Astrology Houses

Astrology Houses

  

Author: Alison Price   –   Published: May 2021  –  Revised: February 2024

The Astrological Houses

Introduction

Houses pertain to different areas of life. They are like the backdrop or stage of a play. There are twelve houses in every chart. The houses are numbered from one to twelve anti-clockwise starting from below the ascendant.

Houses can be any width; some are as small as twenty degrees wide and some are as large as forty-five degrees wide. It all depends on the house system being used and the place of birth for which the chart is set.

 

House Systems

All the charts on this website use the Placidus house system. It is recommended that you stay with one house system (these days most astrologers use the Placidus house system mainly because there have been Placidean Tables of houses available for years, which may not be the ideal, but it is the reality).

For the first year of your astrology study or until you can make an educated decision by exploring other house systems to decide which one you may feel resonates better with your own chart. Other house systems in common use are Equal house, Koch, Morinus, Porphry and Regiomantanus.

House Cusps

House cusps are measured in degrees and minutes and are the dividing line between two houses. The house flows anti-clockwise and ends at the next house cusp. A house has a cusp at both sides, but the anti-clockwise cusp is the one that pertains to the house. A planet is in one house or another it is never in both although it can be very close to a cusp (within one degree).

House cusps are derived from the birth time. It follows that a correct birth time is required for exact house cusps. If you do not have a firm birth time, then the houses cannot be used.

House Rulers

Every house has a ruler. The ruler of a house is the planet which rules of the sign found on the house cusp. For example: The ascendant sign’s planetary ruler is the ruler of the first house. This is a special case as the ruler of the ascendant is also the chart ruler.

The Sun and the Moon usually rule one house as the rulers of Leo and Cancer. Mercury and Venus usually rule two houses each Gemini and Virgo for Mercury and Taurus and Libra for Venus. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn usually each rule one house and co-rule another (traditional) house.

Mars rules Aries and co-rules Scorpio, Jupiter rules Sagittarius and co-rules Pisces and Saturn rules Capricorn and co-rules Aquarius. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto usually co-rule one house each. Uranus rules Aquarius, Neptune rules Pisces and Pluto rules Scorpio. Chiron does not rule a house because it does not rule any sign.

If a house is thin (less than thirty degrees wide) then one planet may rule two consecutive houses as the same sign may be on both adjacent house cusps. A house ruler (by its sign, house and aspects) imparts its energies onto the affairs of the house.

Intercepted Signs

If a house is very wide (more than thirty degrees) there is the possibility that one sign is on the house cusp, the next sign is fully within the house and the third sign is on the following house cusp. The middle sign does not have a house cusp. This is known as an intercepted sign.

If the intercepted sign is Cancer or Leo it means that one of the luminaries does not have a house to rule. Intercepted signs are always in pairs and are found opposite each other.

The planetary ruler of the intercepted sign is a moot point for that house’s interpretation. It is as though it has no voice in the chart. That planet does not have as much weight.

Three Types of Houses

There are three types of house; angular, succedent and cadent.

Angular Houses

The angular houses are the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses. They are found anti-clockwise from each angle. (Ascendant 1st, IC 4th, descendant 7th and MC 10th). Planets in angular houses are dynamic, front and center and are present.

  

Succedent Houses

The succedent houses are the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th houses. They fall behind the angular houses. They are also known as support houses as they support the angular house next to them, usually financially. Planets in succedent houses are paused, on hold and are pending.

Cadent Houses

The cadent houses are the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses. They fall behind the succedent houses. Planets in cadent houses are passive, retiring and are mute.

  

Starzclass

Aspiring Astrologer Activity: 12 Houses

In your astrology journal, and referring to your natal chart, please do the following:

  • Write a short interpretation on each house. Mention the sign on the cusp, the house ruler, if there is an intercepted sign in the house and any planet in the house (100 words for each house).

 

Share on social with hashtag #starzclass.

Author Bio

Alison Price: Astrology Coach

Alison specializes in guiding Aspiring Astrologers. Her aim is to help you uncover your individual creativity and lead a fulfilling life using your own astrology. She shares her wisdom from the heart, often sprinkled with a touch of humor.

To learn more about Alison’s journey, visit this page.

If you’d like to get in touch with Alison, you can reach out to her via email at starzology@gmail.com.

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The 12 Houses

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The chart basics are four basic building blocks of knowledge. as a student of astrology you need to get a grip on some basic principles and this post is about the houses. The other building blocks  are:


The Meaning of the Houses

An astrological chart is divided into twelve sections, or houses, and each house is a different size.

The chart looks like a pizza where each house is a segment.

Each house represents a separate area of life and planets in houses suggest that a particular area of life, like family or work, is important to you.

The houses are like a slice of life.

 

First house

The first house shows you, your body, what you look like, your complexion, fashion style, gait, haircut and first impression.

Second house

The second house is all about money, credit and acquisitions. It shows your values and what you value more than money. It suggests your self-worth and self-esteem.

Third house

The third house shows your brothers and sisters, school, neighbors, local area, short journeys and community involvement.

Fourth house

Your home, hearth and family life is shown by the fourth house in your chart.

Your dominant parent (who is the one was there on a daily basis providing care and nurtured you) is shown by the fourth house.

Fifth house

The fifth is the fun house.

It shows your children, your leisure activities, your romantic dates, play dates, sport, concerts and your creative expression.

It suggests where you find entertainment and this includes risk activities like riding on a roller coaster, playing the stock market and gambling.

Sixth house

The sixth house is the house of your day-to-day work, pets, small plants, health and service to others.

It shows your diet and exercise appetite.

The sixth house in your chart shows your daily rituals, meditation and other habitual practices.

More on the sixth house.

Seventh house

The seventh house indicates your marriage, your partner/spouse, business partners and your relationship with other people.

It shows the general public, your relationship with others and open enemies.

Eighth house

The eighth house suggests your secrets, sex life, money from others, donations from others, support from others, inheritance, insurance, debt, death and taxes.

It shows the inevitable things of life.

Ninth house

The ninth house suggests your vision, life-path, travel, long journeys, higher education, foreign cultures, publications and religion.

Tenth house

The tenth house is all about your career, public standing, reputation and what the world knows you for.

It is where you are in the public eye.

It indicates your passive parent

Eleventh house

The eleventh house shows your choice of friends, groups and causes.

It is where you are a team player.

It shows your social conscious.

Twelfth house

The twelfth house is the house of your imagination, self-undoing, chronic health issues, institutions, dreams, sleep and your subconscious.

It shows your secret enemies.

 

Starzclass

Aspiring Astrologer Activity: 12 Houses

In your astrology journal, and referring to your natal chart, please do the following:

  • Write a short interpretation on each house. Mention the sign on the cusp, the house ruler, if there is an intercepted sign in the house and any planet in the house (100 words for each house).

 

Share on social with hashtag #starzclass.

Virgo Gets Things Done

Virgo Gets Things Done

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Your Quiet Month – Sun Transits Twelfth House or Less is More

Your Quiet Month – Sun Transits Twelfth House or Less is More

by Alison Price

There are a few weeks when the Sun and the inner planets, Mercury and Venus, pass through and transit the twelfth house of your chart.

This is a time of the year to slow down, rest and take a pause from life. It is a period of about one month when:

  • your energy and drive becomes less prominent (the Sun),
  • your reading, thinking and conversation turns inward (Mercury) and
  • personal relationships, your social life and romance become less active (Venus).

In a way it is like having a dimmer switch on your life which reduces the glare and allows your eyes to adjust to the darker world where you can see what is lingering in the shadows that you have been ignoring up until now.

You will once again be back in the spotlight when the Sun crosses your ascendant and announces your personal New Year.

For you to be able to step onto the stage of life with vibrancy and confidence (which comes from the Sun) you are required to rest up, recuperate and chill as the planets move through the twelfth house of your natal chart.

Every year is different

Each one of you will have a different “quiet month” depending on which other planets are passing through your twelfth house at the same time.

It also changes tempo depending on whether the Sun leads the charge through your twelfth house or Mercury or Venus gets there first.


 

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