If you walk into a Barnes & Noble and head toward the back corner where the "New Age" section hides, you’ll see them. Dozens of glossy covers promising to tell you how your "big three" affect your dating life or why Mercury retrograde is why you dropped your phone in the toilet. It’s mostly fluff. But then, tucked between the mass-market paperbacks, there is usually this thick, heavy, almost academic-looking journal. The Mountain Astrologer magazine doesn't look like the others. It feels more like a textbook you actually want to read.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle that a print magazine dedicated to technical astrology has survived since 1987. We live in an era of TikTok "astrologers" doing 15-second skits about Scorpios being vengeful. Yet, TMA (as the veterans call it) continues to publish deep-dive explorations into Hellenistic timing techniques, mundane world predictions, and the psychology of the outer planets. It is the publication that bridged the gap between the old-school pioneers and the new wave of practitioners.
A Garage Startup That Actually Worked
The story of The Mountain Astrologer magazine is essentially the "Apple computer in a garage" trope, but for people who track planetary transits. Tem Tarriktar started it as a small, local newsletter in Northern California. Back then, it was just a few pages stapled together. He wasn't trying to build a media empire. He just wanted a place where people who actually knew how to calculate a birth chart by hand could talk to each other without being laughed at.
It grew because there was a massive vacuum. In the late 80s and early 90s, if you wanted to learn astrology beyond your sun sign, you had to find a teacher or buy expensive, hard-to-find books. TMA became the classroom. It wasn't just about "what’s happening this month." It was about the why and the how.
By the time Mary Plumb and other heavyweight editors stepped in, the magazine had become the industry journal of record. If a major astrologer like Robert Hand, Demetra George, or Steven Forrest had something groundbreaking to say, they said it in TMA.
Why The Content Hits Differently
Most people think astrology is just a set of personality traits. TMA treats it like a language or a craft. You’ll find articles that assume you already know what a trine is. They won't hold your hand through the basics of the twelve signs. Instead, they might spend 4,000 words discussing the fixed star Regulus or how the 20-year Jupiter-Saturn cycle correlates with the rise and fall of global economies.
🔗 Read more: Anime Pink Window -AI: Why We Are All Obsessing Over This Specific Aesthetic Right Now
It’s dense. It’s often difficult. But it’s also incredibly rewarding if you’re tired of the "zodiac memes" culture.
The contributors aren't just influencers; they are researchers. For example, when the world was trying to make sense of the 2020 lockdowns, TMA readers were looking back at the 1982 Saturn-Pluto conjunction articles. They were looking at the data.
- The Technical Edge: They don't shy away from math. If an author needs to explain declination or secondary progressions to make a point, they do it.
- The Philosophical Breadth: One issue might feature a traditionalist talking about 2nd-century techniques, while the next article is a modern psychological take on evolutionary astrology.
- The Forecasts: Their "Student Section" and the "Skywatch" columns are legendary. People actually keep old copies for years because the forecasts serve as a historical record of what the sky was doing.
Navigating the Digital Shift Without Losing the Soul
When the internet started killing print, everyone thought The Mountain Astrologer magazine would fold. Who wants to wait two months for a physical magazine when you can get a daily horoscope on an app?
But the magazine did something smart. They didn't try to compete with the apps. They doubled down on being the "slow food" of the astrology world. They leaned into the physical experience. The paper quality got better. The art became more visionary and psychedelic. They turned the magazine into a collectible.
Now, they have a digital subscription, of course. You can browse the archives on your iPad. But if you talk to any professional astrologer, they likely have a shelf full of the physical copies. It’s a status symbol in the community. It says, "I actually study this."
💡 You might also like: Act Like an Angel Dress Like Crazy: The Secret Psychology of High-Contrast Style
Common Misconceptions About TMA
A lot of beginners are intimidated by it. They think they aren't "advanced" enough to read it. That’s kinda true, but also a bit of a myth.
Yes, if you don't know your houses, you’ll be lost. But the magazine has always maintained a "Student Section." They know they need to train the next generation. They’ve featured columnists like Frank Clifford who are brilliant at making complex ideas feel accessible without "dumbing them down."
Another misconception is that it’s all "woo-woo" and spiritual. Honestly, a good chunk of TMA is very grounded. It’s historical. It’s political. They do "Mundane Astrology," which is the study of world events. They look at the birth charts of nations and corporations. It’s less about "will I find love" and more about "what is the collective energy of this decade."
What You Should Actually Look For in an Issue
If you pick up a copy today, don't try to read it front to back. It’s too much.
Start with the Skywatch. It’s the most practical part. It breaks down the upcoming transits day by day. Then, look for the feature articles that catch your eye. Maybe it's a piece on Chiron or an analysis of a celebrity's chart.
📖 Related: 61 Fahrenheit to Celsius: Why This Specific Number Matters More Than You Think
The advertisements are actually useful, too. That might sound weird, but in the astrology world, TMA is where the best book publishers and software companies (like Solar Fire) advertise. It’s how you find out which conferences are happening in London or Zurich or online.
The Real Value of a Subscription
Buying a single copy at the store is about $12 to $15. A subscription is cheaper, obviously. But the real value isn't just the paper. It’s the context.
We live in a very "now" focused culture. We check the weather, we check the news, we check our notifications. Astrology, when done right, pulls you out of that. It forces you to look at cycles that last hundreds of years. The Mountain Astrologer magazine is the primary vehicle for that kind of long-term thinking.
When you read a 10-page essay on the Uranus-Pluto square, you stop worrying about a single bad Tuesday. You start seeing the pattern of your life within the larger pattern of history. That’s the "E-E-A-T" (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) of the astrology world. They’ve earned it over nearly 40 years.
Making Use of the Wisdom
If you want to move beyond the surface level of this craft, you need deep sources. Here is how to actually integrate the magazine into your practice:
- Use the Ephemeris: Stop relying on apps for a week. Use the tables in the back of the magazine to see where the planets are. It builds a different kind of "mental muscle" for the sky.
- Cross-Reference Your Life: When an author writes about a specific transit (like Saturn crossing your Midheaven), go back in your journal. See if their observations match your lived experience.
- Check the Archives: If you’re obsessed with a specific topic—say, the Part of Fortune—search the TMA digital archives. You’ll find better info there than in a thousand Google searches.
- Support the Contributors: Many of the writers are independent researchers. If an article blows your mind, look up the author’s books. The magazine is a gateway to the best minds in the field.
The magazine survived the transition from the New Age movement of the 80s to the digital boom of the 2020s because it never compromised on its depth. It remains the anchor for a community that is often seen as fringe but is actually deeply rooted in history and mathematics. Whether you believe the planets "cause" things or simply "reflect" them, having a reliable map of the sky is essential.
Actionable Steps for New Readers
- Audit your current sources: If you're only getting astrology from social media, your "diet" is mostly sugar. Add one "protein" source like a TMA article once a week.
- Locate a physical copy: Visit a local independent bookstore or a major chain to see the production quality for yourself. There is a psychological difference between scrolling and flipping pages.
- Focus on one technique: Don't try to learn everything in one issue. Pick one article—perhaps on "Profections" or "Solar Returns"—and spend the month applying just that one thing to your own chart.
- Engage with the Mundane: Pay attention to the global forecasts. It helps remove the personal bias we all have and allows you to see astrology as a tool for understanding the world at large, not just your own ego.
Astrology is a lifelong study. There is no "graduation." There is only a deeper and deeper appreciation for the clockwork of the universe. Keeping a copy of this magazine on your nightstand is a pretty good way to stay connected to that reality.