The Urban Exodus Podcast

An astrocartographer taps into the wisdom of the cosmos, trading New York City for a slower paced, digital nomad life in rural France

Urban Exodus, hosted by Alissa Hessler Season 6 Episode 65

This episode is sponsored by Maine Women Magazine. As a Maine-based entrepreneur, I can’t say enough good things about Maine Women. For those of you that aren’t familiar, Maine Women is a printed quarterly and an online publication focused on sharing news and stories that highlight innovative women making waves in the state of Maine and beyond. When you subscribe, you’ll find a myriad of articles exploring Arts & Culture, Activism & Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Business & Entrepreneurship, and much more! Maine Women is going through an exciting transformation and will be soon offering Maine-made goods, classes, networking events, and retreats. You don’t want to miss out!

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Helena Woods. Helena grew up in San Diego but moved to New York City at the age of 18 to pursue a career in acting. After a few exciting years in the city, the charm of the entertainment industry began to wear off. She realized what a fickle and difficult business it was and yearned to find another way to tap into her creativity. After the sudden passing of her father, Helena started a photography practice. Photography was an incredible way of capturing time, space and memory. 

Although Helena had always been interested in astrology, photography led her on her journey into the study of astrocartography - how place and time interact with one another in our lives. She dove deep into studying all that she could about astrocartography and now gives online readings to people to help them find the best places for them to live, based on their birth charts. 

In 2020, Helena and her English professor partner decided they were ready for a big change. He applied for several university positions around the world and landed a job teaching English at a college in a small town in the French countryside. Helena didn’t hesitate when he asked her to join him. They quickly got married, sold nearly all of their possessions and moved to France. Helena’s work as a content creator and astrocartographer allows her to be a digital nomad - working from wherever she is. Since moving, Helena has lived in three small rural communities in France. 

Helena has amassed a large following from vlogging and blogging about astrocartography, her life in France and embracing slow living. After years of creating content for fun, it has evolved into a sustainable career that gives her greater flexibility in her days. Through her work, Helena wants to inspire others to reconnect with their inner voice, downsize their lives and find greater happiness in the everyday. 

This is a story about turning passion into profession, the freedom and joy of minimalism and tapping into the cosmos to find a place where you belong.


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