Great Minds in Astrology: Tracy Marks

Welcome to a series about the Great Minds in Astrology. These posts will look at the key thinkers and practitioners in the field of astrology, from ancient to contemporary times. Numerous men and women have made significant contributions to astrology. These Great Minds provide a large bibliography of writings worth reading and putting into your own astrology library. This article will distill a thinker’s essential and many contributions and provide a book list of their key works. As with any thinkers who write extensively, some books stand out more than others, and these will be identified. Some works have practical application and others are theoretical, depending on whether or not you wish to practice astrology or just study it. This article will talk about Tracy Marks.

Tracy Marks

Tracy Marks was born on September 26^th, 1950 at 12:36 pm in Miami Beach, Florida. She is an American psychotherapist with a Master’s in psycho-synthesis, who integrates astrological, spiritual, and psychological ideas. She has written fifteen books and pamphlets, and four of her books have been updated and republished since their original release.

• The Astrology of Self-Discovery: An In-depth Exploration of the Potentials Revealed in Your Birth Chart (originally published in 1985, updated and republished in 2008)
• The Art of Chart Interpretation (originally published in 1986, updated and republished in 2008)
• Planetary Aspects (originally published in 1987, updated and republished in 2014)
• Your Secret Self: Illuminating the Mysteries of the Twelfth House (originally published in 1989, updated and republished in 2010)

From her Amazon author page:

Tracy Marks, M.A., is a licensed mental health counselor, astrologer, writer, instructor, and nature photographer. Her transformational astrology books, drawing upon her in-depth psychodynamic understanding include Astrology of Self-Discovery, The Art of Chart Interpretation, and Your Secret Self: Illuminating the Twelfth House, have been translated into nine languages, and have sold over 150,000 copies. A psychotherapist since 1985, she currently maintains both counseling and astrology practices in Arlington, Massachusetts, and also teaches personal growth, literature and computer graphics courses in continuing education programs.

• Great Minds in Astrology: Alan Leo

Comprehensive Astrology Library

Her four most prominent books would make excellent additions to your astrology library. As a professional astrologer, I have found each one useful when learning astrology and as reference material when working on new charts. The Art of Chart Interpretation was especially useful when I was learning my own technique for interpreting charts. We all need a starting point, and this book is an excellent primer for learning how to read charts.

The Astrology of Self-Discovery: An In-depth Exploration of the Potentials Revealed in Your Birth Chart (1985, 2008)

An excellent first book for someone curious about astrology, this work is one that will help you understand the complexity of astrology in a digestible way to determine if you want to dig deeper into the study of the practice.

From the back cover of the book:

The Astrology of Self-Discovery provides guidance for achieving self-development through attunement to planetary influences and gives direction to those struggling with life’s issues. Combining astrology, depth psychology, and spiritual teachings, Marks helps the reader make contact with the planets as they function as internal archetypes and personalities, as well as gain insight, perspective, and the tools for self-empowerment. She has helpful advice on how to prepare for and handle outer planet transits, especially Neptune and Pluto, which she covers in depth. She also addresses the healing of the “inner child” and the feminine principle as expressed by the Moon, and the lunar nodes as an expression of life purpose.

Provocative questions and worksheets help the reader apply the life lessons she presents. Marks’ experience as a psychotherapist and spiritual teacher has enabled her to synthesize her knowledge of psychology with her astrological work to elucidate a path of deepening personal awareness and cooperation with planetary energies. The unique insights in The Astrology of Self-Discovery give fresh, new life to the practice of astrology.

• Great Minds in Astrology: Jan Spiller

The Art of Chart Interpretation (1986, 2008)

Certainly, the second book to purchase and add to your collection. If you decide to only get two of Marks’ books; these are the two purchase and read.

From the back cover of the 2010 edition:

The dilemma that most astrologers face – after learning the meanings of the planets, signs, houses, and aspects – is how to view the chart as a whole and determine its primary characteristics. Interpreting a horoscope effectively and determining an individual’s primary qualities, strengths, and weaknesses requires skill in collecting and organizing astrological information. With clarity and insight, Tracy Marks provides a comprehensive method for collecting and evaluating astrological data. Her step-by-step techniques and synthesis worksheets aid astrology students in developing their abilities to analyze the many facets of the chart and to grasp the essential features of the personality.

While she is not the only astrology/author to provide such an introduction, she does so quite well, making this book one of the best purchases you can make.

Her next two books are specialized and, while worth owning, definitely require greater effort to understand astrology at a comprehensive and nearly professional level.

Your Secret Self: Illuminating the Mysteries of the Twelfth House (1989, 2010)

This book focuses on the 12^th House, which is ruled by the sign Pisces and the planet Neptune. One of the hardest areas of the chart to interpret and understand, Marks’ book does a fantastic job illuminating a doggedly mysterious part of the chart. If you cast your chart and discover you have points in the 12^th house, you will want to have a copy of this book.

For my own chart, I have my Moon and South Node conjunct in the 12^th house, in Libra. Navigating significant past life karma in my intimate relationships and regarding my family, play a primary role in my current life journey. Marks book helped me understand how profound and “not readily obvious” this energy is in my life, constantly.

• Great Minds in Astrology: Robert Hand

Planetary Aspects: How to Manage Your T-Square (1987, 2014)

Aspects are one of the Five Keys to astrology; points (planets and special calculations), signs, houses, and free will are the other four. Understanding and integrating information when two points aspect one another, by proximity through special degrees: the conjunction (0 to 6 degrees apart), the square (90 degrees apart), the opposition (180 degrees apart), and several others is a foundation to interpreting the chart, but not an easy process to master.

From the back cover of the book:

The central theme of this book is the T-square configuration – a chart pattern that occurs periodically for everyone by transit, progression, or chart comparison. The T-square is a combination of planets, signs, and house that suggests a pronounced strength or emphasis, as well as imbalance and deficiency. [This book] is a discussion of the conflicts and harmonies of this important aspect, and a guide to understanding the crucial periods and challenges it presents.

I strongly recommend you get all her books; you will not be disappointed.