiac Man,” a figure drawn from head to toe with the twelve constellations: Aries for the head, Taurus for the neck, Leo for the heart, and Pisces for the feet.
The moon’s monthly journey through these signs guides doctors in determining the timing of treatment. They believe that when the moon passes through a sign that rules a specific part of the body, that area becomes more “sensitive,” so it’s best to avoid surgery or bloodletting.
To them, it’s not superstition but science—an attempt to work with the rhythms of nature rather than against it. Their calendars of moon phases and zodiac signs were tools of health, much like stethoscopes are today.
The zodiac sign combines with the phlebotomist to show when and where blood should be shed. From John Foxton’s Cosmology, 1408.
The Moon and the Natural Order
The moon, in particular, occupies a special place in medicine. Its aspects are believed to affect the bodily fluids like the tides. Doctors used the lunar calendar to record key days of illness and recovery. Even Christian scholars like Thomas Aquinas acknowledged that the sky could influence natural things—the weather, the seasons, even the temperament of the body—while insisting that the stars had no control over the human soul or will.
In this way, medieval “astrology” was no longer fortune-telling but a form of natural philosophy—the study of the created order under God.
Faith, Science and Symbolism
As someone who has recently returned to Catholicism, I find this historical perspective deeply moving. It reminds us that faith and science have never been enemies. Medieval physicians looked at the stars and saw not a power to frighten, but the language of God revealing His order and harmony.
My own interest in the moon and the zodiac followed the same path—not divination, but contemplation. I no longer write “forecasts” or forecasts. Instead, I use the cycles of the moon as an opportunity to reflect on health, rhythm, and balance. Full and new moons are natural markers of time: moments to pause, breathe, and notice how creation itself moves through cycles of light and rest.
Looking ahead: The moon is the teacher of balance
For the 2026 Moon Report, I will focus on what I call natural astrology—observing the relationship between the sky and the natural world rather than giving them the power to dictate destiny. Each full moon will be a reflection of the pace of life: when to slow down, when to act, when to rest, and when to create.
I will also share the history behind how ancient and medieval healers used lunar timekeeping—not as medical advice, but as an insight into how people once tried to live in harmony with the natural world. My hope is to connect science, spirituality and history: to show how moonlight guides consciousness rather than predicts it.
Psalm 19 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament declares the work of his hands.” This verse captures the essence of the work. The moon and stars are not omens, but reflections of the natural rhythms of life and our bodies’ deep connection to the elements. They remind us that even as we move towards the sacred, we are also part of the wonders of the natural world.
