Calling all Astrology lovers (and even those who know nothing about Astrology)! I am beyond excited to share an interview that I did with an amazing Astrologer, Maxine. I connected with Maxine through Instagram about a year and a half ago. I was looking to get a birth chart reading done and a close friend of mine recommended Maxine. I was completely overwhelmed and had no idea what to expect but she made the entire process so easy! Maxine is such an inspiring human! She has been kind enough to answer some questions that I had about Astrology. She also cleared up some misconceptions that people have about Astrology, so please read on!
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| image by @indg0 |
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Tell us a little about yourself?
I am Maxine. I live in a tiny NYC apartment with my love. I am passionate about connecting with others! I love to uplift and empower others-- whether through Astrology, writing, etc. I also love to practice yoga daily, have been vegan for 6 years, love writing poetry and reading up on Astrology, and traveling to new places when I get the chance!
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| image by @maxineluzia |
What is Astrology and what is an Astrologer?
Astrology, simply put, is the study of the influence the cosmos have on us-- individually and as a collective. So an Astrologer studies the movements and positions of celestial bodies (planets, asteroids, etc.) relative to Earth and their influence on humans. Think of it as: As above, so below. We are not separate from the universe. As an Astrologer, it is so beautiful to see how intimately tied each of us are to the cosmos.
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| image by @indg0 |
How did you get into Astrology and at what age?
I have always been drawn to Astrology, but one day I woke up with a deep desire to learn more than just my sun sign and bought a book… and I was obsessed. And I mean waking up at 5am to read through Astrology books. I have a Scorpio moon and stellium in my 6th House… which influences me to want to know EVERYTHING about a subject, inside and out. I’m so grateful I followed that impulse, Astrology has given me such a greater perspective.
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| image by @maxineluzia |
What is the meaning of a Sun Sign, Moon Sign and Rising Sign?
· Sun: Your personality, the core of your being. This points to who you strive to be, and you grow into this sign as you age.
· Moon: your inner, subconscious self. How you relate to your feelings and emotional needs. Whereas the Sun rules how you act, the Moon rules how you tend to automatically react. This comes out when you’re in the comfort of your own home.
· Rising: How you see the world and how others see you. This is most obvious as a child or upon first meeting someone.
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| image by @indg0 |
What are your Sun, Moon and Rising Signs?
· Taurus Sun: determined as can be. Deeply value my inner peace and security, as well as loyal friends, comfort, and routine.
· Scorpio Moon: very intense, passionate, and intuitively guided to evolve, also a deep need to connect emotionally with myself and others.
· Gemini Rising: driven to communicate and express myself in words-- spoken, written, other languages, everything! Love to learn new things and meet new people with different perspectives.
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| image by @moonjube |
What is the meaning of retrograde and how can it affect us here on Earth?
Retrogrades are not something to be feared. They are times for pause and self-reflection in the areas that planet rules. For example, take the recent Mars retrograde in Aries. Mars is the planet that rules how you assert yourself and your energy. So the Mars retrograde asked us to reflect on this. Where are we directing our energy? How satisfying is it? How are we asserting ourselves? What are our passions? And for a lot of us, that reflection led to reassessing our priorities and how and where we direct our precious energy.
What is the biggest misconception you find that people have about Astrology?
That it is some dark art!! I’ll often have clients afraid of what their charts might show me, but Astrology done right is so healing and beautiful. There’s nothing to be afraid of. At the end of the day, I’m a firm believer that each of us has free will to make our own choices. Astrology can bring understanding and point to options, but it’s up to us to act on that knowledge.
How has Astrology changed over the years?
Astrology is an ancient practice dating back thousands of years. The knowledge you can acquire is as endless as space itself. All that we know about Astrology has been accumulated by observing patterns in how the cosmos align with occurrences on Earth-- and there are more discoveries that continue to be made. I love this about Astrology because there is always something more to learn and there are so many different layers and approaches to Astrology.
What are the benefits of integrating Astrology into your life?
Love this question! For me personally, it helped me learn more about myself and to accept myself for all parts of me. And from there, to more fully appreciate how diverse we all are and how each of us is so important. Our place in the world matters more than we know.
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| image by @maxineluzia |
What do you recommend for anyone that’s interested in Astrology?
If you’re interested in Astrology, I first recommend you get a birth chart reading from an Astrologer that you feel drawn to energetically. For example, I’d want an Astrologer who focused on the positive aspects of your chart and who sees any obstacles just as opportunities to grow and evolve. If you get a 1:1 reading, you might ask them to pull up your chart and show you around your birth chart, de-mystifying it. This will allow you to have a positive foundation and feel more empowered to go on and read your own chart for transits. And from there, if you want to learn more, you might find an intro to astrology book, podcast, etc.-- there are so many good resources out there!! But do not find your information on the internet, it’s not always reliable and can be very fear-driven.
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| image by @maxineluzia |
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I know that Astrology isn’t everyone's cup of tea, but personally I find it fascinating! As Maxine mentioned it’s a great tool to get to know yourself better. It can aid with intention or goal setting, mindfulness and even self-love and awareness. If you are looking to get a birth chart reading done don’t hesitate to reach out to Maxine on Instagram @maxineluzia or visit her website www.happistars.com. Birth charts make amazing gifts as well! Maxine will create a beautiful chart that even includes personalized mantras. It comes in a digital format which then can be printed! I refer back to my chart quite often, usually during times when I need clarity or guidance. I’m so happy to have connected with Maxine and I am truly grateful for this connection in which we share. I hope that one day she and I can meet in real life, when travel is a normal thing again. I really hope this interview has made you see Astrology a bit differently. I am by no means an expert but you can reach out to me with any questions that you may have and if I can't answer them I'll guide you in the right direction! Below I have linked two of my favourite Astrology books.
Happy New Year friends! Sending lots of love and virtual hugs your way.
Xx. Stressed Out Millennial
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