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On July 26, 2026, the lunar nodes shifted out of Pisces and Virgo, where they’d been sitting since late January of 2025, and moved into Leo and Aquarius, where they’ll stay until March 27, 2028.

If you’re new to nodes, here’s the short version. The North Node and South Node are always exactly opposite each other, which is why you’ll hear astrologers talk about a nodal axis instead of just a single sign. The South Node describes what’s familiar, mastered, and ready to be released. The North Node describes the edge you’re being asked to grow toward. Neither one is good or bad. They’re a pair, and you’re always releasing one thing in order to grow into the other.

The last axis, Pisces and Virgo, told a story of surrender versus control, intuition versus refinement. This new one, Leo and Aquarius, tells a different story entirely: the self versus the collective. Leo rules joy, creativity, romance, and being seen as an individual. Aquarius rules community, technology, and the evolution of the whole. For the next eighteen months, we’re all being asked to find the balance between those two.

Where this axis has already taken me

I’m a Leo rising, so the outgoing Pisces/Virgo nodes fell across my 2nd and 8th houses, money, worth, and shared resources. And I mean that literally. I had a career pivot I never saw coming, one that didn’t cost me my job exactly, but cost me my income, which forced my husband and I to lean much harder into the business we run together. I wouldn’t have done it without that kick in the ass. That’s the 8th house for you: it doesn’t ask nicely.

Wherever Leo and Aquarius fall in your own chart is where you’ll feel the next eighteen months most acutely. Here’s what that looks like, sign by sign.

Aries Rising — 11th and 5th house axis

Your growth edge is building community, finding your people, and thinking bigger than just yourself. What you’re releasing is the need to be the star of the show. You’re very good at that, Leo rules your 5th house after all, but the validation that comes from being the center of attention often costs you the collaboration you actually need. The shift is moving from look what I made to look what we can build together.

Taurus Rising — 10th and 4th house axis

You’re being called into more public leadership, more visibility, more responsibility, even if that means being misunderstood along the way. What you’re releasing is over-identification with home, family roles, or where you’re from, whatever’s been keeping you tucked inside your comfort zone. The theme: let your world get bigger.

Gemini Rising — 9th and 3rd house axis

This period is asking you to study something deeply, publish, teach, travel, and actually develop a personal philosophy instead of just collecting information. Read the book instead of scrolling the carousel. What you’re releasing is the noise: the gossip, the constant information intake, the small talk that never resolves into anything. Less scrolling, more meaning.

Cancer Rising — 8th and 2nd house axis

This is the axis I just came through as a Leo rising, so I know it intimately. You’re being asked to trust others, merge resources, and let yourself be interdependent instead of self-sufficient. It might not be the rosiest stretch, healing old money wounds rarely is, but you’ll walk away transformed. What you’re releasing is scarcity thinking and measuring your worth by your income, your house, or your relationships. The theme: learning to receive.

Leo Rising — 7th and 1st house axis

Right here with you. Your growth edge is partnership: close one-on-one relationships, business partners, contracts, marriage. We just spent eighteen months learning to collaborate out of necessity. Now we’re cementing it. What you’re releasing is the performance, the compulsive need to do everything yourself, the ego validation that comes from being the one everyone’s watching. You can be fully yourself and still let a relationship change you. The theme: the greatest growth comes through we, not just me.

Virgo Rising — 6th and 12th house axis

The next eighteen months are about your daily systems: health, routines, the slow and steady stuff that can’t be ignored or your body will remind you. What you’re releasing is isolation and waiting for perfection before you act, because that moment never comes. The theme: the sacred and the mundane. Let the enlightenment happen while you’re doing the dishes.

Libra Rising — 5th and 11th house axis

Your growth edge is joy, creativity, romance, self-expression, even the question of children if that’s on your mind. What you’re releasing is the constant crowdsourcing of your own decisions: what does the group want, what’s trending, what will everyone think. The theme: let your individuality take center stage.

Scorpio Rising — 4th and 10th house axis

This period is about home, roots, ancestry, building a foundation that feels safe from the inside out. What you’re releasing is defining yourself purely through public reputation or career achievement, the branches and flowers of the tree, when the real work is feeding the roots. The theme: building a home, both literal and internal.

Sagittarius Rising — 3rd and 9th house axis

You’re being called to bring your big ideas into everyday conversation: your local community, your writing, your teaching, but collaboratively, not from a place of needing to be the guru with all the answers. What you’re releasing is the ego attachment to being right or being the authority. The theme: your wisdom gets found in everyday conversation, not from the mountaintop.

Capricorn Rising — 2nd and 8th house axis

This period pulls you toward building wealth and self-worth, brick by brick, the way only a Capricorn actually knows how. What you’re releasing is any financial or energetic dependence that’s costing you a piece of yourself. The theme: build what is truly yours.

Aquarius Rising — 1st and 7th house axis

This is your pivot season, reinvention, rebranding, becoming the version of yourself you’ve been circling for years. What you’re releasing is people-pleasing and defining yourself through a relationship or its status. There may be a gap between what you’re letting go of and what’s coming in. Trust the gap. The theme: become the person you’ve been waiting to meet.

Pisces Rising — 12th and 6th house axis

You’re being asked toward spiritual development, solitude, and trusting your intuition, even when you can’t see what’s ahead. The 12th house gets a bad reputation, but it’s not all darkness, it’s just a different kind of seeing. What you’re releasing is the belief that your worth comes from productivity, from being the one who does the daily service. The theme: sometimes the most important work is invisible.

That’s the general shape of the next eighteen months, sign by sign. But the themes above are really just the headlines. The full picture, including how this exact axis played out in my own life last time around, and what it might mean for you, is in the audio above. If you’ve got twenty minutes, it’s worth the listen. I go into more personal detail and talk eclipses as well.

Wherever you land on this axis, the same thing is true: you’re always releasing one thing in order to grow into the other. Neither side is the villain. Pay attention to what August’s eclipse brings up for you specifically, it’s probably your first real clue about the next eighteen months.

Til next time,

Marissa

If you want to go deeper into your own chart, timing, or just talk through what’s surfacing for you right now, I’m here. Book a reading at marissakester.com, or find me on Instagram @marissa.kester. I’ll be back soon with a bigger-picture look at this nodal shift through a mundane, financial astrology lens. Listen to the full conversation this essay is based on in the podcast episode above.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

I’m so excited to share the first of what I hope is the first of a regular series of astrology conversations with my soul sister & longtime friend Anna. She is a yoga teacher, astrologer, mom of 2, and world traveler currently living abroad. (And also the freaking coolest…am I right?!)

We’ve known each other since college, weaving in and out of each other’s lives, but always meeting up again. And now astrology has become one of our favorite tools (and thing to talk about) as we navigate motherhood and a crazy world.

In this episode, we talk about everything from yoga and island life in the Dominican Republic to astrology’s grounding power in chaotic times. If you’ve ever felt like different places bring out different versions of you, this one’s for you!

Anna introduces the concept of relocation charts (which was the inspiration for my episode a few weeks ago where I was still processing my own relocation chart). These charts are based on the idea that where you live actually changes how your chart expresses itself. It’s like wearing a different outfit depending on where you are in the world, which affects everything from the way we show up, aspects of our personality that are exaggerated (or minimized), and the goals we might have. And yes, it blew my mind too.

We cover:

* How astrology found us (again)

* Island vibes, expat living, and spiritual community

* Why your natal chart isn’t the full story

* Using astrocartography to understand place-based identity

* The tension between career goals and motherhood

* Emotional healing, generational patterns, and trusting your timing

And in classic astrology fashion, we meander through personal anecdotes, cosmic reflections, and the occasional background chaos of small children. #realmomlife

I loved every minute of this conversation and can’t wait to do it again. If you’ve ever wondered why some places just feel right (or wrong), this episode will open up new cosmic doors for you.

Let me know what you think in the comments! Do you resonate with your relocated chart?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

It’s May, and you know what that means: Taurus season, end of the school year madness, and self-care birthday season for moi.

I’m turning 36 this week, which feels... mellow. Like a chamomile tea of a birthday. And as I do every year, I’ve been combing through old journals and goal lists, asking the Big Questions™ like:

Who am I now? What did I say I’d do last year? And why is my back doing that weird thing again?

So today’s podcast episode is a little audio love note to that process—a soft, honest share about goals I set at 35, what actually happened (spoiler: not much), and how I’m learning to be okay with that.

What I Thought I’d Accomplish This Year:

Let’s rewind to May 2024, when I boldly declared that I would:

* 🧘‍♀️ Lose the baby weight (third kid, still holding strong)

* 📚 Finish and publish Guidebook to the Apocalypse

* 🎙️ Put myself out there—via podcast, Instagram, and Substack

And what did I actually accomplish?

* Started the podcast (hi, you're listening to it—win)

* Wrote some solid Substack posts

* Posted on Instagram… twice?

Oh, and I found out my thyroid is basically on a nap strike, which explains a lot about the lingering weight, fatigue, and general “I’m trying so hard and getting nowhere” vibes.

So, technically, that’s 1.5 out of 3? Maybe 1.75 if we’re being generous? But I’m not mad. Because what I’ve learned is...

Sometimes the “Failure” is Just the Plot Thickening

Honestly, I’ve spent this year walking the long, scenic route back to myself. Healing my body. Learning patience (unwillingly). Wrestling with a book project that’s been marinating since 2020 and refuses to be rushed.

If you’ve never tried to distill the rise and fall of civilizations, astrological turning points, and the end of the world as we know it into 75,000 digestible words… highly recommend. For character development (and keeping yourself chronically humbled).

I submitted a book proposal to a publisher. Didn’t make the cut. Reached out to an agent. Crickets. Had one of my history books scrubbed from the internet because of a DEI keyword flag. I mean... you can’t make this stuff up.

But the truth is, I am a writer (begrudgingly…it’s not as cool as it sounds). And writers write. So instead of waiting for permission or a glittery book deal, I’m just going to self-publish it. This June. No launch drama. No hype. Just... putting it into the world. Because done is better than perfect. (Say it with me.)

Instagram Still Feels Like High School

Can we talk about the emotional gymnastics of posting on Instagram?It’s like: “Here’s my deepest thought I’ve stewed on for a year” → 7 likes and a bot comment about cryptoMeanwhile someone posts “POV: you’re healing your feminine” in a bikini and gets 13,000 saves.

I know social media is just a tool, but sometimes it feels like an eternal popularity contest I never signed up for. And yet, here I am. Dipping a toe in, trying not to wince too hard when I get “perceived.” Because even if it’s cringey and inconsistent, it’s still brave to show up. And that’s worth something.

My Body is Loud Lately

Another theme this year: my body is talking, and I’m finally starting to listen.Loud and clear, she says:

* Slow down

* Rest more

* Stop trying to fix everything overnight

So here I am with a cranky lower back, a sluggish thyroid, and a newfound respect for yoga, minerals, and actual sleep. Not because I want to take the long road, but because apparently that’s the only road available right now.

The Gift of Already Having What You Want

Even with the failures, missed goals, and endless drafts, when I zoom out, life is good.

Like, really good. My kids are healthy and awesome and hilarious. My marriage is solid (helps I lucked out and married a great man). I love my home. My days are full of meaning and little rituals I once dreamed about. And when I ask myself why I want more money, the answer is always “to do more of exactly what I’m already doing.”

So maybe this year, my birthday goal is just this:

To be here. Really here. In my life. In my body. In this moment.Not plotting the next empire or business or strategy. Just being.

So what’s next?

Besides publishing Guidebook to the Apocalypse in June (hold me to it), I’m leaving this next year wide open. Letting life reroute me. Letting my own rhythms lead. Letting creative sparks surprise me. Less five-year plan, more five-minute peace.

Thanks for being here. For listening. For caring, even when my inner critic swears no one does. I’m so grateful.

Here’s to 36. And to making peace with being perceived.

xo,Marissa

P.S. Want to gift me something for my birthday? You already did just by reading this. But if you really want to make my heart happy, forward this post to a friend who loves astrology, cycles of time, or the existential drama of being online. 💌

Thanks for reading Sacred Threads! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

What if your health symptoms weren’t problems to fix—but energy trying to move through you?

In this episode of The Wise Woman Podcast, I share the behind-the-scenes of a recent thyroid imbalance and the energetic medicine I’ve been receiving in return. From cycle wisdom to chakra theory to what German New Medicine teaches about healing, we explore what it means to see the body as an energy system—not a machine to fix.

Inside this episode:

* Why thyroid issues (especially postpartum) are so common in women

* How self-abandonment, people-pleasing, and overgiving disrupt your endocrine system

* What your throat chakra has to do with suppressed emotions

* Why “receiving before giving” is not selfish—it’s sacred

* A gentle reminder that your body is always trying to heal

This is for the women trying to give from an empty well, the ones who feel like they’ve lost themselves somewhere between motherhood and achievement—and for anyone needing the reminder that healing isn’t earned. It’s allowed.

Check out my book (free on amazon) here: Cycle Magic

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

Yesterday started like a Pinterest dream: sunshine, a productive work day, extra coffee, a long workout, kids playing happily… and ended with me wandering through the hospital with blood on my shirt and a gaping hole in my leggings. Because of course it did. #momlife

In today’s episode of the Wise Woman Podcast, I’m telling the full story—complete with a toddler injury (she’s okay!), a trip to the ER, and the moment I realized half the hospital had unknowingly seen my butt.

This one’s for:

* The moms who’ve had one of those days

* The anxious souls learning to surrender

* Anyone who’s been humbled by real life and lived to laugh about it

* And my fellow women walking around unaware their leggings have betrayed them

We’re talking mason jars, urgent care bingo cards, Chick-fil-A dinners, and the spiritual art of letting it go (even when it’s your dignity on the line).

✨ Plus: A reminder that 100 bad days make 100 good stories… and this is one of mine.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

Hi!

Welcome to day two of The Wise Woman Podcast (chaos method edition…I’m going for 30 episodes in 30 days with a one hour time limit each day. We’ll see how this works out).

Today I’m diving into something that’s been sitting heavy in the collective energy: the economy, the news, the “WTF is going on” feeling so many of us are carrying.

I’m not an economist (thank goddess), but as a historian and cycle nerd, I want to offer a different lens on what we’re experiencing—one that helps us breathe, zoom out, and recognize the pattern behind the panic.

Because here’s the truth:

🌒 We are not in the end of the world.

🌘 We are in the end of a world—an era, a system, an institution.

🌑 And winter is part of the cycle. It’s not a mistake. It’s the plan.

In this episode, I talk about:

* What’s really happening in the economy (and why it’s not personal)

* Why this decade a major turning point in institutional and economic cycles

* The Guidebook to the Apocalypse chapter I’m editing right now on resources, war, and tech

* My theory on Trump, the plane crash metaphor, and why soft landings are still possible

* And why, despite it all, I feel weirdly calm

Favorite line from the episode:

“You can go outside with your flip-flops and curse the snow… or you can just put on your boots and realize, this is winter. It’s supposed to suck a little. But spring always follows.”

🔗 Resources + Mentions:

* My book in progress: Guidebook to the Apocalypse

* Ray Dalio’s Long-Term Debt Cycle (nerd out if you want)

* "Sacred Threads" on Substack ← more essays, astrology, & cycle talk.

* @marissa.kester on instagram ← come say hi!

If you’re feeling anxious about “what’s coming”…

This episode is for you.Not to sugarcoat it, not to fix it.But to remind you that it makes sense.

We’re living through history—your nervous system just doesn’t know it yet.

I’d love to know your thoughts, your questions, or even what part of your own life feels like winter right now.

As always, I’m so glad you’re here.

See you tomorrow,

Marissa

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

Welcome back to the Wise Woman Podcast! After nearly a year away (classic me), I’m back—and this time, we’re doing things differently. This season is going to be more storytelling, more intuitive integration, and a lot less pressure to “teach.” I'm letting it flow, and you're invited into the process.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing something that blew my mind and cracked my soul open in the best way: relocation astrology. If you’ve ever felt like who you are on the inside doesn’t quite match how people see you on the outside... this episode is for you.

You’ll learn:

* 🌍 What a relocation chart is—and how it’s not the same as your natal chart

* ♍️ Why I had an identity crisis when I found out I’m a Virgo rising (relocated)

* 🔍 How these charts reveal blocks, blind spots, and why you might feel misunderstood

* 🔮 How I used AI (ChatGPT!) to integrate the insights and even roast myself 😂

* 💫 Why this chart felt like a permission slip to just be who I am right here, right now

🔗 Tools + Links Mentioned:

* ✨ Generate Your Relocation Chart on Astro-Seek

* 🤖 Curious about the prompts I used to interpret my chart with ChatGPT? I’ll share them in an upcoming episode or Substack post—stay tuned.

* 📚 Book recs, AI prompts, and additional resources coming soon to the newsletter.

💌 Stay Connected:

* 🌙 Substack: Sacred Threads (here!) – for storytelling, cycles, astrology, and soul-aligned wellness

* 📸 Instagram: @marissa.kester – come say hi and let me know what your relocation chart revealed!

If this episode resonated it would mean so much if you’d subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend. Your support helps this podcast grow and reach more women who are ready to live in alignment with who they really are.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode I have my very first guest (and one of my dearest friends): Anna Kiser! We chat about all things motherhood, human design & astrology for our littles, programming in the first 7 years, the reality of Mother's Day, and life with little ducklings on your tail.

Please like, share, or leave a review with your thoughts! We'd love to hear from you :)

Anna is a 200 RYT certified yoga instructor with additional training in prenatal yoga and yoga nidra. An avid student of Ayurveda and TCM, she incorporates both medicinal sciences into her own coaching and teaching. She leads weekly asana classes and monthly yoga events, and hopes to expand her offerings to include international retreats in the near future.
In addition to teaching, Anna runs a holistic health coaching practice that incorporates various modalities of wellness to give women the tools they need to nourish their bodies, inspire their minds, and transform their lives.
In her free time, Anna loves to get out into nature for long hikes, baking, traveling and spending time with her family. She currently lives in Basel, Switzerland and would love to see you on the mat if you're ever in town!
 
Check her out on Instagram @she_feelz_good or her website: https://www.shefeelzgood.com
 
Thank you so much for listening!
 
Follow me on IG @marissa.kester
or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

Today I talk about a few of the things I am struggling with. A reminder for myself and all the moms out there that some days and seasons are hard—and that’s ok!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode I talk about:

• What is the heroine's journey


• The hero vs. heroine's journey


• The dark night of the soul/underworld


• Integrating feminine and masculine energies

 

Resources & Book Recommendations

• The Heroine's Journey by Maureen Murdock


• When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone


• The Creation of the Patriarchy by Gerda Lerner

 

 Thank you so much for listening!

 

Follow me on IG @marissa.kester

or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

 

This podcast is intended to educate, inspire and support you on your personal journey toward inner peace. I am not a medical doctor or psychologist and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical or psychological conditions, please seek help from a qualified medical professional. 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode we talk about the wise woman archetype and how it is something we are all encountering right now.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

This episode is all about the power of the stories we tell ourselves. We talk beliefs, the subconscious, and an exercise you can do to help uncover some of those limiting beliefs that are driving your story.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

A little bit about me and the show. Featuring my dog Layla.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode I talk about:

• Why our relationship with time runs our lives


• Our concept of time and how it is a tool


• How our concept of time and therefore lifestyle has changed over time


• Why our current concept of time affects women more than men

Resources & Book Recommendations

• The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli


• Cycle Magic by Marissa Rose

Thank you so much for listening!

Follow me on IG @rebellemarissa

or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

This podcast is intended to educate, inspire and support you on your personal journey toward inner peace. I am not a medical doctor or psychologist and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical or psychological conditions, please seek help from a qualified medical professional.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode I talk about:

• How our concept of a witch is really a metaphor for how we perceive feminine power


• A quick recap of the history of Halloween


• How we got to our current idea of a witch and where that came from


• The evolution of the witch archetype as a parallel to the evolution of how we perceive the feminine


• Witches in pop culture history

Resources & Book Recommendations

• Episode 2: Why Women's Spirituality Matters

Thank you so much for listening!

Follow the show on IG @rebellehistory

or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

This podcast is intended to educate, inspire and support you on your personal journey toward inner peace. I am not a medical doctor or psychologist and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical or psychological conditions, please seek help from a qualified medical professional.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

In this episode I talk about:

• Why women's spirituality matters 


• A brief history of how our concept of God has changed over time


• The paradigm loop as the foundation of how we view God, the world, and what is possible


• Why engaging with the goddess/energy of the divine feminine is critical to the future of humanity (dun dun dun!)

Resources & Book Recommendations

• The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli


• When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone


• The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler


• The Creation of the Patriarchy by Gerda Lerner

Thank you so much for listening!

Follow the show on instagram @rebellehistory or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

This podcast is intended to educate, inspire and support you on your personal journey toward inner peace. I am not a medical doctor or psychologist and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical or psychological conditions, please seek help from a qualified medical professional.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com

Episode one! Today I talk about my goals for this podcast, introduce the concept of the "dilemma of the modern woman," and riff on why women's history matters. 

Thank you so much for listening!

Follow the show on instagram @rebellehistory or email me: athenapublishingllc@gmail.com

This podcast is intended to educate, inspire and support you on your personal journey toward inner peace. I am not a medical doctor or psychologist and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any medical or psychological conditions, please seek help from a qualified medical professional. 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rebellehistory.substack.com