Been here before?
There’s an astrology hack that may help you determine if you’re fresh to existence — or if you’re merely living the latest of many lifetimes.
TikTok astrologer Maryaam Lewis-Herbert — also known as Shawty Herbs — claims to have unearthed a method for carbon dating soul matter.
“If you want to find out if you have an older soul or a younger soul, it’s very important that you pay attention to the asteroid in your birth chart called Spirit. More specifically, you have to pay attention to the degree that your Spirit asteroid is in,” Lewis-Herbert explained.
As a refresher, the birth chart contains not just planets but asteroids. Some asteroids are considered minor or dwarf planets, meaning they orbit the sun but lack the mass to be considered full-blown luminaries.
Regardless of their relegation, the influence of asteroids on our lives can be profound.
Astrologers like Lewis-Herbert believe the asteroid Spirit is not only indicative of the true age of the soul, but also that the sign and degree Spirit falls in can reveal what gifts or challenges define and await us.
But first — calculate your extended birth chart
To discover where and to what degree Spirit falls in your chart, you must calculate an extended birth chart based on your birth date, time, and location — you can find the tool here.
Step 1 Once you’ve entered your birth info, proceed to the next page and scroll to the list of Additional Objects.
Step 2 Click on the link “Asteroid name/number list with 23279 names” and select “S.”
Step 3 Scroll down to select the Spirit Asteroid. Alternatively — shortcut alert — enter “37452” where it says Manual Entry.
Step 4 Once you’ve made your selection, click on the green button at the bottom of the screen that says, “Show the Chart.”
Step 5 When the wheel of your birth chart populates, look for the abbreviation “Spiri” and the degree next to it, which will fall between 0 and 29 degrees.
What the findings mean
Having your asteroid Spirit at an early degree — between, say, 6 through 11 — means you are a younger soul with a few rounds of reincarnation under your star belt. You are just beginning to experience and integrate your lessons.
5 and under is bonafide noob territory.
The teen degrees translate to the middle stages of soul development.
Twenty degrees and up is mature, edging towards old AF, with 28 to 29 giving ancient, time-before-time cave paintings and alien downloads.
These later degrees are well-versed in reincarnation — and are painfully familiar with treading upon this brutal, beautiful terrestrial plane.
The comments on Lewis-Herbert’s instructional video are a riot, with those on the younger end of the soul spectrum exclaiming, “0 degrees, I’m new here and have already had enough. Can I go back to where I came from?” and “2 degrees my soul is a toddler LMAO.”
Those who fall on the elder edge chimed in with messages of weariness, “29 degrees, I’m hella tired.”
Where do you fall on the soul cycle?
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience.
