The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Roland Orzabal on Astrology, Fate, and Tears for Fears

   An interview with musician Roland Orzabal from the band Tears for Fears, discussing his new autobiography, Welcome to Your Life, where he tells his life story through the lens of astrology. In the late 1980s, Roland experienced a profound shift in his worldview, moving from the psychological belief that we are all born as "blank slates" to discovering the stunning accuracy of the natal chart. We discuss his deep dive into the subject and how understanding his Leo Sun and Capricorn stellium helped him navigate the intense pressures of global fame, the complex creative dynamics within Tears for Fears, and his challenging family history. What makes Welcome to Your Life so unique is that it serves as both a deeply personal, unfiltered memoir and an accessible introduction to astrology. During the episode, we pull up Roland’s birth chart to track the major transits of his life, from the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions that aligned with some of his biggest career milestones, to the heavy Pluto and Neptune transits that correlated with periods of profound personal loss, addiction, and eventual healing. Ultimately, this is a conversation about fate, free will, and how astrology provides a hidden language to make sense of our most difficult and triumphant moments. It was an honor to speak with a legendary musician who is also a dedicated, lifelong student of the astrological tradition. This is episode 545 of The Astrology Podcast. Get the Book The book came out on August 4, and it is available now in bookstores everywhere: Welcome to Your Life: Love, Death & Tears For Fears Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction and Roland's new astrological memoir00:03:16 Discovering astrology and primal therapy in the 1980s00:10:55 Interpersonal astrology and synastry with bandmates00:16:36 Perspectives on fate, free will, and major Pluto transits00:20:57 Looking at Roland's birth chart and key placements00:25:26 The non-linear, Mercury retrograde style of the book00:28:13 The loss of his first wife and the astrology of meeting Emily00:33:02 Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions and signing the first record deal00:35:41 The first Saturn return and the split with Curt Smith00:46:24 Weaving astrological teachings into a mainstream memoir00:50:18 The astrology behind Songs from the Big Chair and The Seeds of Love00:53:40 Progressed Sun in Libra and experiencing a major life shift00:56:09 Thoughts on the Gary Jules cover of "Mad World"00:59:50 Childhood, his parents, and fourth house Uranian themes01:08:16 Neptune squaring the Ascendant and recovering from addiction01:17:31 How birth charts correlate with personal belief systems01:24:41 Major astrological influences: Liz Greene and Richard Tarnas01:28:55 Releasing an album on 9/11 during the Saturn-Pluto opposition01:32:34 Closing remarks01:32:42 End cards Watch the Video Version of This Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7miA6G8eqQ - Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:

   August 19, 2026·1h 35min
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   Number 2: Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and Ancient Astrology

   Scholar M. David Litwa joins the podcast to explore the intersections of Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and ancient astrology. David is a historian of early Christianity and Greco-Roman religions who recently published a new translation of the Corpus Hermeticum. Together, we trace how these esoteric traditions developed and interacted in the ancient world, particularly in the cultural melting pot of Alexandria. We discuss the emergence of Hermeticism as a synthesis of Egyptian religion and Greek philosophy, and how early Christian Gnosticism subsequently adapted many of these cosmological frameworks. A major focal point is how ancient astrology, including the ascent and descent of the soul through the planetary spheres, was integrated into these religious movements. We contrast the Gnostic view of the planets as restrictive archons keeping the soul imprisoned with the more sympathetic Hermetic view of the visible cosmos as a second God and part of divine providence. We also take a close look at the Peratics, a unique Gnostic group that integrated technical Hellenistic astrology directly into their religion in order to map the soul's escape from the material realm. Finally, we unpack the historical tensions between fate, providence, and free will, examining how early Christians navigated astrological determinism before figures like Augustine firmly pushed back against the practice. This conversation highlights the profound impact that Hellenistic astrology had on the broader philosophical and religious landscape of the ancient world. This is episode 546 of The Astrology Podcast. David's Website and YouTube Channel https://mdavidlitwa.com https://www.youtube.com/@m.davidlitwa Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction & David's Background00:04:46 Alexandrian vs. Roman Christianity00:07:27 Astrology in the New Testament00:09:55 The Nag Hammadi Library00:13:35 Debating the Term "Gnosticism"00:20:57 Alexandria: Birthplace of Hermeticism00:22:52 Dating the Corpus Hermeticum00:27:29 Early Astrological Hermetica00:35:18 The Cosmos as the Second God00:46:15 Ascent of the Soul00:54:08 Planets as Malefic Archons00:59:42 The Gnostic Demiurge01:06:58 The Paratai & Astrological Salvation01:16:36 Astrology, Fate, & Free Will01:21:17 Baptism & Freedom from Fate01:30:21 Augustine's Anti-Astrology Bias01:38:09 "De-astrologizing" Hermetic Texts01:48:46 The Need for Astrological Literacy01:50:46 Conclusion & Resources Watch the Video Version of This Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UZl_fMgGRs - Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:

   August 28, 2026·1h 56min
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   Number 3: The Origin of the Chaldean Order and Planetary Days of the Week

   In this episode I propose a new theory about the origins of the so-called Chaldean order of the planets, as well as the assignment of the seven traditional planets to the days of the week. In ancient times, a specific sequence of the planets arose known as the order of the seven-zoned sphere, which goes: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. In modern times, this is often called the "Chaldean order", because the 5th-century CE writer Macrobius referred to it as the "system of the Chaldeans." For a long time, it was mistakenly thought that this meant it came from ancient Babylonian or Mesopotamian astrologers, but we now know there is no trace of it in that tradition. In Macrobius’s era, the word "Chaldean" had simply become a generic term for "astrologer", so when he refers to it like this, what he really means is "the system of the astrologers." So, where did this system come from, and when was it introduced? While historians have long known that this planetary order was popularized during the Hellenistic era, the standard assumption has been that it was first developed by astronomers, or Pythagoreans, or some other group, and then only later incorporated into astrology. In some academic sources this shift, which radically moved the Sun to the center of the planets, is notably glossed over, largely because scholars don’t really know where it came from or how it happened. In this lecture, I propose the exact opposite: that this system was actually first popularized, and potentially even invented, by astrologers in Egypt in the 2nd century BCE, starting with the group of texts Hermetic surrounding Nechepso and Petosiris. From the 2nd century BCE forward, this order became widely adopted across different scientific, philosophical, and religious traditions, eventually becoming the underlying rationale for the names of the seven days of the week. My primary goals with this episode are to: 1) Demonstrate that this planetary order originated with the astrologers working in Egypt in the 2nd century BCE. 2) Demonstrate that the days of the week which are derived from it also may have originated with these same astrologers in Egypt during that same time period. This is episode 544 of The Astrology Podcast. Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction00:07:36 Early Planetary Orders00:15:58 Plato's Order00:22:32 Eratosthenes & The Hellenistic Shift00:27:00 The Seven-Zoned Sphere00:39:57 Nechepso and Petosiris00:51:33 The Seven-Zoned Sphere as a Conceptual Construct00:52:00 The Hermetic Conceptual Constructs01:24:43 Stoic Philosophy & The Heart01:44:26 Supposed Pythagorean Connection01:48:54 Planetary Significations Derived from the Seven-Zoned Sphere02:21:22 Decans and Monomoiria02:31:56 Planetary Days and Hours02:58:28 Ptolemy's Cosmological Model03:11:07 Concluding Remarks03:23:28 Credits Watch the Video Version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yIa5eyDdiI - – Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:

   August 16, 2026·3h 26min
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   Number 4: August Astrology Forecast 2026

   A deep dive into the astrology forecast for August 2026, with astrologers Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock. We spend the first hour talking about the astrology behind events that happened in the news in July, and then in the second hour we do a deep dive into the astrology of August. August is mainly centered on an eclipse season, which begins the first week of the month with a solar eclipse in Leo, and is followed later in the month by lunar eclipse in Pisces. Early in the month Venus enters Libra, which is the sign that it will later retrograde back to in October, and it begins its shadow degree phase by the end of August. A Mars-Saturn square begins building mid-month, and eventually culminates on the final day of August at the same time that a Jupiter-Saturn trine goes exact. This is episode 542 of The Astrology Podcast. Austin's Website https://austincoppock.com Chris' Patreon and Hellenistic Course https://www.patreon.com/astrologypodcast https://theastrologyschool.com Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction00:00:51 August Astrology Quick Overview00:03:24 News Segment Begins00:06:01 Iran War Reignites on Mars-Uranus Conjunction00:18:03 Nuclear Stories00:22:35 Three Mars-Uranus Recurrence Transits00:27:25 Mars-Uranus Conjunction Countries00:31:34 Jupiter-Pluto Opposition00:45:14 US Birth Chart00:49:22 Austin Anecdote00:54:44 Chris's Projects00:56:33 Austin's Projects00:57:51 August Forecast Begins01:01:09 Eclipse Season01:09:58 Venus Retrograde Shadow Sign01:19:26 Mars-Saturn Square01:32:35 Chronological Breakdown of July Begins01:33:16 Venus Enters Libra Aug 601:35:51 Venus-Jupiter Sextile Aug 16/1701:40:17 Mars Enters Cancer Aug 1101:43:22 Solar Eclipse in Leo Aug 1201:51:30 Mercury-Jupiter Conjunction Aug 1501:55:56 Auspicious Electional Chart: August 1601:59:51 Mars-Neptune Square Aug 1702:02:35 Venus-Saturn opposition Aug 2102:05:40 Sun and Mercury Enter Video Aug 22 & 2502:06:16 Lunar Eclipse in Pisces Aug 2802:18:53 Mars-Jupiter Trine & Mars-Saturn Square Aug 3102:20:43 Saturn-Neptune & Barbault Basket Reflections02:33:56 Predictive Patience & Seed Moments02:40:22 Wrapping Up02:41:53 Credits Watch the Video Version of This Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJeUvRzMwso - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 542 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:

   July 30, 2026·2h 45min
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   Number 5: September Astrology Forecast 2026

   A detailed look at the astrology forecast for September 2026, with astrologers Chris Brennan and Austin Coppock. We spend the first hour talking about news and events that happened over the past month since our last forecast, and then in the second hour we get into the astrology of September. In the first part of the news section we discuss the strikingly literal manifestations of the recent eclipses in Leo and Pisces, including devastating floods and the deaths of several prominent figures and monarchs. After that we address the recent controversy surrounding Steven Forrest. In terms of the astrology of September, we open the month still coming out of the chaos of eclipse season and the recent Mars-Saturn square, but the first week of September offers some excellent electional opportunities while Mercury and Venus are still in their home signs of Virgo and Libra. There is a major turning point and tone shift around the New Moon in Virgo on September 10, when Uranus stations retrograde in Gemini, and Mercury and Venus both change signs the same day. The astrology culminates late in the month around the Full Moon in Aries on September 26, because right after that Mars moves into Leo and begins to oppose Pluto, while Venus slows down to station retrograde in Scorpio in early October. Ultimately, late September acts as a preparatory phase, setting the stage and introducing the core themes for the intense Venus and Mars retrogrades that will dominate the next several months. This is episode 547 of The Astrology Podcast. Community Perspectives Samuel Reynolds: Letter to Steven Forrest Akwe McDaniels: Thoughts on Steven Forrest's Recent Comments Kay Marie: An Open Letter to Steven Forrest and Ricky Williams Janét Jones: A Black Friend Is Not an Alibi Janét Jones and Nichole Zapanta: Podcast on the Steven Forrest controversy Courtney Napier: Allyship Means Accountability…Even for Astrologers Rachel Star: Unpacking the Steven Forrest scandal in the Astrology community Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction00:01:57 News Segment Begins00:05:10 Pisces Eclipse and the Death of Kings00:09:46 Notable Celebrity Passings00:13:48 Leo Eclipse and the Death of a Lion00:15:59 Nepal Floods00:17:00 US-Iran Escalation00:17:42 The Steven Forrest Controversy01:01:21 September Astrology Forecast Begins01:07:19 Sequential Breakdown of September Begins01:12:33 Venus Enters Pre-Retrograde Shadow01:23:04 September 10: Tone Shift as Venus Enters Scorpio01:30:15 New Moon in Virgo & Uranus Stations Retrograde Sept 1001:32:20 Auspicious Electional Chart: September 801:37:23 Mid-September Transits: Mercury Opposite Neptune01:41:56 Mercury Opposite Saturn: Sept 17-18:01:44:46 Mercury Sextile Jupiter: Sept 2101:45:55 Full Moon in Aries Sept 2601:49:14 Mars Enters Leo & Opposes Pluto: Sept 2701:52:02 Late Sept / Early Oct: Mercury-Mars & Venus Retrograde01:57:07 Austin's Upcoming Stuff02:01:11 Chris' Upcoming Stuff02:03:21 End Cards Watch the Video Version of This Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zLqcyZ-Pwc - Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:

   September 02, 2026·2h 5min
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