Leukemia

through the lens of Astrology

Leukemia is one of the most dreaded diseases that human beings are faced with. Leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow that is characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells. Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases.

Leukemia is clinically and pathologically subdivided into a variety of large groups. The first division is between its acute and chronic forms:

§                     Acute leukemia is characterized by the rapid increase of immature blood cells. This crowding makes the bone marrow unable to produce healthy blood cells. Immediate treatment is required in acute leukemia due to the rapid progression and accumulation of the malignant cells, which then spill over into the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body. Acute forms of leukemia are the most common forms of leukemia in children.

§                     Chronic leukemia is characterized by the excessive build up of relatively mature, but still abnormal, white blood cells. Typically taking months or years to progress, the cells are produced at a much higher rate than normal cells, resulting in many abnormal white blood cells in the blood. Whereas acute leukemia must be treated immediately, chronic forms are sometimes monitored for some time before treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness of therapy. Chronic leukemia mostly occurs in older people, but can theoretically occur in any age group.

It appears that the only difference between the two types is the speed at which the disease progresses. The basic problem still is excessive production of white blood cells in the bone marrow that are not mature enough to do their job.

There are many subtypes as described by medical researchers. But, a broad understanding may be sufficient for astrological purposes. One may refer to Wikipedia for more details on the subject.

Viewing Leukemia through the Astrological lens

There are certain biological factors that can be quickly mapped on to astrological factors here. The karaka for bone marrow is Mars. Though bone marrow is a dhatu and is spread throughout the body, there are specific houses in the chart that are karaka for bone marrow. These are third and sixth houses in the chart. Note that the karaka for these two houses is Mars. The cause of malignity can be attributed to Rahu and Saturn. And, rapid increase or multiplicity can be attributed to karaka Jupiter and the lord of 11 house signifying multiplicity. Jupiter generally believed to bring the blessings. Hence, to promote the disease, it may be necessary for Jupiter to be a functional malefic or afflicted by other malefics in the given chart.

Further, looking at things logically, the maligning factors combined with multiplying factors together should afflict the entities representing bone marrow for making the native susceptible to leukemia. And, one should look at the unfolding dasha bhuktis, which are specific to the native to decide whether the native would actually suffer from Leukemia or not in spite of being susceptible to it. In addition, it may be necessary for lagna/lagna lord to be afflicted for the native to succumb to the disease at a young age.

While checking different horoscopes of people who have suffered from Leukemia, it was observed that it is not necessary for all the three entities representing bone marrow – Mars, 3^rd house/lord and 6^th house/lord to be jointly afflicted by Rahu/Saturn and Jupiter/11^th lord. It may be sufficient if two of the three entities representing bone marrow are afflicted for the disease to show up. If all the three are afflicted, it might be a sure-shot case. When Mars is stronger, it can somewhat fight the onslaught of this affliction. But, if Mars itself is inherently weak or afflicted in the chart, it will not be able to protect the bone marrow from the attack. The same applies to lords of 3^rd house and 6^th house, who also represent bone marrow.

For astrological purposes, different types of leukemia are not looked into, which would demand a deeper research. Following are some of the examples to show the above discussed pattern can be clearly seen in the charts o of people who have died as a result of suffering from Leukemia.

Examples

Name	Butcher, Susan Gender: F
born on	26 December 1954 at 19:20 (= 7:20 PM )
Place	Boston MA, USA, 42n22, 71w04
Timezone	EST h5w (is standard time)
Data source	Quoted BC/BR Rodden Rating AA

Susan Butcher was an American dog sled racer, a four-time winner of the Iditarod Alaskan Dog Race, a gruelling competitive event. Butcher suffered with a rare blood disorder labelled polycythemia vera (bone marrow producing too many red blood cells). One report said that she had suffered from the disease for at least three years prior to her diagnosis on December 2, 2005 of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). On May 16, 2006, she underwent a bone marrow transplant but her body did not accept the cells, and, on June 28 she was hospitalized with graft-versus-host disease. A month later, on July 25, the leukemia recurred and Butcher succumbed to its ravages. She died at 3:25 PM on August 5, 2006 in a Seattle hospital, age 51.

Leukemia related analysis:

• Mars:
• Though yogakaraka, occupies a dusthana
• Is 64^th Navamsha lord from Moon
• Attains strength as it is in samagama with Moon
• Jupiter:
• Retrograde, and hence loses dignity
• Owns 6H which is its Moola Trikona
• Disposits  Rahu, maraka Sun and 22^nd Drekkana lord Mercury
• Occupies the nakshatra of 7^th & 8^th lord Saturn
• Rahu/Saturn-Jupiter/11L combined effect
• On 6^th House / Lord
• Rahu occupies 6H which owned by Jupiter
• On 3^rd House / Lord
• Mercury is the 3^rd house lord who is conjunct with Rahu in a sign that is owned by Jupiter, in the 6^th house called rogasthana
• Mercury is also aspected by Saturn who is closely conjunct 11^th lord Venus
• On Mars
• Mars is disposited by Rahu in Rasi and in constellation by Jupiter
• Afflictions to Lagna/Lagna Lord
• Lagna is occupied by retrograde 6L, 64^th Navamsha lord from lagna - Jupiter
• LL Moon is on Papakartari
• Lagna is aspected by 7L & 8L Saturn
• Timing:
• Diagnosed during the period of Jupiter (6L – disease) - Moon (Lagna Lord - Body)
• Jupiter is strongly influenced by many marakas
• Death was also during the same period

Name	Travers, Mary Allin Gender: F
born on	9 November 1936 at 08:13 (= 08:13 AM )
Place	Louisville KY, USA, 38n15, 85w46
Timezone	CST h6w (is standard time)
Data source	Quoted BC/BR Rodden Rating AA

Mary Traverse was an American singer who teamed up with Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey in 1961 as the singing group "Peter, Paul and Mary." On December 7, 2004, the singer’s publicist announced that Travers is suffering from a form of leukemia and is undergoing chemotherapy. She expects to be in remission in three months and to tour with her group Peter, Paul and Mary in February 2005. She died in Danbury, CT on September 16, 2009 of complications from a bone-marrow transplant and other treatment that she had received for leukemia.

Leukemia related analysis:

• Mars:
• 6^th lord, that house being its Moola Trikona
• Occupies 11^th house, a trishadya house
• Gain strength as it is in Samagama with Moon, also aspects its own house (6^th)
• Jupiter:
• In Moola Trikona sign but in Rahu-Ketu axis
• Aspected by 6^th lord Mars
• Occupies the nakshatra of Ketu
• Rahu/Saturn-Jupiter/11L combined effect
• On 6^th House / Lord
• Jupiter (conjunct Rahu) aspects 6^th house
• Strengthened by owners aspect
• On 3^rd House / Lord
• Rahu conjunct Jupiter has a trailing effect on the house it has left
• On Mars
• Jupiter, Rahu and Saturn are in the amsha of Mars
• Mars occupies 11^th house in Rasi
• Afflictions to Lagna/Lagna Lord
• Lagna is in Papakartari
• Lagna lord is also the 6^th lord
• Venus, who is the 64^th Navamsha lord and 22^nd drekkana lord, a maraka and a dusthana lord occupies lagna
• Timing:
• Diagnosed for leukemia during the period of Sat-Jup-Rah

In this case, the problems cropped up only during old age as Mars gains strength by virtue of being in samagama with Moon also aspects its own house (6^th).

Name	Agnew, Spiro Gender: M
born on	9 November 1918 at 09:00 (= 09:00 AM )
Place	Forest Hill MD, USA, 39n35, 76w23
Timezone	EST h5w (is standard time)
Data source	Quoted BC/BR Rodden Rating AA

Spiro was an American lawyer and politician, the Governor of Maryland 1967-69 and Vice-president under Nixon, 1969. He was forced to resign in October 1973 for financial misconduct, income tax evasion and allegedly accepting bribes, the first vice president in American history to resign in disgrace. He pleaded No Contest and withdrew from political life to work as a business executive. 

Spiro Agnew died of acute leukemia that was undiagnosed until his death. He died of leukemia September 17, 1996.

 

Leukemia related analysis:

• Mars:
• 6^th lord, that house being its Moola Trikona
• Jupiter:
• Retrograde
• 64^th Navmasha lord
• Occupies 22^nd Drekkana
• Rahu/Saturn-Jupiter/11L combined effect
• On 6^th House / Lord
• 6^th Lord Mars is afflicted by both Rahu and Jupiter
• Strengthened by owners aspect
• On 3^rd House / Lord
• Free from affliction
• On Mars
• Afflicted by both Rahu and Jupiter
• Afflictions to Lagna/Lagna Lord
• Rahu in Lagna
• Lagna lord is also the 6^th lord
• Timing:
• Though died of Leukemia during Mer-Mer and as disease was not diagnosed till death, it may be assumed that the disease might have got triggered during Sat-Jup period.

In this case, the problems cropped up only during old age as 3^rd house and 3^rd lord Saturn are free from afflictions.

Name	My Relative Gender: M
born on	13 May 1965 at 02:40 (= 02:40 AM )
Place	Bangalore, India
Timezone	IST h5:30e (is standard time)
Data source	Horoscope written at birth

This person succumbed to Leukemia at a young age of 33 years. He developed sudden fever and was initially treated for viral infection. And, when the fever did not subside, he underwent some blood tests and during which it was diagnosed that he has Leukemia. After this he hardly survived for about 3-4 months. Based on memory, he was diagnosed of Leukemia during Feb/March 1998 and passed away early June 1998.

Leukemia related analysis:

• Mars:
• Occupies 6^th house of Rogasthana
• Has Parivartana with 6^th lord Sun
• Jupiter:
• Conjunct Rahu
• Disposits Mandi
• Conjunct 8^th lord Venus (who is also 22^nd drekkana lord)
• 64^th Navamsha lord
• Rahu/Saturn-Jupiter/11L combined effect
• On 6^th House / Lord
• 6^th lord Sun is aspected by 11^th lord Saturn from the sign owned by Saturn/Rahu
• 6^th house also gets the above aspect
• On 3^rd House / Lord
• Third lord Venus is conjunct Rahu and Jupiter
• Third house has Rahu and Jupiter
• On Mars
• Mars is aspected by 11^th lord Saturn from the sign owned by Saturn/Rahu
• Afflictions to Lagna/Lagna Lord
• Lagna has Mandi
• Lagna lord is in Rahu/Ketu axis
• Lagna lord with 8^th Lord and 22^nd drekkana lord Venus
• Timing:
• The disease was diagnosed during Rah-Mars period
• Death came during Jup-Sat period

It may be noted that all the three karakas of bone marrow are afflicted which caused the native to catch the disease at very young age and succumb to it eventually.

Name	Jordan, Barbara Gender: F
Birthname	Jordan, Barbara Charline
born on	21 February 1936 at 14:30 (= 2:30 PM )
Place	Houston TX, USA, 29n45, 95w21
Timezone	CST h6w (is standard time)
Data source	Quoted BC/BR Rodden Rating AA

Barbara Jordan was an American attorney, politician and educator featured on Time magazine cover as one of 12 Women of the Year 1/05/1976. She was one of the only two blacks and six women to enrol in Texas So. University Law School. She entered Democratic politics in the Texas Senate, 1967-72, becoming the first black woman to be elected to that body and entered the U.S. House of Representatives, 1973-79. Her life was a series of firsts: in 1972 she was also the first black woman elected to Congress from the South.

She was diagnosed of Leukemia in 1994. Jordan died on January 1, 1996 of pneumonia and leukemia at the age of 59. She had been ill for several years with Multiple Sclerosis.

Leukemia related analysis: 

• Mars:
• Is 6^th lord
• Conjunct Mandi
• 64^th Navamsha lord
• Jupiter:
• Disposits Mandi
• Is in Parivartana with 6^th lord Mars
• Rahu/Saturn-Jupiter/11L combined effect
• On 6^th House / Lord
• Jupiter occupies 6^th house and is aspected by Saturn
• 6^th lord Mars is in Parivartana with Jupiter and is in the nakshatra of Saturn
• On 3^rd House / Lord
• 3^rd Lord Sun is disposited by Rahu both in Rasi and constellation
• On Mars
• Mars is in Parivartana with Jupiter and is in the nakshatra of Saturn
• Mars itself is the 11^th lord
• Afflictions to Lagna/Lagna Lord
• Lagna lord Mercury is in a dusthana (8^th)
• Lagna lord Mercury is in Papakartari
• Timing:
• The disease was diagnosed during Sat-Jup period

Conclusion


It is evident from the above examples that it is possible to track such diseases through Astrology fairly accurately.


© Krishnamurthy Seetharama