In simplified astrological terms the celestial sphere, the heaven, is divided into twelve equal sections, each of 30 degrees called Houses.
The Houses of the Horoscope show us WHERE in ‘the chart’ the planets reside and how they are experienced. Let’s begin to study these meanings.
Ascendant (ASC)/1st House
This House represents You, your physical appearance and the image other people see. It describes your personality, character and your temperament. In other words, it shows the way you walk, talk and dress. People born with planets in the first house tend to be self and body-conscious and often spend a small fortune on they wardrobe, make-up and ‘keeping up appearances’.
2nd House
It is Your Money House. It shows your earning capacity, how you earn your income and your attitude to material values. This house gives you a picture how you go about insuring your financial security and the way you save or spend your money. It also refers to emotions and feelings and the value ‘money & possessions’ hold for you. Individuals born with many planets in the second house tend to think … money is everything and that it gives power.
3rd House
This House tells How You Think, Communicate, Learn and most of all how you express yourself, the written and spoken word. It also represents your ability to interpret information, communicate concepts and teach others. This house represents ‘the mind’ and interests connected with rational mind like correspondence, writing, travel and the need to be ‘on the move’. Those of us born with a strong planetary emphasis on the third house are either well known for the ‘gift of the gab’ or ‘sarcastic mouth’.
Immum Coeli (IC) / 4th House
This House represents Your Home & Family Life. It provides the information about your childhood, your mother and family roots. It gives a glimpse of your home and living situation as a child and as an adult. It shows your domestic orientations and interests as well as the need to belong. This house also relates to property, real estate and heritage of the individual. Those of us born with personal planets in the forth house usually have a strong attachment to home, family life and tradition.
5th House
This House gives information about Your Children & Creative Interests. The 5-th House also reveals how many children you’re likely have. This house is the sphere in which we experience pleasure and it shows what we do for our own satisfaction such as leisure activities and hobbies. This House isn’t about work; it’s about enjoyment and all that is done in a spontaneous fashion. It also shows your sexual instincts and whether you’re cold, amorous, hot blooded or just Mr./Ms. ‘average’.
6th House
This is the House of Your Work & Health. The study of it will provide a picture how you relate to others in a working situation and your desire to be of service to others. It also shows your attitudes towards health, the type of food you should eat and kind of exercise you ought to undertake and whether you have predisposition to be fat or thin. People with planetary emphasis on the 6-th House tend to be either health/hygiene conscious or too preoccupied with their work and serving the interests of others.
Descendant (DES) / 7th House
This House covers Your Relationships marriage, business and close friendships – how you relate on one-to-one basis. Your ability to cooperate with other people is shown here, as well as the kind of relationships you’re likely to form. Since this house is called The House of Partners, the planets there reveal the kind of partners you seek and the people you feel attracted to. So, if you wonder whether your partner will be good for you have a closer look at the planets in the 7-th House.
8th House
This House consists of two basic divisions: Your Sexual Desires & Other People’s Money. The first one is about your attitudes regarding sexual experiences and what you value about sex. The 8-th House tells the story about your sexual relationships and other deeply committed relationships. The second division gives a picture of the business affairs of your partner and your shared resources with others. It also shows your capacity to receive money from outside sources such as inheritances and how you manage your taxes and the way in which you deal with banks and other financial institutions.
9th House
This is the House of Your Desire for Travel & Higher Education and it is also called the House of higher mind. Your curiosity about life – the quest for meaning, your understanding, philosophy and your belief system is shown here. Whether you are likely to acquire college or university education also belongs to the 9-th House activity. On the other hand, this house also deals with long distance journeys, especially foreign travel, its purpose, possible outcome and its impact on your life. For instance, by analysing planets occupying this house you can find out whether you are likely to emigrate from the country of your birth.
Medium Coeli (MC) or Mid-Heaven (MC) / 10th House
This is the House of Your Career & Professional Ambition. It also describes your public orientation and interests. The profession for which you’re suited and its nature is shown here, together with your desire for success or self-employment. Your sense of direction or lack of it and potential for satisfaction in your professional life is the kind of information that can be derived from the analysis of your 10-th House. If, for example you find yourself at the crossroads in your professional life and … ‘don’t know which way do I go’ … it would be worth while examining the planets residing or transiting this house. You would be surprised how often it’s a case of being a ‘square peg in a round hole’.
11th House
This is the House of Your Friends & Hopes and Wishes. It relates to your acquaintances, clubs and associations as well as to your intellectual pleasures and aspirations. A closer look at the planets that occupy this house will reveal a lot about your friends, the kind of friends you choose and more specifically, what you expect from your friendships. It also portrays any desires you may have to commit yourself to social and humanitarian causes. An abundance of planets here is a good indication of your worldly aspirations and your ultimate goal in life.
12th House
This House represents Your Private Affairs, your secret self, your hidden strengths and weaknesses and your psychological health in general. This house is sometimes described as the house of the ‘behind the scenes matters’ since it gives a true picture of who we really are in private, the face we don’t show to the outside world. It deals with our fears, phobias, and sacrifices and shows what we repress and express indirectly. The 12-th House also describes our compassion or lack of it for people in need, as well as our enemies.
