Astrology, Human Design, & Creating Community with Neha Jha
Hello, everyone!
I'm so excited for this week's episode because today is a very special day for a few reasons.
One, this is the first time that I have a guest on the embodied leadership podcast. And I am extremely excited that this guest is Neha. She is an incredible human being, an incredible mentor, coach, leader, all the things. I had the pleasure of being introduced to her through my mentor Kayley.
Just to give you a little bit of a brief introduction, Neha is an astrologer, a human design practitioner, energy healer and a certified master life and success coach who blends all her areas of expertise to help soulful and ambitious people grow from a place of joy, ease and alignment.
Rachael: So welcome to the show Queen. I'm so excited to have you here.
Neha: Thank you. Oh, my gosh. I can feel your excitement. I'm excited and honored to be the first guest on your podcast.
How Neha got into Astrology and her story about creating her business
Rachael: I would love for you to share with everybody a little bit more about who you are and what led you to this beautiful mission that you're carrying forth into the world.
Neha: When I was a kid, I was enamored by astrology. I'm from Nepal and astrology is a big part of the culture. And so I was always really intrigued by the mystical stuff. But growing up in the states, especially as I started going into middle school, I realized a lot of people who valued science, which I also love science, were like "Astrology is fake.” “What do the planets have to do with anything?” “People just want to hear things about themselves." So I started internalizing that. And then a Nepali shaman or a Jhakri stayed at our place when I was 13 years old. And he had so many modalities, so many tools, one of which was the Vedic astrology. So I was super interested. I started Googling things about astrology. And I remember searching up my moon sign. This is back in like 2009-2008 or something. And then I got the moon-sign calculator, found out I was a Scorpio moon and it was like, you are vindictive and jealous and dark. Like, obviously there's a lot of brightness to me as well, but it helped me kind of sort of see my shadow side. And as a Scorpio Moon, there's a lot hidden under the surface for me.
So I started studying astrology, but very secretly. For years that I would only share with select friends. And eventually I had a friend who many years later, like in 2015, decided I am now into astrology. And I was like, as a manifesting generator in human design, this gave me something to respond to and I was like, I know so much about this thing. And so basically since then I really started owning it and it led me to meditation. And I was just reading so many of my friends and co-workers' charts that they were like you should start a business. Then a mentor introduced me to human design and blending that. I've been in business for like three and a half years now. So it's been a journey and so much learning, so much growth along the way.
Rachael: Thank you so much for sharing that. That's so beautiful. And it's amazing that this is something that's just been a part of your life for so long and it's so beautiful that you've been able to translate these deep passions and things that have helped you understand yourself so fully to now being able to facilitate a beautiful space for other people to discover themselves deeper as well.
You have a really beautiful saying. I'd love for you to share. It's kind of like your tagline.
Neha: I like to say astrology is your story. Human design is your strategy. Energy is the work. And Hi I’m your girl Neha and I love helping people # live-a-yummy-life
What Astrology and Human Design are, how they differ, and how they complement each other
Rachael: I love that so much. Before we go a little bit deeper into the conversation. If you wouldn't mind just sharing from your perspective around how you would explain to people like what Astrology and Human Design are, how they differ and how they also complement each other.
Neha: If you're reading this and you're intrigued or you're curious about how astrology or human design works? I’d first say, there are studies that show like during a full moon, like there's more veterinary visits, there are more accidents, there's more of this, there's more of that. So there's clearly some sort of impact that the cosmos, the universe, our solar system has on our energy. There's so many facets to energy with the way things feel. It's the intention behind things.
I really love both astrology and human design because they are these charts, they're these maps that help you see yourself through the lens of the universe, see yourself through the lens of the planets and the stars and the sun and the moon.
I like to say astrology is your story, because when you put your astrology chart, it'll really tell you this is who I am, these are things important to me. This is how I cultivate my identity. Your rising sign, that is like the first thing that you learned when you were born. It was the sign that was on the eastern horizon where the sun rises every day. It tells you the key players in your life, what you learned from your family or your parents, how that sets the foundation for what you want to leave as a legacy, for your career, for your public facing energy and also your inner most part. So that is astrology, there’s so much here, so this is just a basic intro. It's ancient AF, like thousands of years old.
Our ancestors have been looking to the stars and the Earth for guidance for so long. I also work with flowers a lot and plants. And so I feel like plants in the earth are like this beautiful gift from the earth. And then astrology is this gorgeous gift from above. So as above, so below.
Neha: Human design is a synthesis of astrology, Western and Vedic, as well as the etching from China, the chakra system from India, the tree of life from the Kabbalah and quantum physics or quantum mechanics. And you throw all those modalities in a blender and you get human design. And this is really like the answer to the question of, how do I do the thing that I want to do? Like what is my strategy? And it also is so beautiful because it tells you what you do by just being, period. Because our value, our worthiness is just inherent in our being. And human design helps us see, how do I be, how do I just exist and what do I do, naturally, by existing and it really details out the vehicle, like your body, your vehicle, how it moves and operates in the world, because not everyone is here to have the same strategies.
If you like, trying to start a business or pursue your career or whatnot, and you're trying to follow what someone else did or like a cookie cutter template or a five step to business success strategy, it may not work because it might not be aligned with your human design. That's really the magic of human design. It tells you your strategy and astrology tells you your story.
Rachael: Thank you so much for sharing that. I resonate so deeply with everything that you said, like I knew my Sun Sign, I'm a Libra, and I started to - and by no means am I well versed in the land of astrology or human design - learn more about myself, you know, even just understanding that I'm a Leo moon and a Pisces rising. I was like, whoa, that makes so much sense. And then I remember, about a year and a half ago now when I got introduced to human design and I found that I was a manifesting generator with a sacral authority. I felt so seen in ways I can't even explain because it wasn't like it was telling me something that I didn't already know, it was actually a mirror and validation for who I actually am and how I operate.
Neha: It's so beautiful. And I love what you said, that it wasn't telling you something you didn't already know. Like I am a proponent that as a human design analyst or as an astrologer, I don't tell you things you don't already know. Maybe I tell you things about timing that you might not know. But when it comes to just who you are, like if I told you like Rachel, relationships are super important to you. And, you know, the moment you were born, you really came in with a lot of compassion and intuition. And that was really required for you, right. Because you were born as a Pisces rising and as a Leo moon being seen is a deep emotional need that is just essential. You knew all these things, right?
Rachael: Hahaha, Yup, that's me! hahaha
The many aspects of being a Manifesting Generator
Neha: Right, the role of an astrologer or an analyst is to translate and to hold space to help people see themselves and unlearn the shit that's in the way so that they can just be themselves, so they can be true to who they are. And your body knows human design, your body knows your energy, your body knows your astrology, it knows your gifts.
Neha: And through practicing, this, it's really about unlearning and healing the stuff that's in the way. I am also a Sacral Mani-Gen and I wanted to do lots of different things, like as a kid, there was a phase where I was like I'm going to be a hairstylist and own a restaurant and do this and that and this and that. And people gave me this message of like, no, you have to choose one thing, you have to choose one thing. And I was like, well, there must be something wrong with me. No, nothing was wrong with me. My body was just excited by so many different possibilities, which is so correct. And now I'm creating and have created a business and career where I can be multiple things I can pivot, I can honor "is just lighting me up... No, OK, maybe I need to find a way to phase this out or cut this out of my life or move on from things", or. "Oh that thing. I don't know much about it at all, but something inside of me is saying, oh, there's something here for you." And being able to give myself permission to explore that unapologetically, that's what human design and astrology does for me.
Rachael: Oh yeah. I love that so much. For me personally as a manifesting generator, sometimes it's also helpful for me to not just totally jump on the thing that excites me, because sometimes, I get leaky energy. I'm like, oh, that's exciting and that's exciting and that's exciting. What's been really helpful is breathing into the things that excites me for a second and really attuning to my body and just paying attention to if it's “a now thing” or maybe it's a “this is exciting, but I don’t need to do this right now.”
Neha: Yes, for emotional authority people and manifesting generators, things shift for us real fast. It’s important to use that powerful throat to communicate and let people know, OK, something shifted here.
Rachael: I love that so much. Oh, girlfriend, my Sacral is lit up right now.
Incorporating Spirituality in business, and the value of inner practice
Rachael: Something that I love so much is that you talk about holding space for unlearning and healing from systemic harm and remembering who you truly are so that you can live your life in full alignment with what feels organic and real for you as an individual. And so I'd love for you to share a little bit more about what that means and looks like, because I feel like we're globally going through what feels like pulling out the weeds and like the industry is shifting and it's potent and it's powerful because you and I both stand for liberation for all folks. Like that's just not a vibe. I just would love for you to really unpack what that looks like to you.
Neha: Yes, yes, Liberation, liberation is so key. Public health starts with the individual having a healthy world, a healthy public. It starts with individuals one at a time committing to themselves, like saying yes to what feels good to me, unlearning and healing things, no one else can heal for you. And healing really starts with checking in, like, "how am I doing today? How does it feel to be me in my body today?"
I'm a Libra Rising, so there was a lot of like people pleasing, putting other people ahead of me, you know, even like in the world of business and sales and marketing, a big thing for me was kind of bracing for impact when I would tell people my pricing and I'd be like, oh, I immediately want to give someone a discount. I love one of the posts that you shared where you were like, "I'm done calling it inner work, it's an inner practice" because it's not like you get to some point and all of a sudden you're done. It's truly an inner practice, a continual practice throughout your life.
Rachael: Yes, girlfriend. Oh, I resonate so deeply. I'm all for, like, being a wealthy as fuck woman, but I want to be a fulfilled, liberated, healthy, wealthy as fuck woman. I don't want to just make money and have all the clients and then be feeling like I'm burnt out and drowning in misery. Like that's just not a vibe. So I love that you're really speaking into the potency of being fulfilled and having your liberation as a priority, because when you take care of yourself, you're able to then create space for other people to do that, too. It's just so beautiful.
Neha: I started my business in 2018 and I noticed this archetype in a lot of big names who are big at that time and who are more on the strategy or social media or kind of more into the “practical stuff”. I noticed many business leaders, who didn't value that self work, or that self practice, are now starting to speak about that because they were experiencing things like burnout or unhappy clients or their clients were thriving, but they started feeling worse and worse and worse over time. And so that energy of prioritizing yourself, of that I am deeply interconnected with all life kind of energy. I am deeply interconnected with every human. And so for me to be a leader, I need to take care of myself and pour into myself. And that also includes having community, having mentorship, and having friendships.
I love the quote that "you are only as needy as your unmet needs and we cannot meet all of our own needs." I can meditate all day long, I can self-love all day long, and do all the bad bitch things, but without the community, the people, the connection piece, it's not going to feel fulfilling. We want to be fulfilled, healthy, thriving, wealthy women and wealthy people in general. So to do that, to really be in our bodies, to take care of your body - your body is your ride or die - we need to be coming at it from that lens and then also being in connection with people.
Creating community and the three layers of receiving support
With receiving support, there's three layers. There's receiving from self to self. There is receiving from one on one connection, like self and another. And then there's receiving from self in a group. And all three of those bring up different layers of things.
And so self to self could bring up a lot of shit if you experienced toxic relationships, or toxic friendships. And so receiving in that one to one capacity, being able to trust your friends or partners, being able to create new modes of friendship instead of the ones like in middle and high school. Running a business, being a leader, having a career, and none of those things, just being a human, living your life, you're going to give and receive on all three of those levels.
Rachael: The conversation around community is so important, especially when you are somebody who is a coach, healer, a teacher, whatever, whatever the label is that suits you or you feel associated with. Holding space for people in some way, shape or form, it's a privilege and it's an honor and that's something to be taken seriously because people look to you for guidance. They're looking to you as a lighthouse that is kind of just guiding them and you're walking alongside them. Much like you, I have been in business now for almost four years. And I know that when I first started my business, it was very rooted in the old paradigm ways of being. It was very like wounded masculine energy, like, go, go, go, hustle. You got to work. You gotta get up at five a.m. You gotta work all day. You know, you got to sacrifice. All of these narratives. And so, you know,I put a lot of my friendships on the back burner. I had my partner, which I mean, I'm blessed because we're best friends. And so I never felt super lonely. But when I came out on the other side, I was like, “oh, my gosh, do I actually have friends?”
Decision making and allowing you intuition to guide you
I know there's something that you really like to talk about which is very connected to everything that we're speaking into is, the conversation around how being in touch with our intuition is a way to make decisions that are actually in alignment with our highest good.
Neha: OK, so if you're into human design or if you're curious about human design, pull up your chart, you can do it at www.geneticmatrix.com, or www.mybodygraph.com, and check out where it says inner authority. Rachael mentioned earlier she is a sacral authority. I’m also a sacral authority. There are seven different authorities in human design. And so everybody makes decisions in their unique way in something that is connected to your body.
There are two mental centers, the head center and the Arjuna, and no one's decision making centers are the mind. So fun fact, the mind is not where we make decisions from. We have our sacral, our bodies yes or no response. We have the spleen, the emotional solar plexus. The G center, which is all about finding your unique direction, where you're pointed. Some people are connected more to the moon, the reflectors out there. And some people are really tapped into their environment and their heart authority. So when you tap into decision making for yourself as a leader. You need to tune into what is important to yourself about this, what do you value? And as you're making your way to liberation, you’re making decisions for yourself that other people may not get, may not understand. I remember when I was younger, the way we made decisions was a pros and cons list, or to talk to people or get advice, to listen to everyone else and do the logical thing. But sometimes the decisions that we need to make are not logical, especially on the route to liberation, which is not linear, it's full of ups and downs and really listening to your body and giving yourself permission to do what comes up.
Rachael: Sometimes we're not willing to actually look at what our intuition is guiding us toward, because sometimes the intuitive yes or no actually means that we have to be really grounded in what's best for us. And that might mean disappointing somebody or making a really challenging decision or leaving our comfort zone. And I know for myself, there have been times in the past where my intuition would have said no. But then my mind was like, well, yeah, just do the thing. And then months later it was like, oh yeah. I actually did know that that probably wasn't what I needed at the moment, but I wasn't really willing to go there and acknowledge my inner truth. If our intuition is like, “go do this terrifying thing that you've never done,” our mind is going to be like, “bitch, no, you're going to sit down. You're going to stay where you are.” And so it's our job to really lean into those intuitive nudges.
You're amazing! I'm so Grateful for this beautiful conversation. So I just to kind of wrap things up here, I would love to know, what does being an embodied leader mean to you?
Neha: Being an embodied leader means that I do what feels right, I do what feels aligned, I lead by leading myself. Who am I to lead other people if I cannot lead myself? Having tough conversations, feeling tough feelings, holding myself accountable. When I become reactive, giving myself compassion and also accountability of myself. Embodiment means to me, continuing to move the dial forward through myself and through my body.
