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| The E-Mail Astrologer, copyright Sherrie Nist, 2008 |
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| As Above, So Below The Structure of a Chart: Houses, Part One by Sherrie Nist What does it mean when an astrologer tells you your Moon is in the 7th house? What are houses? How many are there? Why are they significant? In previous articles*, we’ve looked at planets and signs. Each planet has a function in your chart. That function is filtered through the sign where the planet is located. The dynamics of the planets are further defined by the house the planet is in. WHERE a planet is located is just as important as what sign it is in, and the houses cannot be calculated accurately without an accurate birth time. If you’ve ever seen an astrology chart, you know it looks like a circle divided into 12 wedge-shaped pieces. Those wedges are the 12 houses. They are the environments in which the planets associated with those particular houses act out their functions, the areas of life that are most affected by whatever planet “lives” in that house. You will undoubtedly have houses with no planets in them; don’t panic; that does not mean the area of life associated with the empty house is lacking activity. Every house has a ruler, which is the planet corresponding to the sign on the cusp (on the chart, the line where the house begins), and events and activities associated with that house will be described by the ruling planet, it’s sign, house, and aspects (contacts with other planets). So, you ask, what ARE these environments or areas? The first house, or ascendant (your rising sign), is the face you present to the world, your outward personality, which may or may not accurately reflect the person within, depending on how it jives with your Sun sign. Your first house describes how others see you, rightly or wrongly. We all know people that seem one way when we meet them, and entirely different when we get to know them. That’s often because their Sun sign is not similar to their rising sign. They can be the same, but usually aren’t. When they are, and the Sun is placed in the first house, you have the “What you see is what you get” personality. People see the real you immediately. Most people exhibit physical characteristics associated with their Ascendant; you are more likely to look like your rising sign than your sun sign. The first house is associated with the sign of Aries, because in the natural zodiac, Aries is the first sign, and carries an energy that corresponds with the planet Mars, which “rules” the sign of Aries. This does NOT mean that you have Aries on YOUR first house cusp . The basic themes and energy of the corresponding sign and house of the natural zodiac will be filtered through whatever sign applies to your chart. The second house explores the realm of what you consider important. Traditionally interpreted as your assets and things of value, that interpretation can be extended to your intangible values as well. It’s also the house that describes your self-esteem. The connection? Self-esteem is about what you value about yourself, what you think you’re worth. Your “survivor instinct” is a 2nd house matter; what you think you need to survive is going to be something you consider of great value, be it material items like lots of money, or personal values that you have to live by. In the natural zodiac, the second house is associated with the sign of Taurus and the planet Venus. This makes a lot of sense when you remember that Taurus has a very possessive nature, likes to own things, and often collects valuable items like fine art or antiques. The third house puts us in touch with others. It is associated with communications of all kinds; how you communicate, and how you deal with communications from others. The third house describes how we learn and process information, our mental adaptability and versatility. Learning disabilities and speech impairments will be evidenced here. The third house is also siblings and neighbors, transportation and short trips. Gemini and the planet Mercury are the natural zodiacal correspondents to the third house, and in mythology, appropriately enough, Mercury was the messenger with wings on his feet. The fourth house is where you live, both physically and emotionally. It is associated with your mother, and other early emotional influences that have made you what you are today. It’s your basic psychological makeup, which largely stems from early home and family life. The fourth house is situated at the bottom of the chart, it appropriately signifies the inner you that is sometimes buried so deep you don’t even know it’s there. It’s also denotes your residence, and when an action planet like Mars crosses over the fourth house cusp, many people move. The fourth house is naturally associated with the emotional water sign of Cancer, and it’ s ruling planet, the Moon. We get creative in the fifth house. What do you do for fun? It will be described here. Entertainment, hobbies, gambling, personal creativity, and love affairs are all fifth house matters. The fifth house rules your children; creating a child is the ultimate act of personal creativity, and it can be pretty entertaining , too!!!!! The 5th house is where you are when it is time to come out and play. Playing is all about you; it’s what you do when you can do anything you want. In the natural zodiac, the sign of Leo and the Sun are the correlating sign and planet., and everybody knows that to a Leo, everything is about what they want! The sixth house is not nearly as much fin as the fifth. The sixth is traditionally interpreted as having to do with jobs, health and pets. It’s your work, and your attitude about work. It’s service and doing your duty. It’s your health, and how you take care of yourself. It’s about the practical ways in which you function.. Down-to- earth Virgo and it’s ruler, Mercury, are the natural sign and planet associations with the sixth house. |
