,type=downsize)
Astrologer Mía Pineda – better known as Mia Astral – may have more than 3million social media followers worldwide, but her interest in the stars began much closer to home. She started the path that led to her life as a renowned zodiac expert thanks to none other than her beloved abuela as she was growing up. “At home, we talked about astrology all the time," the famed author tells HOLA! USA. "For my grandmother, it was a very natural way to talk about where the moon was, and how each sign was affected – [but] never in a predictive way."
"There is no destiny set in stone," says the Miami-based astrologer. "It’s like saying it’s going to rain. You get to decide if you get your umbrella out or not.”Photo credits: Styling – Alexa Homez / IG @imalexastyle; Makeup – Isabel Chirinos / IG @mymakeupbible
The Venezuela-born, Miami-based life coach found that the simple lessons she learned from her abuela started to have "a different kind of meaning" to her in her daily life, so she decided to study the complexities of astrology to take her knowledge to the next level. "The thing about [astrology] is that it isn’t so much about alignment, but interpretation – what you’ve lived and your level of consciousness," she explains. "What is the end of the world to one astrologer is an opportunity for another.”
Read on to discover what's at the heart of Mia Astral's readings, how astrology affects her personal life and what women most ask her about (Hint: It's not love!).
HOLA! USA: Do you apply astrology to your own love life?Mia Astral: “I’ve tried, in each one of my relationships, to not bring [astrology] into it. In my current relationship, he brought it in himself! He reads everything I write but sometimes he has taken it very personally because he thinks that everything I write has to do with him, and it’s not like that.
“If there is an alignment indicating breakups, that doesn’t mean that something bad will happen... There is no destiny set in stone. At the end of the day, one lives out what one wants to, and that’s why I always tell my readers that you have to relax and make the best of the energy that is available. It’s like saying it’s going to rain. You get to decide if you get your umbrella out or not.”
The astrologer shares inspirational posts as well on her social media platforms. “A lot of people believe that what women ask me most about is love, but that’s not the case," Mía revealed
You also practice Kabbalistic astrology. What would you say is the difference?“One reason people love astrology is that feeling of identifying with something, reading about yourself and growing attached to your sign. It’s like if you don’t know if you are passionate or not, but you are a Scorpio [so] you want to be that. It’s related to the ego.
“What I see in readings are the patterns that create behavior. There are patterns of addiction, isolation, etc, and astrology shows you how to manage that. The big difference between traditional astrology and kabbalistic astrology is that tradition tells you: 'This is your reading and this is your destiny.' Kabbalistic [astrology] explains your reading but gives you the option to work on it an elevate your potential. It’s more about working on your conscience."
RELATED: CHECK OUT HOLA! USA'S DAILY AND WEEKLY HOROSCOPES
What has been your key to success? What makes you different from other astrologers?“The desire to work on something new without having to base myself in what’s going on around me. I always change up what I’m doing. I see my success like Monopoly money. I could earn all the millions in the world but at the end of the day I have just one idea – and that’s to keep understanding and discovering everything that this world has to offer, and eventually share it.”
In your consultations, what is it that men most ask you, vs women?“A lot of people believe that of course what women ask me most about is love, but that’s not the case. It's more often how to stop being so tough, in the sense of how to open themselves up again, feel more feminine, be able to have a successful relationship… How to find the balance of masculine and feminine energy to trust again. I don’t have many men who come to me, but most of them who do ask how they can assert their personality and keep discovering who they are.”
“You lose the fear [of astrology] when you realize that it's not a decree," the life coach says of those hesitant to open themselves up to the practice.Photo credits: Styling – Alexa Homez / IG @imalexastyle; Makeup – Isabel Chirinos / IG @mymakeupbible
What recommendations do you have for those who are interested in astrology, but are afraid to open themselves up? “It’s not about predictions, but about gathering the tools to break with the energy that affects different situations. Paying attention to what causes imbalance. In Kabbalah, they say that chaos is not being conscious of your process. Astrology helps to see the situation from a distance and develop criteria to manage it.
“You lose the fear when you realize that it's not a decree, the more that you want to be able to take advantage of the change and improve. There’s nothing better than an “Aha!” moment. That’s where you start to see things differently, to see the situation from a distance and to develop your criteria. That’s what astrology does, it looks at things from afar.”