The 6th House of Your Natal Chart

The 6th House of your natal chart rules a couple areas within your life. The sixth house is referred to as the house of "work and service". Any planet in this house, or sign on the cusp here, is going to affect your daily habits, work (not necessarily career) and service. Also health, animals, and relationships with your employer and/or coworkers.

Virgo naturally rules this house, however, the odds are that yours is not, unless you are an Aries rising. The different signs on this cusp might affect how you approach your daily habits, daily work, your health and relationships with those in the workplace. Here's a brief synopsis:

Aries/Mars- They take the initiative in the workplace, and are ambitious, however, relationships with their coworkers might be affected by the desire to be in charge, and you prefer a fast paced work environment. Work accidents are likely, due to Aries being a rush-in type of person. Make sure you follow safety protocol. Aries rules the head, so any malady here, such as headaches, may be common.

Taurus/Venus- These people are hard workers, and are reliable, although might be a little slow, and do things on their own time. They need a workplace that is comfortable, and prefer a slower one. They are likely to do things the same way every time, and hate changes to the procedures. Taurus rules the throat, so they might be susceptible to throat issues health wise.

Gemini/Mercury- These people need to multi-task to accomplish projects, and to not get bored. They prefer to work with their hands. Their short attention span might make it hard for them to keep a job. They need an active and fast paced job, with many different tasks they must accomplish. They are susceptible to nervous tension, so it is important to do things daily which help to alleviate this.

Cancer/Moon- These people are those co-workers which are the mom in the workplace. They always try to feed those around them, and make sure they are taken care of. They need a workplace that is calm, and one with a family undertone. They can get emotionally tied to their jobs, making it hard to leave. When nervous tension strikes, it may manifest in stomach issues, with Cancer ruling the stomach.

Leo/Sun- They take pride in their work, and always try to do their job the best that they can, although any sort of criticism (sontructive or not) can be detrimental. They like to be in charge, and hate being under someones elses "reign". Leo rules the heart, so there might be some ailments here.

Virgo/Mercury- Analytical and methodical, they pay attention to the details (so much so that they may get lost in them). These are the "ultimate workers", always doing far more than often required. They do expect to get reimbursed for all that they do, and have an environment that is clean. Nervous tension and intestinal ailments are common.

Libra/Venus- Focusing on relationships, they need a workplace that is drama-free. They need a job which often works with others and they make great managers. Libra rules the kidney, lower back and appendix, so you might keep an eye on health issues in those areas.

Scorpio/Pluto- These people are extremely hard workers, that can push themselves to the extreme when trying to accomplish a goal- no matter who gets trampled underneath them. Overexertion is an issue here to be mindful of, often resulting in injury and illness. They often take charge in the work setting, and prefer to not work with others, to maintain complete control.

Sagittarius/Jupiter- Optimistic and enthusiastic attitudes are what they offer to those working around them. They prefer autonomy over strict ruling of their work and they prefer a work environment where they don't feel trapped, and one that allows them many opportunities to interact with those they work with. Sagittarius rules the hips, thighs and sciatic region, so watch for ailments here.

Capricorn/Saturn- Organized and ambitious, they expect those also in the workplace to do the same. Always doing more than their responsibilities, they can turn in to workaholics. They often keep their work life and personal life separate. Capricorn rules the skeletal system, knees, teeth and skin, so there might be health issues here with this placement.

Aquarius/Uranus- These people need high autonomy in their work field, and often they might find themselves making up their own rules, if those currently instated do not meet their needs. Aquarius rules the circulatory system, calves and ankles, so there might be a weakness here.

Pisces/Neptune- Pisces needs a calm and drama-free workplace. They are generally compassionate and helpful to those they work with on a good day. They also do well in work where they can access their creative side, as routine work are not for them. Pisces rules feet, so be aware here.

Sun in Virgo

The Sun left creative Leo on August 22 at 10:46 pm CST, and entered analytical Virgo. The Sun will be in Virgo until it moves to Libra on September 22 at 8:29 pm CST. So lets talk a little bit at what Virgo means:

Dates: August 22 - September 22

Element: Earth

Quality: Mutable

Natural House: Sixth

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Symbol: The Virgin

Key Phrase: I analyze

Sun in Virgo people are efficient, practical and organized. They are very detail-oriented people, and are natural planners. Being very analytical, they love to make pro and con lists, although sometimes that back fire in to being unable to make any decision, getting caught up in the details, losing sight of the big picture. Getting so focused in the details, sometimes Virgo people can go overboard, desiring perfectionism. This can lead to a martyrdom attitude, that they have to sacrifice their perfectionism for others, however, they need to avoid the tendency to get caught up in every piece being perfectly in place. Being ruled by Mercury, they have some traits which are also similar to Gemini (for they share the same planetary ruler). Mercury brings in a focus on communication, also bringing in obsessive worry and anxiety. The mutable energy allows the native to be adaptable and versatile, but sometimes this can allow them to go with the flow when taking a stand would be better. Virgo being naturally associated with the 6th House, also may cause a workaholic tendency, the 6th House ruling daily routines and service. It is important that Virgo natives be in a job at which they feel they are performing a real service, to better those around them. They have a strong work ethic, and are incredibly meticulous. They never do anything half-assed, and always finish what they start. They tend to appear very conservative, and proper, but that is only at face value. Around unfamiliar situations, they are ever cautious, shy, and lacking self-confidence in their abilities. 

Even if you are not a Virgo sun sign within your own natal chart, you are still being affected somewhere within your chart. For example, I have Virgo on my Midheaven, or 10th House cusp. I have no planets here, but the aspects of the 10th House (Career and most public self) are being pulled in to play here, and really emphasized within my own life. For those that know me, they know that I am now offering astrology readings at my local metaphysical shoppe. While my boss had mentioned weeks ago that I was to start doing readings, I didn't actually start doing them, until August 22. You will see above that this is when the Sun went in to Virgo. This energy finally manifested within my life, allowing me to get moving and get started. Being naturally a Fixed Earth (Taurus), it can be hard at times for me to start projects, but get me one that is already started, and I will finish it. So, taking a look at your chart, check where Virgo is. It is now being activated by the Sun. Any planets in Virgo will eventually throughout the month become activated, being conjunct with the Sun. 

Through my Living Temple of Witchcraft Volume 2 book by Christopher Penczak, I am looking forward to the exercises this month. In figuring out how I serve others, meditating and journeying to the Underworld, and also looking at my own personal habits of over-criticism, and personal standards of impossible perfectionism, I think this is the perfect sign for delving in to the Shadow, especially as the Wheel of the Year is entering the darker part of the year.

Where is Virgo in your chart (Need your chart? Go HERE)? Do you have any planets that are being positively or negatively aspected by the Sun in Virgo? Are you feeling the tendencies of Virgo to analyze, organize and perfect? How are you dealing with these energies in your life?

Different Sun Signs

Our Sun Sign in our chart and the House that the Sun resides in all play a role in what makes us who we are. It is a major personality indicator (although, see THIS POST for clarification on why you might not fit your Sun Sign to a T). As stated in the linked to post, the Sun is where our ego is invested, and a major player in your identity (along with the Rising Sign). So lets do a quick run through to see what your Sun Sign means about you. (The above link will also have a chart for finding which sign is yours, based on your month and day of birth).

Aries- Cardinal Fire sign. They are highly motivated, known for starting projects, and not always finishing them. This lack of follow-through is considered to be the greatest weakness. They take the initiative and are natural leaders. Their phrase is "I Am" represents their very self-centered way of thinking. It is not self-centered in a selfish way, they think about how everything they do can benefit them. Symbolized by the Ram, they push forward, aggressively, perhaps without the forethought that was necessary to accomplish their goals. Go-getters, fearless, courageous. Often take impulsive risks, which might get them in to trouble. Quick thinkers, filled with enthusiasm and self-confidence. The Sun is exalted in this sign, meaning that the properties of the sun are easily manifested in this sign, although not as well as Leo.

Taurus- Fixed Earth sign. I am a Taurus sun and my friends all know a few key facts: 1.) Don't mess with my stuff. It is mine. 2.) Don't get in the way of my sweet tooth. 3.) You will not convince me otherwise, I am stubborn as hell. Symbolized by the Bull, Taurus is the sign which can carry on with Aries started projects. They are slow, dependable, and get things done on their own time, sometimes to a fault. Their phrase is "I Have" and they are about resources, and comfort. They tend to be thrifty shoppers, to get more for their money. Most have daily routines. They love sweet things, and enjoy the finer things of life, such as art, music, etc. I love to be surrounded by my things, so much so that it is hard for me to stay in places that are not filled with my items. Laziness can also be associated with this sign.

Gemini- Mutable Air sign. Symbolized by the Twins, many feel that this sign is two-faced, however, that's not really the truth of this sign. Gemini people are lively communicators, often using their hands to speak along with them. Being a mutable sign, they need to multi-task several projects to stay focused, for their shor attention spans is a great weakness. The Gemini phrase is "I Think" and they are always researching something, being very curious individuals. Many people can sense their scattered, anxious energy. They are also known for being flirts.

Cancer- Cardinal Water sign. "I Feel" really shows the emotional basis of this sign. Symbolized by the Crab, they are very sensitive, with a hard outer shell. When they feel threatened, they retreat in to a corner. They are also very nurturing, mother type figures. They can, however, become too smothering in their need to take care of others. They are intuitive and receptive, and try to avoid any type of conflict. They love to be in the home, and have a need for security, both physically and emotionally. They also tend to be great cooks!

Leo- (see This Post)

Virgo- Mutable Earth sign. "I analyze" is their motto, and it is true of every Virgo I have met. They analyze everything, making the pro's and con's list before committing to any decision, which can lead to the inability to make a decision at all. Symbolized by "The Virgin". The beauty is in the details to the Virgo sun native. They are hard workers, although can lose sight of the bigger picture, getting absorbed in the individual pieces that go in to each project. They tend to keep themselves, cautious of others and those around them. Most are shy, lacking confidence in their abilities.

Libra- Cardinal Air sign. Represented by the Scales, their motto is "I balance". I call them the great mediators, although this sign is actually one in which the Sun is in fall, meaning that ego and identity are not tied to yourself, as in the case of Leo and Aries, but others. The Sun has a hard time manifesting itself in this position, because the Libra native can see both sides of the picture, to the point that they never develop their own opinion. They are dedicated to keeping the peace around them, and are tactful and cooperative. Partnership is of major importance to them, although they can be considered lazy, like the Taurus, they are also attracted to things which are beautiful, be it art, music, etc.

Scorpio- Fixed Water sign. Often the most misunderstood sign of the Zodiac, others view them as manipulative, secretive and very sexy. There is a magnetism with a Scorpio that few can resist, often ensnaring others with their piercing eyes. Extremely determined, they rarely fail in any quest they undertake, but this can lead to obsession if not checked. It is best to know when to cut your losses and move on. Very strong sixth sense, and like Cancer, they have a soft core with a hard exterior. You often have to dig to get all the information out of a Scorpio, and they will still never tell you the whole story. Symbolized by mainly the Scorpion, watch out, because they can be quite venemous when crossed. Many people with a deep affinity for the occult have strong Scorpio tendencies, as Scorpios are the great researchers, constantly trying to get to the bottom of things, and to have a full understanding of how everything works, including the people around them. You will often find themselves getting information out of others, instead of talking about themselves, but the people they are engaged with won't even realize it. Everything done is to gain information.

Sagittarius- Mutable Fire sign. No sign is as free and independent as a Sagittarius. Symbolized by the Archer, and sometimes just the arrow, they fly free and high, but when they come down, they can crash hard. They are not ones to be tied down, and at the first warning sign of such, they can bolt. Optimistic, they tend to be upbeat and see the bright side of things. They value truth and knowledge above all else, and are constantly seeking, especially regarding philosophy, religion and higher education, and have a knack for integrating that knowledge in to their daily lives. Noted for being blunt and to the point, they have a hard time seeing why others would take offense at their blatant honesty. Naturally a lucky sign, being ruled by Jupiter, so Sagittarius generally comes out on top.

Capricorn-Cardinal Earth sign. Often associated with CEO's of companies, they are the determination and stubborness of the earth signs, back with the cardinal ability to pave the path for others. I have had many friends tell me that they don't relate to their sign, because everything they have read is that they are cold, distant, business oriented. I hope to break down this stereotype a little bit. It is not that Capricorns are unemotional, they just know how to keep their emotions separate from the work place. They are ambitious, and strive for achievement. While reserved, they are still competitive. They strive in following the rules. Often late-bloomers, when they do finally bloom, they really make a spot for themselves in the world.

Aquarius- Fixed Air sign. I like to call Aquarius the "aloof humanitarian", because they are great with social causes that affect the whole of humanity, but can often be cold and distant within their own personal relationships. Many are very independent and love to express themselves. In fact, many tattoo artist and body modificationists charts I have read all had a very strong Aquarius influence, whether it be their Sun, Moon or Rising Sign. With an intellectual note from the Air quality, they are often unpredictable. They have many acquaintances, few friends. They are future-oriented in their thinking. Aquarius, like Scorpio, is another sign in which you will find that they know more about you, than you do them. Friendly, yet distant. The fixed sign brings the stubbornness to this sign, particularly about decisions they have made. The Sun in Aquarius is in detriment, so like Libra, the Sun has a hard time expressing itself in this sign, because of their focus on others.

Pisces- Mutable Water sign. Pisces tend to operate on a whole different plane than the rest of the signs. Being water, they are highly sensitive and intuitive, and highly creative, typically through ways other than writing. Many have extremely vivid dreams. This sign has a hard time facing reality, and can fall in to the habit of hiding until it goes away. Many like to only look on the bright side of thing. For this reason, many exhibit escapist behavior, such as TV, video games, or even with extremely detrimental things like drug and alcohol abuse. Like other water signs, Pisces is trusting and nurturing, and physically retreat when faced with controversy.

The Sun!

The Sun in our birth charts is the most widely known sign that people know, even those who know nothing about astrology! The use of the personal horoscopes has made this common knowledge, although it often misrepresents astrology to the common masses. The Sun travels through each Zodiac sign in one of our calendar years. Since Aries starts off the spring, and what most pagans considered the new year, lets take a look at what dates these sign fall on throughout the year, and what it means to you.

Aries- March 20-April 19

Taurus- April 20-May 20

Gemini- May 21- June 20

Cancer- June 21-July 22
Leo- July 23-August 22

Virgo- August 23- September 22

Libra- September 23-October 22

Scorpio- October 23- November 22

Sagittarius- November 23- December 21

Capricorn- December 22- January 20

Aquarius- January 21- February 19

Pisces- February 20- March 19

Your Sun sign is based on what sign your Sun was in when you were born. So how does this affect you?

Your Sun shows where your ego investment lies, how you express yourself creatively, where your self-esteem lies, and your basic identity. Based on which house it is in your chart, this shows which area of your life you shine and thrive. The sun in your chart is shown by this glyph:

Many people will find that they don't completely agree with their sign when they look up its descriptions online, or may find it odd that everyone born during the same time period are going to experience the exact same things, on the same day.

There are a couple reasons I can think of that might help explain why others experience their sign differently:

1. Which House their Sun sign is in- A Capricorn with a Sun in their 6th House (House of Daily Work), is going to behave differently than a Capricorn with a Sun in their 3rd House (House of Thinking and Communication) (see THIS POST to learn how to figure out which house your Sun is in). 
2. What their Rising Sign is- The Rising Sign is the mask that we wear to the world, and how you present yourself to others. For example, I have a Taurus sun with a Rising Sign in Scorpio. (The Rising Sign in your chart is always the ruling sign of your 1st House). So my Taurus Sun is more what drives me, and what people that get past my rising sign see. My Taurus sun brings me a love for comfort, and things, and a need for security. What people see on the outside though, is my Scorpio traits, which include observing, digging for the truth whether in research, or people, and intensity. I have had people assume that I am a Scorpio Sun Sign, just because of my intense eyes! 
3. Which decanate your Sun falls in within your Zodiac sign- A decanate is divided by each 10 degrees of the sign (a sign being a total of 30 degrees). Each decanate represents each sign of the same element. Lets look a Pisces. A Pisces that is within 0-10 degrees of the sign will behave more true to Pisces, than someone that is with 11-20 degrees Pisces. This second decante of 11-20 degrees brings a Cancer twist to them, since Cancer is the next following sign in the zodiac of the same element. And if the Pisces was born 21-30 degrees of the sign, then this adds a Scorpio twist to them, as it is the final sign of that element within the Zodiac. So firstly, figure out with decanate your Sun falls in- 1, 2, or 3, then for the second and third decanate, count that many signs of the same element counterclockwise from your sun sign. A working example of this is here: I am a Taurus, born at 2 degrees, so I tend to function in typical Taurus fashion. I prefer to be surrounded by my things, and eat lots of sweets! My boyfriend is also a Taurus, but he was born at 25 degrees Taurus. So him being in the 3rd Decanate, I counted to two signs over from Taurus that were also earth elements, and landed in Capricorn. This shows that he is a Taurus with a Capricorn twist. He has a hyperdrive focus on his reputation within his career, and that influences his identity, while my first decanate Taurus doesn't really mind so much about my career, reputation, etc.
4. How the Sun is aspected in your chart- When I say aspected, I mean the angles that makes with other planets. There are easy aspects, such as trine (120 degrees) and sextile (60), and hard aspects like Opposite (180 degrees) and Squares (90 degrees). Any conjunction (planets right next to each other) can be easy or hard, depending on the planets involved. We will get more in to aspects later.
5. Whether the Sun sign is in a complimentary sign- Each planet has 4 signs which show where they work best, or fail at manifesting. For Sun, the Dignified sign that it can easily express itself in is Leo. This is because they Zodiac sign is very similar to what the Sun tries to accomplish in a chart. The second best sign (also known as the Exalted sign) is Aries. The most difficult sign the Sun could be in is Libra (also known as the Fall; this is because Libra people have a difficulty expressing themselves, because they can see things from everyone's point of view) and the second most difficult sign is Aquarius (Detriment; Aquarius people are searching for the best for humanity, versus the best for themselves). 

This is a lot to take in, and I think meditating on these aspects in your chart will allow you to realize why you express yourself in certain areas of your life, and are not able to in others. How your Sun plays off of your thinking, relationships, money, career can really lead to self-empowerment, knowing your strengths and your weaknesses. Just take it one thing as a time, and piece it together, like a puzzle, leading to the whole of you.

Jessica

So...What Is a Leo?

Dates: July 21-August 22 

Quality: Fixed

Element: Fire

Symbol: The Lion

Body Area: Heart

Key Phrase: "I Create"

Natural House: 5th

Ruling Planet: Sun

Just as the Sun is the center of the Universe, so are the Leo personalities. Most often your actors, the do everything dramatically. Although sometimes they can seem self-centered, Leo's are also often generous and warm-hearted. 

Leo represents the ego. This is a sign that likes to have their ego stroked (more so than other signs), and depending on how okay they are with their own view of themselves, negative criticism can completely devastate. They prefer to be center stage, and can have a hard time sharing that glory with others. However, many of the limelight aspirations are well-deserved, as they are quite creative, whether that medium be acting or other artistic endeavors. 

With the fixed quality, and the element of fire, they make great leaders, that can see projects through to the end. Sometimes, Leo can take this too far, and tries to be a leader, when team players are needed more. This steady fire is also seen as a passion and determination to those observing a Leo.

The symbol of the Lion also brings an almost "royalty" atmosphere to native Leo's. Leo's are surrounded with family and friends that are really helpful with anything the Leo needs, and Leo is more than happy to let them do the work. 

Whichever house is ruled by Leo, is the one where you might feel the most creative, and have the strongest ability to create. It is where you need to have your ego stroked more than other realms of your life, and what area of your life really makes you passionate. Being associated with the 5th House naturally, this sign in your chart can also give insight in to how you prefer to spend your leisure time, any relationship you might have with children, or non-serious relationships.

To see how you might be able to utilize these energies for the upcoming Dark Moon in Leo, go see my friend Tenko's blog post about it, and the lunar mansion HERE.

The Fifth House In Your Natal Chart- How you Create and Express Yourself

With the Sun in Leo now, I wanted to talk a little bit about how to find in your chart how you express yourself creatively. In the perfect chart, Leo would rule the 5th House, and the Sun would reside there. However, it is probably close to impossible for anyone to have this setup in their own natal charts. For the sake of this post, I am posting up my natal chart.

The 5th House in my chart is ruled by Aries. Aries likes to start things. As a Cardinal Fire sign, and symbolized by the Ram, the influence of this sign in the 5th house might suggest someone who starts a lot of projects, has the desire to create, but may not always finish those projects.

This caused me to think about my past attempts at expressing myself creatively. When I was a child, I used to write stories. Story after story after story left my imaginative space through the tip of my pencil, and I really kept this up until about 4th or 5th grade. At this time, that's when it really stopped. Whether it was school commitments and sports getting in the way, either way, I no longer was able to express myself through this medium. Now keep in mind, that sports filling my leisure time also fell in to this realm of Aries, that competitive Mars spirit influencing this house. However, now, whenever I try to write, I come up with story lines, but I am no longer able to finish any story. No matter how hard I try, I always end up falling off the wagon, placing the story on the back burner. 

Meditating on this aspect of my chart, I realize that I can attack creative projects with such an energy that I get burnt out. I also get competitive and the fact that I realize that my projects are not perfect, causes me to quit. Developing patience and an appreciation for the journey of creating, not the destination, I think might help me to express myself more easily. I am going to work on allowing writing to fill up more of my time, and to be more compassionate, instead of critical, on my writing skills. 

What sign rules your 5th house? How do you find it affecting your ability to create? What can you do to change that? Utilize this Sun in Leo energy to make the progress you desire in this area of your life. 

Sun in Leo!

Today we welcome the Sun in to Leo, the zodiac sign symbolized by the Lion. Today I will be making my Leo Candle, to help me as I work through the energies that this period will bring. Along with a friend, I am journeying through Christopher Penczak's Living Temple of Witchcraft, Volume 2, which explores the Sun travelling through each Zodiac sign. The wisdom of this sign that I will be embracing is creativity and taking charge of the things in my life that need sovereignty. The Sun gives us life. Simple as that. As it is the center of our Universe, so is Leo energy center stage. These people are creators and sometimes, they live only under that persona of the actor. Another part of my working this month will to figure out what parts of myself I am "playing", and discarding those to allow my true self shine through.

With the creativity aspect of Sun in Leo, I realize that the creation of this blog has come at no better time. However, with whatever we create, it is important to remember that we are not what we create. I think it is easy to get stuck in describing yourself as the things you do, the things you think, and the things that you feel. These identities give us purpose in our life, however, they can overcome. I think back to a time when I was in college and was playing volleyball. I had been a volleyball star all through high school, making Most Valuable Player, and even setting high school records! I was on top of the world. I was getting to go play volleyball in college, nothing could go wrong. Except that it did. A month in to my first season, I tore my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and was benched for the rest of the season, and didn't play again after that, at fear of injuring myself again. I was devastated. I no longer knew who I was. At the time, I was Mormon, and tried to seek comfort in the religion, but it never came. I realize now that it was because I had associated myself entirely with this volleyball image, that I no longer knew who I was when it was gone. I still mourn the loss of that passion, but I realize it was a necessary loss to get to where I am now, as it triggered a series of events turning my life completely 180 degrees. So this month, I will work on creating, to EXPRESS myself, not to MAKE myself. What will you do to utilize this Leo energy?