The Twelve Houses
The signs come from the Sun's yearly path. The houses come from the Earth's daily turn. They divide the sky around your birthplace into twelve areas of life, starting from the Ascendant, the point rising on the eastern horizon at the moment you were born.
- 11st self and presence
- 22nd resources and worth
- 33rd mind and near world
- 44th home and roots
- 55th joy and creation
- 66th work and health
- 77th partnership
- 88th shared depth
- 99th meaning and travel
- 1010th calling and status
- 1111th friends and future
- 1212th retreat and the unseen
That is why the houses need an exact birth time. The whole wheel of houses turns once a day, so a few minutes can move a planet from one house to the next.
Houses come in three tiers.
- Angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th) are the strongest. The 1st and 7th always begin at the horizon, and in quadrant house systems the 4th and 10th begin at the meridian too. What happens here is visible and active.
- Succedent houses (2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th) follow them, and build on what the angles start.
- Cadent houses (3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th) close each quarter, and are about learning, adjusting and letting go.
Every house is read through three things: the sign on its cusp, the planets inside it, and the planet that rules that sign. An empty house is not an empty part of life. It is read through its ruler.
The First House in Astrology — Self, Body and Presence
The 1st house begins at the Ascendant and describes how you meet the world - your presence, body, approach to life and first impressions. Learn what the 1st house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Second House in Astrology — Money, Resources and Self-Worth
The 2nd house describes money, possessions, resources and self-worth - what you have, what you value and how you earn. Learn what the 2nd house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Third House in Astrology — Mind, Learning and Your Near World
The 3rd house describes communication, learning, siblings, neighbours and daily journeys - the mind and the near world. Learn what the 3rd house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Fourth House in Astrology — Home, Family and Roots
The 4th house begins at the IC and describes home, family, roots and private life - where you come from and where you belong. Learn what the 4th house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Fifth House in Astrology — Joy, Creativity, Romance and Children
The 5th house describes joy, play, creativity, romance and children - the things you do for love. Learn what the 5th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.
The Sixth House in Astrology — Work, Health and Daily Life
The 6th house describes daily work, routines, health, service and the skills you practise. Learn what the 6th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.
The Seventh House in Astrology — Partnership and Others
The 7th house begins at the Descendant and describes partnership - marriage, close relationships, business partners and open rivals. Learn what the 7th house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Eighth House in Astrology — Shared Resources, Intimacy and Change
The 8th house describes shared resources, intimacy, debts, inheritance, crisis and transformation. Learn what the 8th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.
The Ninth House in Astrology — Meaning, Travel and Belief
The 9th house describes meaning, belief, higher learning, travel and the search for truth. Learn what the 9th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.
The Tenth House in Astrology — Career, Reputation and Calling
The 10th house begins at the Midheaven and describes career, reputation, public life, achievement and calling. Learn what the 10th house means and how to read it in your chart.
The Eleventh House in Astrology — Friends, Groups and Hopes
The 11th house describes friends, groups, communities, networks and hopes for the future. Learn what the 11th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.
The Twelfth House in Astrology — Retreat, the Unseen and Letting Go
The 12th house describes retreat, solitude, the unconscious, hidden things, spirituality and letting go. Learn what the 12th house means, its old name, and how to read it in your chart.