The tenth house is the sign which sits on the top of the sky and forms a superior square with the first house. It represents the actions demanded of you to achieve your greatest potential.

The Ancient Greeks called it praxis, from which we derive the word 'practice' in English. The tenth house is what you practice, the actions you take and speaks to what your role in the world is. It is one of the most "powerful" places in the birth chart, as planets in the tenth will have a lot of opportunity to have influence and manifest in your life. If your birth chart were a medieval fiefdom, the tenth would be the Lord's Castle on top of a hill, overlooking the domain and cutting an imposing silhouette against the local skyline.

Planets in the tenth house are in a position to dominate the first house. This house represents your experience with authority figures, as well as how you handle positions of authority when/if you find yourself in them. The tenth is all about power, which by definition is the ability to take action, exert one's Will, and exercise influence. It's how you are seen in the world and where you leave your personal mark on it, as well as how you are remembered after you are gone.

The tenth house, also called the midheaven, is what you see when you look up. It is what you aspire to or feel called to be or do. Some of us hear the call loud and clear from an early age, and others have to go out in search of it. You can look too the planet that rules the sign of your tenth house, as well as planets in that sign for clues to what that calling is for you.

When using the Whole Sign House system, the degree of the midheaven - or the little point on your chart that says MC - is not always located in the tenth house. If that is the case for you, look to any planets near the MC, or aspecting it closely, and consider the topics of the house and sign the MC lands in. Even the ruling planet of the sign of the MC may have important information to offer you on the tenth house topics in your life. (You can do the same for the IC with fourth house topics)