What Is Evolutionary Astrology?

Generally speaking, if you walk up to a random stranger and ask them if they believe in astrology, they’ll probably look at you like your crazy. But that’s starting to change. I’m beginning to notice the trend of celebrities publicly talking about their Sun, Moon, and ascendant signs, and most importantly, I’m noticing that people who are taking a conscious approach to bettering themselves are more open to the idea that we

sophisticated apes are somehow connected to the movements of the celestial bodies in our solar system. I don’t know what is prompting this. Maybe it’s the “Age of Aquarius,” maybe it’s the transformation that has happened both internally and externally in our society due to the effects of the pandemic, or what if they are one and the same? I think the proverbial phrase “as above, so below” originated when the earliest astrologers noticed the connection between the movement of the planets with what was happening down on Earth. People are now broadening their perspectives and giving this ancient and occult system known as astrology an opportunity to help them understand who they are, while at the same time learning what in the actual fuck is going in the world. Whatever the reason is, I’m here for it, and if you’re reading this, then you probably are too.

Astrology might be the best tool in making sense of all of this. But before you begin to understand what’s going on “out there,” you first need to know what’s going “inside you.” We’re going to get into what distinguishes evolutionary astrology from the various branches of the system, but before we do, let’s explore just what astrology is in general.

Astrology is a language that was created to better understand ourselves based on three symbols: the planets, the signs, and the houses. The planets (which we include the Sun and Moon in this category for shorthand reasons) symbolize what part of the psyche we are looking at within an individual (the what). The signs symbolize the core values, motivations, and strategies that drive the planets (the why and how)? And the houses symbolize arenas in our lives–the actual behaviors–in which the planets are making themselves most felt (the where). The combination of these three symbols is what makes astrology come alive, and if you know how to interpret them, then you can discover tremendous depth about who you are.

Let’s take a look at an example of this three-symbol language at play. Say you have Venus in Sagittarius and the twelfth house. Venus is the planet of love and relationships, amongst other things. Sagittarius is the sign of being motivated to find meaning in life via traveling, education, cross-cultural experiences, and philosophical quests. The twelfth house is the area of life where one needs to decouple consciousness from personality via logging hours in altered, transcendental states (which can include many things, but some are meditation, spiritual practices, creative work, staring out into the ocean, surfing, etc.). To put it simply, for someone born with their Venus in Sagittarius it is imperative for the native to find someone who will let them roam free, have something to say to have interesting conversations, and be willing to go on adventures if they want their love life to thrive. If this native’s romantic interests are total homebodies, controlling, live a mechanical life, then that person won’t be an ideal match for our Venus-in-Sagittarius person. Love for this individual also has to have a sense of spirituality. The prospective for our twelfth-house-Venus person has to understand just how important alone time is for this individual. Through the law of synchronicity, spiritual, psychic, and transcendental experiences will manifest for this person, therefore their romantic interest is going to be able to hold space in listening and even participating in such events. There’s more I can say about this combination, but I just wanted to illustrate how insightful astrology can be. Now imagine knowing about what the rest of the planets in their respective signs and houses has to say about who you are.

In summary, that is what astrology is in terms of helping people on an individual level. It is a language, but most importantly, it is one of the best tools known to man in helping individuals enhance their level of self-awareness. Now that we know a bit about what astrology is, let’s explore what evolutionary astrology is.

Even though astrology has been getting popular, it’s been around for quite some time. Different cultures such as the Babylonians, Hindus, and Chinese have developed their form of astrology to help them understand the natural cycles of life. Because it has been around for so long and because astrology has sprung up all over the world, there are different branches of astrology. So why evolutionary astrology Andre?

What drew me in to study this type of astrology was mainly because of the impact the books of one of the system’s pioneers, Steven Forrest, had on me. I had known astrology for a while, but I didn’t fall in love with astrology until I read Steven’s book “The Inner Sky.” It was his free-will and growth-oriented approach that got me hooked. Instead of viewing certain astrological placements as bad, he viewed them as challenging, and better yet, he viewed those placements as opportunities for us to grow and enjoy more of what life has to offer of us from it. Instead of believing that the planets have the power to control us, Steven believes that planets only present us with opportunities that can be expressed in higher octave manifestations or lower octave manifestations all depending on the choices we make. He believes that humans have the free will to make conscious choices, therefore they have the power to create their reality.

When I read his first book I wasn’t aware that he practiced evolutionary astrology. I just was captivated by his positive approach to this language. It was only after I read “Yesterday’s Sky” that I knew what I was getting myself into. In this book, Steven showcases the numerous collections of young kids describing who they were and how they died in a previous life. The researchers studying this phenomenon then validated these children’s stories by finding the history of the person they were claiming to be. I won’t go into too much detail, but it’s quite fascinating to learn just how many of these stories have been recorded. If you want to learn more about these stories in detail, I recommend you give “Yesterday’s Sky” a read–especially if you would like to learn more about your south node story and north node medicine.

These stories don’t prove that humans reincarnate, but they sure do support the idea. What also supports the notion of reincarnation, but doesn’t prove it, is the south node. Evolutionary astrologers believe that the chart we are born with is our soul’s blueprint on how to evolve from the karma we brought with us from a previous life. We have our present chart because of what happened to us in previous lifetimes. The south node specifically, with its sign and house placement, symbolizes our unresolved karma. In other words, hearing our south node story we can learn: what we got right, what we got wrong, who we were, what happened to us, and/or what did we do to others in a previous life. We, evolutionary astrologers, say there’s a chart behind your chart. In other words, based on astrological techniques, we can connect other symbols within your chart that are tied to your south node which provides us with a different look to the chart, one which will help us understand your prior-life themes. Now, I do want to note that the stories evolutionary astrologers create based on astrological symbolism aren’t to be taken literally. It is the symbolism that matters. Why? Well, first of all, we can’t know what actually happened to a person. And secondly, the stories help us begin to grasp the heart of the matter: emotional residue.

Each planet has a south node and a north node. The reason why astrologers focus on the nodes of the Moon is that in astrology, the Moon symbolizes one’s soul, one’s emotional self. The soul doesn’t remember what happened to you in a previous life, but it does remember what it felt like.

My astrological consulting practice has only been around for a blink of an eye, but within that short time frame, I have been astonished at how accurate the south node story has landed for my clients. I said that it’s not the literalism of the story that matters, it’s the symbolism that does, however, most of the south node stories I have told to people have repeated themselves in this lifetime! These experiences have accentuated the reverence I have for astrology and the great care I approach every reading with. For any of my past clients—and future—I would like to take this time to thank you for allowing me to read your soul’s blueprint because these are sensitive areas and vulnerable topics to explore. The feeling of clients being seen and heard is the fire that keeps me burning to help as many people as I can with astrology. This ancient language has provided me with the mission and meaningful work I have been searching for all these years (I have my Moon and Mars in the tenth house and north node in the sixth house) and I am finally living it!

Now, what if you don’t believe in reincarnation? For some of you, you probably have never explored this idea of having past lives. Once again, the south node story doesn’t prove that reincarnation is real, but it does align with the idea quite nicely. If you don’t vibe with this notion, then another way to view the south node is in framing it as our bad habits that have been passed down to us through our DNA. The themes of your south node probably won’t be new to you. When you hear your story, you’ll recognize that the lower expression of the south node’s sign and house are aspects about yourself from which you would like to evolve from. Whether it’s the bad habits you’re trying to outgrow or the karma you’re trying to work on, the south node is a powerful symbol in evolutionary astrology that can help you grow to live a more fulfilling life. Speaking of fulfillment, let’s move towards the north node.

Once you understand your karma, it’s time to learn about its remedy–a.k.a. the north node. The north node is the symbol that presents you with the opportunity to learn about what you can do to outgrow your bad habits. If you want to say you have lived a fulfilled life by the time your hair turns grey and your skin wizens, then the north node is the direction you want to head towards to. One important thing to note: the north node isn’t guaranteed to us, only the opportunity is.

The north node is the symbol that provides us with the medicine we need in order to transcend into the next level of our evolution. But don’t just focus on that one symbol only; you first need to integrate all the symbols in your birth chart before you even start heading towards your north node—especially integrating the planets aspecting the south node. You were born with the chart you have because life, the universe, higher intelligence, God, whatever you want to call it felt like you were ready to embark on the lesson plans that your birth chart entails. Whatever chart you have, one thing is for sure, it’s not easy. There are no free cosmic rides. You still have to put in work. Integrate all the symbols in your chart. Or in other words, work on yourself, seek help, educate yourself, cultivate healthy habits, develop your courage, do the things you want to do, and form harmonious relationships. You don’t have to learn astrology to live an amazing life, but it is a remarkable tool to speed up the process of helping you get aligned with who you are. If you were on a voyage to move to a better place to live, wouldn’t you want a map to be able to assist you in navigating those seas?

A great summary of the nodes is to view them like this: the south node is the bottle and the north node is the AA meeting.

Let’s look at an example so you can see the magic of evolutionary astrology by looking at the chart of hip hop royalty, Snoop Dogg. Before we even dive into the nodal story, let’s explore his primal triad, because regardless of what the nodes are saying, the “big three” of anybody’s chart are central to their evolution.

Snoop was born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. with a Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Taurus Rising. If we apply the primal triad formula, we can say Snoop is an Artist, with the heart of a Hypnotist, wearing the mask of the Grounded One. Another way to capture the essence of Snoop is by saying he is a Diplomat, with the soul of a Truth-Teller, wearing the mask of a Musician. Right off the bat, we notice a theme jumping right at us. Snoop has two signs in his primal triad that are ruled by the planet Venus: Libra and Taurus. What does this mean? For Mr. Broadus, it’ll be imperative that he find ways to calm down, find serenity, and achieve equilibrium. Everyone knows what strategy Snoop is well known for in creating inner peace. But beyond smoking the devil’s lettuce, what’s central to both Libra and Taurus in finding inner harmony is music. Whether it’s listening, singing, or creating it, music has a calming effect on one’s psyche. So thus far we can see that Snoop is doing a stellar job in constructively funneling his creative energy.

Another huge theme pops out when you look at his chart: he has three planets in Libra (the sign of relationships) and he has three planets in the seventh house (the house of relationships). What does this mean? In this life, Snoop’s vitality and happiness greatly depend on cultivating relationships. I don’t know Snoop personally, so I wouldn’t know the actual quality of his relationships, but I do know he’s been married to his wife for around 24 years and they have three children together. Culturally, he’s well-beloved, with just under 70 million followers on Instagram, he has been able to remain relevant for over 30 years, working with countless artists and celebrities in different forms of media, and everyone referring him to Uncle Snoop. One cannot argue that to be able to remain in the public arena for such a long time, and with such a positive admiration from his fans and peers, forming and maintaining harmonious relationships (The Diplomat archetype) has played a tremendous role in his success.

Now that we know a little more about Mr. Broadus, let’s explore the possibilities of who he was and what happened to him in a previous lifetime. In getting insights as to the karma of someone, it’s not just the sign and the house that the south node is in, but there are other planets and aspects to take into consideration to get a richer perspective of what happened to someone in a previous life. As I tell Snoop’s south node story, I’ll explain the astrological technique we, evolutionary astrologers, implement so you can follow along. Ok, now we’re ready to dive in!

Uncle Snoop has his south node in Leo in the fourth house. So, in a previous lifetime, Mr. Broadus had charisma, personality, and gravitas, but was also self-centered, dramatic, prideful, and arrogant (Leo) and was defined by kinship groups: families, clans, and tribes. To get more clues as to who Snoop was in a previous life, we look to the planet that rules the sign which the south node occupies (Leo), which is the Sun. His Sun is in Libra in the sixth house, therefore we say Snoop was indecisive, compromised too much, and was defined by his relationships (Libra) and felt like a slave because he had to serve (sixth house) those who were part of his kin. Now, let’s look at the aspects impacting his south node and its ruler.

Mr. Broadus’ south node is being squared by the Moon, Venus, Mercury, all in Scorpio, and the seventh house. More pressure was being put on him to serve his family and kin group by his mom and/or family responsibilities (Moon), his lover (Venus), and siblings (Mercury). All of these three planets were in Scorpio, indicating the intensity of the responsibility he had and that he was psychologically wounded, probably from what he had to go through to support his clan. If we go back to his south node ruler, the Sun, we see that the Taurus ascendant is opposing it. This indicates that he wanted to be autonomous and not be defined by the projections of others, but the pressure of his close relationships just weighed him down. Instead of having the freedom to roam the world, Snoop was tied to his kin group.

I don’t know much of his actual personal relationships, but I do know Snoop was born and raised in Long Beach, in neighborhoods which you had to learn to toughen up if you wanted to survive. Based on Snoop’s lyrics, we know he was raised in a time and in environments where gangs were prevalent, and in his songs, he claims to be part of the gang called “the crips.” Many young men join gangs because they feel like they’re part of a “family,” especially if they don’t have a loving home.

In this life, we can see Snoop has star quality and was the most prominent figure (Leo) of his gang (fourth house). It’s an arduous mountain to escape the trappings of being in a gang, but Snoop has put in the work to heal his south node karma. If we take a look at his north node, it’s in Aquarius and the tenth house. For Snoop to break free from the shackles of his karma, he needs to individuate (Aquarius) and make himself be seen on the world’s largest stage (tenth house). Instead of seeking validation from them (south node in Leo), Snoop needs to work on doing what he wants to do, honor his authenticity, no matter how eccentric he may seem to others (north node in Aquarius). And he’s not here to play small, he’s here to make a big splash and find a worthy mission (tenth house). We can see the Aquarian signature at work by Snoop working with people you might not expect him to in the public arena (tenth house). The greatest example of this is the unexpected work relationship he has cultivated with Martha Stewart. Together, the two have created a cooking show and a cookbook. A rapper and a chef, from completely different backgrounds, came together to create a wholesome show. Time and time again, Snoop has shown us just how versatile he is by breaking out of the mold of what a black man who came from Eastside Long Beach can do.

So, what would you grade Snoop Dogg’s progress in healing his south node karma and working on his north node remedy?

I’m giving him an A because he’s been able to break free from the “seductive currents of other people’s projections” (his actual family’s and those he considered family such as his gang brothers’ projections) and follow his path. To get an A+, we’ll see how the rest of his life unfolds.

If one lives their life by allowing their circumstances to define them and by not taking responsibility for their actions, then the south node karma will keep them stuck in their “old ways.” However, if you take conscious responsibility for improving yourself and learn how to make wiser decisions, then you’ll be able to heal your karmic wounds and feel like you truly accomplished what you set out to do by the time you’re in your golden years.

Are you going to allow circumstances to decide your fate?

Or are you going to take matters into your own hands and create your destiny?

The ball is in your court.

If you would like to receive a birth chart reading, which includes the south node story and the north node medicine, then please click here to order yours today!

All the best,
Andre Arellano