Queen of Hearts Astrology TalkTalkTalks the Wisdom of Trauma
Danielle Ashley combines Chinese Medicine & Medical Astrology to provide her clients with insight and healing
Danielle Ashley lives in Australia’s Dandenong Ranges, overlooking a ridge, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and camellias. For those lucky enough to live nearby, this is where she takes clients.
It’s a vast difference from the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong where she grew up — a place she describes as “having its challenges” and credits for both her street smarts and multicultural worldview.
Despite a less than idyllic childhood, her desire for knowledge was encouraged from an early age. At five she started studying Astrology charts with her mother. This early calling as a seeker brought her to karate at age 12. Before graduating high school, she had earned a black belt and her own group of students.
In University she discovered Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine through own healing quest, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, working under the moniker, Queen of Hearts Astrology, Danielle combines her knowledge of Chinese Medicine and Medical Astrology with a Master’s degree in Nutrition to help her clients find wisdom and heal — physically, spiritually and emotionally.
In the following interview, Danielle shares her personal story and offers a brief introduction to Chinese Medicine and Medical Astrology.
CV Henriette: Let’s start with some easy questions: Who is Queen of Hearts Astrology? What does she do?
Danielle Ashley: She is an astrologer and Chinese medicine practitioner who runs a homeless charity. She wants to ease suffering in the world and bring empowerment, insight and healing to the people she supports.
CVh: Where did you grow up?
DA: I grew up in Dandenong, south east of Melbourne Australia. It's a low socio economic suburb, very multicultural. Though it had challenges I enjoyed growing up there. I learnt to be street smart and got to sample amazing food from all around the world.
CVh: Tell me about where you live now.
DA: Now I live up in the Dandenong Ranges, in a small blink and you miss it suburb called The Patch. My house is up on a ridge looking over a valley, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and camellias.
CVh: You began your Astrological studies at a young age. How old were you? What’s that story?
DA: When I was five Mum introduced me to an ephemeris and an astrological wheel, and we would cast charts together for hours! Astrology helped me put into perspective the craziness of our home life and helped to remind me that I was unique and could make a different life for myself as I grew up.
Mum’s Liz Greene and Linda Goodman books were my first gateway drugs to astrology.
CVh: While we’re on the topic of childhood, this might be a good time to dig into your karate practice — which, as I understand, was a very big part of your life, starting from an early age. Why do you think you were so drawn to this practice?
DA: Karate came into my life at a very important time. I was about 11 — just after mum quit drugs and changed her life completely. Karate helped me gain confidence and expel a lot of energy and frustration that had built up in my early years. I grew up with few boundaries, so I really enjoyed the discipline and grit that I developed. It showed me I was capable of more strength and endurance that I initially thought and was also a good place to make new friends.
“Karate helped me gain confidence and expel a lot of energy and frustration that had built up in my early years.”
CVh: In our podcast episode, you said one of the reasons you liked karate so much is because you liked getting belts. What belt did you get to?
DA: I loved the slow, hard climb, the blood, sweat, and intense training. I got to 1st Dan black belt. I was going to continue to grade up, but I had moved to the UK and was one of the highest belts where I lived. So there weren’t many teachers who could stretch my skill, and I lost interest and quit.
CVh: Is this work-reward model something that continues to drive you?
DA: I’m not scared of a big mission. When I get told it’s going to be tough but possible, it drives me harder.
CVh: What’s something most people don’t know about you?
DA: I have a fascination with remote, off-the-beaten-track travel to dangerous countries like North Korea and Pakistan. I think it’s lessening a bit as I get a bit older and more cautious! I often feel a bit bored by travel to common tourist spots like France or Italy.
CVh: What makes these places dangerous?
DA: A lot of the countries I have traveled to are usually listed with a warning by the Australian Government. Or quite remote. I feel I might be getting a little more risk averse as I age though!
I did a couple of big trips through countries that end in Stan', through Northern Africa, North Korea... I guess due to their remoteness or media perception, like proximity to Afghanistan and Russia, or being totally nuts like NK.
CVh: What do you find compelling about danger?
DA: I didn't travel to these countries to seek danger. I wanted to experience what they were like. It was pure curiosity.
CVh: As I’m writing, I realize this interview may read like I can’t get a grip on my ADD, but that’s false! It only reads like that because you’ve had a fascinating life….With that, did you get into acupuncture around the time you got out of karate? Tell me about that path.
DA: I got out of karate in my early 20’s and into Chinese medicine at about 23. I don’t think the two were connected. I was attracted to Chinese medicine because it was foreign and complex — but also because it was logical, and I felt like it would sustain my attention. It requires a high level of skill, so I knew it would be challenging.
“I was attracted to Chinese medicine because it was foreign and complex — but also because it was logical, and I felt like it would sustain my attention.”
CVh: For those who need a clue, what is acupuncture, and what is it good for?
DA: Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles, into different acupuncture points & meridians of the body, with the intention to bring healing, balance and remove blockages.
Acupuncture can treat any illness, if done well, on a patient with a focused intention to recover and heal.
CVh: How does acupuncture fit into the larger system of Chinese medicine?
DA: Acupuncture is one of the modalities within the broader umbrella of Chinese medicine. Alongside herbal medicine, dietary & lifestyle therapy, moxibustion, gua sha, cupping and qi gong and more.
CVh: In addition to Chinese medicine, you also practice medical Astrology. As an aside, when the topic came up in conversation recently, I’ve gotten a lot of blank stares, with people telling me they had no idea medical Astrology was a thing. For those people, what is it?
DA: Medical astrology uses the interpretation of astrological symbolism to understand, forecast and treat health conditions (if the astrologer is a medical practitioner) . Medical astrology is a system of interpretation that helps us to understand the nature of health and illness, as well as diagnosis, progression and prognosis. It is helpful in working with both chronic and acute conditions, bolstering the constitution and treating mysterious health conditions. Medical astrology is great for structuring treatment protocols and electing surgery dates.
CVh: How would you describe the role of medical Astrology within the larger history of Astrology?
DA: Medicine and astrology have been practiced together throughout most of the history of astrology. It may seem foreign saying that to people today, but we can see by looking at a medical astrology chart the direct link between macrocosm and microcosm. The human and the universal symbolism.
CVh: Now! How does Chinese medicine work with medical astrology? In general? And, specifically, in your practice?
DA: Big questions! It took me a while to figure out how it works. Simply put there is a direct interplay between the heavens and us humans. The chart reveals these dynamics which can be interpreted and then treated successfully with Chinese medicine interventions.
Chinese medicine works on polarities, interior and exterior conditions, yin and yang, hot, cold, wet (damp), dry. Every element, every organ, season, sound, taste fits into a correspondence with a series of others, uniting them into a system. E.g. Liver corresponds with the emotion of anger, Spring, and the sour flavour.
Planets have polarities, temperatures and correspondences too, so these can be overlaid and implemented together. A chart can show that an illness has a particular nature, is excess or deficient in terms of humor (fluids or absence of). We can then use Chinese medicine in the form of acupuncture, herbs, diet, etc. to remediate things. To build up deficient conditions and reduce excess. There are lots of systems and overlays that combine traditional Chinese medicine theory with astrology. It's too complex to summarize!
CVh: Tell me about your clients. What are some of the reasons people see you?
DA: My clients are a mixture of online people from abroad and local people who come to my clinic. I consult people on Zoom and prescribe herbs, sound healing frequencies and dietary and lifestyle protocols.
Local people get physical therapies like acupuncture and moxibustion. I have a special interest in helping people create unique dietary and lifestyle plans — I have studied postgraduate nutrition and fuse it with Chinese dietary therapy.
Clients see me for a range of conditions, including chronic and psycho emotional conditions, stress, anxiety, insomnia, challenges with body image, grief and trauma. I also get quite a lot of clients who want support with fatigue, skin, weight loss and menstrual complaints.
CVh: What am I missing?
DA: I think you have it sorted!
CVh: Final words of wisdom to share?
DA: Practitioners help facilitate the healing journey by providing intention, techniques and support. Helping us open the doors to healing, that allow our blockages to melt.
We are the architects of our lives and responsible for walking through these open doors.
We are responsible for our own healing. When we recognise that, we allow healing in and find empowerment.
Visit Queen of Hearts Astrology for a complete list of Danielle’s offerings and to book a session — from anywhere in the world!
FOR FURTHER ENTERTAINMENT:
TalkTalkTalk w/ Danielle Ashley of Queen of Hearts Astrology — LISTEN HERE + WATCH HERE
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