Houses
Latest Update: 2026-04-24
There is a debate in the astrological community about house systems and which one is the best or “correct” one to use. Some house systems include whole houses (i.e., 30° houses), while others include unequal houses (i.e., can be less or more than 30°).
Here are a few different house systems (I won’t go into depth with them, but they will give you a small selection to look up if you’re interested):
Placidus: This is probably the most popular chart in Western astrology. If you live in extreme latitudes (i.e., a very northern or southern place on earth), some of the houses can be very small.
Whole Sign: This is one of the oldest systems used, dating back to ancient times. This system gives each sign a whole house. The Ascendant, whether in early or late degrees of a sign, marks that whole sign as the 1st house.
Equal Houses: Each house contains 30°; however, each house can stretch across two signs. It all depends on the time of birth, since the Ascendant marks the very beginning of the first house. So, if your Ascendant is at 10° of Aries, the 1st house will end at 10° of Taurus. If your Ascendant is at 28° Scorpio, the 1st house will end at 28° in Sagittarius.
Koch: This is a variation of the Placidus house system, but the calculations are a bit different. Like the Placidus system, this one can be unpredictable at extreme latitudes.
There are many other systems as well, but these are the ones I’ve heard of most frequently.
Now, what are houses?
If I continue with April Elliott Kent’s way to describe the planets, signs, houses, and aspects of astrology by using the metaphor of a play––where the planets would be the actors, the signs would be the characters’ costumes and personalities––the Houses represent the setting where the scenes of the play take place (Kent, 2023, p. 4-5).
In other words, now that we have reached the Houses, we are looking at the scenes in which the play that is an astrological chart takes place.
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).
Second House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Possessions, money, finances, feelings, security
Group: Succedent
Traditional Name: Gate of Hades
Rulerships: Taurus and Venus
Setting and Significations
The second house is all about our personal resources, whether possessions or money. Since this house is about something that the capitalist system we’re living in has taught us to value––and even that it’s (wrongly) a signifier of our personal worth––value and worth are also significations of this house. As Carole Taylor writes, “the deeper meaning of this house lies in revealing our sense of value – what we place value on and ultimately how we value ourselves.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 92). April Elliott Kent also highlights this as she writes, “the second house symbolizes not just your attitude about possessions, personal comfort, and security, but also the natural resources of personality, gifts, and character that you bring to the table. The challenge of navigating the second house is to use all of your resources wisely, and to cultivate a relationship to the physical world that reflects what’s truly important to you” (Kent, 2023, p. 128).
Additionally, as this house is about money, it indirectly associates with a possible career, vocation, side hustle, etc., as well, though you’ll find the daily work in the sixth house and the career and vocation in the tenth. But the income from the job, career, vocation, business, etc., can show up here.
Third House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Communication, siblings, transport, short journeys, immediate environment and community, early education, memory
Group: Cadent
Traditional Name: The House of the Goddess
Rulerships: Gemini and Mercury
The Moon finds its joy in the third house
Setting and Significations
The third house is the first house that has several different kinds of significations. However, it basically boils down to what’s close by, especially in childhood and early formative years. Basically, we learn how to communicate by copying our siblings, cousins, or through the early education or primary learning we’re taking part in. Our communication is also affected by the local environment we live in, the neighbors we have, and the other kids and/or role models that are around us.
Of course, as we continue to grow up and become adults, our communication, immediate environment, and relationships with our siblings and extended family change and evolve. Planets in this house can show how you deal with all of this, whether you found/find these significations a struggle, a breeze, or anything in between.
Fourth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Home, family, parents (especially the mother), history, roots, ancestry and genealogy
Group: Angular
Traditional Name: Subterranean
Rulerships: Cancer and the Moon
Setting and Significations
The fourth house is at the very bottom of the chart and symbolizes the private and more hidden parts of our lives. This is usually where the IC is located (though, depending on the chosen house system, it can be in other houses at the bottom of the chart as well), which symbolizes the point at which the Sun travels at midnight. The traditional name for this house (Subterranean) is therefore very suitable.
The fourth house basically symbolizes our foundations. “Here we find an inner center of gravity, in terms of developing a place of safety within ourselves.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 96).
As opposed to the previous angular house (the first house), which was about our identity and personality, the fourth house is about the ancestry, lineage, and history that brought us into this world. Therefore, “our sense of the past as both personal ancestry and the concept of history are features of the 4th house, as too is the notion of cultural inheritance and connections to homeland, and the ancient idea of guardianship of the land.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 96). So, we can basically say that, “if the first house tells us about the persona you created to handle the world, the fourth house tells us the motivation behind that persona.” (Kent, 2023, p. 116).
Fifth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Creativity, fun, pleasure, love affairs, children, risk-taking
Group: Succedent
Traditional Name: Good Fortune
Rulerships: Leo and the Sun
Venus finds its joy in the fifth house
Setting and Significations
The fifth house is all about creativity, play, having fun, and good fortune. Any leisure or hobby you do for fun can be found here.
Creativity is one of its biggest significations, which includes anything that you create (including the other big signification of this house, which is children, though it’s not limited to that). “The 5th speaks to the idea of ‘legacy’, of creating something that will be a lasting testament to our inner spirit.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 98).
The fifth house is also “the domain of lovers. When a new affair begins, the chances are that the event will be observable in the fifth house” (Parker, 2020, p. 86). Additionally, “planets here might indicate how we show love to others, how we make others feel special as well as ourselves.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 98).
Sixth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Health, well-being, exercise, routines, habits, work, service, fixing problems
Group: Cadent
Traditional Name: Bad Fortune
Rulerships: Virgo and Mercury
Mars finds its joy in the sixth house
Setting and Significations
The sixth house relates to the routines and tasks we have to perform every day, whether that is to take care of our health by moving and eating good food, the daily work we do, or the routines and habits we have.
There is a relationship between the sixth and the tenth house. “The sixth house is associated with jobs, the daily tasks that fill your days and hopefully earn your living, whereas careers are found in the tenth house. Ideally, you’ll find a way to bring your sixth house job into alignment with your tenth house calling—but sometimes, of course, a sixth house job is necessary to pay the bills while you pursue your tenth house dream career.” (Kent, 2023, p. 147).
The sign that rules this house and the possible planets in the house can show us how disciplined or undisciplined we are with our daily tasks and routines. It also shows us the adjustments we need to make to improve it, if we are or feel like we’re lacking in this aspect of our lives.
Seventh House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Relationships, partnerships, close friendships, marriage, customers, open enemies
Group: Angular
Traditional Name: Setting
Rulerships: Libra and Venus
Setting and Significations
The seventh house includes all types of relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, business partnerships, colleagues, customers, etc.). It also includes the Descendant and signifies the sign that was setting on the Western horizon when you were born. The traditional name for this house (Setting) is, therefore, very fitting.
This house, as well as the Descendant, signifies where we merge with someone else, whether that’s through a close friendship, business partners, or romantic relationships. “It is not only emotional relationships that are focused here, though the prime function of the house is to comment on these. Here we also see the individual's attitude to colleagues and one-to-one relationships.” (Parker, 2020, p. 86).
Any planets that are close to the Descendant, usually within 8-10°, have a strong effect on the attitude towards these kinds of relationships. Additionally, “whether your desire is to put a ring on it or you prefer to be footloose, the sign on the Descendant and planets in the 7th will have a large part to play.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 104).
Eighth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Intimacy, sex, inheritance, investment, shared possessions and resources, taxes
Group: Succedent
Traditional Name: Inactive
Rulerships: Scorpio, Mars (traditional ruler), and Pluto (modern ruler)
Setting and Significations
The eighth house is where we encounter shared resources, as opposed to the individual’s possessions and resources in the second house.
This is also the house of intimate relationships, which is different from the relationships in the seventh house. While the seventh house can be about the more contractual aspects of relationships (like a business relationship or a marriage), “the 8th house takes us into the murkier territory of emotional bonds and under the surface of our relationships: the power plays, the unspoken contracts, and deeper intimacies.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 106).
While many often talk about the darker aspects of this house––things such as deep transformation, loss, and death––interestingly, this house “is also the house of the life force, so sexual instincts and needs are also in focus here. Tradition decrees that it is also the house of crime, research and investigation.” (Parker, 2020, p. 86). In other words, it’s about the dualities of life and the relationship between the dark and light and everything in between. “Much of what belongs here is deeply private and arouses primitive and powerful emotions.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 106).
Ninth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Adventure, long-distance travel, higher education, teaching, ideals, dreams
Group: Cadent
Traditional Name: The House of God
Rulerships: Sagittarius and Jupiter
The Sun finds its joy in the ninth house
Setting and Significations
The ninth house includes everything that has to do with adventure, which can be a quest you go on through books, languages you learn, or actual long-distance travel. Because of its connection to travel, it is also associated with foreign lands, cultures, and foreigners.
While the opposite third house was, among other things, about primary learning, the ninth house is about higher education and learning. This is where “we go beyond facts and analysis into meaning and synthesis. Our planets here suggest how we deal with this more complex level of learning.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 108). This connection to higher learning is also why one of the significations of the ninth house is philosophy and a quest for meaning. This is where “we seek answers to life’s biggest questions – philosophy, politics, and law all belong in the 9th, along with religion, faith, and belief.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 108).
Interestingly, “if the influences from this house in the birth chart are positive, this is an excellent indication for someone who wants to live abroad, work in the travel industry or export trade, and for teaching – usually at university level.” (Parker, 2020, p. 87).
Tenth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Career, vocation, aspiration and ambitions, status, authority, what you are known for
Group: Angular
Traditional Name: Midheaven
Rulerships: Capricorn and Saturn
Setting and Significations
The tenth house is at the top of the chart and is associated with things that are part of your public life, as opposed to the private life in the opposite fourth house.
The MC is often located in the tenth house (though, depending on the chosen house system, it can be in other houses at the top of the chart as well), and is the point at which the Sun travels through at midday. Therefore, it’s suitable that this house “represents the idea of culmination – a high point to be reached.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 110).
The MC also indicates what you are publicly known for. That doesn’t have to be a career or vocation. You can be known for being a good cook, an animal lover, or for throwing amazing birthday parties for yourself. The tenth house and the MC basically “symbolize the reputation that precedes you—what someone perceives to be true about you based on your public persona” (Kent, 2023, p. 122).
While some sources state that the fifth house is associated with the father, others say that it’s the tenth house. Having an association between the tenth house and the father might be because, in the past, the sons tended to follow in their father‘s footsteps regarding public standing and status. Either way, the tenth house is about your public image, whether you’ve inherited it from your father (or mother or other parental figure) or it is something you’ve created, intentionally or unintentionally, for yourself.
Eleventh House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Friendship, social life, community and groups, social organizations, social conscience, service
Group: Succedent
Traditional Name: Good Spirit
Rulerships: Aquarius, Saturn (traditional ruler), and Uranus (modern ruler)
Jupiter finds its joy in the eleventh house
Setting and Significations
The 11th house is about our social life; the friendships we have, the groups and communities we are a part of, etc.
This is also a house where we can see signatures of our activism and the ideals and values we have on a social, communal, and global scale. This includes our hopes and wishes for the world. Do we want to make the world a better place than we found it, or do we not give a damn, or is it something in between? Is activism a priority for us in this lifetime, or not?
While the fifth house is about fun and play, “the 11th is the playground, where we share space and time with others and create a social circle of friends and acquaintances. Here we find our allies and supporters, those whose actions benefit us.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 112).
Twelfth House
Fast Facts
Keywords: Seclusion, escapism, private inner life, rest, reflection, the unconscious, faith, sacrifice, illness, institutions, confinement
Group: Cadent
Traditional Name: Bad Spirit
Rulerships: Pisces, Jupiter (traditional ruler), and Neptune (modern ruler)
Saturn finds its joy in the twelfth house
Setting and Significations
The last house of the chart is also the house that is associated with endings before the new beginnings of the first house. The twelfth house is also associated with transcendence: “leaving the wheel of life, if only for a short time, in order to be in a timeless state of bliss, tranquility, and reconnection with everything-that-is.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 114).
Its connection to institutions basically refers to it being traditionally linked to hospitals and prisons, according to Julia and Derek Parker in Parkers’ Astrology. However, the idea of institutions––and confinement––being associated with the twelfth house can also indicate feeling trapped in one's mind, especially since the twelfth house is also connected to the psyche and what’s going on below the surface.
But it doesn’t have to be that dark, because this house also “symbolizes the ability to surrender, to admit when you are exhausted or discouraged and need help. Trying to be strong all the time can lead to illness, disruptions to sleep, and even phobias. No one likes to admit they’re feeling overwhelmed by troubles, but it’s better than ending up in the hospital, jail, or an asylum” (Kent, 2023, p. 153).
To end on a more positive note, this house is also associated with higher service and sacrifice: “it perfectly describes the idea that whatever is given in a spirit of universal love, compassion, and charity is a true gift to the world.” (Taylor, 2018, p. 114).