Expanding or Shrinking: How Relationships Shape Your Energy Through Astrology, Palmistry & Psychology

Have you ever noticed how some relationships make you feel larger, lighter, and more alive — while others leave you smaller, quieter, and unsure of yourself?
Whether it’s a partner, friend, colleague, or even a family member, every connection we form has an energetic impact.

Some people expand our world — they bring laughter, courage, and confidence.
Others unknowingly (or sometimes knowingly) cause us to shrink — they make us question our worth, mute our voice, and tuck away our light to keep the peace.

But what if the way we expand or contract in relationships is not just emotional — but written in our stars, visible in our hands, and reflected in our mind’s conditioning?

Let’s explore how Astrology, Palmistry, and Psychology together explain why we sometimes lose ourselves in relationships — and how to reclaim our wholeness.

Psychology: The Subtle Process of Shrinking in Relationships

From a psychological perspective, the process of “shrinking” begins with emotional conditioning.
When someone criticizes our choices, doubts our abilities, or controls our freedom, our brain perceives it as rejection — and activates the fear response.

To avoid that discomfort, we start adapting — a little at a time:

• We change how we speak to avoid conflict.

• We cancel plans or hide ambitions that might cause disapproval.

• We become overly accommodating, mistaking peacekeeping for love.

Over time, this emotional shrinking erodes self-worth.
The person who once dreamed freely now second-guesses every decision. It’s not that they’ve become weak — it’s that their nervous system has learned to associate authenticity with danger.

This pattern often originates in childhood, when love was conditional.
Children who grew up needing to “earn” affection by pleasing others often carry that conditioning into adult relationships.
In psychology, this is known as fawning behavior — a trauma response where you shrink to stay safe.

Healing begins when you start noticing how people make you feel rather than how much they say they care.
A healthy connection is one where you can breathe, speak, and stretch fully — not one where you must walk on emotional eggshells.

Astrology: The Cosmic Map of Expansion and Contraction

Astrology reveals that the patterns we play out in relationships are often karmic.
The planetary placements at birth indicate how we give, receive, and balance energy with others.

Let’s look at how key planets influence your tendency to expand or shrink in relationships:

Moon: The Emotional Mirror

Your Moon sign governs emotional security.
A strong Moon gives self-assurance and emotional independence — such people rarely lose themselves in relationships.
An afflicted Moon (especially when aspected by Saturn, Rahu, or Ketu) can create emotional dependency, self-doubt, and the fear of abandonment — leading to shrinkage to preserve attachment.

Venus: The Love Blueprint

Venus defines how we express affection and seek harmony.
When Venus is strong and supported by Jupiter, relationships bring growth, joy, and expansion.
When Venus is afflicted — for instance, by Saturn or Mars — it can indicate relationships filled with judgment, control, or emotional coldness, where one partner dominates and the other adapts excessively.

Saturn: The Teacher of Boundaries

Saturn represents lessons and limitations. In love, it tests emotional boundaries.
If Saturn aspects the Moon or Venus, you may attract partners who challenge your self-worth — not as punishment, but as a karmic lesson to strengthen boundaries and self-respect.
Once you learn to say “no” and honour your individuality, Saturn rewards you with mature, stable love.

Jupiter: The Expander

Jupiter symbolizes growth, wisdom, and self-belief.
When Jupiter is well-placed, you attract relationships that nurture your growth.
A weak Jupiter, however, may make you settle for less — thinking you’re not worthy of something better.

The 7th House and Rahu-Ketu Axis

The 7th house in astrology represents relationships and marriage.
If this house or its lord is under malefic influence, you may experience partnerships that limit rather than liberate.
Rahu in the 7th often attracts partners who mirror your unhealed parts — they seem exciting but can trigger deep emotional lessons.
Ketu in the 7th can cause emotional detachment — you might feel unseen or unfulfilled, even when the relationship appears perfect externally.

Through astrology, you begin to understand: every relationship is either a soul contract for healing or a sacred space for growth.
Recognizing which one you are in is the first step toward expansion.

Palmistry: The Hands Never Lie

Your hands are a living reflection of your emotional and energetic flow.
They reveal not only your strengths and challenges in relationships but also whether you naturally expand or contract in love.

Here’s what to look for:

1. The Heart Line

• A deep, clear Heart Line represents emotional balance — such individuals express feelings openly and attract reciprocal affection.

• A chained or wavy Heart Line indicates emotional confusion — these people often compromise too much to maintain peace.

• A broken Heart Line shows emotional pain and fear of vulnerability; they may shut down or shrink when relationships feel unsafe.

2. The Mount of Venus

A well-developed Mount of Venus (base of thumb) shows passion, warmth, and self-love.
If this mount is flat or rigid, the person may find it difficult to receive love fully — often choosing emotionally unavailable partners.

3. The Mount of Jupiter

Located below the index finger, the Mount of Jupiter governs self-respect and ambition.
If strong, it suggests a person who maintains individuality in love.
If weak, it points to dependence — where the person’s self-worth is tied to others’ approval.

4. The Thumb

The thumb reflects willpower and independence.
A firm, upright thumb shows confidence — a person who can love without losing themselves.
A soft, bending thumb indicates flexibility to a fault — often shrinking to accommodate others.

Your palm literally narrates how you hold space for yourself in relationships — whether you open your hands to embrace growth or tighten your grip to avoid loss.

Integration: The Psychology of Expansion

When astrology shows where emotional patterns begin, and palmistry shows how they manifest, psychology completes the circle by showing how to heal them.

If you’ve been in relationships that made you shrink, start with awareness:

• Do you feel smaller, quieter, or less confident around certain people?

• Do you edit your words to avoid conflict?

• Do you downplay your success to keep others comfortable?

If yes, your psyche is asking for reclamation — a return to your full size.
Healing doesn’t always mean walking away; sometimes it means redefining boundaries and reconnecting with your individuality.

You can strengthen your emotional core by:

• Practicing grounding: Meditation and breathwork calm the nervous system that drives people-pleasing.

• Affirming self-worth: Replace “Will they like me?” with “Do I feel safe being me?”

• Analyzing your Moon and Venus placements: These reveal your emotional needs and love patterns.

• Observing your palm lines: Notice changes — as emotional healing happens, your lines can evolve too.

Ultimately, growth-oriented relationships amplify your energy, while constricting ones drain it.
The key is learning to discern the difference.

Astrology + Palmistry + Psychology = Conscious Relationships

When you blend these three systems, you uncover an extraordinary truth:
Your relationships are mirrors reflecting your inner world.

• Astrology shows your karmic patterns.

• Palmistry shows your current emotional imprint.

• Psychology shows your behavioral conditioning.

Together, they reveal that relationships don’t define your worth — they reveal it.

The goal is not to avoid love, but to evolve through it — to choose relationships that expand your spirit instead of shrinking your light.

Seeking Guidance: Reclaim Your Wholeness

If you’re feeling emotionally drained, unsure about a relationship, or lost in self-doubt, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone.

Through a holistic combination of Astrology, Palmistry, and Psychological Counselling, I help individuals understand their patterns, rediscover self-worth, and restore emotional balance.

All sessions are completely confidential, and if you wish, you can even connect anonymously.
Your story will be received with empathy, not judgment.
The goal is to help you find clarity, healing, and the courage to expand again — to live a life that feels authentic, peaceful, and whole.

Visit AstroAkilaMurthy.com to explore consultations and guidance that help you realign your emotional energy and relationships — so your life becomes bigger, brighter, and beautifully your own.