Would anyone be willing to share their experiences about indicators of vocation in an astrology chart? Both talents/gifts and also ability to earn a living. Where do you look? I would probably look at the Midheaven and the ruler of the midheaven, and  also the tenth, six and second houses, signs & planets therein and rulers of such.

If anyone here has a story about how planets conjunct the MC correspond to vocational leanings I'd love to hear about it.

I still don't know what I want to be "when I grow up". I just know I want to be passionate about it, someday. Merc/Nep on the MC in Scorpio.

I feel you Vajra....I'm still searching for that one thing.  I'm a jack-of-all-trades type....just decent at most things, but not really excellent at one particular thing.  I always bring this up, but the ONE thing I know I'm pretty good at and comes soooo easily to me is motherhood.  My Part of Fortune is in the 5th house?? 

I have always had a deep seated feeling that what I should be doing in life is

1) creative

2) touches peoples lives in some way

My Sun in Leo is in the 10th house

It's nice to be good at mothering, but I'd like to have something seperate from that and where I'd get a paycheck =)

I feel you Vajra....I'm still searching for that one thing.  I'm a jack-of-all-trades type....just decent at most things, but not really excellent at one particular thing.  I always bring this up, but the ONE thing I know I'm pretty good at and comes soooo easily to me is motherhood.  My Part of Fortune is in the 5th house?? 

I have always had a deep seated feeling that what I should be doing in life is

1) creative

2) touches peoples lives in some way

My Sun in Leo is in the 10th house

It's nice to be good at mothering, but I'd like to have something seperate from that and where I'd get a paycheck =)

what is the symbol for part of fortune?

I believe it's the circle with the X in it

...and I don't know why my comments are double posting

Me too - I want to find my creative niche. I remember you saying that on another posting. I'm a sort of a jack of all too - my Mom calls it "the curse of the multi-talented woman".

"curse of the multi-talented woman"

...well that's a nicer way to think about it! =)

Well, the book Finding Success in the Horoscope gives examples of vocational leanings based on the planets. And that guy writing No Nonsense Astrology (on Astro Dispatch) goes into this sort of thing a lot as well.

I don't get it: I have Mars on my MC and I am just not at all attracted to "martial" careers. 

Thanks Jen I will check that out. Out of curiousity, what sign is your Mars/MC in?

shell I have POF in the 3rd (second house if Placidus) what do you think that points too - I can't relate as I don't feel all that drawn to communications and am sort of an introvert. I wish mine was in the 5th - I so want to be doing something creative!

Jilly bulls eyed in a colesseum thread  my former career carving metal prototypes in the jewelry/giftware industry:

<> /Cap in Venus ruled 2nd house trine in the 10th house

<>Also elementary school librarian, current career: MC trine Sun/Saturn in second house where the best part of my day is when I read/tell stories to children: moon/ASC ; North Node in the 9th.<>

my Part of Fortune is conjunct Mercury/Chiron in my 5th House. I've always leaned towards writing. I've had some poetry published and am currently working on a manuscript, about 200 pages in but see a fair bit of work on it yet.

I've done a variety of jobs over the years but what I've done most consistently is work as a bicycle courier. I like being active and hate being in one spot for any length of time~5 minutes in and out of a building suits me perfectly. (Sag ASC; need to moooove)

I have Uranus conjunct my MC and like the weird/quirky/strange/unusual/un-conservative. My co-workers (I've worked at my company for 8 years) reflect this...messengers are weird people, and most people do it because they don't fit into your average workplace and hate being told what to do and have a boss at close range....you just don't see your boss, period. It is also very easy to book time off, which I also like because I travel a lot.

I'm not a messenger, but my job is like yours kash, lots of movement, no boss on site, and am also a writer like yourself--

If my birth certificate is correct, I have gemini at the mc, uranus in the 2nd, jupiter in the 2nd -- not conjunct. Aquarius rules my 6th house, empty except for north node. Part of fortune in 3rd -- ah, gemini's house, makes sense--

Lots of markers, I suppose, for wanting to do my own thing. Offices feel like jail. Need structre though, saturn in my 9th

I probably won't do what I'm doing now in ten years time, but have no idea what I'll be doing instead. Not sure if I'll make a living from writing/teaching then. Wish I knew...

Jenfullmoon: that mars mc could be that you'll be marsy in your career or career pursuit. Or not!

I have sun/sn on the mc in Libra. I do poetry (I have merc neptune in Scorp too Vajra) but my pay-the-bills-career since 97 has been webmaster or webmaster along with sys admin.

The 2 jobs I had before this one I was the IT dept for the organization - did the network, servers, websites, ecommerce, desktop support.

I liked working like that for smaller orgs -   the pressure/responsibility of it. If it works great, yay me, if it's fcked up, oops my fault I'll fix it haha.

Currently I'm just a webmaster but I've been on medical leave for +6 months.

Hey there, another "jack of all trades" type here too (maybe it's that 5th house POF, I have one too!)

I've always been a bit befuddled by what my vocation should be--I actually had one of those astro.com write-ups done recently...I can't remember it much now, because it basically told me what I want to do, something creative and meaningful. Duh. :)

I have a gut feeling that I'm supposed to write...I don't know, it might be the 10th house Mercury. But I don't know what to write yet. 

I have Uranus in Scorpio conjunct MC and I hate, hate, hate offices (much like the one I am temping in right now). They make me physically ill. I am all hopped up on Advil as I type. I went to college for psychology and sociology and I am going to start grad school in the fall, continuing with the "people sciences" and instruction design. I want to go into counselling and eventually become a professor who works from home (distance education is the wave of the future!). But for now, I will work these temp jobs. At least I get to tell myself "It's only for a week".

The physical reaction is probably due to all of the work houses being in water signs. That was something I was told to look at, what is the common element on the 2nd, 6th and 10th houses?

I didn't think about the part of fortune. Mine is in the 3rd in Aries, so forceful communications?

aries are trailblazers, too. dtm!:)

I work in my company's office once a week, but since I'm with freaks it's bearable... 

It's in Leo. I can get the showy aspects of Leo, I just don't see myself going into sports or politics or the military here.

I don't get the "take charge" aspects in my chart, really. I could very well be a screaming psycho dictator if I tried, so I don't and run as hard as I can in the opposite direction. I can't say I understand why anyone wants to be the figurehead/dictator sort other than they enjoy squashing people. I can see why being The One In Charge would make you WANT to squash people, though... Aiee.

I'm still trying to find this myself. After working 7 long frustrating years in an office (in the creative field), I realized that I want the following:

1. Almost ABSOLUTE AUTONOMY aka No boss hovering over me and no employees working under me :P (Aries Sun. 6th house Saturn in Virgo)

2. I want my own business (Capricorn Midheaven).

3. I don't like sitting and working in offices. (Aries Sun)

4. Physical component REQUIRED. (More Aries Sun)

5. I would love to work for the fashion/beauty industry, if possible (Venus in 2nd in Taurus) 

6. Helping/inspiring people through my own creativity. (Leo Mars in 5th conj. Jupiter in Virgo. Also 12th house Aries sun)  

downtomars:

I also get ILL in an office environment. Ugh. Migraines go beyond excessive :( 

I'm a teacher and love working with kids.  Capricorn midheaven, ruler Saturn in the 5th house.  Seems to have worked out nicely.  :)

Count me in as another one who still isn't sure what she wants to be when she grows up.  I'll be 39 next month.  

MC is 15 .  The squares it and trines it.  rules the 6th house and is in the 5th house.

I used to be a secretary (Virgo emphasis and 4 planets in that house), but I was miserable.  With a conjunction, ruling my chart ( rising), and and in that 6th house, I had the skills to do the job, but my personality is ill-suited for a subordinate role.  I was always getting into scrapes with the bosses, even when I wasn't looking for trouble.

I've been told that I should teach (which I didn't want to do because I'm not outgoing at all) or be a librarian.  My is in the 3rd house.  I've always wanted to write, but I'd never be able to support a household on writing in this economy.

So with currently transiting my 6th, and the pressure on me to find a career (I haven't worked in 8 years), I'm at a crossroads, and still confused.

LisLioness:

I TOTALLY feel you on this. I'm an  Asc too with a Mars-ruled chart! Saturn is also transiting my 6th house (and I am also having Saturn Return), so I feel you on the pressure about trying to get a career going. 

I've had a subordinate position for my entire working career and supposedly, I have the astrological aspects for detail work. I always thought I was just meant to be a subordinate until I realized (a few burnouts and many stress-related illnesses later) that the subordinate role was NOT for me!

Would budget permit that you see a career counselor? They might be able to help.  

Hello Vajra, I feel you (still don't know what want to be when grow up) Had a professional one done thanks to Mom about eight years ago. She said would make a fantastic bartender! Am really a huge people person (for work though love alone time too) and have been in many service positions. Get bored easy though (have Moon conjunct Uranus in Libra)....and love the nightlife (not living it as much as working in it). So I think the Astrologer who said that about chart was correct! Am looking for work in bars now, lol. And it feels right in gut! Have Libra/Jupiter on Midheaven...shows indeciveness probably! lol....you just need to pick something that you love or are interested in & go with it. You don't have to grow up totally. Follow your heart! ;-)

Thanks balletlover70. It is not as easy to follow your heart when you have to follow your mortgage payments, lol! But I intend to figure it out someday! Maybe I should be an eccentric artist living in a van, down by the river...

Perhaps I will get a professional one done too - it couldn't hurt!

Lunalie, I would love to see one, except $ is tight again.  We'll survive...we've been through this before, but it's getting tiring.

I also thought about nursing, but hubs is putting up a big fuss.

We completely differ on how we see work.  He says, take any job you can to keep the $ rolling in.  I say, I won't do it unless my heart is in it.  How's that for vs. ?

Not only is transiting my 6th, the clusterfuck () in the 6th is being hit by heavy duty transits.  First , now  , and at the end of the year, will conjunct .  The pressure's only going to get more intense as the latter two transits kick in.  I can't remain in a state of indecision.

I'm at a crossroads too.

Sun and Pluto conjunct MC in Virgo. Mars square MC. Uranus and Pluto conjunct Sun in Virgo.

Guess I could be an energency room Dr. or a serial killer? Too much freaking Virgo. But I'm not interested in typical Virgo professions AT ALL. Nurse? Librarian? Nutritionsit? ICK. Right now I'm a Marketing Manager.

This Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune thing is wrecking havoc in my 3rd house though. Long, long foggy days.

this interesting discussion led me to the astro.com link

http://www.astro.com/astrology/in_vocation2_e.htm

so now i'm doing their reccomendation to see what i come up with and if I feel it meets my needs

thanks, hrae!

I've been thinking about this all day.  I swear the key to my vocation is .

Let's see:  rules the 6th, is trine the MC, is in the 5th with either house system (on the cusp of the 5th/6th with Placidius, clearly in the 5th with Equal).

It's peregrine.  The only aspect it makes is to the MC!  Contrary to what some astrologers believe, I believe unaspected planets "take over" the chart.

I found an ad today for a reporter.  It's full time, and I haven't worked in forever, and not in writing positions--but it can't hurt to send in my resume, right?

No offense to anyone who is in this kind of position, but F secretarial work and F offices.  I can't deal with office politics and jerky bosses again.

I think you should go for it, LisLioness.  You never know where it might lead . . .

Go for it, list...sounds like fate.......

LisLioness:

I know what you mean about you and hubby differing in views. My SO can easily separate work (which he calls, d*ck in the a$$ job) from play and is quite ok doing it. Me, however, I have to feel that I'm thriving. I liked my (soon to be) former profession enough but I HAAAATE the office environment. I just can't sit there, boss checking on me once in a while... ugh!

Gosh those are pretty heavy duty transits, Lis! I have  squaring my sun at the moment and I think this has something to do with vocation. Not to mention the highly activiated sixth house as well! ARRRRGH! 

I was also somewhat of an admin assistant for a while. 1 year for my school's fashion department and a year and a half for a three-person company I worked for in my first few years as a web designer. So imagine designing websites AND doing admin/reception work at the same time!!! ARRR!

I really wish you well in your transits. I really really hope you find your path. Oh and if you haven't yet discovered this, I would say google StrengthsFinder 2.0. Perhaps pick the book up in the library, sign up on their website and do the test. It may give you a bit of insight on your strengths. Heck, I know it did for me. 

By the way Vijra, i did go to college twice (once for Floristry early 20's) & 2nd time last 2 yrs and didn't quite complete part 2 Medical Assisting from local community college. Can't complete until Spring 2010, cuz that's when part 2 offered. It sucks. But s*** happens I guess. So have to do whatever right now & hate idea of it. It could mean working @ Subway sandwhich shop. I have bills to pay. You're not alone! balletlover

I found this site today on vocation. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Here's the link too: http://aliceportman.com/?p=1310

<h2>Your Career in you</h2>
<h2>All practical astrology is a matter of skilled synthesis i.e. the ability to consider a number of factors and put them together successfully.  So when reading the following, bear this in mind.</h2>
<div class="entry">

There are several processes to determine career possibilities:

•      Check out the <span style="color: #000080;">Oriental planet (the planet rising before the Sun) as that planet usually describes the approach to life.  E.g. Mercury oriental describes people involved in communicative areas; Venus oriental describes people who often have an artistic approach to life – or for whom relationships are all important; Mars oriental describes those who have strong drive and a competitive nature  … and so on.  This will be a determining factor in how other energies function.

•      If <span style="color: #000080;">the Moon is involved in the career flow process, then the first planet it goes over after birth will also be a factor to be considered.

•      If a planet involved in the career flow is conjunct the <span style="color: #000080;">Vertex or antiVertex, then it is often the major focus in career, over-riding all other considerations.

<span style="color: #000080;">Angular Planets in aspect to the MC or the ruler of the MC take prominence.

So these are the first considerations to look at in this process.

The career flow process involves the following procedures:

1.      In most western countries and a growing number of other countries the <span style="color: #000080;">MC describes the career. So the first step is to look at the sign, duad and degree of the MC.

2.      <span style="color: #000080;">All planets in close aspect to the MC must be considered a major player in the career.

3.       <span style="color: #000080;">Midpoints involving the MC will affect the career.

4.      <span style="color: #000080;">The ruler of the MC, its house, sign, duad and degree is very powerful.

5.      Following this, the planet that rules that planet is a factor
… and so on, planets that rule any planet in the career flow become a focus.

6.      If any of these planets are in aspect to the MC or ruler of the duad of the MC, they become high focus.  The more of these factors involved, the stronger the planetary focus.  If any of these planets are on an angle they become extremely high focus.

7.      If a planet in the career flow is an oriental planet or the first planet the Moon goes over, then it becomes very high focus.

8.      If a planet is conjunct the <span style="color: #000080;">Sun/Moon<span style="color: #000080;"> or <span style="color: #000080;">Ascendant/MC midpoint and is part of the career flow, then it is very high focus.

9.      Aspects to planets involved in the career flow process are also important.  E.g. a quintile pattern will give a creative or power oriented focus;  a septile pattern will give a searching, other worldly and often quite scientific focus;   dynamic aspects will give drive and ambition; flowing aspects will give a gentler approach.

10.      The career flow process usually gives a number of possibilities.  The long cycles (dashas and Fidaria) will often show when the person will focus on a particular planet.  Progressions and Directions will also show areas of focus at any give time.

To Illustrate I will use the chart of the current President of the USA, Barrack Obama.

<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Oriental Planet:</h3>

Obama has Mercury as his Oriental planet.  This means that he is primarily a communicator.  As Mercury is in Leo his communication will be dramatic and direct.  As it is in the 6th house it will often be about matters of public service.  Mercury is parallel Pluto, the ruler of his MC, giving considerable powers of persuasion and parallel Venus, giving sweetness of speech.  This is brought even further into career focus because Mercury-Venus-Pluto are in a rolling parallel with the IC and contraparallel the MC.

<h3><span style="color: #000080;">The Moon:</h3>

The Moon is an angular planet as it is conjunct the IC and therefore opposite the MC.  The Moon in aspect to the MC indicates someone who can connect with the public.  In the 4th house it indicates that his home and homeland is important.  In Gemini it gives further focus to communication skills.   The Cancer duad of Gemini increases his orientation to home and homeland and his ability to comfortably connect to the public.

The first planet the Moon moves over after birth is Venus.  We have already seen that Venus is important because it is the ruler of the duad of the MC, so the Moon emphasising this planet increases its power.  In Cancer is further ratification of his family, home and homeland orientation and in the 5th house suggests children and creative outlets would be important for him -<span style="color: #00ccff;"> <span style="color: #3366ff;">as an aside, Venus in Cancer is a very female combination of energies and in this 5th house this  has given him daughters.

<h3><span style="color: #000080;">The Vertex axis:</h3>

Obama has Pluto, the ruler of the MC, conjunct the Vertex.  This is a very, very powerful placement and describes a destined career – a vocation rather than just work.  Pluto-Vertex is in Virgo, suggesting that the destined career will involve some kind of service to others.  Pluto has a further increase of power by being in the Scorpio duad of Virgo;  this placement gives a very sharp mind and the ability to penetrate to the heart of a problem, it also gives considerable insight into the motivations of others and an excellent ability for research.   The Vertex, in the Aquarian duad of Virgo. emphasizes a strong social conscience; this combination often gets involved in humanitarian groups or political groups that have the betterment of the human condition as their aim.

Event in 1967, particularly near October 1967, when Solar Arc Pluto moved to conjunct the Vertex, would have set the seeds for his future destiny in his career.

<h3> <span style="color: #000080;">The Midheaven:</h3>

Barrack Obama has a Midheaven of 28Scorpio54.  A Scorpio MC will often draw people to big business, global areas, politics, research and sometime surgery.  Matters to do with power are always important.   The duad, midpoints, aspects and the placement of the ruler of the MC will usually  determine the focus of choice.

If you check the duad table here: <span style="color: #ab69cc;">Duad Table you can see that Obama’s MC is in the Libra duad of Scorpio, bringing an element of negotiation and tactical skills to the career.  This combination particularly gives skill in the public relations side of corporate business.  As Venus is the ruler of Libra, if it appears in the career flow map it will greatly strengthen the placement.

<span style="color: #000080;">Aspects to the Midheaven:

I have already mentioned the <span style="color: #000080;">Moon opposing the MC under The Moon section of this article.

In addition Obama has the <span style="color: #000080;">Moon’s Nodes square the MC, further indicating a strong public focus in the career.  The Nodal axis will often describe working in association with others for a specific purpose.

With both the Moon and its nodes in aspect to the MC we can see that this man has a strong public focus.

<span style="color: #000080;">Uranus is square the MC as well as conjoining the North Node.   In a career Uranus can indicate a desire to radically change a situation.   It always brings the ability for lateral or original thinking and can often describe considerable innovation.  As it is square the MC, this can bring in an element of tension and as it is conjunct the North Node it can describe political associations with an aim to reform existing conditions.

<span style="color: #000080;">Pluto is novile the MC and makes up a midpoint structure of MC = Pluto/Ascendant.  The novile aspects describe an initiation and,  if it passed successfully, considerable benefits.   This novile midpoint structure can give considerable ability to attain power and authority.  It is one of the indications of success in the career, and because it involves the Ascendant, the physical body and personal presentation is a major part of the success.   As Pluto is also conjunct the Vertex, this is part of his destiny.

<span style="color: #000080;">Jupiter is in out of sign sextile with the MC, increasing his ability to be successful, particularly through communication and networking as these are both sextile qualities.

In addition <span style="color: #000080;">Jupiter is parallel the MC, giving good fortune in the career.

<h3><span style="color: #000080;">The Career Flow Chart:</h3>

Noel Tyl describes this as the Midheaven Extension Process.  I use the same principle slightly differently as I include duads, so have decided to call it the Career Flow chart.

It involves a flow from the MC using planets that rule the signs and is as follows:

Obama’s MC is Scorpio;

Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio and in in Virgo, conjunct the Vertex and in the 8th house;

Mercury is the ruler of Virgo and is in Leo in the 6th house;

<span style="color: #000080;">the Sun is the ruler of Leo and is in Leo in the 6th house.

So the career flow stops with the Sun dignified in its own sign.  Any part of the career flow involving the Sun will give some prominence or fame at some time in the life, in dignity in its own sign it gives considerable prominence.

As the Sun is also conjunct the Descendant with a five and a half degree orb it can be considered angular, which gives further prominence.

<span style="color: #000080;">The Sun is in the Capricorn duad of Leo and this combination gives leadership and administration skills.  The combination is particularly oriented to politics and/or corporate administration.

<span style="color: #000080;">The Sun in the 6th house will give a public service orientation to these skills.

So using this method it is quite easy to see why Obama chose a political career which lead him to the Presidency.

<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Timing:</h3>

As the Sun is the final leg of the Career Flow chart, the times when the <span style="color: #000080;">Sun arcs to contact the MC will be a period that is most prominent  in his career.  At the time of Obama’s election to President of the USA, it was at 28 Virgo, sextile the MC.

Secondary Progressed MC was also trine the natal Vertex, indicating a year of destiny in his career.

Obama started his <span style="color: #000080;">Fidaria Sun cycle on 4th August 2005, so we know his period of prominence in his career started with this cycle.  At the time of his election, on 4th November 2008, he was in the Mercury section of his Solar cycle, increasing his powers of communication.

Copyright (C) Alice Portman September 2010

Here's the Duad table link.

http://aliceportman.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Duad-Table.pdf