Thank You and Farewell 2018

Just a quick end of the year post to say thank you and share a few ideas.

First and most importantly, thank you to everyone who supports me, starting with my wife Jennifer and my chosen family, as well as my students, mentees, nieces, and friends. Whether you are near or far, you are never far from my heart. I would not be who I am today without your steadfast support.

Also, a sincere thank you for my tarot and astrology clients. I'm humbled and honored that you trust me with your challenges and look forward to working with you in 2019.

Finally, thanks to everyone who reads these metaphysical meanderings and who tell me they enjoy reading it. To answer your question, yes, I hope to blog more in 2019.  Consistency in this realm has never really been my specialty, as Saturn will tell you, but I do want to get him off my ass at some point. 

I feel like I've learned a ton this year. The lessons haven't always been easy but in true Saturn style, I guess I needed to learn them.

There are a few changes I'm making for myself in the coming year. I won't share them here, but I'll put my power into making them come to fruition. Nothing can match Pluto power and I plan to bring him to bear in 2019 to evolve. 

I'm looking forward to more opportunities to read cards, do astrology charts, and teach and speak publicly. I also look forward to more private lessons with my students and mentees, with a few new ones to keep life interesting! 

For the first time in 2019, I'll be taking on someone who wants to learn public speaking. I'm really looking forward to that! It's a passion of mine. 

Many of us have had a hard time this past year. If you fall into this category, I hope your next year is better.

May you get what you wish for--security, prosperity, love, good health, or anything else you desire--and then some in 2019. I hope you will do your part to make your dreams come true as well. 

I'll see you in 2019, good people. 

Farewell to Donna van Toen

Donna van Toen (1949-2018)
Astrologer, teacher, mentor, and friend

Scorpio is a sign that understands and appreciates topics that others do not, especially those that people would consider "taboo". 

Take death, for example. We understand all too well that nothing is permanent, that everything changes, and that in many ways, everything is temporary. That includes our short human lives on this planet. 

If that sounds like a morbid way to go through life, well...it is what it is. It's how we're wired. 

For this reason, many Scorpio people do well in careers that deal with death, either as doctors, researchers, forensic pathologists, detectives, embalmers, psychiatrists, counselors, ministers, doulas, and funeral home directors. 

It's easier to help others through the grieving process than it is to go through it yourself. Even when death is "expected", it still hits hard. When you think you have it all under control, something comes up and pushes on that bruise, and you realize you're not done with grief.

Donna van Toen lost her battle with cancer less than a week ago. The world has lost a wonderful person, astrologer, teacher, friend, trivia and gemstone aficionado, conference organizer, and mentor.

Nearly five years ago, a mutual friend introduced us. She told me that Donna ran an astrology conference called State of the Art (SOTA) and that she was always looking for new talent. Donna gave me a chance to speak at "Open Forum", an unpaid time slot during the conference where we "tried out" for future opportunities at SOTA. I had never spoken at a conference before. Turns out my speaking time was on my birthday in 2014.

Donna found out it was my birthday and bought me a drink in the bar to celebrate after my talk. Then she turned to me and gave me a serious look. "Where's your sun?" she asked.

At the time, I was a newbie astrologer and didn't even KNOW where my sun was, so I grabbed for my phone, looked at my chart, and answered, "1 Scorpio 37."

A smile broke clean across her face. "We're going to be best buds!" she declared over the din, and we drank together, the first of several times we would in the future. At the time I wasn't sure exactly what she was talking about, but I took her word for it. [I found out later her Venus in Pisces has a connection to my Sun.]

Donna took a chance on me that day, and it paid off for us both. I presented on tarot every year after that and met a ton of amazing astrologers and friends at SOTA. It's a conference that I've always enjoyed and looked forward to.

She was always there for me when I had a question about a chart or something else astrological. She provided advice and counsel so often and I appreciated her candor. Donna was not one to sugarcoat anything, a quality that I sincerely appreciated. 

She recommended the Midwest School of Astrology for my studies, and I recently graduated from the school, studying with Donna during her weekend seminars in Cincinnati. I remember her asking me why I had driven all the way from Virginia to see her, because, "You already know everything I'm going to teach." I just gave her a puzzled look; there's always something new that you can learn from someone with her level of expertise and experience. 

More recently, I was thrilled when she agreed to take me on as a private student. Lessons with Donna were incredibly enlightening and in some ways very challenging. You had to leave your ego at the door. No one likes to be told they're wrong, but Donna was more concerned that I learn the right way and she corrected me at every opportunity. I remember wondering after one or two of those lessons if I'd figure "this astrology shit" out. I never blamed Donna for my own ignorance, but I will say at least she was nice about it, wielding her many years of experience firmly, but gently, as I grew into the astrologer I have become.

Those sessions with her profoundly influenced my astrology practice and still do to this day. I miss my sessions with her, and I hope that SOTA will continue next year. Even if SOTA goes on, it won't be the same without her. And I have been thrilled to see so many others honoring her on social media; even though she would probably bristle at the accolades, she deserves them nonetheless. 

Goodbye, dear mentor. Know that you had a profound positive effect on me that will benefit my clients for many years to come. I promise to help others selflessly as you helped me to repay your incredible generosity and kindness.

Tara's Sagittarius New Moon Forecast!

New Moon 

December 7, 2018

This year’s new Sagittarius Moon will take place the morning of Friday December 7th, at approximately 0220 hours. New Moons represent new beginnings, renewal, youth-like energy, and hope. 

New moons occur when the Moon meets the sun in a zodiac once per lunar cycle. The relationship between the luminaries is called a conjunction, which is the most powerful of all planetary aspects. With both of our light bearers in the mutable fire sign Sagittarius, it will express its energy through thought-provoking, adventurous, humorous, and truth-seeking activities.

At the time of the new Moon, the planets are all contained within 180 degrees of each other. This is called a bowl pattern. Bowl patterns contain the expression of energy between 6 to 7 signs; which leaves 180 degrees of the chart untenanted by any planets. Bowl patterns can make people look for balance, look for what they feel they are missing, and be stubborn. With this new Moon chart, most of the planets are below the horizon, which suggests the internalization of self-expression or self-containment.

The lead planet or cutting planet of the bowl is Venus. Venus will have extra work by leading the planets through their transits in the zodiac. The ascendant of the New Moon chart is Libra, which gives Venus rulership over the lunation chart. Being both the cutting planet and the chart ruler places heavy importance on how Venus functions and exchanges energy with the other planets.

Although out of retrograde, Venus is slow moving once again into Scorpio. Venus in Scorpio is in detriment. Venus in Scorpio will bring intensity and the need for loyalty in relationships. The last few months of Venus in retrograde had the majority of us either purposefully or inadvertently dealing with finding out about loyalty, betrayal, trust and the purpose of many questionable bonding relationships in our lives. We took an accounting of what we want, need, and aspire to have. Venus back in Scorpio is when we will apply the results of our internal processing and our personal needs.

Venus also finds herself in a wide opposition to Uranus, by degree not sign. Venus and Uranus act as “rims” to the proverbial planetary bowl across the axis of the 1st and 7th houses. Each of them is responsible for containing the planetary energy within the bowl. With Uranus in fiery Aries in the 7th house opposed to Venus in Scorpio in the 1st, we can expect some intense and exciting situations to occur involving our relationships with friends and lovers. Further proof of these sudden events being of great importance and karmic in nature would be that both Venus and Uranus are at the bendings of the Moon’s nodes, with Venus associated with the north node and Uranus associated with the south. We must pay attention to the lessons that Venus in retrograde taught us in order to move forward for our own karmic best interest.



The actual lunation itself will occur in the 3rd house which will shed light on: our communication, our siblings, our cousins, our coworkers, our social environment, short trips, our desires, our education, the changes we make for ourselves, and our mental acuity. The 3rd house is also the heaviest house in the chart. Gemini / Mercury are natural rulers of the 3rd house. Gemini is a mutable air sign that likes to communicate its information outward. Mercury ruled signs are very precise in the manner they give and receive information. In this new Moon chart Sagittarius is on the cusp if the 3rd house. Sagittarius also likes sharing information; however it does so in a much more blunt and humorous way which is not always well received. With this being said we would be wise to filter what comes out of our mouths before we speak our mind this holiday season; especially with our: coworkers, siblings, cousins and anyone we share our immediate environment with.

With the lunation in Sagittarius Jupiter will also play an important part in the chart. With Jupiter in Sagittarius, Jupiter is in dignity. This means that Jupiter will be firing on all cylinders. With Jupiter in the 2nd house he may bring an opportunity for financial gains and some good luck. Also occupying the 2nd house is Mercury. Having Mercury in the 2nd house usually lends itself to a strong head for finances. However with Mercury just out of retrograde on December 6th, it’s still considered to be in its retrograde storm, we may want to think twice about something before committing our money to it.

Another important aspect to this chart is the angles of the natural cardinal houses all have cardinal signs occupying them. This will add natural power to the cardinal houses which deal with: self, home, relationships and career. We may find that we are expressing the energy differently due to the changes in sign but there will be strength there to get our feelings and ideas moving.

Lastly, there will be a Mars / Neptune conjunction in Pisces in the 5th house square the new Moon. Having Mars conjunct Neptune can add passion to our personal dreams; unfortunately, it can also drive people to sudden extremes with a negative impact. With the conjunction occurring in the 5th house desires will probably focus on: childlike activities, the things you do for fun, children, creativity, love, performance art, and celebrations or activities with small groups of people. The square with the lunation can mean that your desires may not be easily accomplished and will take some adjusting.

Mars in the 5th house he may unintentionally spoil the party by taking things too far. Be very careful that in your effort to celebrate the holidays with cheer, you don’t take things too far doing something you can never take back emotionally, verbally, physically, and financially. Choose wisely!

Until the full Moon in 2 weeks,

Brightest Blessings,

Tara