Have you ever checked your astrology app not for guidance, but for an alibi? It’s often much more poetic to blame a gas giant millions of miles away for our disastrous dating history than to look at our own search history.

In this episode of Chapter Twelve, Maki explores the intersection of cosmic timing and the psychological patterns that keep us stuck. From a "destined" meeting in 1997 that led to a decade-long marriage, to twelve years of navigating a dating life that consistently hits a wall at the third date, we dive into the reality of being a "work in progress."

We discuss the concept of repetition compulsion (Freud’s term for our habit of recreating old traumas just to try and "fix" them) and how we often use transits as a treasure map to avoid reading our own blueprints. Whether you are looking at your charts for the next "great love" in 2027 or, like Taylor Swift, finally admitting you’ve been picking the same brand of wrong man over and over, this episode is a call to take an honest inventory.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The Astrology Alibi: Why it’s easier to blame Mercury Retrograde than our own choices.
• The 1997 Conjunction: How "meant to be" can sometimes lead to losing yourself in someone else's insecurity.
• Freud and Dating: Understanding why we keep picking the same lock with a broken key.
• The Twelve-Year Gap: Choosing solitude while waiting for a cosmic green light that might not be the answer.
• Self-Love vs. Presence: Learning to be wanted for who you are, not just for your bank account or to fill someone else's silence.

If you’ve been alone for a long time and you know the why but haven’t mastered the how, you aren't alone. Let’s stop hiding in our birth charts and start owning the fortress.

Follow Chapter Twelve by Maki for weekly dispatches on life, patterns, and the beauty of the inventory.

Disclaimer: I am not a therapist or a mental health professional. The content of this podcast is for storytelling and self-reflection purposes only. If you are struggling with your mental health or relationship patterns, please seek the support of a licensed professional.