The Astrology Tool That Helped Me Find Home Abroad

How Astrocartography helped me choose where to live — and why it worked

Jun 25, 2025

We’re so excited to share this soulful guest piece from the wonderful

— an astrocartographer, intuitive guide, and all-around radiant human.

Isabel’s story traces a unique path: from New York to Morocco, Portugal, and ultimately Madrid — all guided by the stars. Her introduction to astrocartography turned what felt like a gut instinct into an intentional relocation plan. The result? A life that feels energetically aligned, deeply rooted, and full of meaning.

If you’ve ever wondered why certain places just feel right, or if you’re craving a deeper way to choose where (and how) to live abroad, this one’s for you.

This post is free to read — but if you love what we’re building here at Girls’ Guide to Living Abroad, consider supporting the publication with a subscription (or a cheeky little coffee ☕). Either way, we’re grateful you’re here.

With heart,
KKxx

I was approaching 22 — and it was my first trip abroad on my own. I’d travelled internationally with friends and family before, but never solo.

*Me at Parque Madrid Río, one of my favorite spots in Madrid*

The experience was life-changing. Not because of any specific moment or event, but because I felt so at home — connected to the land, and to many of the people I met there.

While in Morocco, we had a few days off for a national public holiday, so some friends and I decided to take the ferry from northern Morocco to the southern Spanish coast (Costa del Sol).

To my surprise, I felt that same level of inner peace and connectedness in Spain. Three years later, I travelled to Portugal — and once again, I experienced a similar energetic pull. When you look at these three countries on a map, they’re all quite close to each other — I was onto something.

Astrology has been one of my biggest passions since my late teens and early twenties. But back then, I wasn’t fully aware that our birth charts could influence how we feel in different places — or the kinds of experiences we might have there.

I wanted to understand why I was so drawn to this particular part of the world. I searched and searched and searched… until one day, I came across a YouTube video about Astrocartography — and that’s when I fell down the rabbit hole.

I would come to learn that my Moon DC line crossed through all three countries, and that my IC shifted to Cancer in Spain in my relocated chart. The sign Cancer is associated with themes of home, rootedness, ancestry, and emotional connection. No surprise, then, that I felt so at ease — so quickly — here in Spain.

*A view of the NYC skyline from an airplane*

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. And while I do miss it from time to time, I don’t regret leaving. I later discovered I’d been living on a Chiron–Saturn paran, which is linked to energetic themes of obstacles, slow progression, and difficulties in youth. I felt like my life wasn’t unfolding the way I wanted it to.

In my natal chart, my IC is in Aries — and living in Brooklyn often felt intense, even hostile.

There are so many indicators in my relocated birth chart in Madrid that explain why life here feels less conflict-ridden, more peaceful, and more fulfilling. I even met the love of my life within six months of moving — and eventually started my own business.

I’m very happy here. But it’s also not perfect. That’s the thing with Astrocartography — no place is perfect, and it’s rare to find a location that checks every single box. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s resonance. You want a place whose energy you can work with.

What the heck is astrocartography?

When it comes to choosing where to move abroad, we often default to the practical: climate, cost of living, career prospects, visa ease, and languages spoken. These are all crucial factors — no question. But as an Astrocartographer, I believe we’re missing something big if we stop there.

There are two powerful components most people overlook when deciding where to relocate:

🌍 the energy a place holds for you, and

⏳ the timing of when you go.

These might sound a little “out there” to some — but in my experience, they’re just as important as paperwork and paychecks. I want to share how I discovered Astrocartography, and how it helped me move from New York City to Madrid, Spain.

Astrocartography is a sub-discipline of astrology that merges two fields

🌌 Astrology — the study of the influence and relationship between celestial bodies and our earthly experience

🗺 Cartography — the study of maps, mapmaking, and other representations of geographical information

In simpler terms? Astrocartography maps your birth chart against a map of the world to gauge the types of energies you’re most likely to experience in different locations. The specific planetary lines that cross through various regions can offer insight into what living or travelling there might feel like — emotionally, energetically, even spiritually.

But I want to stress this: Astrocartography is so much more than just tracing lines on a map.

A full reading takes into account:

Your relocated birth charts
Paran crossings (intersections of planetary energies)
The condition of the planets in your natal chart (including aspects and dignity)

How Can Astrocartography Help Me Move Abroad?

It’s no secret that we can love the vibe of certain places — while feeling totally out of sync in others. In theory, a location might tick every box. But then the actual experience of living there ends up clashing with everything we’d hoped it would be.

This is where Astrocartography comes in.

It can help explain why you feel “off” in some places — or incredibly aligned in locations that weren’t even on your radar. It also helps you intentionally choose a place based on the kind of experience you’re seeking.

When using Astrocartography to help decide where to relocate, it’s important to reflect on how you currently feel in your present location — and consider the kinds of experiences or energies you want to invite into your life next.

Each planetary line corresponds to specific themes and life experiences.

Planetary Line Meanings

☉ Sun Lines
Self-actualisation, recognition, fame, motivation, confidence. Moving to these lines can amplify your sun sign traits even more than usual.

☽ Moon Lines
Emotional support, tenderness, nurturance, intuition, feminine energy, fertility, settling down.

☿ Mercury Lines
Mental stimulation, learning, research, communication. Can bring like-minded connections — but also overthinking, depending on your Mercury placement.

♀ Venus Lines
Love, beauty, partnerships, social ease, confidence, creativity, pleasure — often greater ease in daily life.

♂ Mars Lines
High energy, action, assertiveness. Can bring more drive — but also conflict, competitiveness, accidents, or burnout.

♃ Jupiter Lines
Expansion, abundance, wisdom, success, good fortune, confidence. May also trigger overindulgence, arrogance, or “too much of a good thing.”

♄ Saturn Lines
Delays, responsibilities, restriction, solitude, karmic lessons. Things often feel slow, heavy, or require persistence and patience.

♅ Uranus Lines
Shake-ups, breakthroughs, reinvention, surprises. Great for starting over — but can bring instability or feeling like an outsider.

♆ Neptune Lines
Romantic, dreamy, creative, spiritual. Can support retreats or artistic work — but also confusion, illusions, or escapism.

♇ Pluto Lines
Deep transformation, power dynamics, intensity, healing hidden wounds. Not light energy — but incredibly potent.

🏹 Chiron Lines
Emotional triggers, vulnerability, healing old wounds. Can bring up rejection or misunderstanding — but also deep growth.

☋ South Node Lines
Letting go, detachment, karmic closure. Often brings a sense of “been there, done that.”

☊ North Node Lines
Drive, ambition, growth. Can bring opportunities — but also a sense of restlessness or always striving for more.

To fully understand how these lines influence you, you also need to know about the birth chart angles — and what each one represents. (More on that soon.)

Understanding Your Birth Chart Angles: The Foundation of Astrocartography

*The birth chart signs, houses, and angles*

These angles are found in your birth chart — and they represent major areas of your life:

Midheaven (MC): Career, reputation, legacy, public image
Imum Coeli (IC): Home life, family, private self
Descendant (DC): All types of relationships
Ascendant (AC): Your relationship with yourself and the development of your identity

When we combine these angles with planetary lines on an Astrocartography map, we begin to see how your unique astrological signature interacts with specific geographical locations.

A Few Examples

A Venus IC line could highlight a place to find love and harmony in the home — possibly a beautiful long-term base.
A Mars MC line might be where you feel incredibly focused on your career — energised, ambitious, even competitive.
A Moon DC line may bring emotionally supportive, nurturing relationships into your life.

It’s all about alignment.

So, look at it this way:

A Mars MC line might be perfect for someone ready to climb the career ladder or start a business — but it may feel overwhelming for someone seeking a slower, more relaxed pace of life.

Likewise, a Venus IC line might not suit someone craving independence and solitude — it’s energy that’s better for nesting, bonding, or building a home with others.

What Else Can Astrocartography Help With?

Astrocartography can help you identify your most supportive locations for all kinds of life experiences — from romance and building a business, to finding true community, advancing your career, or simply feeling more you.

This magical sub-discipline of astrology allows you to explore how your birth chart placements interact with your goals, desires, and current life circumstances — and how to harness those cosmic energies in practical, applicable ways.

Is Astrocartography Accurate?

In my experience: yes.

I’ve worked with clients from all over the world — each with unique stories, cultures, and paths — and I’ve used Astrocartography to plan my own relocation to Spain almost six years ago. It’s been incredibly on point.

If you’re considering a move — or already living abroad but can’t quite put your finger on why it feels the way it does — Astrocartography might just be the missing piece.

It certainly was for me.

*Me again in the Lavender fields in Brihuega, Spain in 2021*

Have you ever felt more yourself in one place than another? Or used a tool like astrocartography to help guide your move? We’d love to hear about it in the comments. 💬