The 10th House System
A repeating theme you will see is the 1st and 10th Houses are always paired together just as the 7th and 4th Houses are always paired. For that reason it’s appropriate to address the Midheaven next.
10th House: Just as the stars in the 1st House are “stuck” there due to zodiac and diurnal motion so it is here in the 10th House. Also, just as “who you are” comes right back at you in the 1st House “what you do” comes right back at you in the 10th House which is why it indicates your actions. What you do affects your social standing, reputation, career and ability to advance in life. The interplay between these two houses then is “who you are” determines (in part) “what you do” and “what you do” determines “who you are.” The 10th House also signifies your spouse. Note that in terms of “derived houses” the 1st House signifies your mother since it is the 10th house or sign from the 4th House which signifies your parents, specifically your father.
Why does the 10th House also signifies your spouse. Notwithstanding the fact that prearranged marriages still exist in some societies, there’s a period of courtship. A man will take actions — 10th House — to impress his romantic partner and “prove” that he’s superior to all others and worthy of the romantic partner’s affections just as a woman will take actions to attract a certain type of romantic partner and prove that she is worthy of the attention and affection from the romantic partner she wants.
The other reason is that in the 8-House System the 7th House was marriage and spouse. People not understanding the differences between the 8-House and 12-House Systems started blending them together. That is virtually identical to what the Arab and Persian astrologers did when they started substituting natal house meanings with horary house meanings.
11th House: Here we see the same thing we saw with the 2nd House. Stars in the 11th House want to go to the 12th House but the diurnal motion carries them back toward the 10th House. The symbolism is that the 11th House supports or props up the 10th House. Accordingly, it is those things that assist in 10th House matters signifying patronage, protection, favors, associations, alliances and given authority. It can also signify freedom in the sense of being liberated from captivity, incarceration, or an addiction. The best way to view the 11th House is those things that make things in the 10th House possible. It also indicates how those things related to the 10th House are easy or difficult to obtain or sustain.
If you’re unfamiliar with “patronage” it still exists. In olden days it might take a year or two to paint or sculpt a work of art and your $5.00 an hour job at Fish-n-Fry isn’t gonna pay the bills. Never fear, a wealthy patron will give you the money to subsidize your life until your work of art is finished. Even today, there are wealthy people who subsidize “starving artists.” Many countries still have a Poet Laureate, which is another form of patronage. In some countries, government jobs come through the process of patronage. When Hunter was a graduate student, he received a $10,000 annual stipend from the university, which is another form of patronage.
Patronage is how the theatrical and music industry operates. What do you think producers do? They get patrons to put up money to fund the filming of a pilot for a television show, or stage a play or musical, or produce feature films or documentaries, or record music.
Powerful or influential people might also protect you by taking you under their wing and being your mentor or simply open doors for you. They may also protect you from co-workers or others envious of your job or position who aren’t very fond of you or your ideas or management style.
The alliances and associations you form with others may advance your career or social standing or reputation or some combination of those.
The 11th House has absolutely nothing to do with hopes or dreams. That’s nauseating Modern astrology nonsense.
9th House: Stars in the 10th House have traveled over into the 9th House and while zodiac motion carries them back toward the 10th House the diurnal motion turns them away. This is a good thing. A positive thing. The 9th House is government and authority. It’s also wisdom and learning. Historically, it has always been governments or churches responsible for providing education. Even when government and religion is not involved, the teacher-student relationship is one based on authority. The 9th House also includes fellowship meaning your friends in government or institutions with authority, your high school friends, your college friends, the people at your place of worship, the people at your AA/NA meeting and the people you hang with on the 3rd Thursday every month at the library in genealogy group or in your online genealogy group.
Are they your bestest friends? Do you sit around doing each other’s hair? No, but they’re still your friends in the sense of fellowship in that you all desire to achieve the same things or are working toward the same goals. Surely, one of them might be or might become one of your bestest friends but that’s beside the point.
Additionally, the 9th House is “travel away from home” or “being away from home.” Notice we did not say “foreign travel.” We did not say “foreign travel” due to the fact the Greeks actually phrased it as “travel away from home” or “being away from home.” Some people just can’t see the forest for the trees. If we said “foreign travel” people will seize on that, the blinders go up and that is the only thing they see. In astrology, going from your place of birth or residence to another city, another state, province or other political jurisdiction is “foreign travel.” In the 9th House that travel is associated with wisdom and learning but it can be a spectator event or even as a tourist.
We want to split hairs for a second on the authority in the 9th House and that of the 11th House. The authority in the 11th House is the authority granted to you to accomplish the things you want to do. The authority in the 9th House is the authority over you. The fact that the 11th House may have granted you some authority should not be taken to mean that you work for the government. That being said, you will see charts where the 9th House and 10th House are linked, meaning their career is interconnected or intertwined with government and authority.