The 6th house is often called the house of ‘serve or suffer’ or the seat of prarabhdha karma.(the other is the 12th house). In Jyothish, it also signifies enemies, litigation/lawsuits, competition, obstacles.
The planet that falls into this house has significant karma to burn in relation to its significations. The experiences of this planet in the 6th are unavoidable. for eg- if you have your Sun in the 6th , you will find yourself in circumstances where you are forced to support your father so that his life runs smoothly. You could be his assistant or take care of his health. Or maybe you and your father do not get along at all. Maybe he blocks you from your life goals. Or expects you to take care of him without offering similar support in return.
The permutations and combinations of how the significations play out are innumerable. But, for the planet that is in the 6th, it may feel like a prison. And the planet seeks to escape its prison. Where does it escape? Examine where the ruler of the 6th house is placed, that’s where the 6th house planet escapes. But, that ruler carries the significations of the 6th into this new territory. Bringing with it all the emotional baggage carried over from who knows how many lifetimes and can cause disruption there too.
For eg- Moon in the 6th in sidereal Aries with its ruler Mars in 7th. Can this native escape into a healthy, well balanced marriage? Nope. As Mars carries the energies of the 6th house with her, and given that its Mars- a first class malefic, what are the odds that this native experiences fights and arguments in all his relationships? Quite high.
Can this 6th house ruler escape to the 12th? No. That’s the house of “loss”. The planet that goes into the 12th is ‘lost’ in some way or another. It is hidden from society or the world. For eg- If one has the Moon in the 12th, this person could be unable to access their emotions. Its almost like they cannot name their emotions or their emotions could become so overwhelming that they need to completely withdraw from the world.
A planet in the 6th house can burn off its baggage through work as its an artha house. Venus in the 6th may indicate a social worker, maybe one that works with women. Mars in the 6th could be someone who volunteers or counsels or works/serves war veterans. Mercury in the 6th could be a teacher who teaches those who belong to the economically disadvantaged.
The 6th houser feels compelled to serve. There is a sense of service that is inbuilt into the planet that demands to be addressed. It expects the native to fulfill the obligations as signified by the planet/sign. If the native shirks this responsibility or ignores it, suffering ensues. This suffering could take any form. It could show up as a sense of emptiness or a void or a loss of life purpose. Or it could express as emotional or mental restlessness that needs a meaningful outlet. This outlet is often the path of service.
However, this path of service is riddled with challenges. The native seems to be pulled into the vortex of being of service, yet, the act of service goes unacknowledged or is taken for granted. This is where the activity that is meant to bring fulfillment or joy also leads to discouragement, or despair.
The 12th house planet, on the other hand, can channel its energies through voluntary activities and/or charity as its a moksha house. Check which sign/house the planet of the 12th goes and you could volunteer/do charity in those spaces. For eg- Mars in Gemini in the 12th with ruler Mercury in the 9th. This native could volunteer in children’s shelters, orphanages or donate books to underprivileged children.
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