The Twelve Houses (2007 Edition): Exploring the Houses of the Horoscope

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Over the centuries, astrologers have suggested numerous ways to build house systems from this framework – that’s why astrology has two dozen different systems of astrology houses! But let’s worry about them later… and first talk about why the houses mean what they do… Audre Lord said it best: "The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." This is a part of the chart best negotiated via deep-trawling techniques like Jungian therapy and Shamanic healing, or at the minimum, with a worthy psychopomp-cum-vizier by your side. The 12th House ruler and planets within it also touch upon the things we hide from others, like addictions and illicit compulsions, or those things that lie out of reach even for ourselves, like subconscious patterns of self-sabotage. This house is full of life-enhancing, boundary-bursting experiences that take us beyond the mundane and right into the heart of life's greatest questions. Who are we? What is God? And, what is the purpose of human life?

Planets here may be slightly less outwardly expressed than others. Home, after all, is a space where we are hidden away from public life; we are 'behind closed doors.' Accordingly, the 4th House contains the texture of our private lives, both in how it played out in our childhood and how we may wish to cultivate it for ourselves as we mature. A full 4th House may indicate a particularly potent connection to one's family story, ancestral lands, or home. It represents how you “dawn” on the world – not surprising since it’s also where the Sun rises in the East. It also represents YOU. Your body, your appearance, your style. It’s associated with the First House. Fifth House: This house represents creativity, artistic expression, and children. The fifth house is associated with fun, pleasure, free time, dating, and romance. Since the fifth house represents recreation and the energy of fertility, this portion of your chart contributes to your health by supporting your vitality and creative self-expression. For example, two people may both have a Libra Sun sign, but one may have the Libra Sun in his 12th House, while the other may have his Libra Sun in his 1st house. This could make for two very different types of people.Tenth House: This house rules career, ambition, and honours. Beyond career status, the tenth house can also represent authorities, like your parents or your boss. The tenth house cusp, known as the midheaven or medium coeli (MC), is one of the most critical points of your chart. It signifies what you are known for via your social status and reputation, but it also indicates your aspirations and what lights you up from the perspective of a career path. Our egos, attitudes towards self and others, self-opinion, self-expression, physical appearance, new beginnings, reactions un­der stress and to the conditions of the moment, injuries to self or personal danger. The 6th house is the area of health and the kind of work we do out of necessity. It rules plans, habits, schedules, health, eating routines, exercise, support and being of help to others. Traditionally referred to as the 'Gate of Hades,' one might ponder whether or not the ancients were warning us against the slippery seduction of materialistic pursuits.

As with the other angular houses, any planets in this house are very important. Planets in the 10th house, the sign on the cusp of the 10th house, and its ruling planet will greatly influence your career and your general reputation in public. Last but not least is the planet, Mercury. He’s the god of all in-between places, also of reason and thought. He chose the First House as the house of his favorite things. As the house of the dawn, it’s the place in between day and night, and thus appropriate to the traveling planet. But it also suggested that reason and mindfulness is the best way to approach life. Although no planet in the 8th House is particularly happy, the waxing Moon was said to be fertile for financial affairs. This house includes social foundations (as opposed to personal home foundations in the 4th), recognition, personal achievements, social responsibilities, sense of duty, authority figures, politicians. This House encompasses the most public areas of one's life, and the career that you grow into, as opposed to daily work and odd jobs ruled by the 6th House. House themes: religion, churches and the clergy, spirituality of all kinds, University level and higher education, higher wisdom, foreign and long-distance travel, foreign people, dreams, visions, Astrology, beliefs, divination, meditation, mystic pursuits, grand mysteries, the journey of the guru or spiritual seeker, lawyers, publishing, the unfamiliar. The 10th House - Mesuranima

WHAT ARE THE HOUSES

Astrologers since classical times have pondered the relationship between the 12 Zodiac Signs and the 12 Houses. Now, if you read our article on astrology charts, you already know, an astrological chart is a map of the sky.