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Welcome to the Info Sphere, a space where all my writings, musings, and insights come together. Here, you’ll find everything from details about Samantha Jo's Balm Yard products to episodes of Healing in the Balm Yard podcast. This is also where I share glimpses into my own mind and life. It’s a space for exploration, connection, and growth—so please, be kind and enjoy. I’m excited to share this journey with you. Take care.

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  • Writer: Samantha Jo
    Samantha Jo
  • May 12
  • 6 min read

There are moments when something shifts in you before you have language for it, and lately that’s exactly what this has felt like for me.


I thought I was just outgrowing people quickly. This past week especially has felt off, but not in a way that was isolated or internal. It showed up in my interactions, in community, in the way I was experiencing other people. Something felt different, and I couldn’t fully explain it at first. Since discovering astrology, I’ll be the first to admit that it has changed the way I see everything. I try not to overdo it, but there are moments where it becomes impossible to ignore, especially when the patterns line up this clearly. So I checked the sky, and that’s when I saw it. Pluto is currently retrograde in Aquarius.


It didn’t fully click until I looked at my own chart and realized that Pluto is moving through the same sign as my North Node. That’s when it hit me that this isn’t just a moment. It’s a redirection. Throughout my life, there has been a pattern of me outgrowing environments quickly, sometimes so quickly that I don’t even realize it until I’m already disconnected. It's like something that gets hidden away from me too.


I can think back to moments earlier in my life where I was still showing up, still answering texts, still physically present, but something in me had already shifted. It wasn’t dramatic and nothing had gone wrong, but I could feel myself detaching quietly, almost like I had already said goodbye internally before anything actually ended. Or more recently, I remember times where I needed space but didn’t fully understand why. Nothing was necessarily wrong, but my body was asking for distance, and I used to question myself for that. I would wonder if I was being too distant or too quick to pull away, not realizing that I was actually responding to something deeper. I'm not always proud of how I detached, but it was so challenging to communicate something that didn't have words. And being a intellectual person, VIRGO, I was so disconnected from feeling in the body because being in the mind was safer for me, even though it didn't always work out well in my mind.


Right now, this transit is moving through my third house, which governs communication, voice, learning, and expression. When I realized that my Aquarius lives there, everything started to make more sense. It’s not just about relationships shifting, it’s about how I think, how I speak, and how I relate to the world changing at the same time. This transit is giving me access to my throat without having it polished. A fear unlocked for any earth sign, because I always felt like I HAD to make sense to be seen and heard.


Pause here and pull up your chart.


Look at where Aquarius sits. What house does it fall in. What part of your life is connected to that space. This can give you insight into what is being transformed for you right now.


I’ve noticed myself becoming less tolerant of things I used to overlook, more aware of how I feel in my body around certain people, and quicker to recognize when something simply doesn’t fit anymore. That kind of clarity sounds empowering, but in real time it can feel isolating, confusing, and disorienting. If I’m being honest, it felt like grief. Not tied to one specific event, but something heavier. Like I was losing something without having the words to name it yet. My voice had to catch up to what my intuition already understood.


I started to notice it in my nervous system before I could understand it mentally. It felt like a low level panic, an alertness in my body that did not always match what was happening externally. Sometimes it showed up as procrastination or difficulty responding, and other times it felt like confusion or a lingering sense that something was not right. It was not constant, but it was consistent enough for me to realize that my body was processing something before my mind had caught up.


Pluto is not a light planet. It is deeply psychological, connected to transformation, power, and the parts of us that live beneath the surface. When it moves, it asks us to be honest in ways we may have avoided before.


And because Pluto is currently retrograde, this process is internal.

This isn’t a quick moment, and that’s important to understand, because when Pluto moves, it doesn’t rush transformation; it unfolds it over time. Remember, it's an outer planet that takes a while to rotate through signs. What we are experiencing right now is only the beginning of a much larger process that will move in waves through May 2026 and into 2027. What feels like sudden clarity in this moment will deepen over time, revealing layers we may not even have the language for yet. This is not about instant change; it is about sustained transformation that asks us to sit with what we see and slowly become someone who can hold it.


Pluto transits don’t just change your life externally. They affect the nervous system, emotional processing, sense of identity, and perception of reality. So, you may feel overwhelmed but clear, isolated but aligned, emotional but decisive, tired but certain. That duality can feel confusing AF, but it is part of the process.


Part of why this feels so heightened right now is because of what’s happening collectively, not just personally. Pluto moving through Aquarius is not only about individual transformation, it is also about the restructuring of the systems we exist within. The world is on fire babe, and yes it has to fall. All those things that were hidden in the ocean during Pisces transits must come to land *catch the pun - because huh? ALIENS? *


Aquarius governs community, technology, and social structures, so when Pluto moves through this space, it begins to expose what is no longer sustainable. What we are already seeing is a growing awareness around power, transparency, and the way information moves. There is a discomfort with systems that feel disconnected from real people, and a stronger desire for authenticity over performance.


As this unfolds in the world, it also unfolds within us.


As systems shift, so do our identities within them. Like me, you may find yourself questioning where you belong, how you participate in community, or what you are willing to continue engaging in. There is a quiet but undeniable shift happening where people are becoming less willing to perform roles that do not feel aligned, and more aware of the difference between what is presented and what is real.


Pluto works beneath what is visible. It asks us to recognize what we can no longer ignore. What feels uncertain right now is not always a sign that something is wrong. Sometimes it is a sign that something is becoming more honest.


What I don’t think we talk about enough is how this kind of growth impacts our mental health, especially when the changes are happening faster than we can process them. As a water baby that is learning to feel her feelings, this can affect the emotional body, which is connected to mental health in a BIG way.


There is a real emotional weight that comes with outgrowing people, especially when nothing went wrong. Because you are not just losing connections, you are releasing versions of yourself that once felt safe. And how dare you!? That can create confusion, guilt, and even self-doubt. You may question whether you are being too distant or too quick to move on, when in reality, you may just be becoming more honest with yourself.

Growth like this can feel like grief.

It can show up as emotional fatigue, overstimulation, or a sense of isolation even when you are supported. It can feel like your inner world has shifted, but your external world has not caught up yet.



JOURNAL + CHART PROMPTS


Look at your chart and ask yourself:


Where is Aquarius in my chart, and what part of my life does it influence?


Where is Pluto currently transiting for me, and what themes are coming up in that area?


What feels like it is quietly ending in my life, even if nothing dramatic has happened?


Where do I feel a shift in my body before I can explain it in words?


Then reflect inward:


What version of myself no longer feels aligned?


Where am I staying out of familiarity instead of truth?


What am I being asked to release that I keep trying to hold onto?


What would it look like to trust the change instead of resisting it?


I’m starting to understand that what I used to call outgrowing people is actually something deeper. It is recognizing when a version of my life has already ended internally. If you’ve been feeling this too, you’re not alone honeyyy.


Not everything that ends needs to be explained, !!shocker!!, and not every shift needs to be rushed into clarity. Some seasons are meant to be felt while they are happening, even if they do not fully make sense yet. Depending on where this aspect is in your chart, it may not make any sense at all, and it's only to be felt. So it's extremely important to understand what your baseline is in your body. And maybe this isn’t about losing people or changing too quickly, but about becoming someone who can no longer stay where they once did.


I’m learning to trust that what feels like an ending might actually be alignment and a new beginning.

  • Writer: Samantha Jo
    Samantha Jo
  • May 6, 2025
  • 1 min read



After the success of my Pisces Season series, I’m back with a new series for Mental Health Awareness Month that’s all about healing through astrology. As many of you know, my journey right now is deeply rooted in healing, and I’m using my own chart to guide me through this process. I've been focused on generational healing work for some time, and ironically, I’ve always been afraid to look at my family members' natal charts—something I’ll explore more throughout this series.


While I’m not a professional astrologer or mental health expert, I’ve been doing my research, and I know there are spiritual tools that can be helpful in therapy. So, through my learning and experience, I’m passing on the knowledge that’s been supporting me on my healing journey. This series is for those of you who’ve always had questions about how to read your own chart, and I’m dedicating this month to both relearn and teach these insights.


I hope you’ll join me in this exploration of astrology and mental health.




  • Writer: Samantha Jo
    Samantha Jo
  • Dec 27, 2024
  • 3 min read



Yes, I Practice ATR: My Journey to Confidence and Clarity

When I first started saying out loud, “I practice Lucumí,” it felt like I was stepping onto a stage with a spotlight I wasn’t ready for. The practice, the path—it was mine, but the world wasn’t always kind to people like me. Especially in Chicago, where spirituality outside the mainstream often feels like an unspoken taboo.


Growing up in a family where spirituality was diverse and personal, you’d think I’d be comfortable with my path. On my mother’s side, Hoodoo was woven into our history—quietly practiced and deeply respected. On my father’s side, ATRs like Ifá had their place, but even there, everyone’s journey was uniquely theirs. No one path was considered “the way,” and we didn’t openly discuss our spiritual practices beyond the immediate family or the clients some of them had. It was a IYKYK kind of thing in community.


This individuality was empowering but also isolating. I didn’t know how to articulate my truth or where my path fit into the larger narrative of my family’s practices. It wasn’t shame exactly—it was more of a hesitation to put words to something so sacred, especially when I wasn’t sure if others would understand or respect it. But Brazil changed everything.


Why Brazil? Why Now?

When the opportunity to join Beaucoup Book Club’s anniversary trip to Brazil came up, something in me said, “Yes.” Maybe it was Elegua whispering at the crossroads, or maybe it was my spirit saying it was time to confront my doubts. Either way, I knew I needed to see how African Traditional Religions (ATRs) were practiced beyond the walls of my spiritual house. I wanted to learn—not just about Candomblé or Lucumí but about myself. Was I in the right space? Was this practice truly mine, or was I just going through the motions because it was familiar?





Lessons from Brazil

Being in Bahia felt like unlocking a new dimension of understanding. Every terriero, ile, and house we visited exuded a sense of community I hadn’t experienced back home. The rituals were raw, vibrant, and unapologetically African. Seeing Candomblé practitioners worship, witnessing my first Bembé—it felt like a homecoming for my soul.


And the familiars! Cats, turtles, and other animals casually moving through sacred spaces as if they too were part of the family. It made me wonder: how do these practitioners navigate earthly issues without letting them taint the sacredness of their community? The Sisters of the Good Death stood out most. Their blend of African and Catholic traditions, their pride in their practices, their ability to hold space for spirituality and liberation—it was everything.


Reconnecting with My Spiritual Lineage

This trip made me reflect on how I found my spiritual house. It’s funny now, but at the time, I had no idea what I was walking into. Seven years ago, I passed by a little green building in the Chicago Logan Square neighborhood daily, feeling drawn to it. A reading from Baba Victor turned out to be the starting point of this journey.


What stood out about Baba Victor was how he encouraged me to take my time. There was no pressure to rush back, no ultimatum about my spiritual path. That patience allowed me to live, learn, and eventually return to this practice on my terms.


Brazil gave me the confidence to say, “Yes, I practice ATR.” Seeing how ingrained ATRs are in Brazilian culture—even blending into churches—affirmed that my spirituality wasn’t “weird” or “other.” It was ancestral. It was powerful. It was mine.


My dreams haven’t been the same since I returned. They’re vivid, prophetic, and undeniably connected to my Orisha. It’s as if my spirit lineage is saying, “You’re on the right track. Keep going.”





Moving Forward

As I close out 2024, I’m leaving behind the doubts and insecurities that held me back. 2025 is about staying in my bag—deepening my practice, honoring my lineage, and building the kind of community I saw in Brazil.


Yes, ATRs are everywhere. But they’re also within me, guiding me, challenging me, and helping me grow.


To my fellow seekers: don’t be afraid to question, to explore, and to find what’s right for you. And if you’re ever at the crossroads, just remember—Elegua’s got you.


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