VOCATION REPORT

 

A Solar Writer Report

for Barack Obama

 

 

 

Written by Brian Clark

 

 

Compliments of:-

 

Awakenings, Inc.

 

PO Box 10672

Prescott, AZ 86304-0672

 

 

Email: awake@cableone.net

Web: www.awakeastrology.com

 

 

Astrological Summary

 

Chart Point Positions: Barack Obama

 

Planet

Sign

Position

House

Comment

The Moon

Gemini

3°Ge21'

4th

 

The Sun

Leo

12°Le32'

6th

 

Mercury

Leo

2°Le19'

6th

 

Venus

Cancer

1°Cn47'

5th

 

Mars

Virgo

22°Vi34'

8th

 

Jupiter

Aquarius

0°Aq51'

12th

 

Saturn

Capricorn

25°Cp19'

12th

 

Uranus

Leo

25°Le16'

7th

 

Neptune

Scorpio

8°Sc36'

9th

 

Pluto

Virgo

6°Vi58'

7th

 

Chiron

Pisces

5°Pi19'

1st

 

The North Node

Leo

27°Le18'

7th

 

The South Node

Aquarius

27°Aq18'

1st

 

The Ascendant

Aquarius

18°Aq03'

1st

 

The Midheaven

Scorpio

28°Sc53'

10th

 

 

 

Chart Point Aspects

 

Planet

Aspect

Planet

Orb

App/Sep

The Moon

Sextile

Mercury

1°01'

Separating

The Moon

Trine

Jupiter

2°29'

Separating

The Moon

Square

Pluto

3°37'

Applying

The Moon

Square

Chiron

1°57'

Applying

The Moon

Opposition

The Midheaven

4°27'

Separating

The Sun

Square

Neptune

3°56'

Separating

The Sun

Opposition

The Ascendant

5°30'

Applying

Mercury

Opposition

Jupiter

1°28'

Separating

Mercury

Trine

The Midheaven

3°26'

Separating

Venus

Quincunx

Jupiter

0°55'

Separating

Venus

Trine

Neptune

6°48'

Applying

Venus

Trine

Chiron

3°31'

Applying

Venus

Trine

The South Node

4°29'

Separating

Venus

Sesquisquare

The Ascendant

1°15'

Applying

Mars

Trine

Saturn

2°45'

Applying

Mars

Semisquare

Neptune

1°01'

Applying

Jupiter

Conjunction

Saturn

5°31'

Applying

Jupiter

Sextile

The Midheaven

1°57'

Applying

Saturn

Quincunx

Uranus

0°03'

Applying

Uranus

Conjunction

The North Node

2°02'

Applying

Uranus

Opposition

The South Node

2°02'

Applying

Uranus

Square

The Midheaven

3°37'

Applying

Neptune

Sextile

Pluto

1°37'

Applying

Neptune

Trine

Chiron

3°17'

Separating

Pluto

Opposition

Chiron

1°39'

Separating

Chiron

Conjunction

The South Node

8°00'

Applying

The North Node

Square

The Midheaven

1°35'

Separating

The South Node

Square

The Midheaven

1°35'

Separating

 

INTRODUCTION

 

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. Work is love made visible.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

 

A Fulfilling Vocation

 

In the midst of our busy lives, worn out by the endless repetition of meaningless tasks, it is difficult to appreciate Kahlil Gibran's poetic image of work as a soul-making sphere. In a technological environment work and soul seem worlds apart. The outer rewards of career - prestige, status, vacations, salary packages, job security - conceal the urge to express soul through our vocation. When we are no longer anchored by values and images that remind us of a meaningful life, emptiness permeates the working atmosphere, contributing to an epidemic of dissatisfaction, depression and insecurity in the workplace.

 

Vocation is from the Latin vocare, to call, and in early English this referred to a spiritual calling. In modern terminology we can conceive of vocation as the calling to one's authentic role in the world. As an aspect of the individuation process, our vocational path is not predetermined but forged through the interrelationship of our inner self with the outer world over time. Carl Jung suggested it was vocation, which induced an individual to follow his own soul and become conscious. He suggested vocation was 'an irrational factor that destines a man to emancipate himself from the herd and from its well-worn paths. True personality is always a vocation'. To follow the voice which summons one on their authentic path demands that the individual be spirited enough to forge their own way in the world. As Jung reminds us, 'Creative life always stands outside convention’. Vocation demands we risk being unique.

 

When you were a child what was your answer when adults inevitably asked 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' As children we are uninhibited in our career choices, not yet influenced by cultural standards and values that judge professions. Still unaware of what work entails, the answer springs from our imagination. How we shape these soulful images of who we may be in the world is our vocation and a large part of the individuation process. These impressions are already inherent in us and often accessible to us through the imagination, and certainly through images in the horoscope. However one of the main obstacles in our vocational search is literality. Mistaking an internal image for a concrete career perpetuates the myth that vocation is something existing outside of us, already established in the world for us to find, not something that unfolds over the course of our lives. The illusion that the right career path, a creative job or our own business will dissolve our job dissatisfaction hinders the discovery that vocation is already present in us.

 

A complexity of external factors influences our career choices: familial awareness, educational opportunities, financial resources, parental support, and encouragement. Role models who we admire as children, experiences that capture our imagination and the breadth of exposure to the world around us impress us. Another major influence on career choice is parental expectations. Whether it is overt or not, we are subjectively influenced by the unconscious expectations of the parents, the ancestors, and the culture. This pressure contributes to moulding our careers whether we yield or rebel to it. Yet instinctively we are drawn to certain courses, beliefs, and theories, experiences that are all part of the process of helping our careers unfold. Ultimately the vocation is like a large tapestry woven with the threads of all of our life experience and choices, not a well-trodden career path with guaranteed superannuation.

 

Unfortunately, vocations do not come with job descriptions, opportunities for promotion or a guaranteed income. No doubt work and career are an aspect of vocation, but we often confuse the longing for self-fulfillment with a literal job. Vocation, like individuation, is a job, it is a task; it is the 'opus' of one's life. Therefore the task of vocation continuously unfolds throughout our lifetime and its success depends on our ability to courageously follow its call. Vocation is an aspect of our fate, a force deep inside that pushes itself to be expressed in the world, therefore is intimately bound up with the course of our lives. Yet because work is how we 'make a living' we often identify work as something we do rather than something we are. Because some professions can bestow such prestige and status we may be drawn to a profession because of what it can offer materially, not creatively. Some careers offer the financial rewards that provide a wealthy lifestyle; however, at a critical point in our lives it becomes evident that career bonuses are never enough if vocational urges are still unmet.

 

A vocational analysis utilizing astrology is very beneficial in revealing an individual's calling. The astrological horoscope does not supply literal details, but it does offer suggestions as to the features necessary to make the vocational journey fulfilling. Vocation may also be found in hobbies, volunteer work, and courses of study, not always presenting in the form of a career. This report will help you to reflect on the qualities of your character that create an empowering effect on shaping a meaningful vocation. Using your horoscope as the personal guide this report will offer suggestions to help you consider a fulfilling vocation. As you read about the vocational images from your own horoscope you will find that many repeat similar themes, reminding you to be alert to these patterns. In other cases you will find that there may be contradictions. Human nature is full of paradoxes and it is of equal importance to have an insight into the nature of our own ambiguities and inconsistencies. This report will introduce you to the archetypal forces that underpin your personal search for a fulfilling vocation.


VOCATION AND DESTINY

 

Vocation is the spine of life

-Friedrich Nietzche

 

The Lunar Nodes

 

Embedded in each horoscope is the archetypal image of the dragon-battle and, as myth reveals, all heroes come across a dragon at some point in their journey. This encounter is a psychological allegory for our battle with regressive urges to do what is expected of us, rather than mustering the courage to follow our own path. Astrologically, it is along the nodal axis where we encounter this dragon, the incentive to confront our own destiny.

 

In considering this axis we can envisage the North Node or Dragon's Head as the calling to be heroic, to develop an identity in the world, or in other words, to follow our vocation. The North Node points to what can be developed through valuing and cultivating innate faculties. The South Node, known as the Dragon's Tail, is the container of talents, skills and aptitudes gleaned from the past, lying untapped and undifferentiated. Without recognition or consciousness they remain stagnant, unable to be directed advantageously. Hence a heroic act needs to dislodge and distribute this energy so it can be of service. In circulating this energy the potentiality of the north node is heightened. Each time this energy is liberated, destiny is petitioned and vocation is more conscious; therefore the South Node is a vital key to unlocking the treasure chest of vocational talent.

 

Another way we could think about the North Node is that it is an invitation to participate and cooperate in the life journey. The North Node is where effort must be exerted. This is an opportunity to learn what needs to be developed and made conscious. For vocational purposes we could view the North Node as a symbol of what demands to be anchored and directed in the world. Unlike the South Node it is not instinctive and therefore needs to be recognised before it can be applied. In striving to realise the potentiality of the North Node, satisfaction and meaning will be derived.

 

The South Node in the opposite sign suggests an innate quality that needs to be disseminated and used freely in pursuit of a vocation. It is providence, a gift of inherited qualities from the past that can be used as resources for the future. The South Node suggests that well developed residues need to be dispersed and shared or they may become entrapping. It symbolises what must be utilised in the conscious attempt to fulfill one's destiny. The South Node acts as a dissemination point for what becomes conscious at the North Node. In a way the South Node brings to mind the need to contribute this energy to the familial and social realms, the world at large. Since this energy is instinctual it is not necessarily always consciously directed or purposefully used.

 

The Lunar Nodes are important to consider in a vocational analysis since this polarity in the horoscope represents an axis of destiny. The issues involved in the nodal axis seek conscious expression and reconciliation, which are often sought through vocation. The nodal axis is intimately connected to the individual's path in life and therefore the nature of this polarity is often drawn into the pursuit of a fulfilling career. The sign position of the nodes reveals an essential aspect of the individual's destiny. The polarity of signs embraced by the North and South Nodes describe important qualities necessary to both develop and disseminate in the vocation.

 

The house position of the Nodes will illustrate the environmental factors that help to shape and influence an individual's destiny. The North Node's house position directs us to be aware of an important arena of our lives. It is important to consciously participate in the area of life described by the house position of the North Node. This is an area where both the inner and outer worlds collude to lead us into an encounter with our destiny. It is a part of life that beckons and invites us into its experiences. Since the North Node is often the place where we momentarily may experience the transcendent and spiritual aspect of the self, its house position maps the place where these experiences happen. The North Node does not have a cumulative effect; in other words experiences at this place are not sequential, but more arbitrary, and may seem to happen out of the ordinary. The random nature of the North Node is more to do with its subjective nature and entanglement with the spiritual world. Hence the house position of the North Node may suggest the setting where the encounter with the spiritual self occurs. The South Node is in the opposite house and may describe a familiar place, an area of safety, and a comfort zone which supplies an anchor. However it is also a place where we can become fixed caught in the safety zone of our complacency. Therefore it suggests an area we must leave to develop and explore our life's pathway. Another metaphor we could use to define the nodal axis is that the North Node is the destination, the station where the path is headed, while the South Node is like the departure point, the station where we embark. The Nodal axis is like a track with the well-worn grooves of the path near the South Node.

 

Combining both factors of sign and house establish a more individual profile of the essence needing to be to recognised and developed to actualise an individual's potential pathway. Planets aspecting the Nodal axis will also demand attention especially if conjunct either pole of the axis. Planets that square the nodal axis suggest the need to incorporate this energy into the vocation. Therefore these planetary placements in reference to the nodal axis will also be analysed. Following is the description of the lunar nodes in your natal horoscope to help you reflect on your own vocational pathway.

 

The North Node is in Leo

You were born with North Node in Leo and the South Node in the opposite sign of Aquarius suggesting that in your pride of lions, your destiny is to have the loudest roar. Your invitation appeals to the aspect of yourself that is playful and childlike, as it through your natural and spontaneous expressiveness that you will become connected to your purpose. Developing creative ideas, performing innovative plays or creating artistic pieces are all avenues to this sense of fulfillment. Virtues ripe for development are loyalty and affection, especially to the inner child, who seeks expression. Inherently you know how to be a team player and support and encourage fellow members, but circumstances may conspire to lead you away from the group and more into the spotlight. With such a strong social conscience and well-developed capacity to be part of a group it is easy to sideline your own creative impulses in favour of communal needs. However, it is important to know that your creative, original focus on your own ideas and projects will be productive and beneficial to the group at large. Vocationally you need to be at the centre, heartened by and 'in love' with the career path you take through life.

 

Lions need to feel they are being recognised for their achievements and need to receive feedback and a form of applause in order to feel fulfilled. Praise goes a long way in encouraging anyone to perform well and in your case it is necessary. Fundamentally you have already developed a solid network of friends, colleagues and acquaintances and they will be on hand to acknowledge you if you let them. With their support and acknowledgement you will brighten the world around you through your innovative personality. Your sense of self-esteem and confidence is probably linked to your vocation; therefore it is important that you have pride in what you do. The need for self-expression and self-promotion in a career is also important. Most probably you will also find that your need for self-discovery and self knowledge is forged through a creative occupation.

 

While you instinctually know how to be a friend it is important to develop your own identity through your vocation. As a colleague and friend you are able to listen to others but it is your creativity that now needs to be identified and demonstrated. So whether you produce your own play, design your own label, or manage your own business, what makes the difference is that your name is attached to the creative output and that it is recognised by others. Specifically you thrive in professions like promoters, teachers, entertainers, instructors, motivators, authors, and actors where you interact with others using your creative skills. At the end of the working day you will need to have felt a response for your creative endeavours, a reflection from the community that your contribution has been valuable.

 

The North Node is in the 7th House

In your horoscope you have the North Node in the seventh house and the South Node in the first. In the horoscope this is the axis of self and other, the delicate balance between being focused exclusively on others as opposed to yourself. Therefore this tug-of-war between you and others is an embedded feature of your vocation. Your chart suggests that you are more inclined to follow your own desires rather than compromise, yet the task in this life is to feel fulfilled and complete in your relationships, be they intimate or business partnerships.

 

To feel that you are an independent soul, free of the need to be involved with others becomes an unhappy deception, as this is based on a false sense of security forged out of a defensive sense of independence. Naturally you do have a strong spirit and a well developed independent streak, but your task now is to place effort and conscious will into relationships. Interestingly your time invested in others will be rewarded with realizations into yourself. The pathway in front of you suggests that the focus on others will bring out more of your own authentic self. Independence, freedom and adventure are innately aspects of your character and therefore you will not be able to lose what you own, unless of course you do not value it. Through relating and the interchange with others you discover the missing link to your sense of selfhood. Therefore in your vocational quest your partners, associates, colleagues and workmates play a significant role. You love a contest and the challenge now is to master relationship. Even when facing your adversaries, your challenge is to find the middle ground through developing reconciliatory strategies. Therefore vocationally you are well suited to managerial and leadership roles, as you have an innate sense of being able to take risks and confront difficulties. Effort is needed to remain focused on others; however, when this is accomplished the mix of entrepreneurial skill and personal interaction contributes to you becoming a leader in your field of endeavour. Interpersonal relationships are the key to your expression of individuality and through your associations you are able to make an impact on the wider community.

 

Chiron is Conjunct The South Node

Symbolically with Chiron near your South Node you come from a lineage of wise ancestors, many of whom you may not consciously be aware of. Deep inside you may sense this. In reality some of the ancestral lines may have been severed so there is no way to confirm this, except through your subjective understanding of healing. What you intuitively know needs to be shared even at the risk of feeling alienated or marginalized. Your feelings of estrangement stem more from realising your vocational place is not in the corporate or traditional world. However it does not mean that you cannot complement this world. In fact this is your vocational task - to be able to express the call to be a healer in the way you need to, not in the ways set out by others.

 

This placement suggests you may have a natural diagnostic ability, understanding the source of illness and wounding. It is important to respect this gift and cultivate it in your career. You may feel you have a calling for the healing or therapeutic professions yet hold yourself back because you are acutely aware of your own wounds and disorders. However, since antiquity healers have understood that they are called to their profession because of their own wounding. And ironically while they are able to soothe the sores, apply the ointment and nurse others back to health, they often are unable to do this for themselves. It is through the acceptance of your own troubles that you find the courage to help others. Whatever courses this healing or helping takes, you are able to understand the depth of human suffering because of your own. Therefore it is unwise to hold yourself back from your own destiny because you feel unworthy. It is because you feel unworthy that you are called to be a healer.

 

Uranus is Conjunct The North Node

With Uranus on your North Node you are familiar with the pull towards the unusual and non traditional. In a vocational sense this implies that your career path may be somewhat different than your school mates, friends and social acquaintances. You are invited to take the road less travelled and while it may not be the easiest or the best known, nonetheless it suits your calling to adventure. Imagine your career path like a fast-moving conveyor belt of which you are never certain where or when it will stop. And when it does it will be with a jolt and unexpectedly you may be whisked off again. So using strategy to plan your next career move may not always be wise as life's roller coaster has many surprises in store.

 

You are moved by the Promethean spirit that wants to revolutionize the world, whatever that world is. You reach out to something greater to inspire you and hence your vocation is never static, but always growing and changing. As a spokesperson of the future you may be involved with new ideas that reshape the world around you, innovative technologies that take you beyond the limits set down by previous generations. Whatever your chosen path you put your own individuality and uniqueness into whatever you do. While you work best independently, you seek your tribe in like-minded revolutionaries. Providence provides you with a circle of colleagues and contemporaries who can inspire you and help you, as you are destined to be part of a larger trend and movement, even if you do feel solitary. Uranus's invitation is to be heroic enough to step outside the box and explore the margins, as it is on the fringe or what is outside convention where you will find vocation's call. As a visionary you are called to modernize your world with your innovative, inventive and original ideas.

VOCATION AND DIRECTION

 

Many are called, few are chosen: many have talent, few have the character that can realise the talent. Character is the mystery, and it is individual.

- James Hillman

 

The Ascendant and Angular Planets

 

From the moment of your first breath, your fate was sealed. The Fates that spun the thread also measured its length and then cut the cord to free the spirit. The patterns woven at birth by the Fates were embedded in the soul and it is these soulful designs that have become the template for your human journey. Your genesis is a map for your life. This map is the horoscope, a vibrant multi-layered design of character, potentialities and persuasions.

 

This moment of birth has defined your orientation to life through four directions known as the angles of the horoscope. Like a compass pointing you along the right path, each one of the four angles plays a major role in defining the direction of your life. Direction and vocation are entwined as along the angles we find the course of our lives.

 

Your four angles form two planes of experience. The first plane of experience is your individual and personal orientation to the world detailing your personality, your outlook on life and your natural inclination towards partnership. This is the angle of the ascendant, the degree of the zodiac rising at the moment of your birth. This helps describe your motivation to life and therefore what personal traits you can bring to your vocation. The polar position on this plane is known as the descendant, the degree of the zodiac setting on the horizon when the Fates cut the cord. Here the astrologer reads the patterns and potentialities of merging your personality with a soul mate. In a vocational analysis this is also important to read in terms of co-operation with others.

 

The second plane of experience is an inherited view of the world, shaped by ancestry and familial lines. Along this polarity of angles you experience the impact of your family or origin on your direction as well as the expectations and influences placed upon you. Embedded in this plane of experience are familial patterns and fate shaping your direction and vocation. The angle of the IC reveals the atmospheric conditions of your early familial experiences while the opposite angle suggests your destiny in the world, strongly influenced by parental and societal expectations.

 

Therefore to familiarise yourself with these influences will add to your understanding of vocation. The ascendant marks the birth point and is metaphoric of your natural disposition and outer image. This describes your natural outreach and personality traits that are spontaneous; in fact this is the person we first meet, the face turned out towards the world. However in the natural wheel of the horoscope the sign on the ascendant is at odds with the signs that rule the cusps of the houses that describe vocation. Therefore as a more integrated self begins to emerge we often experience what we do in the world to be in conflict with whom we feel we are. This is a human challenge to learn to adapt your personality to your vocation. Following is a description of the signs on this axis. Reflect on how these qualities might need to be utilised and adapted to your vocation. If you have a planet that was rising or setting at your birth then this energy needs to be acknowledged as a powerful guide and influence on your vocational path.

 

Each angular planet could be seen as a guiding force, a daimon or soul force seeking expression through you. If you have more than one angular planet they will have different needs and likely will contradict or conflict with one another. The key as always is to find the right time and venue to be able to express both as fully as possible.

 

1st House Cusp is in Aquarius

What is it about you that makes you stand out from the crowd? Or people remark that there is something different about you. This may be as simple as something unique in your physical appearance, or the fact that you are a complex person, an enigma. An astrologer would suggest that this is because your Aquarian rising sign infuses your personality with these distinct qualities. Aquarius is the sign of both the nonconformist and the humanitarian and therefore these qualities permeate your personality right from birth. You don't do things just because you are supposed to, but you also have a high regard for others. Whether through circumstance or your innate character you have always been independent and experimental and this has given you an ability to feel separate and non-attached. From an early age you were used to change, especially sudden changes in atmosphere and security, leaving you feeling that it was best not to get too attached to the way things were. But vocationally this may be quite different, as you might discover your urge to be involved and deeply connected whether that is through your creativity or your compassion. While you might have to confront your urge to be separate in your vocation, being different and one of a kind adds to your rate of success. On your career path you are challenged to not let your independence spirit and rebelliousness interfere with being devoted to what you do. Through giving yourself to what you do, you find your creative talents.

 

While Aquarius is rising, Leo is setting and the other half of the equation suggests that you are attracted to the confident and creative qualities of others. Relationships help you become more connected to your own self-expressiveness and single out your own unique talents. It is important that you do not get stuck in being the admirer of others' talents and skills, but be inspired to discover your own. Others will help draw you out enough to help you find your own creative flair as well as the urge to improve and work with it.

 

The Sun is Opposite The Ascendant

You were born at Sunset when dusk brings a more settled and quieting atmospheric change. You might be more inclined to see creativity, confidence and self-concept in others before you are able to see it in yourself. Therefore you might discover that the creativity and identity you see clearly in others is a reflection of your own. This means that the process of relating will be important to you and the many creative people you befriend belong to your tribe. Relationship and partnership will be keys to feeling fulfilled in the world.


VOCATION AND CHARACTER

 

Character is fate.

- Heraclitus

 

Considering the Sun and Moon

 

Whatever Heraclitus meant two and a half millennia ago is a mystery. However, this phrase has captured philosophical attention ever since, as its truth is evident. We do contribute to our fate through forging our character. It is that personal mix of our habits, rituals, values, beliefs, ideals and morals that all inform our character and contribute to our deeper layers of personality. Through time these become forged into who we are; our character becoming our fate. While the world may acknowledge our achievements from work well done, our greatest success lies in self-fulfillment and the satisfaction of a life well lived

 

Again the astrological horoscope becomes a useful guide to understanding personality characteristics that shape character. Astrologically the three aspects of your horoscope, which are the most relevant in considering your own individual character, are the Ascendant, which we have explored in the last section of this report, and the Sun and Moon. Character is fate and expressed through our life journey. Through examining your Sun and Moon it becomes clearer what you need to identify with and need on your vocational path, and therefore what is necessary to develop and nurture in character. Your Sun sign reveals the virtues that are part of your potential character while the Moon sign suggest what needs are important for you to feel safe in the world. Each individual's character is unique and your description of the Sun and Moon sign will be personalised through other astrological factors. However this is an entrée to begin to consider the virtues and needs of your character.

 

THE SUN: Virtues of the Essential Self

 

In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted.

- C.G. Jung

 

The Sun is the central focus of its system and therefore represents a multi-dimensional symbol. On one level it is the essential self and the twelve signs of the zodiac, which mark its apparent path through the heavens, represent spiritual concepts and virtues. Each sign characterises qualities of the human spirit. To the ancients the path of the Sun in the sky was akin to the hero’s journey and each sign designated a heroic labour. Astrologically we can present a case for each one of the twelve signs represents a soul state. Therefore when we are in touch with the virtues underpinning our Sun sign we become closer to its spiritual essence and feel closer to the true self. Psychologically this suggests a more soulful and meaningful experience of who we are.

 

On the other level the Sun is symbolic of our identity, the passport of the self. Of course one of the important considerations of identity besides sex, age and nationality is profession. The Sun is essentially what we might identify as important, what helps us feel vital and good about ourselves. The Sun suggests what we may be skilled at. It might not be easy at first, but as we grow we naturally become more aware of our solar impulse. Therefore in many ways the Sun sign helps shape the vocation, as it hints at what is important to be identified with and qualities that help us excel.

 

The Sun is in Leo

Having your Sun in Leo, a fixed fire sign, suggests the traits of being constant, enduring and warm-hearted. Fixed fire conjures up the image of a fireplace, a location where the power of fire can be contained, whether raging in a hearth or softly twinkling on a candle. Like this metaphor you have the ability to emanate warmth, personality and charisma when your passionate feelings are tempered and focused. These fires are your creativity and your creative act is to explore and discover the self. Being affectionate, tender and hospitable, you are endowed with the spirit of generosity.

 

Being loyal and protective are your strong virtues. You demonstrate this through your allegiance to those you befriend and a fidelity to those you love. Astrologically Leo is associated with the heart, a central focus in the body. Therefore your focus is the heart and you have the ability to radiate warmth for yourself and others in your atmosphere. Anias Nin suggested that when she cast her own warmth around her it was reflected in others, a great truism for Leo.

 

As the archetypal father, king of the pride or queen of the parade you'll often find the archetypal Lion at the centre, on the seat of power. While you might fantasise it is a throne, it is more likely that yours will be the teacher's seat at the head of the class, the director's stool in front of the action or the psychiatrist's chair opposite your client. Your vocation inspires others to become their true self, encouraging them to be creative and playful. You can embody both the serious and the playful professional. Ironically while you can be dignified and powerful, you also have a healthy inner child who balances the serious sides of life with amusement and frivolity. It is your lion heart, who best know how to play, find amusement in the humourless, and irreverence in formality. Therefore while you might aspire to greatness you don't want to be precious. Wisdom without humour, truth without wit or status without integrity is antithetical to your nature.

 

While you are responsive to others, in your own heart you know that you cannot remain true to others without first being true to yourself. You instinctually know that being true and constant begins with it the difficult task of creating an honest relationship with yourself. This often means you need to be candid about your vulnerabilities, sincere about your fears and straightforward about your motives. Hence your honour in being genuine allows you to shine. Your heroic journey begins with acts of self-disclosure, a vulnerable act that softens your heart to express love easily and authentically. Again Anias Nin described this truth when she remarked that when you possess light within you will be able to see it externally. The possession of the heart light is your gift but its great virtue is keeping it alight through acts of loyalty and fidelity. To find your vitality and spirit and to feel soulful in the world you need to strive to find creativity, generosity, joy, loyalty, affection, and optimism in your occupation.

 

THE MOON: Caring for Your Soul

 

Care of the soul asks us to observe its needs continually, to give them our wholehearted attention.

-Thomas Moore

 

The Moon is the archetype of care and nurture. From a general overview the Moon reveals what needs are important to satisfy in our vocation. The Moon sign can help to identify what basic requirements are necessary to care for the soul at work. In a vocational capacity the Moon corresponds with the nurturing professions and if the individual is drawn to one of these professions, the Moon sign helps to differentiate what kind of caring could suit its temperament. The planetary sign acts as a filter for the archetypal urge when it seeks expression through the vocation.

 

The Moon is in Gemini

With your Moon in Gemini, you need to be stimulated and mobile. Your need for variety, change and as little routine as possible is important in order for you to feel motivated and switched on. Quite naturally you often are involved in many tasks at the same time and have an uncanny ability to be able to apply yourself to each one without losing your momentum. Being quick and agile you make connections very easily, thinking best when you are on the move or in between two places. Just as you are crossing the road, answering the mobile or falling asleep is when you have your best ideas. Therefore it is important for your vocation to have flexibility and fluidity in managing your time and output as well as the freedom to communicate. You naturally prefer a range of tasks; at heart you are a born communicator and messenger with an abundance of ideas.

 

From an early age you were mobile and talkative off to explore the sights of sounds of the surrounding neighbourhood. Curious and inquisitive you wanted to report what you saw. Instinctively you are a reporter and at some time might have given thought to becoming a journalist, writer, lecturer, teacher, or translator. While your path might have meandered in another direction, your soul needs to communicate and connect. So if you are bored or restless at work this may be a sign that you are not following your true calling and that you need to re-consider your career options. You love to learn in your own way and figure things out. Soul can express itself through your hands making you a natural at drawing, graphics, playing the guitar or piano, or using them to heal. While it is not easy to express your feelings you need to find the venue for their expression in the everyday through words and images.

 

If you are drawn to the nurturing professions then your Moon in Gemini would lean towards both learning and care, such as in speech therapy, teaching, NLP, teaching, improving memory.

INCOME

 

The worth of someone is deeply tied to images of destiny, the twists and turns of fate, and the wheels of fortune. The same is true of money. Our relation to money is our relation to fate.

- Russell A. Lockhart

 

The Rich Resources of Your Life

 

Traditionally the second house is associated with money and the accumulation of assets. In a vocational sense the 2nd house details our earning capacity, income and resources. Psychologically this is the sphere where self esteem and personal values are shaped by our early experiences. It is where we learn what is ‘mine’, how to share, trade and exchange articles of value. Self worth, the impact of familial values, the substance and significance we place upon our efforts, income received or value returned are all intimately interwoven into the fabric of this house. In the modern climate of the corporate world, pay replaces satisfaction in the workplace; yet the secret of the 2nd house is that fulfilment is intimately tied to the expression of our skills and resources, not wages. Having found the wellspring of our talent, money follows. Pleasure is experienced through apprenticeship and mastery of our skills and talents, not through economic management.

 

The second house suggests innate resources, which can be developed and valued. In a literal sense these are ‘traded’ for income or other rewards which support us in the world. This area suggests our innate strengths, skills and talents that must be utilized in earning our living. Psychologically these are our personal assets and resources, which sustain and support us in our career. Talent not only refers to our natural abilities and capacity for success, but also in ancient times was a weight of gold or a monetary unit. The secret of the 2nd house is to recognize that it is our innate talents and skills that bring our wealth and living. This house also describes what we value and also what gives us value. In a way it describes what we like to do. Consider what you appreciate and desire. Your 2nd house is indicative of what you desire and planets in this house reveal what you might attract because of your values and desires.

 

The sign on the cusp of the house symbolizes aspects of the assets you need to use in a resourceful way. The sign suggests what needs to be valued in your vocation, the natural style of earning an income, as well as your attitudes towards wages and money. 2nd house planets reveal the earning style and literally may suggest how you earn your living or your patterns and relationship to money and possessions. These are the archetypal urges needing to be expressed in a skilful and resourceful way in your career. Planets here are the forces that shape your sense of worth and value and help you tap into your innate resources. It is important that you use these skills and resources in supporting your own sense of self-esteem. Symbolically, understanding this archetypal presence in your life can help unravel any damaging patterns that support an impoverished sense of self or a disapproving attitude towards money and possessions. Forging an alliance with this energy helps you create a supportive and positive approach to your sense of worth which in turn influences the way the world values you.

 

2nd House Cusp is in Pisces

The sign Pisces is on the cusp of your 2nd house, revealing ways to enhance self-esteem and personal worth. The sign also suggests what you intrinsically value and appreciate. Energetically Pisces is more selfless and otherworldly than most signs. When placed on the 2nd house cusp it brings its magical and chaotic energy into the sphere of financial stability, economic management, earning ability and resources. When we analyse the combination at face value, it appears a mismatch; therefore the secret of this combination is to recognise your unique resources and different approach to cash flow. First, income and cash flow may not earned in the usual way. Second you have an intuitive knack for making money and thirdly and most surprisingly you seem to have more resources when you are investing your money and talent creatively or compassionately. You might feel money is mysterious; there one minute, gone the next. It is important for you to cultivate a fluid relationship with money and resource, not holding fixed or idealistic views about wealth.

 

Poverty is shocking and shameful in our contemporary world. But in other eras, initiates in a sacred profession would make a personal vow of poverty and ironically participate in collective abundance. In this way poverty was a state of mind, which suggested the relinquishment of personal gains for the communal good. It was an ideal of a spiritually rewarding life. Like your medieval ancestors you may also feel confused, overwhelmed or even unattached to money. However it is imperative to reflect on your attitudes towards possessions and money, as you are susceptible to carrying idealistic values which in the end may actually be more costly than rewarding. You do not need to transcend wealth or your desire for it, but participate in letting money have meaning for you in this life. Your values may be compassionate, otherworldly and support the underdog, but this does not mean that you need to sacrifice your values and resources. You make money artistically. While this may be literally so, it is also a metaphor. You are creative in what you do and what you value. Living creatively also suggests a unique experience of worth and value.

 

It is the spiritual and creative qualities that you need to value in order to provide yourself with a sense of personal security, self-esteem and reward. Your compassionate, intuitive, receptive side needs to support the breadwinner. Vocationally this could also suggest it is your artistic or mystical side that you value most. Called to a caring or creative vocation you may be destined to struggle with feeling valued and rewarded, both psychologically and financially. But your talent, artistic and imaginative faculties provide you with enormous pleasure and when you participate fully with these you do find that life provides exactly what you need. Your struggle is to make your skills and talents visible. If your talents are invisible to others it is up to you to showcase them.

WORK

 

All work is a vocation, a calling from a place that is the source of meaning and identity, the roots of which lie beyond human intention and interpretation.

- Thomas Moore

 

The Labours of the Sixth House

 

Astrologically, the sixth house is an eclectic territory associated with many facets of daily life. All these components of the sixth house suggest everyday routines that are necessary to maintain order and coherence in order to contain the chaos of life. The sixth house recommends ways to remain focused and cantered. When we lose touch with this thread of continuity, chaos fills the void with stress, loss of direction and purposelessness. The 6th house also indicates the areas of the body susceptible to carrying the stress when work is not nurturing or fulfilling. When we are not able to en-soul our everyday life with our work, then we are reminded of our distress by complaints of the body and the mind. Literally work makes us sick.

 

Vocationally the 6th house symbolizes what is compatible with our nature and what we need in our work to feel fulfilled, therefore less stressed. Traditionally the 6th house describes occupation; it illustrates the routine conditions of the job, the daily responsibilities and activities involved in performing job tasks that contribute to personal satisfaction. It also describes the atmosphere and those who share the workspace. Astrological wisdom has always suggested that work and well being are one and the same; to be well we need work that suits our soul. However, 6th house issues can become confused. In our workaday world often duty replaces satisfaction, the process of work is sacrificed for outcome, and ritual becomes obsession. The work instinct is to be productive; however when this turns to duty or perfectionism the enjoyment of work is lost. Analysing the 6th house reveals the most satisfying work environment and routines, and profiles the most rewarding way an individual can be employed. The 6th house is often referred to as a house of service. However, it is where we best serve ourselves through the quality of our employment.

 

Following is an analysis of your 6th house as described by the sign on the cusp and any planets that occupy this sphere. You will be able to maximize your fulfillment with work by recognizing the routines and tasks that are incompatible with your temperament and therefore create stress. Through becoming aware of daily rituals that support your natural disposition you will feel more satisfied and rewarded by your job. The sign on the cusp of the 6th house is the first clue to rewarding work. Planets in the 6th house are archetypal energies that need to be accessed daily and integrated into your lifestyle. They are life forces that you are fated to meet in the world of work and vocation. In a perfect world we would use them productively through our daily tasks and labours, giving them an expression in the continuity of our daily rituals. Metaphorically work is the way we honour the archetypal force that underlies the planetary expression.

 

6th House Cusp is in Cancer

Cancer is the sign on the cusp of your 6th house. This sensitive sign describes what you need in the routine conditions of your job in order to feel contented, suggesting that the home is brought into the sphere of work. Literally this could suggest that you create a nurturing environment in your workplace, supporting and mentoring others. Psychologically you need to feel strongly attached to your job and that you derive a great deal of emotional and personal security from your work. You bring a sense of loyalty and humanness to your working environment. At work your family are your co-workers, as it is very important to have an emotional connection with those who share your workspace. Another possibility is that work and family and entwined, working in a family business or with a family member, or employed in a similar profession to a parent. However this manifests, destiny suggests you need to feel attached to work environment. Belonging is intimately bound up with work and it is through your everyday routines that you find your sense of emotional security and a place to belong.

 

Support, closeness, caring and empathy are attributes that you need in your working routine. Therefore it is not surprising that you may be drawn to social work, family therapy, child care, nursing, health related professions, childhood education, as all these occupations provide an environment where the human spirit can be dedicated to the nurturing and care of others. This may not be literally manifest as a career; however, what is necessary is that your working environment is one that nurtures and supports you allowing you the opportunity to be open and receptive. What is paramount in your daily routines is that you are able to feel needed and supported in what you do.

 

If you lack a sense of safety or emotional connection to your work or the people you work with, then it is likely that you become moody, sensitive or overly dependent, reacting negatively to the environment and those in it. Stress is expressed through your moods, which you may withdraw into feeling unwell and unappreciated. It is in the solar plexus where you feel the discomfort. A stomach-ache, feeling nauseous or an upset tummy is symptomatic of discomfort in the workplace. Make sure you take care of yourself in the work place by providing a safe and nurturing environment for yourself. Your chart strongly suggests that it is important you look after your needs in daily work routines.

 

The Sun is in the 6th House

You have the Sun in the 6th house which suggests that energy directed towards well being, work and identifying the compatible components of an everyday life are important to you. The Sun shining in your 6th house suggests that it is important your identity is reflected in what you do. Therefore work is the sphere of your life where you are most likely to come face to face with yourself. Think of your workplace as your playground, your studio or a theatre where you get to play the biggest role of your life. Through work you are able to build your identity, forge the confidence in your own capabilities and find a sense of fulfillment.

 

The Sun being in the work sector of your horoscope suggests that your occupation is vital to your well being and integral to your sense of growth and confidence. It is important that you find work where you can excel and be recognised for your capabilities. Your work becomes a vital aspect of your life as it is the sphere where you will forge your identity and self esteem, growing in confidence and capability as you develop. Therefore it is necessary to find roles where you are able to feel fostered and directed by a strong manager who is able to give you direction and acknowledgement. But be alert to confusing your boss with your father; he or she are not the same person. Favouritism may be a theme in your work place; whether it is you or your co-workers who are favoured, this complex may fuel dissension with others less favoured or who feel under acknowledged. Therefore it is best to be aware of this and remain detached from any office popularity contests. You work well given a task, a deadline and a goal, improving your skills on the job as you go. You need to be useful, scheduled and discipline; hence destiny may lead you in the direction of the service industries, analytical occupations or work connected to health and well being.

 

Work is a highly creative place for you as this is the forge where you temper your sense of who you are. It is important for you to be successful in your work and take pride in what you do. Therefore if you do not identify with what you are doing, are not feeling acknowledged or cannot find your reflection in your work, then you may be easily depleted and burnt out. Ironically working gives you energy and vitality when you are connected to what you do; without this identification to your work, you feel rudderless and direction-less. However it is also important to shine where you are and find the courage and confidence to stand up for yourself in the working environment. Your task is to put your own label on what you do. Make your own mark on the workplace by creating an impressive imprint; remember work is the arena where you develop your personality and image. Your position may not yet be created therefore it is up to you to start to create the position that you would like to fill.

 

Because your chart suggests the need to be personally involved with work, you may be drawn to occupations, which showcase your creative abilities. You are inherently good at managing and producing yours and others creativity. However, you also have an untapped patience and dedication, which you can focus on what you are doing. Often this means you may apply yourself to a task and become so involved you lose some perspective on other areas of your life. Therefore it is wise to remember balance in your daily regimen. Your destiny is to be identified for what you do and therefore it is very important that you recognise the value and fulfillment of work. The secret of your success is your ability to be identified with your job. When you do, others will see what you are capable of and marvel.

 

Mercury is in the 6th House

Multi-faceted Mercury is in your 6th house; therefore the fleet-footed messenger of the gods urges to be integrated into your lifestyle. In other words Mercury is an important aspect of your character that needs to be part of your daily life; therefore it is imperative that you find flexibility and freedom of movement in your job.

 

When you enter the sphere of work the spirit of Mercury comes to the fore. Bright, social, communicative, adaptive are only a few Mercurial traits which come alive through engaging with work. Whatever your job entails, it is important that your analytical, communicative and organisational skills are utilised. No matter what your position you are the central link in the chain of command, as well as a clearinghouse for news and gossip. You have the ability to get the message through to whoever needs to hear it. So whether you are a personal assistant advising the boss, a news reader, a gossip columnist, teacher, interpreter, writer or graphic artist, your message needs to be delivered. Your role in the office may be the one who is in contact with everyone. Often you may either be the youngest or the last one to join the work team. Certainly you bring new, innovative and fresh ideas and energy to your workplace.

 

In an information-orientated culture you are thriving. Working in IT, developing ideas, writing, lecturing, passing on information are all akin to you. Therefore there is a long list of occupations that suit your quest for analysing information and promoting ideas: accounting and economic analysis, advertising, computer work, editing, information technology, interpreters, journalists, librarian, postal worker, radio announcer, script writer, statistician, the media, the list is endless. However, what is certain is that you need to be mobile, interactive, and not tied down to a desk. If you do not have enough room to breathe or move you become anxious and overwhelmed. The nervous system bears the brunt of the stress and nerves become frayed.

 

Your tendency is to become disembodied at work, so carried away with the task at hand that you might forget to eat regularly, take a break or just get out for some fresh air. When this occurs, you run the risk of becoming frayed and anxious. Your mind is racing with all the things that need to be done and they all feel as if they must be done now. And if you find yourself being bored then you are definitely in the wrong place. Part of being successful at work is being in tune with your body and what it needs. Be careful not to overtax the system by doing too much, being too scattered or not getting enough rest. It can wait.

PROFESSION

 

Every man has is own vocation; his talent is his call

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

The Status of the Tenth House

 

The cusp of the 10th house is the Midheaven, the highest point on the ecliptic at our moment of birth. Its elevation in the horoscope suggests a complex of factors: it is the most public area of the horoscope and represents our relationship to and experience of the world; this represents the goal posts which are not only set by ourselves but have been put in place by our ancestors; the MC and 10th house represent the parental expectations and values influencing our career choices. Therefore the 10th house is a very important sphere in considering a fulfilling vocation. In essence it suggests our fate in the world.

 

Traditionally the 10th house is associated with career. Since career suggests a course of one’s life, the 10th house will play a prominent role in helping to navigate the career path. The 10th suggests where we need to find our authority and autonomy in the world and where we strive to be successful. As the peak of the horoscope the 10th house suggests what we would like to achieve in our relationship with the world. It also suggests the public sphere and how we are recognized in that sphere, either through our professional titles, our achievements or contributions. It is in this arena where we strive to contribute to the world in our own unique way

 

The sign on the cusp of the 10th house (the Midheaven) suggests the career paths which may be fulfilling and lead to success. The sign also indicates what we want to achieve and where we need to strive for authority. Planets in the 10th house are in the public sphere and seek to be expressed through vocational pursuits and are also heavily influenced by both parental and societal expectations. Planets in the 10th house are the archetypes encountered along your professional path. They represent both resources and challenges met in the career as well as characterize images of a fulfilling vocation.

 

10th House Cusp is in Scorpio

With Scorpio on your Midheaven, you need to be deeply and intensely involved with what you do. Vocationally you need to be occupied with what is crucial and important, to be able to feel you can get to the core of your tasks and uncover and expose what needs to be changed. Therefore careers that involve crisis management, repair and renovations, or careers where rebuilding and transforming the old is important, appeal to you. However you may also be drawn to a range of therapeutic professions that enable you to delve deeply into yourself and others to uncover negative patterns from the past. Your temperament allows you to be able to bear what others find difficult; therefore you might find your nature is sympathetic with to the healing and therapeutic vocations. Your intimate understanding of the cycle of life and death heightens your ability to work with crisis, near death experiences as well as frightful and difficult rescue situations or investigations. Forensics, criminal investigation, medical research, trauma counselling, palliative care are all areas that might suit this image vocationally.

 

Scorpio's need to be intimate is important to honour in vocation since you need to trust those you work with and for. You need to feel you can count on others as well as be counted on. In a work partnership you are able to accomplish something with a partner that you could not do yourself, something generally valuable and transformational. Therefore it is important to recognise your potent contributions in and vocational partnership. You have an innate ability to draw out the resources of others and utilise them for a beneficial outcome. However the key to any partnership is trust. And if you can be met equally on that intense and intimate, then the horizon of possibilities is endless. If you feel your depth is unmet or unacknowledged then there may be mistrust, suspicion, even jealousy and intimidation in the work atmosphere.

 

While the need to partner is important, you also need your time alone. You are able to work effectively on your own and accomplish important tasks by yourself, but you are most effective when you feel entrusted by those you work with and empowered by management. Your ability to focus is high and therefore you can become skilled at research and investigative work, utilising your natural instincts and intuition for a positive outcome. Completion is also important for you and therefore vocations that are highly changeable might not suit you.

 

Power is an archetypal issue suggested by this placement therefore professions, which are influential and transformational may play an important role in your career. If you feel dis-empowered in your career this may be transferred onto power struggles with superiors, office politics and betrayals or power issues in the atmosphere. It is important to know that you are trusted to perform your duties. At the end of the day you need to be able to have got to the heart of a situation and transformed it.

 

The Moon is Opposite The Midheaven

At your birth the Moon was at the lowest part of your chart suggesting that you have a strong attachment to your family. However, this astrological statement does not suggest how this bond feels for you, except that it strongly influences your sense of safety and feelings of belonging. For success in your vocation you need to feel nurtured, cared for and secure enough in yourself to feel you a vital part of the system. Deep inside you have the emotional fortitude to support this.


CONCLUSION

 

'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.'

-Robert Frost

 

A Considered Vocation

 

Fulfillment in the world is more a product of who we are, not what we do. Our vocational nature implies a path of individuation, a road 'less traveled by', and in some ways, a road still under construction. Hopefully this astrological consideration of your vocational potentialities has helped you reflect on a fulfilling career path.

 

Astrological consideration of a vocation also needs to be placed in the context of the life cycle. Adolescents greatly benefit from a traditional examination of the vocational patterns in the horoscope to help confirm and inspire their career plans. However in adult years, especially when on the verge of mid-life (36+), the urge to find meaning and purpose through vocation is more the issue. Vocation is a lifelong task and one that is at the heart of the individuation process and the lenses through which we view vocation need to be re-examined and rechecked at every new stage of the life cycle.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Brian Clark is the co-founder of the Chiron Centre, a multi-disciplinary centre in Melbourne, Australia where he is one of the main tutors of a four year program in applied astrology. This comprehensive program is also available by distance learning (www.AstroSynthesis.com.au). He has written numerous articles on psychology, mythology and astrology, is a contributing author to Intimate Relationships (Llewellyn: 1991), the author of The Sibling Constellation (Penguin: 1999) and Celestial Tarot (U.S. Games, Inc. 2006), as well as a series of astrological publications for students published by Astro*Synthesis. His books and articles have been translated into Japanese, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Dutch. Brian also teaches mythology for the Nexus program, co teaches a course on Tarot and leads tours to the sacred sites of ancient Greece through Odyssey. Brian also lectures internationally. He has a private counselling practice utilising astrology from a psychological perspective. He has his Masters in Classics and Archaeology from the University of Melbourne.

 

 

 

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