Like pictures? Click here for a version with graphics.
For an excellent discussion on house systems, take a look at House
Cusps and Systems by Jeff Jawer.
The 1. house, Ascendant, East horizon, Rising Sign.
The 2. house
The 3. house
The 4. house, Imum Coeli, North.
The 5. house
The 6. house
The 7. house, Descendant, West horizon
The 8. house
The 9. house
The 10. house, Medium Coeli, South, Midheaven
The 11. house
The 12. house
This house indicates persona and appearance. The first impression of a
person will often be the rising sign, rather than the sun sign. This is
what they see; the wrappingpaper, rather than the present.
More personal, it is the way we meet the world. The sunsign is the end,
but the ascendant is the means. Aspects will often influence our
appearance - especially conjunctions from the 1. house - or influence
those means. Eg. a positive saturn aspect brings discipline and direction,
while a negative moon brings ficleness or moodiness that might detract
from our Journey (asc.) to the Essence (sun). While the other houses are
more specialised, the first is the default. It is how we normally act,
unless in a situation governed by another house.
Being an angular house and the natural house of Aries, it is related
to the 'first step'. It is our initial reaction to things, and our initial
action in any project. Like the newborn baby, we meet the world in this
house, its sign determining how, and the planets in the house determining
which parts of the personality we bring on the stage first.
The Ascendant through the signs.
This house is related to Taurus, and is a succedent 'earth' house, and is
thus related to possessions, and what we consider 'ours'. It considers all
values, both material and spiritual, and planets here determine what we
like and need to feel secure. They and the cusp-sign also influence how we
handle money and things, and our view of ownership. They may say something
of how rich we will be, but more likely what we need to consider ourselves
rich. Neptune says that love is the most valuable thing, and the person
might feel most 'earthy' in meditation, while Mercury will demand
intellectual stimulation and place greatest value on discourse and
logic.
The 2. house through the signs.
This house is related to Gemini, and is a cadent 'air' house. It is thus
related to communication in all forms, and the ability to learn and pick
up information. It shows how we learn the basics of any area (wisdom to
apply it correctly comes in the opposing house; the 9.), and therefor
covers lower education and general litteracy. As Gemini is the stage where
a child first encounters others, this house corresponds to our first
schoolyears, our peers and our favoured or hated subjects at school.
Communication includes short journeys, letters and phonecalls, how we
express our thoughts and views of daily life. Planets here and the
cusp sign are indicators of influences in these areas, and an afflicted
planet could indicate problems in picking up info, disliked subjects, and
problems with peers. Uranus would e.g. be an odd-one-out, Pluto might
indicate extreme insights or upheaval in early friendships, Venus someone
who prefered arts classes, and Taurus might indicate early laziness and a
dislike for sports.
The 3. house through the signs.
Related to Cancer, this is an angular 'water' house, and is thus related
to the I of emotions. It is our home, physically and mentally, our
ancestors, family, support group. It is the place where we feel or should
feel secure and anchored. It is the shell to which we return to
regenerate, like the sun in myth traveling through the underworld at
night, and the bonfires needed to rekindle it at midwinter. Here we are
anchored to the Earth, and given the impulse to energize the rest of
the chart. Planets and the IC sign indicate the sort of home we prefer,
our relationship with our parents, changes of residence, and what we
need to feel safe and rooted. Mercury, Jupiter or Uranus could mean
lots of moving (respectively short, long or abrupt journeys), Pisces a
home by the sea; afflicted IC potential alchohol problems at home, the
North Node indicating a need to concentrate more on anchoring and
grounding our energies, rather than always pursuing new goals.
The IC through the signs and - for some
systems where the MC/IC axis and 10./4. cusps don't coincide - through
the houses.
Related to Leo, this is a succedent 'fire' house, and so related to all
that we do to keep our internal flames burning. It is the house of
creation and recuperation, and all we do to find joy and fun. It is the
house of the arts - public or private as we express our flame of
creativity here and give it permanence. It concerns sports and competition
as we show others the joy and brightness, and it also concerns children.
This is because the most permanent mark we can make of our own being and
creativity is through our children. Recreation, procreation and creation
are closely connected in this house. Planets and the cusp sign of this
house show the kind of art we enjoy and where our artistic talents lie.
It shows our relationship to children, and the sort of activities we
prefer to do in our spare time. Mars can indicate a sportsman, while
mercury inspires poetry, and chiron someone who has difficulty
expressing his individuality, but can overcome it through the arts.
The 5. house through the signs.
Related to Virgo, this is a cadent 'earth' house, and thus related to all
'behind the stage'-work. Planets here have just set and their influence is
not in the open. Their energy is lowered and the house covers our lowered
energy aka health issues. It is a house of servitude, and all that are
employed by us (including pets and other of less rank) or employ us (like
our boss or the more subtle rule of habits, routines and daily ritual) are
included. The cusp sign and resident planets show how we relate to routine
work, possible healthproblems, and whether we work best as a group or an
individual. Being close to the Descendant, planets can indicate what
others expect of us, and what we must do for them. It is not a house of
equality, and so what we give in this house may well be greater than the
repayment. Pisces here indicates problems with our feet, while neptune
could warn of alcoholism or allergy to a drug. The sun requires the person
to spend much of his life behind the stage, and the person will be a great
help to his surroundings.
The 6. house through the signs.
This house is an angular 'air' house and related to Libra. Thus it
represents our first step into the sphere of 'others'. It is the house of
marriage and open enemies, because they are the others who will shape our
life most. Descendant sign and resident planets show what kind of partner
we desire, and our relationship to them. These planets are easily
projected and 'disowned', because they are so far from the 'I' of the 1.
house, but without them and their qualities we are not whole. This is
espescially true of any planet conjunct the descendant. More personally
this house shows what we expect from a partnership. For example the north
node here expects their partner to be a karmic teacher, and must learn
cooperation, while the south node has a gift (or burden if negatively
placed) of karmic relationships at their back, and is required to learn
independence.
The Descendant through the signs.
Related to Scorpio, this is a succedent 'water' house. The WE of emotions
is the house of merging. Not the intellectual alliance of the 7. house,
but the unifying force of sex, the merging of Soul with the Divine at
death, the merging of a Soul with this plane of existence at birth, and
the more prosaic merging of your money with mine.. The latter refers to
taxes, inheritance, and other issues where values and possessions
change hands. The planets and cusp sign of this house show how we
approach the above subjects, as well as the concept of losing our Self
sense for something greater. They show our sexual desires, as well
as indicating our view of death and the beyond. Saturn may advise caution
and be chilly and cynical yet have the potential for great age, while
Venus approaches it with sensuality and artistic rendering. Gemini on the
cusp will discuss it intellectually, but may not be interested in diving
deeper.
The 8. house through the signs.
This cadent 'fire' house is related to Sagittarius, and is a house of
seekings, stretching and setting goals beyond the physical. The planets
here have recently culminated, and are looking forward to a time of
darkness. 'Looking' is indeed a good term, as this house includes long
journeys and the abroad, studies and higher education, and philosophy and
religion. There is energy, but used for the good of all in legislative
matters, and in searching for a view of life that may be suitable for the
community. Resident planets and the cusp sign will show our view of
religion and the face of Deity we may be drawn to; such as the Moon for
the Virgin Mary or the Triple Goddess, Saturn a stern father God, Uranus
the atheism of Science, etc. They will indicate the subjects of
our studies, and our approach to strangers and strange lands. Legal
pursuits will also be shown. Planets here show the nature of our search
for Truth.
The 9. house through the signs.
Angular 'earth' house and related to Capricorn, this is the house and cusp
of the climber. Planets here are the highest elevated, and shine
brightly in the south. The house thus shows the goals we set, how we
approach these goals and what we do to achieve them. It sets the scene for
our career, as this is perhaps the most longrunning goal of our life. It
is the house of our public face, our 'standard' flag, how we wish to be
seen by the general populace. It describes what we want to become, who we
want to be. It is a house of dreams, yet practical, achievable ones.
Planets and the cusp sign here show what kind of occupation we desire and
how we approach our goals in general. Aquarius gives the image of a rebel;
one who wants to change the system and may become a great scientist or
humanist. Venus a career in the arts, but also advancement by 'sleeping
with the right people'. Mars a professional sportsman, or highly
competitive person, who puts all her energy into achieving any goal she
sets. Saturn is also competitive and ambitious, but plays absolutely
within the system.
The Midheaven through the signs and
through the houses, for those systems
where the MC/IC axis and the 10./4. house axis don't coincide.
The 11. house is a succedent 'air' house related to Aquarius, and thus
connects to the brother- and sister-hoods of humans. It is a house of
friends and aquaintances, groups and organisations, and what we do for
those we are mentally compatible with. It shows the kind of groups we
associate with, and our position in that group. It shows our humanistic
aims, the goals we set for humanity, and what we are willing to give to
Earth. It shows our position in the great organisation of Mankind; whether
we prefer to organize and lead (Capricorn), provide spiritual advice and
visions (Neptune), depict the ideals of our time on canvas or in writing
(Venus and/ or Mercury), or rattle its foundations and change its very
state (Pluto). It shows the group expression, the activities of all rather
than the individual. It shows the ideas creating a group, rather than the
alliance of two in the 7., or the expression of one in the 3.
The 11.
house through the signs.
Related to Pisces, and being a cadent 'water' house, this is the realm of
the subconscious, the qualities we access with difficulty, the spiritual
service we give to mankind, and our own Spirit self. As such it has karmic
implications, and gifts and burdens may be found here. It describes the
hidden parts of the psyche, and shows our approach to lonelyness, secret
societies and institutions like prisons and hospitals. Showing the group
emotions, it accesses the collective unconcious, the common dreams and
fears of mankind. Planets and the cusp sign of this house show potential
psychic gifts (if e.g. outer planets or the moon is present), and
subconscious traumas (a very afflicted jupiter/ neptune combination may
spell hallucinations). They show what kind of spiritual service we may
provide, such as Libra for a higher level of art, or justice, or Gemini
for communicating the words of Deity in channeling.
The 12. house
through the signs.