StarCast Unplugged: How Astrology Helps Us Navigate a World in Upheaval – An Interview with Richard James

What if someone could help you make sense of everything that’s been happening in your life lately? That’s exactly what Richard James does every single week.

After losing his mother, a five-year relationship, and his business all within the same devastating season, Richard didn’t fall apart—he went deeper. Deeper into astrology, tarot, and the timeless question that had followed him since childhood—why is this happening, and what does it mean?

Today, he’s an evolutionary astrologer and host of StarCast Weekly on Gaia, helping thousands of people decode the cosmic patterns shaping their lives. In this conversation, Richard shares how the stars can help you understand your soul’s deeper purpose, what the planetary shifts of 2026 mean for your personal evolution, and why this might be the year you finally stop doubting yourself and start showing up. Come in curious—and leave with a whole new way of seeing your life.

Continue reading or listen in by subscribing for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or YouTube.

How can astrology inform us collectively about what is going on in our world right now? We see a lot of upheaval—and a lot of good things happening at the same time. How can astrology help us understand the way we’re experiencing these events and the way we look at what’s unfolding in our world?

Richard James: This is such a good question, and I think it’s one of the reasons so many people are interested in astrology now more than ever. Astrology offers a perspective that helps us understand the cycles and patterns we’ve been collectively navigating.

When we look at certain planets like Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto—the more generational planets—we can see that all three are shifting into new cycles right now. Pluto moved earlier, and now we’re watching all three of them entering new phases. Anytime a planet is at the very beginning of a sign, it’s a bit like stepping into unfamiliar territory. We’re still getting used to what that energy feels like.

At the start of these cycles, we don’t necessarily have all the answers we’re looking for. What we feel first is the chaos and instability. Astrology helps give us a framework to lean into that experience and say, “Okay, this moment is going to be complex. It’s going to be complicated.”

From the perspective of evolutionary astrology, the lens I personally work through, the question becomes: How is this assisting the evolution of consciousness on the planet? Every transit is an invitation to evolution. The real question is how ready and willing we are to evolve with the transits that are unfolding.

For example, when we work with a planet like Uranus—which is entering Gemini—we begin to see what the next seven years may invite from us. Uranus represents disruption and awakening, and Gemini is connected to the mind, communication, and how we process information. So over the next several years, there’s a deep process of deconditioning happening within our mental frameworks—how we understand reality and how we communicate with one another.

Gemini, ruled by Mercury, is very much about perception. It shapes how we interpret reality itself. So when we understand that this cycle is unfolding, we can approach this period with a bit more awareness. Yes, it’s going to feel challenging. It’s not going to be easy.

At the same time, when we look at these cycles through an evolutionary lens, we can see them as part of a larger process of death and rebirth. As you mentioned, difficult things are happening in the world—but there are also incredibly beautiful things emerging at the same time.

From the perspective of evolutionary astrology, I often look at moments like this and say: This is part of the process. Humanity is being invited into an evolutionary shift—a deeper level of embodiment—with the ultimate collective goal of remembering the unity that exists within all of us.

In that way, astrology becomes a powerful tool—one of many beautiful tools—that can help us understand what’s unfolding collectively and how these larger cycles are reflected in our individual and shared experiences.

You mentioned evolutionary astrology. I’ll say upfront that I’m no expert in astrology at all. I like to ask the basic questions for people who are just starting to learn about these things. How is evolutionary astrology different from other types of astrology? We’ve had guests talk about Vedic astrology and Western astrology before. Is evolutionary astrology similar to Western astrology? Help us understand that.

Richard James: This is a really interesting question. The story behind evolutionary astrology is actually quite fascinating. The individual I studied under, Jeffrey Wolf Green, received the wisdom, insight, and information about evolutionary astrology through a dream. In that dream, the figure who appeared to him was Sri Yukteswar, Yogananda’s guru.

Through that experience, he gained insight into the soul’s journey and the process of incarnation. At its core, evolutionary astrology focuses on the soul’s evolutionary journey.

What’s interesting is that while evolutionary astrology is practiced using a Western astrological framework—meaning we look at the planets and their placements much like Western astrology does—many of the core principles, practices, and philosophies behind it are deeply rooted in the Vedas.

I have many colleagues and friends who practice Vedic astrology, and I often resonate deeply with their approach to these ideas. Evolutionary astrology explores questions like understanding your karma, understanding why you are here, and recognizing that we may have had many past-life experiences.

Part of this incarnation may relate to unresolved experiences from those past lives. Evolutionary astrology looks at where the soul may have become stuck in its evolutionary journey and how it continues to evolve in its understanding of consciousness.

Ultimately, it points toward the idea of returning to the Self, what many traditions call self-realization. So while evolutionary astrology uses a Western framework for tracking the planets and their placements, the deeper philosophy behind it is deeply rooted in the wisdom of the Vedas.

I want to go back to your own story of awakening to consciousness, mindfulness, and spirituality. Take me into your childhood. Did you grow up with a faith background, or did that come later in life?

Richard James: I did grow up with a faith background. When I was younger, I was raised Catholic, and that played an important role in my life.

One thing about me, though, was that I was always questioning things. That often got me in trouble. I would ask questions like, Why does this make sense? How is this happening? What’s really going on here? A lot of the explanations didn’t fully connect with me.

When I look back at my life now, from this vantage point, I often describe my journey not as learning something entirely new, but as remembering something that was already there.

Much of what I’ve experienced didn’t come from studying traditionally. It often felt as though things simply came through me. For example, when I began working with tarot, I didn’t necessarily need to pick up a book to understand it. I could look at the cards, see them, and intuitively understand what they were communicating. From there, I was able to move forward with that understanding.

What came first in your life—tarot or astrology?

Richard James: Tarot came first. I remember very vividly when everything really began to shift for me. It was in 2018. I was sitting in a Walmart parking lot, getting ready for my birthday. I was about to go inside to buy some balloons when I received a phone call telling me that my mom had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

In that moment, something in my mind completely shifted. The way I saw the world changed instantly, and that experience really catalyzed the next seven or eight years of my life—everything that has led me to where I am today.

From that moment forward, I went deeper and deeper into trying to understand why things were happening. My search for answers was really my search for hope. I wanted to heal her. That was always the deeper intention driving me. I thought that if I could learn enough—if I could study enough—maybe I would discover some kind of solution that could help heal her.

But along that journey, I realized that I couldn’t.

In 2020, she briefly entered remission. For a short time, things felt hopeful again. But then, almost back-to-back over the course of one weekend, several things happened. I ended a five-year relationship. I lost a business that I had built. And my mom came out of remission and had to begin chemotherapy again.

It felt like another massive drop—almost like that moment on the Tower of Terror ride at Disney World when you think the fall is over, and then suddenly you drop again.

During that time, I picked up the book When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön, and that opened the door to a deeper exploration of Buddhism. I began studying more deeply what was happening inside of myself. I did a lot of internal work during that period.

Along the way, I had been dabbling in things like tarot. I had picked up cards, done some readings, and explored it out of curiosity. Eventually, I began doing readings for other people as well.

At one point, I met a woman who said to me, “You should look at your astrological chart to understand what’s happening in your life.”

And I remember thinking, What do you mean, look at my chart? How is that going to tell me what I’m experiencing right now?

She simply said, “Just trust me. Look at it.”

She actually gifted me a reading, and when I looked at my chart, something remarkable happened. It validated everything I was going through—without me saying a single word about my life. The chart itself was reflecting what I was experiencing.

In that moment, I felt like it was translating my life back to me.

That experience led me into evolutionary astrology. I began asking deeper questions: Why would my soul choose this path? Why would I be in my late twenties, facing the possibility of losing my mother, while also experiencing the end of a relationship I had imagined a future with? Why would all of this unfold at the same time?

When I looked at my chart through the lens of evolutionary astrology, something opened up for me. I saw patterns that helped me understand the deeper meaning behind those experiences.

Evolutionary astrology became a tool—but even more than that, the philosophy behind it began shaping my spiritual path. That’s when I started reading texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. I went deeper into studying consciousness and exploring what all of this means.

In many ways, that entire journey began with the introduction to evolutionary astrology. From there, it has become an ongoing process of deeper contemplation and discovery.

And one of the ideas that continues to resonate with me comes from Yogananda—the understanding of what self-realization truly is.

Thank you for sharing that, Richard. My goodness. Your mom—did she pass?

Richard James: She did. It will be the one-year anniversary of her passing this February. She passed in 2025.

I’ll say that through this experience, I’ve learned so much about loss and grief. In fact, I love talking about it now, because when I needed those conversations, no one was really having them. I’ve realized that a big part of my journey has been learning to speak about the things that people often avoid.

And I love that. I truly feel like one of the gifts my mom gave me was the confidence to talk about these things and to hold emotional space for others. Now I meet people from all around the world who are going through similar experiences. And loss isn’t always about physical death—it can be the ending of a relationship, the loss of a marriage, divorce, or other life transitions.

I welcome those people into my life with an open heart. Let’s sit together. Let’s talk about what you’re navigating. Because there’s often a lack of real presence in the world when it comes to holding space for grief.

I can’t help but ask—what did you love most about your mom? What’s the quality that immediately comes to mind when you think of her?

Richard James: She was a fighter. Without a doubt, she was the strongest human being I’ve ever known.

Over time, I heard stories about what she had been through in her life—things she rarely talked about because they were painful for her to share. But she went through so much. In many ways, she deserved peace after the life she lived, because her soul experienced a lot of hardship.

When she passed, I remember holding her hand and telling her that I was proud of her. I truly believe she did what her soul came here to do.

One of the deepest desires reflected in her chart was to create a family that would love and support her. And she did that. She created that family.

I’m incredibly proud of her for that. And I’m forever grateful that I chose her to be my mom in this incarnation.

So beautiful. I’m curious about something else—the connection between astrology and tarot in your own life. Do those two worlds connect for you?

Richard James: Yes, I think there’s definitely a bridge between the two.

On a very literal level, tarot and astrology are connected. Many tarot cards correspond to planetary rulers or astrological signs. So there’s already an underlying framework where the two systems intersect.

But beyond that, I see them both as tools that help us understand the deeper questions of life—questions like: Why am I here? What is the meaning of my life? What is my purpose?

People often come to tarot asking about relationships or specific situations in their lives. But underneath that, there’s usually a deeper curiosity—a sense that something more is guiding or informing our lives.

Tarot has a strong intuitive component. Astrology, on the other hand, can appear more practical and structured, but there’s also a deeply intuitive aspect to interpreting it as well.

In my work with clients, many people actually choose to combine both. They’ll schedule a tarot session and an astrology reading together. What’s fascinating is that the insights that emerge in the tarot reading often show up again in their astrological chart.

Clients will sometimes say, “How is this possible? This is exactly what came up in the tarot reading.” And in that moment, it often creates a sense of validation—especially for people searching for answers to deeper questions about their lives.

In that way, tarot and astrology become two complementary tools—two forms of divination that can support someone when they’re feeling confused, lost, or searching for meaning.

When you do sessions that combine both, which do you turn to first—astrology or tarot?

Richard James: Honestly, it depends a lot on the client and the situation.

My instinct is usually to begin with the chart. Astrology can be incredibly precise, and many people are very practical in the way their minds work. When they can see something clearly reflected in their chart, it often resonates deeply.

Astrology has completely transformed my own life, so I tend to lean toward that first.

Tarot sometimes comes into play when someone feels hesitant about astrology. Some people say, “I don’t want to look at my chart,” or they feel skeptical about it. In those cases, tarot can open the door differently.

But it’s very client-specific. There are some clients for whom I don’t even feel the need to look at their chart. Instead, I prefer to simply connect energetically and see what emerges through the tarot.

With certain people, the energetic dynamic between us is so strong that the tarot readings become incredibly powerful in their own right.

I’m curious about the transition from whatever you were doing before as a career to making this your full focus. What were you doing before, and what was that transition like for you?

Richard James: What’s funny is that earlier in my career, around 2015, I was working for Disney. I worked with children for a long time, and eventually I transitioned into marketing. I became a freelancer, started doing marketing work, and even built my own marketing agency.

But during that period, I was also experiencing a deep level of loss. In many ways, it felt like anticipatory grief—knowing what might be coming with my mom’s illness—while also grieving other things that were falling away in my life.

There came a moment when I realized I needed to do something that felt meaningful and purposeful.

I often describe that chapter of my life as an out-of-body experience. When I look back at everything that happened and the decisions I made, it almost feels like something took over and guided me. Every step I took seemed to click into place. One opportunity led to another, and the connections I made along the way felt almost magical.

Even now, when I look at where I am today, I sometimes think, What just happened?

It truly felt like something was guiding the entire process—bringing the right people and experiences into my life at the right time. And as I’ve continued on my path, through conversations with my guides and deep reflection, I’ve begun to understand more clearly the broader scope of what has been unfolding.

What’s interesting is that I wasn’t afraid during that transition. I wasn’t thinking, What if everything falls apart? Instead, I felt excited.

I’ve always been someone who embraces the uncomfortable. I tend to lean toward uncertainty rather than away from it. So when this shift showed up in my life, I thought, If I can lose everything anyway, why not try something new? Let’s see what happens.

And I remember the first reading I ever gave. In that moment, I saw the potential for the kind of transformation this work could offer people.

That’s always been my motivation—asking, How can I help? How can I be of service? How can I share what helped me so that it might help someone else?

The reason I ask is that many people who watch or listen to this are navigating that same kind of shift. They’re working a day job that pays the bills, but they feel called to pursue something that feels more aligned with their soul’s purpose. Did you ease into it—doing both for a while—or was it more of a leap?

Richard James: It was definitely a leap. I went from one extreme to the other within about a week. It happened very quickly.

For people who are in that space—feeling the desire to move toward more meaningful or purpose-driven work—one of the first things I like to explore is where insecurity might be showing up.

What is the fear that’s blocking your ability to take that leap?

Sometimes we place more value on security than on our deeper calling. And it’s important to ask: Where is that coming from? Is it about financial stability? Is it about family responsibilities? Is it about children or other obligations?

Understanding where that pattern is coming from can help you begin working through it.

Sometimes the challenge is simply overthinking. If you’re constantly overanalyzing your next step, it can be a sign that you don’t yet fully trust yourself.

That often connects to self-confidence—what some traditions would associate with the solar plexus. What’s blocking your ability to trust your own instincts? Why is it easier to believe in other people than it is to believe in your own mission?

These are important questions to explore.

From an astrological perspective, I would also look at what’s happening in someone’s chart—particularly the houses connected to money, work, and career. Understanding those archetypes can help someone see how to embody the highest expression of their potential.

When people begin to understand those patterns, it can help them step into the version of themselves that is capable of thriving in their work and living a life that feels aligned with their purpose.

One of the things I asked you before our interview was whether you could do a card pull for us. We’ve never done that on one of our interviews before. I thought it might give people a chance to see your essence and how you work. Ultimately, I want people to experience your work for themselves.

Richard James: I love that. Thank you so much—I’m excited to do this. It’s something I’ve done before, and I’m happy to open the space here. I’ll pull one to three cards and see what energy, wisdom, or advice may be coming through for all of us collectively for the year 2026.

Before you pull the cards, I have to ask—what’s going on with the tattoos? One hand has none, and the other is fully covered.

Richard James: [Laughs]. I know! This arm is completely tattooed. I actually have my personal birth chart—my natal chart—tattooed here. I also have the phrase “as above, so below.”

There’s a dragon that runs up my arm and breathes fire into the Flower of Life. I also have some other tattoos here, and I’m planning to add the Tree of Life on my upper arm next.

I love tattoos. They’re the best.

Well, with those hand tattoos, you might not be able to get a traditional office job if this doesn’t work out.

Richard James: Exactly—that ship has sailed! There’s no going back now.

Alright, let’s see what comes through for everyone for 2026.

Richard James: The first card that comes up is the Eight of Swords, which often represents feeling trapped in fear.

For me, the Eight of Swords speaks to that mental space where we feel stuck. We don’t know how to move forward, and we don’t know how things are going to happen. We become trapped inside our own mental patterns—our fears, our insecurities, and our overthinking.

When we’re in that state, we often block out our intuitive faculties. We become so caught up in the mind that we disconnect from the deeper wisdom within us.

So one piece of guidance for anyone listening who struggles with overthinking is to look at the root of the fear. Where is that fear coming from? Why is it showing up?

When you engage the fear and begin to understand its origin, it can actually become liberating. It allows you to move forward and take action.

In many ways, I feel like the people who are listening to this conversation are incredibly intuitive. The collective energy feels very intuitive. Many people already know what they are meant to do—but they feel blocked in their minds, and that block prevents them from taking the next step.

The next cards that come through reinforce that message.

We have the Ace of Wands and the Strength card.

The Strength card is about overcoming our personal limitations and obstacles. It represents stepping forward, breaking free from the past, and reclaiming our power. In astrology, it carries the energy of Leo.

Interestingly, Jupiter will enter Leo this year in July. That energy is about meeting ourselves again—validating ourselves and recognizing our own power.

It’s almost as if many of us have forgotten our own magic. This year feels like a moment for people to remember who they truly are.

The energy coming through for this collective feels very intuitive, very creative, and very passionate. Many people listening have deep desires to create something meaningful in this lifetime.

The Ace of Wands is strongly connected to creativity, which many traditions associate with the sacral chakra. It’s the center of creative force and inspiration.

This card invites us to be open to new ideas, insights, and passions emerging within us. Some people may be feeling bored or dissatisfied with their lives because they aren’t fully expressing what they are passionate about. Their inner fire hasn’t been ignited.

The Strength card shows the path forward. It asks us to step into our power, break through our limitations, and allow ourselves to be seen.

For example, if someone wants to leave a nine-to-five job and start their own business, they have to show up. They have to allow themselves to take up space in the world. They deserve that visibility.

So, collectively, the message for 2026 feels very clear: it’s about getting out of our heads and beginning to live a passionate, purposeful life. It’s about taking action.

This could be a huge year for developing self-esteem and self-confidence—particularly in the areas connected to the sacral chakra and the solar plexus. Those two energetic centers feel especially important in the conversation we’re having today.

There’s also an interesting astrological piece here. In 2026, the South Node will enter Leo for the first time since 2008. That cycle invites us to reexamine our creative identity.

Who are we when we stop worrying about what other people think?

This is about reclaiming our unique selves and expressing them in the world. It’s about remembering who we are and using that authenticity to make a difference.

It feels like a powerful cycle.

Beautiful. Wow—thank you. I feel like I just received my own reading. I’m thinking, “Okay, I’m going to take all of this in.” This is wonderful.

If someone comes to work with you online and you’re doing a tarot card pull, how does that session actually unfold? Is there dialogue? Walk us through what it feels like to work with you.

Richard James: It’s always a dialogue. I’m a huge believer in that dynamic and in the chemistry between the person I’m working with and me.

For me, the most important thing is creating a safe and grounded space. Before I meet with someone, I always encourage them to take a few moments beforehand—set an intention, say a prayer, meditate, or do whatever helps them feel centered. I do the same on my end.

When we enter the session together, I usually begin very simply: How are you? What’s going on? How are you feeling today? Where in the world are you joining from?

I do that because I never want to position myself as “above” the person I’m working with. I see us meeting as equals in a shared space. I want people to feel relaxed, not nervous or anxious.

At the beginning of a session, I explain that I’m going to start by reading the energy they’re bringing into the space. To do that, I work with three different types of decks.

First, I use an Akashic Records deck, which I often look at in terms of past, present, and future energy. Then I use an oracle deck to connect with broader themes and lunar cycles. Finally, I work with a traditional tarot deck.

I’ve developed my own spread that allows me to see what someone is bringing into the session energetically.

From there, I share what I’m seeing and ask them how it resonates with them. I’ll ask questions like: How does this feel to you? Is there a particular area you’d like me to explore more deeply?

Sometimes people already have a clear question they want to explore. Other times, they say, “No, just follow where the energy is guiding you.” In those cases, I’ll dive deeper into whatever direction the reading naturally unfolds.

So the entire session is interactive. I keep checking in with them—asking how they feel, what questions they have, and whether something is confusing or resonates strongly.

To me, sitting down for a tarot or astrology reading is almost like sitting down with someone’s soul. I want people to feel comfortable enough to share what they’re truly experiencing.

Because sometimes, in that one moment together, something can come through—a message, a realization, a validation—that helps someone heal or see their life differently.

I’ve had the privilege of hearing some incredibly beautiful stories through these sessions. Everything I do is confidential, of course, but it constantly reminds me how similar we all are as human beings.

And I always try to make space for people to realize that whatever they’re going through, they’re not strange or broken for feeling that way. Their questions are not silly. Their struggles are not something to be ashamed of.

We’re all navigating life and asking the same deeper questions.

I want people to feel like they’re finally being heard.

And ultimately, they’re not alone.

Richard James: Exactly. They’re not alone.

One thing I really appreciate about what you’re sharing, Richard, is that it sounds like you love the people you work with just as much—or even more—than the tools themselves. Sometimes I speak with people who love the modality more than the people in it. What I’m hearing from you is that the modality is the tool, but the real intention is serving the person.

Richard James: A million percent.

If you heard me in my everyday conversations—on my show or in my community—I’m always saying the same thing: I want to talk to people. I want to connect with them. I want to hear what’s happening in their lives.

That desire for connection has always been in me.

From a very young age, I’ve loved helping people. I always felt drawn toward community service or doing something that would support others in some way.

And after everything I’ve been through, I’ve seen how powerful the human experience can be—how much transformation and beauty can emerge from it.

When I sit down with someone, I really want to create a space where they can share what they’re going through. Because I’ve realized something important: many people feel like they don’t have a place where they can truly speak and be heard.

The human experience has so much depth.

If I can sit with someone, listen to them, and help them open that space within themselves, then I feel like I’ve fulfilled part of my purpose in this life.

Because once someone feels seen and supported, they can move forward and do what they’re meant to do next.

At the end of the day, we’re here to help each other.

And in many ways, that connection becomes a mirror. I remember once participating in a meditation with a swami in India. During the ritual, he touched his hands to my feet and said, “I am you. That’s why I’m doing this.”

That idea stayed with me.

That’s exactly how I feel when I sit with someone in a session. There’s a deeper transmission happening—something beyond words.

For me, it’s simply the desire to help another human being.

You have a new show on Gaia called StarCast Weekly. I’ve watched several of the episodes, and I’m curious about something. You’re presenting insights for each astrological sign every week, but you’re doing it through video. How do you create that sense of connection with people through a camera? What’s that experience like for you when you’re sitting there being filmed?

Richard James: For me, it begins with tuning into the energy of the week itself.

Before filming, I sit down with what’s called an ephemeris and look at the current astrological transits. I study what’s unfolding in the sky and then consider each sign—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so on—and how the energy of that week might affect them.

From there, I really spend time feeling into that energy. I meditate on it. I try to understand the vibration of the week for each sign and what themes might be emerging.

When I actually sit down to film, something interesting happens. Even though there are people in the room and cameras around me, I tend to feel completely alone in that space. In my mind, it feels like I’m speaking directly to a person.

I’ve trained myself to see the camera as the individual I’m speaking to—almost as if I’m having a one-on-one conversation.

Even at press events with lots of people around, I tend to focus only on the person in front of me. Everything else fades into the background.

So a lot of it comes down to intention. The meditation beforehand, the preparation, and the focus I bring into that moment all help me connect with the person who will eventually be watching.

And the feedback I’ve received from viewers has been really beautiful. People often tell me that the message landed exactly when they needed it or spoke directly to something happening in their lives.

That’s how I know the intention is connecting.

There’s a certain intuitive feeling that comes through when someone watches and says, “I really needed to hear that.”

Tell us more about StarCast Weekly. What exactly is it, and how can people engage with it?

Richard James: The show is called StarCast Weekly, and it’s available on Gaia.

Every Sunday, twelve episodes are released—one for each zodiac sign. In each episode, I talk about the major astrological themes for that specific week and how those energies might show up in people’s lives.

I explore the patterns and cycles unfolding in the sky and offer guidance on how to work with that energy—what to be mindful of, where growth might be happening, and sometimes even what kinds of conversations or situations people might want to approach carefully during the week.

For example, today is actually a very significant day astrologically because we have strong Mars and Pluto dynamics happening. In the StarCast Weekly episode, I talk about what those planetary energies represent and how understanding them might help someone navigate situations in their daily life.

Maybe someone goes into work that day, and their boss is on a power trip, or there’s tension in the office. When you understand the astrological patterns at play, it can give you a framework for navigating those moments more consciously.

My approach on the show comes from an evolutionary astrology lens. My goal with every episode is to encourage people to see these transits not as random events, but as invitations for personal evolution.

If you’re having a difficult day or facing conflict, what if you looked at that moment as your soul inviting you to grow? What if that experience is part of your evolution?

That’s the perspective I try to bring into each weekly episode for every sign—helping people feel supported, oriented, and empowered as they move through the week.

You can watch the show by going to Gaia and finding the StarCast Weekly section. The episodes are organized by week—week one, week two, week three, and week four of each month—so you can easily follow along or go back and watch previous weeks if you’d like.

I also encourage people to leave comments. If you have questions about your chart or something I mentioned in the episode, you can write them there. I do my best to engage with those comments and connect with the community that way.

Well, I saw one comment, Richard, that said they wanted somebody older on the show—and I wanted to jump in and say, “What the heck?”

Richard James: I hear you. But honestly, I feel like anywhere we go, people have different preferences—different styles of who they relate to, and who they feel they learn from. I don’t take it personally. I get it. Sometimes people want to learn from someone older, and that’s totally okay.

I’ll let you borrow some of my gray hair if you want. Just blend it in on the sides or something.

Richard James: [Laughs]. I love it.

One thing I’ve heard you say is that you encourage people to watch not only their sun sign, but also their rising sign. Help me understand that. What would you suggest?

Richard James: There are two ways to look at it.

In astrology, your Sun represents your vital force—your life force—and in many ways, your conscious identity in this incarnation. It’s the essence of who you are at a core level. On Gaia, there will also be additional short videos that explain what each planet represents in more detail.

So when you’re watching your horoscope for your sun sign, you’re getting insight into what your life force and conscious identity may be experiencing—what themes might be unfolding for you during that week.

Your rising sign is different. It’s more about your instinctive approach—how you naturally handle and respond to life as it unfolds.

A lot of people don’t realize this, but many astrologers actually write horoscopes for the rising sign, because the rising sign sets the tone for the entire chart.

If someone isn’t familiar with what a natal chart looks like, that might sound confusing, so here’s a simple way to understand it: the rising sign, also called the ascendant, is the sign that was on the horizon at the moment you were born. That sign sets the layout of your twelve houses, which helps an astrologer see where different planets land and how current transits activate different areas of life.

When you’re following weekly astrology, the rising sign can often give incredibly accurate information about what you’re going through because it shows where the transits are “landing” in your chart.

So I encourage people to listen to both. The sun sign can feel like it speaks to the deeper identity and life force within you, while the rising sign can reflect the lived, day-to-day experience—how things are showing up and how you might be instinctively navigating them.

In a way, it’s like listening through two layers: the personality self and the deeper soul-level current beneath it.

And if someone doesn’t know their rising sign, we’d encourage them to book a birth chart reading with you—that would be an amazing first step. But if they don’t want to do that, what’s the easiest way for them to figure it out?

Richard James: The main thing you need is three pieces of information: your birth date, your birth time, and your birth location. If you have those, you can pull up your birth chart.

As you said, people can absolutely reach out to me and book a session. When I do a reading, I also generate your chart and send it to you—it comes with a really nice PDF you can keep.

But if someone wants to do it on their own, there are plenty of websites where you can simply search “free natal chart” or “free astrology chart” and generate it that way.

I’m also working on adding a feature to my own website that lets people pull their chart directly from there—it should be available within the next month or two.

And of course, there are mobile apps that can generate your chart too.

The only thing I always tell people is to be mindful of the interpretations they read online. A lot of those descriptions are computer-generated—like asking a tool to tell you what “Sun in Pisces” means. That information isn’t necessarily wrong, but it may also not be as accurate, nuanced, or personalized as a true reading from a human being.

Yeah, there’s a huge difference between using an automated chart online and working with someone like you who has dedicated their life to studying astrology. I’m curious about the production schedule for your show. In theory, you could film an entire year in advance since the planetary movements are predictable. How does that actually work for you?

Richard James: Technically, you could film the entire year ahead of time. But the way we’re doing it right now is filming week by week.

So we’ll record the episodes for one specific week, and then Gaia releases those episodes. That’s why new episodes appear every Sunday.

If I’m being honest, that approach works really well for me. Even though we can map out the astrology for the entire year in advance, it can still be a lot of information to take in. Some months are incredibly intense astrologically.

For example, when I looked ahead to February, there was just so much happening. Sometimes, even a single week contains multiple major transits. And occasionally, one particular day can carry a huge amount of energy on its own.

So breaking things down week by week helps keep it grounded and digestible.

Right now, the process works really nicely. We film the weekly episodes, they get uploaded to Gaia, and then they’re released every Sunday.

And honestly, for anyone who’s curious, I always encourage people to just try watching an episode and see how it feels for them.

Also, if someone has questions about their own chart—or if they don’t know their birth time—there are still ways to work with that.

There’s a process called birth chart rectification. If someone doesn’t know their exact birth time, an astrologer can ask a series of detailed questions about their life events and experiences. Using that information, it’s often possible to estimate a fairly accurate birth time.

I would think most people could just check their birth certificate for their birth time. Isn’t it usually listed there?

Richard James: Sometimes it is—but not always.

I’ve actually worked with quite a few people whose birth times aren’t recorded accurately. So in those cases, I’ve done chart rectifications.

There are also situations where records simply aren’t accessible. For example, I’ve had clients in California who were affected by the Palisades fires and lost access to their documents. Others from different countries—like Italy—sometimes can’t easily obtain their birth records.

So while many people do have that information, it’s not always guaranteed.

It sounds like you’re really living inside the energy of this work every week—which must be both rewarding and exhausting at times.

Richard James: Interestingly enough, I don’t actually find it exhausting.

I’m an Aries, and I often joke that the gift I brought into this lifetime is a seemingly endless supply of energy. I genuinely don’t feel tired very often.

But I also make sure to take intentional time for myself at the beginning and end of each day. Having that structure helps me stay balanced.

Because of that, I’ve built a rhythm in my life where I rarely feel burned out. In fact, there are many times when I’m thinking, Let’s keep going. Let’s do more.

I really do feel like I have this strong life-force energy, and I try to use it to my advantage—to create more, connect with more people, and continue doing the work that I love.

You’re also going to be speaking at the Gaia Emersion Conference in March. What will you be sharing at that event?

Richard James: It’s a really special experience. You’re surrounded by more than 300 people who are all passionate about consciousness, spirituality, and personal evolution.

This year, my talk is called something along the lines of “A New Gaia and Cosmic Deconditioning.”

What I want to explore are the major planetary shifts we’re currently experiencing and their implications from an evolutionary perspective.

For example, Saturn is entering Aries, and Neptune is also entering Aries—something that hasn’t happened together in that sign since 1703. Uranus is entering Gemini, Jupiter will be moving into Leo, and Pluto has now entered Aquarius. There are a lot of major planetary transitions happening right now.

My intention is to look at these shifts through the lens of evolutionary astrology and talk about how they relate to our collective healing—especially the ways humanity is working through shared cycles of pain and trauma.

The next seven to twenty years represent a powerful new chapter, and a lot is unfolding in that timeframe. My goal is to bring evolutionary and Vedic principles to life by explaining how these planetary patterns are shaping the collective journey we’re moving through.

What have you enjoyed most about working with Gaia so far?

Richard James: Oh my goodness—they’re amazing.

The first time I walked into Gaia’s headquarters, I saw their vision statement about empowering the evolution of consciousness. And it immediately resonated with me because the core principle of evolutionary astrology is the soul’s evolutionary journey and the expansion of consciousness.

When I saw that statement, I literally thought, I’m home.

I’ve actually been a Gaia subscriber since 2016. I first discovered the platform through the show Initiation, and since then, it has been a part of my life. I’ve watched so many of their programs, and I used to recommend Gaia to my clients all the time.

So being able to work with them now feels really special.

Every time I visit their headquarters, I have so much fun. I was just there in February filming some social media content—some of it is actually pretty hilarious.

But more than anything, the environment there is incredible. You walk in and see crystals everywhere, and you feel this shared intention among everyone who works there.

It genuinely feels like home to me. And it warms my heart to know that we’re part of something that’s making a real difference in the world. I can see the impact Gaia is having every day.

I feel very blessed and incredibly grateful to be part of it.

Where is the best place for people to book an astrology session or tarot reading with you, and where can they follow you on social media?

Richard James: The best place to start is my website: RichardJamesAstrology.com.

On the site, you’ll find a Book One-to-One section where you can schedule a session. You’ll also see links to StarCast Weekly and information about the Emmersion Conference if you’d like to attend.

There’s actually a coupon on the site for about $50 off the Emmersion Conference if anyone is interested.

You’ll also find all the different types of sessions I offer—astrology readings, tarot sessions, relationship readings, and individual consultations.

As for social media, my favorite platform right now is Instagram, where you can find me at @RichardJamesAstrology. I share a lot of updates there, and I’m also hosting another live event this weekend.

Richard, it’s been wonderful spending time with you today. Thank you for the work you’re doing in the world. I really appreciate your heart for serving people, helping them heal, awaken, and grow.

Richard James: Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. I had a lot of fun in this conversation, and I’m grateful to be part of it and to continue this journey.