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What are the Houses in Astrology?
The Houses are a crucial component when reading and interpreting your Natal (birth) Chart and using other astrological techniques that include observing the stars.
Houses in Astrology are calculated by taking the sky as a 360-degree circle and splitting it into 12 equal 30-degree “houses” (360 / 12 = 30). Each house represents distinct areas and aspects of life and is ruled by a certain planet and Zodiac Sign.
They work their way counterclockwise, beginning with the first House on the Eastern horizon (the left of a natal chart).
The Zodiac sign a House is in will influence its style and qualities to the area of life that the House covers and any Planets contained in the Houses will also add a layer of meaning when looking at your own Natal Chart. Generally speaking, the Houses are the “where,” the Signs are the “how,” and the Planets are the “what.”
Continue reading to learn more about the 12 astrological houses and what they mean for you!
The 12 Houses of Astrology
As previously mentioned, each of the houses on an astrological wheel symbolizes a unique aspect or area of our personality or way of life.
Each has a traditional planetary and zodiacal ruler, and each of our individual Houses in our Natal Charts (the sky above you at the precise moment you were born) will have a particular Zodiac sign associated with it, as well as a planetary ruler of that Sign.
For example, the original, traditional ruler of the eighth house is the Zodiac sign of Scorpio and the planet Mars. However, if your eighth house falls under the sign of Libra, Venus will be its planetary ruler. For even further depth, you can then check your chart to see where Venus is located.
Astrological House Sign & Planetary Rulers
- 1st HOUSE / Aries / Mars
- 2nd HOUSE / Taurus / Venus
- 3rd HOUSE / Gemini / Mercury
- 4th HOUSE / Cancer / Moon
- 5th HOUSE / Leo / Sun
- 6th HOUSE / Virgo / Mercury
- 7th HOUSE / Libra / Venus
- 8th HOUSE / Scorpio / Mars & Pluto
- 9th HOUSE / Sagittarius / Jupiter
- 10th HOUSE / Capricorn / Saturn
- 11th HOUSE / Aquarius / Saturn & Uranus
- 12th HOUSE / Pisces / Jupiter & Neptune
The Babylonians, one of the pioneers of Western Astrology, are credited with creating the house connections, which were later improved upon throughout history. Although some houses, such as the 6th, 8th, or 12th houses, may have historically had more negative connotations, they are now generally understood with greater complexity and deeper meaning.
The majority of them are arranged in an intuitive order; for instance, the first house is known as the House of Self since it is the first thing we are aware of when we are born.
Then, in the second, we establish our wants, in the third, our communication abilities, in the fourth, we grow aware of our family, and in the fifth, we start to choose our interests and passions more deliberately. The seventh house, which sits directly across from the first, is where we start to relate to the outside world and people that are separate from us. It teaches us how we coexist with others.
Our previous lives, karmic histories, subconscious mind, and other things are represented by the 12th and final house, which was transiting the horizon before we were born. For example, using the Whole Sign house system, the 12th house of a Leo rising would be in the sign of Cancer.
Various houses can be examined together for greater insight into an area of life. For instance, the second, sixth, and tenth houses can show your wealth, career advancements, and public status, whereas the fourth, eighth, and twelfth houses can reveal another layer of your intuitive abilities and what your deep inner self looks like.
Empty Houses
You will notice that certain houses are empty while viewing your natal chart or any other astrological chart.
Astrological charts will never have all houses occupied, so this is perfectly normal.
When a house is empty, it will function according to the Zodiac Sign it is in, and this area of life might not be one that you focus on a lot. When you want more insight into an empty house, simply look to the house + Zodiac sign that the ruling planet of the vacant house’s Zodiac sign occupies.
For example, if your second house is empty and in the sign of Libra, you can check your chart to see where Venus, the house’s ruler, is located. Let’s say that Venus is placed in Virgo’s 7th House of Relationships (Pisces). This will also influence your (empty) second house of wealth.
You can take a look at any aspects (the relationship of planets in respect of their position from one another, calculated by degrees) it may be involved in for more information on how it may manifest for you.
Also, keep an eye out for when planets are currently transiting your astrological houses. These transiting planets will light up whatever area of your life that house represents as they travel through.
For instance, changes to your health, daily routine, or career may result from planets transiting your sixth house. You can obtain an astrological transit report here for free (I personally recommend selecting Whole Signs in the extended settings because I find it easier to read and more accurate). A good astrologer will frequently also factor in the transits when crafting a horoscope for a client.
1st House of Self
The first house is referred to as the house of the self in astrology. It sets the Rising Sign or the Ascendant of a chart, which is the sign that was rising on the Eastern Horizon the moment you were born.
It represents the persona we like to project to the outer world and/ or what people typically believe about us when we first meet them. For example, if Scorpio is in your first house, you might come across to others as mysterious, strong, intuitive, etc. before they get to know you on a deeper level. You can look to the fourth house for the inner you that others usually get to know once they’ve grown past being an acquaintance or casual friend. (More on the fourth house below).
This also means that this house and any planet, asteroid, or astrological angle (in this case, the Ascendant), that is located within it have a significant impact on your physical body, your psyche, and your personal habits. As the first house of the self, it governs our approach to life and our basic foundations, key ideologies, physical attributes, general personality, and temperament.
Anything to do with aesthetics can be seen in the 1st house as well. The areas of the astrology chart closest to the ascendant govern the physical self, while those closer to the second house may relate more to individual behaviors, as well as your physical appearance, personal style, and everything else that is visible can be seen about you within the first house. Mercury is said to be in its astrological “joy” in the first house.
2nd House of Wealth & Values
Taurus naturally rules the second House, which is a representation of what we need and desire to acquire and own, what we value and enjoy, as well as our material possessions and wealth. It also speaks of our unique skills, values, and assets.
For example, if you have Cancer in this house, you’ll highly value your home and enjoy spending time there. You’ll likely enjoy taking care of others, and you might even earn money from a healing or creative pursuit. Natal planets in the second house will typically look for security in their physical surroundings.
The 2nd house also governs self-esteem as well as the relationship between possessing and feeling deserving. Along with the sixth and tenth houses, it is seen as a house that indicates the type of career a person pursues, how one goes about making money, and how they treat their personal belongings.
It’s important to note that the second house is best at predicting how to increase your material wealth and which jobs would result in decent financial gains, but it does not always necessarily indicate a profession that you would like.
3rd House of Community & Communication
Gemini naturally rules the third House, and it is where the Moon finds her “joy”, as the third house is also known as the house of the Goddess.
The 3rd House in astrology covers all forms of communication, our mental processes, our modes of expression, early learning, local transportation, and local communities, neighbors, as well as siblings.
This particular area of the natal chart also refers to one’s skills and talents (particularly to do with the hands, such as painting, rock climbing, or martial arts), correspondence, and short-distance travel.
The 3rd house, which has Mercury as its planet, is in charge of verbal exchanges and conscious communication style. As a result, the house integrates both communication-related activities and technology for disseminating information.
4th House of Roots
Our birth chart’s fourth House, which is originally the home of the sign of Cancer, is located at the very bottom of the chart. It speaks of our family relationships and deep inner selves, what brings us comfort, our early years and upbringing, our parents (particularly our Mother figure), as well as our actual physical home life and ancestry.
The 4th house may also be connected to our ancestry, inherited behaviors, and beliefs. For example, if Jupiter is located here, you might have been blessed with a large (possibly wealthy) family with fortunate, supportive relationships. Your spiritual growth could have been encouraged and nourished from early on. On the other hand, a planet like Saturn in the 4th house may signify poor family dynamics and a certain coldness, neglect, or even poverty growing up.
Typically, this house will also include the angle of your Imum Coeli (IC) which means “bottom of the sky” in Latin. Also known as the Nadir, it represents our origins and is considered a highly sensitive point. Planets that are close to or make an aspect to this angle may be of higher significance (along with the Ascendant, MC, and Descendant angles).
5th House of Happiness & Hobbies
Leo’s natural house, the fifth House, is where Venus is believed to find her joy. It refers to how we find happiness, our hobbies and favorite activities, as well as our creativity, fertility and children, sensuality, vitality, love life, and romance.
For example, if Jupiter is in your fifth house, you might enjoy being active, participating in sports, traveling, or working with children. If the planet Mercury is in your fifth house, you may make a great teacher, actor, or dancer. With a planet like Pluto in the 5th, you could be obsessive in your creative and romantic endeavors and potentially like to party to extremes.
6th House of Work & Health
Mars is considered to find its joy in the sixth House, which is Virgo’s domicile.
Mercury, the planet that relates to analytical reasoning and communication, is the “night” governor of Virgo (in contrast to the “day” ruler of Gemini), therefore it tends to be more critical and focuses on the specifics of everyday life and rituals here.
The sixth also addresses our health and well-being because routines are what make us who we are. We are the sum of our behaviors and what we choose to do consistently. The little habits add up! As a result, the sixth house, also known as the House of Daily Rituals, represents our daily routines related to work, health, and pets.
7th House of Relationships
All of our interactions with others, including marital and business partnerships, fall under the purview of the seventh House. It is where the sign of Libra is at home.
Your Descendant sign (the point in your chart that is directly opposite your Ascendant) symbolizes what you seek out in others but may fail to embrace or recognize in yourself, and can also be found in the seventh house. This can reveal the qualities you yearn for or admire in others.
The key partners in your life that you attract and are attracted to will be represented by this house overall.
8th House of Rebirth
Scorpio naturally belongs in the eighth House. As it corresponds to all facets of Plutonism, including sovereignty and eroticism, death and rebirth, transformation, other people’s money, and shared resources, including taxes, inheritance, and financial assistance.
It is recognized as the house of death and taxes, intimacy and rebirth, as well as all things hidden, esoteric, or occult. The 8th house, along with the other Water houses (the 4th and 12th houses) can reveal one’s intuitive abilities.
Similar to Scorpio, the 8th house addresses the deeper questions in life in a way that is profound, impactful, real, and direct. Like the Death tarot card, the 8th house signifies the end of a phase or cycle.
9th House of Wisdom
Sagittarius’ natural house is the Ninth House, where the Sun is said to find its joy. It covers a wide range of topics like astrology, religion, spirituality, philosophies, higher education, and learning.
Like the sign of Sagittarius, it also covers travel and expanding one’s horizons. The ninth house is the realm of unadulterated law, reason, and intuition. Additionally, it stands for thesis submission, study, invention, discovery, and exploration.
10th House of Status
The tenth house, as its name suggests, is concerned with our calling, our careers and public personas, as well as our place in society and our legacy.
It is the natural domain of Capricorn. This is also typically where you will see the angle of your Midheaven or Medium Coeli (MC line), which means “middle of the sky” and refers to the highest point of your birth chart.
The tenth house, as well as the Midheaven line, frequently offer clues to your ultimate mark on the world and your role in society. Depending on the house system you’re using, the exact point of your MC line can change to the 9th or 11th Houses, adding qualities to these areas of life as well.
11th House of Friendships & Goals
The eleventh House oversees your aspirations and dreams as well as all different kinds of communities, friendships, and organizations. Jupiter finds joy here – it is also the natural house of Aquarius.
For example, if Venus is in your 11th house, you could have pleasant friendships that usually bring you luck and happiness. Or you can fall in love with someone from your acquaintance circles or discover that networking and organizing groups, workshops, seminars, etc. is your passion.
12th House of Shadow
The twelfth House, which was historically known as the House before the Dawn, has come to represent the hidden and unknown as it is the house just behind the first house, the House of Self.
The 12th house, similar to the 8th house, is associated with mysteries and secrets, solitude, hospitals, psychiatric clinics, correctional facilities, phobias and fears, but also intuition, psychic abilities, the subconscious mind, past incarnations and karma. It is the location of natural beginnings and, by consequence, endings.
This house can also show foreign travel and business, as well as pursuits that require deep concentration, healing energy, or creativity, like lawyering, film directing, or counseling.
The 12th house is the original realm of Pisces, and Saturn finds joy here. It offers a chance to embrace the invisible world.
DISCLAIMER:
Sage & Moon is a participant in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to purchase through these links. Any product we choose is based on personal recommendations that we love and trust you will too. By using these links you are directly supporting us to keep writing + creating. Thank you!
