Tried & Tested: I had an Astro Manifesting Consultation to help manifest my 2024 goals — here’s how I got on

When the opportunity arose late last year to have an Astro Manifestation Consultation session with The Manifesting App’s founder, Dalila Salgueiro, I positively jumped at the chance. Did I necessarily know exactly what was meant by ‘astro manifestation’? Absolutely not, but the concept thoroughly piqued my interest.

Having pencilled in my session with Dalila, I was asked to send across the details required to generate my birth chart; i.e. date of birth, exact time of birth, and precise location of birth. Since I’m one of those people who are overly invested in their star sign (yes, I’m a Libra), and overly interested in moon phases, I had all of this to hand. If you don’t, either call your mother up, or rifle around for your birth certificate.

Though there are twelve different astrological placements on any given birth chart, each having its own knock-on effect on the individual, it’s your big three that are most important. I had thought that I was relatively well-versed on my own — Libra Sun, Scorpio Rising, Cancer Moon — but over the course of my session with Dalila, she managed to pinpoint the very root of some feelings and emotions I had been experiencing, and explain how they related to my planetary alignments.

A certified Astrologer and Manifesting coach living in London for the past 10+ years, Dalila has been on a journey to cultivate a holistic way for mental healing and positive living through The Manifesting App. Describing manifestation as “a platform that combines the principles of positive psychology and astrology to elevate your vibration and help you manifest your desired life”, she believes that desired results can be best achieved through daily quotes, affirmations, and journaling.

Though I won’t bore you with the ins and outs of my own personal chart reading, goal setting, and manifestation guidance, I will share some key learnings that might just make you want to look a little deeper into your own astrological placements, and the way they inform the person you are and the way you behave.

When you’re born, you’re at the closest proximity to your Sun sign, and as you grow older, you become closer to your Rising sign. Since I’ve got four other places in Scorpio, Dalila tells me that my chart has something of a yin and yang quality to it, and advised me to spend more time with both Scorpios and Aquarians, in order to lean into these aspects of my personality.

She also introduced me to the concept of a Chiron that exists within our natal charts. Known as a ‘wounded healer’, the placement of your Chiron points to a hidden trauma suffered at some point in this life — or a previous one — that requires attention and healing, emphasising the strength of vulnerability.

Looking towards the year ahead and the pull of the planets and lunar alignments, Dalila pointed to areas of my life that may require special attention. From the importance of independent decision-making (yes, I repeat, I am a Libra) to allowing myself to be led by intuition, set boundaries, and utilise the energy of the universe in my day-to-day life, I left our Zoom meeting feeling well and truly seen.

I am all too aware of the sceptical few who will read this and roll their eyes, deny the impact of astrology in our everyday lives, and guffaw at the fact that I felt genuinely energised after one session. But if you happen to be so inclined, I would recommend a natal chart reading with Dalila, if for nothing else than the relief and joy of feeling thoroughly understood, for your good and your bad.

Emotions were high over the course of our session, and speaking to Dalila was like speaking to your most non-judgemental friend. We related to each other, and all around, I just got a lot out of the whole thing. Then again, I was incredibly open to allowing myself to be moved by the experience, which I think goes a long way in these scenarios.

When you’re engaging with these things, my best advice would be to leave all cynicism at the door. Before the urbanised world we live in sprang up, before the English language was invented, and before various religions took hold, stars and planets and lunar activity informed everything. Astrology is a welcome reminder to those nihilistic few that there’s something more at play outside of ourselves and this little planet we’re currently spinning on.

A one-hour, one-to-one session with Dalila Salgueiro of The Manifesting App costs £100 and takes place via Zoom. This is an updated version of an article originally published in January 2023.