From the right job to your true vocation

How can we find a profession that really fits our needs? How can we recognise our true vocation? It is not always easy to find the right job because in many cases circumstances confront us with difficulties that influence our choice. These may be due to the economic situation but also to our own insecurity as far as our aspirations and our true abilities and potential are concerned. People tend to consider their job as a means to earn a living. They may choose a "career with potential" for purely materialistic reasons.

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But how can we find out which career corresponds to our real calling and potential, and where should we be prepared to compromise?
True vocation is always connected with the urge to realise one's potential, and with the true goals in life which (should) transcend the material level. It matches our predispositions and talents. Vocation therefore needs more than a degree or an apprenticeship. It has to express special abilities which spring from the deepest needs of our soul.

How can we distinguish job and vocation when looking at the natal chart?
A horoscope usually points to different aptitudes and abilities which predispose a person for more than one particular profession.

Seven steps to finding your vocation in the horoscope

It is necessary to consider all chart factors when looking for vocation in the horoscope.

Step 1: The Hemispheres

• Emphasis on the eastern (left) hemisphere: everything that concerns the "me" or "I" aspects of life
• Emphasis on the western (right) hemisphere: everything that concerns the "you" aspects of life
• Emphasis on the (top) day hemisphere: "what comes to the light"
• Emphasis on the (bottom) night hemisphere: "what lies in the dark"

Step 2: Distribution of planets in the elements (triplicities)

The elements tell us something about the temperament of the horoscope person.

• Emphasis on fire signs: corresponds to C.G. Jung's Intuitive Type - active, impulsive, enthusiastic, interested the meaning of things.
• Emphasis on earth signs: corresponds to the Jungian Sensation Type - practical, interested in realising things, perceives with the senses.
• Emphasis on air signs: corresponds to the Thinking Type - intellectual, communicative, needs and provides mental stimulation.
• Emphasis on water signs: corresponds to the Feeling Type - sensitive, empathic, sympathetic, profound, main motivation are emotions.
• The polarities: Is there an emphasis on opposing elements? In what ways could they conflict, in what ways are they complementary?

Step 3: Distribution of planets in the qualities or modes (quadruplicities)

• Cardinal: great activity and enthusiasm; danger of going over the top. Tendency toward leading positions and active professions.
• Fixed: Stamina and stability; the horoscope person may lean towards a certain indolence. Tendency towards approved, routine professions.
• Mutable: great flexibility and adaptability; difficulty in taking decisions. Tendency towards intellectual professions with a lot of variety.

Step 4: Planets in and rulers of the "professional" houses 2-6-10

• 2nd House: material security
• 6th House: work and health
• 10th House (MC): profession / vocation, position and reputation in society

Step 5: The Ascendant (AC), ruler of the AC and its aspects

• Public appearance.
• How does the person present himself/herself to others?
• Which role does the person play?
• How does he/she react to his/her environment?

The ruler of the ascendant shows the way and the areas in which the person wants to present himself/herself.


Step 6: The planets - their meanings in signs and houses, and their aspects

• Sun: What is the central theme in life?
• Moon: What does the person need to feel fulfilled and content?
• Mercury: What is his/her mental attitude?
• Venus: What are his/her artistic and social qualities?
• Mars: In what areas does he/she use his/her energies? Where does he/she become active?
• Jupiter: In which areas can the person expand and develop himself/herself?
• Saturn: Where does he/she carry responsibilities and fulfils his/her duties? Where does he/she meet obstacles? What are his/her fears?
• Uranus: Where does he/she show a need for variety and change? Where does he/she express his/her intuition, originality, sudden insights and impatience?
• Neptune: In which areas does he/she use inspiration, instinct, sensitivity and imagination?
• Pluto: Where does he/she express or feel control, power and powerlessness?

Step 7: The Nodal Axis / Moon's Nodes

The Moon's Nodes can add to the knowledge about a person's development. This axis is related to the relationship between personal social developments. Therefore, aspects to the nodal axis can give interesting insights on this issue. Especially important are planets conjuncting the North or South Node.


Example:
Andrea - A clerk

Andrea has been working as a clerk in the legal department of a large travel enterprise for more than 10 years. But now she feels the need for a change, or even for a completely different kind of work. But now she finds her present job too "sober" and it starts to bore her. Her main occupation is paper work and writing letters.

Steps 1-3:
Most of the planets in this chart are above the horizon (top half) and on the right side. Many planets are in Aquarius - a fixed air sign. This is a person who appears to be outgoing and sociable, who wants to work independently and realises her (idealistic) goals with great perseverance.

Step 4:
Of the "professional" houses 2, 6, and 10, only the 10th house contains any planets; Sun, Jupiter and Mercury are conjunct the midheaven in Aquarius, Mercury conjuncting from the 9th house. This constellation indicates that Andrea is strongly drawn to the public. She is ambitious and needs to know that people respond to her. Independence, a great need for freedom and variety (Aquarius) as well as a desire for recognition and a reputable, influential position (Sun conjunct MC) become obvious. She likes to "set the tone".

Andrea is sociable and has a zest for life (Sun-Venus). Besides, she has a humanistic attitude which is indicated by her Pisces Moon. She can be friendly, cheerful and affable with a capacity for adroit articulation (Mercury-Venus). She is also likely to have a pleasant voice as well as being artistic and diplomatic, which could point to a profession in the arts.

Her optimism and enthusiasm make it easy for Andrea to get support from influential people (Sun-Jupiter) and to reach her goals without difficulty. There might be a leaning towards indolence and evasiveness (Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter square Neptune). With Mercury in the 9th house conjunct Jupiter and MC, Andrea is likely to have a quick grasp of things as well as being interested in further education and humanitarian goals, but she could also be tempted to "think too big" and to foster exaggerated expectations.

It should also be noted that the constellation in Aquarius is conjunct the South Node, squaring Neptune in the 5th house - the house of creativity. Sun square Neptune may provide her with an idealistic attitude, but also with a tendency toward self-delusion. Andrea might find it difficult to assess herself realistically - which is also indicated by the conjunction of Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. With Sun, Mercury and Jupiter square Neptune, Andrea is very imaginative. She could yearn to free herself from her everyday duties. This tendency towards evasiveness is amplified by the square to Neptune: wishful thinking and a lack of objectivity may come forth. Andrea could become unintentionally unreliable or make mistakes due to forgetfulness, day-dreaming or lack of concentration.

Neptune square MC/IC indicates that Andrea lacks clear aims in life, and tends to be dissatisfied with her working conditions, always hoping for something better which may never actually happen. Andrea should actively engage in further education and improve her professional and social position. Neptune is sextile Pluto in Virgo in the 4th house which - despite being a generational aspect - should be noted, because Pluto rules the 6th house cusp in Scorpio. The need for self-assertion and power as well as strong unconscious emotions are likely to play a role at work. On the other hand, there is a possibility that Andrea tries to escape professional life by having children, a partner or an illness (Neptune in the 5th house; if Placidus houses are used, in the 6th). This would amount to fleeing from her own task, as she has certain idealistic wishes concerning the type of work she prefers to do.

Her Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius and the 9th house provides Andrea with the capacity to work hard and accomplish a lot. Since the conjunction is otherwise unaspected, however, there is a danger that activities in the areas of education, law and travel are strongly constrained (Mars=activity; Saturn=constraint), so that Andrea remains passive in these fields. Mars-Saturn in the 9th house provide her with a strong sense of justice. Therefore, it is important for her to develop realistic ideas concerning her profession without falling pray to exaggerated expectations (Sun, Mercury, MC, Jupiter, Venus and the South Node square Neptune).

Step 5:
The Gemini Ascendant adds to the emphasis on the air element. It shows an open-minded, inquisitive personality who is interested in everything new, but also one who may lack the stamina and perseverance to realise her goals.

Her 10th house Moon in Pisces squares the AC/DC axis but is otherwise unaspected. Andrea may often find herself in a conflict, because her Pisces Moon makes her very sensitive, compassionate and eager to help other people, but the Gemini Ascendant tends to take things easier and more superficial so that her humanitarian streak "vanishes into thin air".

Step 6:
Can be left out, since the planetary constellations were analysed in step 4, and the horoscope does not contain many aspects.

Step 7:
The Moon's Nodes are especially important in this chart because the North Node is in Leo in the 4th house. Andrea is required to develop into a competent and confident personality that concerns herself with her soul as well as her family. To be able to do this, she would have to free herself from the South Node in the 10th house in Aquarius conjuncting Sun, Venus and Jupiter. The nodal axis is exactly conjunct MC/IC. This makes it very hard for Andrea to disengage herself from the past and the familiar.

What is Andrea's vocation, and how can she come closer to fulfilling it?

Andrea's vocation is indeed in the area of the 10th house. She should find a profession that allows her to advocate humanitarian goals, support other people and be of benefit to the public. This profession should also involve the compassion and helpfulness of her Pisces Moon. With an Aquarian MC and many planets in this sign, Andrea needs a profession in which she can express her inventive and idealistic side. She should develop her identity within a larger frame than just in family and home life. Uranus, the ruler of her midheaven, is in Leo in the forth house and has no planetary aspects. This means she should not try to replace her profession with a family, because she would keep breaking out of it. It is Andrea's task to develop into a self-confident personality, to become psychologically independent, and to be able to play her public role competently. She could actually find astrology quite helpful.

Andrea must learn to overcome the restrictions she has to meet on her path to self-realisation by using reason and understanding (Sun, Moon's Node). She should also find out in how far problems concerning development and her search for meaning may be due to inadequate time management or exaggerated expectations. Professional goals may conflict with ethical goals (Jupiter, Moon's Node). Andrea could choose a foyer of an enterprise or practice as a work place where she is in close contact with the public. Besides, she could work at a helpdesk or information centre, or any other public office that allows her to make use of her organising skills, work with a computer and meet people.

Her work in the legal department of a travel enterprise does not meet Andrea's potential because she absolutely needs to be in contact with other people. A job in the background is out of the question for her. Since Andrea has no possibility to take over a more prominent position in this company, it makes sense for her to look for alternatives.

Transiting Uranus was in Aquarius and triggered the Mars-Saturn conjunction in 1997. 1998 to 2000, Uranus was transiting Mercury, the MC and the planets in the 10th house. Everything pointed to a sudden change which would require flexibility and quick responses. It is likely that she was massively confronted with this topic when Uranus reached the opposition to natal Uranus - at the latest.

Uranus transits bear the danger of rash actions or unreflective decisions. Nevertheless, apart from the professional re-orientation the transits also mark the need for a psychological re-orientation. Under these circumstances, the best bet for Andrea is to avoid getting stuck in Neptunian wishful thinking, and instead become active as soon as possible.

Extract from
Beatrix Braukmüller:
Berufsanalyse mit dem Horoskop.
Vom richtigen Beruf zur wahren Berufung.
Chiron Verlag, Tübingen, 2000.
(slightly shortened and adapted version)

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Translated by Karin Hoffmann

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