Behind AstrologyNow Podcast
Hello, everyone!
My name is Christine Rodriguez. Above everything, I am a spiritual seeker, eternal student, and wish to be of service to others. I wish nothing more than to bring healing, expansion, and growth into my own life and within the world around me. My educational ventures, relationships, and spiritual life are of utmost importance and I will share a bit about my journey thus far.
I was born in Irvine, California and moved around quite a bit, traversing the United States. My interest in astrology and the metaphysical world began as a young person, through the influence of my mother. Of course it was not until my late teens and early 20’s that I actually was introduced to the gurus who would forever change my life.
I knew that I was home when I landed in Austin, Texas in 2011. It was in Austin that I connected with my first Vedic astrology teacher, Mehtab Benton, of whom I owe so much of my knowledge and inspiration. I was fortunate enough to study under Mehtab for one on one mentoring as well as followed him for workshops and various astrology series.
After 8 years of study, I decided to branch out to other teachings and completed the University of Vedic Astrology (UVA) training with Joni Patry, becoming a certified Vedic Astrologer in 2020. Having the opportunity to study under Joni was a great pleasure and privilege. I have also been fortunate enough to be deeply influenced by James Braha, Yogi Baba Prem, Dr. Andrew Foss, and Dr. David Frawley. I consider all of these people my teachers and major influencers. I want to particularly extend my appreciation to James Braha who has been a constant guide and guardian on my spiritual and astrological journey.
I have had the privilege of studying with many profound teachers over the years and I can not extend more gratitude to their influence.
My background includes an undergraduate degree in Social Work with secondary academic disciplines of Anthropology and African American & Diaspora Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and fulfilled my Masters in Social Work with a clinical focus in August 2020. I have experience working with refugees and survivors of trauma in the United States and had the opportunity of working with youth as survivors of abuse and neglect.
Before social work came teaching and studying meditation, yoga, Ayurveda, and philosophy of the yogic path.
I have been deeply invested in the Austin yoga community and have taught, learned, and loved here since 2012. Throughout this time I have taken countless trainings and completed multiple certificates for disciplines such as Ayurveda, the chakra system, and pranayama. I began teaching asana in 2013 and I am certified to teach hatha yoga, vinyasa yoga, and kundalini yoga. I also fulfilled a training with David Swenson - honoring me as an Ashtanga Yoga teacher.
I traveled to India in 2015 to continue my study of ashtanga and Sanskrit under the influence of Saraswathi Jois. I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to travel to the land in which Vedantic teachings came. It was a privilege to pay homage to the land that has brought the world so many rich philosophies, sciences, technologies, and methods of healing.
Of course, if you know me, you know that another great passion is navigating intimacy and relationships. As of 2021, I began the Clinical Foundations in Gottman Method Couples Therapy through the Gottman Institute. I believe that relationships and intimacy act as such powerful mirrors for personal development and our partners can be some of our greatest teachers. I view relationships as sacred… and also really, fascinatingly challenging! I strive to improve myself and my relationships everyday - platonic or intimate. My connections mean everything to me and I feel so much gratitude and humility to those in my life who act as some of my greatest teachers, mirrors, and catalyst for change. Combining personal inquiry, self-discovery, and Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) to work with couples is one of the most rich and fulfilling experiences.
In 2021 I completed a certificate that honors me as a 300 hour Vedic Counselor - supporting me in further creating my vision. My mission is to combine coaching, Vedic astrology, and other Vedantic studies to support others in living in alignment with their personal constitution, karmic makeup, astrological imprint - and how to use this information to their advantage, creating a life of meaning and purpose.
By connecting with ourselves through mindfulness, loving awareness, and Vedic Astrology - I do believe that we can have massive impact in how we navigate our life, heal, fulfill our destiny and engage with karma.
Planetary placements are fixed - how we respond to that energy is not. By developing more awareness - we may engage with karmic influences more harmoniously. My intention is to support individuals in deepening their understanding of their connection to the stars, karmic implications, and Universal forces while also bringing light to conditioning and patterning. Through this understanding, individuals will find harmony, authenticity, and understanding of their intrinsic worth and right to happiness.
Though I have devoted countless hours towards study in order to deepen my knowledge of the human spirit, yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic astrology, I still feel that I am just touching the tip of the iceberg. I am always a student first and work to receive all clients with humility. No one knows you or your needs better than you do - making you an expert of your own life! My role is to offer what I know, but more importantly - follow your lead and act as a support in assisting you in creating the life that you want.
