Planetary Remediation: Support Your Planets, Heal Your Life

I first experienced the power of astrological remediation when I was desperate…because of my husband!

I love how kind he is, always ready to help someone in need. We’ve been married for 28 years, and he’s still like that! 

What I didn't realize is that desire to help other people would extend beyond his family and even his friends. Now, it’s been boosted by social media to include the entire globe! 

And you can't help everybody! 

Steve knows that, but sometimes he gets so drawn into other people’s difficulties that it affects his happiness and becomes an obstacle in our relationship! 

I needed something. What could help rein in his “help everyone” tendencies? In desperation, I turned to his astrology chart. There it was, Jupiter in Virgo in detriment – expanding his impulses to solve everyone else’s problems. 

What could I do? When I tried to talk to him, he insisted that other people needed his help. So I hit on the idea of astrological remediation! 

We got an amethyst bracelet (because amethyst is associated with Jupiter), and we started setting an intention: “What problems are mine to solve and what problems are somebody else's challenge?”

It worked! Until he stopped wearing it…or it broke. (Now it's a necklace because it turns out he can be hard on bracelets.) And I realized that while crystals and stones are great, they're really steps to actions that create new habits and durable life change. More about that below…

I've recommended astrological remediation – techniques to support planetary energies – to countless friends. About 70% of the charts I see need this, including my own. TBH, I'm surprised this healing modality isn't better known, all the more because it's 100% personalized to you. 

So here's the DL on how it works; plus, there's a link to a free PDF How-To Worksheet with tips for success, and specific stones, colors, actions, and even angels for every traditional planet. 

Why we need healing planetary remediation

In a healthy energetic system, all the planets would function properly and get to play their appropriate roles. 

But, at any moment in the zodiac, some planets are naturally boosted while others are impeded. Debilitated planets at the time of birth can translate into lifelong weak spots, especially specific, repeated difficulties like getting steamrolled in relationships or burning out at work. 

Once you understand how to identify debilitated planets in an astrology chart, you can check associated life areas to understand their impact (e.g. for Venus, “How are your relationships?” For the Sun, “How comfortable are you being authentic or getting the positive attention you deserve?”) If you’re an astrology buff, you can layer on house, sign, aspects, and the specific planetary weakness to generate suggestions for what’s going wrong…and what to do. 

But even without astrology, you can also work on planets related to any life area where bad habits or unhelpful patterns persist even after reasonable solutions, coaching, or therapy (more in the free PDF).

Remediation is not hard or expensive. It just takes commitment. 

It’s like geologic healing: small actions over a long period have a big cumulative effect. In astrological terms, we would say that makes it Saturnian, perfect because Saturn is one of the reasons people need this! 

How Healing Planetary Remediation Really Works 

What I learned from this is that a lot of texts about planetary remediation and correspondences, going back to ancient times, focus on the ritual of it: specific steps, crystals worn, deities importuned... (I think many of these texts are more like modern textbooks, which gives specific details and instructions, rather than expert teaching from an actual instructor. Doing remediation just by following an ancient text is like trying to learn Calculus from a book. There are more subtleties to each step than the texts give. Since these ancient instructors are long gone, we have to experiment and study to cobble together those subtleties from experience.)

So this has given us the idea that remediation is some sort of ritual act that "magically" produces better energy.

But, in fact, I think remediation is most effectively understood as rituals or acts or materials that support an individual to create better energy and habits. 

In other words, don't think that you're going to put on a bracelet, or light incense at a certain time and say the right words and then your life will be fixed. (i'll be honest; that's what I thought would happen when I began working with this.)

Instead, realize that doing those things supports you in breaking bad habits and creating better actions in your own life. Wear the jewelry, drink the tea, do the ritual with intention, then make an action plan to implement better systems and approaches in your everyday interactions at work, with friends, with loved one or partner, and in your own inner mental space. 

Wearing jewelry doesn't stop you from burning out at work. Using the jewelry to support your energy in setting a boundary about when to stop and take a break – that's when changes happen. You can read about my experience with this in the next article "Planetary Remediation How-To: What I've Learned."

First Step: identify what inhibits the planet's energy

• In detriment = planet energies are naturally weak or directed towards the wrong activities

• In fall = efforts governed by this planet go unrecognized or unappreciated by others

• In a bad house = efforts governed by this planet are directed into a difficult area of life

• Conjunct, square, or opposed by Mars or Saturn = efforts governed by this planet may be strong, but obstacles, attacks, or delays impede success

• Under the beams of the sun = efforts governed by this planet aren’t visible or are outshone or overshadowed

The free PDF explains how to see these situations in a natal chart. And, yes, it’s possible for a planet to have multiple challenges.

These difficulties typically map directly on to a person’s life. My moon in detriment in Capricorn, for example, means that for many years I just failed to nurture myself at all. My Venus in the 6th house means my energy for enjoying life gets channeled into work – I end up beautifying my website instead of having fun making art.

There are also factors that can strengthen a planet's performance in your chart. So you might have a planet in a bad house or a “bad fit sign” where you might think about remediation, but if your life areas associated with that planet are going just fine, maybe it’s not necessary.

So if the planet’s condition in your natal chart is reflected by life challenges associated with the planet, then remediation could help.

Second Step: boost, unblock, or heal the afflicted planetary energies.

Three main approaches 

Arguably the most powerful healing approach: Drawing from Planetary People and Actions

• Do more activities related to the planet (check the PDF for a list). To boost your Mars, maybe learn martial arts, take up metal-smithing, or start standing up for yourself (instead of just going along with what other people say – I was guilty of that!) 

• You can also benefit by hanging out with and learning from people who have naturally strong planetary energy. I boost my Venus by going to acoustic music jams and talking with musicians. At one point, my husband said, “You need more artist friends.” He was totally right!

• A great traditional technique involves donating time, energy, or money to a charity related to the planet. Boost your Saturn by joining a litter pick-up activity or doing maintenance for the elderly.

While taking physical action or donating your own resources is the most effective remediation I've found, modern social forces often promote the planetary material approach. The capitalist impulse to sell people crystals and herbs, and social media’s emphasis on things which photograph well – like gorgeous candle-lit, crystal altars –  mean people almost always end up using stones, herbs, or foods related to the planet. 

I'm not saying that you shouldn't do this (when my husband stops wearing his Jupiter amethyst bracelet, I notice right away!) But don't do it at the expense of taking action. 

Very Effective But Try Carefully: Building a Spirit Connection 

This requires commitment to build a long-term partnership, but it really works well when you tap into benevolent spirits. This is the approach that’s helped me the most. (Don't just connect with whatever spirits are “out there”!) 

Try the planetary angels, known for having good intentions and connections to planetary energies. I’ve included the Arabic letters for talisman-making. If you have a strong relationship with a known benevolent spirit of your own, you’re welcome to try that as well.

Planet	Day	Angel	Good for boosting
Moon	Monday	جبرائيل Jibrā'īl	Healing, intuition, self-care, comfort with emotions, nurturing, health
Mercury	Wednesday	برقان Burqān	Knowledge, eloquence, skill, memory, logical decision-making, analysis
Venus	Friday	عنائيل Anā'īl	Love, beauty, passion, enjoying life, relationships, creativity
Sun	Sunday	درذائيل Dardā'īl	Authority, success, fame, authenticity, comfort being seen/getting attention
Mars	Tuesday	صمصمائيل Samsmā'īl	Strength, boundaries, standing up for those who need it, courage, healthy risks
Jupiter	Thursday	صرفيائيل Sarfyā'īl	Wisdom, trust, the right level of benevolence, prosperity, higher education
Saturn	Saturday	كسفيائيل Ksfyā'īl	Patience, endurance, commitment to projects, structure, limits, discipline

Fun with Making: Creating Rituals, Talismans, or Amulets 

Find the right planetary hour on the correct planetary day and design a ritual, talisman, or amulet to boost your planetary energy. Traditionally, this is specialized work – just the way you would go to see a medical specialist if you had an ear, nose and throat issue – so I won't go into it here. You can experiment and figure out what works, or try the Planetary Angel Ritual in my next article "Planetary Remediation How-To: What I've Learned."

I've been using the Islamicate practice of letters and numbers because it fits with my strong Mercury.

If you're interested in ritual recommendations tailored for your spiritual gifts and natal chart, email me at robin@poolmx.com. We’ll analyze your Lot of Fortune, discover your magical and ritual strengths, identify the remediation you need, and write a ritual calendar tailored for you. 

Cautionary Note: it's quite common to need Mars or Saturn remediation. But malefics require special care and handling. So start with another planet first. If you do try Mars or Saturn work, begin with healthy actions rather than skipping right to stones or ritual. 

In my 4-page Planetary Remediation How-To PDF, you'll learn: 

• How to recognize planets that need remediation in your life 

• How to use your astrology chart to pinpoint what challenges the planet is facing 

• Planetary correspondences: what actions, people, materials (including stones, crystals, and herbs), and angels you can use to support the planet's energies 

• Tips for a success 

Like any ability worth having, it takes practice to develop this skill. So don't give up! People have used this for thousands of years, and its effectiveness is attested in Western and Eastern astrology traditions. 

I would love to hear what you think about the concept of planetary remediation. Have you tried it? Let me know if you have questions or want to take a look at your chart together.

Best wishes and big hugs, Robin