Episode 27: Strengthening Connections Through an Astrological Lens
Have you ever wondered if the stars and planets have an effect on how you move through the world? We invited an amazing being, Maeg Keane, to join us on today’s episode of Adventures with Spirit. Maeg is a consulting astrologer and clinical herbalist with a strong soul-calling to help bring others into nourishing companionship with themselves and our animate world. Maeg has helped us explore our place in the stars and on Earth many times, and we are beyond excited to share their knowledge and passion with you. If you have ever been curious about your purpose here on Earth, listen in as we discuss the what, why, and how behind astrology’s influence on our journeys.
This episode, we discuss:
[01:52] What astrology is
Astrology is the study of the movement of the planets and the way those movements correlate to experiences on Earth. It’s truly a bridge between the wonder we feel when we’re outside basking in the sun or staring up at the stars and our day to day life experiences. Astrology practices date as far back as our oldest history recordings, and some speculate the study may even go back as far as Babylonian times with astral omen watching. What is clear is that astrology has been woven across time throughout many different cultures.
[03:00] Maeg’s astrology practices
Maeg studies and practices within natal astrology, which is the study of the moment someone was born. A chart or a horoscope is drawn up based on the placement of the sky at the moment of someone’s birth. Maeg then uses this information to guide them, studying correlations between the sky, their client, and their client’s life experiences.
[04:04] A peek into an astrology session
Astrology charts can be really disorienting for someone who isn't well acquainted with the practice, which is one of the many reasons it’s important to have a guide on your journey of discovery. Maeg shares that they start their astrology sessions by helping their clients acclimate to the space and information. They will draw a line across the ascendant and descendant sections of a chart, which is called the horizon line. This allows them to better understand the moment at which their client entered the world, their client’s inner multiplicity, and even their entire life stories.
[07:51] Jessica and Andrea’s personal experiences with astrology sessions
Jessica shares that after an astrology session, she felt like the information began to connect for her and made sense for the first time. Her reading resonated with what she knew to be true about herself and what she was seeing unfold in her story. Once she had a guide to look at the whole picture, not just her Sun sign, it came together in a way that allowed her to see herself more clearly.
Andrea had a reading with Maeg in August for her birthday, and within two weeks she began to hear and see pieces of her session come into play. Andrea shares that she feels more prepared for the year now that she has completed a reading.
[10:23] How astrology moves us out of hyper individualism
Astrology moves us out of hyper individualism by helping us build relationships with the planets and stars while guiding us to a better understanding of how we play into the collective. It allows you to have a greater sense of what story you’re in and where you are in that story, which influences how you approach experiences and relationships as a whole. In the end, astrology is connecting you to other people, the multiplicity inside yourself, and what exists beyond the human world.
[13:22] Maeg’s nonlinear discovery of astrology
Sitting in the backseat of a car, reading through a magazine article discussing which prom dress to buy based on sun signs, Maeg was not impressed. The dress chosen for Maeg’s sun sign was something they would never wear, and so the belief that “this astrology thing is stupid” began.
Years later, a college friend began asking about Maeg’s sun sign based on personality traits Maeg displayed. She eventually pulled Maeg’s chart, connecting mannerisms and personality with the fact that Maeg was a Virgo rising with Mercury and Venus in Gemini.. It was then that Maeg realized Astrology was more than just a sun sign, and began to think of it as an elaborate sort of personality test.
It wasn’t until Maeg fell in love with plants that their idea of astrology really began to shift. The plants began to come alive and Maeg began to recognize them as wise beings that they could have a relationship with, which in turn opened their eyes to being able to have a relationship with the planet as well. From that point on, Maeg continued to cultivate their self-proclaimed healthy obsession with plants and planets.
Maeg also attributes her passion and education to Chani Nicholas, whose work led her toward traditional astrology. Channi’s writings and workshops gave Maeg a clearer framework for moving through astrology.
[17:58] The details behind a Mercury retrograde
Here’s the scoop on Mercury retrograde: it gets a bad rap. Typically, we associate Mercury retrograde with life becoming chaotic, but you may go through Mercury retrograde seasons and not feel chaos at all. Maeg explains your experience may depend on whether or not Mercury is a particularly important planet in your chart, or perhaps important for your timing for the particular moment or year. Maeg suggests taking the ‘re’ in retrograde and using it to review and reflect inward regarding how your processing information.
[22:41] How astrology can support positive connection with self and others
Maeg studied their chart as well as their partner’s and began to understand how their chart placements influenced the way they lived and communicated. They began to realize their similarities as well as their differences in their desires to express themselves and be nurtured. This understanding unlocked a higher level of compassion with each other as well as self-tenderness around how they operate individually.
[26:11] Ways to connect with Maeg
Maeg offers various readings and sessions for clients of all levels of astrological understanding. They offer birth chart readings for people who are just getting into astrology and want to better understand their chart. Cycle readings are great for those wanting to dive into predictive work. Plant and Planet Devotion packages will help you gain an intimate understanding of one planet in your chart while leaning into the Earth-Sky connection. Maeg also offers The Dionsysian 5th House reading, which is all about creativity, joy, and pleasure based on your birth chart. You can find Maeg on Instagram or on her website Third Sister (third-sister.com).