Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nura Rachelle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nura, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

We are all born with planetary imprints of our lessons, potentialities and gifts. I was born during the planetary hour of Saturn, so for me, everything in life is school. Like many astrologers and mystics before me, I call this the Earth School. Some call it a playground, or a grand experiment, but for me, everything is linked to some type of lesson, and we are all on some type of path of mastery.

Lucky for me I always loved school, the awkward socialization of K to 12, the enchanting, eye-opening 4 years of an undergraduate program in Communications, English and Modern Languages, a slightly underwhelming year of getting a teaching degree, then an ambitious year of completing a Masters degree in Global Development, with a focus on Food Security and Community Movements. This was all by the time I was 23. I thought I would become a professor in a university. That was my life goal. Maybe it will still happen? Perhaps in a mystery school some day.

When I was doing all of this school, I loved every moment of it. And on the side, one of the things I did “for fun”, that had no “performance pressure” around it, was astrology. I wanted to understand why I was led to certain things that others weren’t, or why some avenues of life felt more or less available to me, or my friends, relative to others. Why did things happen the way they did? What else was possible for our lives that we hadn’t been taught in school?

Of course I wanted to find the psychological and socio-economic reasons for the discrepancies, the various challenges, the ups and downs, the injustice of things, as I was trained to do… but there was also a spiritual calling that I knew was drawing me deeper into my own depths of self-awareness. I knew there was something more all-encompassing that was the driving force behind the multiplicity of patterning that I was witnessing in myself, my friends and in the world. This led me to study yoga, and various methods of energy psychology in addition to becoming pretty obsessed with all things astrological. I gave my friends readings, even when they didn’t ask for it!

I remember people asking me about the seemingly random bouncing around of my interests. I was a dancer, I played soccer, I did a lot of 4-wheeling with my high school sweet heart, and people in high school mostly knew me for being a singer. I was also good at math, and a straight A student. Despite doing well in school and all the extra-curriculars, I also was “bored” and got into occasional trouble. I was all over the place, and in truth, spent a lot of time having no idea what I would really do in life, despite taking myself somewhat too seriously. I was pretty obsessed with achievement, and felt a strong need to prove myself.

When my friends and family had known me at 20-21 I was certain I would get into the editing and publishing field, and I was lucky to have been hired as an intern at a small Canadian publishing company. I absolutely loved getting to know the authors, and I had the high honor of being the liaison between the editing staff and the authors. That whole experience was a true gift, and I was immensely expanded by the content of the poetry and art I was exposed to. My worldview burst open, and so did my heart. I started to soften a bit around the edges at this time, and I knew I was changing, but didn’t know into what.This was one of my most potent “right brain expansion” experiences, and I felt that maybe being an artist or writer of some kind was a path that was available to me.

Despite the bliss of artistic joy and expansion I felt in that field, my Saturnian-conditioned mind and childhood upbringing felt afraid that I wouldn’t be able to make money in any artistic field – I didn’t want to be a “starving artist”. So I opted for something more “practical”… I come from a family of professionals, lawyers, doctors, nurses and teachers (my aunt was a principal, my grandmother was a teacher, my mom always wanted to be a teacher but had 4 kids at a young age so had to “settle” for something she didn’t really love), and it felt it was my obligatory duty to follow in the footsteps of my inherited lineage, also to make up for where my mom felt she had to settle. My natal chart with a Capricorn stellium in my 9th house also suggested that teaching would be a good path for me, so I went for it.

In all honesty, although I wanted to love the field of school teaching, I felt rather restricted and like I couldn’t talk about what I really wanted to talk about. I loved the experience, but I always felt better suited to teaching kids how to dance, or how to read their natal chart, or how to do yoga, or meditate, or how to know what they really wanted to create or be in this life. Maybe I could have explored guidance counseling as an option, and I still think about this – but my Higher Self had different plans.

I had always known that I wanted to “help”, and my schooling path had been one of trying to pin down the path where I felt I could be of authentic service.

In my teen years and early 20s I had become aware that something wasn’t completely right in the world. Too many people were unhappy, unhealthy and unfulfilled. To learn more about why, I studied Global Development and focused on the root chakra of all issues – food and security, and ultimately food sovereignty, which hits on every kind of sovereignty.

I quickly realized I was learning how to hunt down and identify the problems of the world, and I came to understand that there are miles and miles of red tape, brick walls and overly fixed ideas to get around changing anything, and I soon became incredibly despondent and depressed. You might say my “awakening” really began at that time, although I don’t claim to be complete in that process – I believe it’s a lifelong journey. But that was my first real “dark night of the soul” where everything and anything was under scrutiny for me. I felt slightly let down by my schooling, teachers, authorities, parents, leaders, everyone I was supposed to look up to. No one seemed to have any answers for the immense suffering of the world. Another Saturn lesson. I came to the conclusion that I didn’t want to be part of any system that was disempowering to anyone in any way – like the Buddhist ethic of ahimsa, to do no harm.

I definitely don’t mean to sound nihilistic, but this was my personal experience that led me to question everything. Because of this deep questioning, I landed deeper into the path of astrology and my “big why” for everything I do now. I know that many organizations are doing absolutely wonderful, empowering things and helping a lot of people around the world, and I have immense respect for the beautiful work many people are doing.

In any case, the universe was guiding me to be the solution in my own life, rather than hunt down the problems outside of me. It took me a while to realize I was slightly bypassing my own spiritual work by displacing all the “deconditioning work” as a process that had to take place outside of me. Luckily by 24, when I started practicing astrology more officially, I was quite aware that deconditioning and healing starts as an inside job, and that “school” was everywhere, not simply in any institution.

An even more powerful lesson revealed itself: I am the source of my own empowerment, not any authority or institution.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain, who said, “I never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

At 24 we all have a Jupiter return, and we tend to take big risks around this time for the sake of our growth. Jupiter is the planet of expanding possibilities, and opening to a more spacious relationship with our Higher Self Aspirations. At this time I decided to put more of my attention and energy into the “risk” of doing my own thing, my own way. I felt I had nothing to lose, only everything to gain – most importantly an authentic relationship with myself, and who I came here to be. Almost 10 years later, I’ve continued on this path, still loving this Earth school. I’m open to where else the lessons of life might lead me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My story of school was my gateway into astrology, but the business side of things really came from the kind words of a friend who encouraged me. I had given her a reading at a casual party in front of all our friends, and she told me it was the best reading she ever had. She felt seen in a new way, and like she understood parts of her and her patterns like never before. It was like a lightbulb turned on for her, and she shared the gift of positive affirmations with me. She asked, “Why do you not charge for this? Why is this just a side hobby? You could really make something of this, and help a lot of people.”

That was the first time I ever even thought about doing astrology for money. Up to that point I had studied it in secret for 8 years, just for myself and my friends. It seems funny to say I did it in secret, because now astrology is everywhere, and so many more people are open to it and wanting to learn about themselves through this sacred mystic art. But my experience had me overcome the fear of being different or being rejected by society, which was an invaluable lesson when it came to internal validation and knowing my why. I no longer have these fears, and I trust that everyone will be guided to the path and friends and teachers they are divinely appointed to connect with.

I offer astrology readings as a path of deepening self-awareness and understanding your power of choice. I help people shift patterns and become aware of their ability to change, or at least release habits or conditioning that is not true or supportive for living a fulfilling and joyful life. I do this mainly through long-term container coaching. I’ve also taught in larger group settings, like Astrology Hub and my own online courses, but the central joy in my work comes in the 1 on 1 container.

I’m most proud of my courage to stand apart and try something different, despite societal conditioning telling me I’m unlikely to succeed. I know there’s more room for me to grow and I’m still young, and despite the challenges of life, I feel hopeful for our future.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Becoming an astrologer was quite the accident. It was not in my “5 year plan” that I constructed at 20 lol!

But fast-forward a few years, corresponding with my Jupiter return and Venus Cycle return at 24, my side hustle began to take form.

In addition to trying out teaching internationally and substitute teaching at public schools in the US, I also worked in the social work field as a behavior coach. I found that to help the teens I worked with really understand themselves, their anxiety, depression and their patterns, that showing them their charts was just about the only thing they found interesting or useful from any of the other therapeutic tools (other than yoga and breath work).

My boss knew nothing about this secret astrology exposure, and I’m sure there would have been some “stern discussions” about my coaching tactics had she known. But it started to dawn on me that I wanted to use tools that worked, not just what a system told me I had to do (wow I can really hear my rebellious Aquarius moon coming out in this writing haha!) So this experience just pushed me even further to do readings for others, which I started charging more for, and slowly building up a clientele from there. Things were feeling good, and I started to see myself as an astrology counselor, and tell people that’s what I did for a living.

Then I had a baby! I’m married, and though we thought we would never have kids, my biological and soul contract clock said otherwise, and I knew our daughter was coming. This was all approaching my Saturn return time, and I thought about giving up astrology as a career MULTIPLE TIMES. Like, daily. I thought, how on earth does anyone have a family and a career (and not self-medicate)? What on earth was I thinking?! I remember thinking: “It would be so much easier if I had a boss to tell me what to do.”

There was a lot of struggle in those earlier years, and the only thing that kept me going was honestly the feedback from people on YouTube and Instagram from the videos and content I posted, and from the people I was honored to do readings with, and my students in my beginner astrology course. People kept telling me that what I was sharing was so immensely helpful for them, so despite the immense challenge I kept showing up.

I would say that is my biggest take away from all of my lessons in having my own business. I just have to keep showing up. It doesn’t have to be perfect, because I’m a human and life gets messy. But just stay consistent, and trust that how I’m showing up is exactly what is needed in the moment.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Making friends and being myself!

The most effective marketing strategy for me has been authentically showing up as who I am, what’s coming up for me, and what I’m learning. I make weekly videos, invest in myself through work with coaches and mentors, I continue to study to enhance my craft.

I love learning from others, and forming and joining networks of empowering leaders and healers is what has been most supportive for me. I believe we all have our divine appointments, that there are people we’re all supposed to meet and work with. This is how every opportunity has come through for me.

It hasn’t been me passively receiving opportunities however. My role in receiving these opportunities looks like consistently putting myself out there on social media, consistently sending emails, showing up at summits, being legitimately curious about people and responding to invitations to put myself out there in new ways, like this interview.

I know I am incredibly blessed and fortunate to have these opportunities to share myself and my experiences. What a high honor, thank you for reading about my story!

Contact Info:

• Website: nurarachelle.com
• Instagram: @nurarachelle
• Youtube: Nura Rachelle Astrology