First House: Setting and Significations
Just like the Zodiac signs, there are twelve houses in an astrological chart. In this series of posts about the different parts of astrology, I will gather my research on the significations of each of the twelve houses.
In this post, I will focus on the first house.
[I will add to this post when I broaden and deepen my knowledge of this house, and make new observations concerning it.]
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First House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Self, personality, psychological motivation, well-being
Group: Angular
Traditional Name: The Helm
Rulerships: Aries and Mars
Mercury finds its joy in the first house
Setting and Significations
The first house is, according to Julia and Derek Parker in Parkers’ Astrology, the most important house of the birth chart.
The first house is the start of everything. It marks the time you were born, as the Ascendant is situated here, and marks the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon. Because of this, the first house symbolizes birth and beginnings.
The first house and especially the Ascendant are also connected to a person’s appearance. “The Ascendant describes your physical body, which is your most instantly recognizable personal characteristic.” (Kent, 2023, p. 112-113). This is also where we “create an image for ourselves, either consciously or unconsciously, through the way we dress, the car we drive, or the way we like to present things.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 90). The first house is basically where we project a self-image and a sense of identity.
Any planets in the first house “often loom large, and we identify strongly with them. If you have planets in this house, you are likely to be consciously aware of their influence on your character. Indeed, you may be quite self-conscious about them.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 90).
Also, any planets within close range of the Ascendant are very important, especially within 8-10°, as “it will exert a powerful influence on the personality and strongly colour both the characteristics of the Ascendant and matters affected by the first house itself. The planet is also likely to influence strongly the subject’s appearance and behaviour patterns – the whole of the persona.” (Parker, 2020, p. 85).
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Sources
Brennan, Chris. The Astrology Podcast, episode 231: “Significations of the Twelve Houses - Part 1: Houses 1–6” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddnuFMkmpQ), 2019-11-27.
Gillett, Roy. The Secret Language of Astrology: The Illustrated Key to Unlocking the Secrets of the Stars. London: Watkins Media Limited, 2012.
Kent, April Elliott. The Essential Guide to Practical Astrology: Everything from zodiac signs to prediction, made easy and entertaining. San Diego, California: Two Moon Publishing, 2023.
Parker, Julia & Derek Parker. Parkers’ Astrology: The definitive guide to using astrology in every aspect of your life. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2020.
Taylor, Carole. Astrology: Using the wisdom of the stars in your everyday life. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2018.
