Remediating… Jupiter
Welcome to the “Remediating…” series, where I give you practical info & tips on how to better understand a planet and remediate the issues it may cause in your life based on your birth chart! What is planetary remediation, you may ask? You can read an article dedicated to it here. To put it simply, planetary remediation is the art of identifying what planet or placement is connected to a problem you have, and to act directly on the planet through symbolic subsitution, replacement etc. in order to ease the issue. For example, say that you keep having issues with passive-aggressive neighbours no matter where you move (and have decided, after some good self-introspection, that you don’t seem to be the annoying one). We look at your chart, and see that Mars in Cancer (the sign of its fall) is in the 3rd house of neighbours. Ah-ah! From time to time, when an activation happens (say, Mars squares your natal Mars), your neighbours act up and start being extremely mean. Based on your chart, and on the timing of these issues, I would suggest different solutions, all related to other symbols of Mars. For example, starting a martial art class (Mars) in your neighbourhood (3rd house) or donating red objects or spicy food (Mars) to said neighbours or a local charity (3rd house). The idea is that you symbolically substitute an issue here for a less problematic manifestation of it in order to mitigate the issue.
It’s not always easy to know where to start. How do I know what placement is tied to what problem? Or, if you know a bit about astrology already, you may be aware that a certain planet is giving you some trouble… But what can you do about it?
This article is here to give you a place to start with the tools that will help you figure out these answers yourself. If someone is an expert in a topic that confuses you, isn’t the best remedy to ask them directly? For each planet, I will give you the basic signification that it holds, and potential issues that may arise. I will also explain how to pacify relations with planetary charity (donating time, money or objects to a cause that’s ruled by the planet in question), before giving you suggestions on how to set up your planetary altar (a dedicated space with symbols of the planet/deity that you can pray to & ask help from). Let’s dive in!
Jupiter Essential Info Sheet
Name: Zeus, Jove, Jupiter…
Day of the Week: Thursday
Night of the Week: Sunday Night
Sect (time of day where it’s at ease): Day
Domicile: Sagittarius, Pisces
Exaltation: Cancer
Detriment: Gemini, Virgo
Fall: Capricorn
House of its joy: 11th house
Number associated: 4
Colours: yellow, royal blue, purple
Metal: tin
Symbolises: the law, justice, politics, wealth, prosperity, joy, money, material goods, gifts, abundance, freedom, community, fertility, sharing, friendship, fraternity, temperance and balance, health.
Parts of the body: the thighs, feet, the liver and sperm.
Determining Whether a Planet Needs Remediation
Using the system of “essential dignity” as established in traditional astrology, we can examine whether a planet has resources or not to enforce its agenda (do things according to its nature) based on certain factors such as the sign & house it’s in, the aspect(s) it makes to other planets, its speed, visibility, etc. There are a lot of factors in order to assess what a planet is up to, and whether it’s free to act or not. So when I say that a planet is “exalted” or “fallen”, it doesn’t mean “good” or “bad”. It means: the planet is in a position to enact its nature, or it might be a bit more constricted. It’s all nuanced, so keep that in mind as we explore possible remediation for a certain placement!
Jupiter: the Concept
Being the biggest planet in our solar system, Jupiter is hard to miss! Along with Venus, he is also the brightest, and perhaps these two qualities granted Jupiter the title of "Greater Benefic" in the hellenistic era.
Jupiter is BIG. And LARGE. We often see synonyms of these words when describing Jupiter: generous, expansive, hopeful, optimist… all terms that gear towards the bigger and better. Yes, Jupiter is Great, and he rarely goes unnoticed: Jovial personalities are often fun, larger-than-life characters who see the big picture rather than the tiny (annoying) details of life.
But this is only one side of Jupiter. What we often forget is his balancing quality. Because Jupiter is a moist, temperate planet (according to the elemental classification), Jupiter also tempers and balances out excess in our lives. This may seem surprising at first glance, since Jupiter is commonly describe as "expanding what he touches". We may think that Jove is more inclined towards excess, if anything. But let’s not underestimate his ability to bring things back into their peaceful, happy state.
This is what benefics planets do. You can think of Jupiter as the wealthy, well-connected person of influence whose laughter and grand visions are contagious. In turn, they pave the way for wisdom, appeasement and a positive outlook on life.
Being the king of the gods in the Greek & Roman pantheon, Jupiter commands respect as much as he demands attention. Jovial people rarely go unnoticed, and they enjoy praise and recognition from others. By bringing more Jupiter into our life, we can attain the realistic yet hopeful "glass half-full" mentality. When can we use Jupiter remediation?
Jupiter Issues & Remediation
Traditionally, planets in the sign of their detriment or fall would benefit from a "booster", a remediation practice that can support & lift them up, resulting in a better experience for the native. For Jupiter, if he’s in Gemini, Virgo (his detriments) or Capricorn (fall), this would be the case. For those of you who have Jupiter in a dark house (6th, 8th or 12th, except the 2nd), remediation could also be helpful.
Being the greater benefic, Jupiter calls to mind the phrase "can’t have to much of a good thing"! Those with heavy Saturnine placements can also benefit from Jove’s influence. Jupiter is what makes us hopeful & optimistic in life, like a friends telling us extravagant stories or taking us out to cheer us up. A weak Jupiter can feel pessimistic or nihilistic, and even selfish at times. For example, people who don’t see the point in helping others, or sharing with people because "people will come and take advantage of you every time they can".
Jupiter can help us see big, in all domains of life: not only in terms of abundance and material wealth, although he is a very auspicious god for that; but also in his sharing expansive dimension. It’s not for nothing that Jupiter is the god of generosity, camaraderie and friendship. By opening our hearts and resources to those around us, life often gives us back tenfold. By making an effort to connect with others and to share what you have, Jupiter rewards you with both material and intangible wealth: connections.
Jupiter remediation for those who wish to open their heart, not with naïveté, but with the necessary wisdom to give life a chance. Saturn says: what about those who might stab me in the back? What about the sacrifices I have to make to get to the lonely top? Jupiter says: look at all the beauty, the wonders and the friends you’d miss out on if you didn’t embark on this journey!
If you’d like to expand your mind and heart, look no further than Jupiter to help you get there.
Mars Remediation Steps
Planetary Charity
Where to start? If you want to understand Jupiter better, planetary charity is always a good idea. By donating money, time or objects to a cause ruled by the Mars, you “appease” him and do a gesture of good will. The optimal scenario is to do this on the planetary day and hour of the planet in question. For Jupiter, Thursdays (day of Jupiter) and/or Sunday nights (night of Jupiter) are best. In order to track the planetary hour, you can use Google to find a planetary hour calculator or use an app (TimeNomad is a free app that lets you display planetary hours, which start & end will vary depending on your location, time of year etc.). Planetary charity is sort of like bringing cookies to your neighbours: by offering something and making an effort to build a relationship with someone, they are more likely to see your good intentions and help with with whatever you need (and pacify relations when necessary!)
For Jupiter, you can donate money or time to: teachers and school projects, religious institutions (for example, the rebuilding or conservation of a temple/church, etc.), donate yellow objects such as jewellery or clothes, volunteer as a tutor for children who need it, volunteer to read stories, and donate to people in need in general (for example, volunteer at a soup kitchen or donate to someone’s gofundme).
If you donate money, it doesn’t have to be a big amount, but it’s best to give money or objects in a multiple of 4, on a recurring basis (for example, setting up a recurring donation of $4 to someone’s fundraiser Thursday or Sunday night).
Jupiter Altar
The next step is to set up a Jupiter altar, if you feel compelled to do it. By building a Jupiter altar, you will be able to directly address Jupiter and all its avatars to give you advice and provide assistance with whatever issue you may have. You can have a dream the next day, or a conversation with someone that will bring answers you are looking for: that’s the planet/deity’s way of helping! Here are instructions on how to set up a Jupiter altar:
Altar cloth that’s deep blue, yellow or purple (you can also use paper).
4 (the number of Jupiter) candles that are royal blue, yellow or purple (white also works).
Objects made of tin (Jupiter’s metal).
The symbols of Jupiter, his names, sigils and planetary squares (see images at the bottom).
A drawing, picture or statue of a Jovial divinity or of Jupiter.
Lapis-lazuli stone or yellow sapphire (stones of Jupiter).
Incense (frankincense is Jupiter’s incense, but you can also use similar ones such as myrrh).
Coins, notes or symbols of wealth (for example, your expensive jewellery!)
Representations/drawing of thunder, light bolts or horses, as well as eagles, the animals of Jupiter
You can also offer fresh fruits and liquors associated with Jupiter, strong ones with an amber colour such as whiskey/cognac work well! Mulled wine is also good. Grape juice is also fine for non-alcoholic offerings.
Place these things on your altar, say a prayer or the Orphic Hymn to Jupiter and take some time to meditate on these images as well as on the things you wish for. The best time to do this is on Thursday (Jupiter’s day) or Sunday night (Jupiter's night) on Jupiter hour (you can use the TimeNomad app to planetary hours), but regular practice is the best, if you do it regularly even if not on Jupiter’s day, it’s better than nothing! After saying the prayer, you can respectfully address Jupiter, present offerings on the altar, and thank him for his blessings as well as asking for Jupiter related things in your life (prosperity, optimism, wisdom, happiness, wealth, travelling…).
This is the full-blown version of these rituals & altars, but you don't have to go all the way every time! You can simply light a candle and burn some incense when you have time. You can also devise your own prayers and symbols if you prefer!
Thank you for taking this Jovial journey with me, I hope it can be a useful starting point for a blossoming Jupiter pratice! ♃
