Astrological Medicine: Scientific vs. Pragmatic Truth

Working with a client’s astrological chart can provide valuable insight into their health—body, mind, emotions, and spirit. It helps us orient ourselves and determine the most effective therapeutic direction for healing.

Ultimately, healing is the goal of any tool, system, or approach we use. Whether we’re conducting an in-depth intake, performing a physical exam, assessing a client’s constitution, or making recommendations, the objective remains the same: understanding their condition and applying remedies that move a person toward health and well-being.

As modern herbalists, we have many tools at our disposal. The key is to find tools that resonate with us personally and professionally and provide reliable insights. Our tools and methods support us in identifying a person’s underlying imbalances and guide remedy selection in a way that leads to real, tangible healing. There are many paths to the top of the mountain, and it doesn’t matter which path we take so long as we get there. The goal of each path is the same: understanding the people we work with and supporting them to restore their health.

While many people are open to or at least curious about astrology, others are skeptical. Some don’t know that medical astrology even exists, while others reject it, claiming there’s no scientific proof that planetary bodies out in the solar system can influence human health here on Earth. This skepticism raises an important question: What constitutes proof?

What is Scientific Proof?

It is vital to define proof and truth: what does proof look like? What is truth? These are essential questions because we need to clarify the words we use to understand one another. 

Science is a method of inquiry, a way of testing initial hypotheses to arrive at a consensus on what is accurate, valid, and can be proven to be “true.” However, the scientific method can be misapplied. How does science help us uncover the truth? Unfortunately, some people treat science like a religion, believing on faith that it’s the only way to get to the truth and the only measure of reality. Often, this is because they don’t understand scientific methodology, which may be why they put science on a pedestal. 

The scientific method exists to provide boundaries and ground rules to standardize how research is conducted, but what happens when this method isn’t applied in a way that reveals the truth or when this method reveals a truth that is later overturned?

Scientific knowledge is constantly evolving. Many ideas accepted as truth a century ago have since been proven false or deemed only a small part of a greater truth. Likewise, concepts that seem nebulous or unfounded today may be validated in the future as our understanding deepens and discoveries are made.

Furthermore, science is not always applied objectively. Researchers may have biases, financial incentives, or career goals that influence their findings, leading to flaws and skewing research away from getting to the truth. Studies often begin with a predetermined agenda, shaping outcomes in ways that may not reflect reality.

The scientific approach often assumes something is true until proven false. Yet, astrology is frequently treated as false until proven true. This double standard limits our ability to explore the full spectrum of tools available to our human experience and healing.

Can Astrology Be Proven Scientifically?

A fundamental question remains: Can astrology be tested using the scientific method? Many aspects of human experience cannot be quantified in a laboratory setting. Just because science has not yet explained how planetary influences work doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It simply means we have not yet developed the tools to measure them.

Scientific studies require measurable, repeatable results. Yet, astrology works on a more complex, interconnected level that doesn’t easily lend itself to reductionist analysis. Science seeks to isolate variables, but the reality of astrology and healing is holistic and multifaceted.

This brings us to another important distinction: the difference between scientific proof and pragmatic truth.

What is Pragmatic Truth?

Results determine pragmatic truth. If something works repeatedly across cultures and generations, it holds validity —regardless of whether science can explain it.

Astrology has been used in medicine for thousands of years, guiding some of history’s greatest physicians, philosophers, mathematicians, and scholars. If it were ineffective, wouldn’t it have been discarded as a method long ago?

Medical astrology has persisted because it provides useful insights that make our application of medicine more effective. It helps us to determine what is out of balance in a person and how best to correct it, and it can be used to make other tools, such as herbalism, more effective. This is pragmatic truth—something that works in practice, whether or not it is scientifically validated.

If people demand scientific proof for astrology to validate the existence of these things, maybe we should be asking why when the real question is whether these tools work.

The Role of Medical Astrology in Practice

Since we’re speaking about astrological medicine and those who have relied on it for hundreds of years, we should specifically consider physicians. Physicians tend to be pretty pragmatic people. If they try a method that doesn’t work, they probably won’t continue with that method for long.

The history of medicine has had some dark periods, and at times, practices have been unethical and extreme. George Washington was killed by excess bloodletting for a case of bronchitis! Poorly prepared mercurial medicines poisoned many people. Eventually, patients demand better care, and physicians generally want to be associated with success.

If we look at the practice of medical astrology, it has been practiced for a millenia, both in Eastern and Western traditions, and it very likely wouldn’t still be in use if it didn’t yield helpful results. Why did many physicians incorporate it into their practices?

As herbalists, we can use astrology to better understand our clients and the remedies we work with. It helps us pinpoint underlying imbalances and refine our therapeutic approach. In my experience, it is a powerful tool for understanding both the physical and esoteric dimensions of healing.

I once attended a workshop with two esteemed teachers: Matthew Wood, an expert in herbal medicine, and Judith Hill, a master of medical astrology. They conducted an intake together on the same person. Matthew used physical assessment techniques—pulse and tongue diagnosis and questioning, while Judith examined the individual’s astrological chart. They arrived at nearly identical conclusions through completely different methods. This affirmed for me that multiple paths can lead to the same truth.

Although I integrate astrology into my work, I do not present it as a standalone service. Just as acupuncturists rely on pulse and tongue diagnosis without announcing it to clients, as herbalists, we can use astrology as an internal guide rather than a primary selling point.

I gather standard intake information, including birth date, time, and place, and use the chart on the backend to refine my understanding of the case. Clients are not necessarily aware that I am using this tool, nor do they need to be. What matters is the outcome—and the outcome is getting well. While it’s important not to be attached to outcomes, we all want our clients to get well, and it’s important to believe it’s possible.

Addressing Skepticism—What Really Matters

Some people will inevitably dismiss astrology as unscientific. For those individuals, I offer this perspective: the effectiveness of a system is not contingent on its scientific validation. Herbs have been used successfully for millennia, long before science identified their active constituents. The proof is in the results.

Astrology is just another tool to understand what’s going on with someone—what is making them ill? What is the diseased organ, system, or tissue of the body? How is that diseased organ system or tissue specifically afflicted? What is the corrective path? 

If you have a tendency to think we shouldn’t use tools that aren’t validated by scientific methodology, ask yourself, “How did people heal themselves before drugs were invented?”, which was not so long ago. Plants have been used effectively, cross-culturally, for thousands of years, so whether science can explain how herbs work doesn’t matter.

Of course, it’s exciting when science can point to a complex of flavonoids in turmeric called curcumin and tell us here’s what we’ve learned about it—it’s fascinating. But do we need that? No. Is it interesting? For sure. Does it lead to potentially novel uses of herbs? Absolutely. That’s where science has an exciting role in herbal medicine. 

Through scientific discoveries, we might find novel and interesting ways to apply specific remedies based on what science learns about a particular herb that might differ from what we previously knew. But I don’t think we need to rely on science to explain or prove how and why herbal medicine works. If you don’t feel well, take an herb and feel better. What more proof do you need? If something works, it works—whether or not we understand exactly why. 

The same applies to astrology. If it helps guide effective treatment, then it is a valid and valuable tool. Science may one day catch up and provide an explanation, but until then, the pragmatic truth remains: astrology has stood the test of time because it yields meaningful results in healing.

For those open to it, medical astrology offers an additional layer of insight that can enhance our understanding of health and deepen our connection to the rhythms of nature. It is complex and has a steep learning curve, so it won’t appeal to everyone. Whether we choose to use it or not, the ultimate goal is to help people heal. In the end, the goal of any healing practice—whether rooted in science or tradition—is to help people get well. If astrology is a tool that does that, then its value is self-evident.