The Natural Wisdom Podcast

Like all of life, plants are the living embodiment of the cosmos. In this episode, spiritual herbalist Angela Segraves and I talk about the transition from winter to spring, and several ways to choose plants to help us work with cosmic weather shifts.  You can find all of Angela's offerings here: http://www.angelasegraves.com/ More on Angela's Sacred Heart Wisdom retreat in Montana: http://www.ang...

Emily Trinkaus and I talked about how to deepen into our souls, flow with the vastness of Pisces, and choose our destiny as embodied humans in another epic Cosmic Conversation. We also discussed simple ways to connect with body and Earth in the midst of a Piscean deluge of feeling.  You can find all of Emily's offerings, including the Embodied Aquarian Podcast on her new website: https://embodieda...

After a long period of containment, we are finally entering a period of free-flowing expansion. Kristine explains some of the vast opportunities and pitfalls of Jupiter, the planet of expansion, in its home sign of the great mystery - Pisces. Pisces and Virgo together make up the axis of purification, preparation and health. As with all polarity, our work is to find conscious integration of these...

The United States is on an Underworld journey as Pluto returns to the place in the Zodiac where it was at our birth as a nation. Plus, Venus is carrying Plutonian themes of power as this bright morning star descends toward its own Underworld period. Venus passed through the second 'gate' the weekend of February 26th at her conjunction with the waning crescent Moon. Kristine talks about these overl...

Does the fear of persecution keep you from your natural wisdom? Prevent you from speaking what you know? In this episode of The Natural Wisdom Podcast, healer Belinda Noakes and I went there - to the echoes in today's world of the Inquisition and the 'burning times', the difficulty in holding our center and our balance during a time of intense polarization, and some work on healing the trauma. At...

In this episode, take a tour of the planets and how they can show up in our felt experience. Feeling blue? Perhaps the Moon is in Pisces. Anxious? Mercury and/or Uranus might be activated. When we pay attention to astrology and attune to the planets, our sensations and emotions become part of our understanding of how the planets are operating in our lives from moment to moment. Book a reading to l...

Finally, all planets are moving forward! If you have felt sluggish or stuck this past month, take heart. Venus and Mercury just turned direct, the Sun reached the cross-quarter holyday of Imbolc, and the days are getting noticeably longer in the northern hemisphere. This episode covers the wisdom of the retrogrades in light of the past couple of years; how to change your lifestyle to synchronize w...

The ancient story of Queen Inanna's journey to the Underworld mirrors almost exactly the travel of Venus in her 19 month synodic cycle. The Queen of Heaven corresponds to Venus as the morning star, where she emerged only days ago. The Queen of Heaven and Earth reflects Venus after her Underworld death and subsequent resurrection as an evening star, which occurs at the end of 2022. In this episode,...

For this episode of the podcast, my friend and gifted healer Belinda Noakes joined me for a conversation about cultural oppression, the fear matrix, and how to loosen our grip on the stories that keep us contained. We did a little live healing work with me as the guinea pig after a wide ranging conversation about our surprisingly parallel journeys; the alchemical work of transmuting energy; and wh...

Today's conjunction between Venus and the Sun in Capricorn marks the halfway point in Venus' retrograde period, and an initiation of a new 19 month cycle. This week rolls out a number of astrological turning points in addition to today's conjunction, including Mercury's retrograde beginning January 14th; Uranus stationing direct on the 17th; the Cancer Full Moon on the 17th; and, perhaps the bigge...

Happy New Year 2022! With a New Moon at the very start of the New Year, we have lots of energetic support for setting intentions. Venus retrograde may bring some realignment and reevaluation, particularly around money and our relationship with the material realm. In this episode, I talk about Capricorn themes and some of the healing opportunities for 2022. I'm offering a 22% discount on readings b...

Celebrate the December Solstice, and the turning point of the year with a short astro-update; a meditation to help you call in the new; and a prayer for loving-kindness. The astrology of the moment serves as a backdrop for this time of rebirth and renewal. Venus, Goddess of love, money, pleasure, and what we value has just begun its retrograde journey, beginning in partnership with Pluto, God of t...

Venus, planet of love, beauty, and relating is high in the sky as the Evening Star Lover for just a couple of weeks longer, before becoming invisible again for a reunion with the Sun. Venus will rise again in mid-January, but as the Morning Star Warrior. This short bonus episode offers a few simple ways of honoring this lovely planet. Think pleasure!! Want more on Venus? Check out my recorded clas...

Emily Trinkaus and I recorded this episode on the Sagittarius Solar Eclipse of December 4th (find the chart here ), the last of 2021, and the last on the Gemini-Sagittarius axis for another decade. We covered as much of the current cosmic weather as we had time for, starting with the Eclipse itself and how to work with it, and the themes of all six eclipses along the Gemini-Sagittarius axis of the...

In this short episode, I mark my imminent emergence from Pluto's Underworld, and our collective immersion in the darkness during the US Pluto return. You can learn more about Pluto in my recorded class , or read about my personal Plutonian experiences . Follow me or support the podcast on Patreon ! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonu...

Animals are teachers and guides, from wolves to family pets, and they are talking to us all the time. In my conversation with Kim Shotola of The Lightfoot Way, we told a few stories of our own animal encounters, and Kim led us through a short meditation to connect with an animal and find out what it might have to tell us. You can find all of her offerings here: https://www.thelightfootway.com/clas...

In the previous episode on Scorpio season, I mixed up my days and referred to the Scorpio New Moon incorrectly as happening on Wednesday, rather than Thursday, November 4th. In this short episode, I clear that up and talk about how to work with the often shocking and unexpected energies of the planet Uranus, the 'star' of this week's New Moon show. I couldn't resist mentioning Venus again, too! Jo...

The Scorpio New Moon occurs this Thursday** afternoon/evening in the heart of the sign. In this short bonus episode, I talk about the portal between the worlds of this lunation, which marks the 'official' start to Eclipse season. Download a chart of this New Moon for free , complete with a legend of symbols. Want to learn astrology? I'm teaching The Planets in Astrology on Saturday, November 13th....

Spiritual herbalist and energy healer Angela Segraves was my guest today. We talked about plants, and the many ways we can consciously connect with them and allow them to help us. We each had some stories on how plants have 'spoken' to us, and Angela led us through a meditation to find one of our plant allies. Part of our conversation covered re-learning that everything around us is conscious and...

Listen to my story of receiving wisdom on the banks of a mountain stream, a particularly timely reminder on finding balance this Libra season. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://kristinebackes.com/2021/10/01/message-from-the-forest/ Remember you can follow me on Patreon for updates on the podcast, or become a patron to support the show and join the live sessions. This is a publ...

In this third live episode of The Natural Wisdom Podcast, it was my pleasure and honor to interview astrologer, writer, teacher, healer Emily Trinkaus . We covered a lot of ground, including astrology as a healing art; practical suggestions for getting started with - or deepening your connection with - astrology; astrology as a way of connecting with natural cycles; and a brief foray into current...

Here is a short take on today's New Moon in the sign of Virgo, and how to work with it. The reset and cleanse protocol I mentioned is also on the Resources page of my website, and my fall class schedule will be up soon on kristinebackes.com   The next live episode of the podcast records on September 18th, an interview with astrologer (and my mentor) Emily Trinkaus. Patrons at $8 and above can join...

In this short bonus episode, learn how to get grounded anytime, anywhere.  More resources for self-care on my website https://kristinebackes.com / Support the podcast by becoming a patron!   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristinebackes.substack.com/subscribe

In this second episode of The Natural Wisdom Podcast, I talk briefly about the New Moon in Leo, the cross-quarter holy day of Lammas, and then discuss how - and why - to align our lives with the seasons. You can find the gentle seasonal cleanse protocol I referenced here . In the next scheduled episode on September 18th, I'll be interviewing long-time astrologer Emily Trinkaus . Among other topics...

Yoga philosophy calls injury and illness our 'teachers'. In this bonus episode, I share my experience with a recent injury and the healing power of presence. Prefer to read rather than listen? https://kristinebackes.com/2021/07/31/injuries-are-my-embodiment-teachers/ If you want to join me live every month, become a patron. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscri...