Contemplative, meditative, astrologer.
"For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by the human condition. Combining literature and philosophy to form my own major, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from NYU with a BA in Humanities in 2003 (I’ve always been a bit of a nerd). I then spent nearly 10 years in the media world in New York City and Los Angeles working with various organizations that specialize in politics, education, film, television and modern culture. But it wasn’t enough. What I was really interested in, what really drove me were people: the vast array of humans I have connected with on my journey." -Danielle Beinstein
Hi Danielle! You’re my favorite astrologer out there because of the way you communicate nuance. Something that caught my attention earlier this year was your shares on heartfelt television and movies moving more into center stage and you shared about how much you loved The Last of Us. Why are we seeing more content being shared from the heart that offers us meaningful compassionate and varied stories to relate to?
First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to do this! My intention has always been to share from the heart, to share what moves me. I think we’re probably tired of the gloss, of the hyperbolic language, the constant aspiring. Astrologically, we’ve been on a rollercoaster since 2011, when Uranus started squaring Pluto. It’s been relentless. I do wonder if Saturn in Pisces has something to do with it. Grounding the ethereal. A kind of seeing through the veil. Mostly, I think we’re all just exhausted and nostalgic for a simpler time.
As a business that caters to women and nourishing motherhood, something I’ve been curious about is the transformation from maiden to mother. In our culture we really resist this transition even once we are already mothers. How can the cosmos support us in this transition?
We are an adolescent society. We are wholly lacking in adult role models and leadership. It’s just culture war ping pong. Maturation is a privilege, to walk through this world, to fall down and pick oneself back up, that’s how we develop genuine self esteem. Saturn is a great teacher in this regard. Responsibility - taking personal responsibility but also being accountable to others, whether that be a partner, a child, a pet or a community - is essential to finding one’s place in the world. All this “me” talk renders us lonely and anxious, in the end. Self discovery is a beautiful thing, but we don’t exist in a vacuum. We learn about ourselves through our interactions with the world. That’s where wisdom is drawn.
What are your thoughts on Saturn Returns and having babies?
Souls come through when they’re meant to. For some, early motherhood is right, for others, they’re meant to have children later in life and for others still, childlessness is their path. It saddens me how everything has become a competition or sided, the need to justify one’s choices by declaring them “right.” The Saturn Return occurs when Saturn returns to the point it was at our birth. Our first Saturn Return occurs at about 28.5 years of age and indicates a great leap in maturation. For many women, this includes motherhood, but for others it could indicate a true step in individuation from the family of origin or one’s conditioning. For some, commitment to a serious partnership, for others leaving one. As many of us know, having a child does not automatically mature an individual. In theory, we might like to think it does, but there are many immature parents out there, including those who have decided to embark on parenthood much later in life. It’s such a layered and complex topic, made even more so by modern mores. Perhaps it’s anecdotal, but I’m seeing more and more women in their 20s and 30s preferring to focus on motherhood, rather than on a career ladder, who are exhausted by the expectations of girl bossing and would prefer a more traditional path. But there’s so many different paths and ways that lives shake out. How boring would it be if our paths were all identical?
From the cosmic wisdom standpoint, what does surrender look like? Flow? Alchemy?
Surrender does not mean passivity. It means releasing the attachment to how things unfold, attachment to timing, attachment to outcomes. Ironically, the more we try to control, the more chaotic life becomes.
I’ve heard you say “stop outsourcing your power” and it stuck with me because I say this all the time too. I think this could be a profound realization for women when it comes to pregnancy and birth. What are your thoughts here?
Oh yes. I cannot tell you how many women have come to me, having been told they’d never get pregnant by doctors only to find themselves pregnant. How many clients I’ve had who have gotten pregnant “accidentally” in their 40s. There is so much fear out there and it’s so sad because, as women, our intuition is our greatest ally. We know so much more than “experts” would have us believe.
If the day, time, & place we were born matter and that creates our chart for our own way of navigating the world through the lens of astrology, what do the different phases of the moon we’re born on mean?
Yes, it definitely does! And it’s evidenced in the Natal Chart. If one is born on a New Moon, for example, the Sun and Moon are conjunct most likely in the same sign. If one is born on a Full Moon, then the Sun and Moon are opposite and that will play out through relationships of all kinds. But we can glean information from any phase of the Moon. Balsamic, Gibbous, Waxing, Waning. Also, what time of day one is born. If they have a more nocturnal or diurnal personality.
Finally, I’d like to wrap up this interview by saying thank you. I adore you. You are necessary to the greater conversation and I appreciate everything you share. Are there any key players to look forward to in the cosmos to close out 2023 or even as we move into 2024?
Yes! In April of 2024, we will experience the Jupiter/Uranus Conjunction in Taurus, which has the potential to really expand our relationship to money, to nature, to physical beauty. The outer planets are now starting to get along. They’ve been clashing since 2011 so while I do think we are due for some major fallout from the past 12/ 13 years - and frankly the last 40, I do see some grace. Most of the outer planets are Retrograde through the end of 2023, but 2024 sees some significant advancement. We also have two eclipses coming up, the Solar Eclipse in Libra on October 14 and the Lunar Eclipse in Taurus on October 28th. Interestingly, both Libra and Taurus are ruled by Venus, planet of love, money, values. And since we’ve just come off of a Venus Retrograde, I think these themes will be quite strong. Are we living in accordance with our values? Relationally and financially.
