I found Dawn Bogrodi through her wonderful website, The Inner Wheel. I had been studying astrology for years, following transits in my own life and those of friends and family. I reached out to her, and she agreed to take me on as a student. 

I adored her lyrical, virtually Shakespearean writing and her brilliant insights into creativity and the vicissitudes of human life. She later revealed to me — in one of the innumerable synchronicities of astrology — that in fact we shared a birthday, our Suns on the same degree. Both double Virgos (sun and rising; her moon in Leo and mine in Sagittarius), we each pursued careers in publishing—both as editors—before exploring astrology.

Somehow, she passed on in 2017 after living for years with undiagnosed Lyme. She was a mentor and a wonderful teacher. Over the course of two years, I studied secondary progressions, advanced synastry, and relationship charts with Dawn, along with what she liked to call the “Dark goddesses”—Ceres, Juno, Black Moon Lilith, and Vesta. It was a deep dive into some of the most advanced and fascinating elements of modern astrology. Along the way, we looked at birth, relationship, and progression charts for hundreds of fascinating figures: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Drew Barrymore, Woody Allen, Mia and Dylan Farrow, Barack Obama, Paul and Joanne Newman, Hitler, Jackie Onassis, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Emily Dickinson, Lord Byron … beyond the superficial world of sun sign astrology, I saw, over and over, the charts we examined reflect—with depth, insight, and accuracy—the lives of those born to them.

In September 2016, a solar eclipse fell right on our shared birthday—September 1. She emailed me then, saying an eclipse on a birthday can signify health issues—and indeed, just the month before, she had finally been diagnosed with Lyme. I had health issues too: in August, I was diagnosed with toxic mold illness and multiple allergies contracted from a Brooklyn apartment I was then living in. Within a year, she was gone.

Her death still saddens me, perhaps because it’s rare to find someone who brilliantly taught, and embodied, many of my lifelong passions—philosophy, literature, psychology, art, music, feminism—reflected through the cosmic viewpoint of astrology.

I’d spoken about my sadness at her passing with another mentor I’m blessed to have in my life, Kat Manaan of the Woman Wild Mystery School, trying to unravel why it’s felt like such a tremendous loss. Finally, one day, Kat suggested: why don’t you start giving readings? I was honored. As she probably already knew, it instantly felt right.

In Dawn’s memory, I aim to continue exploring what a feminist astrology looks like. I believe the “dark goddesses”—as well as other goddesses and gods represented by the named asteroids and recently discovered trans-Neptunian bodies—are powerful tools for self-understanding and empowerment, and I find it incredibly meaningful to share their knowledge with others. I specialize in relationship analysis, transits, and secondary progressions — the broadest patterns in life — as Dawn did, and I strive to emulate her insight and kindness in consultations, which are always private and confidential.

Also in her memory, I am posting on this site a plant-based tick and mosquito repellent spray I personally researched and created after moving upstate in fall 2016. In my “other life,” I’ve been health writing and editing for over a decade, so this was a passion project for me. It is kid-safe (down to age 2) and pet-safe. Recipe details here. Lyme is nearing epidemic proportions, especially in the Northeast. I hope it may, to whatever small degree, help others avoid this terrible disease.