Astrological remediation uses your natal chart to help you break negative patterns—here’s how exactly to try it

Given that you’ve likely been spending more time than usual at home during quarantine, perhaps you’ve had time and to consider the recurring patterns in your life that don’t serve you. As a result, you may be aching to do some inner work that will manifest lasting change in the way you approach your life. If this is true, you may want to consider using astrological remediation as a tool for personal growth. But first, what is astrological remediation?

Put simply, astrological remediation is the practice of using your natal chart to understand why you encounter certain recurring problems and then gleaning insight into how you can overcome the underlying conditions that led to the patterns manifesting in the first place. As a result, you may be able to do the inner work to commit to lasting change.

“In life, we can have patterns of behavior that repeat themselves,” says astrologer and intuitive healer Rachel Lang. “For example, how many times have you attracted the same type of partner and experienced the same set of issues in a relationship? Or maybe you have hard-wired commitment fears, but you consciously know you want a relationship. Maybe you find yourself repeatedly going into debt and then paying it off only to go back into debt again, no matter how much you want to be debt-free.” Using astrological remediation as a tool may be helpful for breaking any number of these patterns.

“My journey [with astrological remediation] was understanding my natal chart, and then remedying challenging aspects by diving into my psyche and subconscious patterns and behaviors.” —astrologer Ambi Kavanagh

Astrologer Ambi Kavanagh, has been using astrological remediation to work with the cosmos—both challenging and easier aspects and transits—for personal growth and magnetizing the life she desires. “My journey was firstly understanding my natal chart, and then remedying challenging aspects and transits by diving deep into my psyche and subconscious patterns and behaviors,” says Kavanagh. “Learning how to work with these natal aspects and transits has allowed me to heal parts of myself and my life.”

To give this cosmically guided inner work a try, first use an online generator to get a copy of your natal chart (like this one) or have a private session with an astrologer who can read you yours. Then, use the following seven steps to make the most of what you see.

7 steps for using astrological remediation to manifest real personal growth

1. Take at look at the planets in your chart

For astrology novices, getting your birth chart read by an astrologer will help you truly understand the challenges of your chart, including aspects and transits you should absolutely know about. If you already know the basics of how to read your natal chart, though, you might be able to DIY this step of taking a deep dive into your chart and looking for repeating patterns.

“When you notice a pattern repeating in your life, find out which planets are involved,” Lang says. For instance, “if we’re talking about matters of self-worth, we’re likely talking about Venus. If we’re talking about insecurity, we’re likely talking about the sun or moon. If we’re talking about abandonment or rejection fears, we look at Saturn’s role in the chart. If you find you become disillusioned in love, let’s explore Neptune.”

2. Examine certain pathways to see if there are any tensions

If there’s a specific problem you want to work on in your life, examine whether you can identify the combination that might be giving you trouble in your chart.

“You must understand the nature of the challenge in order to find a remedy and ‘cure’ it,” says Kavanagh. “So, for example, if you have a tense aspect between your moon and Saturn, which can lead to negative thoughts, you might not be expressing or owning your emotions properly, stifling them, and being emotionally suppressed in certain life areas. Once you understand this, you can take practical action to combat it.”

3. call in the help of others

This inner work doesn’t have to be, and often shouldn’t be, a solo mission. For instance, I’ve learned that my Mercury square Uranus aspect makes it so I have the tendency to bail when frustrated, and I’ve brought that up in therapy. Beyond professional opinions, feel free to seek the support of family, friends, and mentors while using astrological remediation for inner work. In fact, Kavanagh says, doing so can help you stay accountable.

4. Keep practices that allow you to look inward

Lang suggests trying mantras, affirmations, journaling (“you might even journal a dialogue with the planet to see what it’s here to teach you,” she says) and meditation.

And Kavanagh agrees that committing to mindfulness rituals can assist in understanding that these challenges are spiritual ‘good’ fights worth fighting.

5. Make a safe space for your feelings

This is especially necessary if your specific patterns to confront ask you to process your emotions in a healthy, free-flowing way.

“It may mean journaling to get you comfortable with your feelings for yourself, and then crying even if privately, so you are letting your body express those stifled emotions and release them physically,” says Kavanagh.

6. Nourish yourself in accordance with your sign

“Flower essences can help, and so could herbal remedies,” says Lang. “Look for herbs, tinctures, stones, or incense that relate to the planet that’s afflicted in your chart. Then, honor that planet and thank it for its valuable lessons. Work with it like a teacher or mentor.”

7. know that you don’t have to change everything unless you want to

“Almost every chart is a mixture of challenging and harmonious aspects, a mix of good and bad,” says Kavanagh. “But in truth, astrological remediation teaches that there’s no good or bad. There’s simply what you as an individual choose to do with the information.”