All good stories have a challenge that needs to be resolved, and the astrological chart gives us a very simple way of sorting out those challenges. It all comes down to the opposition. What’s the 6-12 challenge?
Be Rational or Follow Your Instincts
The 6th and the 12th Houses are both concerned with health. The 6th approaches it from more of a scientific perspective — adopting a lifestyle including exercise and proper nutrition, for example. Things you can measure thrive very well in the 6th House. The 12th house, on the other hand, approaches health from a more wholistic point of view. In this realm, being attuned with Spirit will nourish body, mind, and soul.
Service is a theme which is common to both the 6th and the 12th. The 6th House provides skilled service to benefit others; expecting financial payment in return for the services provided is a common occurrence. The 12th house service is more often voluntary — even providing a service anonymously. 12th House work involves empathy and imagination. It is harder to put a monetary value on 12th House services so remuneration can be awkward for those involved.
The challenge with the 6th/12th axis comes down to which is better at the time: to follow your rational mind or to follow your instincts. Following rational thought can give you increased confidence that things should turn out as you want them. It’s playing it safe. It’s a good bargain. Contrary to this, following your instincts can be scary. There is no proof whatsoever that you are making the right choice. It’s jumping into a void with only that voice inside you to guide the way. It’s even more frightening not knowing if that voice is going to stick around.
Which do you experience more: times when you want to kick yourself for not being ‘practical’, or times when you regret that you didn’t follow your instincts? Your answer may help you see where you tend to reside on this axis of the 6th and 12th Houses.
If your natal chart includes an opposition across the 6th and 12th Houses, if you have one or more planets in Virgo opposite one or more planets in Pisces, or if the nodal axis falls through these houses or signs, you may be confronted frequently with the choice of whether to be realistic or to follow your gut.
Thanks for reading my Tell Me A Story series. I hope you enjoyed it.
Toby Aldren, DFAstrolS
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2 replies on “Tell Me A Story (There are only six) – Part 6”
Enjoyed all six stories, nice and clear. A memorable experience regarding six-twelve was meeting a critical care nurse when my friend was the patient. The nurse worked the technical instruments like a maestro; and she seemed aware of my purpose there (twelfth-house orientation). Without missing a beat in what she was doing, she called me to the bedside and said, “Place your hands there.” A complete six-twelve experience.
Thank you for writing. What a remarkable and appropriate story for the 6th-12th theme! It’s wonderful when we can experience these oppositions working in balanced harmony. Your example is most appreciated.