Reading the Soul with World of Vestara: Astrology, Tarot + Ritual

Astrology is the poetry of pattern: a language that maps not just the stars, but the stories unfolding within us. Few translate that language as artfully as Sophie, founder of World of Vestara. An astrologer, tarot reader, and modern mystic who bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary soul work.

In this Crystalline Conversation, we dive into the energetic architecture of astrology and tarot, how myth and archetype shape our lives, how crystals can anchor cosmic energy into form, and why ritual and community are so essential in a world that’s constantly in motion. Sophie’s work invites us to see the cosmos not as something distant, but as something pulsing within our own bodies. A mirror for evolution, healing and creative awakening.

"A chart reading will reveal not only personality traits but with the type of Astrology I read ( Evolutionary & Karmic ) we are also able to translate material you have brought in from your prior incarnation to resolve and it gives insight into your life purpose and points of destiny. You see, the soul is eternal and has a journey of evolution; this is ultimately what contributes to the rise of mass consciousness and the very cycles of evolution on Earth itself. We all have a part to play and the birth chart is the key to that."

"Tarot chronologically is a much later tool, by thousands of years, Astrology is the origin. The stars and celestial bodies have influence on the Earth and its beings with or without human influence. We only have to look at the moon’s influence on Earth's waters to understand this notion, they are ever-present and ebbing and flowing the energies here. For this reason, in my Tarot readings Astrology is woven in. I use the Rider Waite deck by Arthur E.Waite & Pamela Colman-Smith & the Tarot of the Spirit by Pamela Eakins, both of which have such a rich astrological framework within them. 

If the querent knows their birth chart well or I do, it enables me to unravel even further insight for them. However, I tend not to weave Tarot into my Astrology sessions because I read the tarot through an archetypal lens which supports the querent with the process of individuation - the birth chart already gives you the map of how this person would do this. Some practitioners will (and do) perhaps for quick fire questions that feel more divinatory in nature that may arise around the chart, but again, you can look to transits to support forecasting also. In short, Astrology was woven into the Tarot because the creators themselves understood its essence threaded through everything and honoured its place within our origin story."

"I believe that myth and symbols are what draws people towards these tools, they’re a visual language that awakens the layer of the collective unconscious within an individual. They begin to access ‘more’, and the depth of connectedness in a way they may not have before. I work a lot with memory, particularly awakening the awareness of inherited memory, whether ancestral, collective or personal. And it is through symbols that we begin to dissect the meaning and guidance of this, it’s the same with the dream realm. I believe that the rise in interest and draw toward wanting to understand our ‘true history’ is down to a number of things. 

The first being that people are generally desiring more ‘truth’ in their lives, they understand there is more than what they have been told, so are turning toward stories that have been passed down by word of mouth, folklore and nature itself. And secondly, we are in an astrological chapter in history that has not been seen for hundreds of years. Time feels wobbly and non-linear, you can sense the undercurrent of systems collapsing, and a new world trying to be born, but with that comes a demographic of people who will look back first before building anew. The past is full of wisdom for the future. In Indigenous Ghana they have an expression ‘Sankofa’, it means to ‘go back and get’. It derives from the Sankofa bird that has forward facing feet whilst their head looks back. And I think this proverb stands as a testament as to where we are now. We are in a time of neo-anciency."

As mentioned, I read the Tarot through an archetypal lens, of course, divinatory moments do occur naturally because you are tapping into the universal unconscious ( Jungian psychology ) and the deeper you go the more connected you are to that state of unity and timelessness. The cards themselves I see as portals and doorways of opportunity, whether it's to call in that entirely ‘new to you’ energy, to deepen your connection to it or to release it, all are thresholds waiting to be crossed."

"All crystals hold unique properties both metaphysically and geologically. Crystals are great tools to work with to enhance and strengthen weaker energies within your birth chart for example. You can also use them in harmony with new and full moon phases in your rituals for example or keep one or two close to your person to balance the energetics within the current skyscape.

For instance, my crystal toolkit for 2026 will include Smokey Quartz for its grounding properties, Brandberg or Shangaan for their spiritually protective and calming qualities, and a throat chakra stone like Lapis Lazuli ( be super mindful of where this is sourced from however as newer pieces are conflict stones now, try to source from a trusted collector ), or a high frequency quartz, Himalayan for example. We are entering a time of great change and where the clarity of our voices will matter more than ever."

"I believe your soul chooses the priestess path before it even incarnates and it becomes an unravelling and a remembering through wealth of experience. You meet initiation points within your life that you either shy away from or move toward. On the priestess path, one moves towards and does not fear crossing the thresholds it meets. 

Moving to Paris when I was 23 was the first time I encountered the Tarot. I was packing up and a friend of mine at the time said "Hey, theres this bookstore in Central London which I think you’ll really like you should visit before you leave, it's called Watkins”, so I did, and I picked up the Rider Waite tarot deck there which I still read with today. Those 5 years in Paris that followed were a homecoming, and not in a geographical sense but the move was initiated by a succession of losses during my 21st and 22nd years and there I began to unravel so much about myself - riding solo in a foreign country will have that effect! I returned to home turf to have my Saturn Return (of course! ) and then birthed the World of Vestara in 2023. It was a pivotal moment where my inner world was being initiated into the outer world. I launched when I had moved through an initiation of deep self-acceptance and subsequently was then initiated as a High Priestess with the aid of a local wiccan witch. Stepping into that circle of fire was a commitment to finally allowing myself to be seen in my truth. Now the coven continues to grow and magnetises others who are ready to be seen in their truth."

The name ‘World of Vestara’ however derives from the Goddess Vesta and the ‘Vestals’. Whilst a deeply complex story ( to which you can read more on my web ) these women were seen as oracles, and priestesses, yet sadly still did not hold rank against the patriarchal systems their very devotion, insights and commitment served. Vesta in the birth chart denotes our non-negotiable sacred work in this life, and our unwavering devotion to a cause."

"I think every act conducted in presence and a mindful way is ultimately ritual. If you have the luxury of slowing down moments of your day, elongating the experience, committing to an act with more intention, this is ritual, this is ceremony.

I find having simple touch points throughout the day to the elements really key too. I work from home full time with World of Vestara, so I am living and breathing the brand constantly. At the moment I’m really into Ayurveda too. I began learning about it earlier in the year and love how it's so connected to the elements and seasons like Astrology is. I am making a lot of heart nourishing meals and hot drinks, Rose Water Lattes ( Ayurvedic style so no-caffeine) are my favourite at the moment. From a more magical perspective, I am deeply connected to Egyptian Magic and deities, Hathor in particular, and have an altar space dedicated to her, alongside having an ancestral altar which I make offerings at daily, whether its fresh flowers, prayer or simply lighting a candle."

"No signs are inherently bad, all zodiac signs and houses have their shadow aspects and their gifts. It is the aspects and dialogue between certain planets that are the tricky part. A fixed grand cross can be challenging, this is when four planets are aspecting one another through four squares and two oppositions in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius and can create feelings of conflict and tension particularly around resources and feelings of validation/recognition. Hard aspects to the natal moon can come with their lessons too. Moon squaring or opposing Saturn for example, the moon is our inner world, our emotions, our hidden needs and when this squares or opposes Saturn we can often feel some hard restrictions placed on us that force us to mature usually from an early age."

"My first piece of advice would be to start keeping a journal, and begin to drop the logical mind. Free-writing without thinking if it makes sense or not. This is how I teach my students in my courses to drop their logical mind and into their intuition and feeling space. So much will be revealed to you through this practice alone. Secondly, I would grab an oracle deck that resonates with you to help guide your journaling practice more. And lastly, have a Celestial Soul Astrology reading with World of Vestara, and get to know yourself on an even deeper level. So many of my clients start off this way and they then find themselves on this journey with deep compassion for self and renewed excitement and confidence in their life and its direction."

If you would like to work with Sophie, she offers an array of options. Her astrological suite consists of Celestial Soul Natal Readings and a 6 Week Ascension Mentorship where clients can begin to integrate the energy within their chart on a deeper level with Sophie’s guidance. She also offers one-off 90minute power sessions which is an all-access pass to her toolkit bespoke to you. Sophie also runs educational workshops and courses around Tarot & Astrology plus events throughout the year. Please note her current lead time for sessions is 6 weeks.

Image Credits Throughout Blog Post: Ashleigh Britten Media

Sophie’s words remind us that astrology, tarot and ritual are far more than spiritual accessories. They are ancient technologies for self-understanding, remembrance and conscious awareness. Through her lens, the birth chart becomes a compass for personal evolution, tarot becomes a portal for possibility, and mythology becomes a bridge between our inherited stories and the futures we are here to create.

Her reflections on crystals, ceremony and the priestess path reveal a simple truth: the tools we use are mirrors, guiding us back into deeper relationship with our intuition, our ancestry and our agency. What Sophie offers is an invitation to slow down, to listen inward, and to approach our spiritual practice not as performance, but as a living conversation with the cosmos itself.