Jane Ridder-Patrick - A Handbook of Medical Astrology

This is a very important book. it provides both a comprehensive survey of the current state of Western astro-medicine and lays down valuable guidelines about how astrology can be used effectively in the healing arts. With her professional background as a practising pharmacist, medical herbalist and astrologer, Jane Ridder-Patrick brings an unparalleled level of experience and clear-sighted understanding of the ways in which astrology can be used as a practical diagnostic and therapeutic tool. She shows that astrology is a world view through which we may more readily attain to that ideal harmony between the forces of heaven and earth within us. Drawing on her broad knowledge of the worlds astro-medical practitioners and the literature of the field, Ridder- Patrick has produced a book that will prove an invaluable introduction to the area for layman and medical practitioner alike.

The great astrologer and philosopher John Addey declared, From being an outcast from the fraternity of sciences astrology seems destined to assume an almost central role in scientific thought. For this transformation of astrologys position in Western thought to come about, it will be necessary for science to arrive at an understanding of the real principles of astrology. But equally, and as important, this development will be dependent upon skilled practitioners showing how astrologys ancient and revolutionary principles can be usefully applied to their own fields of science and art.

Much pioneering work has already been done in the fruitful application of astrology to depth psychology by those such as Carter, Rudhyar, Greene, Arroya and Tarnas. Now in this work Ridder-Patrick, with her deep understanding of medical and astrological principles, opens the way to a new era of astro-diagnosis and astro-medicine. As the author says, There is a sense of renaissance in the air, and a willingness to learn, to co-operate and to exchange our often strikingly different views. What she is too modest to state is that if this is so, and if we are indeed approaching a time when, as Hippocrates is alleged to have said, A doctor without a knowledge of astrology will not rightly be able to call himself a physician, then it will be in no small measure to her own work as a tireless practitioner and correspondent with the whole astro-medical community. I would encourage all of you who are inspired by this book, and who would like to further the development of medical astrology, to spread the word and to join her in this vitally important work for the true healing of mankind and the world.

Frome, 1989