The Midheaven, MC (Medium Coeli)or 10th house cusp is one of the most important angles in the birth chart. The Midheaven traditionally indicates career, status, aim in life and aspirations.
It's important that you look at the sign on the cusp, its aspects...then, it’s ruling planet in the chart and sign this will give us great insights.
As far as relationships go, this would indirectly function on a persons "relationship" social status and the planets involved and aspected...
The Medium Coeli or Midheaven
The Medium Coeli (MC), or Midheaven as it is more popularly known, is at the top of the chart. It is the point further south in the zodiac. The Midheaven point is the cusp of the 10th house. The Midheaven represents your most exposed position, your public demeanor, and how you present yourself to the world at large. This position is associated with the career and with that for which you strive to achieve. Many planets in this sector may show that much of your activities receive attention. You get credit (or blame) for your actions.
It could be said that the Midheaven sign represents our life goal; the ascendant sign represents our way of achieving that goal, or our unconscious strategy for attaining it.
Whilst the Midheaven is traditionally thought of as indicating a goal in terms of career or working life, it is not confined to this type of goal, and can indicate very personal or spiritual goals too. The individual will identify with and admire the qualities of the sign on the Midheaven, whether or not they actually have those qualities themselves.
Midheaven Signs and Career Choices
When an astrologer offers career guidance to someone, the Midheaven is certainly not the only factor to be taken into consideration. We cannot look at a Midheaven sign and say "Oh yes, you need to go and become an accountant"! Looking at the Midheaven sign does give us an indication of the type of career the individual would *like* to have - although whether this is possible/practical would need to be assessed through a careful look at the rest of the natal chart in detail.
Bearing this in mind, let's take a brief look at the types of work and careers associated with each Midheaven sign:
Aries Midheaven: Requires freedom in a career, would not be well suited to strict routine. Noisy, dirty or dangerous environments are not a problem for this person. Strong spirit of enterprise means that this is a good placement for self-employment, although foolish impulsive risks may be taken. Typical career routes include electronics, mechanics, the armed forces, fitness instruction, engineering, self-employment in the IT industry.
Taurus Midheaven: Needs some kind of steady career path in order to function best. Irregular income is frightening. Open air careers appeal. Typical career routes include sports, horticulture or agriculture, financial management, food industry, accountancy, building, banking, singing, physiotherapy.
Gemini Midheaven: Communication is the key to a fulfilling career, but these people need a lot of variety and stimulation. Not overly ambitious. Typical career routes include sales, the media, writing, advertising, retailing, youth work, the hotel industry, interpreting/translation, teaching.
Cancer Midheaven: Requires some continuity in career, as there is a dislike of change. Shrewd business sense is either present or aspired to, but money is not the principle motivation in career. Typical career routes include nursing and the 'caring' professions, social work, restaurant trade, historian, architecture, child care industry.
Leo Midheaven: Likes to be the centre of attention in their career, but will not tolerate difficult conditions. Ambitious and financially motivated, although much happier when they have an emotional attachment to work too. Typical career routes include acting, performing, any artistic work, luxury trades, banking, fashion industry, medical profession, politics or local government, work with animals.
Virgo Midheaven: Tends to hide light behind a bushel. Work best as an 'assistant' rather than a 'leader', although will often be the real power behind a throne. Typical career routes include secretarial/personal assistant work, literary/publishing industry, administration or management of any kind, health club/leisure centre management, journalism, copywriting, psychology, the police, librarian, civil servant.
Libra Midheaven: Comfortable working conditions are a must, and this position is motivated by money. Peacemaker of the office. Typical career routes include the fashion and beauty industry, soft furnishing or interior design, antiques, diplomatic corps, the legal profession, language work, modeling.
Scorpio Midheaven: Of all signs, this position most requires emotional involvement in the career. Money motivation just won't do. Needs career security. Typical career routes include the armed forces, police, detective or forensic science work, investigative journalism, mining, self employment, research of any kind, medical profession, funeral industry, psychotherapist.
Sagittarius Midheaven: Needs to be challenged, not very good with routine. Not particularly money motivated, but is ambitious. Difficult working conditions usually no problem. Typical career routes include the legal profession, outdoor sports, veterinary profession, travel industry, export industry, university lecturer, town planning, space industry, airline industry, the church.
Capricorn Midheaven: Very ambitious for status, rather than necessarily for money. Quintessential self-made businessman. Typical career routes include self employment, politics, estate agency, farming, orthopedics, homeopathy, engineering, exploration industry, dentistry, sculpting, civil service, stock broking.
Aquarius Midheaven: Need absolute freedom in their career, and need, above all, to be able to be innovative. Not particularly motivated by money. Typical career routes include cutting edge technology, space industry, airline industry, IT industry, optician, conservation, television work, photography, humanitarian work, publishing, the legal profession, telecommunications.
Pisces Midheaven: Often to be found working tirelessly in the background. Exceptional counseling abilities. Needs variety. Typical career routes include the caring professions (particularly the most emotionally demanding ones), work with the disadvantaged, the music industry, anything artistic, the wine trade, the sea or fishing industries, plumbing, the church, poet or author, the navy.
Example: Aspect to the Midheaven
Venus trine Midheaven
This configuration indicates continuation of the natives' careers and ambitions through the use of beauty, charm, and the social graces, which win the favor of people in important places. The harmony in their homes creates a favorable social atmosphere for furthering professional ambitions.
Performing artists with this aspect will achieve some recognition.
Mars trine Midheaven
This configuration strengthens the natives' ambitions and determination to rise to prominence in their careers. They are energetic and hard-working in their chosen fields. Thus by gaining the confidence of those in authority they win the means to provide a good domestic environment for themselves and their families.
Jupiter trine Midheaven
This configuration indicates a constructive attitude toward work which facilitates a rise to prominence in the native's chosen profession. His honesty and sincerity will gain the goodwill of people in positions of power, who in turn will help him further his ambitions. This aspect is especially favorable for a career in law or in the ministry.
Professional success ensures the wherewithal for a happy, secure domestic life. The natives love their families and have a positive attitude toward family members.
Uranus square Midheaven
This square indicates the natives' lack of ability to conform to professional or domestic routines. There is rebellion against authority - whether parents, an immediate superior, employers, or the government. The natives change jobs and residences frequently, and not always for sound or valid reasons.
There is also impatience with family responsabilities, and sometimes a tendency to use the home as a camping ground for the eccentric friends. The typical hippie pad is characteristic of this aspect.
Pluto square Midheaven
This square indicates a situation in which the desire to transform existing conditions can cause conflict with employers, immediate superiors, parents and families, constituted government authority, or landlords.
When the natives are at odds with their employers it is probably because they feel they know a better way of doing the job or because they want more power in the decision-making provess. When their revolutionary tendencies are directed against the government and social institutions, they can incur official disfavor.
If they are in positions of domestic or professional authority, they may display autocratic or dictatorial traits, which will usually cause disharmony.
Mercury square Midheaven
This square puts obstacles in the way of communication with the family, parents, landlord, and employer. It is especially difficult in professional matters, since good communication on the job is essential to success in any profession. The effect is stronger if the profession involves mental work or writing.
