Most people are familiar with the zodiac, the division of the ecliptic (the sun’s path across the sky, see our FAQ) into twelve segments or zodiac signs. In addition to this twelve-fold division of the ecliptic, another division into twelve segments has been added over time within astrological practice – the astrological houses.
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.
The astrological houses have not been part of astrology since its inception. We know that the Babylonians divided the sky into different segments, as did the ancient Egyptians. However, it was not until Hellenistic astrology, particularly in the 2nd century BCE, that the house systems that we are familiar with today began to be used.
Hellenistic astrology used a relatively simple house system known as Whole Houses, which divides the birth chart into twelve equally sized houses of 30 degrees each. Since then, a variety of house systems have been developed, all with their own methods and theories.
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.
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.
If we instead use Placidus, the most widely used house system, Saturn will be in the 2nd house, which is related to possessions and material wealth. With Saturn in the 2nd house, it would imply limitations in this area and that we might have to work hard for our living.
If we instead choose the house system known as Koch, commonly used in books with tables of houses, Saturn ends up in the 3rd house, which is related to communication and siblings. With Saturn here, it would imply that the person has difficulty expressing themselves.
In other words, house systems are not particularly reliable, as the interpretation of the birth chart changes depending on which house system the astrologer chooses to use.
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.
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.
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.
By understanding yourself through the fundamental factors of astrology, you will understand how you act and react in different situations and circumstances of your life. There will be no need for a house system fraught with unreliability.
This is the aim of sunring astrology, to give you an easy-to-use tool for self-exploration and self-understanding, that gives you the freedom to shape a life that gives you pleasure, joy and harmony on your own terms. A life where you do not try to live up to others’ expectations of how you should live or act, and instead express who you truly are.
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.
The Whole Sign house system was the earliest, where each house starts at 0° of a zodiac sign, aligning houses perfectly with signs.
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.
At high latitudes, uneven ascension of zodiac signs causes distorted or undefined house divisions in systems like Placidus or Koch.
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