22 - Good Astrology Happens: From Lost to Local Gym Owner with Tay Nicholas

Time for another Venus retrograde experiment! I’m so excited to welcome our first guest to the podcast. I believe we learn real astrology by listening to real people’s stories, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. In this episode, we dissect the astrology surrounding Tay’s experience of going from lost to local gym owner in a matter of weeks. We get really nerdy and talk about everything from progressions to zodiacal releasing. If this episode flies over your head a bit, don’t forget about my Astrology Starter Kit—it’ll get you up to speed. And if you’d like to share your astrology story on the podcast, get in touch! 

• 00:00 Claire’s intro
• 04:00 Tay’s backstory
• 07:47 Progressed Venus
• 11:34 Zodiacal releasing and loosing of the bond
• 23:34 Saturn return
• 33:29 Mercury year
• 46:52 Claire’s outro

Follow Tay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taybootay

Purchase Tay’s 2025 astrology calendar: taynicholas.com

Visit Tay at Rose City Rec Room: https://www.rcrecroom.com/

Calculate your zodiacal releasing periods at: zodiacalreleasing.net

Enroll in the Astrology Starter Kit: https://www.astrologywithclaire.com/the-astrology-starter-kit

Book an appointment with me: https://astrologywithclaire.com/appointments

Have a burning astro question or a story to share? Contribute to the podcast at https://www.astrologywithclaire.com/gossip

Join my email list: https://www.astrologywithclaire.com/email

Transcript

Hi, I'm Claire Gallagher, and this is Third House Gossip, where we spill the astrological tea. So pour something delicious and let's chat. This podcast is sponsored by me. So to support the show and support yourself, come see me for an astrology reading. Just head to astrologywithclaire. com. That's astrology with C L A I R E dot com. 

Hey, Astro Lover. Welcome back to Third House Gossip. I'm so glad that you're here. I've got a special bonus episode for you today. This is another part of our Venus Retrograde experiment here on the pod. As you know, I'm already experimenting with weekly shows. To see if we like that. But I also love hearing from you.

I love hearing your stories and I love relating those stories to astrology. So we're gonna do something completely different today. I have our first guest on Third House gossip. My beloved friend Tay Nicholas, and Tay is gonna walk us through a story of [00:01:00] going from a really lost place to basically living their dream, 

a lot of you might know Tay from their role a few years ago of being my virtual assistant. So Tay really helped me out when I was in a tough spot. I was dealing with a lot of mental health issues during the time that body astrology was being released out into the world. So that was really hard and I needed someone to help.

Buffer me as there was more publicity and more eyeballs on me. And simultaneously I was also really struggling and you might not know that. And we kind of talk a little bit about that in the podcast, um, when we reference peak periods and how they can be both very difficult and very good all at the same time.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. What I hope that this Spurs is an interest from more of you listeners who wanna come on the podcast and share their astrology stories. You can [00:02:00] be anonymous. You can just share your first name if you want, and you don't have to know a bunch about astrology. There's just a willingness to share and a desire to see patterns in your life.

So if you are interested in doing something similar, get in touch with me. You can email me at hi@astrologywithclaire.com, or you could do the contact form on my website. But this is something I'm really passionate about, especially sharing. Good stories about astrology. I'm here for all of it, you know, I'm here for the difficulties and the challenges, but there's such an astro negativity bias, and I'm very passionate about correcting that for myself and also helping my clients sort of rectify that and bring that.

Back into balance. So if you have something bright and shiny that you wanna share and you wanna unpack the astrology around it, get in touch with me and let's have a chat on the podcast.

In this episode, we kind of talk shop. You know, Tay is a [00:03:00] fellow astrologer and we go deep really quickly and we talk about a lot of advanced timing techniques like progressions, profections, zodiacal releasing, and then just general transits. So if some of this goes over your head, don't worry about it. You know, the truth is, when I was first learning astrology, I didn't know what I was listening to. Most of the time it didn't make any sense to me, and I just let it wash over me. And I knew that eventually I would get it.

I would study, I would read, I would listen, and I, I knew that it would eventually fall into place and it certainly did. And so if there's a few things in this. Podcast episode that don't make sense to you. Don't feel silly, don't feel weird, and don't forget that I have the Astrology Starter kit, and that'll get you a really good foundation in traditional astrology, especially.

All right. I hope you enjoy our organic and natural conversation and I will talk to you at the [00:04:00] end.  

Hi, Tay. Welcome to Third House Gossip. Hi. Thanks for having me. I'm so excited. I'm thrilled to talk to you. I have been just itching to do this since we first texted about it. And I can't wait to share your story with the community.

I think this is going to be really healing because a lot of times we give a lot of airtime to the hard things in Astro and we don't really spend a ton of time on the goodies. And today we get to focus on the goodies. Yeah, it's it's really good. Yeah, really, really good. So Tay, I have so many questions, but why don't you tell our friends in the astro world who you are, what you're doing, what's been happening?

Okay, hard to know where to start, but um, I am As you know, a personal trainer and a fitness [00:05:00] instructor. And I have been, um, since I was in college in 2013 is when I first got started. So I've been doing it for a while and it's been a big journey. There were definitely some times that I wasn't sure I was going to keep doing it.

And, uh, yeah, no, you know, you and I relate on that a lot. And in the past year, um, I started coaching again. In a group coaching capacity at this small gym that, um, a friend of mine owned, and I knew him from a previous gym that we worked at together. And so I started working there in May. I was covering some classes for him because he was going through some, his own personal stuff and surgery and stuff like that.

And, uh, by towards the end of summer, he was saying that he wasn't sure if the gym was going to stay open and, you know, it was a, it's a small group fitness gym, like not a huge membership or anything like that, but, um, a really, really great space [00:06:00] and really Awesome group of people and it was really sad to hear that it, you know, he wasn't really planning to stay open unless something big happened that could change that trajectory for him.

And so in October he announced that it was going to close and by the end of October, instead of the gym closing, I took over ownership. I can't. Yeah. It, uh, it's really crazy. It happened really fast, but I am now a gym owner. Oh my gosh. This is, I, I can't, I wish everyone could feel how happy this makes me.

Um, I know I'll be doing an intro about who Tay is to me at a later time, but Tay, why don't you tell everyone a little bit about where you were before this great thing? I was, I was going through a tough like transitional time for sure and, uh, was, well, you know, I was doing VA work for a while and, um, [00:07:00] some astro stuff, but life wise stuff had been stressful for a few years.

Like I said, I did not know if I was going to keep training at all. I had like one or two personal training clients that I was still working with and, uh, just. I was at home. I was not like, like working from home. I wasn't really going anywhere doing anything. It was a big transition to start coaching at a like in person group classes again.

Um, and I was really nervous to do it and I didn't know if it was going to work out. Um, so yeah, it was, it was a really, really interesting, like Build up from when I started there last spring to when I took over ownership And it was like it's crazy to me to think that it was like only six months. Yeah, that's super fast Yeah, yeah things can change really quickly So I'm curious.

I want to dive into the nerdy parts There's so many pieces of astrology that we want to talk about today, but I want to let you lead. And is there a place [00:08:00] that when you think about this huge transition, is there one part of the astrology, whether it's transits or progressions or a time Lord system that really sticks out to you as being the thing that correlated with such a big change?

Yes, I think that, uh, for secondary progressions, um, I had my progressed Venus moved from Virgo into Libra and that my midheaven is in Libra. Early Libra, so like very very early Libra, and so that's the ruler of my midheaven in progressed form coming home to Venus and pretty much moving into conjoined my midheaven in Libra, so very big like career.

Um, you know, I, I was, I, I was kind of like, I was like, Oh, what's going to come with that? You know, it's like, I wonder what that next chapter is going to be. Yeah. So just for everyone listening, [00:09:00] if we think about Venus in terms of being strong or being You Less than optimal venus in Virgo, whether you're looking at a natal chart or a progress charter, a transit is in a weaker position.

It's in a position where, you know, things don't come to it quite as easily. And my progress Venus is in in Virgo actually right now. And it's Interesting. Um, the kind of struggles and difficulties that you come up against, however, you learn to work with them. But if you have such a big sign change, you know, from a place where Venus is in fall to a place where it's home and in rulership and has everything it needs at its fingertips, it really correlated with a major shift in management.

Gosh, everything from top to bottom, like your well being, your money, your living situation, your partnership, everything transformed. Yeah, it really did. Um, and I'm sure it [00:10:00] will continue to, you know, it's like we're still just like right at the beginning of that. And I think that that's what's really important to realize and remember about.

Secondary progressions and some of these like bigger timing techniques we use is that they take a long time and it doesn't necessarily like immediately happen, you know, like my, um, so Venus that progressed Venus moved into Libra in like the fall of 2023 and then I started this at this gym in spring 2024 and like about a year after that first ingress is when I took over ownership of This gym.

So it was like, you know, a longer process. It wasn't just immediately I knew that that's what was going to happen, you know? Yeah. That's really a good reminder, especially when we're working with progressions, that they're not like transits or things that happen really quickly or even in a specific moment.

They really kind of unfold gradually [00:11:00] and, uh, we have to leave room and space for that. So I'm curious. So that feels like number one to you. Yeah. Yeah. Mhm. Okay. I think so. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and for everyone listening, just, just to catch you up, the reason this is important is because Tay's midheaven, which represents career, is placed in the sign of Libra.

And so that makes Venus Tay's career ruling planet, which is why this was such a big career shift for Tay. Um, okay. So is there a number two? What else is on your astro nerd list? So I think the second thing again, like I, you know, if we're looking at like the bigger time frames and like the bigger timing techniques, it would be the zodiacal release.

Um, and, you know, for me, it's, I don't know. Um, I, I didn't like take a course in this or anything, but I kind of like, I've, I'm able to follow my own Uh, changes in [00:12:00] ZR pretty easily, you know, and it's like I have, I feel like I have enough of an understanding to know when I saw what was coming up that I was like, Oh, that's, that's interesting.

I wonder what that's going to be. And I was wrong on my dates before with the progressions because Venus actually moved into Libra, um, in January 2024. So in, it was in fall of 2023 that this zodiacal releasing, um, new L2 period happened, um, and it is from Fortune, uh, for me. I do think that releasing from Fortune, that has lined up with my career changes in life more than Spirit.

For one, they're both in the same house. They're both in my first house, um, in my chart. And, um, I just, my, we've talked about this before, but my job is very, like, body focused. And it's very wrapped up in my health and my own, like, physical well being and my ability to just, or just me doing it is, like, me and my [00:13:00] body doing health.

And the, the, the You know, subject matter is bodies and health. So, um, but releasing from fortune, I entered a loosing of the bond L2 period. And, um, that basically is like. When you know there's going to be kind of like, often some sort of like shift or change or like, um, interesting moment happening, and maybe you can speak to the meaning of that a little bit better than I can, um, but they also flash back to a previous moment in time, like a previous period.

And so you can kind of look back to that preview period and get an idea of what that loosing of the bond Period is going to be like. And so I've seen this coming up, you know, before it happened for a few years, just in learning about ZR and all of that. And, um, looking back at that preview period was about 2015 to 2017, um, in that year range, because [00:14:00] these we're talking about periods of time that are like years and years long.

And, uh, so 2015 to 2017 is when I graduated from college and was, um, and it's not a peak period for me or anything, but it turns out it's still pretty relevant. Yeah, definitely. Um, so that's when I graduated from college with my degree in this field. Um, and it's when I started working as a personal trainer, like outside of the college space that I was.

That I became certified in and was learning it and all that. So I was like out in the world, pursuing it as a career, um, in some capacity, I wasn't sure yet at that time in my life, if it was going to be my career or not, but it was when I was starting to experience, you know, working as a trainer out in the world, being a fitness instructor, all of that stuff.

So that was a kind of a real transitional time in my life, right. Going from being like a college student to living in the world. And so this. [00:15:00] This loosing of the bond period is a flashback to that. So I knew it was probably going to be another. Interesting transitional period, and probably a callback to a lot of the main things I was focusing on then.

So, and it certainly has been. That's really fascinating, and let's see if we can, uh, let me see if I can explain zodiacal releasing in 30 seconds. I'm not sure if I can. Toughie. This is a tough one. So zodiacal releasing is an ancient timing technique, and it's one of several time Lord systems. Each sign is correlated with a certain span of time, and these spans of time are significant. They're like 25 years, 27 years, 15 years, 8 years, etc. 

It breaks life down into chapters of really long lengths. And if a chapter is super long, there's this thing that can happen where there's a break in the sequence.

[00:16:00] And this is called a loosing of the bond. And when there's a break in the sequence, a couple things can happen. And one of the things that tends to happen is someone either completely switches their trajectory, and it feels kind of out of nowhere, and or they go to the highest level of a particular path.

And it sounds like for Tay, It was that upgrade and that up leveling of a particular path, would you say? Yeah, definitely. And I actually didn't know that part. That's, uh, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, that's really cool. Yeah, I'm having, I have one coming up in 2027 and I'm so curious about what that's going to mean for me.

But let's just talk about yours right now. That is magnificent. And what I love about it, and another thing about Zodiacal Releasing is it kind of breaks the chapters down into Periods of life that will be, excuse me, more active and maybe [00:17:00] more important. And these are called peak periods. And what I love about this story is that Tay wasn't even even in a peak period, but because the loosing of the bond was so powerful, it manifested in a really significant way anyhow.

Yeah, it really did. And, uh, I think that what's interesting about peak periods and, and, um, and non peak periods and all of that is that you also use the, um, the most malefic planet in your chart to see where, um, some of your harder periods will be, um, versus maybe easier periods. And you can also use, um, the benefic of your chart to see those periods, but the, my peak periods line up with my challenging periods with my Mars periods, right?

So I've found that my big periods tend to be pretty challenging. Yeah. Um, and so this period that I'm in is it's [00:18:00] a cancer period and it's not either. It's not considered like a really good or a really bad period in my chart. It's just kind of. Yeah, you know, I was looking at your peak periods earlier this morning and you receive aspects from both malefics when you're in your peak period.

And so that, that's important for people to understand that just because something is active and busy doesn't mean you will receive it as feeling good or feeling pleasant. And that sometimes there are other chapters of life that may not be quote peak, but they feel a lot better. Yeah. Definitely.

Definitely. And that change can happen in any, you know, that like, big life changes and stuff can happen in any of these periods. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. And for me, like, my peak periods have aspects from my benefic of sect and my malefic out of sect. So they're the highest highs and the lowest lows.

So it's really a mixed bag. [00:19:00] It really depends on the intricacies of your chart, and there's no wrong way to have a peak period, I guess I can say. Anything's possible. Yeah. Definitely that. Is there anything else we're missing about Zodiacal Releasing other than everything? Yes. Um, I guess the other piece is that you, it breaks down like from really big chapters to smaller and smaller chapters, so you can get like a, even a day to day look if you really wanted to.

Um, and. So in some of the smaller, like where we've been talking about the level two, um, if you go down one more to level three, I do have some of like level three is more like, like a year's worth of time, basically, um, broken down between the different signs and whatnot. Um, and I do have some peak periods in the level three that line up with some of the peak points in this story as well, like in just in the last year.

So it is, you know, it's like the, you do still kind of see these like patterns and you [00:20:00] can. Go down the spiral as far as you want, you know, um, which can get really nitty gritty it can it can. Um, I also want to, uh, pop back to the foreshadowing period, or at least I think that's what you're referring to. Um, so.

When there is a loosing of the bond, um, there is a time period, it could be many years or whatever, previous, where the same sign is activated and so you can kind of get, if you have a loosing of the bond coming up in the future, you can kind of get a taste for what it's going to be like. By observing or studying the past and what was happening during that time period.

So that is when you graduated college with your degree, correct? And became a trainer. Yeah, that's fascinating. So if anyone is, you know, playing with their zodiacal releasing and you're like, Oh my gosh, I've got a loosing of the bond. You can go back in time, look in your journals, look in your old emails, look in your camera roll, see what was happening during that time.

And that'll give you some clues. [00:21:00] Yeah, yeah. I was like, am I going to go back to school? Like, what's, you know, I, I was really curious what, how that was going to tie it back in because I felt so far away from that part of my life for so long, you know, before this past year. I felt so distant from the training and from, I was still doing it a little bit, but I just really didn't know if I was going to keep doing it.

Yeah. And so. Yeah, it just to me looking back at that and seeing that this, this loosing of the bond period was coming up being like, what is that gonna be about? Like, how is it from that, that period of my life, you know? Um, and I honestly, it's like, you can try all you'll want to get an idea of, of what's going to happen, but I never would have predicted that.

This is what was going to happen, you know. Yeah. Probably not in a million years. Yeah. And that, that's good. I mean, I think it's good that we put prediction kind of in its place and we treat it with care and we [00:22:00] understand that we don't really know. We can, we can create shadows and shapes and we can imagine, but we really don't know what's going to unfold.

And it's Lovely that you kept your options open because this one wasn't even in your wheelhouse of imagination. Yeah. No, it really wasn't. But I do feel like it helped me, like, knowing that some of these big transitions were coming up astrologically kept me open. And it kept me, like, knowing that the time that I was in, especially when I was going through hard stuff, like, was also wasn't forever.

You know, that's what I think is so cool about astrology is even if we can't actually, you know, precisely predict the stuff that's going to happen. Some people can. Um, but I was, I was open to the change. I was open to like, okay, like I know that things are shifting. I could feel it coming. You know, I could just feel energetically that I just like, wasn't quite there yet.

And I was dying to just like break through whatever [00:23:00] that thing was that was, that I was waiting for. And once it happened, I was like, Oh my God, are you serious? This is awesome. But like, did not see that coming until it was right in front of my face. And then it all made sense. And I was like, oh, of course.

Yeah. Of course this is happening now. You know? Yeah. So if I'm hearing you correctly, in that way, looking towards the future, in a way, at the future astrology really filled you with some hope. It did. Yeah. And you know, I think it's easy to, to, yeah, to, to doom forecast and just be afraid of Everything, you know, it's like my Saturn return has been happening as well.

And I think that that was a big piece of last year too. A lot of people are afraid of their Saturn returns, you know, it can be challenging. And you know, my, my, I was optimized for a little bit, uh, less of a challenging Saturn return than some, I have a day chart. My Saturn is, you know, in fine condition.

It's like, it's in my fourth house. Um, and. In [00:24:00] Pisces, so nothing like, not in detriment, not, you know, anything like that. Um, and actually, on the, like, the day, the week of my exact pass, Venus was right there with Saturn, too. So I had Venus, like, passing over my Saturn at the same time that Saturn was making the exact conjunction.

It was very sweet. It was like, she was like, holding me. That's a nice buffer. Yeah, it was. Nice buffer. Yeah. Um. So yeah, you know, I, I felt like I was looking forward to my Saturn return. I was like, I'm ready plant my roots, whatever that's going to be, you know, it's like, I feel like I've been floating. I've kind of been floundering.

I've been like, I feel like I have so much to offer and I don't know where to put it, you know, and like how to make it work for me in a long term way. It's like, I need that Saturn foundation and the longevity, you know. I just felt like I'd been building toward it and building toward it, but being like, when is it actually going to feel like I got somewhere, [00:25:00] you know?

And then again, it's just like, happened when it happened, like, you know, and it, it, I kind of had to just trust that I was That I was going somewhere, even though I didn't know exactly where that was. Yeah, that's beautiful. And sometimes it helps me, like, if I have a transit that's occurring and I can't really see the result or the outcome, like, I just trust and believe that that transit is working for me behind the scenes.

Like, there are people, stuff happening that I can't see, there's energy moving, you know. Whatever, if you believe in deities and beings, there are things working in your favor on your behalf. Um, even if you can't see it. And so, if you can't see the outcome of something astrological, there's still stuff moving behind the scenes.

But I really love your reframe of the Saturn return, and I think that's really important for people to hear if anyone listening is going through their first or second or [00:26:00] even their third Saturn return, that they can be very constructive times where they actually help you build something that lasts for a really long time, and it sounds that, like, that was your experience.

Yeah. Yeah. And I, uh, again, I, yeah, I wasn't sure what that was gonna be, but, um, you know, it's like financially for the last several years, um, Saturn rules, my second house of finances and resources and all these things. And so, you know, financially I've just been like, Ooh, could really use a, a level up in that department, you know?

Um, I, and I, I was like, I don't know where that's going to come from, but I, you know, I really I want to get to that kind of just next step in life, you know, and feel like an adult. Um, and I'm still getting there, just because I, you know, am a recent new business owner doesn't mean that it's all, uh, just there already.

Still, still building. But, All the tools are [00:27:00] there, you know, it's like all of the resources are there for me to do it. And that's just what's incredible to me. Um, is that I feel like the way Saturn, yeah, just the way that it all came together, the resource piece, like the way it all came together to make it possible for me to do this.

Um, one, it was Someone that I knew at a gym that I was working at with all of these people that I already knew also from that previous gym experience where I knew this coach. So some of these folks I've known for years already, these, these members at the gym, and by the time the news came out that the gym was closing, everyone was so sad and just so bummed out about it, and I was sad and bummed out about it and all this stuff, and um, So me, Being able, being like, Oh, actually, what if I did this is like the, the overwhelming support that I experienced when that decision was being made is what made it possible.

Like the fact that there was not even a whisper of doubt from like anyone in my life, [00:28:00] anyone who was in the situation that it was a bad idea or like that it was something that I couldn't pull off or that it was like, Oh, I don't know. Are you sure? It was like, everyone's like, Oh my God. Yes, you have to do this.

Like, You will absolutely crush it. It'll be great. You'll be fine. Like, they're just, my family, everyone was just, like, on board. And it was so cool. My spouse, and, uh, and that is really, that was a huge piece for me. So it's like, the way that all these resources and all of this, like, material support kind of, like, came together just, like, that.

Um, and, and, It just was the easiest thing ever to jump into somehow, you know, it's like, even though, yeah, it's Saturn, it is, we're building, it's a slow process, it's a long, it's a long haul, right, I'm signing a lease, I'm doing this for a while now, this is like the biggest, besides like getting married or something, you know, this is a real commitment, something that I'm like, I'm gonna do this for the next few years, I haven't looked this far ahead [00:29:00] in my life, In a long time, maybe ever where I'm like, okay, now I know what I'm doing for the next several years.

You know, like this is that next step that I've been wanting to come around, that I didn't know what it was going to be like, like, what is it? What's it gonna, you know, what is that level up? And then once it happened, it was like. Well, there it is. And now we're just doing that, you know, it's like the, it's still, it's still just like blows my mind because it hasn't been that long.

Um, I'm only like four and a half months into the ownership of it all. And, uh, I'm just like, wow. Yeah. Yeah, it really happened. We're really doing this. And we just like, it feels so good. And I walk in there and I'm just like, wow, this is, this is our space. This is my space. We get to just be here and do this, you know?

And it like, it, it has this amazing vibe to it. Like everybody that comes in there, it's like. Like, this is like a [00:30:00] really, this is really cool, you know, and, um, yeah, it's just like having the opportunity to build everything I've been kind of working on and, and in myself, like, there's so much of like my own personal, like, Growth and, and, uh, hard work that I had to do before I could do this part, you know.

Um, you and I have talked about these things a lot at length, exercised, all the stuff, right? Had to go through a real dark A lot of deprogramming. Yes, so much deprogramming. Um, and now I get to bring that into a space where other people are coming in who have not done any of that work, you know, so many people still have not even scratched the surface of deprogramming the fitness culture and the diet culture and all that stuff.

And now I get to be the person that helps them do [00:31:00] that, you know, in this space that is. safe and feels good and makes you want to come back and like you're capable and you know all these things with all like a bunch of other awesome people. Um. So it's so special. It's like, I can't even, yeah, I can't even wrap my head around it.

Yeah, that's fantastic. And, uh, just another like testament to Saturn acting in one's favor. It's like, you've been doing all this hard work behind the scenes and Saturn will come around and reward you at some point, you know, endurance is, and commitment is what Saturn loves to see. And eventually I like to believe that eventually it'll pay off.

Yeah. It really feels like that. And you know, it's, it's obviously always hard to not just be like, okay, when's the bad thing gonna happen? It's like, all these good things just happened and now I'm just like, bracing myself for it all to get taken away or something, but I don't think that that's [00:32:00] real. I think that I, I do get to just be like, no, this is, We, we did this, I built to this point, and it's not gonna be without its own challenges, and it might change down the line, but this is, like, I actually got to this point because I did do the work to get to this point, and it's not just gonna get ripped away from me because it was some, like, just lucky break or something, you know?

Mm hmm. Yeah. Absolutely. So, we've done a lot of astrology, but I'm curious if there's any lingering astro nerdy bits that we haven't covered. That you think help describe the story or correlated with the events Absolutely, there are and I think that that's what's fun about This whole thing and I really wanted to talk to an astrologer about it because nobody else in my life gets it but It is, when you have these periods in time where all [00:33:00] of these different timing techniques overlap, where you're like, I see a change in this one, and in this one, and in this one, and in this one, you're like, okay, what's it gonna be?

Like, there's obviously stuff happening, you know, this is a big point in my life. And, um, so we've, you know, we talked about the progressions, we talked about the zodiacal releasing, and then there's like You know, the more yearly stuff, or even, you know, transits, Saturn is, is more than a year. Um, but like, even from Perfection's, uh, point of view, I just, uh, this last July entered a Mercury year.

Uh, cause I turned 30, entered my 7th house year, and, uh, my 7th house is Gemini, so ruled by Mercury. And my Mercury in my natal chart is in Gemini. So a lot of focus on that house in my chart, but also my 10th house, Virgo, because that's also ruled by Mercury. This is a very 10th house [00:34:00] topic, what we are talking about right now.

Yeah, public reputation, what you do out in the world, your status, like you went from, I work at home, to I own something and so you have a piece of paper that tells you you own something you signed a lease These are very 10th house things and the reason we can be confident that This year would turn out the way it was, is because Tay's mercury is very strong.

Being in the sign placement that it is. And so that can help us kind of suss out what the quality of the year is going to be like. Have you noticed anything with mercury transits or transits to your natal mercury? Boy, have I. Um, yes. Yes, I have. And right now we, we talked about earlier that Neptune is directly squaring my mercury at the moment.

So there's definitely been a little bit of like, Where are my words? Um, but, you know, thoughts are a little soupy. [00:35:00] Um, but yeah, with the transit wise, I definitely, Mercury, Retrograde, and Sagittarius at the end of last year. Um, Was squaring Saturn and was in my first house and everything about the actual transfer process of ownership, like the backend stuff.

I was just hitting like every delay, like, you know, cause we have like, um, Like a program that we have our memberships in and like are at the classes and all these things. And so, and these are hosted by somebody else. So we have to like contact them and be like, Hey, we're changing ownership. We've got to get all my information on this, all these things, all of that just took a really, really long time.

And I think that, or just longer than it needed to, longer than it should have. And it was around on the holidays. So I know that was a big part of it too, but I did, I remember multiple times just being like, Oh my God, like this mercury retrograde square Saturn just has everything just like, [00:36:00] just feels like I'm running up against a brick wall.

And it's like, things are still happening. I'm still good. Like I'm still taking over ownership. Like it's still a positive experience. It's just the nitty gritty stuff was just like such a pain in the ass, you know? Yeah, absolutely. And again, that's like a great. Spin astrological story because the outcome was still the same, like you still own the gym, like it didn't fall apart.

It didn't disappear. And one of the very literal expressions of Mercury and Saturn interacting is signing a contract or putting something in writing. And so all of that was happening at that time. It just the timeline was a little sluggish. It was also like, I didn't get to pick the astrology for when this was happening.

The astrology picked me. Um, it was like, you are going to do this now or this opportunity is going to go away. You don't get to be like, Oh, I would love to do this in six months or blah, blah, blah. It's like, you get to like next week. Take this over [00:37:00] or you're not going to have the opportunity. And so it was like, yeah, I don't get to wait for the perfect moment to sign the contract or like the lease or whatever, you know, I'm at the whims of everybody else and we're just doing it when we're doing it.

And that's fine. You know, it, it worked out. Everything's good. Um, I honestly was trying not to pay attention to it too much at the time because I didn't want to stress about it. I love that. This is the chart of the whole place, whatever, you know, I'm just, I'm just not going to. Not gonna worry about that too much.

So, and it, it's been fine. Yeah, and the truth is, uh, I mean, you work with the natal chart that you have, you learn tools to navigate the challenges and the joys that you were given by fate, and it's the same with the gym, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, very that. And so, you know, and, and now Mercury is retro, Mercury is retrograde again, and so is Venus, and, um, you know, it's [00:38:00] interesting to see, so I have, we've talked about this already, but I have an 11th house, Midheaven, if we're using whole sign house systems, my Midheaven, which is about career and, and public reputation and all these things, very similar To 10th house topics, right?

So they both are related to my career, Venus and Mercury, and they're both retrograde right now in areas. And then they'll go into Pisces. They're kind of doing this dance together. Um, and for the most part right now, what's coming up with that is like a sort of internal restructuring or like not even restructuring, but just.

Kind of going forward with and deciding how we're going to present ourselves right as a gym It's like we have some of this initial branding some of this initial these initial changes that we made in the space But I came into a space that already existed With members who are already very who are very accustomed to the way things [00:39:00] were and it was great space It was you know, there was a lot of potential a lot of really good people all this stuff, but I'm still me I'm gonna come in with My own, you know, touch of things.

My own expertise. Um, my own. What do I want to do in a gym? What kind of gym would I want to go to? And what kind of people do I want to bring in? You know, what kind of space do we want to be? And then how do we articulate that on the website and our branding, all these things to really specify to people, this is what you're coming to get here.

This is what sets us apart. Um, yeah. This is why we're great. All of these things. So it's like the, the creative visual component and all the words, all the, you know, the really, um, you know, our ethos being like, cause I know in my heart what all these things are and I've known for a long time, but actually saying it in a way that like, [00:40:00] And maybe someone who's never even considered, you know, being body neutral and, and anti diet culture and, and things like that.

And also just an inclusive space where people in larger bodies and with different disabilities and things like that can also come in and get something out of it. You know, people in their seventies can come and get something out of it. Like, and so just really, yeah, right, right now in this period of time, it's like, I'm like gestating all of those things and like really trying to.

get them out, but they're not out yet. You know, it's very like happening. Um, so I, I feel, yeah. So, so far nothing too like detrimental from the current retro grades. It's just kind of a, it's that rewrite and the, um, and the, yeah, it's the people. And it's also the structure of the workouts themselves, like what we're presenting, how we're going about it instead of just like doing exactly what.

The classes have always been, like, slowly kind of, like, just tweaking them a little, [00:41:00] maybe adding something new. Um, my spouse, who is a big part of the whole thing, which is so great, and also makes sense because 7th House, my 7th House and my 10th House are very connected. Business partnership. Yeah. So, my partner partner is also my business partner.

And, um, And he's, we're just, we work really well together, he's very creative, um, we love doing creative things together. He's there right now while I'm here doing this so that we can be open for open gym. He's there every day. Um, and he also is a music person and he's a DJ and a music producer. So we now have some classes throughout the week that he does a live DJ set while we have a workout class.

That makes me so excited. Oh! It is. It's so fun. It's so fun. People love it. We're actually adding another class to the schedule this week because people love it so much. Um, so yeah, it's like really, that feels like very [00:42:00] Venus y too. All the Venus Mercury stuff kind of like, you know, swirling together. It's a really cool space.

It's, it's really becoming something really special. I wish I could, I wish I could come work out there and hang out with you. That would be so fun. Do you want to tell the people, uh, the name of your space? Absolutely. I mean, if you guys are in Portland, yeah, come by. It's called Rose City Rec Room. Um, we are in southeast Portland.

It's a great little location. Perfect small size. Um, I love it. I honestly, it's like Exactly the right amount of space and gym to work with. Um, yeah. Yeah. It's really, really great. Yeah. It sounds like you've really created a fourth house home with this Saturn return. Yes. I hadn't even really thought about that, but it is.

And it, it literally feels like a second home. Like it feels, when we walk in there, it's like, oh, just, this feels so good. And this is [00:43:00] our space, you know? It's like we get to do whatever we want with it. Which we did, we immediately came in and like, spruced it up, you know? I love it. Um, we made a, like, the whole, there's like this little back room that was just being used as like a storage pile, basically.

Like there was nothing structured about it, nothing going on back there. We immediately took everything out and just turned it into a little office. Super cozy. We got like, you know, all the like the mini fridge and the microwave and like the snacks and things and like just the little cozy chair and the rug like literally just that we made, we made a perfect little home little cozy space in there.

Um, and just basically made it a space that we wanted to hang out at, you know, I hadn't even considered the fourth house piece of that, but it's so true. Yeah, and you're making a home for so many other people. And also like when I see fourth house transits, we, we have to remember that the, the houses always work as a complimentary pair.[00:44:00] 

And a lot of times when something's happening in the fourth house, it ricochets to the 10th. And so, um, I really love how these are interplaying and creating a really nice foundation for you and for your spouse. I'm so excited for you, Tay. I'm so grateful you shared your story with us. Thank you for gossiping with us. Yes, thank you so much for letting me come and gossip because I was really wanting to just be like, somebody needs to look at this and see what I'm seeing and all of these transits overlap.

And yeah, to share a good story for once. You know? Because it does happen. It absolutely does. So that's a good takeaway from this episode. Another good takeaway is when you see things layer on top of each other, like zodiacal releasing, progressions, transits, perfections, and they all point in a similar direction, take note. Oh, yeah. That usually means something is afoot, as they say in olden times. 

Tay, let the [00:45:00] gossipers know where they can find you. Yeah, definitely. Um, well, you can find me, the easiest place to find me is on Instagram at TayBooTay, but my website is TayNicholas. com and I, I know I was just talking all about this gym stuff and we would love to see you at the gym if you're local.

But I also am an astrologer, if you couldn't tell, and I make a digital astrology calendar every year. And, um, so I've got a 2025 digital astrology calendar that plugs right into your, whatever digital calendar you're already using. So Google outlook, you know, whatever it is, your eye calendar, it just plugs right in and then you can toggle it on and off, but basically it has all of the major transits of the year. 

Um, and I also did like a little summary for each month. And I also did a planetary summary for each planet. So where can the [00:46:00] people find this calendar? Is it at taynicholas. com? Yeah, if you just go there, you will see it at the top. 

It was a lot of work. And I was finishing this when I was taking over, like in November. It was crazy. But anyways, it's done. It's there. I think it's pretty great, and uh, if you want to go check it out, it's on sale now this week because of, you know, now we're, it's literally spring, now we're a quarter into the year somehow.

So, yeah, I don't know how that happened. Um, everyone take note that is a, uh, Mercury and Gemini at work right there. Sure is all that detail, all that detail.

Tay, it has been a pleasure. Thank you so much. I'm wishing you all of the best and everybody go visit Tay in Portland and stop by the gym. Yay. Thank you so much for having me.

This was so, so fun and I'm just so glad that we got to chat about it. Me too. Bye Tay. Bye. 

Hey, astro lover. I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Tay. I know it was just so fun for me to [00:47:00] do something different, something fresh. So again, if you're interested in doing this more on the pod, whether you just wanna hear more of this or if you wanna participate, get in touch with me and let me know.

Otherwise, make sure you head to the show notes for links on how you can connect with Tay and also connect with me if you wanna unpack some of this stuff in your own chart. If you're curious about profections especially, which I specialize in, if you're curious about zodiacal releasing, I would love to see you in an appointment and we can break it down so I hope to see you soon and. Until next time, sending you lots of love.