Episode 16

In this podcast, professional astrologers Chani Nicholas, Thea Anderson, and Eliza Robertson look to the sky to make sense of what’s happening here on Earth.

This episode brings you into the astrological group chat to talk through the flood of chaos that kicked off 2025 and Mars’ retrograde through Cancer. Covering everything from the influx of devastating executive orders to Trump’s catastrophic colonial ambitions, Elon’s continuing coup-attempt, Kendrick Lamar’s Song of the Year, and Beyoncé’s historic Grammy win for Cowboy Carter, we look back at the many ways that this retrograde has manifested in the collective. Plus, we give a preview of what’s still to come, including the protest potential of Venus’ retrograde in Aries and the illusion-bursting end of Neptune in Pisces. It’s been a long year already, and we’re just getting started. Let’s get into it.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Welcome to Down to Astro episode 16

(07:39) - Astrological insights on Mars retrograde

(12:47) - The significance of Mars in Cancer

(19:08) - Activating Cancerian themes of home, security, and family

(28:15) - Neptune’s influence and the power of narrative control

(35:15) - Neptune and the North Node in Pisces: the “flood the zone” strategy

(41:04) - Mars stations direct: collective unrest and class consciousness

(48:08) - Venus retrograde and the rise of protests

(56:10) - Healing through personal and collective violence

(01:01:59) - Cultural reflections: Mars retrograde at the Grammys

(01:08:56) - Neptune, Saturn, and the return of “manifest destiny”

(01:20:59) - Pluto in Aquarius: a new era for change

(01:32:52) - Focusing on community and resistance amid climate catastrophe

This episode was recorded on 2/5/2025.

For more astrological insights, download theCHANI app or follow CHANI onInstagram,TikTok, andBluesky.

The song “Midas,” featured in the podcast, was created byNISHA and is available wherever you listen to music.

This episode also mentioned the following creative works:

“Libri Mysteriorum: The Astrological Metaphors” by Abû Ma'sar
The “Octavia Butler tried to tell us” T-shirt by exittheapple

P.S. The transcript for this episode is availablehere.

Mars chaos: Executive orders, Elon’s coup, Kendrick Lamar, and Cowboy Carter