Gratitude & Giving
It’s That Easy.
“Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have.”
As of this writing, Jupiter FINALLY went direct yesterday short after the New Moon in Sagittarius perfected — which makes this a perfect time to lean into Jupiter’s favorite jams — gratitude and giving!
Why Remediate a Planet?
One of the hot button topics (at least on astrological social media) is planetary remediation — things to do to bolster the performance of a planet in one’s natal chart that might be challenged to fructify.
It might be that the planet is placed in a house it doesn’t particularly like to be in — like someone who’s natural talents and passions are in cookery but they’re stuck living in a studio with a single burner and mini fridge. Or maybe it’s maltreated by malefics like Cinderella living under her Stepmother’s thumb and stepsisters bullying. It may not even be a natal condition, but something of a passing illness that has the planet stuck temporarily out of commission — like breaking a limb — it’ll eventually heal but until then there’s a huge adjustment. You get the picture.
Jupiter on the Injured Reserve
The latter has been the issue with Jupiter since the last week of July. Since Jupiter rules the thighs, let’s liken it to Jupiter tearing a hamstring and getting put on the I.R. Now, does Jupiter stop being Jupiter? No. But can Jupiter live his jock lifestyle and go running down a field at full tilt? NOPE.
As anyone who has ever dealt with musculoskeletal injuries knows, the adjustments that need to be made can seem life altering. You suddenly realize how ableist the world is as you may be hobbling along on crutches or trying to figure out how to stay upright on the subway with a broken arm and and your other hand holding on to groceries and no one willing to give up a seat — let’s not even talk about the adjustments to simple things like bathing or wiping your own ass!
It also messes with your head — from replaying the injury over again in your head and ruing the fact that “if only I’d thought to dodge a little farther left” to feeling despondent over whether or not things will ever resume some normalcy.
But you figure it out — you figure out how to keep doing you even if it’s modified you or a better unexpected you — because suddenly you have time to do all those things you couldn’t do when you were on autopilot!
Well, that was Jup Jup for the last four months or so. Jupiter’s usually in charge of “expanding” our lives and cultivating our grasp of wisdom. Usually, this comes in the form of abundance, prosperity, opportunities, the favor of those in authority, and the sage counsel of gurus and teachers.
We got a little taste of how Jupiter does in Aries — experiencing the courage that comes from self belief to take the leap of faith off the cliff of certainty towards those unconquered dreams and unknown adventures…and then, “uh oh! Do I have a parachute on because that ground is coming in hot.” Another analogy is opening up a full fridge and realizing that everything is about to expire in a couple of days and no fucking way do you have enough room in the freezer or enough room in your stomach to not have to throw a shit ton of food you were so stoked to eat out.
Challenged to be Whole
But, here’s the rub, retrogrades are an optical illusion. Jupiter doesn’t actually go backwards in the sky. It’s our perception from Earth that makes it look like it is because our orbits are no longer parallel…and planetary retrogrades are a chance to understand planetary function in its totality.
Jup didn’t stop being Jup. Instead, Jup was challenged to be like a quantum physicist…I know…roll with me on this one.
Usually Jup inspires us to dream about “what’s out there?!?” Whether it’s adventure or spiritual enlightenment that unifies us with the Universal, Jup is like the James Webb Telescope — elevating our viewpoint. However, retrograde Jupiter was challenged to go all Large Hadron Collider — digging in subatomic particles looking for what explains how mass can even exist. Pulling that attention inward to how infinite the small can be and how capable it is of being a source of wisdom as well.
Lifestyle Change vs. the Temporary Fix
It’s during these times when a planet isn’t performing as if it’s unwell that we reach for remedies (I know I was) to remediate and strengthen it. From doing all sorts of ceremonial magic at Jupiter’s Day at Jupiter’s Hour to wearing Jupiter’s colors, to doing all manner of praying, summoning, chanting — just to squeeze out some grace from Jup.
However, for my money, the best way to remediate Jupiter and to keep Jupiter on side no matter what is a daily and consistent gratitude and giving practice. Regardless of circumstances, each of us can always find something to be grateful for — even if it’s for toilet paper and running water. Gratitude shouldn’t be limited to getting a promotion or getting the resources to achieve some stratospheric goal. Jupiter’s grace exists in those epic things but also in the small gifts that we don’t realize are monumental until we’re forced to find a different and new way to use them.
There have now been numerous studies on the benefit of a daily gratitude practice in which you write down (yes, with a pen and paper — no tapping it out in your Notes App) what you’re grateful for — from improved mental and physical health outcomes including better sleep, increased exercise engagement, and actual changes in brain function. Here is a write up on the results of one study done at UC Berkeley if you want to read more:
How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain
So, now Jupiter is direct, it isn’t time to let off the gas with your remediation practice — that’s like just taking care of your health when you’re sick instead of seeing it as a lifelong obligation to care for the instrument through which you experience embodied existence.
Anyhow, if you love a ceremonial and complicated remediation practice, more power to you; but let’s put this on the table:
Getting Jupiter to fructify grace, beneficence, and wisdom in your life through experiences of expansion and adventure is as easy as sitting down every day and writing out 6 things you’re grateful for, AND giving something of yourself — whether it’s money or simply very present attention and space — to someone who needs the boost of grace.
THE TAKEAWAY
With Jupiter direct and the lessons you learned during the retrograde, think of how robust this wave of gratitude and grace can be in your own life and aggregate through your circles, communities, and society…After all, tis the season!
Tea Time in Real Time!
I left Twitter!
To test drive if it’s the right venue, I’m committing to going Live on IG on Monday evenings at Venus’ hour. This is roughly around sunset (~4:45/5:00p PT) — which is hella early these days, thanks Winter!
To catch the next episode please follow @thepracticalastrologer
