THE 10TH HOUSE

10th House 

• career

• future goals

• status

• authority (including the government)

This is an angular house so it is especially powerful. Transits/progressions to the cusp of the 10th (the MC) can have a major impact on your future and professional reputation. 

Any natal planets, Nodes or asteroids in this house will have a direct bearing on your career path, how you relate to those in authority and how you exercise authority. Having the Sun and/or Moon in this house is often associated with a public profession (celebrities being one example) or those who are in management. A 10th House Sun indicates that your purpose and ego are connected to being the boss or being publicly recognized for your work, and the Moon indicates a need for these things. A 10th House Moon can also indicate that private matters somehow always become public. 

This is the house where power is expressed most directly, so natal Pluto (power, transformation) in the 10th is often seen in the chart of someone who wields a great deal of power (for better or worse) OR someone who is constantly confronted with power plays and dominance from others. Remember, this house is about your authority and your relationship to authority. Natal Venus in this house suggests that professional relationships, or relationships that involve status, are very important. 

Natal Saturn in the 10th indicates that success and ambition will have to be worked for - these things can be built slowly if patience and the confrontation of fears/blockages are implemented. Saturn in the10th also suggests the father was dominant, so his influence will colour your approach to your future. Natal Moon in the 10th indicates the mother's influence will always be prominent. 

If career is a difficult area, consider what's located in the 10th and condition of the 10th House ruler. For example, 10th House ruler in the hidden 12th House indicates that the career path will be atypical and will possibly involve working behind the scenes or having a purpose that goes beyond  money and status. The house position of the 10th House ruler tells you a lot about vocation. In the 7th House, one-on-one connections are important (counselling others could be an option). In the 4th, maybe you're meant to work from home or work with domestic issues. In the 5th-entertainment, children, games. 

If you want:

To boost your chances of career success, look for transits from Jupiter (positive attention from those in authority, positive new career path) Venus (good professional relationships) or Mars (juices up your ambition). Saturn can deliver rewards and increased respect if you've worked hard and you're in the right job (this is often a career peak) but if you've been slacking off or you're not happy with your career path, this can be an ending. The most potent times will be when the transits conjoin your MC. 

Progressed Mars crossing the MC can be a very powerful moment when you access ambition and the courage to forge a new career path. But if mishandled, it can trigger conflict with those in authority. Progressed Moon across the MC can be a peak time for your professional life, or at least a time when you're ready to put yourself out there professionally. When your progressed MC changes signs it often signifies a new career path (the qualities of that path will be reflected in the sign).

To identity a vocation, transiting Saturn in the 10th will define what you can and cannot do. It's not a fun transit but there are usually no questions about what path you should take.  Transiting Uranus can deliver a jolt of inspiration (but can also disrupt a career path that you're not meant to be on via a job loss). Transiting Pluto will force you to look at what you really want to do, and sometimes this can be a bit disconcerting (Pluto can introduce the "death" of current goals that are no longer valid).

Career is not always an issue with this house. It is also the house of status, so if your status is "wife", "father", "caretaker", "bachelor", etc., transits and progressions can influence these things. Divorce or marriage is sometimes seen with transits to the 10th.  The death of a parent or the birth of a child can be seen here too. Think about what your "title" is and how strongly you identify with it.