Life and Work with Sterling Moon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sterling Moon.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was 15 years old and hanging out at a friend’s house when her big sister said, “I have something that I think would be a good fit for you.” She brought out a deck of Smith-Rider-Waite tarot cards with a plaid pattern on the back and told me they were mine if I wanted them. I knew nothing about the tarot but connected with them instantly. This was 1995 in Laramie, WY, so there weren’t a ton of learning opportunities available to me. Thankfully, I had my mom’s support. She bought me a book of card meaning and layouts and encouraged me to practice doing readings. That was over 25 years ago, and while I still consider myself a student of the tarot, I have definitely learned a thing or two!

Sterling Moon Tarot was born in 2013 when I began reading professionally and teaching others to connect with the tarot. I lovingly refer to tarot as my “side hustle” and have an established career in a totally unrelated field. I am continuing to come out of the broom closet as I get more comfortable and more public with my intuitive and witchy skills.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My professional journey with the tarot has been a winding one. Being a professional tarot reader, teacher and witch is not something that I set out to do, but my intuition led me to take chances, and that is exactly what I ended up becoming. I have come to also recognize the ways my spiritual guides and teachers speak to me and help push me forward, which has heavily influenced the way my business has developed over the past six years. I’ve also had some plain old dumb luck in meeting the right, amazing people at the right, amazing time. For example, in 2016, I had a 4-month-old son and had just gone back to my day job after maternity leave. I’d recently gotten the notice that the domain for my website was about to expire and I decided that Sterling Moon Tarot had run its course. Shortly after, a friend tagged me in a post on Facebook that Ritualcravt, an incredible metaphysical shop that is now located in Wheat Ridge, was looking for new house readers. Even though I was a heavily sleep-deprived, working new mama, my intuition led me to reach out to the owner, Missy Rhysing. She brought me on and three years later, I still have to pinch myself. My life has improved in so many ways. I often say that I feel like I have one foot in the regular world and the other in some ethereal plane. It’s an amazing feeling!

Now, a few caveats… I want to stress that this is not my full-time gig. That has allowed me to take risks in some ways because, at least right now, I have a baseline in my income and health insurance. I am also a naturally risk-averse person when it comes to my finances, so I am pretty calculated when I’ve expanded what I offer. I am also willing to contract my business growth when an expansion is hurting either my financial bottom line or my mental, emotional, or spiritual capacity.

My advice for other women, particularly young women, who want to be professional tarot readers or witches is four-fold:
1) Be brave, babies, and invest the effort in honing your intuition so you can trust yourself to make bold choices.
2) Know your shit and make sure you are ready to go pro. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing my students go on to read professionally, but I have seen some of them jump in before they were ready. I get very uncomfortable when I see people charging for intuitive work when they have only been practicing for 1-5 years. People are vulnerable when seeking spiritual help. That should not be taken lightly or viewed as an easy way to make money.
3) Be smart. Don’t work for free or for “exposure.” If you are doing house gigs or parties, make sure you always put your safety first. Bring someone with you or make sure someone knows exactly where you are and what to do if you don’t check-in. State upfront that you reserve the right to bail if any interaction makes you uncomfortable. Have a simple policy for the types of readings you do, your prices, the types of payment you accept, and your stance on cancellations. Know your worth and stick to it!
4) Lift each other up. The world is still not a particularly kind place for women. Women like me have it easier – I am white, cisgender, married to a man, and middle class. Share opportunities with other women. Help promote and support other women’s businesses. Have your sisters’ backs. Take extra care to make space for and support the businesses of women of color, queer women, trans women, women with disabilities, and other women who face additional marginalization. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for the support of other women and I strive to pay that forward!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sterling Moon Tarot – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I pride myself on being a practical mystic. My philosophy is that we all get a little outside help sometimes and tarot is the primary tool I use to tap into hidden knowledge that is available to us all. I always say that if you are looking for some down-to-earth divination with a side of compassion and dash of humor, I am the tarot reader for you! I am also good at connecting with guides and spirits that have moved on.

I offer in-person tarot readings at Ritualcravt in Wheat Ridge, generally once per month.

I provide distance readings for folks who are out of town or have tight schedules.

I love to write. I wrote a zine called Tarot 101 that is a standalone pocket guide to the tarot for beginner and intermediate readers. It is also the companion guide to both my in-person and online Tarot 101 courses that I teach for Ritualcravt School. I am wrapping up a new zine called “Haunted: Stories and Tips for the Modern Medium.” It should be available on October 2019! I am also a regular contributor to the online Ritualcravt Journal.

I teach classes, primarily for Ritualcravt School. I am best known for my tarot classes but also teach about guide work and spirit/medium work. I also have a class that will be offered at the end of the year called “Archangels for Witches.” I’m pretty excited about it.

Who have you been inspired by?
Do you have all day? My mom. My grandmother. My best friends. My boss and my coworkers. My past bosses and coworkers. The Ritualcravt women… my life is fueled by the many, many inspiring women in my daily life. I started listing them all but had to stop because there are seriously too many. The things that they all have in common are that they are badass, funny, brave, compassionate, and strong. I also appreciate women who swear a lot.

Pricing:

• In-person readings at Ritualcravt: 15 minutes = $20 | 30 minutes = $50 | 60 minutes = $85
• Distance readings: 7 cards = $35 | 14 cards = $50
• Class prices are varied. Online Tarot 101 is 5 videos + the Tarot 101 zine for $120.

Contact Info:

• Website: SterlingMoonTarot.com
• Instagram: @sterlingmoontarot

Image Credit:
Sterling Moon, Zach Horton

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