Politics in Retrograde: A Direct Station Podcast

Kate Carey
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Semiweekly

So you listen to (or avoid) all the political news and you're feeling that sense of despair about our country, right? Kate Carey, a veteran leader in public education reform, uses history, literature, a critical eye on current events, and a practical dose of spirituality & the stars to break down the weekly progress of our national reckoning with America's shadow. Would you be willing to tolerate the littlest bit of talk about the cosmos in order to gain a more hopeful, creative, and powerful way to think about our national crisis? The revolution will analyzed astrologically.

  1. Jan 20

    When Baby Emperors Tantrum: Dissolving Empires, Heated Rivalries, and the Power of Love

    Have you been wondering why a white suburban mom was shot and killed by a federal agent after school drop-off in Minneapolis? Or why Trump is threatening World War III over a second hand peace prize? Or why Iran's totalitarian regime is suddenly showing signs of collapse while half the world self soothes with gay hockey? There's a cosmic explanation—and it's unprecedented in human history. In this episode of Direct Station's Politics in Retrograde, Kate reveals why the machinery of violence seems to be revving everywhere at once. Using the language of astrology (no prior knowledge required—think of it as story time with planets as characters), Kate maps out the massive planetary convergence happening RIGHT NOW: Pluto transforming collective power, Saturn meeting Neptune in a conjunction that historically coincides with regime change (the last Chinese emperor, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Russian Revolution), and Uranus revolutionizing our systems—all working together in what astrologer Austin Coppock calls "The Great Flying Wedge of Chaos." But here's the unexpected twist: the cosmic weather is supporting something specific right now. Not domination. Not control. But to use bell hooks' phrase, "love as revolutionary practice". In This Episode: How every personal planet is hitting Pluto this week—and what that means for every human on EarthThe Saturn-Neptune conjunction perfecting February 20th and why it marks the dissolution of the American empireHow a queer hockey romance and bell hooks' teaching on love offer the actual blueprint for moving through this underworld momentChris Ostroushko, the "Minnesota Angry Man," building protective circles in Minneapolis streets—what love as action looks like when empires fallThe goddess asteroids (Lilith, Sedna, Hekate, Vesta, Juno) assisting Pluto's transformation and what their presence meansPractical ways to work with this cosmic weather between now and late February when "something locks into place"Perfect for: Anyone exhausted by doomscrolling who wants to understand the deeper patterns behind current chaos. Political junkies curious about spiritual frameworks. Astrology skeptics willing to consider that maybe—just maybe—these ancient symbol systems offer insight into collective human behavior. People seeking hope grounded in reality, not toxic positivity. Kate brings her background as an educational transformation specialist, feminist scholar, and evolutionary astrologer to decode why this moment of apparent darkness actually signals the beginning of profound collective healing—if we practice love instead of fear, community instead of isolation, truth instead of comfortable lies. No astrology knowledge required. Just curiosity about what happens when you look at the news through a completely different lens. Featured wisdom: bell hooks, Heated Rivalry, Chris Ostroushko's street resistance work, Marjorie Comstock Hart, and the cosmic forces that have never aligned this way before. New episodes as often as possible. For personal readings exploring how these planetary patterns affect your unique chart, contact Kate@directstation.net. Find more at DirectStation.net for more (and more sophisticated) astrology wisdom follow Austin Coppock, Steve Judd, Chani Nicholas, Louise Eddington, Rick Levine, Amanda Pua Walsh, Chris Brennan or Tarot Ship Jimmy or many others around!

  2. 11/18/2025

    When We Draw our Arrow: MTG, Katniss & the End of the Barely Legal Defense

    Exhausted but electrified? Stuck in pea soup but sensing tectonic shifts? There's a cosmic reason for it. Half the solar system is in retrograde, clustering at critical degrees that force delusions to crack and truths to surface. In this episode, we track how Neptune at 29° Pisces—the final moment before transition—is beginning to breaking the mass delusion that's held for over a decade. From Megyn Kelly's "career-ending" (we'll see) Epstein defense to the neo-Nazi rift tearing through MAGA to MTG's sudden pivot, the foundation is shaking. Using the metaphor of Katniss Everdeen's bow, we explore why this pull-back period has been so draining—and why it's also gathering exactly the momentum we need. The retrogrades are review periods, dragging up old wounds so we can finally face them, release them, and aim toward what comes next. We'll cover: Why the last three weeks felt like wading through concreteWhat happens at the anaretic degree (29°) and why it brings both crisis and breakthroughHow the November elections and their aftermath reflect Jupiter, Saturn, and Chiron dynamicsWhy the "barely legal" defense finally failedWhat Wednesday's new moon in Scorpio means for choosing your aimA ritual for releasing what's been reconsidered and planting your intentionThis is not prediction; it's pattern recognition. It's finding the story in the stars that helps us understand the story we're living. And right now, we're the archer with the bow drawn back. It's time to choose our target. For astrology lovers and political junkies alike. No prior knowledge of either needed—just curiosity and a willingness to see patterns in the chaos. kate@directstation.net

  3. 10/21/2025

    When the Women Rise: The Lilith Archetype in America’s Birth Chart

    The Triple Lilith: What If the Women Got Us Out of This? After 7 million people protested peacefully this weekend (not a single arrest!), Kate goes off the usual routine this week with a reflection/ exploration on America's hidden astrological secret: Lilith is powerfully placed in the nation’s birth chart, and she is being activated right now! While Trump fantasizes about humiliation and domination through AI poop kink something else is rising. Old white ladies are learning how to put their bodies between cops and young Black women, underground abortion networks are emerging, witch culture is exploding- the divine feminine isn't asking permission anymore. Kate breaks down: Why America might be learning feminine sovereignty IN PUBLIC as our actual destiny The Supreme Court citing a literal witch burner to strip reproductive rights How purity balls reveal our theatrical exile of feminine power The "talk to the hand" (quoting the great Louise Eddington!) Lilith asteroid energy mobilizing in the shadows Why being called "ugly" by the right might mean we're winning Drawing from Maleficent, The Handmaid's Tale, Alice Walker’s Everything We Love Can Be Saved, and John O’Donohugh’s Blessing For Courage, this episode asks the question nobody else is asking: What if America's messiest spiritual assignment is becoming the world's classroom for reclaiming the feminine rage that’s been exiled? " I know virginia Giuffre’s book comes out today - on the new moon, while mars dances with mercury and you know who else is in that mix? LILITH!!!  So cmon Virginia, focus our attention. "  For the spiritually curious, the politically exhausted, and anyone wondering if their small stone of resistance matters. (Spoiler: it does.)

  4. 10/14/2025

    When the Scorpion Strikes: “War Torn” Chicago and the Banality of an Evil Batman

    Making sense of the chaos through cosmic patterns, historical echoes, and the occasional, apologetic f-bomb. When the news feels overwhelming and democracy seems to be having a nervous breakdown, Politics in Retrograde offers a different lens for understanding our collective moment. Kate tracks political earthquakes through planetary patterns, finding meaning in the madness without sugarcoating the stakes. Each 45ish-minute episode weaves together: Current events examined through astrological transits (whether you believe in them or not) Historical parallels that prove we've survived this energy before Poetry and literature that speak to our moment Practical wisdom for moving from paralysis to purposeful action A feminist, evolutionary perspective that centers justice and transformation This isn't your wellness influencer's astrology podcast. It's for people who need to understand why a Presbyterian minister gets shot with pepper balls while praying, why authoritarianism feels so familiar right now, and what the planets suggest about where we go from here. Kate connects Saturn-Neptune conjunctions to falling walls, Mars in Scorpio to political death grips, and always leaves you with both truth and hope. Perfect for: The politically engaged who need cosmic context for their rage The news-avoidant who still want to stay conscious Anyone seeking patterns in the chaos without bypassing the reality Spiritual warriors who know the personal is political Those exhausted by hot takes but hungry for deeper meaning From tracking ICE raids through scorpionic energy to finding Napoleon's love life in the stars, this episode of Politics in Retrograde proves that understanding cosmic weather can help us navigate earthly storms. Come for the astrological analysis of fascism, stay for the surprisingly practical advice about releasing your own death grip. "Your overwhelm is real. Your exhaustion is valid. Your sense that every muscle in your body is contracting toward something you can't name—that's not anxiety. That's accuracy." New episodes examine where politics and planets converge, where ancient patterns meet urgent moments, and where hope lives even in the grip of the scorpion. reach kate at kate@directstation.net Warning: Contains strategic profanity, discussions of state violence, authoritarian patterns, and the radical act of holding each other through the change.

  5. 10/08/2025

    When Messages Make the Difference: Zip-tied Children and Mercury's Warning at the Threshold

    When Messages Make the Difference: Zip-tied Children and Mercury's Warning at the Threshold Direct Station | Where Politics Are in Retrograde Children zip-tied in midnight raids. A judge's house set ablaze for saying no to the DOJ. Military brass publicly humiliated on livestream. This week, Kate examines how Mercury's square with Jupiter and opposition to Chiron-Eris is manifesting as communication warfare, boundary violations, and messages that betray themselves. As Mercury builds toward a conjunction with Mars in Scorpio—and we approach the pivotal Saturn-Neptune conjunction in February 2026 that Austin Coppock calls "the great flying wedge of chaos"—every word we speak matters more than usual. We're not just witnessing this moment; we're creating what comes next through our choices to speak or stay silent. Chicago's Black Hawk raids: What happens when Mercury crosses boundaries that should never be crossedJudge Goodstein's burning house: The price of truth-telling when Mercury opposes Eris and ChironThe generals' degradation: How Jupiter-square-Mercury creates propaganda that becomes self-parodyHistorical patterns: Saturn-Neptune conjunctions from 1917 (Russian Revolution) to 1989 (Berlin Wall/Tiananmen Square)The February 2026 deadline: Why the next 4 months determine which reality crystallizesRick Levine on why integrity is everything right nowToni Morrison's Nobel speech on language as life or deathArundhati Roy on the politics of seeing what cannot be unseenWe're in Mercury's realm now, where every communication is a choice point. The violence against truth-tellers reveals how much our words matter. Between now and February 2026's Saturn-Neptune conjunction at 0° Aries, we're in the window where our choices help determine which reality locks into place. "The question Mercury is asking us: Are you speaking, living, MOVING in alignment with your values? Not just thinking about them, but actually embodying them in your communication and deeds." Kate offers personal readings to help understand how these patterns are affecting your individual chart and what truths are asking to be spoken through you. reach her at kate@directstation.net New episodes weekly. Subscribe and join a community choosing truth over silence, action over paralysis. #MercuryInScorpio #SaturnNeptune2026 #PoliticalAstrology #CurrentEvents #TruthTelling #CivilRights #DirectStation

  6. 10/01/2025

    When the Pressure Builds: Comey, Left Wing “Terrorism”, and a Planetary Bar Fight

    🔥 The cosmic pressure cooker is near MAXIMUM and something's gotta give. This week felt different, didn't it? From Trump demanding prosecutions, to Comey's indictment, from that chilling Homeland Security memo criminalizing "extremism on race and gender", to right wing calls for blood in the streets - we went from zero to officially authoritarian in 6 days flat. But here's the thing: Mars squaring Pluto in the EXACT same signs as 1779? When colonists became revolutionaries? The cosmos says this pressure isn't random - it's forcing a transformation. In this episode, Kate connects: Why this specific week brought escalation after escalation (spoiler: the Great Flying Wedge of Chaos is LOUD right now)The last time Mars in Scorpio squared Pluto in Aquarius - and how it birthed American democracyWhat "productive disequilibrium" means and why Trump is accidentally creating itWhy Robert Reich's "sleeping giant" and your anxiety are the same thing awakeningPractical wisdom for managing transformation without explosion (including mutual aid networks and yes, your civil war closet)Plus: Thomas Paine on pressure revealing character, the difference between power-over and power-with, and Tracy K. Smith's stunning poem about what awakens when we think all is lost. For the politically engaged AND the news-avoidant. You don't need to believe in astrology to get something profound from this cosmic weather report. Come for the political analysis, stay for the historical patterns, leave with actual hope and concrete actions. "The pressure cooker is real. The heat is near maximum. And history - both American and planetary - says this is when everything starts to change." reach Kate at kate@directstation.net 🎧 45 minutes of making meaning from chaos📍 Direct Station: Where politics meets planets & poetry meets news✨ New episodes weekly #Astrology #Politics #CurrentEvents #History #Revolution #MarsSquarePluto #CommunityOrganizing #MutualAid #PoliticalAstrology #Hope

  7. 09/23/2025

    When You Need a Moment: Finding Humanity in Dark Times

    Eclipse Season Check-In: Letting Go at 29° Virgo Sometimes the cosmos demands we pause—and this week, they insisted. In a quick recording that started as a brief hello during this intense eclipse at 29° Virgo (hello fellow '71 babies with Pluto right there!) that became something more: a sort of raw reflection about the endings and beginnings showing up everywhere right now. I ended up talking about the quickening pace of our collective moment—the daily escalations that make us anxious but also tell us we're getting closer to something. About the terrifying ease with which dehumanization takes hold, and the radical act of maintaining our humanity anyway. About perfectionism dissolving, phones disappearing, relationships transforming, and why letting go is exactly what this eclipse demands. This isn't your typical Politics in Retrograde episode—it's part personal reflection, part collective witnessing, part invitation to notice what you're living through and honor the breadth of it all. Because what consciousness do you have now that you didn't a year ago? You GET MORE today than you did before this escalation began. We're ascending, even when it's grueling. Plus: why I keep opening troll accounts to practice tonglen (and what tonglen is), what history teaches us about mass delusion, and how belonging might be the whole ballgame. I leave you with some Marge Piercy because poetry helps us metabolize the impossible. For returning listeners: thank you for thinking with me weekly as we journey through radical times. For new folks: welcome to a space where we use astrology as a lens for evolution, where spiritual consciousness meets real talk meets the surreal and crisis driven world of politics, and where we refuse to look away from either the horror or the hope. Come notice with me. The hits keep coming, but so does our capacity to meet them. 🌙 Join the conversation and find more episodes wherever you get your podcasts

  8. 09/17/2025

    When the Debate Ends: Young Men, America’s Birth Chart & the Shot Heard ‘Round the Internet

    What happens when political violence meets eclipse season? When young men can't distinguish between video game satire and real-world consequences? When those in power use tragedy to accelerate authoritarian crackdowns? In this urgent episode, Kate examines the September 10th assassination through an astrological lens, revealing how this moment sits at the halfway point between two eclipses while Mars (war/action) trines the US Mars and Jupiter (expansion) squares the US Chiron (the wounded healer)—forcing us to face our foundational wounds around dehumanization and violence. We explore: The chilling Discord confessions and Helldivers 2 references that reveal the layers of irony in which a portion of a generation of men play Saturn (reality) at 29° Pisces (the degree of fate) and its historical correlation with violent endgames The "Great Flying Wedge of Chaos"—an unprecedented cosmic configuration (so called by Austin Coppock) never before seen in human history How weaponized confusion exhausts our capacity for moral clarity Why February 2026's Saturn-Neptune conjunction marks the end of collective delusions Drawing from Umberto Eco's warnings about Ur-Fascism, Hannah Arendt on totalitarianism, James Baldwin on hate and pain, and Ocean Vuong's poetry about young men, violence, and healing - this episode offers both cosmic perspective and practical wisdom for navigating what Steve Judd calls "the end of our apprenticeship”. 🌟 For educators, seekers, citizens and healers - for anyone seeking clarity in chaos ⚡ Essential listening as we approach the September 21st eclipse that opposes said Saturn 🔮 This is where astrology meets political analysis meets urgent action "The game is ending. The confusion is clearing. It is time to stop practicing and start doing."

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About

So you listen to (or avoid) all the political news and you're feeling that sense of despair about our country, right? Kate Carey, a veteran leader in public education reform, uses history, literature, a critical eye on current events, and a practical dose of spirituality & the stars to break down the weekly progress of our national reckoning with America's shadow. Would you be willing to tolerate the littlest bit of talk about the cosmos in order to gain a more hopeful, creative, and powerful way to think about our national crisis? The revolution will analyzed astrologically.

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