The Twelve Houses
Houses divide the chart into twelve areas of life, counted counter-clockwise from the Ascendant. A planet's house shows where its energy most often plays out. Empty houses are normal: look at the sign on the cusp and where its ruling planet sits.
| House | Area of life |
|---|---|
| 1 | Self, appearance, first impressions and how you begin things. |
| 2 | Money, possessions, talents and self-worth. |
| 3 | Communication, learning, siblings, neighbours and short trips. |
| 4 | Home, roots, parents and inner security. |
| 5 | Creativity, fun, romance, children and self-expression. |
| 6 | Daily work, health, routines and service. |
| 7 | Partners, marriage, collaboration and one-to-one relationships, including open rivals. |
| 8 | Shared resources, intimacy, debts, inheritance and deep change. |
| 9 | Higher learning, belief, philosophy, publishing and long journeys. |
| 10 | Career, status, reputation and life goals. |
| 11 | Friends, groups, community and hopes for the future. |
| 12 | The unconscious, solitude, hidden matters, healing and spirituality. |
House systems
There are several ways to divide the houses; our chart offers four:
- Placidus
- The most common today, dividing the sky by time; houses vary in size, and at high latitudes some can become extreme.
- Whole Sign
- The whole rising sign is the 1st house, the next sign the 2nd, and so on. The oldest method, simple and clear.
- Equal
- Thirty degrees per house starting from the Ascendant.
- Porphyry
- Divides each quadrant between the four angles into three.
Planets may change houses between systems, but their signs and aspects do not. Start with Placidus; if you were born far north or south, try Whole Sign.
No birth time? Houses need an accurate birth time. Without it our chart still shows the planets' signs and aspects, but not the Ascendant or houses.
This is fixed text compiled from general convention, not a reading of any individual and not a prediction. For important decisions, please consult qualified professionals.