I was reading an article in Saturday’s Guardian entitled “Living to work? Working to live?”

The writer was actually reviewing the latest ebooks by Joe Vitale of “The Secret” DVD fame; and was questioning the whole premise that doing what you love will make the money follow. This a philosophy is enthusiastically promoted by all of the stars of the film, and can make for a very interesting evening’s discussion over dinner.

The article goes on to look at the confusion between paid employment and work. The suggestion being that they can be different and that the former can be used to support the latter, rather than producing a kind of grindstone attitude towards our everyday work. So that we can recognise the necessity of earning a crust, and while also supporting our dreams and creative processes.

Ancient astrologers, recognised the difference between these two functions and so explain them thus: a) 6th House – paid routine employment and b) 10th House – career or passion. For example, someone who works as a railway clerk 9-5, Monday-Friday; and is painter, musician or a volunteers at an animal sanctuary, for the rest of the time. In fact, the key to this is in the language I’m using here – the difference between the words “doing”= 6th House and “being” = 10th House.

The everyday, routine job on the birth chart is seen in the 6th house – traditionally the house of Virgo, but different on everyone’s chart unless they have Aries Rising on their Ascendant. This is the House where we do the small things on a rhythmical, daily basis, whether we work in a job or not. Aries in the 6th House would steam away at the everyday skills while harbouring the desire to be self-employed.

I remember in the 70s wearing a badge (button) stating that “Every mother is a working mother” and while we may have lost the plot somewhere on that particular issue, the routine of the small jobs have to be done in the home as much as in the office. I digress…

The “Work” is found in the 10th house, known as our public identity, associated with Capricorn and valued citizenry. We tend to identify ourselves through the qualities of the sign that we have on our personal 10th house – Gemini here on the 10th House would tend to identify with his gift in communication, no matter what job he was in and may write in the evenings, if not professionally.

And the word “identify” is the key here. Ask our railway clerk at a party “And what do you do?” – the common question between strangers – no prizes for guessing she would say “I’m a painter” and would engage in a riveting conversation about her work and painting in general. She would not talk with passion about train tickets. This indicates that we naturally identify with our 10th House activities and values rather than our chores.

If the railway clerk can see that her 6th House job is funding her painting career, by enabling her to pay for her materials, then not only can she feel fulfilled by her career, but also by her job. This will ease the frustration she often feels when standing around waiting the time to pass so that she can get back home to her canvas knowing that she has done a good day’s work. And also knowing that maybe one day she could live by her art alone.

Interestingly, the example of Aries on the 6th House has, in the Northern Hemisphere, Leo on the 10th house. This gives a life where the small routine everyday chores can produce skills that the person can use in their individual creative process. I have a number of clients with just this birth chart set up – one who is in design and another who is a painter.

And just to through a spanner in the works, if there is a planet tenanting either of those two houses, then, just as in life, the tenant can colour the whole process yet further. For example, Saturn in the 6th house can create an attitude that sees work as a drag until a change of attitude occurs; Saturn in the 10th House can give a drive to do something meaningful and significant as a career. Jupiter in either will bring a more positive outcome to the pursuit of fulfillment.

So while there are people who can and do follow their passion and get paid mightily for it, we can all pursue our passions – and who knows, as Julian Fellowes said on the BBC’s arts programme “Front Row” last night, we all need a bit of luck to help us along.

And maybe that’s where fate or destiny come in.