Taylor Marie, M.S
Meet Black Moon Taylor
Author • Educator • Researcher • Astrologer • Tarot Reader
Taylor is the CEO and founder of her business, Black Moon Taylor. Her journey into entrepreneurship derived from her profound dissatisfaction with the traditional workplace. She learned that her unconventional approach to work and need for creative autonomy wasn't a flaw to be corrected, but a strength to be celebrated. By building Black Moon Taylor, piece by piece, Taylor now has the sanctuary she longed for her entire life that is defined by her personal autonomy. She spends every day working on it, leading her community in powerful unity, and is always of service to others.
Introduction
Welcome in! My name is Taylor Marie, also known as Black Moon Taylor, and I'm very happy you're here. This is my website where I self-publish my books, offer readings in a variety of ways, teach some classes, and host fun events like book clubs, seminars, and fundraisers. My favorite thing about owning my own business is that everything I do, I get to do it in a way that fully resonates with my core values. Integrity, authenticity, and liberation are the driving force of my business and I feel incredibly grateful to have a platform where I can give back to my community. I take much pride in being the leader of my own life. Through my work, I aim to inspire others with knowledge, insight, and storytelling.
About Me.
In 2020 I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Studio Art, and Art Therapy and in 2022 I earned my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. During my Master's program, I practiced as a therapist for a year and wrote my Master's thesis titled, The Enneagram: A Case Study Exploring the Efficacy of Enneagram-Informed Counseling. I have presented my research at numerous conferences, defended it for graduation, and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I have always been incredibly passionate about my studies and I've spent many years diving into my areas of interest, including Astrology and Tarot. A rough breakup inspired my solo cross-country move shortly after graduating and I completely started over. It took me some time to listen to the messages that Black Moon Taylor was my calling, but once I started following it, my business started unfolding. I went from thinking that counseling was my only option to still being able to help others through Astrology and Tarot readings, becoming a published author with more books on the way, leading a strong community, sharing my knowledge, and contributing acts of kindness to the world with fundraisers hosted by my business. The catalysts to my significant milestones along the way were abrupt and abrasive, like the breakup I mentioned earlier. Fighting for my liberation and freedom is what got me to this point and I would do it all again if it meant I get to have Black Moon Taylor.
Education & Professional Experience
2020-2022
Master's of Science
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
I provided person-centered mental health counseling to a diverse client base, both in-person and virtually. I engaged in crisis management, collaborated with healthcare professionals and law enforcement, and conducted assessments. My role involved treatment planning, referrals, and regular contact with high-risk clients. I participated in ongoing training, maintained detailed and HIPAA-compliant records, and facilitated various counseling sessions. My work focused on empowering clients, advocating for those facing injustice, and supporting their autonomy in the healing process.
2022
Presenter
EHHS Student Research Conference
At the conference, I presented my Master's thesis research to students, faculty, and the community. I explored interdisciplinary connections among Education, Health, and Human Services, and engaged in discussions about current literature, research findings, and their implications. My presentation highlighted the significance of this research area within the field of human services and emphasized potential directions for future inquiry.
2022
Master's Thesis
The Enneagram: A Case Study Exploring the Efficacy of Enneagram-Informed Counseling
My thesis explored the use of the Enneagram in clinical counseling, addressing a research gap regarding its application and effectiveness. Through a case study involving six Enneagram-informed counseling sessions, I identified various methods and benefits of integrating the Enneagram into therapy. The study revealed key themes such as the client's experience, the therapeutic relationship, deeper exploration, relating to others, and the interplay between counseling skills and Enneagram knowledge. The findings offer valuable insights for practitioners and researchers on how to effectively incorporate the Enneagram into clinical practice.
The Origin of My Inspiration
Ever since elementary school my teachers praised my writing. They would always say to my parents, "her writing is incredible but her spelling is atrocious", which is still probably true to this day. When they ask you what you want to be when you grow up, the first answer I ever gave as a child was "writer". I loved writing poetry and short stories. Looking back, this is probably what contributed to me being the "weird" kid in school, but I always felt my emotions so profoundly and so deeply, and that would show in my work. I would go out of my way to facilitate certain emotions so I could get in touch with them and write very emotional pieces. I remember when family members would pass away I would intentionally allow myself to feel the grief of their loss and write poetry about them, my love for them, their character, and about death altogether. It's not often that you fall back into the first thing you say you want to be when you're a child, but life is full of uncertainty and unpredictability.
In graduate school I decided to meditate every morning and every night for 2 months straight out of pure boredom for the mundane and I wanted to see what would happen. I created a "meditation space" that I would go to when I would visit the spirit realm and it all started with my inner child work. First, it was just my child self and I in a garden surrounded by roses. Then there was a pond, then we found an ocean, then we established familiar land within a forest, and eventually I created what I consider to be The Black Moon Kingdom today. All of this is to say I have been creating a "fantasy" world in my mind for years and years and that world began to reflect real-life experiences I was having in the physical realm.
The way I have lived most of my adult life is attributing real-life experiences to my fantasy world. When there is peace and harmony in my life, I envision peace within the Kingdom walls. When I am at odds with someone, I envision a battle or even a war depending on the severity. I attribute real-life people, places, and things to very specific elements in my fantasy world such as artifacts, weapons, fantasy creatures, etc. It's like a mirror reflection. This is the origin of my inspiration: the fact that my every day life plays out vividly in the fantasy world I now write books about. My work and my books are deeply inspired by existential philosophy, fantasy, the concept of morals and values and how we act and make decisions within those, psychology, mysticism, and education. This is why I feel there is a lot to be learned through storytelling. It's an obsession I am quite okay with.
Starting at a Young Age
Astrology and Tarot both made their way into my life when I was a child. I had to have been around 10 years old when I picked up a newspaper and found the "horoscope" section. From this, I discovered that I was an Aries and resonated deeply with the description of the horoscope. I thought it was so profound and found this measure of personality fascinating. I remember reading through all the other horoscopes and developed respect for the ancient knowledge. That same night, I gathered a bunch of paper and drawing utensils and drew my first zodiacal wheel. I committed the zodiac symbols to memory by training my hand to draw them repeatedly. To this day, I can't answer the question as to why I would do such a thing, but it was a calling that I followed. I have studied Astrology ever since then. It has been 16+ years of being interested in Astrology now. It wasn't until college and graduate school where I picked it up more seriously, but since I was writing my Master's thesis in graduate school while working as a therapist full time, my desired deep-dive into Astrology had to wait. Ever since I graduated in 2022, I have been obsessively studying Astrology and practicing as a professional astrologer, infusing all of my knowledge and skills from my education and connection with Astrology.
Tarot and I have a similar story. I wrote about this in my book, The Story of Tarot: Not Your Average Guidebook, but it was around the same time (10 years old or so) I was on vacation with my grandparents. My grandmother told me she used to be a famous professional Tarot reader, where people from far and wide would travel to get readings from her. My 10-year-old brain was fascinated by this story and the concept of Tarot, so I had her take me to a tourist shop to buy my first Tarot deck. They unfortunately did not have Tarot decks, but they had regular playing cards, so the beginning of my Tarot journey started with me reading playing cards. It wasn't until graduate school where I felt this calling come from deep within to dive back into Tarot. I bought my first real Tarot deck and have been obsessively studying Tarot since 2020. Now, I have a published book on Tarot with more books on the way.
What is Black Moon Taylor?
Black Moon Taylor
Black Moon Taylor represents the fusion between my professional essence and personal identity. As a business, it is dedicated to being of service to others, providing knowledgable and insightful readings and resources, and publishing books that tell stories that provoke thought and inspiration. As my alter-ego, Black Moon Taylor was inspired by having Black Moon Lilith conjunct my Ascendant and the strong Lilith "themes" that have played out my entire life. Black Moon Taylor is the modern day Lilith. Our community is known as The Black Moon Kingdom, and this space serves as a sanctuary for a strong and unified community within the kingdom walls.
My Mission
The Purpose of Black Moon Taylor
My mission with Black Moon Taylor is to "become so absolutely free that my very existence is an act of rebellion" -Albert Camus. To find meaning in a universe that provides no meaning is the true mark of freedom, and my mission is to run my business the way I run my life: liberated and free. In doing so, I seek to inspire and empower others to do the same. My mission is to have my work be a catalyst for change in others' lives, no matter how similar or different our lives may be. I want others to find their passion and drive for living, because to be truly free and have meaning in life, you must "live to the point of tears" -Albert Camus. My mission is to empower individuals through the art of Astrology, Tarot, storytelling, and community. Through immersive experiences, critical insights, and a commitment to fostering a unified and supportive community, I promise to always try my very best, everyday, with integrity and authenticity being my driving force.
My Vision
Black Moon Taylor's Legacy
My vision for Black Moon Taylor is ongoing growth and evolution. I don't believe there is ever a point where you "finish" learning or growing. I hope to make such an impact on individuals and the world that their lives are changed for the better; that these improvements are passed down through generations to promote universal healing and empowerment overtime. I envision my work having such a strong influence that individuals come forward to create their own legacies; where individuals liberate and free themselves. It is my vision that Black Moon Taylor becomes an essence that people tap into for strength and that Black Moon Taylor becomes a symbol of unity, personal autonomy, personal power, and self-love. Black Moon Taylor is and will continue to be a space where the "weird ones" can go. Actually, where the "weird ones" are encouraged to go. I know my work will outlive me, and my vision for Black Moon Taylor is that everything that comes from Black Moon Taylor will live on to tell these stories of how I broke free from confinement, freeing other trapped souls even long after I am gone. This is what gives me meaning and purpose.
Fun Facts & Hidden Talents
My life as a full time artist
Before I was Black Moon Taylor, I was Taylor Marie Artist!
In 2020 I graduated with my Bachelor's in Studio Art with a concentration in oil painting. In the summer of 2020, I was working a seasonal summertime job to pay my rent while I waited to start graduate school once the summer ended. There was some downtime at the job I had, so I brought my sketchbook with me every day to draw. My manager at this job was also an artist and he saw my work and invited me to sell my art at the local farmer's market with him. I will forever be grateful for this person who is still a dear friend of mine to this day. He got my foot in the door for selling my artwork professionally. Fast forward to the last month of summer: the company that hired me for my summer job called and told me that they actually didn't need me anymore for the last month of work and terminated my seasonal job early. The problem was, I had a month of rent to pay at the end of the month with no job with zero notice. Instead of going into freak-out mode, I locked myself in my apartment for a week to go on an "art bender" (that I actually documented and turned into a video) and painted 24/7. That same week at the farmer's market, I sold every single painting. The consumers at the farmer's market requested more, so I painted more. I ended up selling out every week. That being said, I made my rent that month solely from my artwork.
From 2020-2022 I did a few commissions while in graduate school, but it wasn't until after I graduated that I dove back into art as a full time gig. From 2022-2023 I branded myself as Taylor Marie Artist and worked at a local Paint Bar as an art assistant. At the Paint Bar, I taught paint-and-sip classes, served food and drinks to painters (yes, I cooked the food too!), assisted my art director when he was teaching classes, had a wall where I hung and sold my artwork, and helped maintain the overall operations of the Paint Bar. All while doing this, I was independently taking commissions as Taylor Marie Artist and was living a lifestyle fully immersed in being a professional, full time artist. I learned a lot about making prints, turning my work into tapestries, branding, building a website, and most importantly, not giving up in the face of uncertainty. In March of 2023, I broke off my engagement and moved across the country by myself to start over, which is where Black Moon Taylor began.
Here's some photos of the work I used to do! Check it out:
I used to preform Circus Arts!
In 2017 I joined a Flow Arts group in college. At the time, the current president of the group was graduating and there wasn't anyone willing to take their place. I stepped up and became the youngest president this club ever had. Originally, the group was all about hula-hooping, and not just your regular hooping. We specialized in hoop tricks, dance, fitness, and performances. I ran a hoop fitness class 2x a week, choreographed all our routines for performances on and off campus, held all our meetings, and taught new and existing members hoop tricks.
In my 2 years of presidency, I took it upon myself to travel to have other flow/circus arts experiences. I attended many festivals and events, met a ton of other flow artists from around the world, and immersed myself in different cultures. During my exploring, I was introduced to new forms of circus arts, such as silk fans, fire spinning, poi, juggling, and acro-yoga! I took everything I learned back with me to my flow arts group in college and introduced our group to many more outlets for flow arts, dance, and creative expression. We revolutionized our performances by adding more skills, talents, acts, and features.
After 2 years, I left my presidency to pursue a solo-performance journey. I pursued many opportunities to perform on and off campus, in our local community, and in other places and states as well. I performed all the talents listed above, including fire (fire is my favorite). To this day, I still love to partake in circus arts and interact with the flow arts community when I have the chance. Additionally, I was a sponsor for some flow arts clothing companies and collaborated with flow arts businesses. I ended up starting my own hoop business where I handcrafted hula-hoops and was able to chose my own sponsors. This was my very first business ever!
Here's some photos from my flow artist days! Check it out:
