10th House In Astrology : Career & Public Status

10th House In Astrology

The sign of the tenth house is known as the Midheaven of your chart, or the highest point in the horoscope. This house identifies your public life, your profession, your status and reputation, as well as the influence you have upon others. In this area of your life, you can define who you will become as a mature adult.

The tenth house indicates your potential to achieve. It is the house of career, as opposed to the sixth house, which describes the kind of work you perform. The rewards you receive in your life, your achievements, and your ambitions are shown in the tenth house. Saturn, the planet of responsibility and discipline, is the natural ruler of this house.

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The Planets in the 10th House

Sun in 10th House:

The sun in the tenth house shows a powerful need for status, recognition and a sense of self-worth. Choice of career is very important for this individual, as happiness or otherwise at work will be a major life factor. Personal achievements are striven for, and this person is ambitious and determined, perhaps at the expense of all else.

Good Aspects

• Children likely to do well in the world and achieve some form of public recognition.
• Will deal successfully with people in authority.
• Honorable and trustworthy.
• People likely to respond favorably.
• Executive abilities.
• Needs to be successful, in the public eye, and to be recognized in some way.
• Ambitious with well defined aims.

Bad Aspects

• Children may have a strained relationship with their ambitions and could be expected to do well in the world due more to family traditions than their own wishes.
• Takes self and work too seriously leaving little room for happiness.
• May be a stickler for rules and seek to impose authority on others.
• Authority figures are not helpful.
• Difficult to make headway in life due to obstacles.
• May be pushed into public prominence against wishes or have to take on odious responsibility and burdens.

Moon in 10th House:

This placing often indicates someone who has the potential for tremendous success in their chosen field. There is the ability to govern large groups, and these two things often combine in, say, politics for instance. These people make excellent bosses, having a great deal of rapport and understanding with those over whom they have authority. Often this person is widely loved. The need for change, variety and ambition is very strong, and the career is likely to be a focal point of the whole chart. An instinctive ability for handling change is a big asset to these people, and an impeccable sense of timing is often present too.

Good Aspects

• Ambitious and career oriented. well defined aims.
• Instinctive, has a knack of understanding what the public needs.
• Life connected to the public. In the public eye.
• Distinct changes in direction in life.
• Will do well.

Bad Aspects

• Problems dealing with the public.
• Many changes in direction.
• People in authority unreliable
• Private life may become public knowledge.
• Public standing hard to maintain.
• Instinctive grasp of what the public needs.

Mercury in 10th House:

Here it is very likely that there will be many changes of career. If no career is followed, there will be such changes in life direction, especially with regard to aspirations and objectives. This placing is able to carry great responsibility and considerable seniority in a career. There should be as much variety as possible in the daily working routine, since boredom will otherwise hamper long term progress. Often this placing has a very authoritative ‘inner voice’ that can be more of a hindrance than a help.

Good Aspects

• Ambitious.
• Good use of communication skills in career. Can apply studies to career.
• Literary or commercial success possible.
• A career in education may appeal.
• You may have a natural talent for public speaking.
• Changes career through opportune contacts or ideas.
• Travel may be linked success or be necessary in the furthering aims.

Bad Aspects

• Unsettled and restless.
• Impractical, tend not to think things through, misjudgments.
• Many changes in direction, each one seeming to offer much but then fading away enthusiasm wanes or mind is distracted into other schemes.

Venus in 10th House:

This is an excellent placing for developing good relations with colleagues. If the subject holds a managerial or supervisory work post then he or she is likely to be a good, fair and well liked boss. Great pride in the profession is common, and the subject needs to be emotionally involved in the career in order to feel really fulfilled. Financial gain is important, but will not be the only motivation. Sometimes this placing is not so good for freelance workers, who can become lazy and undisciplined. Those who are not in a profession will have some idealistic ideas they can work out through a partner’s profession. The ability to identify with a partner’s aspirations and dreams and to provide practical and emotional support is also strong.

Good Aspects

• Generally a happy and successful career, possibly dealing with the public.
• Good use of personal magnetism and charm.
• Skilled in the art of diplomacy.
• Some recognition of efforts is possible.
• Relationships with people vital to success. Seeks out those who can be of value. Partner may be actively involved.

Bad Aspects

• Career unlikely to run smoothly.
• Care needed with finances and associations as there is a high risk of unwanted public attention.
• Partners unsympathetic to aims, or unsupportive.
• Must resist any temptation to use partner’s position and financial status in self-seeking ways.

Mars in 10th House:

This placing makes the subject a force to be reckoned with in his professional life. The ability to work hard and to achieve objectives is extremely important, and the possibility of success is high. This person seems to have a constant sense of urgency, and would do well to slow down sometimes and take in some detail. A tendency to argue and to be quarrelsome is common, especially if Mars receives negative aspects from Uranus. A strong desire for worldly progress inspires this person into taking action each day and every day.

Good Aspects

• Strongly motivated and keen to get on and be a success.
• Well defined ambitions.
• Resolute and not easily put off.
• Likes to instigate projects, leading and directing along the way.
• Enthusiasm may carry the day but may not make many friends in the process.

Bad Aspects

• Powerful need to succeed blocked by problems. Takes on too much.
• Plans not thought out.
• Tries to force things through.
• Impulsive.
• Conflicts and arguments with those in authority.
• Co-operation not easy to obtain.
• Pushes too hard and expects too much.

Jupiter in 10th House:

If Jupiter is conjunct the Midheaven, there will be a huge amount of enthusiasm and positive energy directed towards the career. In any case, Jupiter in this house exercises its dramatic flair in matters of work, and usually makes the individual shine within their own field. If in a position of power, this person is fair and kind, although pompous at times. They both seize and make their own opportunities, and do not allow any grass to grow under their feet.

Good Aspects

• Business success.
• Wide aims and ambitions.
• Opportunities present themselves at the right moment.
• May gain favor through patronage and helpful connections.
• You are likely to do very well in life and could be placed in a prominent position of authority.
• Some form of public recognition is also likely as a result of your endeavors and your kindness and generosity towards others.
• Fine mind coupled with good business sense.
• Studies with a definite aim in mind.
• A career using mental and communication skills would be advantageous.

Bad Aspects

• Bright beginnings end in disappointment.
• Vague ambitions, too many ideas.
• Lost opportunities through suspicion.
• Lives in hope that ‘something’, or someone, will solve problems.
• Unscrupulous people may take advantage.

Saturn in 10th House:

Saturn is in its own house here, so its influence is very much strengthened. This individual may have to shoulder much responsibility as a result of circumstances – this will be well carried, however, and will not stand in the way of high ambitions and aspirations. This person has the ability to work persistently and with much determination in a career, and often gets to the top through guts and sheer hard work.

Good Aspects

• Ambitious, not content to take life’s handouts.
• Quite prepared to work hard for results.
• Determined to be a ‘somebody’.
• Takes time to formulate plans.
• Endless patience in waiting for opportunities.
• Natural honesty and reliability.
• Executive and managerial abilities.
• Good strategist.

Bad Aspects

• Not an easy path through life, many obstacles, slow progress.
• Success later in life.
• Negative attitude to success.
• Difficult obstacles, feels life is against success.
• Obstructive people in authority.

Uranus in 10th House:

This influence is considerably increased if Uranus forms a conjunction with the Midheaven. In any case, the chosen profession is likely to be influenced by Uranus, with possible choices including airlines, the space industry, science, astronomy or astrology, the humanitarian and caring professions. Sudden changes of career direction are very possible, often throwing the baby out with the bathwater. An involvement in or fascination with politics is also associated with this placing.

Good Aspects

• Unlikely to hold down a conventional job.
• Needs lots of freedom to succeed.
• Highly individual approach to career.
• Has vision to see what is wanted out of life.
• May seek involvement with public or people in general.
• May be good at mass marketing or politics.
• Sudden advancement.
• Ability to come up with original and inventive ideas could advance career prospects.
• Popular.

Bad Aspects

• Doesn’t like conventional occupations.
• May forge an independent path through life demanding too much freedom and making many changes in the process.
• Unpopular with superiors.
• Sudden changes may be imposed causing disruption and disadvantage in affairs.
• May suddenly move on without due consideration of consequences.

Neptune in 10th House:

This is an important placing of Neptune, and usually means that the subject has experienced many changes in life direction or career path. If Neptune is conjunct the Midheaven, the sign becomes important as this will be a definite influence on the subject’s career aspirations. At it’s best, this is a person with a colourful career and a great deal of spiritual satisfaction from their working and public life. At worst, however, this person lacks a sense of ambition or direction. Care should be taken not to just drift along in life, else satisfaction may be hard to come by.

Good Aspects

• Strong need to improve the conditions of humanity and give something to the world.
• May equally choose involvement in the arts.
• Inclined to sacrifice own interests for benefit of others.
• Keeps part of life hidden from view.

Bad Aspects

• Worrisome moods.
• Never sure of objectives.
• Doubts abilities.
• Sees only obstacles.
• May launch into career without due consideration of consequences.
• Over idealistic, fails to see reality.
• Does too much for too little gain, often sacrificing happiness in order to fit in with conditions.
• Taken advantage of, better nature imposed on.
• Suspect associations.
• Hidden facts may come out into the open.

Pluto in 10th House:

This is an important placing for Pluto, especially if it is conjunct the Midheaven. This person needs to be very much emotionally involved in their career, and will undoubtedly seek power of one sort or another. There is much potential here, but it can so easily turn sour if emotions are not positively expressed.

Good Aspects

• Intense interest in the world and how it is run. May like to change things.
• Sees things in black and white, – no grey areas.
• Passionate about the world.
• Either stay in the background quietly simmering away or will emerge as a force to be reckoned with.
• Revolutionary – wants a complete clear out of all that is deemed to be undesirable.
• Intense in choice of career or general aims in life. Steers a single-minded path.
• Will meet some powerful or influential people who could have a profound effect on shaping their career or views about life. They may hold revolutionary views or have the power to change things.

Bad Aspects

• View of the world is cynical or tinged with antagonism.
• Doesn’t like what is going on out there but either back away from getting involved or approaches things too strongly, even impulsively. The dislike of certain aspects of the world may stem from childhood trauma. Manifests today as a fear of those in authority or causes a burning resentment of such people.
• May produce anti-establishment notions or revolutionary thoughts.
• Aims are a battleground interspersed with emotional traumas and dramatic changes in direction.
• May rise high but just as likely fall from grace.
• Too impulsive, even offhand in determination to succeed.
• Subjected to users who will further their own ends then desert caring little for any troubles caused.
• May come into contact with those who abuse their authority and derive pleasure from causing problems.
• They emerge during critical phases when life is changing.
• Feels at the mercy of conditions.

Next: 11th house

what are your thoughts on this house?

Astro Bella

With the tenth house, we move into the last quadrant of the horoscope. This is the least personal quadrant of the chart–relating to our careers and dealings with the public (10th); groups, associations, and societal issues (11th), and altered states of consciousness, dreams, and spirituality (12th).

The tenth house is the home of Capricorn, and like Capricorn, it is ruled by Saturn. It is the last “angular” house, and its element is earth. The primary keywords I use for the tenth house are “profession” and “career.” But I also think of it in terms of “dharma”–the real work we are here to do in this world, regardless of whether it involves monetary compensation. The sign located on the cusp of the tenth house, the planet ruling that sign, and any planets located in the tenth house, indicate the nature and quality of our careers, our interactions with the general public, and the kinds of activities that bring us into the public eye. It can also indicate how we view and react to authority figures in our lives.

I have Leo on the cusp of the tenth house, with Uranus, the Moon, and Pluto all residing therein–an interesting mix! Uranus is conjunct the MC within minutes and indicates that my career path is somewhat unusual and changeable. I periodically go through radical career changes. I started out working with children in the mental health field (my Moon in the tenth is almost exactly quincunx my Mars in Pisces (institutions) in the fifth house (children)). Then I went to law school and landed a good job with a large law firm (my MC/Uranus is trine Saturn in Sagittarius (law) in the second house (money)). Then I had my own practice for four years (the ruler of my tenth is my Sun, which is conjunct the ascendant in Scorpio and squares the MC/Uranus).

How about you? How does the tenth house reflect your career and/or dharma in this life?

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