This interview with Rose Marcus was conducted by Joan Morton in December 2014. Rose is a frequent presenter at the Guild and has been a member for more than a decade.
JM: When did you first became interested in studying astrology and what sparked your interest?
RM: By the time my progressed Pluto stationed direct – at the age of 16, I was struggling to teach myself how to cast charts. (It wasn’t an easy task at the time!)
JM: You are an Evolutionary Astrologer – what does that mean for you personally and how does it affect how you read a client’s chart?RM: Evolutionary Astrology is the title Jeffrey Wolf Green used to distinguish his body of work and those who studied under him adopted it. Since then, many others have also adopted the title. Those who consider themselves Evolutionary Astrologers look to the chart to gather insight into the soul’s journey—its historical frame of reference, innate psychology, propensities, and most importantly, what the soul intends and/or desires for its own evolution. Or to state it another way, we look to the chart to gain a greater understanding of where one has come from and where one intends to go. What is unique about Jeffrey Wolf Green’s Evolutionary Astrology is that he taught a specific methodology for reading the chart. I follow this methodology when I read for a client.
JM: Your first book was published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2010, ‘Insights into Evolutionary Astrology”. Can you tell us how you came to write this book—what inspired you?RM: The book was seven years in the making. The intention for the book was to give readers a cross section from the Evolutionary Astrology school of thought. I invited 7 of my colleagues to supply a chapter each. The first chapter, on the nature of the soul, was supplied by Jeffrey Wolf Green. My chapter is on Capricorn and Pluto’s transit through Capricorn.
JM: You are scheduled to present two lectures at NORWAC (www.norwac.net) May 2015: do you know what the topics will be?RM: I will be offering a lecture on Chiron and on Ceres.
JM: Your website (www.rosemarcus.com) has monthly forecasts and you publish weekly forecasts for the Vancouver Georgia Straight Newspaper. How do you decide what Astrological information to focus on for each and how difficult (or easy!) is it to produce astrological insights ‘on demand’?RM: I have written forecasts in one form or another—daily, weekly, monthly, and annually, since the late 90’s. I have been published weekly by the Vancouver Georgia Straight Newspaper since 2011. When it comes to deciding what information to focus on, the transits do the talking. I try to frame the information so that it offers something helpful to the reader. I know there are other astrologers who can bang it off quick, but I have to admit, for me, writing forecasts for publications are time consuming.
JM: What do you hope the general public will learn from reading your weekly forecasts in the George Straight? What kind of response do you get from your readers, from introducing the general public to Astrology as a resource?RM: I believe the general public’s opinion of astrology has grown over the years. It is no longer thought of as pure entertainment – or pure bunk. I believe this has been largely due to the internet and the ready availability of intelligent published information. Folks read my forecasts to get a head’s up on what might be next. By the time the Georgia Straight Newspaper offered me the job, I was ready to retire from writing for publications, but I couldn’t turn down the best gig in town. Their readership is estimated at I million. The fact that my column has hit number one every week since I started writing for them is a testament to the public’s interest in the subject. I am very happy with the response I get from my readers.
JM: How did you come to do the radio show on ‘upcoming transits’ every last Wednesday of the month with Kirstin Fontana at www.healthylife.net ?RM: Kristin Fontana is one of my Evolutionary Astrology colleagues and one of the chapter authors in my book. It was a natural fit to be invited to participate with her. I have been on the show as a regular once a month guest since 2010.
JM: Based on your experience, what is the greatest value to clients from having an Astrology reading?RM: The greatest value a client gets is personal insight.
JM: Do you see any value or any need for astrologers to take formal training and certification?RM: Training of any kind is always good. I think that certification is also a good idea, but I don’t think it is essential.
JM: What inspires you to continue as an Astrologer?RM: What inspires me to continue as an Astrologer is what I get out of it. Client work is my favourite part. I feel that I help and that I contribute. I feel I am appreciated. What could be better than that?
JM: What aspect or pattern in your chart do you find most challenging?RM: Chiron at the apex of a T-square with my sun and moon is the tightest and most challenging pattern in my chart.
JM: What aspect or pattern in your chart do you like the most or find the most helpful?RM: I have a number of sextiles and trines in my chart which help me to create. My Sun which is trine Pluto is also trine Mars, which helps me to accomplish.
JM: Is there an astrology teacher(s) and/or book(s) that have influenced you more than any other?RM: Jeffrey Wolf Green was my teacher and mentor. I brought him (and many others) to Vancouver for workshops in the early to mid-nineties, and I hosted one of Jeffrey’s first schools here in Vancouver in 1993/4. His first book, Pluto, Evolutionary Journey of the Soul, was a major influence.
JM: How involved are you with your chart on a daily basis?RM: I don’t obsess about it, but I do keep track of my own progressions and transits.
JM: Do you teach astrology? Can you explain what you teach and how you teach?RM: I am on an indefinite hiatus from teaching as my client practice makes for a full work-week. In the past I have taught beginner astrology through advance courses. From 2002 to 2008 I taught the Evolutionary Astrology school program. I have also taught tarot.
JM: What do you see for the future of astrology?RM: I see continued growth. It is a wonderful time to be an astrologer.
Visit Rose’s website www.rosemarcus.com for additional details and to read her horoscopes and articles.