The 12 Houses in Astrology: What Each House Means

What are the houses in astrology?

Your birth chart is divided into 12 sections called houses. If signs describe how something shows up and planets describe what, houses describe where in your life it plays out. The 1st house begins at your ascendant, or rising sign, the point on the eastern horizon when you were born, and the rest follow around the chart.

What does each house mean?

Each house has a traditional Latin name and a modern theme. Each is also naturally associated with one sign, starting with Aries for the 1st.

1. 1st house, house of self (Vita, "life"): identity, appearance and outlook. Linked with Aries.
2. 2nd house, house of possessions (Lucrum, "gain"): money, resources and self-worth. Linked with Taurus.
3. 3rd house, house of communication (Fratres, "brothers"): learning, siblings and everyday exchanges. Linked with Gemini.
4. 4th house, house of nurturing (Genitor, "parent"): home, family and emotional roots. Linked with Cancer.
5. 5th house, house of expression (Nati, "children"): creativity, romance and play. Linked with Leo.
6. 6th house, house of responsibility (Valetudo, "health"): work, daily routine and service. Linked with Virgo.
7. 7th house, house of connections (Uxor, "spouse"): partnerships, marriage and contracts. Linked with Libra.
8. 8th house, house of catharsis (Mors, "death"): transformation, intimacy and shared resources. Linked with Scorpio.
9. 9th house, house of exploration (Iter, "journey"): travel, higher learning and beliefs. Linked with Sagittarius.
10. 10th house, house of achievements (Regnum, "kingdom"): career, reputation and status. Linked with Capricorn.
11. 11th house, house of community (Benefacta, "support"): friends, groups and hopes. Linked with Aquarius.
12. 12th house, house of reflection (Carcer, traditionally "prison"): the subconscious, solitude and endings. Linked with Pisces.

Why do you need your birth time?

Houses depend on Earth's rotation, so the ascendant and every house cusp shift through the day and change with location. To calculate your houses you need your exact time, date and place of birth. Two people born on the same day in the same town can have very different houses if they were born hours apart.

Why do different apps show different houses?

Astrologers use different house systems and disagree about which is best.

• Placidus is the most commonly used system in modern Western astrology. Its houses can be unequal sizes.
• Whole sign starts the 1st house at the beginning of your rising sign, so each house is one whole sign.
• Equal house starts at your exact ascendant and makes each house 30 degrees.

So a planet can land in your 5th house in one system and your 6th in another. Neither is a mistake.

How do you read a house?

1. Find which sign sits on the house cusp.
2. Note any planets inside the house.
3. Combine them: the planet's theme, in the style of the sign, in this area of life.
4. Treat it as a question to reflect on, not a prediction.

Scientific testing has found no evidence for astrology's claimed effects, so houses are best used as a framework for thinking about different parts of your life.

How can Kosmic Guide help?

Kosmic Guide uses your birthplace and birth time to personalize your readings, alongside daily horoscopes, tarot and courses.