Soil and Stars

Gates of Venus is a 7-week Venus retrograde journey for big-hearted artists, cycle-breaking healers, and visionary dreamers ready to allow beauty, pleasure, and joy to flourish without turning away from the heartbreak of our world. Learn more and join today. From October 3rd - November 13th, 2026 Venus retrogrades through Scorpio and Libra, and a living story unfolds. None of our retrograde stories will be the same, and they all hold the potential for healing and renewal. This week, Emily invites you to spiral back in time to October 2018 to explore the ghosts of retrograde’s past. Tune in for… The mystical nature of Venus’ 8 year cycle Healing our relationship with time by wading into the cyclical waters of the cosmos Prompts and reflections for uncovering your 2018 Venus retrograde story Emily’s story of a liberatory breakup during the October 2018 Venus retrograde in Scorpio and Libra Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join Gates of Venus 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This week, Emily dives deep into the myth of Inanna’s descent into the underworld. Tune in for… Connections between Inanna, Ishtar, and Venus The Ancient Mesopotamian roots of this myth Major archetypes and themes of Inanna’s descent and the story’s relationship with Venus retrograde Mentioned in this episode: Descent & Rising by Carly Mountain Descent of Inanna into the Underworld Wiki Side Quest to the Underworld by Aryn the Alchemist Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This week, Emily is thrilled to welcome relational astrologer, writer, and mage Pallas K. Augustine . Pallas has created an incredible Venusian body of work, including Venus retrograde workbooks, blog posts, and a new Venus Cycles 101 course. These accessible teachings are for anyone wanting to deepen their relationship with Venus and her cycles. Tune in for a soulful conversation about… The love, loss, magic, and mystery of relating to Venus’ cycles The specific, personal, and private nature of our relationships with Venus and the influence of our locations, identities, histories, and lineages Undoing supremacy and moving toward connection, compassion, and empathy without abandoning ourselves There are many paths and no one right way to devote ourselves to Venus If you want to go deeper with Venus’ cycles, check out Pallas’ Venus Cycles 101 and Venus Cycle & Venus Calculator Guide . To learn more about Pallas and their offerings, visit www.nineofwands.com , become a patron , and connect on Instagram . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This week, Emily is joined by her first astrology teacher, Rowan Oliver ! Emily and Rowan discuss how astrology transforms our relationship with time, Venus’ affinity with feminine rage, and Venus’ solidarity with the queer and trans community. Tune in to hear Emily and Rowan yap about… Rowan’s incredible talk at the 2025 Astrologer’s Co-Op conference titled Blood and Chocolate: Venus’ Violent Delights Venus as a constellation of cosmology, culture, myth, and story Venus’ role as stewardess of authentic expression including gender and queer euphoria Righteous feminine rage as an aspect of Venus the war goddess and arbiter of justice To learn more about Rowan and their offerings, visit rowastrology.com and connect with them on Instagram . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This episode is for the green witches, the lovers of myth and folk magic, and the Venus devotees. This week’s guest is herbalist, flower essence practitioner, and storyteller Liz Migliorelli who you may know as Sister Spinster. Emily and Liz discuss the joy of crafting flower essences, what it’s like to live in devotion to Venus, and the otherworldly magic of Apple. Tune in for an enchanting conversation about… Flower essences as vibrational remedies that catalyze personal transformation and awaken shifts in consciousness Devotion to Venus as reverence for the connection of all things and the pleasure of embodiment, the sensuous, and wholeness Venus’ kinship with plants, including Rosemary, Lemon Balm, and Birch Apple magic as a practice of ancestral reverence and re-enchantment To learn more about Liz and her offerings, visit her website www.sisterspinster.net . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This episode is for the Matriarchs, young and old, the ancestors and future ones, and those building a life-sustaining, regenerative world for all. This week, Emily is joined by the luminous Nergiz , a mother, writer, artist, and composer of Matriarchal dreamscapes. Tune in for a world changing conversation about... The misconception that Matriarchy is women rule when it means mother beginning and how that differs from patriarchy Allowing Matriarchy to transform us by living, practicing, and recreating it in our daily lives The political, economic, social, and cultural cornerstones of Matriarchy Nergiz’s forthcoming community-funded book, Matriarchy: An Ancient Vision to Redefine Power and Restore the Earth To connect with Nergiz, subscribe to her newslette r , support her community-funded book , and follow her on Instagram . Mentioned in this episode: The Great Cosmic Mother by Monica Sjoo and Barbara Mor Nergiz’s reading list for a Matriarchal world Matriarchy Now coalition Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This week, Emily is joined by doula and storyteller Madison Murphy Barney to discuss her new book Our Ancestors Want Us to Be Mushrooms . Tune in to hear Emily and Madison discuss… Being guided by our ancestors and connecting with them through ceremony, community, creativity, and humor How the mystery, diversity, and magic of mushrooms make them potent guides and doulas for creating a liveable, vibrant future Remembering our interconnectivity and how to become villagers even when it’s inconvenient and hard Uncovering our original instructions and sharing our unique creative gifts To connect with Madison, follow her on Instagram , visit her website madisonmurphybarney.com , and get a copy of Our Ancestors Want Us to Be Mushrooms . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This episode is for the seasonal artists, contemplative writers, and sensitive souls. In this gentle conversation, Emily speaks with artist and writer Carolyn Yoo about living a devoted creative life, weaving the spiritual into our artmaking, and attuning to natural cycles and rhythms. Tune in to hear Emily and Carolyn discuss… Reflections on devotion, discipline, and the tarot The Ouroboros and whole integration of the creative process What it means to be quietly public as an artist on the internet Seasonal living, writing, and zine making To learn more about Carolyn, her offerings, and creations visit www.carolynyoo.com and subscribe to her newsletter . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

In this moving conversation, Emily sits down with death doula and grief coach, Abby Goelzer of Garnet and the Moon. Emily and Abby discuss the complexities of grief and joy, estrangement, intergenerational healing, communal grief, and creative expression. Tune in for… Abby’s stories of loss and why she became a death doula and grief guide Meeting our grief to expand our capacity for joy The nuances of estrangement and how choosing ourselves can lead to intergenerational healing The power of community and creative expression to metabolize grief and connect with others To learn more about Abby and her offerings, visit her website www.garnetandthemoon.com , follow her on Instagram , and subscribe to her newsletter . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

This episode is for the wild hearted artists, the nature-loving creatives, and anyone questioning their relationship with AI. This week’s guest is Mel Mitchell-Jackson , an adventure artist and writer whose art and work seduces others into the pleasure of loving nature. Tune in to hear Emily and Mel discuss… AI sobriety and discerning whether the tech we utilize is a partner or a thief Why AI is a kill switch for our intuition and severs us from the beauty and intelligence of the Earth Growing our capacity for uncertainty and mystery and strengthening our discernment, inner knowing, and self-trust Presence in nature and creative craft as wellness practices and rebellion against the status quo Receiving wisdom from the Redwoods and practicing community care Connect with Mel on Substack and YouTube , listen to the Persistent Bloom podcast , and check out their conversation on Off the Grid . Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

Welcome to season two of Soil and Stars! We are back for the next 12 weeks with Venus as our guiding light and muse. Each week, Emily and special guests will reveal the multidimensionality of the Venusian. To kickoff this season, Emily waxes poetic about her love of our brilliant Evening and Morning Star. Tune in to this Venusian sermon illuminating... The ancient relationship between Venus, Earth, and the Sun Venus’ many faces as Ishtar, Inanna, and Aphrodite The tapestry of human-star relations and following in the footsteps of our ancestors Why centering the Venusian supports our personal and collective flourishing in times of collapse If you want to go deeper with Venus and be held in like-hearted community, join the Gates of Venus waitlist . Mentioned in this episode: Farmer Rox Writes on Substack Pallas K. Augustine , guide and teacher of Venus’ cycles Polish Folk Witch on Patreon Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music. Resources & Links 🌹𖠿 Join the Gates of Venus waitlist 🌱✨ Subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter 🌔🌀 Receive the free Lunar Living guide and attune to the gentle, nourishing cycle of the Moon

Welcome to the season one finale of Soil and Stars. This week, Emily has a soulful conversation with artist and writer Cody Cook-Parrott about their new book, The Practice of Attention . This episode is an invitation to notice where our attention goes and energy flows. Attention is the gateway to presence, and in a world full of distractions, presence is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. Tune in to hear Emily and Cody discuss: Their complicated relationships with social media and how they began noticing the negative impacts of apps like Instagram How our creative and spiritual practices can help us live meaningful lives The power of writing as a contemplative practice to help us make sense of our inner worlds Connect with Cody by subscribing to their newsletter , reading their books , and listening to Common Shapes . Thank you for tuning into season one of Soil and Stars! Please share this episode with the people you love. Stay tuned later this year for season two. If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

In this episode, Emily sits down with the story doula, Dajé Alōh , for an expansive conversation about soul initiation, becoming a dream of the Earth, and navigating the thresholds of the creative process. Emily & Dajé discuss: Practicing simple, grounded rituals to make contact with the Earth, elements, and our inner wilds Meeting the Mother and offering Her our whole being and heart Our unique soul calling as the Earth imagining herself back into wholeness The Creative Rites as a living framework of visionary archetypes to guide us through the initiations, seasons, and thresholds of the creative process Descending to soul, retrieving vision, awakening our power, and rising again Learn more about Storywork Studio and connect with Dajé on Instagram @thestorydoula , Substack , and tune into the soft, earthen futures podcast . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

In this episode, Emily connects with politicized somatic practitioner and popular educator Eris Johnson for a profound conversation about eco-somatic practices, interspecies relations, and eco-social collective liberation. Emily & Eris discuss: Listening deeply and coming back into collaborative, reciprocal relationship with land Expanding our movements for liberation to include the freedom and sovereignty of beyond human beings Widening our sense of self to include community, ecology, and cosmos Orienting to somatics as a practice of awakening aliveness for the sake of healing, transformation, pleasure, and freedom Popular education as a model that removes institutional barriers to knowledge while honoring our role as both student and teacher Connect with Eris on Instagram and learn more about their politicized somatic offerings , including Somatic Enchantment . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

What if burnout is a portal to new ways of existing in the world? In this episode, Emily wraps up the burnout mini-series with a heart-opening conversation with energy healer and podcast host Marlee NajamyWinnick . Emily & Marlee discuss: Burnout recovery as a portal to reconnect with our bodies, intuition, and the Earth The messy process of disentangling our self-worth from our jobs, setting boundaries at work, and unlearning capitalist conditioning Cultivating a sense of safety within and trusting that the universe supports us Energy healing as a modality to disrupt patterns, connect with our inner children, and receive loving source energy Connect with Marlee on Instagram , receive her free guide to healing burnout , listen to the Shifting with Marlee podcast , and learn more about her energy healing sessions . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

In this episode, Emily continues her exploration of burnout through the lens of neurodivergence and the nervous system with holistic health and wellness coach Kaitlyn Carroll . Emily & Kaitlyn discuss: Holistic health as an approach to mind-body-spirit wellness The nervous system’s role in our wellness & dis-ease The hyper-connectivity of the neurodiverse brain Neurodivergence & burning out in a neurotypical world Recovering from burnout by unmasking, getting clear on our values & summoning joy Connect with Kaitlyn on Substack , download her free Nervous System Essentials guidebook , and learn more about her coaching practice . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

This episode is for the astro-girlies, gays, and theys. Emily sits down with queer writer and astrologer, Sam Manzella , for a magical conversation about re-enchanting our lives. Emily and Sam discuss: The nonlinear nature of burnout and how it leads to disenchantment The difference between ritual, routine, and habits How ritual cultivates presence, meaning, and wonder The magical nature of the third house in astrology Simple rituals for re-enchanting our lives Subscribe to Sam’s newsletter and connect with them on Instagram and Threads . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Mentioned in this episode: Astrologers’ Co-Op The Ritual Effect by Dr. Michael Norton Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

What if burnout is a form of intelligence? What if bone-deep exhaustion is your body's way of resisting exploitation? What if burnout is an initiation into profound healing and change? In this episode, Emily introduces a new mini-series exploring burnout. She opens up about her personal story, including an initiation into the underworld, years of recovery, and life-changing healing and transformation. In this episode, you’ll hear: The nuanced, complex, and multifaceted nature of burnout Burnout as a form of intelligence emerging from the body and soul The cycle of the Moon and seasons of the Earth as guides for healing and recovery The polycrisis and finding our unique roles within the Great Turning Mentioned in this episode: Stand With Minnesota The Great Turning by Joanna Macy We Are The Great Turning podcast Dra. Rocio Rosales Meza If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

In this episode, Emily sits down for a heart-opening, world-expanding conversation with Kristin Lueke , a poet, writer, creative strategist, and co-founder of Field of Practice , an award-winning, women-owned design studio. Kristin reflects on five years of stewarding Field of Practice with her partner and friend, Nermin Moufti, and what it’s been like to practice creative business on their terms. Kristin muses about her lifelong love of poetry, what compels her to write and express herself, and her reverence for the Earth and the birds. Kristin shares two original poems, including feelings come & go but teeth are forever published by Okay Donkey, and dendrochronology of a murder published by Wildness. In this episode, you’ll hear: The power of dreaming with others and speaking our shared visions aloud The 4 L’s: a framework for reflecting upon our creative projects, including what we loved, learned, longed for, and let go of Weaving the threads of activism, social change, design, and creative strategy Poetry as magic spells to express the gigantic feelings within us Writing as a mechanism for restoration and connection Bird watching as a practice for cultivating stillness, slowness, presence, and wonder Subscribe to Kristin’s newsletter, the animal eats , and connect with her on Instagram @klooky . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.

In this episode, Emily has an expansive conversation with the prolific poet, writer, and Earth worshipper, Jacqueline Suskin . Jacqueline and Emily wax poetic about their shared love of the Earth and seasons, including what guided Jacqueline to write A Year in Practice: Seasonal Rituals and Prompts to Awaken Cycles of Creative Expression . Jacqueline shares original poems, including "How I Fell in Love with the Earth," "The Mind is a Joke," and "The Suffering of the Mind and Body," from her latest book, The Verse For Now . In this episode, you’ll hear: What does it mean to be an Earth worshipper? Questioning the mind and whether it is part of the body The struggle and ease of aligning life and creative practice with the seasons Oscillating between hope and hopelessness in times of great change Retreat, sleeping, and dreaming as practices for communing with Winter Subscribe to Jacqueline’s newsletter, Poetic Purpose , connect with her on Instagram @jsuskin , and read her books . If you’re struggling with burnout, Lunar Living: Rituals For Recovering From Burnout is a free guide to help you slow down and attune to the gentle cycle of the Moon. Tune in, share this episode with someone you love, and subscribe to the Soil and Stars newsletter for free or become a patron for $5/month or $50/year. Thank you Bre Legan for our artwork and Paul Krasnoshchok for our music.