In one of our previous posts, we introduced you to the Twelve Houses of a birth chart. For this article, we'll guide you through finding and interpreting them. Read on below to get started.
Twelve Houses Recap
To recap, the Twelve Houses in a birth chart say many things about our lives. It can be personal, interpersonal, financial, or other aspects. When we look at the houses in a birth chart, we look at the time and place in which we spend our time and focus. Each house represents specific areas and expresses them by the planets with whom they are associated and an element (and sometimes, a planetary ruler).
The houses give us a great deal of information about ourselves, our families, friends, and the life we lead.
Aspects with the houses can be powerful, as they contain an element of their own (Sun conjunct Mars in the Tenth House; Moon conjunct Neptune in the Eighth House).
The houses are also helpful when learning the aspects of a birth chart. They give us an understanding of what the aspects mean, the angle it’s applied, and the strength of the aspect.
Why Are the Twelve Houses Important?
It's excellent to understand the houses, but why are they important? How do we use the houses to get the most out of a chart?
We all have a birth chart, and we each have a unique experience of what the houses mean. However, that doesn't mean that the houses don't have common themes and that we can't learn how to apply them to our charts.
In short, the houses are important because they provide a framework to understand the chart. They are helpful to determine what the aspects are saying.
How Do We Find the Houses?
Finding the Houses is a pretty easy step. The first thing that you need to do is find the Ascending and Descending Nodes. The Ascending Node is the point where the ecliptic, or the path of the Sun and Moon, crosses the Midheaven (MC). The Descending Node is the point where the ecliptic, or the path of the Sun and Moon, crosses the Imum Coeli (IC). The ascending nodes are critical because it's the first thing you need to find.
The Ascending Node is a point that is equally distant from the MC and the IC. The Ascending Node is found in the Second House in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The steps are as follows:
- Find the Ascending Node in the chart. If a planet is square, trine, or opposite the Ascending Node, it is a good indicator that it’s involved in the Ascending Node’s house.
- Next, find the Descending Node. If a planet is opposite, square, or trine the Descending Node, it is a good indicator that it’s involved in the Descending Node’s house.
- Next, find the Midheaven. If a planet is Trine, Square, or Opposite the Midheaven, it is a good indicator that the planet is involved in the Midheaven’s house.
- The last house that we need to find is the IC. If a planet is Trine, Square, or Opposite the IC, it is a good indicator that the planet is involved in the IC’s house.
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Interpreting Your Birth Chart
Once you have found the houses, you can start to interpret them. You may have to do some research on your own to determine the planetary rulers, but that's the easy part. Understanding the houses and your life purpose is a little more complicated.
The most important thing to remember is that each house reflects you as a person. If a planet is in the house, it indicates yourself in that area of life and how you react to it. If a planet squares the house, it can indicate things that you need to work on in that area of your life.
Sometimes, planets in the houses can help us understand an event in our lives. For example, if your Sun was in the Eighth House, and you were in a severe accident, it may indicate that you need to work on things that pertain to the Eighth House (your health). It's good to keep in mind that there are no guarantees that a planet in a house will make you sick.
The houses give us an indication of what the aspects are saying. While it's a little more abstract than the aspects, it is a more visual way to understand them since the planets also represent the houses.
Conclusion
The houses are a significant part of any astrological chart. The houses are a way for us to understand the chart and create a map for interpreting and understanding your chart. Like the planets in the houses, the houses are also part of the bigger picture.
If you wish to know more about your astrological birth chart, Ephemeris Co. can help you! We assist our members with various resources, and they also gain bonuses, such as tarot readings, yoga, and healing sessions. Contact us today to learn more!