The 12 astrological houses comprising the zodiac wheel represent a certain area of our lives. Now, the parties over as we move from the house of pleasure to what I like to think of as a maintenance house. The sixth house in astrology is ruled by the 6th zodiac sign, Virgo and the planet Mercury. This is the second cadent house, which means, we are wrapping up the second quadrant of the zodiac wheel. Mercury also ruled over the first cadent house we covered, The Third House of Communication. When Mercury is in reference to Virgo its energy is more reflective of analytics and perception rather than the communication and stimulation seen with Gemini.
Cadent houses are where we do a lot of our analysis, it is not always ‘accurate’, but it holds a lot of weight in our personal psyche. After the action of the Angular house, and the secure formation of the Succedent house, here we see the theme of the quadrant really take on a form of its own. This second quadrant can be seen as more of our ‘self’ in reference to the outside world; where the first quadrant was primarily the ‘self’ more subjectively. This particular house rules over mundane tasks, jobs, acts of service, health, and domestic animals.
Ruled by Virgo, this is an Earth house. Therefore, it involves matters within the physical world (even if its influences are outside of it). It is meant to function as a grounding energy in the chart.
Overall, our ‘health’ is an integration of a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Being associated with Earth we can appreciate ‘health’ and hygiene here in regards to the physical body. Virgo believes the state of our health is reliant on our habits and routines. Problems that arise from poor routines will show up here like eating disorders, exercise disorders, cleaning obsessions and being a workaholic. Unhealthy lifestyles breed negative karma because they can point to an underlining state of self-sacrifice and giving up our control over outcomes. There is always a root behind the weeds that appear to grow from this house like a poor diet and lifestyle, even if they are beyond comprehension of this lifetime.
Do not confuse this with the house of Career, which is the 10th house. The ‘work’ involved in this house is not for the sake of goal accomplishment and purpose like the 10th house. If the soul is not full from the houses of the chart before it, this can be a very cumbersome and exhausting house. There are many people that without being consciously aware, die a little more every day because the work and routines they find themselves in. If this paradigm continues without resurrection by the chart native, the overall health of the person will begin to suffer. Having problems with identity, personal value, communication, emotional trauma, or expression, which are incased in the precursor houses, can result in improper maintenance of the ‘self’ manifesting into the areas governed by this house. Do you find yourself in a work environment that is disturbingly similar to the roles you have played your entire life? Or does your work environment mirror a childhood environment you had? Just like the fifth house of creativity was smothered by a difficult fourth family house; this house can be unfulfilling if we do not incorporate fun and expressive creation into our lives.
Virgo is detail-oriented so any day to day ‘details’ can be ransacked by this house. Therefore, the quality of service you provide in your everyday life can be revealed here. Our work ethic often mirrors our internal state, bridging the cap between how we take care of ourselves and the energy we are able to expel for the good of others. Are you a charitable person or is everything you do saved as a mental note that you are owed? The energy we put into our everyday routines is reflective of our own vitality.
Health is not only regarded in terms of maintenance in this house but also healing and the ability to heal others. Having certain planets in this house can represent one’s soul devotion to acts of service like people in the medical field. Also, having Virgo in this house denotes a natural healer. Small animals and pets make up this house for the acts of service they themselves provide. Animals provide a grounding form of healing as they bring the person into the present moment which is needed when suffering from anxiety or depression. They have been known to physiologically reduce anxiety, aid in grief processes, and even give people wills to live when battling illness or internal turmoil. They are believed to have the ability to mimic an attachment bond much like the one necessary in our informative years.
As a house of maintenance we can incorporate specific efforts and habits to change our relationship with the ‘self’ before entering the external realm. Gaining awareness through perception, finding the selflessness in charity and aiding others in need, while transforming our own lives through our everyday lifestyle makes this house an archetype of growth. This is how you have the ability to create your reality. If we did not have deadlines or structure nothing would ever get done. There is a balancing act that needs to happen between the fifth house of fun and creativity and this house of health and routine. One cannot truly thrive without this equilibrium and this can result in imbalances we might suffer from in our very personal lives.
The sixth house manifests into our psyche as us wanting to be dependable, be able to depend on others, feel a sense of balance amongst our bodies, and satisfaction through our daily tasks. Malefic planet’s here can point towards more attention being needed to maintain good health. But please remember, the natal chart works as a blue print for the direction of your life if you allow fate to guide your chariot. Take hold of the reins yourself and find the power you have always had and what better way to honor that power than treating your body as the temple it is and meeting the mundane with gratitude for the good health to be able to participate.
