Iron, Aries, and the Influence of Mars
Brittle Hair, Dry Scalp, and Weak Nails
While there are a zillion supplements designed to help you combat brittle hair, dry scalp, and weak nails, today I’d like to bring to your attention the importance of understanding what is taking place inside your esoteric technology, so you stop relying on the supplement industry to combat your deficiencies and start getting to know how the function of your vessel really works.
After all, the fine print no one wants to know about is that not all “supplements” are good for your alchemical constitution.
We will begin our journey with Aries.
Having been a student of the astrology since 1990, I’ve come to learn the invaluable knowledge that comes with not only the celestial bodies above which affect our emotional, mental, and physical well-being, but also the zodiac’s relationship to the human anatomy below.
Aries is the first sign in the zodiac and is ruled by Mars, which governs the head in our anatomy. While there are specific parts of the head that are ruled by other zodiac signs: the nose - scorpio, the mouth - taurus, today I want to keep our focus on just the basics so you can see how the zodiac as a whole plays a vital role in your esoteric healing journey.
I want to start with Aries because much of my own esoteric healing journey has to do with Aries because I have Chiron in Aries conjunt my Jupiter in Aries. And as I just mentioned, Mars is the ruler of Aries.
Once I started looking at my astrological chart through an alchemical lens, I realized that not only do I have 2 very powerful Aries placements in my chart, but I also have a Scorpio Stellium (4 planets in Scorpio) and for the astrologers out there, you already know that the original ruler of Scorpio was Mars before Pluto was discovered in 1930.
So, now you can see that I have 6 Martian Energies pulsating through my BLOOD. That’s a lot of Mars energy if you ask me!
Iron: The Metal of Mars
The 7 inner planets, also known as the Inner Sky, are:
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
The Sun
Venus
Mercury
The Moon
Each of these planets corresponds with an alchemical metal. The metal that corresponds to Mars in alchemy is Iron.
In order for me to get to the root of my health issues, I needed to understand what role IRON had to do with my health and life path.
Mars and Anemia
Perhaps like me, in high school you had the option to donate blood. Even though thought of having my blood drawn made me pale and want to pass out, I wanted to donate to the cause.
However, I vividly remember the day when I went to donate blood in the gymnasium back in the mid 90’s, the nurse told me my iron levels were too low and that I was anemic and that she couldn’t draw blood from me.
Of course, I had no idea this was the case or even what to do about it, but I never forgot the instance.
Fast forward just a 2 years later and I was plagued with more Mars issues.
As I mentioned, Mars rules Aries and Aries rules the head. When I entered University in San Francisco, I was diagnosed with a skin disorder that covered not only my whole body, but also my scalp.
When your body experiences physical symptoms, it’s really just a cue that something inside of you is out of its natural state.
Naturally, I went to the doctor for my skin and scalp issues, only to begin a long winding road of healing obstacles over the next 25+ years without any confidence in the medical system or how I was ever going to heal from my condition.
Burping and Hydrochloric Acid
This may seem gross, but even as a child and young adult I burped A LOT, and when I say A LOT I really mean LOUD. I never gave it too much thought because my mom and sister both burped loudly too. thought it just ran in my family. Genetic?
But as I began my journey as an herbalist, nutritional consultant, and holistic health practitioner in the early 2000’s, I soon discovered that hydrochloric acid was the culprit of my burping ailment and the cause was low stomach acid (self diagnosed), also known as hypochlorhydria.
Which later lead to poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, and an array of infections (fungal, bacterial, etc….)
Hydrochloric acid (HCI) plays a crucial role in the human digestive system. It is a major component of gastric juice, which is secreted by the parietal cells in the stomach lining.
Functions of Hydrochloric Acid in the Body
HCl provides the acidic environment necessary for pepsinogen, an inactive enzyme, to be converted into pepsin. Pepsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides, aiding in their digestion.
Besides converting pepsinogen to pepsin, the acidic environment helps activate other digestive enzymes, enhancing the overall efficiency of the digestive process.
The strong acidity of HCl (pH around 1.5 to 3.5) helps kill bacteria and pathogens ingested with food, protecting the body from infections.
The acidic environment facilitates the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron and vitamin B12. HCl helps release these nutrients from food particles, making them available for absorption.
HCl helps maintain the stomach's pH, ensuring an optimal environment for digestive enzymes to function. This regulation is essential for the efficient breakdown and absorption of nutrients.
The burping was just a by-product of low stomach acid, which is basically just another way to say the pH of my stomach was off. It wasn’t acidic enough to break down food and assimilate it properly.
Once I realized that my low stomach acid, the burping, and my skin/scalp condition were all related (all of our symptoms are telling a BIGGER story), I realized that MARS was ruining my life!
Mars, the fiery HOT planet had not only brought inflammation to the surface, it was so hot that it dried me out. This is why dry skin and scalp had been the bane of my existence for my entire adult life!
Mars and The Blood
Another thing we need to know about Mars is that it rules the blood, hence why Iron is found in our blood (hemoglobin) and Iron is ruled by Mars.
Iron is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin (a protein found in red blood cells), which carries oxygen to the blood. It is responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide to the lungs to expel waste, as well as it plays a role in maintaining the acid-base balance of the blood.
Oxygen being carried to the blood is essential for many reasons:
energy production
removal of waste (carbon dioxide)
maintenance of healthy pH balance so the blood doesn’t become too acidic
healing and repairing tissues
etc…
So what does this all have to do with hydrochloric acid?
I’m glad you asked!
Because this was the puzzle piece that needed to be fully grasped so that I could get to know my esoteric technology more intimately, and thus, heal myself.
If hydrochloric acid helps maintain the stomach's pH, ensuring an optimal environment for digestive enzymes to function and assimilation of nutrients, then having low stomach acid (hydrochlorhydia) means that there are nutrient deficiencies taking place.
And you guessed it…
IRON was one of the minerals I was deficient in.
As I already mentioned, a nurse back in high school told me I couldn’t donate blood (Mars) because I was anemic (iron deficient).
Here I was all these years later never putting two and two together!
Dry Hair, Skin, Nails and Scalp
In addition to Iron, there were other metals, minerals, and vitamins I was deficient in because let’s face it, when one thing goes out of balance, many other things go right along with it.
But for this article, I am trying to show you the importance of understanding astrology and its relationship to alchemical metals, symptoms, and protocol for healing — specifically Aries and Mars.
To combat my iron deficiency, like most people do, I opted to try taking Iron as a supplement, but every time I took that big pill it made me feel nauseous and want to throw my guts up.
As my studies in nutrition and herbalism strengthened, I realized I could take the path less traveled and start incorporating foods and herbs into my daily ritual to help heal my body and make Mars happy again.
I can truly say that my relationship with Mars has become very intimate for this very reason. It a very intuitive way, I have a sacred relationship with him. I know when he is angry or pissed off, for I can feel the dryness (and agitation) set in.
Symptoms of Dryness:
excessive dry scalp
itchy skin
weak nails
dry and brittle hair
Even my personality starts to get a little agitated and my DRY humor and sass sets in. It’s pretty obvious when my blood starts to boil too! Pun intended! Thanks Mars.
While Mars rules more than the blood and the head, it became painfully obvious that this celestial body takes up a lot of ‘energetic real estate’ in my esoteric technology. Let’s not forget 6 Mars ruled planets in my chart!
My gallbladder has been affected.
Adrenal glands.
Sore muscles in my back.
Hot flashes.
I’m grateful to say that the Western Occult Traditions (alchemy, astrology, qabalah, and herbalism) have helped to banish these symptoms. And when they do resurface I know Mars is trying to get my attention and I deal with him immediately.
Sunflower Seeds & Mars Plants
One of my soul foods is sunflower seeds. Eating just a 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds a day helps keep my Mars energy balanced, along with my custom herbal blend which includes iron-rich herbs like:
alfalfa
dandelion
nettle
and others
And while those who also have Mars imbalances can benefit from these nutrient-rich herbs and seeds, I’d love to help you uncover your soul foods, soul plants, and alchemical constitution because once you understand how your esoteric technology works, you won’t have to rely on guessing or trial and error.
Building confidence requires knowledge and the only way to turn knowledge into wisdom is to truly understand the knowledge and apply it.
I’d love the opportunity to show you how your alchemical constitution can change the way you look at your life and body. It’s a sacred rite of passage to innerstand who we are and why we are here, and because each of us is wired so differently, it’s truly an individual practice.
This month inside the Alchymia Membership we are discussing:
It is my intention to continue to teach you esoteric healing theory and practices that have transformed by own health and life, so you too can have the wisdom to make changes in your life that stick because you’ll KNOW they are the correct steps.
Ditch the trial and error and allow the ancient knowledge to hold and nurture, so you can see what you are truly made of — Magick.
When you choose to work with me in the Alchymia Membership, you are choosing to make yourself the most important individual in your life. Because YOU are.
There is no one quite like you, but you have to make getting to know WHO YOU ARE a priority or the symptoms will persist and your purpose will take longer to uncover.
Have questions? I’d love to answer them.
Ps. I hope to see you in our upcoming class happening on Wednesday, July 3rd at 12pmEST. Archives of previous teachings and mandala meditations are waiting your arrival! Get caught up by becoming a member today!
Angel Quintana stands as the visionary driving Sacred Anarchy, a mystery school and parallel society tailored for emerging leaders of the new aeon. Additionally, she serves as the curator of The Occult Chateau, a sanctified ritual shop nestled in St. Petersburg, Florida, dedicated to deep thinkers, spiritual explorers, and initiates of the mysteries. This distinctive space boasts an eclectic array, including antiques, home décor, the Sacred Anarchy Apothecary, plants, astrology/tarot readings, light interior design, and holistic healing services.
Her mission involves guiding initiates to unlock the answers to their profound queries: "Who Am I and Why Am I Here?" With this clarity, they embark on journeys of purpose, reshaping our present world.
She imparts her wisdom in leadership through the unique lens of Western occultism, esoteric psychology, the healing arts, divination, and self-rulership. These teachings serve as the key to her clients strengthening their intuitive faculties, discerning esoteric solutions for life's challenges, and nurturing the archetypal forces residing within them in order to develop an authentic leader within.
Angel is more than an advocate for personal liberation, she's a perpetual devotee to the mysteries of ancient traditions, acknowledging these arts as the core source of her personal healing and accomplishments. As the mentor and mastermind behind the multi-faceted Sacred Anarchy platform, she continues to empower individuals to reach their highest potential, serve their kismet clients®, and transform the world.