Sick of looking at astro memes on Instagram and wondering what the heck it means to have strong eighth house energy?
Fear not, this explanation of the twelve houses in astrology and how they show up in your birth chart (and planetary transits) will help!
What are the houses in astrology?
Astrological houses are significant when it comes to interpreting your birth chart and understanding the energy of transiting planets.
The easiest way to understand the houses of the zodiac is to divide them into a circle, like a clock, where each house has its own segment.
When reading a birth chart, the first house is placed centre-left of the circle and we then read the houses counterclockwise until we reach the twelfth house.
The 12 Astrology Houses
Every house in astrology is naturally ruled by one of the zodiac signs, so it will take on the energy of its ruling star sign.
The twelve houses collectively represent yourself and your experiences, with each house relating to a different area of your life.
The first six houses, known as the personal houses, relate to yourself and your personality, while the last six houses are connected to your experiences with other people and the world at large.
Learning about the astrology houses in this order, from the inner houses to the outer houses, will give you a rounded view of yourself through your birth chart.
When you analyse your birth chart, or get a birth chart reading from an astrologer, the interpretation of your chart will look at which houses the planets and asteroids reside in.
You may have more than one planet or asteroid in a particular house, or have no planets in some houses, but the context of the house is just as important as the planet, asteroid and zodiac sign.
If this is making sense so far, read on to discover more about the astrology houses…
1st House: Brand You
Ruled by Aries
In a birth chart, the first house planets and sign define ‘brand you’. This house shows what your first impression is like – your physical appearance, your attitude and your self-promotion style.
Your Ascendant, otherwise known as your Rising Sign, defines the first house in your chart so it’s key to get an accurate time of birth if you want to know this.
When planets transit the first house of your chart, the energy is all about new starts, initiatives and beginnings for you.
2nd House: Values
Ruled by Taurus
The second house indicates your values and sense of self-worth, what you will and will not sell out for.
The five senses of taste, touch, sight, sound and smell are ruled by the second house, influencing your preferences when it comes to who and what you surround yourself with.
Transiting planets in the second house bring energy or changes to your values, self-esteem, possessions, finances and income.
3rd House: Communication
Ruled by Gemini
Your communication style and capacity for learning is indicated by placements in the third house.
This house also rules local travel, neighbours and siblings, so when a transiting planet visits this house, it often brings news about those closest to you.
4th House: Home
Ruled by Cancer
Sitting at the bottom of your birth chart, the fourth house is the root of the chart, influencing your home, family and relationship with your parents/mother figures.
This house reveals what ‘home’ means to you and how you like to ‘mother’ people in your life, both children and adults.
When planets visit the fourth house, their influence will show up in your domestic life or relationships with your parents and family.
5th House: Love & Creativity
Ruled by Leo
The fifth house is the pleasure zone, ruling fun, romance, creativity and children.
This house shows where your passions lie and how you like to express yourself, artistically and creatively.
Transiting planets in the fifth house can influence your love life, relationships with children/younger people and passion projects.
6th House: Work & Wellness
Ruled by Virgo
Showing up and being of service to yourself and others is the main theme of the sixth house.
Ruled by detail-driven Virgo, the sixth house relates to your work and wellness routines, showing your preferences when it comes to health, fitness and everyday tasks.
Sixth house transits can encourage you to pay attention to your body and become more focused on how your current work schedule and health habits are serving you.
7th House: Relationships & Partnerships
Ruled by Libra
The seventh house relates to your opposites in life, your relationships and partnerships with other people, both business and personal.
Planets in this house of your birth chart can indicate how important other people are to you and what your attitude towards partners and enemies is.
When planets transit the seventh house, it’s often your relationships with other people that are affected.
The start or end of a legally-binding relationship with another person, through signatures on contracts, marriage agreements or business deals, is also ruled by seventh house energy.
8th House: Merging & Transformation
Ruled by Scorpio
The mysterious eight house rules all the serious stuff and indicates how you value commitment to another through the merging of bodies, finances or possessions.
Transformational energy of birth, death and sex is ruled by the eight house, which is also linked to interests in the occult and psychic phenomena.
Transiting planets in the eight house encourage us to focus on the serious stuff and get real about financial and emotional karma.
9th House: Expansion
Ruled by Sagittarius
The ninth house is all about expansion of your mind and your horizons through higher education, long distance travel and other cultures.
An optimistic house, it also indicates how comfortable you are with risk and adventure in the pursuit of rewards.
The travel, publishing, broadcasting and education sectors are ruled by the ninth house, so transiting planets can bring changes and opportunities related to these are in your life.
10th House: Ambition
Ruled by Sagittarius
The highest point of the birth chart, The Midheaven, is usually found in the tenth house and this shows where you have the most potential to achieve.
This public house rules your career, mission, position and ambition, so if you’ve got planets and asteroids in this house it can reveal how you show up to fulfil your potential.
It can also indicate your relationships and attitudes towards authority figures in your life.
Transiting planets in the tenth house can bring changes or news related to your career, social status or job title.
11th House: Idealism
Ruled by Aquarius
The humanitarian eleventh house rules people power, including your friends, teams, political parties and social networks.
Your attitudes towards technology, innovation and rebellion can also be found in the eleventh house, which has an unpredictable energy, sometimes indicating where you have the capacity to ‘shock’.
Transiting planets in the eleventh house can bring changes or news related to groups, technology or social issues.
12th House: Imagination
Ruled by Pisces
The imaginative twelfth house is all about emotional creativity, ruling the arts, music and dance.
Below the surface matters are highlighted in the twelfth house, including your subconscious, psyche, secrets and intuition.
The last house in the chart is all about completion, so transits in this house can often bring endings or closure to a situation.
