The Tenth House
There are four houses known as the Cardinal Points and these are the first, fourth, seventh and tenth houses. These four energy channels (Angles) are considered action points in the horoscope. The first house cusp or the Ascendant and the tenth house cusp or the Midheaven also known as the MC are the two most active areas in a natal chart. We will go into more detail on a page which will be titled "Angles" in the near future.
When Transiting Planets cross these areas of life, as all houses define areas of life, events often take place. Now much depends on the planet crossing this area and the energy it represents. Every house cusp defines a particular area of life and these areas of life are enhanced when Transiting Planets or Progressed Planets energy each house, crossing the cusp. The Tenth and First house cusps far outweigh the other ten areas of life represented by each house cusp, although one usually experiences a shift as the Outer Planets cross this threshold.
The Tenth House cusp or the MC describe your occupation and the actual point and ruling sign often is suggestive of the type of work you should be doing in your life. This is not necessarily what you are doing with your life, but definitely what you should be doing with it. When doing an occupational profile this is the first place an Astrologer will look to define what we should be doing with our lives. It should however be pointed out that the Moon’s Nodes are also very indicative of what one should be doing with their life.
The Tenth House deals directly with your worldly ambitions, your outer goals and often portrays the ego and some of its characteristics, although the Ascendant Sign is even more descriptive of this.
When a planet in transit crosses this energy point quite often there are changes to our occupation and our status in life. As the fourth house cusp is always directly in opposition to the MC, when a planet crosses the tenth house cusp it is also in Opposition to the Fourth House Cusp. During these transformational periods, the home and family will also be affected by what is taking place within your occupation.
The sign ruling the tenth house cusp, especially if it is a Cardinal Sign, can depict public recognition, especially if it is in a Cardinal Point which is between 29 degrees of the Mutable Sign before the Cardinal Sign or 0 to 1 degree of the Cardinal Sign. An example of this would be having a sign of 29 degrees Virgo on the MC or 0-1 degree Libra on the MC.
Natal Planets in this house and aspects to these planets can provide an Astrologer with input into how the energy of this house will be relayed to the outside world and if we will have an easy time in work related ways and in our status in life. Frequently, a Gemini or Pisces MC suggests two completely different occupations during the course of our life. It is important, however, to understand the true concept of success as it does not always pertain to worldly success.
In most cases we need Natal Aspects that closely mirror events in the Transiting Planetary Energies for something of significance to happen, but in many cases, even when there is no natal link to Transiting Planets crossing over the MC or the Ascendant, events may still happen.
As suggested, these two areas (MC or Ascendant) are action areas of a chart and very significant when deciphering potential life issues when Transits or Progressions pass over these very important areas of life
