Houses in astrology describe 12 pieces that your birth chart is divided into based on where you were in relation to the Sun at the moment of your birth. Each piece, or house, represents specific parts of life. Planets and signs in a house can indicate what to expect and also the ideal way to navigate those experiences.
So what do you need to know about the astrology houses, and how can they influence your life? Keep reading to find out!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- House positions are dependent on where you were in relation to the Sun when you were born.
- There are 12 houses in astrology and each represents areas of life.
- To read your house, look to its sign and planets sitting within it.
What Are the 12 Houses in Astrology?
Astrological houses are different sections of a map of the sky at the moment you were born.
And, also like a map, the houses in your natal chart show where the planets and other luminaries were located at the time of your birth.
The house lines are also called cusps and your 1st House cusp is always at the center on the left side of your chart, and the rest of the 11 houses fill in your chart moving around counter-clockwise.
Think of them as a pie cut into 12 slices. Each slice represents a different area of your life, like love, work, and home.
The houses in astrology can be described as the verbs in your life and symbolize what you have done, are doing, and will do in your future.
The character of the signs and motivations of the planets in your birth chart are put into action through these 12 houses.
Below is a quick summary of the territories of life each house represents.
1. First House-House of Self
The First House, also known as the “Ascendant” is all about your sense of identity.
It’s the house that represents how you present yourself and the lens you look through to see the world.
Astrologers look at the planet that rules the First House and the sign on the cusp to get a sense of your outward persona and how you come across to others.
Learn more about this in our Guide to Your 1st House.
| 1st House | House of Self, Ascendant |
| Areas of Life | outward identity, asserting yourself, how you see things |
| Ruling Planet | Mars |
| Associated Sign | Aries |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
2. Second House – House of Money
The Second House is all about your money, possessions, and sense of value.
It’s the house that represents your financial stability, your income, and your relationship with money.
What you value, and hold dear is also a part of this house, as is your sense of security when it comes to both resources and also your own self-worth.
Learn much more in our guide to your 2nd House.
| 2nd House | House of Money, House of Value, House of Possessions |
| Areas of Life | finances, security, self-worth, material possessions |
| Ruling Planet | Venus |
| Associated Sign | Taurus |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
3. Third House – House of Communication
Your Third House covers the territory of communication, learning, and your immediate environment.
It’s the house that represents your ability to think and express yourself, your relationships with siblings, neighbors, and short trips.
This house offers insight into how your mind works, how you gather information, your communication style, and the way you interact with people and places familiar to you.
Find out more in our guide to your 3rd House.
| 3rd House | House of Communication |
| Areas of Life | talking, listening, writing, siblings, neighbors, short trips |
| Ruling Planet | Mercury |
| Associated Sign | Gemini |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
4. 4th House – House of Home
Your Fourth House describes your foundation, roots, family, and home.
This house can give you a sense of your emotional needs, family dynamics, and how you relate to your home.
The Fourth House also offers clues as to who you truly believe yourself to be deep down and who you are when no one is looking.
| 4th House | House of Home, Imum Coeli |
| Areas of Life | home, family, self-image |
| Ruling Planet | The Moon |
| Associated Sign | Cancer |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
5. Fifth House – House of Pleasure
The Fifth House in astrology is all about fun and creativity!
It’s the house of self-expression, letting your inner-child out, kicking back, and having a good time.
Your 5th also covers the territory of romance and non-committed, intimate relationships.
| 5th House | House of Pleasure, House of Children |
| Areas of Life | fun, self-expression, romance, performance |
| Ruling Planet | The Sun |
| Associated Sign | Leo |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
6. Sixth House – House of Health
Your Sixth House is associated with health and daily routines.
It’s the house of work, service, and all things practical. I like to think of this as the house of adulting because it covers the details in life that may not be fun, but are necessary.
The 6th is also a house to look toward if you are wondering what kind of job you may excel at or enjoy.
| 6th House | House of Health, House of Work |
| Areas of Life | health, work, adulting, responsibilities |
| Ruling Planet | Mercury |
| Associated Sign | Virgo |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Northern Hemisphere | Development internally |
7. Seventh House – House of Marriage
With the Seventh House, it’s is all about relationships. It’s the house of partnerships, so a great place to look if you want to know more about your significant other, business partner, or any kind of one-to-one relationship.
This house is also associated with marriage and long-term commitment.
Also, this house is referred to as your Descendant and describes qualities that you don’t see in yourself and that you may gravitate toward in others.
| 7th House | House of Marriage, Descendant |
| Areas of Life | intimate relationships, partnerships, close friends |
| Ruling Planet | Venus |
| Associated Sign | Libra |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
8. Eighth House – House of Death
The Eighth House in astrology covers deeper and more mysterious aspects of life.
It’s the house of transformations, death, and rebirth, so it’s a great place to look if you want to know more about your own inner workings and the deeper aspects of your life.
This house is also associated with sex (but not the casual kind, look to the 5th House for that), death, taxes, and other people’s resources.
| 8th House | House of Death |
| Areas of Life | inner work, transformation, mortality, sex, taxes |
| Ruling Planets | Pluto (modern), Mars (traditional) |
| Associated Sign | Scorpio |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
9. 9th House – House of Long Journeys
Your Ninth House in astrology describes your need for adventure, new experiences, and finding meaning in life.
It’s the house of long-distance travel, higher education, and anything that expands your mind and shakes up your “boring” routine.
Spirituality and faith are also a part of your 9th House and it helps shape your worldview and philosophy of life.
| 9th House | House of Long Journeys, House of Faith, House of Luck |
| Areas of Life | philosophy, faith, education, foreign travel, law, luck |
| Ruling Planet | Jupiter |
| Associated Sign | Sagittarius |
| Western Hemisphere | Fate |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
10. Tenth House – House of Career
The Tenth House in astrology covers your public image, career, and status in society.
It’s the house that describes your professional life, and ambitions, and comes as close to your house of “destiny” as any house in the chart if that is something you put any stock in.
Another name for this house is your Midheaven, and can help you understand who you want to be and your highest aspirations.
| 10th House | House of Career, House of Social Status, Midheaven |
| Areas of Life | career, social role, highest ambition |
| Ruling Planet | Saturn |
| Associated Sign | Capricorn |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
11. Eleventh House – House of Friends
Your 11th House is the house of friends, groups, and social networks.
This house is also associated with your hopes and plans for the future, and who you surround yourself with to help you get there.
Additionally, your Eleventh House is also connected to humanitarian causes and organizations, so it can reveal your desire to make a difference in the world and how you want to contribute to society.
| 11th House | House of Friends |
| Areas of Life | social circle, groups, associates, society, future plans |
| Ruling Planets | Uranus (modern), Saturn (traditional) |
| Associated Sign | Aquarius |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
12. Twelfth House – House of Troubles
The Twelfth House in astrology is the house of the hidden, the unseen, and emotions locked away from the conscious mind.
This mysterious house describes what lies in your subconscious that you are unaware of, but that influences your behavior and triggers feelings nonetheless.
Your 12th is also associated with enlightenment, but also isolation, and institutions such as hospitals, prisons, and other places of confinement.
This may not be an “easy” house in your chart to experience, but holds keys that can help you unlock a door to personal growth and a deeper spiritual connection.
| 12th House | House of Troubles, House of Hidden Enemies |
| Areas of Life | enlightenment, confinement, subconscious triggers |
| Ruling Planets | Neptune (modern), Jupiter (traditional) |
| Associated Sign | Pisces |
| Eastern Hemisphere | Free will |
| Southern Hemisphere | Development outwardly |
Hemispheres in Astrology
The horizon and meridian lines in your chart divide it into 4 different hemispheres, each containing 6 houses.
Finding the majority of your planets in one of these four hemispheres could give you an overall sense of the story your life may take.
Whether your life’s most crucial moments will play out publicly or inward, or whether vital turning points come from your own will or outside events can be read through your hemispheres.
Learn much more about reading hemispheres in your chart here.
Quadrants in Astrology
Your chart is also divided another way by your horizon line and meridian line in your chart, and that is into quadrants.
Each quadrant contains three houses and if you find that most of your planets are tucked away in one of these four, this can also offer you a broad sense of how your life’s theme may play out.
Find out more about reading quadrants in our article all about them here.
How to Read an Astrological House
If you want to dive deeper into one of the houses in your natal chart, follow the steps below to get a general idea of how your house could influence your life!
- Get a copy of your natal chart.
Enter your date and time of birth, plus the city you were born in, into astrology software such as Astrodienst (which is online and free) and pull up a copy of your birth chart. - See what planets sit in the house.
If you find a planet in a house, this is an indicator that the areas of life described by this house may play a more important role in your life.
There may be lessons that needed to be learned there and the function of the planet or planets involved can help you understand what they could be.
F.A.Q’s
What are the 12 houses of astrology?
In astrology, a birth chart is divided into 12 houses based on your location in relation to the Sun at the time of your birth. Each house represents specific aspects of life.
How do I find my astrology houses?
Your houses in astrology are the 12 pie-shaped your natal chart is divided into. The house lines are called cusps, and your 1st House cusp is left and center in your chart. The other houses fill in the rest of your chart moving counter-clockwise in sequential order.
What do the 12 houses represent in astrology?
Each house represents specific parts of life – 1st House: personality, 2nd House: money and security, 3rd House: communication and siblings, 4th House: home, family, and self-image, 5th House: fun and romance, 6th House: work and health, 7th House: marriage and relationships, 8th House: inner work and mortality, 9th House: faith, travel, and philosophy, 10th House: career and social status, 11th House: associates and future plans, 12th House: subconscious triggers and confinement.
