CONTSNTS Pagc
Aclnufudgcrunts Pnfaoc Intmdrction
u t, t7
krt L Thc landnpe of tifr Cbapar l. BasicPremiscs 2. Sgace,Time and Bounderies hrt 2: ttfepd.lt thcJouncy The Ascendentand the First House The Sc
3. 4. ,. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. ll. 12. lr. The Elcsmth House 14. The Trrclfth Housc lt. Grcuping the Houses
lg 24
t7 4' 48 ,4 60 6' 7l 76 82 87 92 98 108
ACKNOWIEDGEMENTS Manypeopleharahelped,supponedandtoleratedme throughthe agonyand ecstasy of writing this bookandmy sincercappreciation ortendsto dl of thern. In panicular,an eqpecidlyheardelt thanl$ goesto Max Hafler for dl vrcsharedandfor pushingmein the bcginning;andto Roben tVdkerfor pushingmethroughthe middleandcnd,for hisorccllent his patient suppon through my advice,criticismand zuggestions, moredifticult periods,andjust for beingtherewhenI neededhelp. My appreciationalsogoesto MaryAnn Ephgrarafor her adcpt 'Houses uanscriptionof the Seminar';to ChristineMurdockfor her orpert and much neededhclp, guidanceand encoutagement;to ksley C,otuill for hcr profesiond advice;and to SheilaSasponas for her warm suppon. I am naturallyindebtedto dl thoscpeoplewhoharcsharedtheir go knmrledgewith mc overthe years.Specidacknowledgements to MaharishiMaheshYogifor his inraluableteachingand for the orpericnccof meditation and what it openedup for mq to Darby C.ostellofor titillating me with her Geminian insighs and for inuoducing me to asuologycay backwhen; to my first astrology BettyCaulfieldandIsabelHickey;to EanBeggfor helping teachers, me to begin to understandmyselfa little better; to lan GordonBrorn, BarbaraSomersand Diana Whitmore for the enornous amount I leamedfrom thcm; toJudy Hdl for her generousand constantsuppoft,wisdom,healingandhelp;andarterywermthant$ to Liz Greenewhoseinsightandgraceasa goodfricnd, teachcrand asuologicdcolleaguchara left a decp mark on all my *ork. Tcromore pcople descrvespecidmention. Ifords can't orpress my ftelingp of apprcciationto a ceftainDona Margarita,Our lady of C"omera,for sharingwith mc the porrcrof her lconine lorc and spirit andfor providingmc with anidyllic atmospherc(in dl senscs)
12
THETIOYEIVE HOUSES
to begin writing..And-last,-butccnainly nor least,I am especially grateful toJaquelincClarc for being a true friend through al of this and for the impeccablediagramsshe so caringly produced.
PREEACE The hpuscsof the horoscopcform oneof the basicbuilding-blocls with whicharcrystudentof asuologymustleamto *ork attheoutset ofany scriousstudyofthc subjcct.Becauscthe houscsarcbasic,it isoften assumed that thercforetheyaresimple- pcrhapsthe most simple and accesiblcof the uinity of planet-sign-houscwhich comprisesthe foundationof horoscopeandysis.And bccauscthc housesareoften consideredsosimple and accesible,theyarcalso bclierredto bethe leastwonhyof anyin-depth perusalin the body of asuologicdliteraturc. I harrcfound in my orrn orpcricnce,however,that thc housesare nosimplerthantheplancaandrigto, andpcrhapsevenmoresubde. How could theynot be so,whenaftcr all e€ryone bom on a givrn day will harrcthe sameplanetsin the samesigns,whilc planetary placemcntsinthehouses aredepcndentupon that mostindividud moment they of hctors,the of binh? Bccausc aresorrcryindividual, ponoy a m1p of a rrcryindividud dcstiny,and ere*onhy of th.y much more onensiveinterpretationand andysisthan is usudly offercdin asuologicdtortbools. Thereis a luge and unfomrnate gepin this areaof the snrdy,and cenainlyno pzlstauthorhasdone full justice to this apparentlyrc simple yet difficult issueof thc 'spheresof lift'. I am thereforcdclighted to be ablc to write a prefaccto a boolr which I ftel not only fills thir gapin curent astrologicdliterature, but dso ortends the understandingof astrologyitself. Hward Sasponashasmanagcdto do this without either violating thosc herrcprorcn to be rzlid, or Tpc1tsof- asuologicdtradition *-hi.h ignoring asso manyauthorsdo - the curent urgent needto bring pqrchologicdunderstandhginto a snrdywhich hasfor fu too long bcen purely prognosticatirrcand behaviouralin its interpretations.This book seemsto me to be unique dso in that,
Tl{E TV/EIVE HOUSES
dthough it is 'psychologicd astrology'at ir best,it doesnot hide behind psphologicd jargon,and its languagcspeaksboth to the begrnngran{the orperienccdpractitiorrcr.q"itty clearly. The issueof 'pryrhologicdasuology'appears-to bea ratherthomy one-in somerespects,because many asuologers who harastudicd in oldertraditionsfeelthat thcir language,*hich hasstoodthe tcsr of qan-ycenturies,is bcing encroachedupon by the languageof psphology,and that astrology,in thesehands,is no longlr .furc, but .is.bccoming an ortension of thc hclping profesions. But psychologicdasuologyin the wayit is appfiedin Hocard,sbook is not an erosionof the beautyand comp[iencssof the asrrological mgdel.It cmbodies,rathcr,onclpparendyrrcrysimplcconceptlthc redity of the psyche.That an individud's iift is charactedstiiofthe individud oughtto bcobrvious, but it isoccedhgly difficult to fully graspunlcs one'sovmpspheisarealityto onesclf.Theinterprctation of the houscsthat Ho*zrd oftn in such depth in this'book is 'pqrchological' in the mostprofoundsense,ncrr.^_use implicit in otry chaptcris rhe obsenationthat an individud hasceriainkinds oi l1rapanicularsphcrcoflifr because that ishowthepc5rhe :pyd*.f o.{theindividud pcrceirrcs, reacrstq and interprea that spfeie of lift. The author phrascsthis rary eloqucntlyG ttr. first chaptcr: prcmiscuponwhichpsphological asrologyisbascd fh9 nhilosonhicd isthetaperrcn's rediryspringp outrzrdlromhisorhcrinncriandscape of thoughs,feelings,orpcctations andbclic6. This.iscenainly.asuology, and not an qtension of anythingelsc; bgt it rpa3 astrologywhichprcsenes the escntialdigniil'-{ot"e of the individud psychc,and in which the houses,io lcs than thc signsand planets,areinsideaswell asoutside,end becomcfull of fo-{$. individud ratherthan remainingstatic,placcs,or pemTq 'earnts' in lift which harc no connectionto the-soul. TF. of astrologywhichis o,ident throughout . lgpo"d o
PREF/ICE
l,
confrontation,which I harrcalmys ftlt to bc thc chidcriterion for of counrlling othen anypcrmnmnting to tab up thc responsibility in eny *zy. Thc pqrchcis obviouslye rcdity to the euthor, and thcreforehe is ablc to communicateits rcality and its subtletiesto thc readerthrough the asuologicdmodel. Gcnuinc authority of this kind cannotbGfrted, dthough nurnetousasuologicdwriters lppclu to oftr mellent thcorieswhich havt ncrrcrbeenput to the tcst in lift. No one obscrvingthc &cts of a panicular planet in a paniorlar housecanredly undcrstandthc complor isuc of hon' creetes,brick by brick, thc apparently an individud unconsciously buter' reality whidr he or shc eocounte$unles there is somc Otherwisethc interpretationsare reletionshipwith the unconscious. dcscriptionsof behaviour,which learrcsus backwhcrewe stancd. I?hen thishappens,thecre*ftre,teleologicaldimensionofasuology - its epacity to olrcn doorsto 1lrcrsonand dlow that perrcn to seehowan enitude might beshapingoutcrlift and thereforehos, of that anitude might shepea diftrent qudity someconsciousness to be creatirrc, of lifr - c.onot be prescnt.Asuologythen ceases and becomcsquitc poindesscrccptasa methodof justifring issues for which the individud doesnot wish to take rcsponsibility. As a lcarningtqtbook, Hwad's book is inrzlueblc, becauscit b.gitu at thc beginningwith hasicprinciplesand takesthc reader funher andfunhcr into thc complodtiesof interprcdngthe houses whilc rctaining throughout an essentidclarity of writing and a disciplinedstrucnre.I harcnodoubtthat it will becomeanessentid tortbook for anyscrioussnrdert of astrologywishingto derrclophis astrology Asa stement ofwhat pqrchological or heruodetstanding. it couldnot put thc point isreallyabout,it isdsoirmrluable,becausc more dearly. kychological asuologyis not about abandoning but abouta wayof understandingand astrologyto pqrchotherepy, both inner encompasscs rcadingthe synrbolsofthe horoscopewhich points *zy to thc esentid the and outer lerclsof orpcricncc,and houscs are thc pattenr which undcrlie both. Usually which often of themes confirsingbccauscof the epFuent divcrsity occur undcr one umbrclla. br onmple, thc profirndities and mystcricsof deathrrc conjoincdwith lifr insurancepoliciesin the eighth, end thc complcxiticsof the rclationshipbetweenbodyand 'smdl animals'in the sixth.Houard'sbook spirit arcmircd up with prwidcs the esntid meaningwhichuoderlicsdl thescepparendy dispamtethcmesconoectedwith one housc,which thercbyallws thc rcadcrto understandwhydl thcsebuter' cfurum.ttenccatcpart ofone core.Thlskind ofinsight is rareendcennotbeorrcrestimetcd in ia relue.
l6
Tt{E TI7EIVE HOUSES
It isthereforewith greatpleastuethat I canintroducea bookwhich I.am.cenainwill provideanimponantanduniquecontributionro the body of astrologicdliterarure. UZ GREEI.IE
INTRODUCTION Manisaskedto makeof himsclfwhatheiszupposcdto become, to fulfil his destinv. PaulTillich All around us in nature, life unfolds according to certain inner designs.A rosebudopensinto a rose,an acorn growsinto an oak, and a cateqpillar emergesas a bunerfly from its cocoon. Is it unreasonableto assumethat human bcingssharethis quality with the restof creation- that we,too, unfold accordingto an inner plan? The concept that each of us has a unique set of potentialities ycarning to be redized is an ancient one. St Augustine wrote that 'there is one within me who is rnore myselfthan my self.'I Aristotle usedthe word enteleclryto referro the errcludonand full blossoming of something originally in a stateof potendd. Along with anteleclry, Aristotle also spokcof essenceas those qualities which one could not lose without ceasingto be oneself. In like manner, Eastern philosopy appliesthe term dharrra to denote the intrinsic identity and latent life-pattern presentfrom binh in dl of us. ltbthe dbarnza of a fly to buzz, a lion to roar, and an aftistic personto create.Each of these patterns has its own kind of truth and dignity. Modem pslrchologyanachesmany different namesto the pcrennid 'to quest bc that selfwhich one truly is'2 - the individuation process, self-redization, sclf-acnralizadon,sclf-dorclopment, etc.By whatever label it is cdled, the underlying meaning is clear: all of us possess ccnain inuinsic porentials and capabilities.\Vhar's more, somewhere deep within us there is a primordial knowledge or preconscious percepdon of our true narure, our destiny,our abilities, and our 'cdling' in life. Not only do we havea panicula( path to follow, but on some instinctive level, we know what that is. Our fulfilment, happines and well-being hinge on discovering
T}IE TVEryE HOUSES
this. pattcm and co-olrrating with its realization. The Danish philosopherKie-rkegaard obscircdthat rhe most commonform of despar s that of not P.i"g *\o weredly are,adding that an errcn deeperforS gf_despeir semsfrom choosingto be;;;.;oth;; oT.sett., Ihe pqrchologist RolloMaywrote,.I7hen the oersor, TT clenles h'' potentidities,failsto fulfil them,hisconditionis suilt.,. Thcologians ha'e interpretedthefounh cardinal,i,,j,irt-*Iiir, as'the sinof failing to do with onet lift all that onekno*r one.odi oo.' nur howcanweconnectto that part of ourselvrswhichknoc6 what wecouldbe?Hon,canwefind ihe path tir" lost the "g"in,-r"-..," ilIi l,^y? Is thereanymap thar cxists'which'i;'g"id.; to ourselves? The asrologicalbirthchanissucha map.A picnrreof thehea'ens asit appearedat one'splaceandtime of binh, ihe ch* rr.b.ri*lr; po_nra)'s our ownuniquereality,innatepattemand inncr desisn. A knowledgeof the chanenablesusro perceir*h;A;;r-;f;i; wewouldnarunlly bedoing,if*c hadnot b*" f.ro;Jfi-di;: socrety and,perhapsmostcrucidly,b1tbc ambfualcnces oforroui nararc. . Our beingis not o-nlygivento us but demandedof us, and it rsup to us to makeof ourselrcswhat *c afemeanrto bccome.ln the end,wedone areresponsibre forwhat weao witt ourlG rri dgSree to which we aCcept or rejecr orrrtrue narure,purposcand $e identity.The binhchanis ihe bestguidewe harrc,o'rtiur-u.* to ourseh'es. Eachplacementin thelhan reraalsthe most;";; and,appropriare wayro unfold whoandwhatwcarc.SThynot listen to the cluesthe chan hasto offer?
HovanoSasponras
Pz\RTI: THE LANDSCAPEOF LITE 1.
BASICPREMISES One may indced say that it is not thc event which heppcns
to the pcnon, but the personwhich happc*Jl:iffi
There are three basic ingredients which combine to make up an asuologicd chan - plonets, igns arrd,boues. Planets represent panicular psphologicd drircs, urges and motirntions. Uke verbs, they depict a cenain acdon which is goitrg on - for orample, Mars 4lscrts,Yenusbarnonizcs, Jupitet cxpands, Sal;ttmresfiicts,etc. The signs represent tweha qudities of being or attitudes tocnxrdslife. The drirc of,aplanet iso
20
2I
THET\I/E[I[EHOUS$
BASICPREMISES
of the signsand planetsin cachof the twelra housescanguide us to our-trueidentity, ill-uminatingthe path of self-discorcry and the unfoldmentof our life-plan. Thereare a few reasonswhy the full significanceof the houses hasbeensooften ornrlookcd.Mostasuologicaltortbools dcrcllon the traditiond buter' meaningof eachhouseand ncglectim more subtlcor basicunderlyingprinciplc.Unles the coremeaningof a houseis grasped,the true essencJof thar houseis 6st. br inst-ance, the llth houseisnormallyknownasthe 'Houscof Friends,Groups, Hopesand\Tishes'.At first thismayseemstnnge- whatdo friends rUfhyarethesethings ald groupsharreto do with hopesandwishcs? dl lumped togetherunder the samehouse?Hoylerrcr,when tie deeper,most basicprinciple of the houseis orplained, then the connecdonbecomes clear.Thekernelof the llth houseis ,theurge to becomesomethinggreaterthan we alreadyare'.\UCe do this 5y connectingto somethinggr-eaterrhan our separateseh,es- by digning oursehaswith friendsandsocidcircles,byjoining groupi byidentifringwith causes whic-hlift usout of ourscl# andencompass usin a rasterschcme of thingp.But thc desireto becomesomettring grearcrthanvrcalreadyaremustdso bc accompanied bythecapacity to envisionnewand differentposibilities.In otherwords,hoping and-wishingfor somethingmovesus beyondo
hc, himself, is responsiblefor creadng.His difficulty relating with companionsis the surhcc manifestation of something much deepcr: his fear of orpanding his boundaricsto includc somcthing other than himsclf. He cants to becomegreaterthan he alreadyis - to identifr with somcthing beyond his otisting senseof self - and yet he is afnid of endangcring the identity he already has. The llth house 'hold on, urgcshim to encompassa greaterredity but Saturn says preservewhat you arealreadyfamiliar with.' Understood in this way, it is not friendship which restric$ him, but bis oun restictiozr which limit his friendships. The astrologerwho points out this dilemma ushersthe man into the vestihule of changc. Confronting thesc apprehensions,oamining their origins, and looking at the posible waysof deding with his fean, are the kep which open the door to funhcr growth and derrclopment. rUflhenappreciated in the contoc of unfolding his potentid and realizing his life-plan, this man's difficulties with friends becomcsa necessaryand productive phasc oforperiencc. Gnppling with Satum in the llth, rathcr than arniding 'makes of himself what he it or blaming it on others, is one way he is supposed to becorne'. How infinitely more beneficid this 'Sorry old chap,your interpretation of an llth houseSaturn is than friends are no goodJ In his book TlteAstrclogl ofPernnality, Dane Rudhpr, a pioneer of perrcn-cenued astrology,proposcsthat reading the chan is to read rhedbarna ofthe person. I In a later wo rk, TbeAstrclogical Houses, he elaboratesmore fully on this, emphasizingthat thc planetsand 'celestid instructions'on how a personcan signsin cachhouseoffer most naturally unfold his or her life-plan in that areaof existence.2 fu far aspossible,this book interprets the planer and signsthrough the housesin this pcrspective.Howcrrcr,besidesjust indicating the most authentic way to fulfil our inuinsic potcntidities, the house placements dso show our innate predispositioa to perceive the orperiencesassociatedwith eachhousein the context of the signs and planets found there. For orample, a woman with Pluto in the 7th houseis ptedisposedfrom binh to o(pect Pluto in connection with the affairsof that house.ril?hat'smore, becausePluto is what she is orpecting there, Plurc is prcciselywhat she will find. What we scein life is coloured by what we el(Pectto see.Tvantycight snrdentswere askedto describewhat they sawwhen a deck of playing catdswasflashedone-by-oneonto a screen.Their basic orpectation (or orienting paradigm) wasthe preconceptionthat a packof cardsconsisaof four suits:mo black(spadesand clubs)and two red suits (hearts and diamonds). However, when the
22
TFIETWETVEHOUS$
o(perimentcnslippeda ray'sixof spadesinto thc deck,manyof thc snrdenusimplyrefuscdtheo'idenceof theiron'nelcsand torn'ened' the red spadcto blackin their descriptions.In other uords, when the red six of spadeswasflashcdonto the scrcen,they didn't even notice the card'sincongruityto their opectationsof what a sixof spadesshouldlook like. Theysawonly what they orpectcdro see, not what wasrcnally there.s Similarly,our archetypalorpecadons,asseenthrough thc signs and planets in the houses,prccondition us to cenain yraysof o
BASICPREMISES
snduallvoqanding itsbordcrsto dlon'for otherdtematives.Bcaring there"ader.anuscrhisbookboth asa tool for personal ?iir-i" "ii".[ andasa guidefor chaninterpretadon'Thesuggested ;;l;;.;; ...tt pt""".t and sign throgsl the housesis intended ;;;;;f broadandgencnl6utfine,hgnetutlvinspiringtunhcr ;;;;t; thousht and rdlcttion on thc natute of eachplacement' applredtoo-n$dy' Mv nrscotionsshouldnot betekcnu gospclor'cookbook' tormat. the of limiations .na f apiEcire for theinherent fully bc only can chan in the factor M;ifi- da"f is that orcry the Funhermore' chan' whole the in the light of the on contingent is "o'oi..i",.a horoscopc in the -y phcJment .ff;;;;f it is drawn. whom for entity the of i:fi.,"i.f ,n letciof onscio'sncs A *oman might be bom at the sametime' placeand date asher the Detfrog, and-thet*o charts*ould look oecdythe samc'But and of awareness' level toits according mep itog o;t o.t the binh plays our lerclof consciousncss .oorai"g to hcri. Because Ji."*ri* of mcaning and butcome' thc ii dctermining ;.h factor one -y ";.i"1rolc rigidintcrpretetion no chan, 9f ;ffi;io,tr. iarr u. nria. zuh of * is moie than the sum of the PuF of.the freedom .rr*. g*t, of us hasthe potentid for greatetawareness, and fulfilment.
2t
TTMEAND BOTJNDARIES SPACE.
2.
Ceusnrl Eeurror
SPACE,TIME AND BOUNDARIES A humanbeingis pan of the whole,cdled by us 'Universe'; a part limited in time and space' Alben Einstein According to the Bible, God beganHis great work by creatingthe universe and then dividing it into different pans. i{e madi the heavenssepararefrom the eanh, light separatefrom darkncss,and day separatefrom night. In an attempt to manage,undersrandand make senseof exisrence,human beingsorhibit this sametendency to divide the wholenes of life into variouscornponent parts and phases.Similarly, the binhchan, rhe map ofan individud's oristence, reflectsthis slicing of life into different sections- rhe sum total of which make a whole. The Division of Space No matter how haphazardthe universemight seemar times, it is, nonetheles, fairly orderly.Cplic and prediaable, the cclestid bodies manageto keepon their parhsand adhereto their proper motion. Perhapsin an artempt to ascribemeaning and order to their lives, our early human ancestorsobserrcd a relationship betweencclestid ex'ents(the movementsof the Sun, Moon and planets) and life on earth. But they neededto havea frame of referincc or backdropby which to plot and pinpoint the positionsof thesemoving lighrs in the sky.In order to do this, spacewasdividcd into different sictions and labelled. - Modern astrologersare faced with the sameproblem - how to divide spacgto createa frame of refcrcnceby which to identifr the positions of the cclestial bodies. It so happens,from a geocenuic point of view, that the Sun, Moon and planets all appearro moue in a broad circular path around the ianh. This-path cxtends
Fg.l Tne DlvlslorrOr SPnce approximately8 or 9 degreeson cither sidcof what is knownasthe i'tOtn - th; apperenipath of the Sunaroundthe Eanh - and is caneatheh4irc Bclt.l\e eclipticis then dividedinto twelrc of Aries,thepoint signsof thiny degceseach,stardngwith 0 degrees (the.Eanh's equator *-h.re the Sun'Jpath intenectsthe celestid k Equingx. into space)at the Spring equatorprojeaed$i 53sc' thesigttsof theZodiac(Aries,flurus, C'cmini,etc.)i aresrMivisions of thl ediptic, thc apparcntyearlyrnorrcmcntof thc Sun around the Eanh (sceFiguri i;' the posiiionsof the planctsarcmappcd * The sigrs bcarthe sarnenlmesasthe constelladons, but due to a of thc Eqtinws, thc signsand phenominonknwn as thePrcccstion no longercoincide. ionstellations
26
TI{ETTEryEHOUSES
againstthesedivisionsof theeclipdc,showingwharsigneachplanet lappensto bepassingthroughon anypaniculardayof theyear(see Figure2). -.The plane6,eachar its ownrare,conrinudlymorarhroughthc differentsigns.Th_eSun takesapproximately-one month 6 p.r, througha sign,and roughlyoneyearto makea full circleof alfthe signsalongthe ecliptic.The Moonspendsabout2th daysin each sign and tekes27vedap ro passthrough dl sweh,esigns.Uranus takesapproximercly7 ycarsto passthrough a signand roughly g4 yearsto makea full circle.Asstatedin Chaprerl, a planetdis.ribes a panicular kind of activitywhich o(presses iaelf accordingto the
Fq.z PLANETSMAPPEDAGAINST THE ECLIPTIC
FOR JANUARYIst. I9B5
SPACE.TIME AND BOUNDARIES narure of the sign in which it is placed.
The Division of Time 'horoscopus', The word borcscopecomes from thc Greek word 'consideradon of the asccnding meaning tonsideration of the hour' or 'time-map'. By degree'.In other words, the horoscopeis literally a dividing the spacein the heavensinto signs,the early astrologers were able to plot the position of the planets in the sky. But they soonrealizedthat somethingmore qasneeded- a frame of reference to link the planetarypattern to a pafticular personborn at a ceftain time and placc. Besidesthe movementcausedby thc apparent revolution of the Sun, Moon and the planetsaround the Eanh, there is another rype of morrementwhich thc horoscopemust take into consideration:the daifi rctation of tbe furtb on itsoumaxis.The earlyastrologershad to find some way to correlatethe celestialphenomena of planets moving through thc signsto the terestrid phenomenon of the daily rotation of the Eanh on its own axis. The most obviouswayof doing this wasto divide the twenty-fourhour rotation of the Eanh into sectionsbasedon how long it took the Sun to morrefrom its position at dawn to its position at noon, and from its noon point to its sunsetpoint, etc. Becauseat cenain times of the yearthc Sun would spend longer abovethe horizon, thesedivisions would not alwaysbe equal. Manin Freeman,in his book Hou to Interpret a Binb Cltartt, helps the beginning student of astrologyconceptualizethe kind of movementcausedby the rotation of the Eanh. He suggeststhat we imagine a day in earlyspring. From the point of view of the Eanh, the Sun in earlyspring is situated in that pan of thc Zodiacal Belt which is known asAries. At sunriseon the day in question,the Sun and the sign of Aries will be scenappearing ovet the easternhorizon of the observeron Eanh. By noon of that day,however,the Sun and Aries areno longer due east- they harremorad to aposition more or les orrcrhsadof the obscrrcqand a different sign, probably Cancer, is on the eastemhorizon. By sunset,the Sun and Aries will be seen to be setting orcr the westemhorizon, and thc opposite sign of Libra (180degreesaray from Aries) will be rising oar the eastemhorizon. At sunrise the nort day, thc Sun and Aries will again be seenin the east, but the Sun would hara morad approximatcly one degree funher along in the sign of Aries. Thus, due to the daily rotation of the Eanh on ia own axis,the position of the signs(and anyplancts which happcn to be in them) changesin relation to the horizon.
28
SPACE. TIMEAND BOTJNDARIES
THET'$rEtVEHOUSES
The Division of the Chan into Anglcs lb understand housesit is csendd to remember that we aredealine with tqo kinds of morcmenr - that of the Eanh and the other phnd around rhe Sun, but also the morrcmentof the Eanh on iis ois. The division of the mundanc sphere into what ercnrually bccame known asthe housesaroscout of a need to relate the axiai rotarion of the Eanh with the mo'ement of the planets in the sky. Ifhile signsaresubdivisionsof the apparcnt renLlution of the Sun, Moon and planets around rhc Eanh, housesaresubdivisions of rhc Eanh,s diurnd (daily) rotation on its own a:
UFJcET'DNT
AscCr{DArt
l.c. lmur,rCoeu
f'g.3
Tnt Foun"Axeues
29
of dividing thesecatches into the twelve housesof the horoscopc. Rrfthermore, they had derrelopcda conespondencebetweenrarious typesof human activity and the different watchesor houses.In this vay, the housesbecamethe frame of referencethrough which the poicntialitics of a planet and sign combination could bc related to the ectual qrcnts and concernsof life. !flithout the structure of the houses,astrologerscannot bring the significanceof celestialsvents down to eafth. It is an easystep from the four watchcsto the four points in thc chart known u tlte Angles (seeFigure 3). From the point of view of an obscrver'sposition on eafth, at any tirne of day, a cenain sign will be sc'ento be rising in thc eastwhilc its oppositesign (180degrees auay) will be seento bc sening in the west. The degree of the sign occupying the easternrnostpoint in the sky is callcd rhe Asecnding Dcgrec and the sign it is in is cdled the Asccndant or Riitg Sign. Asuonomicdly, the Ascendantmark the intersectionof the ecliptic with rhe obsener'shorizon - in othct cDrds, thc meeting of heatrcn and eanh. The opposite poht to the Asccndant is the Descdnfunt, thc sign seaing in the west.The line connecting the Asccndant and Descendant is called thc am of tbc horizon. Lilcewise,at anytime of the dayfor an obsen'eron eanh, a panicular 'culminating' at the upper meridian, dcgreeof a cenain sign will be thi point due south of the place in question. This is called the Midhcaun or lfC an abbro'iation for the latin rcrm Mediam Cocli 'middle of the heavens'.The opposite point to the Midheaven the 'the lomst is cdled the Imam Coeli or IC, an abbreviation for heavens'.Thc line connecting the Midhearrcn to the Imum C-ocli is cdtcd the ocis of tbc meridian. These four poina are determined asuonomicdly. Collectively cilled tbe Anghs, the signsfound on thesepoints reveala great ded about an individual's orientation to basicorperiencesin lift. Their significanceis more fully discusscdin later chapters.The interscrdon of the a:risof the horizon and the axis of thc meridian give rise to the four Qaadrants of the chan. Ottiog to thc tilt of the Eanh, the sizeof the quadmnts arising from this fourfold division arescldom equal, and will rary according to the latitude and time of year of the binh. The Division of thc Four Anglcs into the Twclrc Houscs While determining the anglesdoes not raise too many problems, the manner in which the four angles should (or should not) be trisectedto form the tcth'e houscsis amajorconuocrsy inasuology.
]O
TI{E T'UgELVE HOUSES
On the whole, there seemsto be generalagreementthat the line of the horizon - the Ascendant-Derendant oris - is the basisupon whidr the division of the chan into housesshould rest.ln orhervords, most astrologersagreethat the Ascendantshould mark the caspor beginning point (or lcading cdge) of rhe lst house and the Descendantshould mark the cusp or beginning poinr of the 7th house.After that, astrologersdispersein all directions..Thosewho suppoft the Equal HouseSystemof house-divisionprovide the least complicated soludon. Cdling the Ascendant the cusp of the lst house,they simply divide the ecliptic into twelvecqual-sizedhouses of thirry degreeseach.So,if the Ascendantqcre 13degreesof Cancer, then the 2nd housewould be 13 degreesof Iro, the 3rd house 13 degrccsofVirgo, etc.ln the cascofEqud Housechafis,the Midhearrcn does not necessarilycoincide with any house cusp. However,in Quadrant sptems of housc-division,the four points of thc anglesall correspondto housecusps:the Ascendantbecomes the lst house cusp, the IC becomesthe 4th house cusp, the Descendant becomesthe 7th house cusp, and the Midheaven becomesthe 10th housecusp.But how the intermediate housecusps (that is, the cuspsof the 2nd, ]rd, trh, 6th, 8th, 9rh, urh and tzth houses)should be cdculated raisesmany questions.In someof these systems,sprceis divided to determine thesecusps;in other systems time isthehctor upon which the division is made. A fuller discussion of the question of house-division is included in Appendix 2. Personally,and fot reasonsorplained in the Appendix, I favour Quadrant systemsorrerthe Equd House Systcmand for the purposes of this book, will gcnerallyrelate the cuspof the 10th houseto the Midheaven, and the cusp of thc 4th house to the Imam Cocli. One way or another, we want to end up with rwelra houses.Why twelve?The most obvious reasonfor this is that astrologersbelieved that the division of the mundane sphereinto housesshould mirror the division of the ecliptic into twelvesigns.Rudhyaroffersa more philosophical answer.He arguesthat eachquafter of the chan (as defincd by the Ascendant,IC, Descendantand Midheaven)should 'each be divided into three housesbecausc opemtion of lift is hasically thredold, including action, reaction, and the result of both.'2 In his opinion, then, thc 2nd and 3rd housescarryout the significance of the Ascendantand lst house;the lth and 6th housesfulfil what is begun by the IC and 4th house;the 8th and 9th housescontinue what is staned by the Descendantand 7th house;and the llth and 12th housescomplete what cas initiated by the Midhearan and tOth house. Besidesjusti$ing the need for twelrrc houses,Rudhyar's
TIMEAND BOI.JNDARIES SPACE,
31
reasoning hclps us to appreciate the fact that the meaning and relevenceof eachhousc follons on logicdly from the previous one. More will bc said on the cyclic processof the houses later. The houscs are traditionally counted anti-clockn'ise from the Ascendant. The lst and 7th housesare alwaysopposite onc anoth€r - this meansthat the sign on the 7th housccuspwill bc the opposite sign to the one on ttte lst house cusp, dthough thc actud degree on the cusp will stay the same.This samerule apPlies to the other pairsof oppositehouses:thc 2nd and 8th, thc 3rd and 9th, the 4th and toth. the )th and ttth and the 6th and 12th. Manin Freemanmakesthc relationship between the signsof the zodiac and the melvdold division of the housesclearerby picturing 'great wheel surounding the eanh along whoserim the zodiac asa the planets move'.This whecl is fixed againstthe background of the hea'rcns,and the signsaremarked dong the edge.The twelrrchouscs 'spokes of a moving wheel superimposed on the greater are like thc wheel'. The spokcsof thc housesrotate a full circlc every twentyfour hours in line with the daily rotation of the Eanh. The panicular way the wheel of the housesis related to the wheel of the zodiac at the time and place of binh is what makesthe chan unique for each individud.3 Since the Eanh rotates once everytwenty-four hours, the t'welve signsand ten planea passthrough thc twelrc housesin that period. The binhchan is a frozen moment in time which shovmthc panicular dignmcnt of planets, signs and housesfor the time and place of bifth. Turopeople may be born on the sameday and havethesame sign positions of the planets, but becauscthey are born in a different placc or at a diffcrent time, thc planetary pattem will be seenin a different area of the hearan. i.e. in diffcrent houses. So fir we havc divided spaccinto signs, divided time into four quadrants, and divided four quadrants into twelrrc houses.That's enough dividing for nor', It's time to assignmeaning to the houses, and consider thcir relationship to one another, and to our lives. The Natural Tdn c Since the housesare determined by thc line of the horizon (where hearrcn and eanh meet), they relate the activitics and cnergics synrbolizcd by thc planea in thc signs (cclcstial oents) to actud lift on eanh (tencsuid crrcna). ln othcr words, thc housesshont specific arcasof crrcrydayorperiencc through which the operations cf ttre sigrs ana phncs manifot. Eachof the t*chc houscsrcprcsens a diftrcnt dcpanment of lift - a paniorler phascofwhat Rudhyar 'thc spcctrum of agedencc'.' cdls
THE TWEIVE HOUSES
iil|l
|illr i
iLr
But we still havethe problem ofassigning meaning to the diftrent houses.Generdly, the meaning of eachhousemirrors the meaning of the tweh,esigns of the zodiac Aries is considcred similar to the lst house,fhurus is consideredsimilar to the 2nd house,and so on right through to the connection of Pisceswith the l2th housc. ln what is cdled the Notaral Zodiac (seeFigure 4), rhe first degree of Arics is placed on the Ascendant, the firsr degreeof llurus is placed on the cusp of the 2nd house, the fint degree of Gcmini is placcd on the cusp of the 3rd house, etc. The Natural Tndiec is symbolic, and its main purpose is to hclp the student gun ^ deepcr under*anding of what the housessignrS. In rctaal prrcticc, tbc
1l Ll
lir
l
ilr
Fi9..4 Txe NaruRn Zoonc
TIMEAND BOUNDARIES SPACE,
13
boasesin aperson'sc/tart uill almost neaera/igntltemseltesin sac/t an eract conespondence uitb tbe signs as in tbe Nataral Zodiac, The coupling of 0 degrecsof Arieswith the Ascendantdoesmake sense,however,becauseborh Aries and the Ascendant(cuspof the 1sthouse)arebeginning points in their respectivecycles.The yearly cycleof the Sun'sapparenrmovementaround the Earrh bcginswith 0 degreesof Aries- the point wherethe celestialequatorinrersecrs the ecliptic at the Spring Equinox. The daily cycleof the Sun ttuough the housessymbolicallybeginswith the Ascendant- the point where the horizon of the observeron eanh inrersecrsthe ecliptic. Since Aries and the Asccndant both connore beginnings, it is understandablethat they should sharea similar meaning. Aries is a sign which implies 'initiation', fresh srafts,and the first impulse to act. The Ascendantand lst houseare associaredwith birth and the wayin which we meet life. The ruler of Aries, Mars,alsodenores initiatory energy,the will-ro-be, and the urge to make an impact on the environment. Zipporh Dobyns, in Tlte Astrologer's CasebooL,5describes astrologyas a symbolic languagein which the signs, planets and housesform the alphabet. She fecls that astrologydepicts rwelve wap of being in the world, or melvesidesof life. Theserwelveaspecrs of the totality of life can be written in different ways,just as in the English alphabet we have upper case,lower caseand italic letters. Signs symbolize one form of the lerters of the alphabet, planets another,and housesanotherstill. Signs,planetsand houses,in other words, representdifferent ways in which rhe same rwelve basic principlcs can be expressed.More spccifically,Aries, Marsand the lst houserepresentone letter; Taurus,Venusand thc 2nd house another;Gemini, Mercuryand the 3rd houserepresenta third letter, etc. It must be remembered,however,that any planet or any sign canbe locatedin anyhousedependingon the exacttime, placeand date of binh. Therefore,the factorssymbolizedby a sign, planet or house will be found to be mixed. The Houses as Ficlds of Experience In many textbooks, each house is generally allotted a field of experience,dcrribing a panicular setof circumstancesin a person's life. For instance, one traditional meaningof the 4th houseis 'the 'long journeys', home',of the 9th houseis and oneof the areascorrred 'institutions'. by thc 12th houseis Texrstell us that if we want to know what a person'shome is like, we should examinethat person's 4th house.If wewant to know what will happen ro a personon long
HOUSES TI{ETWEIVE ,4 journgls, we shouldanalysethe 9th house;and if we cant to find out honrsomeonewill fue in hospitalsor prisonsweshouldconsider the placemenain the l2th. \flhile rcmetimesquite accurate,this wayof interpreting housesis flat, boring and not rrcryhelpful. In Chapter1, I cmphasizedthat the coremcaningof thc housemust be grasped- that essentialinner meaningfrom which springdl and possibilitiesconnectedto that housc. the endles associations 'the homc' for a reason, The 4th houseis rcferredto asthe houscof and that reasonshouldbc understood.The 9th houseis associated travelisjust onewaythat a moregeneral with 'longjoumqls' because 'Hospials processassociated with the 9th housecanbe lircd out. and prisons'hardly scratchthe surfaceof the 12th housc.In hrt 2 of this book, we crackthe shell of eachhouscin an attempt to 'get at' the meaty,archerypdkemel. cut through dl its layersand Planetsand signsin a houserertedmuch more than iust what might bewaiting 'out there'for us.Placemensin a housedcscribe - the inborn imageswccarrywithin whichare the inner landscape 'projeaed'ontothat sphere.\Ufle filter whatishappcningoutsidc then through the subjcctivelensof thc sign(s)or planct(s)in a house. 'nice' someonedoes If Pluto is in the 4th house,errensomething for us in our home might be pcrceivedasdangerous,underhand and threatening.But, most imponantly, the signsand planetsin a housesuggestthe bestand most naturd mannet in which we 'should' meet that areaof life in order to unfold and realizeour 'eachhouscof the inherentpotentiditics. AsDaneRudhyarwrites, chan symbolizesa spccidisedaspectof [our] dbarrna.'6 The HouscsasProcess t theps:rchologist ln a lectureentided'Creatinga SacredPqr-hology', JeanHoustonrelatedan anecdoteaboutthc life of MargatetMead. As a child, Margaretaskedher mother to tcachhcr how to makc 'Yes,dear,but.1'ouaregoingto hara cheese. Her motherreplied, to watchthe calf being born.'Fromthc cdf being bom to making - MargaretMeadwastaughtasachild to do entircp(xesscs, cheese from bcginning,to middle, to end. 'age of Dr Houston laments that we are thc victims of an intcrrupted proces'.!7e tum on a switchand the world is sct in motion. Wc knowa litdc about thc bcginning of thingp;*t knm, alitde aboutthc endof thingp;but nt harrcno idcaaboutthemiddle. It/c harrclost the senseof the nanrral rhythmsof lift. Our curent culnrrc is insufferably imbalanced. Bcforc thc sixteenthcenturythc dominantyorld vicwrzs orguric.Pcoplelircd
SPACE. TIMEAND BOTINDARIES
''
closeto naturein small socialgroups,and perceivedtheir own needs assubordinate to thoseof the community. Natural sciencehad its basis in reason and faith, and the material and spiritual were inextricablylinked. By the seventeenthcentury this world view had changeddramatically.The senseof an organic,spiritual universewas replaced by a different notion: the world as a machine, which functioned on the basisof mechanicallaws, and which could bc cxplaincd in termsof the movemcntand arrangementof its rarious pans. The eanh wasno longerthe Great Mother, sentientand alive, but a mechanism,reducibleto bia and pieceslike a clock.Descanes' 'Cogito, famousstatement, ergosam'- I think, therdore I am heralded a major split bctncen mind and matter. Peoplemovedinto their headsand ldt the rest of their bodiesbehind. Fragmentation becamethe rule of the day, and continues to reign even though twentieth-centuryphysicshasshownthetrelationsbip is eaerytbing - that notbing can be understood isolated from its context. Ironically, astrology,the study of nature'scyclesand movements, alsolost its senseof processand its fceling for thc organicwholeness of lifc. The mechanisticworld view led to a belidthat nature could and should be controlled, dominated and cxploited. SimilarlS astrologycameto cmphasizcprediction and outcome at the orpense of an understanding of the dceper significanceof things. Houses weredescribedby keywordsand meaningswhich made them seem asif they wereunrelated to one another,or only looselyconnected. lD0hyis rhe 2nd houseof 'money, resourcesand posesions' follovrcd 'the mind, immediate environment, and brothers by the 3rd houseof 'work, hedth and small animds' and sisters'?rWhyis the 6th houseof 'creative hobbics and spawnedby the Jth houseof self-o
i€ =Fi_gs#E 3$gF P p - o eh S * e -Ih o p "$TFar"i E.:'FI.1 +g 6 'E+EgF';'F" :j ;e x'6
F{
FI trf
()
zo
lr{
FU FU
U
o
l1
zU
oz H
lt{ lal
H
o trj
o
H
o e F
L{
FI
tT'l H
N
tr
t!
.r
o rD
R
h
fo
li
{
o
F)
qex F'
=.o pn
*E
2 5 rio
qE-
8o
aDd
-l
v,
cct)
q
EI
FI
I
trJ
Td
z r 1 lF*InF*SEiI**$Ft'[F g g[$tr€s l$fr F+Fre B
EF€siir$aF3 P EsgStEFE
gil;igfl;r;ffEL:r€; *lH fr Fi 1€ r a*si FBEE f it*FsHtE: i ha
O
F
td E FI
g +lrirF!; lilslgiEgigE*gE F { r€ z 9t€.rrE *gFi r {Hig: E:3? e il E
iliHrra rr;Fg;rt$ifgi
trJ
FI
El+i*ii$r$iFiti IEa$tgil I iBa 1 H
H A F *pF i
!o +5
6.' gX
BI [E'F T:A''
tsP'Y€ I,
H s gH >F-5 =.!
U T
z
E
z
z
o rI:
an
ggglBg d
='5
-
d
6 a.Ed{F6-FFF
::! c E'3 0 r e B E.E.- I - or . r R ? F P s.5 P !J a : !t l:5 ='x
-
9 X e-!r^
c(t,
>r.
-J
v6
E
EagliiII ciaF[+FF I Er*; I [IEI[iEBiEgiiE[B Effi
r:4+t*3
(n i'' (t)
o
F'
ll'
tTl r-i
*l
@
rgsll lggg liiggliiii li igssl i ligigi fl$sa s
g $sagilggi lg[,liigg l*ggriiFE l;lg lfg lg
llElEgfilag
i*icr€ iIiFi*iIti+rFili+aiEe[E p[glff;pf H * L s si: $ }Elfgliitlg Fir;
r; e q,
trJ
o cct)
lT{ F{
igliilFFiiEiEfliliiilF gg F giiilg lrlllalr+**gnF
zU
o .s.
o
trt ct) trl
FI
H ,i
Fgiig$E FEIiEtgiiElilill$i
" di - 5 P x + l i i i 6 & E
v, trt (t)
o
ll! t{
rF
-l
[g lgllig llir[g rggag *l I;i+t lgg$gfi}gi f}lEil FE F r FEi FEFg Fff Fgl IEE [F I rF.i #enueru rlfl* ie€q li* iSi gE[r grF*Fi$FlFl ilE FFg
B
N
d
t
d
d
-
-l
ct
(h
tn
d
{
Eiiigg IFi IlFEilgE I$iEiiFF:EiII iigg
z
o
tn U>
FErrHss$rFE s$E +g r*ffi11ilEFg ;Hr€*gti u€ riF IFi lE $IEEg rlilg ilF[iEl liBE$FigE iEF
b6
eviH6**YYa?i5*FflFgtfIFE +]e i*sa$[lf; t&eFBf Fr l[[il
? I r =6'JD -; 3 5-'= H 5 s 3-'o
; FH'i il*fT
T3I Ii:FE t targHH3
5 A
[g *i 3€I
d
3
a.g# HE-f $
; IE F*T
ioq' u F t 6E d !'09 ='
vF.v
t iE*;aa
: HsE 3F
+Ffr.E ' u c - 6 ; l A3F t'<
3 n s "'I.F
tx E sR FE"e ii F€s i a l I
d .E : 3l ' o H ' T ;
*?gF +rE E g n 3l :.: H ;
3: X x =-iq
a
o o c t e 3 +;g f ,i P 3.1 b'-i P I
+r=
3 Ed *;
fFc EEigh t
* +8 E I X
A g''a-i* tE Fgllrilggiiir FF F'gi'iffi ggilgglFi itlEgElFEl$iFi irFE$uigi
o tlJ
-
o\
glslffiaEffilegll Err€ FLF*
td
H
oF e o
*{ ri
o
=
F
H F{
= l1
o n
t:J
f.{
trl td l-{
l-{
tT{ H H Fl
zU
(t) Irt
F:
1
-l
z
rr
f!,
rl
r ili*FflagFi-iEFltilFl l**E'I l[gggli'+FlFltll$E[giill I r+9i ili€HFfg [;ei*+*lrgg*ilg[a isrFE F$fl$i$i[gf[[1$[} 1 ri*ili-l'+ lf[BEgE ifii$flirus liF[ggllsgI$i1lF Ftsffigl
--l
TI{E TWETVEHOUSES
of origin', the family into which we were born. Planetsand signs in the 4th revealthe atmospherewe felt in that home, and the kind 'scripting' ofconditioning or we receivedthere - the psychological family inheritance.Delving evendeeper,the 4th denotesqualities we carry stemming from our racial or ethnic origins: those aspects of the accumulatedhistory and evolution of our racewhich reside within us. For example,Saturn in the 4th or Capricorn on the IC sometimesderribes a home atmospherewhich wasfelt ascold, strict or unloving, or a backgroundof a long line of staunchconservatives; while Venusin the 4th or Libra on the IC will likely be more attuned to the love and harmony within the early home, and may feel an affinity and appreciationfor thc tradition out of which it hascome. The Moon or Cancerthere blend easilyinto the home environmenr, whereasUranus orAquarius in this position often feclslike a suanger in a strangeland, curiously wondering how it 'ended up' in that panicularfamily. MarcelProust,who in TbeRememberanceofTbings Past uplorcd in unsurpasseddetail his early life and innermost feelings,and thc workingsof memory iaelf, wasbom with the Sun, Mercury Jupiter and Uranus all in Cancei in the 4th. The influence parental figures hara on us is normally amributed to the 4th-10th house axis.Tiaditiondly it has dways made sense to associatethe 4th house(naturdly ruled by the Moon and Cancer) with the Mother, and the 10thhouse(naturally ruled by Saturnand Capticorn) with the Father.Most astrologersw€recontenr with this classfication,but the work of Uz Greenehasshedsomeambiguity in this area.Shc has found from hcr considcrableenperienceand orpertise asan astrologicd consultanrrhat her clients' description of the relationship to their mothers seemedto corelate more closely with the 10th house,while the image of father worked better with thc 4th.2 There aresolid cascsfor and againstboth schoolsof thought. Since the 4th houseis linked to Cancerand the Moon, then it would seem reasonableto assignit to the mother. Her womb wesour origind home, and in infancy we aremore responsiveto the mother's moods and feelingsthan to the father's. The father is rhen connectedto the 10th house,Saturn and Capricorn: after dl, he is normdly the breadwinnerand the one out More the public, and it used to be thc practice that the son follovrcd the father's profesion. Howwer, the opposing argumentsare equdly convincing. Thc Moon is not just mothcr; it is also our brigins' and we inherit our name from the f*her. In this vay, he can be associated with the 4th house.The l0th houseis much more obvious than the 4rh. and the mother is
TFIE IMUM COEU AND TI-IE FOURTI{ HOUSE
t7
much more obviousto the child than the father. The maternity-of like ,ii. frtiia ir a clear fact - up front and publicly recognizable hidden sometimes the lgth house.Paternity iimore speculative, and perhaps€'vena.yt,iry and theiefore maybe better correlated Also, ro the mori hidden and mysteriousIC point and the 4th housc. the.*ildt is usuallv qt{t' i; V.;tem societyat leasi, the mothir'nay-sayer' ot childhood, tne socidizing influence. she is the great watch onc with ihom we spendthe most time and whoserole tt tsto and good is what ov€r us and teach us the difference berween mother the is normdly It *.fpoUi. -d what is bad and not dloqad' *tro'.it..-rrains thc child - the frst major adjustment we.have ro makein orderto conformto societdstandards(saturn' capricorn -and the l0th house). that ir is possibleto fix a view that the 4th isalways ia*'J.[era vice versa.It is saferand io,ft ir alwaysrnother or f;;;;Jil 'shapingparent' - the one perhapsmore accurateto saythat the *ittt *ttom thc child spendsthe most time and who has the most - should bc associatcd ttte child to soci.e-ty i"fil;;;"a"pting 'hidden Parent" the one who with the t0th house;iandrhe more quanttly-'should known a of much is les visible and who is not so with a client tdking practice, after b. .orrrr.o.d to the 4th house.In which to guess as educatcd Pgelt th..rttolog.r can formulate an client's U.ir"st ,o'*hi.h house.For instance,if I ascenainthat the with an Aquarius Moon and I find Gemini on Afi;;";;Gemini ,ft. Ji."i't fC and Uranus in the 4th house, it would -se5m-lifely ,rr", ,rr. 4th house,in this case,is an aPt descriptionof the father. Not all charts make it this easy,howerrcr' (be it It is imponant to remembei that placemens in the 4th was actudly the.parcnt the'ay *oitt.t or'father) may not describe the experienced child the which in way as a person,but iarhir the 4 child's the parent-imago, the what is known u'liaditional o"r.'n, t"?? ps'ychology.normdlfupn3ys ittUo. i-rge of the parent. the the view thlt if somithing goeswrong betweenthe parent and places asuology pqrchological .o"trast' 6y .nita, i it ,fte parent'sfiuli; the at leasrhalf oithe rcsponsibility on the child for orperiencmg to house 4$ (assuming orample panicularrrray. For o"t.", in a 4t most will be 4th in the Situm *ittt girt f,..6; fathcr;, a little will ;.-rp""ri; ;.'the Saturiine side of her father's nature. Hc with associated those than other qualities or6U"Ut, orhibit many tdil.fr.,ypJ
pri".rpt., but thechildin quesdonwillselcctitely'scrrcnty-firrc ;;;;t*;;;y'th.Sr'r.r-traits.Thefatheimayut-"^T--{!lj per cent tol Per cent of the time, but the twenty-tive
l
j I
:
THE TWETVEHOUSES
which he is cold and critical will be what the daughter registers. More often that not there is a collusion betweenthe parentd image in thc child's chan and key placementsin the chan of the parcnt. Forinstance, the chan of the girl's fathcr with Saturnin the 4th may show the Sun in Capricorn, Capricorn ascending,or a Sun-Saurn conjunction. Howwer, errenif her father's chan is not that closea descriptionof the placemenc in lrer 4th house,the predilectionto seea parent in a panicular w:ryoften hasthe effect of turning the personinto what is being projectedonto him. If shekeepsreacting to her father asif he is an unkind persone\rcnwhen he is displaying love and generosity,erantudly he might become so frustrated that he turns sour toqrardsher or giras up and aroids hcr altogether. And 'The then the little girl saysto herself, cad - I knew he waslike that all along.' But washe? lWeare born with rhc barebonesofcenain innatepredispositions and orpectations, but the orperienceswe harrcaschildren add layers upon layersof flesh to these.\U(/e interpret the environment in a cerain way and then form concreteattitudes about oursehasand life but there' in generd bascdon theseperceptions.The litde girl we harrc been discussingwith Saturnin the 4th dready hasa few oristentid life-statementscoming to the fore 'hther doesn'tlorc me' and 'Pather is a cad',to narne but rwo. Shewill caffy thescinside her evenafter she hasdepaned from the parenral home where they will blossom 'Men into more full-blown attitudessuchas, find mc unwonhy and .All unlouble' and men arecads'.Becomingconsciousof the origins of these attitudes allowsfor the posibility of changing them, or finding other waysof organizing orperience.Delving into the 4th house,which showsthe archetypesacti%ted in the earlyhome life berweenourselvesand the parent in question, can grcatly aid this process. The 4th house, in addition to describingour inherited origins and that which residesdeep within us, is associatedwith the home basein generd. What kind of atmospheredo we createin the homc? \7hat do we aftract to ourselvesthere?What qualities in thehomc environment do we most naturdly resonatewith? Thesequestions can be answeredby oramining thc planea and signs in the 4th. 'in T. S.Eliot writesthat my beginning is my end.' The 4th house. depictsour origins but it is alsoassociated with how we end thingp. 'enact The manner in which qleultimately resolrcan issueor a closure' will bc related to placementsin the 4th. Venus there ends things neatly and fairly, all tied up in a pretty bundle. Saturnmay prolong or bcgrudge an ending. The Moon and Neptune often slip away
TTIE IMUM COEU AND THE TOURTI{ HOUSE
'go whileMarsandUranus out witha bang'' andpeacefully, quietly ^ halt thc conditionssu'ounding thesecond 1.friatn aisosuggeits lvlany end' the at out of lift. !0hat is riJst deepwithin us comes or rotin and perhapsmovedbv the deathof a ;i;; tft;it; "i. ofour monaliryandconscious '6;il;. , *itt U*otie in r.asinglyavare "*.ri tr litt ti-.,o *"t,i. bn thisbasis,wemaywillingly.makl 4ndventour innermostneedsencl morespacein our livesto express of life is a prercquisitefor f..fi"g'r. Funhermore,she&orperience soit isnotzurprisingth1 9urdeepcstandmostintimate ;|f-J;;ty, motiradonsmay not emirge until the later years'One,extreme rn whrcnPeoPre illustrationof this is the dcath-bedcontessron, theyhavekept which ;;;i."llydisclose-truths aboutthemselves guardedfor decades. "-*y.toan.rapy, self-reflecrion, rariousforms of meditation-rrfrit s whichtakesus into ourselves bring4th housegnergies aveiltDleto to'the *.f".. and can makethesemorcconsctortsl! there' what's.down in life. Ratherthan neglecting ;;;.k;;[er sooner house this in placements to dealwith difficult i, i, up "a"ir"Ute hter. The 4th house,iikt our Pa$, dwayscatches ;;;;,t; with us.
I 6r
7.
l
THE FIFTH HOUSE
ril
Tiuly,I sayto you,unlessyouturn andbccomelikc children, you will neverenterthe kingdomof heaven' Manhewrg:3
l
lrl
rL I
I IL I
In thc 4th, we discoverour own discrereidentity, but in the 1th we revel in it. The fire of the lst house burns without evenknowing it is buming; the fue of the 5th ragesconriously and isjoyfully fanned by the sclf. The nature of life is to grow, and this house(naturally associatedwith Iro and the Sun) rcflectsour urge to expand, to becomemore and more. and ro radiate out into life like the Sun. By thc time we reachthe 5th house,we nov/ know that we are not 'a everything;but we arenot contentjust to be somegns'- qrernusl lWeare not all there is, but we can try to be be a specialJorTueone, the most important rhing there is. The function of the Sun in our solarsyscemis rwofold: it shines, giving warmth, heat and life to the eanh, but it alsoservesas the centralorganizingprinciple around which the planea orbit. In this 'I', sense,the Sun is like thc personal ego or the the centre of consciousness which the diffcrent aspects of the selfrevolve. around Individualswith strongplacemenr in the )th panakeof the qudities of the Sun. They need to shine and createfrom inside themselves; they need to feel influential; and they need to feel that othersare revolving around them. To some this meansliterally alwaysbeing the cenrreof attention - a cravingto be worshippedlikc thc Sun. One woman I kncv with the Sun and Marsin the 5th couldn't tolerate being in the sameroom with the televisionon, becauseit meant that othersin the room might focuson it rather than her. We must remember that the Sun, although vitally central and imponant, is not the only Sun in the galaxy- it is just one of many.The words 'everybody is a star'. of a popular song remind us that
t111il .i Lrii
5ttr Embedded deep in our psyches,and rwerberating througtrout be recognizedfor our spe-cialnes. the ith houscis an-innatedisire to'curer' ot rnore spell-binding and As childrcn, we believethat the Mother want to loveand will cenainly captirating we ate, the more our unique rahrc othcrsvith p[i..i us]Enslavingand enchanting caredfor' protected, fed, *I ar. lrrd *onh is one way of cnsuring alive. to stay -and therefore more likely ilotlr;r k ynoteof the Jth is ginerativity - which simply de{ined 'the ability to produce'ITheserwo principles, the need.to means be lorad for our specidnessand the desire to createtrom rnslde with thc lth ourselves,underfiimost of the traditional associations house. The lth housc is the area of the chart attributed to creatira most obviously with anistic.endea\tours,although the opt "ion, ,ne lth neednt be just painting a picture or performing .rJ",i"iry to ther "f a dance.'scientistsor mathematicianscanapply themsehres 'lhe Pavlom' or a Picasso as plTion or ananistry great work with as
;[;;;Jpt"it."
i" thelth stridtigtrto."+: posible""'!",-!1 Mcrcury or C'emini in thc 5th may denote a talent
crltira orprcsion. for writing or public speaking;Neptune or Piscesmay be absorbed
andraurusmight ;i,h ;;i?, d.,ry, phbtogr"ihyoidance.Cancer JiUii a fliir foi iookiig;'*ftil. Virgoin this positioncanbe
morethan orccptionallyadeptat sewingandhandiwork'Hon'ever' here placements a.*iiUitg Jnich creativeouil.t weengage.il,the ptece ot susqestti.- *oort, md stylewith whichit is pursued'-A or Uranus) or .iii. ."n be an intellerti^l' too, deforce(Mercury peopte Some comcstraightfrom the hean (Moon or Neptune)'
I 62
lli
producespontaneously and joyfully,while otherssufferextraordinary binh pangs.Above and beyondpurely creariveexpression, this is the houseof the actor,and depictsthe way in which we tacklethe an of living. One client with an obviouslth houseslantdescribed 'professional herselfasa person'- and shedid not intend this solely in terms of career. The creativeoutlets associatedwith the lth also include spons and recreation.Forsomeit is the challengcof athletics,the contesr and competition, thc joysof winning and coming first. For orhers, it is the sheerecstasyof orenion and the pitting of the self againsr the elements or odds. Similarly, gambling and speculation are assignedto the lth aswell - wherewetestour wit and imaginadon against fate and chance. The lth house is more broadly associatedwith hobbies, arnusementsand spare-timepleasures.Theseall soundteribly lowkeyfor a houscruled by the Sun and [ao. Hoqr\rcr, upon oraminarion, they are more imponant than they first appear.Thc lth describes activitieswhich makeusfeel good about ourselvesand makeus glad to be alive. Hobbics and spare-time amusemenrs afford the opponunity to panicipate in what we want and like to do. Through thesepursuitswe feel the joy of beingfully inaolaed in somcthing. Unfonunately, many of us havecareersor jobs which do not entail this degree of engagcment. There is a great danger that our enthusiasmand vitality rrould run dry unlesswe had spare-time inteteststo rechargeand reinvigorateourselrres. In this lighr, hobbies and amusementsharrc an almost therapeutic effcct. The word 'recreation' literally meansto make new, to revitalize and inspire with life and encrgy.Planes and signsin the Jrh suggestthe types of spare-timepursuits we might ocplore,and thc manner in which this is undenaken. Romancefinds its wayunder the heading of the 5th house.Besides being exciting, passionate,heart-wrenchingor whatever,romantic lWebecomethe main encountersenhanceour senseof specialness. focus of attention for somcbodyelse'sfeelings and we can display our very speciallove to someoneelse.Placementsin the lth reveal 'create the way in which we romance'- the archetypalprinciple(s) most likely activatedin thescsituations- aswell assomethingabout thc kind of person who ignites us. Sexual expressionis also linked to the 5th. A good sexrd relationshipcontributesto our rnse of povrcrand qronh,highlighting both our ability to give pleasureand the capacityto aftract others to us. This powerto enchantand hold the atrention of othersis very
rllilr I I
i
liI I ri
ili
THETWELVE HOUSES
;Liii
THE FIFTH HOUSE
6'
insdnca, (Corypare reassuringand sad$es deeply embedded*yi*l gth personal boundarics our transcend to weseek where this to thl through intimacy.) Allitris leadsio one of the main representationsof the lth children, crearionsof the body and thl physicalextensionsof the self. Most people primarily exPresstheir creative drives (and symbolically cniure-thcir survival; through generating offspring' riznl. thc 4th and toth housesindicate how we view our parents, constellatedbetween placementsin the 5th describethe arche-types planets here reflectwhat our and signs children. ourselncsand our from other houses, examp-les with line In to us. progeny mean varietyofways'-For a interpreted.in can be house pl".".-.ttrt in this 'instance, produceJupiterian.children literally may in the 'th Jupiter - thoseLoin ,rnder the sign of Sagittariusor wirh Saginariusrising orJupiter conjunctat angl. or thi Sun, etc.Or we canunderstand encounterJupiter ;upiter in the lth to mean our prcdispositionto or are prone children our onto projectJupiter we life: of area init "t of their other any than strongly more side theirJupiteiian to register in the role of experience our describe also in tihe Planets lth traiti parenr. satum there may be tenified of the responsibilityof parcnting that they won't be good at it. Uranus' idea of bringing "ft"ia ""a may embracethe most new and avant-gardetheories children up subject. the on More than just describingexternalchildren, thc lth housecould - that pan aptly be called the house of out own Inner Child 9f ui *tti.h lovesto play and which dwaysstayseterndtf f9t"tg.. trttt* us all is rporrt"tt.orrs, natural child who cravesto be lovedfor his " specialnesand uniqueness.However,aschildren, this or her own^ pan of us is often quashed.lbobften, we are lovedfor conforming and matching np to our parents'orpectationsand standards,rather In this way,we losefaith in our budding than for bein-gwho *. "ti.. individuality-"nd b..o-e what liansactional Analysisrefersto as 'thc of our own adapted child'. Inrnriably, we will Pfoject the state 'the daryag-ed inner child onto our actual offspring. \fe can heal child, in ourselvesby giving the tb'e and acceptancewe weredenied aschildren to our own progenyor other young peoPlewe encounter' Howerrcrwe do it, it is nevertoo late to hara a hapPy chtldhood' sre augmenr and enhanceour unique identityand orerciseour through the creativeoutpbutings.of tlre tth' As a,b.y*,tr pdt product, we may errcngeneratesrunning works of art, wofthwhile ^new books and-ideas,1r interesting children who in somc way conuibute to society.Bcnefiting society,howerrcr,is not the main
64
THETOqELVE HOUSES
concernof this house.\Titnes the reluctancemany people harrcto releasingeither thcir worksof an or their children into the world. In the 5th, wc createprimarily for ourselves,becausethe self takes joy and pride in doing so,and becauseit is in the nature of the self to create.
8.
TI{E SIXTH HOUSE A monk toldJoshu:'l havejusrcnteredthe monastcry. Please teachme.' 'Haveyouearenyour asked: riceporridge?' Joshu The monk replied:'l haveeaten.' 'Then you had betterwashyour bowl.' Joshusaid: A Zen story The main problem with the 5th houseis a tendencyro 'go overthe top'. lWedelight in self-expresion,but we don't know when to stop. In the ith housewe no longer believeweore everything,but westill think wc canbe or do znything. The 6th housefollowsthe Jth and reminds us of our natural boundariesand the need for clearerselfdefinition. Like the philosophy of Zen, the 6th houseasksthat we 'perfection respectand regain the of our original nature',I that we becomewhat we aloneare(no more, no less),and that we live this in our everydaylives. Our true vocation is to be ourselves.
6ttr
66
TTIET\UTELVE HOUSES
Thc 6th house shakcsa finger at the lth and retons: Very well, it's wonderful to give orpressionto your creativeflair, but haveyou really done it thar cleverly?That painting is not quite right yet and you've orhausted yourselfstaying up rwo nights working on it. or Sure, you are having quite a sizzling romance, but have you examincd the practicalitiesof this asa long-term relationship - not to mention the fact you can't stand the after-shavehe wears? or Congratulations, you've had a baby girl. Now adjust your scheduleand life to her and keep thosecleannappiescoming. or Rememberthat pany lastweekwhereyou really let yoursclfgo? tVhcn you look back,don't you think you might haveoffended that shyboy in the cornerwho didn't errcnharrea chanceto spcak becauseyou monopolized the conversation? The time hascomero takestockof ourselves,to dirriminate between priorities, to assessthe use we are making of our power and capabilities,and aboveall, to recognizethe limits and truth of our own nature and humanity. Tiry,r it may, a pear seedcan neverbecomean apple tree. Nor should it, if we believeas Kieikegaarddid, that 'to will to be the self which one truly is, is indeed the oppositeof dcspair.'2The 6th houseis all about stickingto our plan and blossominginto precisely what we are meant to bc. Doing this feelsright and good. But the consequences for not respectingthe truths of our own nature ale stress,frustration and dis-easemessengers tclling us that somcthing is awry and needsto bc oramined. 'Reality has both a "within" and a "without".'3 The 6th house exploresthe relationship ber,weenwhat we are inside and what surroundsus on the outside - the correlation betweenthe inner world of mind and feelings and the outer world of form and the body. The traditional6th houselabels, 'health, work, service,and adjustment to necessity',all stem from this bodymind connection. It is a basic fact of existencethat life has to be lived within
THE SD(TH HOUSE
67
boundaries.No matter how divine or wonderful we think we ate, wc sdll have to eat, brush our teeth, pay bills and cope with the necessitiesof cveryday,mundane redity. Funhermore, eachof us hasa panicular body, a pafticular mind, and somepanicular task 'designed' in a cenain way to servea PurPose to perform. lUTeare or function specificd in our own individud make-up and nature. Nobody canfulfil that purposebetter than ourselves.We servebest by being who we are. Through the necessaryadjustments and refinements of the 6th house,we becomewhat we done can be. 'work is the rent wc Pay for lifc.' For Somebodyonce said that many of us, work is something ue baaeto do in order to suPport daily existence. Daily employment also implies roudne and adjustment. \7c have to arive there more or lesson time, and we cannot be asfree and spontaneousaswe might like with our lives if we know the alarm clock is set to ring at seventhe next morning. rUTehave to structure our dme, establish priorities, and make dispensations.In one way,the need to follow a rigid schedulehelps to order and pattern life. We escapethc existentialanxiety which freedomof choicemight provoke:wehavea job and we know where we must be. Idealljt, however,the work-forceis composedof raried individuals eachperforming thc panicular skills they havedevelopcdbest.The end result is a perfectlyfinished product or the maintenanceof the proper functioning of society.Planes and signsin the 6th describe isues reladng to work and employment, and suggestthe tasksthat wecan potentidly do most well. Placementsin this housemay rwed the natureof our jobs -Jupiter or Sagittariuscould be a uarcl agent, the Moon or Cancerlook aftcr children, and Neptune or Piscesdraw pints at thc local pub. But much more than describingthe type of employment, the placementshere suggestthe way in which we approach(or should approach)doing the iob - not just ubat we do, but hou we do it. For instance,thosewith Saturn or Capricorn here may prefer a stablejob with clearlydefined requirements,at which they can work slowly and steadily;while thosewith Uranus and Aquarius in this housenormally hate to punch a clockand would much rather work without a bosslooking over them. The nature of relationshipswith co-workcrsis alsoshownby 6th houseplacements.Venusor Ubra heremay fall in lora with someone at work, while Pluto or Scorpio stirs up intrigues and complo< 'naturally squared' the 3rd (seepage encounters.The 6th houseis 'unfinished around sibling and early pcer business' 121) and relationshipsmay resurfacewith co-workers.
i
69
THE T\UUELVE HOUSES
HOUSE THESTXTH
ThLroughemployment situations,we find ourch'es in relationships of inequality. Thiny peoplemay bc working under us, and wemay, in turn, be subordinateto thiny others.How wecopewith dispcnsing authority, and how we managein the more subservienrposition is shown by the 6th. It is a kind of rehearsalfor the reladonshipsof equality we form in the 7th house. The 6th house also describesour relationship to the mechanic who works on our car, our doctor and his or her receptionist,the milkman - in fact anyonewho is servingusin someq/ay.Conrrrsely, 'a our own qualities as server'and our deeperfeelingsand attitudes regarding serviceare shown by placementshcre. This is not to be taken lighdy, asmany peopleview humiliw and serviceCIthe pinnade of human endeavour- asthe path to God and more enlightened statesof being. The way we use our time and the kind of atmospherewe need in order to function happily in daily life is shownby the 6th. Signs and planets in this housecolour the energieswe bring (or should bring) into everydaytasks and how we approach the rituals of 'white mundane existence. Marsin the 6th may cleanthe houselike a tornado',while Neptune is still trying to rememberwhereit left the moP. Pets- who arearound us in our everydaylife - aredso assigned to the 6th house.This may seema trivial considerationand yet a good number of peopleareprofoundly affcctedby their experience 'hook' of caring for animals. Pets can be the for any variety of projectionsand for somepeople their_relationshipto their dog or cat is asimponant aswith anyhuman. In cenain cases,pets:rssuage what would otherwisebe an unbearablesenseof lonelines or feelings of uselesness. The lossor deathof a belovedanimd canrigger many psychologicaland philosophical issues. Thereis an obviousrelationbetweenwork and health - the other major concernof the 6th house.Although the dominant work ethic of rVesternculture may seemextremeor easilyabused,nonetheless the need to be productive and useful is somehowbasicto human nature. Overworkstrainsthe hedth, while too little work can leave us listlessand lethargic.Redundancynot only deprivcsusof a source of income, but alsoa sourceof a senseofwonh and purpose.Studies haveshownthat the number of rcported illnessesincreascsin areas where the uncmployment rate is rising. Conversely,some people will use illnessas a way of escapingfrom a job they hate or which doesn't suit them. The 6th houseconcernforcraftsmanship,perfectionand technicd
proficiencyappliesto issuesof health aswell aswork. Optimally the body i, fineiy mned mechanismwherethe different cellswork for " of the largerorganism.Eachcell is an entity in itself and the good 'do its thing' yetCachone is pan of alargu system.Each-cell must whole' greater the of demands the to submii must;bo Lut each individual each. society) (as healthy in a person In a healthy componenrassensrmelfand yet worksin harmony with the other .o-pon.tt,t. The 6th houseasksthat we bring our different pans - that is,our mind, body and feelings- into a harmoniousworking rclationship. Many individuals with 6th house placementsare especially degree'In interesiedin health and fitness,some to an obsessive extremecases,specialdiets and techniquesfor maintaining.the optimal functioning of the body dominareand structurethe life, liaving litde time for anyrhingelse. Horrever,many-orcellentttealers with traditional havea 6rh houseemphasis,and ir canbe associated herbalism, osteopathy, medicineaswell at.ir..rs in homoeopathy, massage,etc. It hL aheadybeenmentionedthat the body,mind-andemotions operateas a unit. \fhat we think and feel will affect the body' the stateof the body will influencehow we think and Conversely, feel. Psyihe (mind) and sonza(body) are inextricably linked' physiologicaland chemicalimbalances,give rise to psychological proUt.,,'i, while emotional and mental turmoil can manifestin physical symptoms.The 6th housemay revealsomethingabout the 'unh"rryi"g of i9Tai" illneses.Sarurncould significance p^rychological in meeting everydayhje, aswell asarthritis. Mars indicaic "ligiaity in the 6th nrihesinto life, *or1*' itseif to a frazzlc,only to bediagnoscd later with high blood-pressure.However,it is an over-srmplficadon to referto rh16th houseonly in relationro health. TheAmerican Book of Natrition ond Medical Astrology by Eileen ftly"ll San Diego, California) (publis'hedby Astro Compudng Services, and is highly depth, great in medical ir"-in.t "sttoiogy recommended. Through 6th houscissueswe refine, p!{ect and purify ourselves, 'channel'for being who.weare'\We and ultiriately becomea better could be rhe mosrwonderfullyinspiredartisr(1th house)b_utunless we learn the toolsof the craft (6th [ouse) - the right useof brushes, paints and canvas- we won't be able to concretizeor realizeour 'techniqueis the liberationof thc iosibiliries. Ir hasbeensaidthat imaginadon'.Theseare true watchwordsfor the 6th house' of our unique individuality and \fie embarkon life unconscious
68
rtill
TI{E TIrEIIYEHOUSES
by the end of the 6th houscwe harc a much more dcfined sensc ofour on'npanicularidentity andpurpose.Likethe 3rd house,the $h houy.emplqn the left brainactivityof reducingthingsto parr. The problem with the 6th is that we end up seeingthe-worldroo mrclt in termsof 'what is me' and 'whet-isnot-me'.IThen we characterize oursehres by thoscfeatureswhich distinguishus from - our weight,height, skin colour,job, car,hJuse- weare 94.11 left with the feeling that there is an absoiutedistinction between who we areand who other pcople arc. !flhile it is thc purposeof thefirstsixhouses to makeusmorefullya*are ofourselrts^as*pmt. individuals,it remainsfor the lastsixhouses(the 7th to the Uth; to reunite us with othcn again.Otherwisclift is aurfullyloncly.'
9.
THE DESCEI\DANTAND TI{E SEVENTHHOUSE Dri,ren by the forceof lovethe fragments o{the world seekeach
otherthattheworldmavcomc Ti:rlJit?in"rddcchardin 'rhe personalhouses" The 6th houseis the last of what is known as and representsthe refinementof the individual personalityttTo$\ work, scrvice,humility and amendonto crrcrydaylifc and th9 Rhnicd body. tking a microscopeto lifc, thc 6th housc analysesand categorizesiI into diffcrent parts, giving.each.panits app.rop.riate placc and purpose. \7e now know preciselyhow we difter trom 'cverybody and everything else.But, by thc end of the 6th house, we have grown t.p"t"ti from one another as life will allow, and "r learn:that nothing existsin isolation.\rhcn wehavea-newlcsson-ro we arrive at the Descendant,the westernmostpoint in the chan, we turn a sharpcornerand find ourselvesheading backagainto the point whereit all staned.It will be thc work of the 7th to 12thhouses ro reconnecrusoncemore to the lost senseof our unity with all life . The Descendantis the cuspof the 7th houseand thc point oPposlte 'point the the Ascendant.Traditiondln the Ascendantis considered 'the point of and rhe bescendant is considered of self-awareness' of others'.It describesour approachto relationshipsand awareness the qualities(alongwith the planetsin the-7th)that wea-relooking for in a parrner.Michael Meylr in z{ Handboohfor the Hu.manistic Astologer also writes rhat the Descendant(and .the 7th house) denoreithe kindsof activitiesthat givethe individud the experiences 'he needsin order to realisethe significanceof others''' 'the house of Similarly, the lst house is traditio-nallyknown as '. labelled is lst, from the the self The 7th house,which is the fanhcst 'the '. ,rhe marriage' of house as houseof the not-self It is alsoknown ,the houseof open enemies'.Marriagehereis taken and curiouslyas
78
THE EIGHTH HOUSE
TT{ETWETVE HOUSES
the sexualact, we may orperiencea form of self-ranscendence,a union with anothcr self. In thc hcights of ecstasy,we forget and abandon ourselrcsto mctge with another.The Elizabethansreferred 'the to the orgasmas little death'. Much about our scx.rd nanrre is shown by placcmentsin the 8th. Relationships are the catalystsfor change.The 8th housecleanses and regeneratesth'rough drawing to the surface(usudly via a presenr relationship) unresolrredissuesfrom previousrelationships,eqpecially early bonding problemswith mother and father The first relationship inour life, that with thc mother or mother-substitute,is the most highly charged.This is not surprising asour survival dcpends on her. lWe are allborn into this world potential victims: unles there is the caring lorc and protection of sorneonebigger and more adept than us, our chancesof surviral areveryslim. Thc lossof a rnorher's love doesnot simply mean the lossof a personcloseto us: it could mean abandonment and death. Many of uscontinue to projcrt ther sameinfantile concernsonto later reladonships.The fear that our panner doesn'tlorc usanymoreor is posibly betraying uswill rigger or reawakenthe primd fearsof the lossof thc original love-object. It then feelsasif our very survivaldependson the presermtion of 'If the presentrelationship.Plcasand outcriessuchas you leaveme, 'l I'll die' and can'tlivewithout you' rerrcdthe chargedundercurents from early bonding difficultics infiltrating the realiryof the current situation. Tiue, aschildren we might havedied if Mother ldt, but more likcly than not, as adults we are quite capableof managing our os/n surviral needs.Through exposingthese unresolvedand hidden fears,the trials and tribulations in the 8rh househelp us to shcd attitudes which are obsoleteand cumbersome.Not everv
oTTii:,l#,T3*il;",,"na1fears, proponion agood oftheanger and outrage we sometimesfeel and unleashon our paftner can be 'tracked back' to infancy and childhood. Children are not all 'goo' siqrcetness, and light. The work of the psychologistMclanie Klein hasdepictedanothersideto the baby'snature.Bccauseof ia oftreme helplesnes, the smdl child orpericncesenormousfrustrationwhen his or her needsare not bcing understoodand met. Eventhe most adept mother cannot alwaysinterpret prcciselywhat a screaming babywants,and inrariably the child's frusration eruptsinto violent hosdlity. Sinceearly expcriencesleavesuch a deep impression,all of us have a'raginginfent' buried inside. A presentpartner thwans us in somewayand the screamingchild may be awakenedyet again. Like Persephone's abduction into the underworld, in veryintense
to discover we derend into the depthsof our being relationships rage' grecd' envy' the iealousy' or"tttia i*drr.n J inhcriance 'nd control aswell asthe "rr ,h.;;ig;pt*tt ;.,"#;"t^d;t=' the1o1t r":Tl fu*:: de*ructivefanusia wnictiil ili berr*th 'the beast'in us that It is only throught tognitini and accepting t""oot changcanvthinswedon't know ilo#r-.a'-v/t il;;: 'We wecondimn' Thedarker isthere. cannot*""tfo* *tethi{S tJgttl utrtre wecanbccleanscd' sideof our natu* -* bt;;;;il; or born again' regenerated stifled a rast ""P;i;tly, ili;"yfi ;;-his darkcrsidewemavhave "t"tigy' However' acfnowledging our reservoirof psychic meancathaning cruelty,*'t'gZ'n9t 79' necessatilv vindictirrcness' 'actingout' thcsettotio"' indiscriminatelv'Suchbehaviour or thanwewish' energy 'owning' dt"toyttt"h more cnpendsthc exPlosive "J;;ibiy and gontainingthcsc ya Ra$er,the keyliesin eKPrcssmg encrgv iht;Ljh ,..ont"t$q :9 the fou.ntof ilil;. us'sreevenflrauy insidc it hJlding9ll1o. and itsclfasoutragecrnstrncrs becntrapped'Thus this en.rgyr,o']'-tit-i"t,,, it ittith.it has release backinto thc psyche'more diraned,it canbeconscio*lyi"ttgtated outlets'Stewingin the orchannclledinto constructive productirrcly tlrL.t to shift is not rcry .i pii;a .*otiott until they arc readv 8th houseit t^I1 .^,^oleasant,but who n*?t' t"ia-tf i'tttt trtt oppomrniryto re-oaminethc conncruon ""fri,'.il h";yi.r* andthoscproblemsenc"t"j:fl betweenPresentrelationshipissucs percePuon iri and fathei early life' Bascdon our ;rh;h.'-*hcr kind abouiwhat opinions of thc cnvironment;.htid;;;form belids Thesc us. for ii tit we.r. *aiir"iilild',-,h.t.; ofperson far into 'scripts' .orr,-.tJ 'i- optt"tt' often unconsciously' or 'father cad'grows
;|"ilffi.
,n. i-i,,f.gl"f*fi" U.ti."a.that
wasa
i"go;td ttnsc.that'n -:1I::*' into thecomantitltf;;Pry weharrca mysteriousand Due to the lawsorp'lJit'attertrinisl' o"i ri*t 'ttt *rv peopleandsituations uncannyability,o ""li'i"t If not' we will probablv which suPPort,hJ;il;;-p'it"t'. of a comploristo prorrc aim -v t"tt' rne tr; ,h", ;;; ;;il tS:Ti", in the 8th and rubble from chjrdhoodare excavated anddeeperoristentid life-staternents house.Our more Pt"bl;;; ,"rr* rclationshipcrises.vith inpre^scnt areuncovcred "lJ-ti*irrg' of living besly'11t;x' thc added-"to,ityl"d "'itaJ- ttt"1 rtlt the past'whrchnas from .,p' *-i of the residue ;;'.1; on life' oursilvesandothers' ourperspecuve colouredandobscured andsclf'mastery ;. i f, frour" isgreaiersclf-knon'ledge ffifr|"f
THE T\TEIVEHOUSES
freeing us to conrinue our journey renewed,les encumbered bv unnecessarybryg gr. Should vrcfail at amempts-at merging and ,working through' rhe rolatile isues which the 8th house eiokes, rhen *,i .* ,if., ro plT-....lq !r:r. to gain a senseof what the dirorce proceedingsmight be likc. Difficult planetary aspecrsto the gth narn of trl.rmiti. separationsand 'mesy' dirorce settlements.The two 'raging infants' and their respectirrclawyersare lefr to carry out the SattL in the couftroom. All levelsof sharedexperienceare describedby the gth house. In addition ro the redm of joint finance and rhemerging of mo individuals inro one, this househasa broaderecorogicil ,lZot. wi all hara to shareour planet and its resources.The high_powered entrepreneurwho indiscriminately y lerrels lerrelsforests forestsfor hiJ hiJown orofir own profit is.disregarding.th.e inhabitants of the forest, aswen asdepriving a fellow human being of an areaof natural beaury -a intiir"tiJ". I n5n""p sensitivityto theseisues will be mi'oied by placements in the 8th. The house dso denotes our relationship to what esoreric philosophersc4l 'the.astrd plane'. A strong ehotion, though not necesarily visible,will nonetheles penadc thc atmosphereiound yt. Th.:.esrrd plane_is that level of oristence where seemingly intangible but porrcrful emotions and feeling;scollect and circulaiJ. T.h9pore rationdlyminded may doubt the ciedibility ofsomerhing which cannor be seenor measured.And yet, almosi all of us havE of enrering on. peisor,'s home and feeling lt"d t: orpe{9nc9 immcdiately 'hit' by something unpleasant, while walkins irrti another person'shouse and feeling uplifted and spirited. planets and.signsin the 8th showrhe panicular kinds of energies'ho'ering; in the astrd realm to which we are most sensitiue.Someone*ifir Marsin the 8th will more easily'pick up on' angerin the atmosphere than someonewith Venustherl who quickly-senscswhen ,lo* i, in the air'. In this capacity,the waterygth houseis akin to the other water houses,the 4th and thc l2th. Expcriencesof thc psychicor occult sphereare shownin the 8th, ar *.ll asthe degre. of irrr.r.o or fascination we harc for thar which is hidden,"mysterious or underlying the surfacelevel of existence. Death, asshown by placemens in the gth, can be taken literallv to mean the manner or o(enuating circumstancesof our physical death. saturn there may be reluctant to die, fcarful of lies ",trat belon{ corporealoristence.Neptune may die from drugs, alcohol poisoning or drowning, or gradually dijengage itself i-n a coma.
THEEIGHTHHOUSE
8I
Uranus may end it all rather suddenly. Howc\cr, in the spanof one life-time, weorperiencemany different psychologicaldeaths. If we have been deriving our identity from a panicular relationship and it should finish, then this is a kind of death of who we havebcen. Likewise,if we havegained our sense of vitality or meaning in lifc from a cenain professionand then are made redundant, we dso die aswe knew ourselves,Childhood dies and adolescenceis born. Adolcscencepassesand we die into adulthood. A bimh requiresa death; and a death requiresa birth. Signsand planetsin the 8th indicate the manner in which we meet zuchphasetransitions.Individuals with a srong 8th houseslant often experiencethcir livesasa book containing many diffcrent chaptets, or a long play with distinct changcsof scene.Theseendings and new bcginnings may be thrust on us or we might assumea mote acdverole in tearing dovrnold structuresto make room for something else. In mythology, the gods createthe world, decide they don't like it, destroy what they harrcbuilt, and createanother. Death is an ongoing proccssin nature. There is alsothe image of the dying and reviving god, who is desroyed in one form but then reappearsagain uansformed. Christ is crucified and then resurected. Dionysusis dismembered,but Athene, the goddes of\$?isdom,rerues his he,an and he is born again. Like the Phoenix, we may temporarily be reducedto ashes,but we canriseoncemore, renewed.Form can be destroyed,but essenceremainsto flourish again in someother form. 'So long as you do not die and The German poet Goethe wrote, riseagain,You area strangerto the dark eanh.' On somedeep level, anv survivorof the 8th house'sraumas and tensionsknows this.
THE NINTH HOUSE
8l
11.
TI{E NINTI{ HOUSE Mankindispoiscdmidwaybetcrcen thcgods-O Tffil* The 8th houseinrariablyimpliessomedegreeof pain, crisesand suffering.$opefu,lly,in survivingthesedifiicult times,weemerge tencwed,cleansed,and wiserabout ourselrasand life in generd. Havingdescended into the depthsand rcmehon'managedto find our wayup again,an overviewis gainedwhichdlowsusto conceirrc of life asa joumeyandprocess of unfoldment.Thefiery 9th house, naturdly associated withJupiter and Sagittarius,followsupon the troubled watersof the 8th and offersa broaderpe$pectiveon all that hasoccurredup to nos'.Enoughorperiencehasblen gathered to attempt formulating someconclusionsabout the meaningand purposcof our sojoum. The 9th is the areaof the chan most directly concemedwith philosophyandrcligion- questions aboutrhe'whp andwherdores' of ocistence. h isherethat weseckrheTiuth, endearouringto fathom theunderlyingpaaems andbasiclac/swhichgoramlift. In onesense, thesufferingincurredin the 8th compelsusin this direcdonbecause pain is moreeasilyborncifwe canenvisionsomepurposefor having to endurc it. In addition, if sufferingis in any urat linked with i failure to live in accordance to rhe lawsor rrutbsof oristehce,rhen discovering and adhcringto theseguidelinesmight decrease the amountof pain we needincur. Human_beings seemto requiremeaning.We apparentlyneed absolutes, firm idealstmardswhichqrecanaspire,andprecepswhich serveto steerour lives.lU7ithoutmeaning,thereisoftenthc fteling that we havenothing to live for, norhing to hopefor, no reasont; strugglefor anything,and no directionin life. Manypsychologisa believethat much of modern-dayneurosisis relatedto a lackof
9ttr meaning or purposein life. Regardless of whether it is true or not, 'out we are comfoned by the belief that there is something greater there': that a coherentpattern existsand that eachof us has some panicular role to play in that design.Whether it is ultimatcly up to us to createour own meaning in life or whether it is our task to discoverGod'splan and intention, the searchfor guidelines,goals and a senseof purpose forms the crux of the 9th house. 'the higher mind' The 9th housesignifieswhat is known as that pan of the mind linked to the faculty of abstractionand the inruitive process- ascomparedto the concretemind shownby the 3rd house.Mercury,the natural rulcr of the 3rd and 6th housesis a fact-gatherer;whileJupiter, the naturalruler of the 9th denotes the symbol-makingcapacityof the psyche,the tendencyto imbue . Facts a particulareventor happeningwith meaningor significance aredrawnfrom arecollectedin the 3rd. but in the 9th conclusions them: isolatedfactsareorganizcdwithin the frameworkof a larger schemeof things or seen as the inevitable offspring of higher organizingprinciples. tDThilethe lrd and 6th housesareanalogousto the analyticaland with the 9th associated companmentalizingleft brain,the processes house(and the 12th)correlateto the activityof the right brain. The right brain can identify a shapewhich is suggestedbv only a few lines.The poins arementallywoven togetherinto a panern.Synthedc and holistic,the right brain thinks in images,seeswholes,and detects 'the left [brain] takessnapshots, pattcrns.As MarilynRrgusonwrites, the right watchesmovies." conceded Thc 9th houseoften believesthat eventshavea message
84
THET\TEDT HOUSES
in them.Jupiter or Venusin the 9th, for instance,may givethc feeling that everything that happens is ultimately positive and to one's advantage,as if there werea benign Higher Intelligenceat work guiding our unfoldment. Saturnor Capricornin the 9th could have more difiiculty perceiving meaning in an event, or elseinterpret the meaning in a negative light. Albert Camus, the French existentialistphilosopherand writer, had Saturnin Gemini in this housc:he believedthat eventshaveno higher or absolutemeaning other than that which human beingsattribute to them. Placementsin the 9th describesomethingabout the stylewith which we pursue religious and philosophical issues,as well as zuggcstingthe kind of God weworshipor the nature of the philosophy in lifc weformulate.Fore.xample,Mercuryor Gemini theremay lead one to try and graspGod intellectuallywhile Neptune or Pisces predisposcs one to embracethe deiry through heardelt devodon, to zunenderthe self. Marssuggestsa dogmatic and fanaticd approach to religiouspursuitscomparedto the greatertoleranceand flexibility exhibited by Venusin thesematters.The God-imagc is alsoshown by planets and signshere. Saturn or Capricorn might conceiveof a harsh,punishing, critical and paternalisticGod, who must be in thc 9th, on the otherhand, obeyedat all costs.Neptuneor Pisces envisionsa compassionate and loving God, inclined to leniencyand forgiveness. The 3rd houserulesthe immediate environment and that which is discoveredby exploring what is at hand. The 9th describesthe perspectivewe gain standing back and viewing life at a distance.In this way, the 9th is linked to travelsand long journeys.Tiavelling can be taken literally to mean journeysto other lands and cultures, or it can be understoodmore symbolicallyasjourneysof the mind or spirit - the broadenedhorizons gained from extensivereading or the insights gained through meditation and cosmicreflection. Understoodmore literally, through trarrcllingand mixing with people rearedon traditions different from our own, our oudook on life is expanded. The taste and style of somecultures may appeal to us more than others, but nonetheless,other facetsof the myriad possibilitiesof life areglimpsedand comparedwith our own. Tiavel enablesus to view the world from a different perspective.I may be involvedin a complicatedrelationshipin london about which I feel confuscdand uncenain; yet, when I uarrclto SanFranciscoand reflea on this relationship, somehowthe added distanceof 6,000 miles helps me to understandit more clearlythan when the relationship is right in front of me. The cpitome of a 9th houseexperiencemight
THE NINTH HOUSE
be the view of the world afforded the astronautre-enteringthe eanh's atmosphere.There,at a glance,is-the.wholepicrure- our P.lanct seen as an entity in reladon to limitlcs space.One's ordinary, mundaneand everydayconcernsassumea different proponion after suchan orperiencc.JohnGlenn, the first Americantoorbit the eanh, had both Neptune and Jupiter in his 9th house. Placementsin the 9th designatethe archetypd principles we encounteron our travels,and may evenreved somethingabout the natureof the culture or culturesto which wearedrawn. br instance, Saturn there may experiencedifficulties or delayson journeys,or ffavelmore specficallyfor a practicalpu{Pose,suchaswork or study. Hcnry Kisinger, the American foreign ambassadorunder Nixon, hasCapricornon the cuspof the 9th, and Saurn, its ruler, in Libra, the signof diplomacy.If Pluto or Scorpiois in the 9th, wemay aftract experiencesin another country which profoundly transform us, or we may be drawn to a counily with Pluto or Scorpiostrong in its national chan. Admiral Richard Byrd, the first man to fly to the North Pole, had innonativeUranus in this house. Returning much closerto home, 9th houseplacementsindicate relationshipswith one's in-laws.Just as the third housefrom the Ascendant describcsour own rclatives,the third house from the Descendant(the 9th), describcsthe panner'srelatirts. rVhethersuch relationshipsare cordial or stormy will be shown here. An in-law might reflect a planet in the 9th housc, or receivethe projection of that principlc. SomepeoplewithJupiter in the 9th seethe unirarsc in a grain of sand, whilc others might perceive it in their mother-in-law. Journeysof the mind aredescribedin the 9th, which is alsoknown asthe houseof highcr education. The chosenfield of study or the nature of the collegeor university experiencein gencrd is shown by placementshere.Foro
TI{E TWETVEHOUSES
cducational sy$cmsasdready discussed,but alsolegd systemsand thc body of law. The 7th house is the lower courrs, but the 9th representsthe higher coufts - the supremelaw of the land which governsthe actions of the individud within the broadest socid context. In the 3rd, we learn about ourselvesin reladon to those in our immediate environmenr, but in the 9th a senseof our relationship to the collectiveasa whole is kindled. Thc 9th is also associatcdwith the publishing profession, in which ideas are discminated on a large scalc. Traditionally, planets in the 10th are associaredwith careerand profcsion. The researchby M. and F. Gauquelin, however,has establisheda correlation berweencenain planetary placementsin the 9th and people who have achievedsuccessin fields related to thc naure of theseplanets.A discussionof thesefindings is found on pages118-119. In the 3rd house,we oramine that which is immediate and direcdv in front of us; in the 9th, we glimpse that which is not only fanher 'up aray but also and coming'. Suongplacementsin this houseconfer an unusual degreeof intuition and foresighr- the abilityto sense the direction in which someoneor something is heading. Thc 9th 'tunes house in' to the pulseof a situation,quickly regisering rends and cwrents in rhe aun-osphere.Jules Veme,the scieniefiction writer with a remarkablegift for anticipating furure discorrries,wasborn with Uranus in the 9th house.On one leral, the fth givesthe prophct and visionary,while on another it denotesthe public relationspersonJ or the promoter intent on opening new vistasfor othcrs. Energies in thc 9th can be expressedthrough rhe travel agent picking out 'just the right holiday for you'; the entrepreneurconfiding to you the latest sure-fire investment; the proponent of the most recent psl,chotechnologyto hit tm'n which promisesinstant cnlightenmenr in one weekcnd; the coachgiving his team a pep-ralk bdore the big game;the tipster advisingon the winning horse;or the anistic, literary or theatrical agent discoveringthe next big new tdent. In the 8th, we dug into the past and dredged up thc remnanrs of our primordial and instinctual nature. In the 9th, we look to the fururc and what is yet to unfold. Depending on the planes and signs there and aspectsto these,we may seea future full of hope and new promise or one in which the bogeymanlurks around the cornerjust waiting for us to be foolish enough ro passthat way.In cither case,it might be useful to reflect on something which St 'dl Catherine once observed,namelv that the wav to hearcn is heaven.'2
t2.
THE MIDHEAVENAND TI{E TENTH HOUSE theheightof amountain,until youharrcreached Nerrcrmeasurc the top' Then youwill seehow lw tt S;, Hammarskj
11'
l
88
l '
I
I
l
I
THETIrETVEHOUSES
the hea*ns for dl to seefor all eternity. Besidesthe recognition it fTs u:, bcing famousmeensw€ li* inpeopl.t -ina, for'*.r.-ft. $orated ego, so teartul of its own finitenes, finds this idea rcrv reassuring. The narureof our contribudon ro societyand our status and prace
in the world areshownby the signon ,t. uiar,."".i.-ilJ" the 10thhouse,*d srudies ('r;;;;s;; Gg;;; T t:$"q":lin l-18-19) anyplanetson the 9thhousesideof theMC.Tfrephne, ;fir; the signon the Midhea'enand im placemcniby ;;;:'il* ;e aspectalsoshedslighr on careerandrocadon.rro:*si.r, oth.r areas ot rhechaftdsohaveconsiderabre bearingon theissueof proftssion (suchasrhc 6th house,2nd house, ro the Sr",;;il,-;;; TpC"cts q. fqh Tap asawholemust becarefuilyassesscd r;;il;;;; wiselyin this respect. rhe signsand planeain the lOth and on th. . In somecases, housesideof the Midheao, *"y literallya.r..iU. if,. ;";;;;i 9th the individual'scareer.br instanie,satuin therecouldfii;;;; teacher,iu.dg9or scientist; Ju-piteran acror,pfriforopfr.i;;;;;j agent;and the Moon a profesionalchildminderir i""t..p.i. ThomlsMann,theacdaimedGermanwrite.,h"a tlr..o--il;ti; signof Geminion theMg Td Mercuryin the t0th. F;; S;hril, the Austriancornposer, hadmusicalpisceson rheMidhea'en,anl Neptune,rts ruler, in the lth, the houseof creativeorpresion. Howerrcr, it issaferro assume tharthepositionsn."r rh. l,tC*a in the 10thsuggesr not somuchtheactuarprofessi* ur, i"trr..,rrl approacha personhasto thecareer- themannerin whichthc *ork ishandledorpackaged. Thejudgewith sa*n in the rothwili moii
' i
l
,,llilil
lOth
THEMIDFIEAVEN AND TI{ETENTHHOUSE
89
likely follow the letterof the law than the judge with Uranusthere, whosereadingswould be moreindividualistic,unconventional, and shocking to others. ' The kinds of energieswe exhibit or encounterin the pursuit of a vocationarealsosuggestedby placementsin the lOth. Saturnor Capricorntheremay work long and patientlyto reachthe top; Mars or Aries is aggressive and impatient in this sphereof life, while Neptune or Pisces may be vagueor confusedasto its rolein society. The 10thhousecould alsodescribewhatwe representor symbolize to others.Marsmight be seenasa bully or the pinnacleof courage and strength; Neptune as a saint or maftyr, champion of the downtroddcn,or the victim himself; and Venuscould symbolize the epitome of style,tasteor beauty. If the 4th houscis associated with the father,then the 10thhouse is assignedto the mother.In the beginningof life, sheis the whole world to us. Early bonding patternsestablishedwith her will be reflectedlaterin life in how we relateto the externalworld in general. In otherwords,the natureof what passes berweenmotherand child (asshown by the MC and placementsin the 10th) resurfaces at a laterstageof dwelopmentasour wayof connectingwith societyand 'out the world there' as a whole. If we found mother threatening and potentiallydestructive(suchasa difficultly aspectedPluto in the 10thmight suggest)then lateron the world will seeman unsafe placeand wewill attemptto defendourselves accordingly. If mother placements wasexperiencedassupponiveand helpful (well-aspected in the 10th), we carryan expectacionthat the world will treat us similarly - what Erik Erikson callsbasictrust, If we associate the l0th housewith both mother (the shaping parent) and career,then the choiceof vocationmay somehowbe influenced by our experienceof her. Forinstance,if Marsis in the 10ththe mother may havebeenexperienced aspushyand assertive. The child, therefore,harboursresentmentand angeragainsther, and growsup with the desireto actualizea position of power and 'pushed around' in autonomy in the world so he or she won't be thc samewayasin earlylife. Fightingwith the mothercreates a pattern of fighting with the world. Sometimesit is the desireto win lovefrom the mother (thereby ensuringour survival)which underliesour choiceof profession.For example,if Mercuryis in the 10thhouse,the mother may havebeen experiencedasexpresiveand intelligent.The child then feelsthat this is what Mother valuesand appreciates,and so strivesto gain her love and suppon by developing such traits. An expectationis
I 90
THETWETVE HOUSES
established that excelling in this way earns recognition, and accordingly,later in life, a careeris sought which brings Mercurial qudities to the fore. In some cases,it may bc competition with the mother which nudgcsus in the direction of a cenain career.If Venusis in the 10th, the mother may have been seenasglamorousand beautiful. In a sense,Venushasbcen projected onto thc mother. In order to reclaim his or her on n Venusianqudities, the child may later seeka profesion in which he or shecan be admired asbeautiful, elegantor tasteful. At its most simple, the 10th house describesthose qualities of the mother (or parent in question)which arein us aswell, whether we like it or not. The isue is complicated,however,by the possibility that placementsin rhe lOth often denote aspectsof the mother's personalitywhich were 'unlived' - attribures and traits which the mother did not consciouslyoeress or representin the child's grwingup years.Planetsand signsin this housemay describethe way the motler would haveliked to hara been if only shehad dlowed herself the opponunity to do so. A child who is acutely sensitiveto the mother's psycheand undercurrentsin the home atmosphercwill be receptivenot only to what she manifestsoumardly but alsoto 'live what sheis denyingor suppressing.The child may bc swayedto out' the mother's shadon,side, as if mother is made more whole or redeemedin this way.The mother of a child with Uranusin the lfth, for instance, may harreappearcd extremely conventional, straight-lacedand restrainedon the outsidc,whilst under the zurface lurked explosivefeelings and the desirc for space,freedom and 'busting loose'. In some way this unvented Uranian side is communicatedto the child, who growsup with a compulsionto enact just those qualities to which the mother has not allowcd expressron. The placementof many planets in the 10th usually suggesc someonewho is ambitiousand desirousof recognition,statusand prestige.Men are normallvgiven more permissionto pursuethese needsthan women.It may be easierfor a womanwith a strongl0th houseto seeka pannerwho ispowerfulor famousand thereby impon a position in the world in thatway. Shemay evenbe the one who pusheshim on to fame and prestige.Ultimately,however,shemay feelresentfulthat it isher husbandreceivingthe acclaimratherthan or unconsciously devisewaysof punishing herself,and consciously him for this. Likewise,eitheror both parentswith a stronglOth house may displaceunfulfilled achievementand recognitionneedsonto a child. Somechildren may co-operatewith the projection,while
THE MIDT{EAVENAND TFIETENTH HOUSE
9r
others may rebel againstit, often becoming the exactopposite of what the parent(s)hoPed. The toih houic extinds bcyond the mother or shaping PTelt to dcsignateour relationshipwith authority figuresin generd: EIly or mistreatedby a pa5lt wlll often angero-rhun at beingsupprcssed with other symbolsojnowgr. oflaterlnteracdons disiort the reality just cause,but the style' and a true have may The revoludonary convlctlonsmay esPouses she he or which in manner or intensity of earlier contamination rhe view, point of reductionist *irr.., from a bclitde not to is This parcnts. of rhe rcgime from the irru., *.*ing tfel bYt in society, is unfair which tJ that judge iho obiect those or ro considertheir 10th house,and its psychological ",.l-"auised "rJ Throwing a punch ar one'sbossor eggsat thc prime implications. 'angry child' in us but may not be of veriting the a way is -ilir,., the most cffectiveway to promote eventhe most neededt!"tg9t' Presidingoverthe ,op of tt. chan, the 10th housesignificsthe fulfilment"of the individual personality through thc personal satisfactiongained in using our abilities and talents to serveand Some may even earn aPplause and public influence ii.,y. great value 1qd wo1h. of their recognition travelled from the lst house to the l0th' has bC'en way i"lo.rg asseparateentiti€s, consciousof ourselrres e,,en riot were we bt: In the By thc timethe l0th cxistence. individual ourown of no,.*r, 'incamated' sufficiendy "*. and dercloped have we howerrer, is reached, not only to harrca more solid and concretesenseof who we ate, but also to be held in esteemfor it'
THE ELEVENTHHOUSE
L3.
THE ETEVENTI{HOUSE In the heavenoflndra, thereissaidto bea nerworkofpearls, so arranged,that if you look at one you seeall the others reflected in it' A Hindu sutra From being oblivious of being anybody,to winning recognition as a somcbody:this hasbeen the route from the lsr houseto the 10th house.But now that the egohasbeenfirmly establishedand duly acknowledged,what happcns next? At ia deepestlevel, the llth house(associatedwith the sign of Aquariusand co-ruledby Sarurnand Uranus)represents the anempt to go beyondour ego-identity and becomesomething greaterthan what we alreadyarc. The main way of achievingthis is to identify with something larger than the self - such as a circle of friends, a group, a belief systemor an ideology. Accordingto GeneralSystems Theory nothing canbe understood in isolation but must be comprehendedas part of a system.The componensof the sptem and their aruibutesareviewedasfuncdons of the total system.The behaviourand expressionof eachvariable influencesand is influencedby all the others.In what is known as 'high a synergy'society,the goalsof the individual are in harmony 'low with the needsof the systemasa whole. In a synergy'system,' thc rndividuals,in fulfilling their own needs,do not necessarily act for thc good of the wholc.' How we function as part of a system is shown by the llth house. In keeping with its dual rulership, the concept of group consciousness implied by the llth canbe understoodin rwo distinct ways.Saturnsecksgreatersecurityand a more solid senseof identity 'belongingttrrough belonging to a group - what psychologistslabel identification'.Being a member of a panicular group, whether it
I ltfl thc sense is a social,national,politicalor religiousgroup,enhances 'lb extent, some numbers. in of who we areand girasa feeling of safery service in the is used world rest of the this is exploitive,iince the most is this of Eridence identity. the of augminting or bolstering the having with concerned bverly clearl!seenin thosewho are .'right' 'right' places,and aligning the self friends, being noticed in the 'right' beliefs.2The most negativeface of this Saturn with the undercurrenl of the llth manifestswhen a grouP is threatenedby anothergroup - suchasblaclsmoving into a white area'orJungians movinglnto-a predominantly Freudian neighbourlogdr The-Uranian-sideof the llth houserepresentsthe kind of group which spirirual teachers,mysticsand visionariesfrom consciousness and times haverepeatedlyespoused.Instead cultures all different 'me-in-here'versus'you-out-there'par{1igm or selftypical of the model,'theyspeakof the individual'sunity with all of life, that we arepart of a gieatcrwhole, interconnectedwith thc restof creation. Mirioring ttre mysticd perception of the unity of all life, recent scientific- breakthroughl demonstrate the wcb of relationship undcrlying cverythinf in the universe.For instance,David Bohm, a British plysicist, thiorizes that the universemust be understood 'a as singie undivided whole in which separateand indcpendent pans haie no fundamental status'.3A thorough analysis9f thq parallclsbetweenmodern physicsand Easternmysticismis f9u1d in highinTbe Trc ofPltysicsby Fritjof Capra,an eminent researcher cnergyphysics.Someof the paraflclshe tecountsaresostriking-that it is almbsrimposiblc to determinewhether cenain satemen6 about the narure of life hauebeen made by modern scientistsor by Eastern mvsdcs.'
THE T'iTEIVE HOUSES
THE EI^EVENTHHOUSE
One recenttheoryproposedby a British plant physiologist,Rupcn Shcldrake, ispanicularly rele\rantto the llth house.Sheldrakesuggess the possibilityof invisibleorganizingfieldswhich regulatethe life of a system.In 1920,Villiam McDougall of HarvardUniversitywas studyinghow quickly ratslearnedto escape from^maze filled with water: meanwhile.other researchers in Scotlandand Australia who wererepeating theseexperimentsfound that their first generadon of rats,bred from a different strainto the McDougdl rats,pcrformed the taskwith the samedegrceofability asMcDougall'slastgeneration. 'picked The skill wasin someway up on' by other ratseventhough they were in another pan of the world. Such occurrenceshaveled Sheldraketo theorizethat if one memberof a biologicd species learns a new behaviour,the invisibleorganizingfield (morphogeneticfield) for that specieschanges.The ratswho masteredthe task made it possiblefor other ra$, manymilesaway,to do rhe same.5On some deep lcvel, we are all linked together. Sheldrake'stheory is nicely summed up in a remark oncemade by theJesuitpricst Piere Teilhard de Chardin, born with MercuryJupiterand Saturnin the llth: A truth once seen,even by a single mind, alwayscnds by imposing itself on the totality of human consciousness.'6 lnTlte Aquarian Conspirrclt,Marilyn Rrgusonwrites,'Youcannot understanda cell, a rat, a brain srructure,a family or a culrure if you isolateit from its context." Similarly,Carl Rogers,one of the foundersof humanisticpsychology, onceremarkedthat the deepcr the individual delvesinro his or her own identity the more he or shediscovers the wholehuman race.Our identity hasa much wider membershipthan the 'skin-encapsulated ego'iscapableof admining. In this light, the developmentofgroup consciousness asseenin rhe llth houseis not solelyfor the purposeof aggrandizingor bolstering the ego-identity.Rather,the awareness of being part of somcthing largerenablesus to ffanscendthe limits and boundariesof individual separateness and experienceourselvesasa cell in rhe larger body of humanity.Out of this realizationgrowsa senseof brotherhoodand sisterhoodwith the co-inhabitants of the planet far beyond the obligatoryties of family, nation or church. Syntropy- the tendencyof life-energyto moverowardsgrearer - is the association, communicadon,co-operationand awareness main principle upon which the llth house operates.Having recognizedourselvesasseparateand distinct individuals there is the call to reconnectwith everything from which we have previously differentiated ourselves.Just asmatter organized itself into living cells,and living cellsgatheredtogetherinto multi-cellularorganisms,
it may be that at somestagehuman beingswill integratc themsehas into someform of globd super-organism.Evenon a Sarurnianlcrrcl, the interdependenceand interconnectivityof life on the planet is bccoming increasinglyobvious. Communications technology has dramaticallyenhancedthe speedofglobd interaction and Marshall 'global village' is nearto being Mcluhan's conceptof the world asa an actuality.Multinational corporationsand conglomerateslink the economiesof thc world inextricably togcther. The collapseof the monetary systemof one country would havea disastrousrippling effecton a host of others. Isoladonismand nationdism areno longer practically viable. On another level, small groups, nerworls, movementsand suppon systemsareproliferating all overthe wodd, gatheringpeopletogetherto promote common causes.In shon, much in the samewaythat our own body changesand develops,the larger body of humanity is alsogrowing and cvolving. The way in which wemight panicipate in and servethe evolution and progressof this collectiveSelf is shown by placementsin the llth house. In the 5th house,our energyis usedto distinguishourselvesfrom others,and to augment the senseof our own individual worth and specidness;in the llth, our energycan be investedin promoting and fulfilling the identity, purposeand causeof anygroup to which we belong - whether this is understood to be the whole human raceor a particular segmentof it. In the lth, we do what we want to do for our own sake.In the llth, we may chooseto relinquish or compromisesomeof our preciouspersonalurges,inclinationsand idiosyncraciesfor thc sakeof adhering to what the group decides is best. is a keynoteofthe llttr. A society(10thhouse) Socid consciousness is structured on cenain lawsand principles (9th house).laws and societyeasilybecomeboth crystallizedand turgid, and invariably cenain elemcntsof societyarefavoured by the systemwhile others areoppressed.Groupswhich feel neglectedor betrayedby the odsting lawscan find a voice through the kinds of reformsassociatedwith the llth house. Often, those with strong placementshere work through humanitarian orpoliticd groupsto implement neededsocid changes.However,it is just zrscommon to find otherswith an llth houseemphasisjockeyingbackand fofth from one socialengagement to the next - Ascotthis week,centrecoun at Wimblcdon the next, and then a day at Henley's before going off to the opera at Glyndebourne. In somecases,placementsin the 1lth may signify the soruof groups toqardswhich we gravitatc.br insance, Neprune could be interested
THE TITELVEHOUSES
THEELEVENTH HOUSE
in musicsocieties,spiritualistor psychicgroups;Uranuswith asuology groupsi and Marswith the local rugby club. However,rather than just describingthe type of group, it is more likely that signsand planetsin the 1lth symbolizeour styleof behavingand interacting in group situations.The Sunor ko theremay haveto be the leader, dcriving a good propoftion of its worth and identity from group involvement.Mercuryor Gemini in this housemight appearasthe secretaryof the group or as one of its most cleverspokespeople. Someonehasto makethe tea, and the Moon or Cancertheremay be happy to providenot only theseservices but its home asa meeting place as well. Funhermore,the llth house givesa senseof how comfortablewe feel in group situations.Venusor Libra may blend in easilyand makemanynewfriendsthrough joining a group. Saturn or Capricornis more likely ro hold back in the group, and feel awkwardor lumpish mixing with the others.OscarVilde, who rose to the heightsof success in london's anisticand socialcircles,had the Moon in lro in the llth. PaulJosephGoebbels,the official propagandist of the Nazi party who controlled public communicationsand rhe media, had Pluto conjunct Neptune in Gemini in this house. Friendshipclearlyfits into the llth houseidcd of becominggreater than what we already are. People are linked together through friendship,personalboundariesirc cxpanded,and both the nceds and resourcesof others become interwoven with our own. \ile introduce our friends to new ideasand interestsand, likewisc,we are broadened by what they have to share. Planetsand signsin the llth often describethe kinds of friends to whom we gravitate.Forexample,a man with Marsin this house may be attracted to those people who exhibit obvious Manian qualities, such as dynamism, drivc and directness. However, placementsin the llth may dso showthosequalitiesin ourselves 'dis-own',project which wc ouflardly and meet externallythrough friends. If the man with Marsin the llth hasnot developcdhis own 'Mars' 'get side, and lacksthat cenain up and go', his friends will then provide that energyfor him they stimulate and push him into action. He may evenpossess an uncanny ability to evokesuch qualitiesin his closeassociates, who in most other situationsand with other people might be normally more placid and withdrawn. The llth housealsosuggeststhe way in which we make friends. Marscould rush impulsivclyinto fricndship,while Saturnis more awkward,shyor cautiousin this respect.How we behaveand what energieswe awakenin friendship is alsoshown by placementshere.
Venusmay make friends easily,but prefers to keep things light (althoughshemay expectfriendsto 'live up to' ratherhigh ideals). Pluto suggestsintense and complicated associarionswhich significantlytransformusor in which issuesof betrayal,intrigue and treacherycome into play. In the llth house,thereis the desircto transcendor movebeyond existingimagesand models of ourselves.!7e yearnfor a more ideal selfor a more utopian society. Therefore, this areaof the chan has beenlabelledthe houseof hopes,goals,wishesand objectivcs.The desireto becomesomethinggreaterthan we aremust be accompanied by the capacityto envisionnewand different posibilities. Morethan anyother species,the largehuman brain and evolvedcerebralcomor endowshuman beingswith the capacityto imagine a wide range of alternatives,choicesand outcomes.The manner in which we envisionpossibilitiesand proceedtoward realizingthesehopesand wishesis shownby placementsin the llth. Forinstance,Sarurnrhere may havedfficulry in forming positiveimagesof the future or may encounter blocks, delays or obstructions on the way to finally grounding its goalsand objectives.Marssetsa goal and rushesafter it, while Neptune may be confusedabout what it really wanrsor merely fantasizesand daydrcamsabour unrealistic aims. In rhis context, it is helpful to remember that the more clearly we can imagine a possibiliry,the closer we bring it to actualization. Encouragingpositivevisionsof the future aidsthe proces of moving in a more positive direction. Evolution pushestovrardsgreaterand greaterlevelsofcomplority, organizationand connectivity.In the first air house(rhe 3rd) vrcgain the ability *rough languageto distinguishsubjectfrom object.Our own mind is developedas we relate to others in the immediate environment. In the secondair house (the 7th) we grow through the close encounter of our own awarenesswith another person's awareness. Subjectand object, differentiatcd in the 3rd, meet face to facein the 7th. In the last air house(the llth) our individual minds are connectednot just to the minds of thosecloseto us bur to all othcr minds. Eleventhhouseplanerssensitizea personto the ideas and thoughrs circuladng on rhe level of the group-mind. It is not such an unusual phenomenon for somebody in San Franciscq somebodyin london, and anotherpersoninJapan ro 'flash' on rhe samebright newidea independendyof one anotherwithin a relatirrly closespan of time. In the 1lth, we discoverour relatednessnor just to our family, friends,countryor lorrd ones,but to the wholehuman race.
96
97
.ii]
li 14.
TI{E TWETFTHHOUSE
il
til
ii il
i
I I
THE T!TEI,.FTI{HOUSE
99
If the doorsof perceptionwerecleansed, would errerything appearto man asit is' infinite' v'liam Brake Commencingwith the lst housc,growthhasentaileddistinguishing ourselvesfrom the unbounded and universalmatrix of life out of which we first emerged.Howevet,aswe have seenin the llth, the distinction berween ourselvesand others is chdlenged by the understandingthat eachpan of a rystemisrelatedand interconnected with the other paru. Mysticsand scientistsalike tell us that we are not so sepdate after all. Who we are is influenced by others, and others are influenced by who we aJe.Our minds are linked and directly affectedSone another.The notion thatwe orist asanisolated entity is quickly losing ground to a more collectiveor broadersense of the dissolution of of sclf. In the 12th housc, the rwin processes the individud ego and the merging wirh something greaterthan the self is felt and o
tZttr perspectirre, the desireto went. From e rcductionist pqrchologycanbc understmd reconncrtwith the lostscnscof origind wholeness asa regressionbackto the pre-binh state;but in spiritual teffns, thissameurgeuanslatesinto e mptical longingfor union with our soruceand e direct otpcrienceof being pan of somethinggreater then ourselves.It is a kind of divine homesicknes.t thc proqpcctof a renrmto that statesoundsblisfirl, In oncreqpcct, ccstaticandserenelypeaceful.And ytt, somethingelsein us- the ego'sdesireto preseneitsclfandthc ftar of is ovmdemise- contends wittr this longing. Thc egohasfought hardto win a sliceof lifc for itself:whyshouldit relinquishthis?In thc glyph of Pisces,the sign ascietod with thc l2th house,tc,ofishessf im in oppositedirections. Human b.i"gF are fucd with e fundamentd dilemma,with two contrastingpuUs.fach personuantsto losea senseof isoladonand and yct eachpersonis tnnscendhis or her individud seParateness los of the separatgself.2 terrified of disintcgrationand&cads thc and yetfcaring wholeness This aistendd double bind wanting l2th house. predicament of the is thc major and rcsistingit people is so frightening, Because thedissolutionof theego-identiry yearning the to satiS in attemPt sceksubstitutegratifications an for sclf-transcendence. One strategyfor reconnectingto unity is 'If through sor and lorc: I am lorrcd,held or included, thcn I go Anothcr ploy to rcgain a lost senseof bqpnl my scpafirteness.' omnipotenceand omniprescnceis through wielding porrcr and prestigc 'If I canortend my tcrritory of influenceorrcrmore and more things, then the restof lifc is connectedto me.' Immcrsion in dcohol or drugpis anothcr*zy to breakdwn boundariesand
rlll i
llil i
il
IOO
rigidities. suicidal urgesand variousother forms of self-destructive behaviour often cloak the dcsire to rerurn ro a more blissful state of non-differentiated being. others '.ek tranrendence more directlv through meditarion, prayerand devotion to God. The l2th housc may raisc any of theseissues. Hoycvel it is approached,the l2th housede-srrucures',engulfs, . absorbsor inflatesindividual identity. Irtting go of the 'me-in-icrei versus'you-out-there' paradigm meansthat the borders berween ourselvesand others become blurred. For this reason, a sffong emphasison this housecanindicatepeoplewho hara greatdifiicult! in forming clearlydefined identitiei. They ar. *y.1 by whatevei they arearound, or whoeverthey makeconracrwith. others diston their pcrsonalidentitiesdramaticdly out of proponion. Ratherthan sacrificethe ego ro merge with somethingn'minous and divine, a personmay rry to imbue the egoitself with rhosequalities.Instead of secking to_reconnectto God, the persontries ro play God - a form of inflation related to whai Abraham Masiow called ' higher-sidetracking'. Along with thc l2th houseconfusionabout who we areoften comes a lack of a.nyconcretedircction in life. On some level, there may be th.efceling that sinceevcrything is all the sameanlnley,whatt the difference?As soonasa dear identiry isdisdnguishcdbt rt .n r. is imposed_onthe life,something happenswhiih pulls the" rugfrom under rhe feet and nebulousnes reignssupremiagain. As i,on as the individual thinks he or shchas.aptured somethlg upon which to hang the senseof 'I', it mysteriouslyslipsavay ot diipiears. The capacityto hold things togetheror funhlr thcir own pirsonal ends is somehorvsubservienrto a much greaterdissolvingpd€r orrcrwhich there is little contiol. The obscuring of boundariesberweenthe self and othcrs may createconfusion about_wherewe begin and other people end, bui it dso confersa greaterdegreeof empathy and compassionfor thosc with whom we sharethe Eanh. So-overwhelmedby the suffering around them, somepcople with a-strongl2th housewill seekan! m3ary of gscapingor withdrawing from tlrc world altogether.Othen who feel the pain 'out rhere' asthiir own will naturalliwork in some way-to_relieve that pain. 1b rnrying degrees,the tzth housedescribcs the helper, 'fixer',rescuer,martyr or siviour who ,takeson' the needs and causesofothers. The original meaning of the word sacrificeis ,to make sacred'. Somethingwasmade sacredby offering it to the godsor the higher forces.Rippling through all the lcveh Jfmeaninfof the tzth iirhe
trill lll i
rii
i
itlr 11ri l.
||l iiii
iiiil
THET\TETVE HOUSES
ril11
THETVELFTHHOUSE
IOI
suppositionthat the individual is redeemedthrough self-sacrifice, through offering the self up to somethinggreater.This is true in sofar aswemust, to someextent,let go of a senseof an autonomous and separateself to mergewith the all-embracingwhole. While sacrificeand sufferingoften serveto soften the ego and give rise to greaterempathyand spiritualawareness, the valueof pain and the 'l natureof sacrificeare too easilydistortedinto haveto sufferto find God' or Anything that might constitutepersonalsatisfaction must be givenup.' Howwer,perhapsit is not thingsthemselves which must be sacrificed,but ratherour attacblneflt to them. 1b the degree thar we derive our identity or fulfilment from such things as relationships,possessions, ideologiesor beliefsystems,welosetouch with our deeperand most basicunbounded nature. Somepeoplemay evenmanageto acquircor achievetheir llth housedreamsand wishesonly to discover, in the 12th,that theystill feelcheatedof a morecompletehappiness.\(rhat theythought would givethem ultimate satisfactionjust wasn'tenough,or didn't turn 'Quod hoc ad out to be everything.The Romanshad a saying 'What is this comparedwith eternitv?' aeternitatem?'meaning Similarly,the 12th houseis a constantreminderthat all joyslong for infinity. 'liaditionally, the 12thhouse(alongwith the other waterhouses - the 4th and the 8th) revealspatterns,drirrcs,urgesand compulsions and yet which operatefrom below the level of consciousawareness significantlyinfluenceour choices,attitudesand directionsin life. memory pa$ experiences colourthe way Storedin our unconscious we seeand meet the world. But from how far back do thesepast influencesstem? planetsand signsin the l2th may relateto what In somecases, psychologistscall 'the umbilical ef[ect'.According to this concept, the developingembryo is receptivenot just to physicalsubstances which rhe mother ingests, but is also affected by her overall psychologicalstateduring-the gestationperiod. Her attitudes and experiences areransmitted through the umbilical connectionto the 'passed on' to thc child foetus in the womb. The nature of what is in this way is shown by placementsin the 12th. If Pluto is there, the mother might have endured a traumatic time during the pregnancy.The child is then born with a senseof the dangerof life and a nagging apprehensionthat doom is only around the corner. There is no consciousmemory of thc sourceof this attitude: only a rague feeling that this is what life is about. Forexample, I recently came acrossthe caseof a pregnant mother who wasdiagnosedas
TTIETWEIVEHOUSES
l
laving.a brain tumour. Her babydaughter*zs bom with pluto in the 12th and the mother died shonly after her binh. \U7har aboutfunher backthan the womb?Manyasrologenreftr 'house to the the 12th 12thas asthe the 'house lzrrna'. Reincamationisr of lzrna'. Reincamationisrbefs'e that the immond human soulis on a journcyof perfection-i r.* to irs sourcethat cannot be accomplishedin one shon liftspan. Definite laws, rather rhan chancl, operareto determine^the circumstances of erarylifetimeor eachsiageof the sojourn.with eachnew incarnadon,we bring with us tfre har'esr "i*p;ri.;;; from pro'io's liras,aswellaslatint capaciries awairingderclopment. causesserin motion in prior odstences affecrwhat-we-..i in th. presenrone.Thercul chooses a cenaintime to bebornbecause thc asrrologicdpaftemfits the oqxriencesneededfor the presenr$age o{Browth.In this sense, theentircchandepictsou,Ao*ro boih what hasaccruedasa resuhof pastactions-andalrc what we need to.avakento proceedfunher.Morespecift"lly,the r2th housesho*s ate bringing over'from rhe pastwhich will operarcthis yl"l "" on eitherrhe debir lifetime or creditiide of ou, 'trouble "..ouirt. Difficuh placemen$in the 12thmayindicareold spots' andenergieswhichc/emisusedin earliir li'es andsdll needto llcarn to handle-wisely in this9y. Fo.siti'eplacements in rhishousesuggest ingrainedgyalitiesyhich will senrcusadmntageousty this riftifine asa resultof 'work' doneon them in thepast.nehtirrcio *ris theory someastrologers labelthe l2th thc houseof'self-sustainm.ttt o, t liundoing'. Forinstance,if Marsor Aries is there, it could bc thar selfishnes,impulsirrcncs,or rashneshasbcena problcmin th; ppt agd a continuadonof suchbehaviour-"y bi rhe causeof a 'don'nfall' in this lift. on theotherhand,aurcll-aspected tzth house Mars-suggesa that positiveMarsqudities suchario,rrag., strenqth and fonhrightnessha'e alreadybeenlcamedand wilisustain ihe natirrcthrough d4ql. times, comingro the fore just when they aremo$ needed.rWithmixedaspec$to placements in thc l2th, the effectof tl,ratplanel _orenergysomehowhangsin thc balance, p if.*q arebeing.testedfor howwehandlethat piinciple. If *c use ig wSly be rccruded;if wc run amock-withthe planct or ",.411 sig_n_in question,-rhe consequences atelikely to be serrcre. r$(/hether wereftr to 'the umbilicaleftct' orio thc theoryof karma and reincamation,placements in thc l2th describcinfluenceswhich harrecomedwn to us from crusesand sourceswhich we cannot obviouslylcmeqrberor see.Through the mtery 4th we i"h.tii ot rctain rrcsdge.s of our ancestrdpast.In the l2th, it is posible thet wr arcreceptirre to ancrtn largerpoolor mcmory- whitJung c2[ed
THE TWELFTHHOUSE
rhecollectiveunconscious:the endre memory of the whole human 'the prccondition race.Jung defined the collectiveunconsciousas of eaitr inlividud psyche,just asthc scais the carrierof thc individud wave'.3In someway,asshownby the 12thhouse,eachof usis linked to the past,carryingrecordsof experiencesfar bcyondwhat we havc -personallyknown. Besidesthe residueof the past,hovrever,the collecti'rcunconscious isdrc the storehouseof latent potentids waiting to be tapped. Colin 'the unconsciousmind may includc all man'spast !(ilson writes that t but it dso includes his fururel The unconsciousmind is more than just a reserroirof represed or buricd thougha, impulscs an{ wishel - it isalsothe sourceof 'potentiditiesfor knm'ing and operiencing' which the individual hasyet to contact.5The 12th house' in othcr words, containsour future aswell .rsour Past. Somcpcoplc with 12th houscplacementsserveasthe mcdiators and transmittersof universd, mythic and archetypalimagess'wirling about on the leral of the colleaira unconscious.1b %rying dcgrees, actors,religiousleaders,healers, cenain artists,writers, comPosersr piophea tap into this realm and become modern-day mptics and 'tuned into'. with what thcy have others for inspiring the vehicles They touch the appropriate chord which then resonates with something insidc us, and we are able to share thcir orprcrience' Numeroui oramplesof chaftswith 12th houseplacementsillusffate this phenomenon: the comPoserClaude D9b9sy with sensuous Venus in ko in the 12th; tUfliUiamBlakc with the imaginative and fteling Moon in C:ncer in this housc;the poet Byron whoseopansira and playful use of word, rhyme and form invigorated,the whole Rom-anticmo\€ment hadJupiter in Gcmini in the 12th; and the visionaryPierreTeilhard de Chardin with the Sun, Neptung, Vequs, Pluto and thc Moon all in the 12th, are just a few casesin point. It is asif energiesin thc 12th housc are not intended to be used solelyfor personalends.lVe may be askcdto o(Pressthat principle for tLe sakeof others, not iust for ourselrts. For instance,if Man is there we may take on the role of fighting a battle or causefot other people.In thij sense,wegiveour Marsaway,or bffer it-up' to others. Mercury in the 12th may speakother people'sthoughts or servcas a spokespersonfor others. Somepeople, through 12thhouseplacements,lead what might 'sy-Uoti. lives'.Their individual life issuesrcflect rends be called or dilemmas in thc collectiveatmosphere.For orample, Mahatma Gandhi, with the Sun in Libra in the 12th, became the living cmbodiment of a Libnn principle of pcacefulco-oristencefor millions
I
IO4
THETWETVE HOUSES
of people. Uranus in the 12th houseof Hirler's chan renderedhim orceptionallyopen to ideologieswhich may have been in the air at that dme. Bob Dylan has Sagimariuson the 12th housecusp an
TFIE TWELFTHHOUSE
IO'
under the *rain of life or fdl prey to powerful unconsciouscomplores which erupt ro the surface,resulting in the need to bc looked after 'put away' becausethey are considered and contained. Others are dangeroustothe well-being of society.In anyof thesecases,the will of a higher authoriry is forced on them, congruent with the 12th houseprinciple of the individual submitting to something greater than the self. Hospitdization or a pcriod of withdrawal from life may be neededto re-establishpsychologicaland physicalbalance, thus making a personultole again- another 12th houseprinciplc. Experiencesin orphanages,hospicesand homesfor thc disablcd also appear via the l2th. It is not uncommon to find people with placementsin this house working within suchinstitutions. Servingothersles fonunate than the self is the pracdcaloeresion of compassionand empathywhich the 12th houseconftrs. Thc Church, rariouscharities,or the monasdc life will be other sphcreswhich absorbthe personwho feelsit is his or her calling to sacrificeor dedicatethe life to God or the welfare 'bad karma' can be of others. Rcincarnationistsbelievethat past cleared through goodwill and serviceof this kind. fu alreadymentioned, thc 12th housegivesaccesto the collective archirre of aperience passed on generation after generation. Therefore,it is not surprisingthat the keepersof this storehousethosewho work for museumsand libraries- often hara 12thhouse placements. It would not be appropriate to discus the l2th house without mcntioning again the researchdonc by Michel and FranEoisc Gauquelin.6 They analysedthe careersof succesful sponspeople and found a corelation with Mars in the 12th housesectorof the dran. Similarly,rienti*s and physicianstended to harrcSatum there, writen the Moon, and aconJupiter. Basedon their snrdies,it appears that planets in the l2th (and to somecxtent the 9th, 6th and 3rd) significantly determine the characterand professionof the natirc. This surprisedmany astrologerswho assumedthat placementsin the lst or 10th housesshould be strongerin this respect. Howerrcr, are their findings so strange in thc light of what we 'give auray' understand thc 12th houseto be? If there is an urge to whateveris in the 12thto other people, then it follonrsthat we could make a careerout of the principles there. Also, if the 12th house indicates energiesin the collectivc atmosphere to which w€ are sensitirc, then it is likely that our characterand o
THE TWELVEHOUSES
scientistsservethe collectiveneed to classifrand structure(Saturn). Sincethe 12threlatesto reconnectingwith somethingnuminous and divine, an individual may experiencea planet there asthe key or path to greatnes and self-ranscendence.Naurally, he or sheqould want to developit. On somelevel, they may belicrrcthat the doors to heaven are opened through orcelling at whaterrcrptinciple is in the 12th. The deep longing for wholenes and immondity which existsin all of us is the enticement which modrates achierament through 12th house planets. For some people, e.L2th house emphasisconuibutes to the lack of a clear identity nebulousnes, directionles lirres,victimization, the orperience of being overwhelmed by unconscious drircs or undercurrenm at loose in the atmosphere, and a distoned senseof the value of suffering and self-sacrifice.On thc other hand, the 12th houseconceptof zurendering the senscof being a separatedfgirres rise to true empathy and compassion, selfles service, anistic inspiration, and ultimately the capacityto merge with the grcrter whole. In the lkh house,we theorizeon the unity and interconncrtednes of all life. It is acknowledgedin principle. In the 12th, the mystery of our onenesswith the rest of creation is pcrceirrcd dircctly with errcrycell of the body. All of o
TFIETWEI.FTHHOUSE
unbounded. Uldmately, the uick is to swim in the cretersof the 12th housewithout dtowning in it. 'we emergcout of the-universalmatrix of life, establishourselrrcs asindividuil entities, and then find that after all w€ are redly one with all creadon.\urhether our connecrionwith the greaterwhole is consciouslyorperienced or not through the 12th house, it is inevitable that oir phpical bodieswill die and disintegrate Ybtl the body dies, so dbesthe senseof our having a seParatephysical eristence.one way or another, we return to the collectiveground out ofwhich wehavecome.vhat wastherein the beginningis there at the end. V'e arrive back at the Ascendantto begin again on a new lerrclof the spird.
ilI i
GROI.JPINGTI{E HOUSES
which fdl belowthe and lower(nonhern) hemispheres'The houses with the most-directly rlAi-
rli
L5.
GROUPINGTTIEHOUSES
(ilr., ffi;;; .concerned "rJ and stp"t^it idtntitv andthe basic iniiua"d il;;.:;;oi"r, Theseareknon'nasthe requirements p.*on "ililo.ttftift' " PersonalHoases. .focuson {1r. fro"reswhichareabovethe horizon(houses7-12) intimate oi,nl individualwith others:on an the interconnection of *.iety asa whole,and in relationto t.rm, level,in ;;;_;". Ttt.tt areknown astheCollectiacHotses(see il;;i;;;"tio". Fieure ""Th. 5). the line of the horizoncuttingof rhc meridiancrosses "*1, in half' #;;l'ilg anotherdivisionof thewheelof thehorizon i-fr. fto"t.t, theFour Qaidrants(seeFigure6)'
formeasurable Search elementsamongyourphenomena and then searchfor relationsberweenthesemeasurcs. Alfred Nonh Vhitehcad (Scienceand the Modetz lYorld) The twelvehousescan be subdividcd and classifiedunder different headings.A knwledge of thescgroupingsenrichesan undcrstanding of the meaning of eachhouseand the way in which one houseor sphereof life relatesto another.
SOUTH
WEST
EAST
Hemisphercs and Quadrants Thc line of the horizon divides the chan inro the upper (southern)
SOUTH
//\
Fig.6
/\
COLLECTIVE HOUSES\ Aotses 7-12
WEST
FAST PER.SOIVAL HOUSgS Houscs l-6 ''-----' NORTH
rllllll
Fq.5
to takcshape In Qaadranr/ (houses1-3) the individualbeeins throughthe forms identity asa distinctentity.A t;;J"f ; t6;t
;'ff'-t;;;i;;;"it'rrtit'r'"*;t:b"dvand'subsnn"^(?ldhouse) of life'
matrix ;J;i;d 6rd house)-outof the unirrcrsal funherorpresion ln Oadrantll(houscs 4-6) growthinrolvesthe
*,;';ffi ;;;;;il;Jlftr-Jn"riat.dself.tnthc4thhousc,_shaped theindividud f".kg-;e*J -i.r,ta inheritance, il;;il;it \(iith this idcntity. own oi r,it or her mouldsa rnote.og.ni-r.*i .I' in the oumardly itself to o(press ;;?, ;ir; seels ;; ilffid panicular irs pcrftct and fine-^nrne 1thhousc,anotnennrni.itp*iry,
IIO
THETIUTETVE.HOUSES
nature, skills and capabilities(6th housc). In Quadranr 11l(houscs7-9) the individual expandsawareness through relationship with orher people. In the 7th house,thcre is the closeencounterhtween one lrrson's reality and anotherperson's redity. The 8th housedepica the breakingdown of the individud ego-identity through the processof merging with another. The subsequentbroadening, reauakening,and re-visioningof the self is shown by the 9th housc. In QtdrantlZ{houscs 10-12)the main concemis the oganding or transcendingof the boundariesof the selfto include not just oni
.r(^s& PHASE Itr Houses9-lz
PHASEII
Housess-B PHA5E T Housesl-4
F'ry.7
GROUPINGTI{E HOUSES
is describedby other, but many others. A person'srole in socicty are explorecl the 10th house,rarious forms of group consclousness -.\is ortrer identiry individual's-spiritual an r" ,h.-il h, and of the selt relationshipto rhat which is greaterand yet inclusive 12th. is " orplored in the of the housesby.quadranmmakessensein Vhifilgro"pi"g biundaries createdbythe crossof the horizon .;;;?rillSgical
-.iiJL, i isposibleto subdividethewheelin yetanother iJil. 1-4,theindividualisbornandbecomes tn houses ;; G; it*ie r1.-rt.i backgroundand o*n existence'bodv,mind' Ji ;;t;t;iilt' 'me-in-here'.Houses of the a sense i;;iiilr. lhis phaseestablishes selfwith the-autonomous share and op,.tt ,o urge l-iJlpi.. thi 'you-out-therc'. ln houses 9-12the task ott.is,',mi.-in-h;' -..L i, i",.**ion, nor justwith'afewothers,but with society-at-large we area paft: the devclopmenr.of *ti.r. ffi;?;;;;;l, "r*,ich eachphasebeginswith classification, this In ,.Ai,v. tJ'Jt-ii-n.r.; mdrcaung thc soarkandinoiration of a fieryhousc(lst' 5th and9th) awatery with n'.* l.,ol of being;andeachphaseends ,h; L'*h il; assimilation " the disolution' t li,n, eth and tzth) desciibing ""r. stage' no
bl_,*. ,f,; f."a"*1 Td.di!r"-as presenred il;;dt"; posible of "f interpreiadon in the ai[i.* -g,if", fr",rl *iU hclp
I GROUPINGTHE HOUSES
THE TVETVE HOUSES
Irt
will versuslove:how much rwo housesgivesthe classicdilemma of how much do we adjustto do we assenour own ,rrJiuid""tity and adiust too need or r.q,rire. There is a fear that if we *i"r-*fr.tr if we conversely' ld€ntlty; but much, then we loseour own seParate us' love won't and demanding' then others ;;;;;;'df-.entred
i
Tlte 4th-tOtb oPPosition at home and Here. one oossible.o.rfli., is bctween staying from the away in the family unit (4th) versus-being p"iiiip",-g rsedtn imme man familv in order ro esnblisira carcer(1fth). The
#..i;il;;tbti#t
d*'not h"utihetimeto bewiththefamilv'
of life ' The woman or sDaremorncntsto r.flttt on the deepermeaning
mavbetornbetween theserwohouses q*t" -,it-*p""fr* for. prot r.io"'iilL; 'ott "' " *tft ormother'Thechildthedesire tnt'adult-like' behaviourexpected (4th)
I HOUSES ANCULAR. Enr;rgg Activatlry t Gewrar;LngFio.8 t squaresand opposidons plenets may make to one anothet if pleced in rhese houses.r Tbc lst-7tb opposiion (lst)must besacrificed Somedegreeofpcrsonal identity and fuom to funcrion in a relationship (7th). An opposition between these t A squareis a 90 degreeanglebctwecnt*o planes; the oppcition is a 180dcgrceanglc.A planet in thc lst may or m.y not opposca planct in thc 7th. Hovcrrer.if thcy arein opposition,tensionariscsbctyiecnthcsc o*o iueasof lift. Ewn if they do not form an oppositionaspcct,thc pull of,onchouscandthc pull of thcoppcitc trorc corld still prescntaproblcrn Thc semeeppliesto planetsin thoschouseswhic-h,figuntirrcly spcafing et least,squaleone enother.
.o,rld .o.,iiit*itf' in-us cannot [fe (10th). The businessman'for instance' ;; ;;"i;:it.;l collapse to l.t#;;,;;;-; a ctientif the dealrhreatens iri ri".l "i at -" the last mornent' (4th) influenceshow wefunction laterin ilr;itconditioning as a child that we feel society(10th). ff"u. *t Bttn so dcnigrated the reiectedchild who we have nothing to off.i'otitty?.Or itt *t makea mark on the world? Have tJrho*-'ittttn' i;;.;;i";d ""a piotected bv-oyr parentsthat we lack the il:;;;Goil.d at dl ?Thcse "r,i J. t-.8.:." ; ;nture out of tht familv home ;tip;;;, in the 4th planets oppttitions berween isues may ar$ert,n.t. "tt and toth houses. Tbe lst-4tb rqaare (lst)' but t9 Ve arebom scparateand unique individuals *i:*fl,:'
;;;; ia;
individualitv? ourbudding h";Jrir. tarrtJ*pptnorquash rnl'eorn tne yh9hadJupttcr up thechanof a vgung.rnl"
naturdspontanelty i" tqttia to Neptunein Scorlioin the4th' His andrestricted containcd andenthusiasm$"pii.ii" thti"ltt4 to be \0e might 4th)' in the r",r,cr(Neptune soasnot ro disrurb to smv "in-"g "r t;Jif.na.n, -i fttt (lst), but.regresive.urges itk ;; withwhatissecureandalreadyknowninhibitus(4th). The4tb-lth sqa*re likelihood berweenthe 4th and7th houses'thereisa Vith squarcs the (usually parent a busines'around ;il,:ffi;""n."rt.a often (4th) life in p*ttins elly establishcd fathcr)onto a p""".L peopleclearly(zth;' Problemsin ;;;;htt io ability our obscure
II4
THETWETVE HOUSES
establishinga home (4th) with a panner (7th) could ariseif planes in thesehousessquareone another.The capacityto be objectiraand fair with others is interfcred with becauseof childish needs and complexes.
ti
Tbe Ttlt-tOth rqilare Conflictscould surhce betweencareer(10th)and relationship(7th). If we are so busypursuing a career,w€ may haveles time for close pannerships.Our amractiveness to a panner (7th) may be contingent on our statusin the world (10th). Or a panner may be sought who enhancesone'ssocid standing. Isues with our morher caninterfere with seeing a panner clearly. Tbe 1st-10tb tqaare Sclf-disciplineis neededto forge a career(10rh) and this inrnriably limits our personal freedom and spontaneity (lst). \flhat sociery approvesof and ralidates (lOth) may imposc restrictionson what we arenaturdly inclined to do (lst). Somethingthe mother represents (10th) may inhibit the orpresion of the lst houseplanet. One man with Venusin Iro in the lst squaredto rhe Moon in Taurusin the 10th wanted to be an anist (Venusin Iro in the lst) but his mother insistedthat he choosea more practical carecr(Moon in Taurusin the 10th). Often, we are labelled solelyby what we do in rhe world (10th) rather than by other qudities we might possess(lst). SuccedentHouses (Figure 9) The forcesset in motion in the angular housesare concenrrared, embellished,utilized and derrclopedfunhcr rnrhe Saccc&nt Hotses: the 2nd, lth, 8th and ttth. Thesehousesare narurdly associated with the fixcd signs of Taurus,Iro, Scorpioand Aquarius, which consolidatethe generativeenergyof cardinal signs.The succedent 2nd house adds substanceto the persond identity (1st) through dcfining our posesions, resources,shape and boundary. In the succedent5th house,weaffirm and suengthenthe senseof 'I' distilled from the angular 4th by orpressing who we are and impresing on othen. Through the activiry of relating to othen (angular ourselrrcs 7th house) we increaseour resoutcesand deh,edeeper into ourseh'es (thc zuccedent8th). hnicipating in the mainaining and functioning of society (thc angular 10th) enhancesthe awarenessof ounelrrcsas socid beingsand prwidcs the basisfor oganding our scnscof,idcntity to encornpassbigger and broaderboundarics(the succedcntllrh). Likc the angular houses, thc four succedent houscs reprcrcnt
HoU5E5 Fig.9SUCCEDENT Stabttt:rttlSu ConcretizlngWry in conflict with eachothcr' spheresof tift which are Potentially
'tii;;I,kK"#i"';natoneP'g,"ryY11.'.11'd^*trffi
Tbc znd-Atb oPPosition
Cbntlrctslrlscucrw'ssuw"rvr'v prcrrrrcs and dear' Tht. ?n9 housc *r,", -o,rter Pcnxln holds r-.- aarrp nrrrr
;'ilh";""" uTq ;H.ffiH;#.t; 1* :::*'ffi fr wLJ*s'lY ;;u""Jfi.'tTSl:::f#Y
fflHfr ff.*:S."i.fi ilil ""d;;$': 11ii:;t*fi f'$l.iTT$"ii#' ilil'&;;JG'h',":3gT,i:g31 ffi:."fi .ffi o g3inrna$eryorrcrinstirrnrelFoccsscs. t0rsOmeuungrrsw' evalueOfsom.thing, The 2n{ housc.scestttcry'*--,L*iO.ttotft.(Srhl. hiidan
ffi;::J',r,.tii;*
oPPosiion TbcI'h-u'b Tbc Stb-tttb oPPotttr:e-
such
f^. nrrt r.,n oenootrl satisfaction' I" rh. lth housc,wecreatefor oq1a1,q:f-rmr. .''r enersy
ourownltion'r1,11-q. 19: asdesigning designing K:?:"9 such asnl*i: o"#t"ts, P*:t-:: ar qclr''trurE vs v"" to something grelt:1t- rt-
;#;:-ieili. --;'hr -mignt
" lssuc or helons. Anorher whic\ r"" i't1g.to-,hi.h Y"' 11-9.rons' r o r u o*s chi childlen our our rcleasc .t? *iiting to release *. are wc
bc whether whcther
#fii'-ilii,q'ffi 11fff'ffi J*: i'fl i'T)'ffi"fi:
r r s!'---t*t d an ()ut) rnfo rnc Ytltuu \ rrur/l' iat, I am a mcmbcr. d, thc.gortP of conscnsus thc I *tti l",ic end ^ rI acccpt - --^ii rh.,n,,rrrr thcgroup
iffiffiffi;;;;"fo;o opinion (lkh)?
m. ('ttr,fordo
l16
THE T\TELVEHOUSES
Tlte Znd-)tlt sqaare A numberof conflictscanbe stired if planetsin rhe 2nd square planetsin the Jth. Theneedfor securityanda regularincome(2nd) could interfcrewith time spenton morecreativeand recreational activities(lth). C.onrcrsc\ithestrugglingafti$ or 'resting'actor(5th) oftensuffersfrom the lackof a stableincome(2nd). Somepeoplc with squares betweenthe 2nd and tth derivetheir senseof power, qiofthandimponance(5th)solelyth'roughwhattheyownandposses (2nd). Children(lth) might be treatedas posesions(2nd) or orperiencedasa drain on one'sresources. TlteStlt-8tb sqilare In the 5th house,welike to beseenasbright,positive,creativeand special.Valueisplacedon thosethingswhichenhancethejoy and dignity of life. Thc 8th dcpictsthe darker,more intenseand destructiveelemcntslurking in the persondity.If weharrctheserwo housesaccentuated we may bc engagedin a fiercebattlebetween light and dark forcesin the psyche.Thc kinds of crisesassociated with the 8th house can temporarilydisrupt the tth house's spontaneiryandenthusiasmfor life. Insteadof feelingin chargeof our lirrcs(lth), we may be drirrcnby unconscious complores(8th) to actin waysorcrwhichweha'relittle conuol.Sorualconquestcould be utilized asa meansof affrming our sclf-importance.Squares betweenthc Jth and Bthhousescensomedmes manifestasintensc conflictswith one'schildren.Perrcnalcreativity(5th) is associatid with emotiondtensionandfrustration(8th).On the positircside, periodsof psyctrological renewaland cleansing(8th) frec the lifeforceto express itself morepurely(lth). Creatiraorpresion(5th) may be a way of clcaring something out of the system(8th). Destructirrc (8th) may be glamorized(5th) asin the casc ercesses of the tornrredFrenchpoet,Rimbaud,whohad Satumin the 8th squaredto Neptuncin the Jth. Tbeail-ittb tqt drc Thc llth housemayhaveavisionof a bettersociety, but hasit taken into accountdeep-seated complocs(8th) in peoplewhichobscure the ability to relateto othersfairlyandobjectirrcly? Theragingand needyinfant in us (8th) canwreakhavocin our relationships with friendsor groups(llth). Thesocietalrdormerwith squaresbctween the llth andthc 8th maybefiredwith suchconvictionthatanymeans justifiesachievinghisor herends.Sexrdundercurents(8th)could intrude on a fricndship(11th).In shon,highly chargedemotions
TI{E HOUSES GROUPING
II7
cotrld inhibit the eascwith which we rclateto the largerunit of society. C.onflictscould arisebetweenour own humanitarian, political and rccid ideals (llth) and those of our panner (8th). Tbc 11tb-2nd sqaarc The llth house may ptoposc such liberd aims as the equd
distributionof wealth,but the 2nd houscdesireto onn thingp pcrrcndly couldcontradictthis. The 2nd houseneedto establish conflictswith the llth houseurgefor clearindividualboundaries 'out a widcr group membership.Elcrrcnthhouscidealismmay be of touch'with thedm,n-to-eanh2ndhousc.Problcmscouldensue in financid dedings(2nd) with friends(11th).\U[ecould bccome sostronglyanached(2nd) to achio,ingcenaingodsandobjectirres (llth), that orcesirrcforcccouldbe usedto obtainthese.\I7emay (2nd)to idcas(llth). Morepositiraly,theremay clingtoo tenaciously bc the practicalscnseand ability(2nd)to realizehopesandwishes
(nrh).
Fig,toCADENT H0U5E5 Dist r [unting, Read;ivstul,g
rrtsnrvntariryE*jy Cadcnt Houscs(Figurc 10) with T?ne CadentHottscs(the3rd,6th, 9th and 12th)areassociated r07hile Pisces. and Virgo, Sagittarius the mutablesignsof Gemini, angularhouscsgazalarcenetgyand succedenthousescorrccnrrotc enirgy,the cadenthovxs distribttc andrcorganizcenergy.Incach
TFIEHOUSES GROUPING
TI-IE TIUTEIVE HOUSES
cadenthor.tse, wereconsider, readjustor reorientateourselves on the basisof what we harrcprwiouslyexperienced in the preceeding house.In thecadent3rdhouse,weleammoreabourwho succedent we are through comparingand contrastingourselves with rhosc aroundus.As thementd capacities derclop,weenteravorld bcJnnd that of the bodilysenses andbiologicdnccds(2ndhouse).Thccadent 6th houscreflectson the useor misuseof thc outpouringof energy in the 1th, andmakesadjustments accordingly. The intcrpersond explorations andstruggles of the8th areconducirrc to the9th house reflectionsonthe deeperlawsand proceseswhichgorrcmodstence, and the patternswhichweaveus together.The perspectivc of rhe individud ego,alreadyreelingfrom the llth houseorperienccof beingpan of a groupor largersystem,finally,in the cadentl2th, topplesdowndtogetherfrom its positionasking of the mountain. Cadenthousesharcoftenbeendescribed asweakor insubstantid. but the research doneby the Gauquelinssuggesathat placemens in thesehouses aremorepowerfulthanpreviouslybelierrcd. Michel Gauquelin and his wife FranEoise are both psychologists and statisticians whoharrcstudiedrhediumd disuibudonof thc plancts in thousandsof accuratelytimed binhchans.In panicular,they analysedthc houseposition of planetsin the chafts of cenain profesions- actors,artists,doctors,businesorecutircs,politicians, scientists, soldicrs,sporuchampions,writersandothcrc.Theresults of their researchshovrcdthat the planea naturallyassociated with eachof theseproftssions(suchasMarsfor sporapeople,Satumfor scientists, etc.)appearedmoreoften in the cadenthousesthan in the angularhouses,astraditiond asuologywould hara orpccted. br instance,Marsin the chartsof successful sponspeopleappeared mostoftcn in the 12thand 9th houses:that is, justafterthe rising and supcriorculminationof the planetratherthan just beforein the lst or 10thhouses.The noc mostfrequenthouscpositionsof Marsforthe sponspeople theytestedc/erethe6rh andthe 3rdhouscs. Agarn,thesearejust dter the settingand infcrior culminadonof theplanet,ratherthanbcforein thc 7thor 4thhouses. Thecondusion to be drawn from their surr€y is that cadent housesare more imponantfutors in determiningcharacterand careerthanprwiously suspected. Bridly recapitulated,they found thesecorrelations:I 1. Marsappearedmostfrequendyin cadenthouscsin thc cherts of physicians,military leaders,spons cha,mpionsand top occutives.
3. 4.
1I9
Jupiter appearedmost frequently in cadenthousesin the chans oflctors-playwrighr, politicians, military leaders,top orecutives and journalists. Saturnappearedmost frequently in cadenthousesin the chans of scientisa and phpicians. The Moon appcaredmost frequently in cadent housesin the chans of writers and politicians.
ln the discusion of the 12thhouse,I haveotplained why I don't find theseresultsthat surprising(seepage 105).A similar rationale can bc applicd to the other cadent houses.The 9th is where we look for truth and principles to guidc our lirrcs- therefore we will be highly motirated to developand give orpressionto the planetstherc asl *ay of lending greatermeaning to our odstence.Both the 6th and rhi lrd housei describcour effons to discernhow we differ ftom other pcople. Therdore, dcrrclopingthe planets in thesehousesis .n .i"l if *. areto diftrentiate ounelrrcsfully from othersand ddine ourseh'esasscparateindividuals. The urge to connect to something greatcr than the sclf (as shown by the 12th and the 9th) and the urge to estabtishand dramcterizeour or'n specificidcntities (asshown bV,h. 3rd and the 6th) arethe two complementary principles which form the crux of the human dilemma. Seenin this light, thc planets in these housesassumee gtcr;t imponance. As in the cascof the four angular housesand the four succedent houses, the four cadent housesfiguratively square or oPposeone another. Eachone representsa contrastingview of life and a different method of acquiring and processinginformation. Tlte 3rd-9t/t opposition The 3rd housedescribesthe nature of the analyticd and concrete mind while the 9th house denotes more abstract and intuitive The 3rd houseseesthe pans; the 9th looks first thought processes. at thJwh-ole.\fhen planetsarefound in opposition berweenthese two houses,it could signifr a good balanccand integration berween thc right and left hemispheresof the brain. Hwever, in cenain cases, the opposition might d.note a Personwho gathersfacts(3rd) and then diaws the wrong conclusions(9th) from them. Mountains are a Pemonmay adhere to somebelief madeof mole-hills,oi conversely, around them (3rd) solely (9th) intcrpret erarphing and then or truth factsare distorted words, principles. In other in the light of thcse weekspreparing many labour for pro'trc point. The house may a to Jrd precise meaning the conveys word making sure that each llcture, a
-.I I2O
TF{ET\UEIVEHOUSES
intended. The 9th houselecturermay preferto wait to seewhat the audicnce is like, trusting that he or she will intuitively know what to saywhen the time comes.Sometimeswith the 3rd-9th opposition, there is a persistentfeeling that the grassis greenerfanher afield. Tlte 6t lt-t Ztlt opposition The 6th house examinesthe myriad forms of relative existence, scrutinizing in detail how one thing diffcrs from another.The 12th house,howwer, embracesthe essenceof a thing - not how much 'ftels' it weigtrsor measures,but what it like. The 6th is dirriminating and selective,carefullydefining boundaries;the 12this empathctic and all-inclusive, and a boundary-dissolrar.The 6th house is pragmatic, logicd and concernedwith the errryday redities of lifc; the 12th aspiresto transcendwhateveris mundane, and is awareof the elusive,unknoqrableand mysteriousnuancesof o
I
Tbe 3rd-6th tqilare Here we harrclinked together the two housesmost dirc'ctly rclated
GROUPINGTF{EHOUSES
Lzl
to rheprocesesof the logicalandrationalleft brain.Thetendency ; f"" ,i. mind to onerJork.The 3rd housclikesto knowa little wantsto know whilethe 6th.house tmething abouteverything, and things'Put thesetwo tog.ether p""lut. ;;;;-h; "T.* "bo.r, posibleabout who wantsto knowasmuch as il;;;_i.uoav ispossiblcthat Vith ;ry.hfi. ilanets in both the 3rdand6th, it Thkento extremes' oyt o{ existence' somtthin! couldbe analysed berween *ho insissthat theonlyrealdifference i;;;"iJ bEapersor, ,ir;;ht; OltbrttoandHamletis that the lettersof the alphabetare differentlyin eachplay. "rt".tgid U."r. poritively,tirereisgerrcrilyth..pursuitof information(3rd) of .tring it prictically'(6th).Therecanbe a greatdeal foi,t . ,.1"f.. aboutthepreciseand muc'hdiscussion ou.rd.i"i6 "nd "?Ui.t*l"g Consequer.rtlx ;;;;;; ;d*mething shouldbe done' :-T:t- :::l wrth ihcjrd/6th housecombinationusuallydo not let othersescape these with whimsicalorrague'If I havesomeone [.i"ni* abstract, for a chanrlading, I will allowanextrahalf;i;;:;;;;'-;.h;Juled 'h;;l;; ---Vlirf, q;.ttions at theend'('Vhat emctlyd9 yoqmeanby ' ' '?') rif"*o betweenthesehouses,it isposible that hedth isues mobility T 1e[ asthe clearfunctionin-g physical (Otfri.o"ia afFect ^Sometimes (3rd) conflictswith siblingp urueso6ad il.t'. -i"a (3rd). (6th)' co-workers inihe'form of problemswith i.*f".. Tbe 6tb-9tlt sqlare 9thhousewith andtruth-seeking rt .."-ui.ation of theorpansive aresdessou. produce can 6th themundaneandpracticdly-minded searcn constant ln a to another whomovesfrom onepreoccupation will they is that catch Ji"g *ti.t ii totaly fulfilling..Thc il;;. been hara hopes the which_all ;*"iiy find"rharthc thirrg'upon Whenthat fails'something ;i;;;A *-.rt * aus shonlf the mark' ilse is ferventlypursucdwith the sameabidingconvictionthat it 'werything'.Ratherthan.looking,to onethrng,to,be shouldprovidi thewholetruth,theyshouldapproachitwiththeatutudethatlt mavoffersomeversionor anglcbf the truth' In otherwords'they oron. thinfto bewerything'Thqnthevcanfind ,.d ,h;;;t;;;. bit of the truth andotherkindsof ;;fi;;i;;;;ff.t "no,li., to complete openingthemselves not are futfit*.rri. In thisway,they all the deliver doesn't attintion of if o". focus J6;iil.n, nourishmenttheYcrara. ---ffr. rq""re beiweenthe 6rh and 9th canbe seenhistoricallyin (9:ry thc conflictbetweeninductivemodesof rientific inrrcstig"Uql beliefs and faith religious from arises -d tfrrf.i"d of kno"'int",hich
-l t22
THE T\TELVEHOUSES
(9th). 6th-9th tension also manifests in the kinds of theologicd disputesthat areconcernedwith exactlyhow many angelscandance on the head of a pin. Scriptures(9th) may be interprered in a fundamentalist way: laws and rituals are to be followed exactlyto ensurethat eran rhe most humble or ordinary aspecrsof existence (6th) panakeof the sacredor areperformedin accordanceto higher law (9th). There is also the ability to perceivecosmicsignificance (9th) in the smdlest dctails of life (6th). On another level, health problems (6th) could occur through travel (9th). Or rhere may be many differencesof opinions with in-laws(9th) orar rhe managemenr of daily affairs (6th). Tbe gtb-tztlt squore In this casewe havetwo housesof an orpansivenature in relationship to one another.Neither sphereis fond of boundariesand limitations, and those with planets in both these housesmay nor fccl very comfonablc within the confinesof a mundane exisrence.Usudly an interest in philosophical or religious mamerspredominates: in e:ftreme cases,they live in a world of symbols, dreams and images, surviving from one peak orperience ro the noc, ofren totdly forgetting about having to go to the dentist. They may have an unending sourceof uanspersond inspiration but no vehiclesfor expressingor relating their vision to everydaylife. Not inclined to andytical thinking, they may swallow a belid whole and lira it fervendy until it is spat out again and something new is looked for to swallow.Somesidetracktoo fu with delusionsof being another Napoleon or Chri$, landing thcmsclrrcsin mentd insriturions (12th). More positively, thosewith a heavy9rh-12th emphasisserrato open other people's eyes to realities beyond the kcn of the rypicd 3rd-6th housc thinker. There arediftrences in the 9th and t2rh houseapproachto 'higher understanding'.The 9th housebelievesthat the basicpatternsand principleswhich governlife can be known and comprehended.The 12th housefeelssomcthingwhich is often unfarhomable and bqpnd knowing. Th. 9th house is basicallyconcernedwith scding new heighs; the 12th finds inspiration not only in the heights, but also in the depths- ecstasyand pain, blis and suffering,areintimately connected.On a more mundane level, there may be strangeand inexplicableyearningsto travel to different countriesand a danger of imprisonment (12th) in a foreign land (9th).
GROUPINGTHE HOUSES
12t
Tltc ard-tztb tqaale mind and thc 3rd Broadlyspeaking,the 12this the unconscious is hiddenand what of domain -iird. The t2rh is the thc consciour at handin and immediate is what unseen,while the 3rd perceives at its be apprcciated can the environment.An altion or starement feelings less obvious facenaluc(3rd)or may be felr to be cloaking this is known u the metaor moti\ations(12th).In psychology, ihe actionsand makessenseof meaning.The 1rd houseobierves 'picksup on' andissensitive to other theworIs, but thc l2th house combination The lrd/l2th levelsof what is beingsaidoi done. manylevelsof realityar once.Thisconferseitheruncanny Derceives oragreardealof mentdconfusion. i*igt , into peopleandsituations Shouldtheybeiievewhattheyhearandseeor whattheysenseand feel? arenoruncorrunonamongsiblings Thesekindsof mixedmessages theyounger (3rd).In general,oldersiblingsfeelambiralenttou/ards but jedousy new baby,. the love to theyaresupposcd it itd' ttt{ t "*' perceives sibling younger The anddestructiveurgeiarerhiie aswell. ye! and her, or him the older child aclingkindly towards fe.nse: somethinglcs pleasantpassingbemeenthemaswell.vhich lcvel shouldUelatci asred?A caselnquestionis a womanI knewwith Saturnand Pluto in the 12thsquaredto the Moon in Scorpioin the 3rd.Heroldcrsisterwasoutwerdlykind to her,but underneath resentedthe intrusionof theyoungerchild. Iater !! lifc, the younger child grewinto a womanwho had enormousdifficulty trustingor or done waso
124
THE TVET]fE HOUSES
THEHOUSES GROUPING
obscned as we progressfrom the firsr houseassociatedwith a panicularelement,to the secondhouseof that element,and on to the third houseof the sameelement.In general,the first housc associated with a panicularelementbringpthe natureof that element into focusand personalizes it. The nen housealignedwith thet elementfunher differentiaces and definesrhat principle,usually tirough comparingour orpresionof it with that ofothers.Thethird houserclatedto a panicularelementuniversdizes ir orpresion: that elementcanbeseento beoperatingon a broadcollectirnle.r'el.
- the activity of releasingthe lif'e-force.The lst houseshowsthe initial stiring of beinginsideus,the urgeto be a separateand distinct person.Developingthe signsand planetsin the lst housevitalizes and enlivensus. The secondfire houseis the 5th house.It is alsoa succedenthouse. Therefore the lth house combines the qualities associatedwith with the elementof succedenthousesand the qualitiesassociated stabilizeand utilize the energy fre. Succedenthousesconcentrate, generatedin angularhouses.In the caseofthe 5th house,the pure ipirit of the lst houseis given focusand direction. \7e strengthen orrrs.nre of identity (lst) by pursuing thoseoutlets and interests which make us feel more alive, and by stamping our individuality on what we do or create(1th). The third fire house is the 9th house.It is also a cadent house. Thereforethe 9th housecombinesthe qualitiesassociatedwith cadent with the elcment of fire. Cadent housesand the qualitiesassociated housesreconsidlr, readjust and reorientatethe way we focus our energy.In the 9th house,we revamPour senseof identity through viewing life and ourselvesin a broadercontoa' The fre we recognizcd burning insideusin the lst and 5th houscshasnorvspreadto everyone 'fire' or spirit asa universd attribute existing elsc we now perceive in everything around us. In the lth house, we orplore -our own persond creaiivity,but in the 9th weglimpse the workingsof a cosmic ireative intelligence which shapeslife in accordancewith cenain laws and universalprinciples. In the first fiic house(lst) our own identity is sparked.ln the second fire house (5th) we strengthen,confirm and expressthat identity. In the third fire house(9th) the creativenature of fire and the urgeto-bc is seenexpressingitself impersondly through the archetypd principles which governand generateall of life. ft; three fre liousessymbolicallytrine one another. Planetsin the lst, )th or 9th housej may literally trine eachother - that is, form 120degreeanglesto eachother (allowing an 8-10 degreeorb or so). However,in finding irspectswe must alwayscount the actual number of degrecsbetweln ihc two planets, not just the number of houses.A planet in the lst doesnot automaticallytrinc aplanet in the :th. and in some cases,due to the unequd size of houses in Quadrant systems,the rwo plan€tsmay evensquareone another. Nonetheless,it is helpful to understandthc basicaffinity between with the sameelement in the natural placemena in houscsassociated zodiac.
Fg,lf FlRg: Tlv.Trinlrt5 of Spr{f,. The Firc Houscs:The Tirinityof Spirit (Figurc U) Fireisthg lift-forcewhichanimatesdl living forms.It isthe element associated with thewill-to-be theurgeto orpresfrom insidetheseff. The lst hous isthefirst fire house.h isalsoangularIfve combine the qualitiesof fire with the nanre of angulerhouscs(activiryand releascof encrgy)we arrivcat a good derription of the lsr house
12'
