Astrology Explained: The Houses

The houses answer the question, "WHERE?"

So far, we've discussed two of the four foundations in astrology, the planets and the zodiac signs.  Moving on, let's talk about the third leg of the table, the astrological houses.

The Types of Houses

The houses represent where you seek what it is that you seek.  Each astrological house (there are 12 in total) represents a different area of our lives.  

The astrological wheel, in the same manner as any circle, is a total of 360°.  The wheel is divided into 12 parts, or houses, with each house measuring 30°.  

There are three types of houses: angular, succedent, and cadent.

Angular Houses

In the above image, the houses directly to the left of the red circles are the angular houses.  These are houses #1, 4, 7, and 10.  

These houses are ruled by the four cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.  Cardinal signs are all about action, and in the same way, so are the angular houses.  These houses reflect how you deal with the present, the types of action you take, and how others see you.  These are the houses where you start things.

Succedent Houses

The succedent houses are directly to the left of the angular houses.  These are houses #2, 5, 8, and 11.  

These houses are ruled by the four fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.  Much like their name suggests, the fixed signs are all about stability and rigidity; they are not flexible or easily moved.  The succedent houses are the same - happiness is found in stability and the resources available to you.  

It is said that within these houses, you develop, administer, and enjoy the things you started in the angular houses.

Cadent Houses

The cadent houses are directly to the left of the succedent houses.  These are houses #3, 6, 9, and 12.  

These houses are ruled by the mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.  These signs are flexible and adaptable, much like the cadent houses.  

It is said that these houses are where the resources you initiated in the angular houses and enjoyed in the succedent houses break down, causing you to think about new actions to take.

The Hierarchy of the Houses

ANGULAR HOUSES > SUCCEDENT HOUSES > CADENT HOUSES

Planets in the angular houses are the most powerful; they are active on a material level and play strongly on the personal self and its affairs.

Planets in succedent houses are less powerful than those in angular houses but more powerful than those in cadent houses.  Planets in these houses are tied up with the emotional nature and our individual desires.  

Planets in cadent houses are the least powerful; they indicate energies in the mind and mental equipment.  They are less obvious and not apparent on the surface of things but have a very definite effect on our thinking.

The Individual Houses

1st House: The House of Self

• House grouping: Angular
• Keyword: YOU
• Governs: The self, your physical appearance, personality, attitude, demeanor, and general disposition, the present, your outlook on life, the window through which you view the world
• This is the house of the Ascendant

2nd House: The House of Possessions

• House grouping: Succeedent
• Keywords: YOUR THINGS; YOUR VALUES
• Governs: Your resources; what you own, money, material possessions, that which you value; earning and spending potential; how you meet your obligations; your desire to accumulate things; where your strongest desires lie.

3rd House: The House of Environment

• House grouping: Cadent
• Keywords: YOUR MIND
• Governs: Mental activity; your ability to relate to your environment; early education and early environment; short-distance travel; siblings and their attitudes towards you; acquaintances and neighbors; writings, communications, paperwork, conversations and news; memory, perception, speech; skills and techniques that come naturally to you.

4th House: The House of Home

• House grouping: Angular
• Keywords: YOUR HOME
• Governs: Your physical home; your domestic affairs; your base of operations, headquarters; your soul; private things; real estate and property; your roots and ancestry; your parents (especially your mother).
• This is the house of the IC (Imum Coeli)

5th House: The House of Self-Expression

• House grouping: Succedent
• Keywords: YOUR CHILDREN/YOUR PASSIONS
• Governs: The way you express yourself - any effort put forth to distinguish yourself from others; children you create; creative projects - anything you make that bears your personal stamp; things that you are passionate about; romance; romantic partners; fun; entertainment; drama, theater; love affairs; hidden karma.

6th House: The House of Work & Health

• House grouping: Cadent
• Keywords: YOUR DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Governs: The work you perform in service to others; health matters of all kinds; day-to-day responsibilities and mundane tasks; pets and small animals; hygiene; sanitation; food, clothing, and comforts; servants and dependents; actions generally under your control; working conditions.

7th House: The House of Relationships

• House grouping: Angular
• Keywords: YOUR COMMITMENTS
• Governs: Relationships - business and personal; marriage and partnership; the other, as opposed to the self; "we" consciousness; the people to whom we are bound (as in contractual relationships); open enemies.
• The is the house of the Descendant

8th House: The House of Transformation

• House grouping: Succedent
• Keywords: YOUR INVESTMENTS
• Governs: Death; rebirth; sex and sexual behaviors; shared resources; expenditures; generation; degeneration and regeneration; legacies and inheritances; your spouse's possessions and financial condition; what's hidden; the occult; the stock market; taxes; insurance.

9th House: The House of the Higher Mind

• House grouping: Cadent
• Keywords: YOUR HIGHER MIND
• Governs: Long distance travel; higher education; your sense of purpose and direction; spirituality; foreign lands and things that are foreign to you; philosophy; religion; prophecy; law and the courts; organized sports; advanced training; intuition, inspiration, and spiritual visions; expansion of horizons, both mental and spiritual.

10th House: The House of Public Standing

• House grouping: Angular
• Keywords: YOUR CAREER
• Governs: Your professional career, your reputation; prestige, honor, and your standing in society; your father; employers (boss, manager, superiors); large-scale organizations; fame; what the world remembers you for
• This is the house of the Midheaven

11th House: The House of Love Received

• House grouping: Succedent
• Keywords: YOUR FRIENDSHIP, YOUR GOALS, YOUR WISHES
• Governs: Detached or impersonal relationships; friendships; social groups; humanitarian and philanthropic enterprises; goals and objectives; the things you wish for; clubs, organizations and associations, business networks and spheres of influence; the gains and rewards derived from the ambition of the 10th house.

12th House: The House of the Unknown

• House grouping: Cadent
• Keywords: YOUR HIDDEN SELF
• Governs: The private and hidden side of life; secrets; dreams; the house of drawn shades, that which is hidden; self-undoing, frustration, limitation, and confinement; the unconscious and subconscious mind; prisons, asylums, and hospitals; mysticism and meditation; past life issues; sacrificial service.