6th House is a Relationship House
Even though 6th house is known classically as the house of work and service, its experience covers more than just your job or volunteer activity. As the house hugging the Descendant along with the 7th house, 6th house has much to do with our personal relationships.
Specifically, 6th House represents your dynamic of working together with others. Regardless of what you do for a living or who you live with, the quality of your natal 6th house will show through in the manner in which you tend to work with others.
6th House in a Marriage or a Partnership
Successfully living together in a home, perhaps raising children, is an undertaking that may come close to running a small business: the couple needs to get organized, divide responsibilities, define goals and keep following up on small details to ensure that everything is in order. Since it’s often too much for one person to handle all of the tasks, cooperation is essential.
Often, it is an imbalance in this area that builds frustration in a relationship: one partner may feel that the other person is not doing his/her share, and has to be constantly reminded to do what’s necessary. The level of responsibility may not be divided equally, resulting in one person being exhausted all of the time to keep up with everything. It could be worse – if both partners cease to take responsibility in doing what’s necessary, then things could spiral down quickly.
Advanced students of astrology know that 6th house is the derivative 12th house of the 7th. So the 12th house dynamic of “self-undoing” could happen in a relationship when the partners fail to cooperate with each other in meeting various responsibilities.
Planets in Natal 6th house: How You Need to Work With Others
Planetary placement in your natal 6th house could represent your unique needs and style in working together with others.
Sun in the 6th house: Working together invigorates you. Although this will depend on the Sun sign, this position could suggest that you need to assume a leadership position when working with others, or be given enough autonomy and independence so that you can do your own thing.
Moon in the 6th house: This has been called the “workaholic Moon” for a good reason. However, it’s also useful to think about the importance of cooperative dynamic for someone with this Moon position: She does not want to just work – she wants you to work with her and celebrate the accomplishment together when you’re done.
It’s probably correct that such a person cannot be happy with irresponsible partners that won’t show up to tackle projects with her.
Mercury in the 6th house: Others you work with may perceive you to be a born communicator. There is a need to express yourself fully, with skill and knowledge, while working together.
Venus in the 6th house: A need to work harmoniously with others. This position seems to indicate a natural grace in cooperative relationship. Depending on the rest of the horoscope, it may also suggest the need to work with others regarding artistic or beautiful things.
Mars in the 6th house: If Mars is under tension, this position could suggest a tendency to express anger or outrage while working with others. It could be an outrage against injustice, or a drive to protect someone or something that’s weaker than you. Another expression is that of working together with others in a physically demanding task.
Jupiter in the 6th house: A need to work with others in an inspiring or uplifting way. A need to achieve and succeed through cooperation. Feeling of being capable, an optimism about teamwork.
Saturn in the 6th house: This placement may suggest someone that likes to work alone, or at least with the capacity to work well alone. There may be a need to work with others in an organized, structured, or experienced manner.
Uranus in the 6th house: A need to work with others doing what you perceive to be significant. A need to work with unusual, unconventional people or issues.
Neptune in the 6th house: This may suggest cooperating with others in order to help others. There may be a strong idealism connected to the cooperative relationship.
Pluto in the 6th house: There may be a need to work with others in a deeply insightful way, to bring about meaningful transformation.
Closing Thoughts: Impact to the 7th House
One or more planets being in the 6th house creates a powerful need to be doing something with others, both at work and in close relationships. Usually, the energy of 6th house cannot be contained by just your personal relationship, and has to be explored as concrete work projects or home improvement plans that you can accomplish.
Failure to fully express the energy in the 6th house could create major frustration in your intimate relationship, since your partner cannot give you the experience of work accomplishment that you should be looking for with others. So if you feel that there is a call on your life to be doing something significant with others, chances are that you may need to look outside of your primary relationship – and that’s a good thing.
What does your 6th house say about your experience and style in working with others? How does that impact your primary relationship? Please feel free to share through email or comment!
(photo: MorBCN @ flickr)
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About Hiroki Niizato
My 6th house moon definitely creates a need to work at home, when I arrive home from work I immediately start "working." start a load of laundry, empty the dishwasher, sweep…. I've made it a goal this year to come home and sit on the couch and read for 20 minutes first thing upon getting home from the workday- it is a challenge so far but good for me I hope. This effects my relationship with my fiancé sometimes because I like the feeling oof accomplishing tasks and making our home clean and comfortable but like a volcano it erupts every few months where I feel like " I do everything around here," Im a Taurus sun hence the volcano buildup and not the impulsive explosion of other signs perhaps. This seems to be an interesting mix of wanting to work and accomplish at home but looking at your post of moon in 6th maybe I would like to share in the experience with my partner. Thank you for sharing this.
Hi Ashley,
Thank you for corroborating. Making the reading part of your daily program sounds like a great idea!
Yes, please try sharing the experience with your partner and see if it changes the dynamic. I think it'll be very positive.
Have venus , uranus, pluto,sun& moon in 6th house,
mercury,mars & neptune in 7th house,
saturn & jupiter in 11th house & chiron in 12th
Coming up for natel return chiron, work in caring profession , kids grown up , divorced ,last 8 yrs looked after parents,now passed, feeling lost, always felt dissatisfied never feel have reached my full potential, personal & work friendships!! under review, trust always an issue, lost my direction if i ever had it!!!
My 6th house is Gemini, but empty. How do I evaluate it if empty? I can definitely say I have had a lot of jobs and am easily bored! :-)Thanks!
Even with an empty house, you could consider its ruler (Mercury in this case) to be connected to the 6th house.
The placement of your natal Mercury will determine how strong its characteristic will show itself in the 6th house (e.g. if Mercury is conjunct the MC or the Ascendant, then it will be much more pronounced, etc.)
AH, Mercury is conjunct my MC 10th house Scorpio.
Hello, Hiroki, This is very original and an excellent contribution to vocational astrology. Nicely done!
I wonder if you'd allow me to reprint it on my blog, Skywriter, featuring you as a guest blogger.
Donna Cunningham
Hi Donna,
Thank you for the kind words, and yes I'd be delighted to have my post appear in your blog!
All the best,
Hiroki
Thanks, Hiroki, I know my readers will like it. Will publish it soon.Please send me a short bio that you'd like to appear with it,including links.
Donna Cunningham