Self-help or self-healing are big topics these days and can cost several thousands of dollars. Many of us devote decades of our lives trying different techniques. Me too, I’ve bought all the best books, did all the mediations, and even became an armchair herbalist. Why? Because I knew that my body could heal itself. The truth is, we are naturally made to do so. However, I was missing one big piece to the puzzle of healing.
It was People. You see, the fabric of life is made out of relationships. I spent countless hours alone, writing in my journals. I experienced some relief when I expressed myself on the page. I occasionally found self-help practices useful too. But, not useful enough. We cannot exist in a vacuum of ourselves and expect to change much.
Personally, I was just stuck in several behavioral and mental loops. I would repeatedly write about my problems but was missing a lot of unconscious and underlying issues. I needed to talk to someone for these things to be revealed. I discovered that we do, in fact, need other people to guide us. That’s also why we fall in love and get broken hearts repeatedly. Above all, we need the uncomfortable opportunity to see ourselves in the mirror that a relationship provides.
Everything we do in business or personal life is entirely built from relationships, yet we tend to avoid them. Why? Because looking in the mirror, that is that other person, puts one face-to-face with their weakness. Relationships cause all sorts of challenges because your blind spots become known. This is also why the planet Venus, the signifier of relationships, is not all about skipping down to the mall for spa days, clothes shopping, and love songs.
Venus as seen from an atmospheric photograph from NASA. Watercolor pencil on paper, 9″ X 12″ by Kali Marlier on June 9, 2026
A few days ago we witnessed a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. Some astrologers were predicting that this planetary transit “will be like a romantic afternoon in Paris” when the two “great benefics” meet up in the sky above. I was scratching my head, a bit confused, as this was not at all the case for me. I was dreaming about the tumultuous side of Venus.
In my Vedic astrology studies I’ve learned that planets, similar to people, also have complex relationship dynamics. For example, Venus’ friend is Saturn. Saturn is known for bringing hardships and loves placements (exalted) in Venus-owned Libra. Jupiter is considered a pleasant and benefic planet but considers Venus his enemy. Now that’s something to ponder on. Why do you think that is? With any conjunction there are several layers to who is influencing who in the solar system and how. Similarly, our experiences are mixed. We’re always being influenced by our environment, the planetary conditions, and by the relationship dynamics of the people in our lives, for better or for worse!
Our relations are mixed and come with all different shades of challenges, each bringing us opportunities for growth and healing. The truth is, no matter how hard we try to avoid being in a relationship that illuminates our shadow side, we will not find the real work of healing by sitting alone in a cavern. ‘Self-healing’ is a paradox, a misnomer. Open your eyes and look in the mirror. Find someone to talk with, or maybe multiple people, to guide you through hardships. Find the ones that push you over the hump of tackling the cause of your disease. Continuing to run into the wall of your own blind spot will not give results. If something’s not working, try again via a different method. Just don’t be fooled to think you can get very far without being in relationship.
Share your thoughts below about your healing journey. What is your experience during Jupiter-Venus Conjunction?
Musings of a Barstool Astrologer 
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