Saturday, October 10, 2026, 11:50am EDT
New Moon collage by Emily
The New Moon in Libra wants peace, ease, balance, beauty, harmony and love. But this New Moon feels like a pressure-cooker!
Venus, ruler of Libra and presiding goddess of this lunation, is retrograde in Scorpio, and forming a stressful t-square with Mars and Pluto. Let’s break it down.
Venus retrograde (October 3-November 13) brings attention to past relationships, unresolved issues in current relationships, and early wounds that block your capacity for pleasure, receptivity and abundance. Love and money are in the spotlight and are ripe for reevaluation, renegotiation and reset.
In Scorpio, this Venus retrograde is especially intense, stirring up deep feelings and past wounds while illuminating what’s been hidden in the shadows. Sexuality and intimacy come into focus as powerful arenas for healing and transformation. Venus retrograde in Scorpio invites you on a journey into the underworld of your psyche, calling you to release what you’ve outgrown so you can reclaim your power, regenerate your vitality, and emerge transformed.
At the New Moon, Venus forms an exact square - 90-degree angle of tension and friction - with Mars in Leo. The pressurized energy of this square has been building all week. Mars acts as a catalyst, pushing these ongoing Venus retro themes out of the shadows and into the foreground, possibly in the form of conflict or challenge.
Further amping up the intensity, Pluto in Aquarius opposes Mars and squares Venus. The activation of the fixed signs can reveal where you’ve become stuck or stagnant - especially when it comes to relationship dynamics. What are the attachments, or attachment patterns, that no longer serve you? What are you holding onto out of fear? Where are you resisting change and maintaining or tolerating something that doesn’t belong in your more beautiful future?
In its shadow expression, this t-square could show up as a “battle of the sexes,” power struggles, projecting anger and blame onto another. Vulnerable, open-hearted communication, radical honesty and self-responsibility are key to moving through these potentially volatile energies - along with acceptance, compassion and patience. Breaking down may precede breaking through.
The card I picked for this New Moon, from The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne, was The Tower:
“The Tower energy in your life marks a period when you get to reevaluate, redirect, reestablish and realign. It’s magic in the disguise of unpredictability. The brightest of lights will pierce through the pandemonium of change that you are experiencing, and you will find your beautiful truth and blazing potential in the darkness of the Tower.” - Chris-Anne
The issues that arise at this New Moon are part of a bigger story that will continue unfolding over the next few months. How can you cultivate inner peace, keep your heart open, and love yourself deeply, even as the Tower falls?
For more insight into what this new moon means for YOU, find the house in your birth chart that contains 17° Libra. The areas of life signified by that house are where there’s powerful energy for seeding a new beginning, and where you’re invited to:
own your projections (what others are triggering within you) and focus on processing your own feelings;
release comparison and judgment and invoke unconditional love and acceptance;
reestablish an equal exchange of give and take, receptivity and assertion;
consider what you need to purge in order to create space for what you really want and need.
I go into all the Virgoan details about how to work with these powerful planetary energies in my one-hour New Moon audio transmission, available to paid subscribers on Substack. You can gain immediate access to the recording, and all future New & Full Moon recordings, by becoming a paid subscriber ($16/month or $155/year). Founding subscribers ($185/year) can also join me for a monthly livestream, and receive my Pluto in Aquarius webinar as a gift
more Classes:
Now that you’ve gained fluency in the planets, signs, and houses, learn how to weave them together into meaningful chart interpretation.
Understanding and interpreting aspects - the angles between planets - is key to identifying the headlining challenges AND powers in a birth chart.
Starting from the premise that there are no “bad” aspects, we’ll uncover the deeper meaning and evolutionary purpose behind planetary relationships, focusing on the highest healing potential.
In this intermediate-level workshop, you’ll get plenty of hands-on practice with identifying and interpreting major aspects in a chart. Tammy Roth joins us for a session to facilitate a unique Quantum Astrology experience to resolve aspect tension in the field.
Astrology 102 is a recommended pre-requisite for this class; you’ll need a working knowledge of the planets, signs and houses to participate.
Learning from a professional astrologer with more than 25 years of experience will catapult your chart interpretation skills to a whole new level.
You’ll receive:
6 live 2-hour class recordings, available indefinitely;
Hands-on practice with identifying and interpreting significant aspects;
Homework assignments after each class, so you can deepen into and practice what you’ve learned in class.
Pleased participants in past astrology classes have said:
“Loved the class and you made it easy to grasp.”
“Thanks so much for an amazing course! My goal was to deepen and integrate my understanding of astrology. I feel like that was a great success with your guidance, incredible teaching style and amazing resources.”
“Loved the way you organized the class starting with elements, introducing signs as polarities, etc! So helpful!”
“Thank you, Emily. I'm getting to know myself all over again.”
“Thank you for a thorough and thought provoking introduction to astrology Emily! It was enlightening to say the least…”
Note: When you purchase the class, you’ll immediately receive an automated email with a link to access class replays, homework and handouts. This email is separate from your order confirmation – check your spam folder if not in your inbox. Please contact me if you don’t receive the automated email.
This class picks up where Astrology 101 left off. Having created a foundation for interpreting your chart, we’ll take your learning to the next level, incorporating the lunar phases, Nodes, planets and aspects.
You’ll leave each class with new knowledge and skills for chart interpretation that you can immediately apply.
This class will take you on a journey of self-knowledge, as you explore and learn to interpret your own birth chart. Students’ charts will also be used as examples in class.
There’s a TON of astro-info out there - some of it even useful. But learning in real time from a professional astrologer with more than 25 years of experience will catapult your understanding to a whole new level.
You’ll receive:
8 2-hour class recordings (available indefinitely);
LOTS of helpful handouts;
Homework assignments after each class, so you can deepen into and practice what you’ve learned in class
What you’ll learn:
The lunar phase you were born in and what that means;
The planets in your chart - get to know the different parts of yourself;
How to work with aspects - the angles between planets, showing how the different parts of yourself relate to each other;
The North and South Nodes of the Moon - past-life patterns that keep you stuck, and how to move toward evolution and fulfillment;
An introduction to Quantum Astrology (experience the planets directly via the field) led by Tammy Roth!
Pleased participants in Astrology 101 said:
“Loved the class and you made it easy to grasp.”
“Thanks so much for an amazing course! My goal was to deepen and integrate my understanding of astrology. I feel like that was a great success with your guidance, incredible teaching style and amazing resources.”
“Loved the way you organized the class starting with elements, introducing signs as polarities, etc! So helpful!”
“Thank you, Emily. I'm getting to know myself all over again.”
“Thank you for a thorough and thought provoking introduction to astrology Emily! It was enlightening to say the least…”
Note: When you purchase the class, you’ll immediately receive an automated email with a link to a password-protected page with the replays and handout. This email is separate from your order confirmation – check your spam folder if not in your inbox. Please contact me if you don’t receive the automated email.
“Things do not grow better; they remain as they are. It is we who grow better, by the changes we make in ourselves.” - Swami Vivekananda (born with Neptune in Aries)
On March 30, 2025, Neptune entered Aries for the first time in our lives. The last time Neptune visited the sign of the Ram was from 1861-1875.
What can we expect when the planet of dreams, imagination, spirituality and consciousness transits the fiery first sign of the zodiac, the sign of identity, personal power and leadership?
This year, we’ll get a preview of Neptune in Aries until October 22, before Neptune reverses back into Pisces. Then Neptune will reenter Aries on January 26, 2026 and remain until 2039.
Neptune’s entry into Aries signifies a spiritual rebirth and empowerment, new ways of connecting with Source, a dissolving of old identities and a new expression of who you are at the deepest level.
Saturn will also move into Aries this year, and Saturn and Neptune will come together in a rare conjunction, exact in February 2026. The Saturn-Neptune conjunction plants seeds for a new 35-year cycle of bringing your dreams and spiritual ideals into reality.
In this 90-minute webinar, we dive into both the higher and shadow potentials of Neptune in Aries, with a focus on how YOU can co-create with this long-term transit. You’ll also learn which house Neptune in Aries (and the Saturn-Neptune conjunction) will activate in your own birth chart, and how to interpret what that means.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of prior astro-experience (including beginners).
This class is FREE to all paid subscribers on Substack!
Note: You’ll receive an email with the recording & handouts immediately after you sign up (please check your spam folder if not in your inbox) Contact me if you do not receive the automated email.
12 Mondays, September 21 to December 14 (no mtg Oct 12), 9-11am Pacific/12-2pm Eastern, live via Zoom (no recordings)
This group is for you if you want to explore your life’s journey through writing in a safe and supportive environment.
We’ll write in response to prompts that invite you to delve into your life’s story, and you’ll have the option to share your writing with the group. We will not give feedback on the writing.
Writers of all levels of experience are welcome, including beginners. Wherever you are with your writing, this workshop will provide a safe, inspiring space for you to write without critique or judgment.
This is a live, experiential workshop – the sessions will NOT be recorded. Please only sign up if you can commit to being present and in full, on-screen participation for the majority of the sessions. Space is limited to 8 writers. Please contact me with any questions.
Emily is a certified facilitator in the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method and has led creative writing workshops and retreats since 1999. She trained with the AWA founder, Pat Schneider, and believes that everyone is born with creative genius and has a unique and authentic voice.
Past virtual writing participants have said:
“Our creative writing over two seasons/sessions and more, have been significant life support, helping me swim the tempestuous waters of change, transformation and uncertainty, with greater confidence and faith.”
“Emily, your writing class has SO changed my life and opened up new worlds of creativity for me, it's hard for me to articulate, I'm so excited.”
“I can't thank you enough for this workshop. To be writing again with semi-regularity has been a personal revelation and I'm so grateful to you for holding space.”
“Emily, this writing class has been so monumental in my life! I used to resent words…. Now I am just writing what comes and I am not afraid. You have helped me so much in this process. Just the opportunity of being in a group and the DOING of the writing... I have been deeply affected by you, the other writers and my own writing!”
Note: After signing up, you’ll immediately receive an automated email with the Zoom link to the live classes (please check your spam folder if not in your inbox) Contact me if you do not receive the automated email.
By signing up, you agree to the terms & conditions. This is a non-refundable purchase. If you’re not sure if this is the right workshop for you, please contact me before signing up.
FREE for paid subscribers on Substack!
A once-in-a-lifetime alignment of the outer planets will peak in July and continue to reverberate throughout 2026. As Uranus, Neptune and Pluto combine forces, they urge you to release old identities and limiting beliefs, opening you to a greater life path aligned with your highest destiny.
In this 90-minute webinar, you’ll learn how you can co-create with these extraordinary planetary energies for growth, healing and success.
Using example charts from the group, you’ll learn how to find which houses are being activated in your personal birth chart, and how to interpret what that means.
This class is for everyone, regardless of prior astro-experience (including beginners).
All paid subscribers to my Substack receive this webinar as a free gift!
Note: After purchasing the class, you’ll immediately receive an automated email with the link to the replay and handouts (please check your spam folder if not in your inbox) Contact me if you do not receive the automated email.
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” - Nikola Tesla
The astro-headline for 2024 is Pluto’s move into Aquarius, on January 20th. Pluto’s previous tour through the sign of the Water Bearer was from 1777-1798, though we had a brief preview of this transit in 2023.
Pluto is a driver of evolution – revealing our personal and collective shadows, calling us to confront and purge what is outgrown, diseased, corrupt and stagnant, and ultimately guiding us into the depths to uncover our authenticity, vitality and power.
Aquarius is the sign of humanity, technology, freedom, individuation, awakening, revolution and community – all arenas up for radical change over the next 20 years.
In this 2-hour webinar, we dive into both the higher and shadow potentials of Pluto in Aquarius, in effect until 2044. We explore:
Shattering old thought paradigms and blowing your mind wide open;
Actual LIFE vs. virtual reality and synthetic biology;
Purging the fake world and aligning to the truth in nature;
Herd mentality vs. individuation and mental sovereignty;
What “advanced technology” really looks like;
Tapping into and expressing your amazing human potential
We focus on how YOU can co-create with Pluto in Aquarius for growth and healing, and in service to the beautiful world we all know is possible and that we’re ready to bring into reality.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of prior astro-experience (including beginners).
(If you want to do a deep dive into understanding how Pluto transits influence your own chart, check out Making Friends With the Dark Goddess.)
Note: After purchasing the class, you’ll receive an email with the link to the class recording immediately after you sign up (please check your spam folder if not in your inbox) Contact me if you do not receive the automated email.
Participants in the live class said:
“Wow, Emily, that was a brilliant class and I loved your approach and everything you covered.”
“Thank you Emily for a great class. I love that you tell us what's happening but more importantly how to work with the energy.”
“Thank you Emily… this was phenomenal, as always!”
“Thank you for coming out of your cave to give us your wonderful presentation; you speak so well and authentically which I find admirable.”
“Thank you, Emily, for your thoroughness and visuals and the survive and thrive list. Love it.”
"The dark becomes frightening and destructive only when we deny and disown it." - Demetra George, Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess
Every transit of Pluto presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to heal past trauma, release what we’ve outgrown, and step into a new level of vitality, power and purpose.
And yet… We’ve been taught to fear the dark – the mysterious parts of ourselves hidden in the subconscious. We’ve been taught to resist change, to distrust our feelings and passions when they prompt us to move in seemingly impractical or irrational directions.
We’ve been taught that surrender means helplessness, that control will keep us safe, and that analysis and perfect planning are the only way to get what we want.
And thus… When people see Pluto coming to visit their chart, and know that an Underworld journey is imminent, they often react with anxiety and dread.
In this three-part workshop, you’ll take a deep dive into the transits of Pluto, with a special focus on Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius. You’ll learn the deeper meaning and purpose of Pluto’s activation of houses and planets in your chart, and how you can work with these transits for healing and growth.
We’ll start with the premise that every astro-influence is your best friend and supporting your highest evolution – yes, even and maybe especially Pluto. You’ll learn strategies for dancing with the Dark Goddess and free yourself from moldy old patriarchal assumptions about the dangers of descent.
To get the most from this workshop, you will need at least a basic understanding of the planets, signs, houses and aspects.
We cover:
1st class: we discuss the assumptions or stories that underlie our approach to astrology; the process of the Plutonian Underworld journey; and how to “prepare” for Pluto transits.
2nd class: we review the Plutonian process (what people are likely to experience during a Pluto transit) and then focus in on Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius.
3rd class: we talk about the timing of Pluto transits, and get some hands-on practice working with past and upcoming Pluto transits in example charts.
Participants in the live class said:
“I totally loved the Pluto class. I loved how you first laid out your philosophical and metaphysical perspective on astrology. I thought it was such an important set up for the rest of what you had to say by first laying out your assumptions and making them explicit.”
“Your Pluto class has been insanely insightful - thank you!”
“This entire Pluto class resonates so much with me. Your perspective and knowledge is invaluable. You are a treasure to this world. Thank you for offering these classes.”
Note: When you order the class, you’ll receive an email with links to the recordings and handouts. This email is separate from your order confirmation – check your spam folder if not in your inbox, and if you don’t receive it, contact Emily.
In this 5-part workshop, you’ll learn to use synastry – the art of chart comparison – to uncover the deeper meaning and purpose of why two people are in relationship, and how to optimize the connection.
Starting with the premise that relationships are mysterious and multi-dimensional, rather than mechanistic, we’ll explore the evolutionary intent and higher potential behind why two people come together. We’ll examine how each party catalyzes growth and healing in the other, and the karmic entanglements that may be present.
We’ll also discuss how to navigate challenging dynamics, in order to create more successful and fulfilling connections.
You’ll get hands-on practice working with plenty of example charts in class and through homework assignments.
Participants will need to be conversant in the basics of astrology (planets, signs, houses and aspects) and have a working knowledge of reading a natal chart.
There will be a strong focus on the Nodes in relationship; Jan Spiller’s Cosmic Love is the recommended text for this class.
Pleased participants in the live class said:
“Thank you for an amazing class.”
“Thank you sooo much for offering this class! Taking part made me feel enlivened and engaged in a way I've been sorely missing in my life!”
"I loved the class today! I spent the rest of the afternoon looking at synastry charts and finding myself feeling more and more calm and aware that life really is bigger than just this lifetime."
“I listened to the recording of the first class yesterday. Wow! I had one epiphany after another. It was incredibly impactful for me to start to unpack some of the many astro-relationships in our charts rather than rely on someone else to tell me about them. Seriously – so empowering. I woke up this morning feeling a deep sense of clarity and lightness.”
Note: A PDF with all class replays, handouts and homework assignments will be emailed to you immediately upon checkout. This email is separate from your order confirmation – check your spam folder if not in your inbox. If you don’t receive a confirmation email, contact Emily.
In my 20+ years of practicing astrology, I’ve discovered that, to access the higher potential of a sign, it needs to be integrated with its opposite. I now think of a sign not as a distinct entity, but as one half of a polarity – inevitably evoking and longing for union with its opposite.
In this hour and 40-minute webinar, I go through the six sign polarities of the zodiac, discussing the core wound and path to healing and integration for each. At the end of the class, we look at some chart examples, and offer suggestions for how to work with these polarities in your birth chart.
This webinar is suitable for astro-students at all levels of experience, including complete beginners. Advanced students of astrology will receive new insights into the zodiac. In addition to the video recording, you’ll receive a PDF of the slides used in class.
Note: You’ll receive an email with the links to the recording and handouts immediately after you sign up (please check your spam folder if not in your inbox).
The progressed chart is a “predictive” tool that reveals the timing and trajectory of your unique evolutionary path. Combined with transits, progressions are an essential technique for understanding the meaning and purpose of this time, and how to effectively work with current energies.
In this 6-week series, you’ll learn how to use the progressed chart to enhance your own self-understanding, and/or to support friends and clients through key life transitions.
I'll share what I've learned in my 20-plus years of professionally reading charts. We practice with plenty of example charts, using charts of group participants.
We’ll cover:
What is the progressed chart and how progressions differ from transits;
The progressed Sun and Solar Arc Directions;
The progressed Moon and progressed lunar cycle;
The progressed New Moon cycle;
Progressed inner planets; retrogrades;
Combining progressions with transits.
This class is for intermediate and advanced students of the cosmic science who already have a basic understanding of natal chart interpretation – i.e., have a working knowledge of the planets, signs, houses and aspects.
Experience with transits will also be helpful. If you’re not sure if this class is for you, contact me.
This workshop is the second module in my upcoming Mentorship program for aspiring astrologers. If you want to participate in the Mentorship Intensive this fall, this class is required.
If you participated in my 2021 progressions class or 2024 mentorship, you’re welcome to take this class for half-price! Contact me to sign up.
Note: Once you sign up, you’ll receive an automated email with the link to the class recordings, handouts and homework. Please check your spam folder if not in your inbox, and contact me if you don’t find the email.