From Nurturer to Matriarch: The Astrology of Midlife Transformation

This piece has been adapted directly from my recent conversation with Michelle Wollaston on the Soul Loom Podcast. The reflections and quotes below are taken from our recorded dialogue… shared here so you can revisit, read, and reflect at your own pace.

I was recently invited by Michelle Wollaston to join her on the Soul Loom Podcast to talk about one of my favourite subjects, the astrology of midlife.

It was such a rich conversation about how the planetary transits between our late thirties and early fifties mirror the deep transformation happening within us. These years are not just a series of random changes or crises, they are energetic initiations.

In this post, I want to expand a little on what we explored together in that episode, because if you’re anywhere between your late thirties and your fifties, this is for you.

The Midlife Transits: Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Chiron

Between the ages of roughly 38 and 52, we move through a sequence of major planetary transits: Pluto square Pluto, Neptune square Neptune, Uranus opposition, and the Chiron return.

Each one acts as a sacred checkpoint, guiding us from the nurturer stage of life into the matriarch. Together, they call us to shed what no longer serves, confront truth, and step fully into our own authority.

Pluto: The Stripping Away

Pluto represents deep transformation. The underworld journey that breaks down what is no longer aligned.

When Pluto squares its natal position, we’re invited to face what’s unsustainable: the job that drains us, the relationship that no longer fits, or the version of ourselves that feels too small.

It can be intense, but Pluto’s message is always one of empowerment: let go so that something truer can rise.

Neptune: Seeing Through the Illusion

As Neptune squares Neptune, the fog lifts. The stories we’ve told ourselves about who we are and what matters start to dissolve.

This is the transit that invites clarity and spiritual awakening. It strips away illusion so we can see what’s real, and what isn’t.

As I shared with Michelle, “Sometimes we see people fall away from our lives, they’ve taught us the lessons we needed to learn.”

Uranus: The Electric Awakening

Then comes Uranus…the planet of liberation! This is what’s often labelled a ‘midlife crisis,’ but I prefer to see it as an awakening.

The Uranus opposition shakes us awake, saying, ‘You’ve played the roles; now it’s time to live your truth.’

That’s why so many people change careers, leave relationships, or take bold new paths during this time. It’s not rebellion, it’s realignment with authenticity.

Chiron: The Healing of the Wound

Around age fifty, Chiron completes its orbit and returns to the place it occupied at your birth. This is known as the Chiron return, a profound period when the soul invites us to heal what’s been left unhealed.

Chiron, the wounded healer, represents where we’ve carried pain, shame, or rejection. When he comes home, we’re asked to tend to that wound and turn it into wisdom.

For many women, this coincides with menopause, a physical and spiritual initiation that mirrors this energetic rebirth.

The Thread That Ties It All Together

All of these transits (Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Chiron) are invitations to stop resisting change.

When we fight the energy, we feel pain. When we flow with it, we begin to transform. This six- to seven-year window is a metamorphosis, the cocoon between who we were and who we’re becoming.

I’ve seen clients walk into readings at the start of these transits looking weary, uncertain, and heavy. A few years later, they return radiant, lighter, clearer, and more themselves.

That’s the alchemy of working with the energy instead of against it.

Astrology as an Energetic Mirror

Astrology doesn’t cause our experiences; it reflects them. It helps us make sense of what’s unfolding so we can meet it consciously.

When you understand your own chart, even just your Sun, Moon, and Rising sign, you begin to see how beautifully everything interconnects. As I said on Soul Loom, ‘It’s not just the science, it’s the astrology. Everything works together. Everything’s supporting that time.’

Midlife isn’t a collapse. It’s a cosmic initiation, a sacred rite of passage from doing into being, from nurturer to matriarch.

✨ Listen: From Nurturer to Matriarch: Astrological Insights into Midlife Transitions with Georgina Sierra, now streaming on the Soul Loom Podcast with Michelle Wollaston.