Meet Chani Nicholas, The Fashion World's Go-To Astrologer

If you’re not already following the work of LA-based astrologer Chani Nicholas then stop what you’re doing (once you’ve read this) and get on her Instagram immediately. Born in British Columbia, she started learning the craft of astrology aged 12 after her step-mum bought her an astrology reading. Since then, she has immersed herself in the world of healing, social justice and understanding how humanity is affected by the movement of planets.

Now 41, Nicholas’ work is presented in a variety of memes (which she makes herself), affirmations, workshops, one-line zingers, a Spotify playlist and longer more in-depth horoscopes which are presented once a month on the new moon. It is this that has amassed her a cult following among the in-the-know crowd – followers regularly zoning in for some other world guidance include Lizzo, Gwendoline Christie, Michele Gaubert and Chanel’s Lucia Pica.

The motto she sends out to her 250+k followers is that it is up to you to take what resonates, what works, and leave what doesn’t – it’s a guidance, not a hard and fast prophecy for self-development. I caught up with Chani to understand her work and world better.

Chani, you do more than just a monthly horoscope for each sign.

Yes. Every month I do a new moon workshop and go through the astrology for each sign - new moon to new moon. I look at the lunar cycle for each sign and give people auspicious times to work with and rituals for the new moon. Most of those are focused on people’s healing and self-development. I offer meditations and writing reflections and readings for them. I also teach courses that are about your astrological chart. One of my main passions is to give people the tools to learn how to understand their own chart. Readings are really great to get from an astrologer, but nothing is as fulfilling as understanding how the planets work with your own chart and how to work with them, and it unlocks an incredible amount of agency.

Did you always want to explore the world around you?

Yes absolutely. I’ve always been engaged in environmental movements – I grew up in a small town in British Columbia which is beautiful and surrounded by nature. I grew up feeling connected to the world. It was a radical community that was very anti-institution and corporation. Before I became an astrologer, I worked in community centres, with queer and trans youth, I worked with community planning…

So always caregiving jobs. Why do you think astrology has become a bigger part of people’s lives in the past few years?

I think it’s something that we have been able to have greater access to. The major world religions come from societies where people were living in according to nature, and time is marked with a lot of emphasis. In Judaism we celebrate the new moon - every month it is celebrated. We are lunar people. Before major religions we were living in places where there were temples to the moon – human beings come from a solar / lunar system and understanding of the system. Holidays, Christmas, Easter, are clustered around equinoxes for a reason. The marking of time is in our DNA, and I think people are hungry for it again. And astrology helps you do that.

Why do you write affirmations for the new moon rather than the standard horoscope?

The new moon is a good time to reset, refocus your attention where your power is and staying with that. As the new moon moves into a full moon hopefully those affirmations grow into.

Do you worry about getting things wrong ever?

It’s not about being right it’s about being helpful and providing people with space for reflection. You can’t write for 1/12th of the population and it be right. But what I can be is useful. I can be a place of refuge or reflection. Horoscopes are not astrology, they are a little offering, an amuse bouche of the whole meal. I always say take what works for you and leave the rest, it’s not written in stone.