The 12 houses are thought to represent different areas of a person’s life

While the zodiac signs represent different personality traits and energies, the 12 houses are thought to represent different domains of life, such as identity, wealth, communication, home and relationships.

In other words, astrology not only aims to explain a person’s character, strengths and weaknesses, but also how the movements of celestial bodies affect different parts of a person’s life.

A birth chart thus typically divides the sky not only into twelve zodiac signs but also into twelve houses. These houses start with the ascendant (the point on the eastern horizon at the time of birth) and progress counterclockwise around the chart. Each house is associated with different domains, as mentioned above, such as personal identity, home, relationships and career.

A planet located in a certain house at the time of birth is thought to influence how the person experiences and interacts in the domain of life that is associated with the house in question. 

Different house systems use different methods of dividing the ecliptic

There is however a fundamental problem in how to divide the ecliptic. Should it be divided according to the time it takes for a certain part of the sky to rise above the horizon? This will mean that the size of the houses varies significantly depending on where you are on earth. The further north you go (or south) from the equator, the more skewed the houses become, and they no longer correspond to 30 degrees each; some houses may in fact occupy a substantial portion of the birth chart.

Why the houses become skewed is because we do not see the ecliptic directly above us, but at an angle, where the sun’s and the planets’ path across the sky becomes lower the further north you go.

Other methods use space as a dividing factor and divide either the ecliptic or the celestial equator into segments, but these also differ in size depending on your geographical location.

This means that planets can end up in completely different houses depending on which house system you use. And the problem becomes more pronounced the further north or south you go.

A real-life example of a person living far north

Let us look at a real-life example, where a person was born in Stockholm, Sweden, at the time of the spring equinox some fifty years ago. In the person’s birth chart, the planet Saturn ends up in no less than four different houses depending on which house system we use, namely houses 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Saturn represents some form of limitation. If we use the Whole House system, which originated with Hellenistic astrology, Saturn will be in the 4th house. The 4th house is associated with our home, roots and parents. With Saturn placed here, it would suggest limitations in this area and point to some sort of unhappy family circumstances.

A question of free will or an all-encompassing belief in fate

There is a tendency in astrology to constantly try to explain increasingly more aspects about a person, using different methods and techniques. At the same time, most astrologers claim that we have free will. Our lives are not entirely predestined. We are not puppets controlled by celestial forces, constantly pulling the strings for every little detail in our lives.

This creates a problem when layers of explanations are added to different aspects of a person, and the question arises whether house systems are attempting to explain too much or if they are relevant at all. It is worth remembering that the house systems got their final form with Hellenistic astrology, at a time when people were much more fatalistic.

Self-exploration and learning instead of a fatalistic view of yourself

It may seem like an attractive idea to blame Saturn. “Oh, it is because Saturn is in my second house that I have difficulties making money and have to work so hard to earn a living.” The problem with this view is that the individual may easily see themselves as a victim of the influence of celestial bodies and feel incapable of actually doing anything about their situation.

Moreover, if one accepts this explanation, it creates a filter through which the individual may view the world, which will affect their own actions. In other words, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If instead the individual focuses on understanding themselves through their sun sign, sunring and moon sign, a deeper understanding of who they are emerges.

Start looking at your sun sign and ascendant

Perhaps the person has a lot of Pisces influence in their birth chart. They would then be someone with dreams and intuition but also prone to self-effacement. This person might not be naturally driven by long-term goals, recognition or status, like someone with a lot of Capricorn influence in their birth chart. Nor would they have the natural drive and self-assertion found in the fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

In other words, the individual has personal traits that might not always fit well in typical careers, where goal setting is often important, and they would need to find a work situation that suits their own disposition – a job that feels stimulating rather than like a burden. It then also becomes easier to perform well at work, and as a result, earning a living will no longer feel so hard and difficult.

Appendix: a short summary of the 12 houses

Since house systems are so common in astrology, here is a brief summary of the twelve astrological houses:

The first house: house of self

The first house, also known as the ascendant or rising sign, is thought to represent our outward identity and the image we project to the world.

The second house: house of value

The second house is thought to govern material wealth, personal belongings and financial security.

The third house: house of communication

The third house is associated with communication, short trips, early education and relationships with siblings and neighbors.

The fourth house: house of home

The fourth house is thought to represent our home, family life and origins.

The fifth house: house of pleasure

The fifth house is thought to govern creativity, self-expression, romance and children.

The sixth house: house of health

The sixth house is associated with health, daily routines and work life.

The seventh house: house of partnerships

The seventh house is assumed to be the house of relationships, governing partnerships of all kinds, including marriage, business partnerships and close friendships.

The eighth house: house of transformation

The eighth house is thought to govern transformation, death and rebirth, as well as shared resources, including inheritance, taxes and debts.

The ninth house: house of philosophy

The ninth house is associated with higher education, philosophy, religion and long-distance travel.

The tenth house: house of career

The tenth house is thought to represent our career, public life and reputation. It is on the tenth house cusp you find medium coeli in most house systems.

The eleventh house: house of friendships

The eleventh house is thought to govern friendships, social networks and our involvement in groups or organizations.

The twelfth house: house of the subconscious

The twelfth house is thought to represent the subconscious mind, secrets and hidden fears.

Frequently asked questions about houses in astrology

Which house system was used first in astrology?

The Whole Sign house system was the earliest, where each house starts at 0° of a zodiac sign, aligning houses perfectly with signs.

Which is the most used house system today?

The Placidus house system is widely used, dividing houses based on time it takes for a degree of the zodiac to rise above the horizon.

Why are houses unreliable, especially the further north you go?

At high latitudes, uneven ascension of zodiac signs causes distorted or undefined house divisions in systems like Placidus or Koch.