Chapter XVII. The Mip-HEAven or Tenth House

Tus is the house of honour, reputation, profession, business or occupation, and represents the public standing or worldly position of the native. It may be taken as the apex of the horoscope, or that portion which is thrust out most prominently into the busy life of the world. Good and evil must both alike find expression, and culminate in honour or dishonour; and the culminating point is the tenth house. An action may be said to be the child of thought and desire, which are its parents. The impulse to action first arises in one of these two, either thought or desire; the other—whichever it may be—dquickly responds; but the action cannot take place until circumstances permit. It is conceived by the coming together of thought and desire; it then lies in gestation for a longer or shorter period ; and when circumstances are favourable, its birth as an action is a certainty. Of the innumerable potential actions thus conceived, a few come to birth during the present life and produce their effects. A very great many, however, are thwarted or held back by circumstances ; and because, when once conceived, their birth is a certainty, they are carried over by the soul into a future incarnation, and there take effect as actions, inevitable and unavoidable. Regarded as indicative of actions, therefore, the horoscope at birth may be said to be the necessary outcome of those thoughts and desires that remained unexhausted at the death of the last personality. Present action is past character coming outward; present character is future action in the germ. Every astrologer knows that the indications of future actions can be detected in the horoscope of birth; and this therefore becomes a clue to the thoughts and desires of the past. For instance, an afflicted Venus shows that the affections were selfish or badly regulated; and the same planet well placed and aspected indicates that they were unselfish and good. The cause was started in the past and the effect is found in the present. Mr Gladstone was born with the Sun and Mercury rising in Capricorn; showing in the past a mind

oving oratory and intellectual pursuits, and ambitious of power and distinction: and these causes, brought over into the present, resulted in such fated actions and inevitable events as are familiar to all.

The abuse of any principle, power, or quality, will sooner or later find us labouring under the adverse side of the influence proceeding from the planet corresponding to that principle ; and this may either happen in this life or it may be delayed until the future. There are certain streams of living ‘essence’ on the way down towards expression in the lower kingdoms of nature; and there are other streams tending upward towards expression in the higher kingdoms. The ether is permeated with this ‘essence’ on these downward and upward arcs, and man can absorb or be temporarily influenced by either, according to his receptivity and his mental attitude. The world is filled with love, compassion, and beneficent influences from beings higher than man; but it is also clouded with man’s own selfish, lustful, and passionate thoughts. Everything ruled by the forceful, animal and downward activity of Mars varies sympathetically with the aspects of that planet in the zodiac; and on certain days this force is more powerfully present in the atmosphere than on others. It may be that we give way to a fit of anger, jealousy, envy or resentment on a day when the Moon is afflicted by Mars; and then the passions within are reinforced and strengthened by the influence without. On the return of the Moon to the same affliction, or even at its next aspect by Mars, we shall be liable to repeat our former action. This, if often recurring, becomes a definite tendency, mood, or habit, and even a part of ourcharacter. But, on the other hand, if the passions are firmly reined in, the transits of Mars and the Moon’s evil aspects to that planet will have no dangers for us. If we continually give way to discontent, peevishness or melancholy, we shall find ourselves coming more and more under the influence of Saturn, until, in some future birth, Saturn will sit darkly in our horoscope.

The ordinary man is generally content to drift aimlessly along, sometimes finding himself so fortunate as to be in harmony with the surrounding influences, and at other times beaten and buffeted by adverse storms. In each case he is slowly learning a lesson, that certain qualities and actions are to be cultivated and certain others are to be avoided. The more highly evolved man has passed through this stage of comparative indifference, and has entered upon another in which he sets himself very deliberately to avoid or control that which tends to evil,

and to work in harmony with those influences which result in good because they proceed mediately through the great hierarchies of star angels and ultimately from God Himself. In doing so he knowingly plans his own future, rearranges his own horoscope, and controls the forces at work therein.

Planets rise, culminate, and set ; and it is the culminating point, the mid-heaven, that is the most critical so far as planetary influence in worldly life is concerned. The horoscope ‘progresses’ with the lapse of each day after birth; and the influences concentrated in the ascendant are in this way elaborated, distributed, and carried round the circle of the heavens and enabled to produce their effects just at the right time and through the channel appropriate to each.

The probability is that each horoscope is taken up afresh where it was laid down in the last life; so that, with certain exceptions and modifications, the birth horoscope represents either the progressed map or the death figure of the past. This has not yet been definitely proved, but it is the most feasible hypothesis.

NEPTUNE in the tenth house denotes a very strange career, unless the native is very undeveloped, in which case it will have little or no effect upon the life.. It is possible to obtain benefit from this position, but this planet must be well aspected, and free from any affliction; afflicted it is likely to cause much trouble, especially affecting the honour, often bringing undeserved scandal. No definite statement can be made as to the exact manner in which Neptune will affect the native when placed in the M.C., or, indeed, in any other house, but when in an angle it is reasonable to expect its influence to affect the physical conditions more than the psychic or mental.

Uranus in the tenth house denotes a chequered career, fortune and misfortune alternately. If Uranus is free from affliction the native becomes a unique character, and invents or originates a new line of activity for himself, breaking away from limited and conventional customs. This position denotes a curious life of ups and downs with many important changes of environment. If much afflicted the native is singularly unfortunate, and must make up his mind to be content to be a ‘failure’ in life. It is a position indicating a critical stage in the evolution of the native, in which the ‘root of merit’ is either firmly

established or shaken from its centre. The native follows uncommon re)

employments, has his own code of honour, and prefers to be a law unto himself, following the dictates of a higher law than that made by man. SaTuRN in the tenth house denotes a precarious condition at some period of life. Saturn is essentially the planet of fate, and to all who are born with Saturn in the mid-heaven this text may be quoted—‘ And Satan took Him up into a high mountain and showed Him all these things.’ The elevation of Saturn gives some power, pride, ambition, and persistent desire for material objects and worldly welfare. If well aspected the native will rise by his own perseverance and industry far above the sphere into which he was born. If afflicted, he will rise only to fall again, or will over-reach himself by a lack of proportion or ability to judge the limits to which he can expand. The affliction of the luminaries from Saturn in the M.C. brings dishonour or scandal, and many obstacles to progress; good aspects strengthen the character, but render progress slow and liable to interruption and delay. Saturn has power and dignity in the M.C., but much depends upon sign and aspect, for the unfolding of Saturn is proverbially slow, though sure. JUPITER in the tenth house denotes much success and prosperity. The moral standard is very high, and the native holds a very secure and important position at some period of his life. This is one of the best positions for financial and social success. If afflicted: by Mars, legal troubles are threatened and heavy losses at certain periods; by Saturn, the good influence of Jupiter in the M.C. is vitiated, and almost rendered nil ; by Uranus, grave reverses of fortune, and a liability to become involved in serious difficulties. Ifthe luminaries afflict Jupiter it hinders social success, and brings difficulty in connection with travel and changes of position; but when well aspected thereby much success is denoted, ' both social and financial. This position generally shows good birth, and help through relatives. Jupiter has less power in airy or earthy © signs when in the M.C., and has chief potency in either fiery or watery signs, especially Sagittarius and Cancer. } Mars in the tenth house denotes an ambitious and masterful spirit. It is favourable for success in business or profession, since the energy of the native is able to carry him through the turbulent and stormy periods he will experience in the business world. The native does not prosper when in business for himself, unless in an occupation of the nature of Mars, and this planet well aspected. The animal and passional side of the nature is likely to override the intellectual, and