Unleashing Your Natural Gifts: Exploring Astrology and Relationship Dynamics with Panda Hershey

Dr. Christine Li [00:00:01]:
Welcome back to the Make Time for Success podcast. This is episode number 163. In this episode, you're going to hear the kind shares from my special guest, Panda Hershey. She tells a lot of different stories about her career trajectory, how she went from 1 career to the next career to finally landing on her perfect career. She currently is a life coach. And for the past 7 years, Panda has helped hundreds of people to apply a powerful framework that helps them to create better relationships with themselves, with other people, and with their circumstances. She helps our clients to understand their unique personal behavior patterns so they're able to embrace them as tools and talents to be honed end capitalized on. She has leveraged her experience as an expert astrologer to create her unique framework for a program called your full expression, which is a training that uses an individually customized deck of 14 physical tools end talents cards. Her unique approach helps people to move past the stress and drama that they've been used to and to quickly move into using their natural tools and skills to make a very positive impact in the world. I'm so grateful I got to learn from Panda in this episode, and I'm looking forward to sharing her gifts with you now.

Dr. Christine Li [00:01:37]:
Hi. I'm doctor Christine Lee, and I'm a psychologist and a procrastination coach. I've helped thousands of people move past procrastination and overwhelm so they could begin working to their potential. In this podcast, you're going to learn powerful strategies for getting your mind, body, and energy to work together so that you can focus on what's really important and accomplish the goals you want to achieve. When you start living within your full power. You're going to see how being productive can be easy and how you can create success on demand.

Dr. Christine Li [00:02:14]:
Welcome to the Make Time for Success podcast. Hi, everyone. Thank you for being here with us on the Make Time for Success podcast. Today, a. I have my lovely friend and colleague, Panda Hershey, with me to tell us all about what she has been doing lately. She's been telling me that she's recently really intensified and deepened her practice. She is a life coach who helps people to navigate difficult experiences and to get through step points in relationships and she uses the tool of astrology as one of the primary tools. And I'm excited to learn all about Panda and all about what she does.

Dr. Christine Li [00:03:02]:
So welcome to the show, Panda.

Panda Hershey [00:03:05]:
Christine, it's so great to be here. It's really a pleasure.

Dr. Christine Li [00:03:08]:
Well, it's a pleasure to have you here, and let's get started. Why don't you tell us a little bit about how you got to be the life coach and were there any significant moments in your life that carved a path to this position.

Panda Hershey [00:03:26]:
Sure. I actually came to astrology very late in life. I, didn't discover it until my late forties. And so many people I know, like, my daughters know a little bit of astrology and and 70 people in their twenties are really into it and use it a lot, but I discover it until, you know, I'd had a career and and kids. And I had a reading from some guy in Australia, and he told me things about myself that I had never told anyone about how I felt and how I was and how I operated. And from that moment on, I just said, oh my god. There is something here that I have to study and I have to understand, and it has helped me navigate my life and my relationships, and that's what I love using it for with other people.

Dr. Christine Li [00:04:23]:
That story is really exciting because I know very, very little about everything you just said. First of all, what gave you the nudge to get this reading? Let's start there.

Panda Hershey [00:04:36]:
Well, I had a friend who was really into it, and I just started following a few people on Facebook, and I was absolutely fascinated by what they were saying generally. I had red horoscopes in the newspaper, but they didn't always connect. And so taking a deeper dive with these people in particular was Really eye opening because they would talk about things that were happening and it felt a little more specific. So just thought, oh, what the heck? I'll just right to the sky and get a a reading. I don't even know what that is, but that got me on my journey and I just had to know more.

Dr. Christine Li [00:05:18]:
Okay. And then the very curious nosy part of me wants to know maybe a snippet or an example of one of the things that that gentleman told you that made you think, oh my goodness, my head is spinning. I can't believe this is happening, that kind of experience. Can you share?

Panda Hershey [00:05:38]:
Yes. There is this part of me that is always in conflict where I operate very much in partnership, but there's this other part of me that really needs people to pay attention to what I have to say. And so I'm navigating this, like, wanting to be a good friend or a good partner, but, like, having this really deep urge to say, you know, you really have to listen to what I'm saying. So finding that balance has always been a struggle and he nailed it right there. And I think a lot of my friends, now that I tell them, they might realize that, but it isn't always obvious. And how

Dr. Christine Li [00:06:21]:
has something like your connection to astrology been able to help you with a conflict such as that.

Panda Hershey [00:06:30]:
Well, I am I can rugs into it And I don't beat myself up as much as I used to. And I can try to be Say to myself, okay, panda, just one thing and then cut yourself off, like try not to go too far with it. And really it is about and this really ties into everything that I try to help people with is acknowledging how complex we are, that we're not just one thing, and we have so many skills and talents that we're born with. And it's so important to acknowledge every one of them and find a way to use them. And really life is all about practicing them, but in situations where it may not be so easy to use them. So that's the fun part.

Dr. Christine Li [00:07:23]:
Okay. I have a feeling this conversation is going and going in lots of different directions, but I will pick a couple. So explain to us what astrology actually encompasses. Why don't we start there?

Panda Hershey [00:07:36]:
Absolutely. So the way I think about it is the moment you take your 1st breath, you remember somewhere, like, it's built into your body, the energy of the universe at that moment. And it's kind of like I compare it to growing up on the West Coast. I was born in California and so always the ocean is in the West. If I were to move to the East Coast, it would completely, like, for I would not be able to adjust to that or it'd be very, very difficult. So it's kind of like that, that your body remembers where the sun is and where all the different planets are, and you hold on to that as your kind of comfort zone, what is easy for you. And each one of those planets and the way the earth was oriented at the moment you were born are just a part of you and your natural tools that you are most comfortable with. Does that help?

Dr. Christine Li [00:08:39]:
Yeah. That does help. I I have spoken informally, not on the podcast with people who, similar to you, are very fascinated and committed to the practice of working with astrology. So I know a teeny bit, but that was actually very, very clear. Do you know the origin of using astrology to help individual functioning and the the betterment of people's lives.

Panda Hershey [00:09:05]:
What I have found for myself and for so many other people is That when we start to understand ourselves, we give ourselves a little more grace, and then we start to recognize How other people in our lives that we think we know so well, our kids, our partner, our best friend that we've known Since elementary school, how they are built differently than us and those little edges that sometimes are difficult to navigate. You'll have a little bit more grace and a little bit more understanding, and it just helps you relax into it. And you look at the different ways that we approach any situation as, oh, well, if I do it this way and the other person does it this way, then we're a team And we have more possibilities open to us or this other person fills a gap that I have and I can rest And let the other person take the reins for a while. That's what I love about seeing how people zip together is what I call it in their relationships.

Dr. Christine Li [00:10:14]:
Okay. Do you know when that first started to be a practice where astrology was applied to human behavior.

Panda Hershey [00:10:23]:
Oh, wow. It's been around for ages. You know, I believe it was Johannes Kepler, an astronomer. He was actually also an astrologer and I I read this in the, Richard Feynman's Lost Lectures book and That to me was just so affirming that I'm kind of on the right track that people way, way back who are so respected as scientists actually we're doing this work. Carl Jung was another person who incorporated astrology into his work. So I think it's been around for a very long time, and of course, I'm of Chinese origin. Chinese astrology has been around for a very long time.

Dr. Christine Li [00:11:04]:
Yes. Yes. Now you've had careers in other industries. And how have you maybe merged your skills from those other experiences into your understanding of what you're doing now and this new iteration of your career.

Panda Hershey [00:11:27]:
So I've definitely had some twists and turns in the work that I've done in life, and I started off as a scientist studying cell biology and, you know, got a PhD, did postdoctoral work, but Found that I was great at understanding patterns and analyzing stuff that had already been done and less on the creative side, like thinking of what is the next experiment was impossible for me. So I pretty much knew had I needed to leave science, And I went into investing for institutions. And in that work, I realized that I'm really great at pattern recognition. So the analysis of what makes a really good track record and the components of that are most likely to lead to success are something that I was always looking for, and that is exactly what astrology is all about. It is pattern recognition. And really I've just found a way to explain that Those recurring patterns that all happen at different rates and, frequencies, I'll say, that basically are embodied within us and show up in a way that I can put simple language to. And that is what helps people.

Dr. Christine Li [00:12:52]:
Okay. So I am imagining that some of what you're doing is based on the reading of the stars and how they are aligned or were aligned, and then some of it is also your reading of how the person is in front of you and how they are with you.

Panda Hershey [00:13:13]:
Actually, You know, it is completely from from the charts. I really actually don't rely very much on What they appear like in front of me or how they behave. I ask a lot of questions about how things show up for them. I can describe certain things about them from a very high level. For example, you know, if they have a tool or a talent that is in a a Leo style that may show up and people may think about it as, oh, they are drama queens or they just always need the attention. And I come at it as you probably enjoy offering your gifts and having people receive them and acknowledge that you're good at this. And when people do that, You can just sit back and relax. So how does that show up for you? Who is reinforcing that for you? What situations are you able to do this in? Is this happening at work or do you feel shut down? Is your partner acknowledging this? Have you let them know you need this? And this is how I coach them and they can give examples or they know them in their own lives.

Panda Hershey [00:14:36]:
They can say, okay. Yeah. That is that is the way I like to do things or what I absolutely need to have, And I can encourage them on bringing that more into their lives. Of course, getting the if it's their kid, it's I love working with parents and their children, Helping them support their kid and knowing what they need.

Dr. Christine Li [00:14:58]:
So what is your understanding for when people don't see eye to eye and they don't mesh and their energy is really kinda opposite or or clashing or toxic with each other. Is there some understanding that you can share with us? You you have this relationship zipper metaphor. I'm curious about what do you do when there is a a difficult relationship between a parent and a child or between parents?

Panda Hershey [00:15:29]:
You know, one thing I've noticed in my own life and in other people that I've coached is that our families Force us into situations where we have to exercise certain muscles that we would never choose to exercise if we had that opportunity to not do it. And so our kids And our parents, because that's a parent child relationship, often have tools that are very different from ours. And what I love to do is take a step back and use this zipper tool that I have to let people look at how the other person is experiencing life. That this is how they operate most comfortably, it is not directed at you. They don't do it on purpose to hurt you. This is just who they are and when you know this, and it's probably different from how you operate. How can you create the space for them to use their tools safely because what I found so hard is that when people aren't given that opportunity to use the tools that they have most naturally, they feel completely shut down and they feel Like, they're not worthy, that they're useless, that they have nothing to offer. And that just crushes my soul to hear things like that.

Dr. Christine Li [00:17:02]:
Did your career shifts your own personal ones? It sounds like it was a progression, but that you found what really suited your heart and that you knew deep inside that this was the work you were meant to do. Is that correct?

Panda Hershey [00:17:20]:
Oh, absolutely. Even now, I still discover things about my own relationships and how to use this work to have a win every day. Like with my mom, There's a part of her that always has something important to share and when I was a teenager, I did not I did not know this. I probably did not pay attention to her as much as I I wish I would have to listen to what she had to say. And now every time I see her, they she and my dad live close by, I try to make sure I get that win. I try to make sure, mom, What's going on? And I will just stop and I will listen to the one thing and then she can relax and we both feel good. And it didn't Cost me anything to just listen and let it be.

Dr. Christine Li [00:18:16]:
That's a beautiful story of how you used your work to really heal maybe a difficult relationship in your family. I wanna shift a little bit because I noticed on your website that you have a set of cards, something about your natural gifts, something like that and that piqued my interest. Could you explain what that deck of cards is, and did you create that deck?

Panda Hershey [00:18:41]:
I did create that deck because what I discovered is that when people look at natal charts and And they start getting a reading from an astrologer. The eyes glaze over. Everything just kind of goes in one ear and then out the other, And it's overwhelming. And so what I found is that you can take that natal chart and distill it Into 14 sentences and each one of these sentences is this person's natural tool or talent. When you put them together, you can learn, you know, basically 3 things about this person. There are different styles. There are different ways they operate, you know, from how they mindfully act to what their primal instinct was to How they use discernment in their lives, and we learn a little bit about the order in which they experience life. So what I call their cadence and their unique pacing of using their tools and then putting them together in a zipper by having a set of the cards for 1 person and a set of cards for the other person, and I walk people through lining them up and seeing how the interaction actually progresses.

Dr. Christine Li [00:20:03]:
So for each card, would you have a reading scale would you have that it's the top of the pile instead of the bottom? How does that work?

Panda Hershey [00:20:14]:
Oh, it's, It's so easy. The degrees on the card are related to the natal chart, but you don't have to look at the natal chart. And I just have people take their 14 cards, and I say divide them into 3 piles. Look at these degrees, put them in a, pile of 0 to 9, 10 to 19, and 20 to 29, which is the range of, degree possibilities, and then put them in order, and then read them from 0 to 29. And you have just described how you experience life. So you do that for 1 person and you do that for the other person, and they sit 'together' and so you may have a tool at a certain degree at 0 and the next person, the other person may have a tool at one or you may both have something at 1 or you may each have 2 tools at 1, In which case, there's a lot going on. Every single relationship is different and that's what I love showing people is that we get stretched by being in relationship with someone else to learn how to use our tools and be flexible and accommodate other people's way of doing things.

Dr. Christine Li [00:21:38]:
You have a very strong healing vibe and I want to ask, is that something that you always knew was a part of you? Were you always connected with that? Did that come when you were in your forties and discovered the astrology, what is your relationship with that part of yourself?

Panda Hershey [00:21:57]:
That is so kind of you, Christine. I actually began a journey of transitioning from the corporate world into healing by first studying acupressure. And so I, practice Chinese medicine. I still have a small practice that I love. And Honestly, I think I've softened from learning learning about How astrology affects people. I used to be used to think everyone experienced life the same way as I do and It was complete mindblower to realize, oh my god. No. Like, no.

Panda Hershey [00:22:39]:
Not even my kids experience at the same way I do. No matter how much I can tell them this is how it is, it's not.

Dr. Christine Li [00:22:48]:
Yeah. It's literally nobody experiences life like you do. Right?

Panda Hershey [00:22:53]:
And it was really a shocker, but I think that compassion then for myself and for every single person I ever meet, I just want to help them love themselves and recognize that they have something absolutely to offer and the world needs it because that's the only way we make it through is when each person gets to contribute their gifts.

Dr. Christine Li [00:23:19]:
Yes. Well, thank you so much for sharing all of your gifts with us. They are clearly in abundance. And I will share with our listeners now that this is Panda's first ever podcast episode. And if you've never been on 1, it really is a nerve wracking thing to kind of the nerve wracking kind of hurdle to address. So congratulations on doing so well and thank you so much for being so open and wonderful with me and my listeners and for entertaining all of my questions. Is there something else you would want our listeners to know about either the power within themselves or the power of using astrology and or coaching and or both for their own development.

Panda Hershey [00:24:06]:
Well, first, Christine, you make it so easy for people to come on your podcast. Speaker. Wonderful questions and you're you have that same open sweet energy that is so inviting and makes Makes everyone feel safe. It's great. Thank you. I have a free trading available For people to take a look at a specific relationship in their life if they learn just one thing that can help them smooth a bit of an edge or help them get over a bump that keeps coming up. Then I've done my job and it's basically using a little subset of the actual tool cards that I use as part of my my membership, and I just love sharing that with the world. So they can just go to my website and check that out and see if it helps them with the relationship in their life.

Dr. Christine Li [00:25:04]:
Okay. Beautiful. So Panda's website is your full expression .com and like Panda suggested and invited you to come join her over there. Again, you can go to your full expression .com. Do you have a free resource for our listeners to use for that very thing?

Panda Hershey [00:25:30]:
Yes. They can just go right there, go to the free resource. They can get an overview of what will happen and then get the sign up to get the card sent to them and takes 24 to 48 hours for me to generate them and, get them right back, and then they can do the training.

Dr. Christine Li [00:25:49]:
Oh, terrific. And that's all set up through the website. Yes. Terrific. Okay. That's very generous and that sounds like a very wonderful invitation. So I'm gonna encourage our listeners if you are fascinated and curious about what Panda is doing and curious about how to shift a relationship that you might be having some struggles in. I definitely would suggest working and connecting with Panda as soon as you can.

Dr. Christine Li [00:26:18]:
So, Panda, thank you so much again for being here. Is there an Instagram handle that you can share with us also so that we can stay in touch with you that way as well?

Panda Hershey [00:26:29]:
Absolutely. The handle is it's Panda Hershey, and I share a lot of, like, current energy information there so that you can stay on top of what's going on in the world.

Dr. Christine Li [00:26:41]:
Alright. Terrific. It is quite a time in the world these days. So, yeah, I'm with Panda in so many different ways including just knowing that it's worth your time to examine what is going on in your relationships, in your energy, in your world and that it's okay to be curious, it's okay to explore, and it's okay to bend and twist and expand what you can do. And I wish everyone the best of health and wellness as I know Panda does. Thank you again, Panda.

Panda Hershey [00:27:16]:
It was a pleasure, Christine. Thank you so much.

Dr. Christine Li [00:27:19]:
Alright. Take care, everyone. We'll see you next week as the next episode drops on the Make Time For Success podcast. Take care. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Make Time For Success podcast. If you enjoyed what you've word. You can subscribe to make sure you get notified of upcoming episodes. You can also visit our website, maketimeforsuccesspodcast.com, for cast episodes, show notes, and all the resources we mention on the show.

Dr. Christine Li [00:27:48]:
Feel free to connect with me over on Instagram too. You can find me there under the name procrastination coach. Send me a DM, and let me know what your thoughts are about the episodes you've been listening to, and let me know any topics that you might like me to talk about on the show. I'd love to hear all about how you're making time for success. Talk to you soon.