VOCATION REPORT

A Solar Writer Report

for Barack Obama

Written by Brian Clark

Compliments of:-

Awakenings, Inc.

PO Box 10672

Prescott, AZ 86304-0672

Email: awake@cableone.net

Web: www.awakeastrology.com

Astrological Summary

Chart Point Positions: Barack Obama

Planet	Sign	Position	House	Comment
The Moon	Taurus	29°Ta00'	8th
The Sun	Leo	12°Le13'	10th
Mercury	Leo	1°Le38'	10th
Venus	Cancer	1°Cn24'	9th
Mars	Virgo	22°Vi21'	12th
Jupiter	Aquarius	0°Aq54'	4th
Saturn	Capricorn	25°Cp21'	4th
Uranus	Leo	25°Le14'	11th
Neptune	Scorpio	8°Sc36'	1st
Pluto	Virgo	6°Vi58'	11th
Chiron	Pisces	5°Pi19'	5th
The North Node	Leo	27°Le18'	11th
The South Node	Aquarius	27°Aq18'	5th
The Ascendant	Libra	21°Li53'	1st
The Midheaven	Cancer	21°Cn49'	10th

Chart Point Aspects

Planet	Aspect	Planet	Orb	App/Sep
The Moon	Sextile	Mercury	2°37'	Applying
The Moon	Trine	Mars	6°39'	Separating
The Moon	Trine	Jupiter	1°53'	Applying
The Moon	Trine	Saturn	3°39'	Separating
The Moon	Square	Uranus	3°45'	Separating
The Moon	Square	Chiron	6°18'	Applying
The Moon	Square	The North Node	1°42'	Separating
The Moon	Square	The South Node	1°42'	Separating
The Sun	Square	Neptune	3°37'	Separating
Mercury	Opposition	Jupiter	0°44'	Separating
Venus	Quincunx	Jupiter	0°30'	Separating
Venus	Trine	Chiron	3°55'	Applying
Venus	Trine	The South Node	4°05'	Separating
Mars	Trine	Saturn	2°59'	Applying
Mars	Semisquare	Neptune	1°14'	Applying
Mars	Sextile	The Midheaven	0°32'	Separating
Jupiter	Conjunction	Saturn	5°32'	Applying
Saturn	Quincunx	Uranus	0°06'	Applying
Saturn	Square	The Ascendant	3°28'	Applying
Saturn	Opposition	The Midheaven	3°31'	Applying
Uranus	Conjunction	The North Node	2°03'	Applying
Uranus	Opposition	The South Node	2°03'	Applying
Neptune	Sextile	Pluto	1°38'	Applying
Neptune	Trine	Chiron	3°16'	Separating
Pluto	Opposition	Chiron	1°38'	Separating
Pluto	Semisquare	The Ascendant	0°05'	Separating
Pluto	Semisquare	The Midheaven	0°08'	Separating
Chiron	Conjunction	The South Node	8°01'	Applying
Chiron	Sesquisquare	The Midheaven	1°29'	Separating
The South Node	Trine	The Ascendant	5°25'	Applying
The Ascendant	Square	The Midheaven	0°03'	Applying

INTRODUCTION

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. Work is love made visible.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

A Fulfilling Vocation

In the midst of our busy lives, worn out by the endless repetition of meaningless tasks, it is difficult to appreciate Kahlil Gibran's poetic image of work as a soul-making sphere. In a technological environment work and soul seem worlds apart. The outer rewards of career - prestige, status, vacations, salary packages, job security - conceal the urge to express soul through our vocation. When we are no longer anchored by values and images that remind us of a meaningful life, emptiness permeates the working atmosphere, contributing to an epidemic of dissatisfaction, depression and insecurity in the workplace.

Vocation is from the Latin vocare, to call, and in early English this referred to a spiritual calling. In modern terminology we can conceive of vocation as the calling to one's authentic role in the world. As an aspect of the individuation process, our vocational path is not predetermined but forged through the interrelationship of our inner self with the outer world over time. Carl Jung suggested it was vocation, which induced an individual to follow his own soul and become conscious. He suggested vocation was 'an irrational factor that destines a man to emancipate himself from the herd and from its well-worn paths. True personality is always a vocation'. To follow the voice which summons one on their authentic path demands that the individual be spirited enough to forge their own way in the world. As Jung reminds us, 'Creative life always stands outside convention’. Vocation demands we risk being unique.

When you were a child what was your answer when adults inevitably asked 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' As children we are uninhibited in our career choices, not yet influenced by cultural standards and values that judge professions. Still unaware of what work entails, the answer springs from our imagination. How we shape these soulful images of who we may be in the world is our vocation and a large part of the individuation process. These impressions are already inherent in us and often accessible to us through the imagination, and certainly through images in the horoscope. However one of the main obstacles in our vocational search is literality. Mistaking an internal image for a concrete career perpetuates the myth that vocation is something existing outside of us, already established in the world for us to find, not something that unfolds over the course of our lives. The illusion that the right career path, a creative job or our own business will dissolve our job dissatisfaction hinders the discovery that vocation is already present in us.

A complexity of external factors influences our career choices: familial awareness, educational opportunities, financial resources, parental support, and encouragement. Role models who we admire as children, experiences that capture our imagination and the breadth of exposure to the world around us impress us. Another major influence on career choice is parental expectations. Whether it is overt or not, we are subjectively influenced by the unconscious expectations of the parents, the ancestors, and the culture. This pressure contributes to moulding our careers whether we yield or rebel to it. Yet instinctively we are drawn to certain courses, beliefs, and theories, experiences that are all part of the process of helping our careers unfold. Ultimately the vocation is like a large tapestry woven with the threads of all of our life experience and choices, not a well-trodden career path with guaranteed superannuation.

Unfortunately, vocations do not come with job descriptions, opportunities for promotion or a guaranteed income. No doubt work and career are an aspect of vocation, but we often confuse the longing for self-fulfillment with a literal job. Vocation, like individuation, is a job, it is a task; it is the 'opus' of one's life. Therefore the task of vocation continuously unfolds throughout our lifetime and its success depends on our ability to courageously follow its call. Vocation is an aspect of our fate, a force deep inside that pushes itself to be expressed in the world, therefore is intimately bound up with the course of our lives. Yet because work is how we 'make a living' we often identify work as something we do rather than something we are. Because some professions can bestow such prestige and status we may be drawn to a profession because of what it can offer materially, not creatively. Some careers offer the financial rewards that provide a wealthy lifestyle; however, at a critical point in our lives it becomes evident that career bonuses are never enough if vocational urges are still unmet.

A vocational analysis utilizing astrology is very beneficial in revealing an individual's calling. The astrological horoscope does not supply literal details, but it does offer suggestions as to the features necessary to make the vocational journey fulfilling. Vocation may also be found in hobbies, volunteer work, and courses of study, not always presenting in the form of a career. This report will help you to reflect on the qualities of your character that create an empowering effect on shaping a meaningful vocation. Using your horoscope as the personal guide this report will offer suggestions to help you consider a fulfilling vocation. As you read about the vocational images from your own horoscope you will find that many repeat similar themes, reminding you to be alert to these patterns. In other cases you will find that there may be contradictions. Human nature is full of paradoxes and it is of equal importance to have an insight into the nature of our own ambiguities and inconsistencies. This report will introduce you to the archetypal forces that underpin your personal search for a fulfilling vocation.

VOCATION AND DESTINY

Vocation is the spine of life

-Friedrich Nietzche

The Lunar Nodes

Embedded in each horoscope is the archetypal image of the dragon-battle and, as myth reveals, all heroes come across a dragon at some point in their journey. This encounter is a psychological allegory for our battle with regressive urges to do what is expected of us, rather than mustering the courage to follow our own path. Astrologically, it is along the nodal axis where we encounter this dragon, the incentive to confront our own destiny.

In considering this axis we can envisage the North Node or Dragon's Head as the calling to be heroic, to develop an identity in the world, or in other words, to follow our vocation. The North Node points to what can be developed through valuing and cultivating innate faculties. The South Node, known as the Dragon's Tail, is the container of talents, skills and aptitudes gleaned from the past, lying untapped and undifferentiated. Without recognition or consciousness they remain stagnant, unable to be directed advantageously. Hence a heroic act needs to dislodge and distribute this energy so it can be of service. In circulating this energy the potentiality of the north node is heightened. Each time this energy is liberated, destiny is petitioned and vocation is more conscious; therefore the South Node is a vital key to unlocking the treasure chest of vocational talent.

Another way we could think about the North Node is that it is an invitation to participate and cooperate in the life journey. The North Node is where effort must be exerted. This is an opportunity to learn what needs to be developed and made conscious. For vocational purposes we could view the North Node as a symbol of what demands to be anchored and directed in the world. Unlike the South Node it is not instinctive and therefore needs to be recognised before it can be applied. In striving to realise the potentiality of the North Node, satisfaction and meaning will be derived.

The South Node in the opposite sign suggests an innate quality that needs to be disseminated and used freely in pursuit of a vocation. It is providence, a gift of inherited qualities from the past that can be used as resources for the future. The South Node suggests that well developed residues need to be dispersed and shared or they may become entrapping. It symbolises what must be utilised in the conscious attempt to fulfill one's destiny. The South Node acts as a dissemination point for what becomes conscious at the North Node. In a way the South Node brings to mind the need to contribute this energy to the familial and social realms, the world at large. Since this energy is instinctual it is not necessarily always consciously directed or purposefully used.

The Lunar Nodes are important to consider in a vocational analysis since this polarity in the horoscope represents an axis of destiny. The issues involved in the nodal axis seek conscious expression and reconciliation, which are often sought through vocation. The nodal axis is intimately connected to the individual's path in life and therefore the nature of this polarity is often drawn into the pursuit of a fulfilling career. The sign position of the nodes reveals an essential aspect of the individual's destiny. The polarity of signs embraced by the North and South Nodes describe important qualities necessary to both develop and disseminate in the vocation.

The house position of the Nodes will illustrate the environmental factors that help to shape and influence an individual's destiny. The North Node's house position directs us to be aware of an important arena of our lives. It is important to consciously participate in the area of life described by the house position of the North Node. This is an area where both the inner and outer worlds collude to lead us into an encounter with our destiny. It is a part of life that beckons and invites us into its experiences. Since the North Node is often the place where we momentarily may experience the transcendent and spiritual aspect of the self, its house position maps the place where these experiences happen. The North Node does not have a cumulative effect; in other words experiences at this place are not sequential, but more arbitrary, and may seem to happen out of the ordinary. The random nature of the North Node is more to do with its subjective nature and entanglement with the spiritual world. Hence the house position of the North Node may suggest the setting where the encounter with the spiritual self occurs. The South Node is in the opposite house and may describe a familiar place, an area of safety, and a comfort zone which supplies an anchor. However it is also a place where we can become fixed caught in the safety zone of our complacency. Therefore it suggests an area we must leave to develop and explore our life's pathway. Another metaphor we could use to define the nodal axis is that the North Node is the destination, the station where the path is headed, while the South Node is like the departure point, the station where we embark. The Nodal axis is like a track with the well-worn grooves of the path near the South Node.

Combining both factors of sign and house establish a more individual profile of the essence needing to be to recognised and developed to actualise an individual's potential pathway. Planets aspecting the Nodal axis will also demand attention especially if conjunct either pole of the axis. Planets that square the nodal axis suggest the need to incorporate this energy into the vocation. Therefore these planetary placements in reference to the nodal axis will also be analysed. Following is the description of the lunar nodes in your natal horoscope to help you reflect on your own vocational pathway.

The North Node is in Leo

You were born with North Node in Leo and the South Node in the opposite sign of Aquarius suggesting that in your pride of lions, your destiny is to have the loudest roar. Your invitation appeals to the aspect of yourself that is playful and childlike, as it through your natural and spontaneous expressiveness that you will become connected to your purpose. Developing creative ideas, performing innovative plays or creating artistic pieces are all avenues to this sense of fulfillment. Virtues ripe for development are loyalty and affection, especially to the inner child, who seeks expression. Inherently you know how to be a team player and support and encourage fellow members, but circumstances may conspire to lead you away from the group and more into the spotlight. With such a strong social conscience and well-developed capacity to be part of a group it is easy to sideline your own creative impulses in favour of communal needs. However, it is important to know that your creative, original focus on your own ideas and projects will be productive and beneficial to the group at large. Vocationally you need to be at the centre, heartened by and 'in love' with the career path you take through life.

Lions need to feel they are being recognised for their achievements and need to receive feedback and a form of applause in order to feel fulfilled. Praise goes a long way in encouraging anyone to perform well and in your case it is necessary. Fundamentally you have already developed a solid network of friends, colleagues and acquaintances and they will be on hand to acknowledge you if you let them. With their support and acknowledgement you will brighten the world around you through your innovative personality. Your sense of self-esteem and confidence is probably linked to your vocation; therefore it is important that you have pride in what you do. The need for self-expression and self-promotion in a career is also important. Most probably you will also find that your need for self-discovery and self knowledge is forged through a creative occupation.

While you instinctually know how to be a friend it is important to develop your own identity through your vocation. As a colleague and friend you are able to listen to others but it is your creativity that now needs to be identified and demonstrated. So whether you produce your own play, design your own label, or manage your own business, what makes the difference is that your name is attached to the creative output and that it is recognised by others. Specifically you thrive in professions like promoters, teachers, entertainers, instructors, motivators, authors, and actors where you interact with others using your creative skills. At the end of the working day you will need to have felt a response for your creative endeavours, a reflection from the community that your contribution has been valuable.

The North Node is in the 11th House

Your North Node is in the 11th house with the opposite pole of the South Node occupying the 5th. Astrologically this is similar to the Leo-Aquarius polarity, which contrasts the sphere of individual imagination and self-expression with group participation and company creativity. Your horoscope suggests that while you may be more comfortable being personally involved with your own creativity, it is necessary to become more aligned with community concerns. Vocationally your path leads towards the sphere of being involved in group projects and undertakings. Therefore you need to strive to integrate your originality with the social climate in the environment. Ironically while you are passionate about your own ideas and beliefs your path takes you into the political arena where the voice of the people and the community need to be heard and supported. You have the capacity to be a voice for a larger collective; therefore it is important to know that others will respect your views and beliefs.

It is valuable to know that you will be well received and admired in the community when you heed the call to become more involved in organisations and group efforts. Turning the spotlight away from your own need for acknowledgement and applause to follow your strong humanitarian impulses will be beneficial for you and your career. You need to be involved in a cooperative to exchange ideas and information and bring your unique enterprise into public domain. Your creative talent is both exclusive and original, therefore you find your colleagues and soul mates through like-minded associations, which are often marginal or out of the mainstream. It may be through your participation in communal action that you find a greater purpose and direction. No doubt others will acknowledge your social role; therefore it is important to consider others' invitations to speak publicly about your creativity, join the executive of the society or represent the group in some way. Vocationally your creative expression is ultimately tied to the wider community of artisans, healers, visionaries and entrepreneurs. Your voice adds weight to the acceptance and respect of your creative endeavours.

The Moon is Square The North Node

In your horoscope the Moon is square the Nodal Axis. Traditionally this is often a harsh aspect; however, in this case the Moon takes on a unique function in terms of your vocation. A customary way of thinking about this aspect was that the planet was at the bending, a transitional moment in the nodal cycle. Therefore in terms of the course of your destiny the Moon presents its challenge to be consciously woven into the fabric of your vocation.

This suggests that one of the major challenges to your vocation is feeling secure. This might suggest you look for security in your work only to find that it is temporary. Therefore this aspect poses the question, 'how do I find security in the transitional nature of work?' Ultimately it is your attachment to your vocation and what fulfills you that offer security, not the external workplace or the literal job. Growth and change are inherent in your career. You may feel this destabilises you; however, it is actually an aspect of your vocation that helps you discover your true place. Through the changing landscape of your jobs you find the security of your own feelings and what is important. Therefore it is vital to reflect on whether your particular line of work is offering you the security you really need or have you become stuck in a routine? Your vocation always presents you with the impetus to find security, safety and a feeling of homecoming. Therefore it is essential to understand the mix of elements that provide security and seek these through your employment. Be aware of getting caught up in other's needs as these may lead you down a path that detracts from your vocation.

Chiron is Conjunct The South Node

Symbolically with Chiron near your South Node you come from a lineage of wise ancestors, many of whom you may not consciously be aware of. Deep inside you may sense this. In reality some of the ancestral lines may have been severed so there is no way to confirm this, except through your subjective understanding of healing. What you intuitively know needs to be shared even at the risk of feeling alienated or marginalized. Your feelings of estrangement stem more from realising your vocational place is not in the corporate or traditional world. However it does not mean that you cannot complement this world. In fact this is your vocational task - to be able to express the call to be a healer in the way you need to, not in the ways set out by others.

This placement suggests you may have a natural diagnostic ability, understanding the source of illness and wounding. It is important to respect this gift and cultivate it in your career. You may feel you have a calling for the healing or therapeutic professions yet hold yourself back because you are acutely aware of your own wounds and disorders. However, since antiquity healers have understood that they are called to their profession because of their own wounding. And ironically while they are able to soothe the sores, apply the ointment and nurse others back to health, they often are unable to do this for themselves. It is through the acceptance of your own troubles that you find the courage to help others. Whatever courses this healing or helping takes, you are able to understand the depth of human suffering because of your own. Therefore it is unwise to hold yourself back from your own destiny because you feel unworthy. It is because you feel unworthy that you are called to be a healer.

Uranus is Conjunct The North Node

With Uranus on your North Node you are familiar with the pull towards the unusual and non traditional. In a vocational sense this implies that your career path may be somewhat different than your school mates, friends and social acquaintances. You are invited to take the road less travelled and while it may not be the easiest or the best known, nonetheless it suits your calling to adventure. Imagine your career path like a fast-moving conveyor belt of which you are never certain where or when it will stop. And when it does it will be with a jolt and unexpectedly you may be whisked off again. So using strategy to plan your next career move may not always be wise as life's roller coaster has many surprises in store.

You are moved by the Promethean spirit that wants to revolutionize the world, whatever that world is. You reach out to something greater to inspire you and hence your vocation is never static, but always growing and changing. As a spokesperson of the future you may be involved with new ideas that reshape the world around you, innovative technologies that take you beyond the limits set down by previous generations. Whatever your chosen path you put your own individuality and uniqueness into whatever you do. While you work best independently, you seek your tribe in like-minded revolutionaries. Providence provides you with a circle of colleagues and contemporaries who can inspire you and help you, as you are destined to be part of a larger trend and movement, even if you do feel solitary. Uranus's invitation is to be heroic enough to step outside the box and explore the margins, as it is on the fringe or what is outside convention where you will find vocation's call. As a visionary you are called to modernize your world with your innovative, inventive and original ideas.

VOCATION AND DIRECTION

Many are called, few are chosen: many have talent, few have the character that can realise the talent. Character is the mystery, and it is individual.

- James Hillman