First of all, the houses are traditionally referred to as mundane houses because they point toward worldly activities. Actually, the houses are divisions of the planet Earth; hence, Earth is the third art of the three part relationship that is the foundation for basic astrological conclusions: planets, signs, and earth. the fourth factor, aspects, depends upon this three part relationship, as you will see later.
In chart casting procedures, the houses always remain in the same position; Thus, the first house is the first house in all charts. It is the planets in signs that will move among the various houses, as determined by the birth date, the birth hour, and the birth place. Note, then, the following chart with the numbers of the houses in their proper places. This numbering will NEVER change.
The spokes, or dividing lines between houses, are called CUSPS: and it is on these cusps that the signs of the zodiac are recorded in the twelve equal wedges chart, as you will see later. Note that the cusps of the houses are numbered. They correspond to the houses that they in effect open, following a counter clockwise motion.
Further, the first cusp is called the ASCENDANT. This is so because it is the exact point on the eastern horizon that indicates the demarcation line between the end of the night and the beginning of day. Next, the tenth cusp is called MEDIUM COELI, or the MIDHEAVEN, because it marks the exact overhead point that separates morning from afternoon; then, the seventh house cusp is called DESCENDANT, because it is the exact point in the West that indicates the demarcation line between the end of the day and the beginning of the night. Finally, the fourth cusp is called the IMMUM COELI or MIDNIGHT, because it is the exact point that marks the end of one day and the beginning of the next one.
With these points in mind, study the following chart to see how, for purposes of chart casting, the motions of the signs and the planets are treated, remembering that the houses never move.
Now, begin to gain insights into the affairs of each house
by studying carefully the key words that are listed below.
House |
Affairs and Activities |
First |
Personal and self-related concerns |
Second |
Personal possessions and security |
Third |
Relationship to the immediate environment |
Fourth |
Personal home and private life |
Fifth |
Instinctive affections and re-creation |
Sixth |
Services given and received and health |
Seventh |
Partnership relationships at a personal level |
Eighth |
Material relationships involving shared resources |
Ninth |
Mental and physical explorations |
Tenth |
Place in society and standing in the world |
Eleventh |
Hopes and wishes and impermanent attachments |
Twelfth |
Freedom from restrictions |
At this point, you should readily see that you can make another step in interpreting the Sun in a chart, providing you know the house in which the Sun falls. For example, if a person's Sun is in Libra and in the seventh house, you should construct this basic sentence: "The person's inclinations and motivations to integrate, to express, and to project will operate unitedly, harmoniously, vigorously, pensively, and enterprisingly, concentrating upon partnership relationships at a personal level." These key words, of course, are taken from the previous lessons for the Sun and for Libra, and from this lesson for the seventh house.
This basic sentence may still seem to be artificially formal or pompous. Nevertheless, if you will study it closely, you will see that after some experience with charts you would come to interpret it as follows: "This person will be very pleasant and cooperative, but at the same time actively watchful and clever, as he seeks to become a significant part of the environment and the society in which he finds himself. Of great importance to him in these efforts will be the formation of lasting partnerships, whether this be in a business, a profession, or a marriage. He will function best when he is not alone."
Reasonably, the planetary aspects to the Sun would modify this interpretation with either ease or difficulty. You would, however, have to complete the foregoing procedure and then revise it accordingly to accommodate the impact of the aspects.
Proceed now to make a close study of the houses, giving careful attention to the key word extensions, the planet and sign affiliations, and the concomitant relations.
Review regularly the key words for the houses. Then, you should conduct yourself, using the chart below, a cumulative review of the planets, the signs, and the houses. Note that a planet may fall into any of the twelve signs as well as into any of the twelve houses. Thus, there are a possible 1440 combinations for the key words of these three factors of a chart.
Large though this number of combinations may seem, you need only to grasp ten concepts for planets, twelve concepts for signs, and twelve concepts for houses. You will then be able to make 1440 combinations as any one of the combinations is needed when you are reading a chart.
Practice, now, making the combinations, using this basic pattern for constructing a sentence:
The inclinations and motivation (inset the key words for the
planet) will operate (insert the key words for the sign), concentrating upon
(insert the key words for the house).
Planet |
Keywords |
Sun |
to integrate, to express, to project |
Moon |
to respond, to react, to regulate |
Mercury |
to communicate, to concentrate, to transmit |
Venus |
to relate, to unite, to connect |
Mars |
to initiate, to activate, to move |
Jupiter |
to expand, to mature, to experience |
Saturn |
to limit, to control, to discipline |
Uranus |
to deviate, to invent, to reform |
Neptune |
to refine, to detect, to transcend |
Pluto |
to eliminate, to transform, to regenerate |
Sign |
Keywords |
Aries |
assertively, urgently |
Taurus |
possessively, enduringly |
Gemini |
versatilely, varably |
Cancer |
sensitively, protectively |
Leo |
impressively, creatively |
Virgo |
analytically, critically |
Libra |
unitedly, harmoniously |
Scorpio |
intensely, secretively |
Sagittarius |
freely, widely |
Capricorn |
prudently, reservedly |
Aquarius |
indifferently, unconventionally |
Pisces |
impressionably, intuitively |
House |
Keywords |
1st |
personal and self-related concerns |
2nd |
personal possessions and security |
3rd |
relationship to the immediate environment |
4th |
personal home and private life |
5th |
instinctive affections and re-creation |
6th |
services given and received and health |
7th |
partnership relations at a personal level |
8th |
material relationships involving shared resources |
9th |
mental and physical explorations |
10th |
place in society and standing in the world |
11th |
hopes and wishes and impermanent attachments |
12th |
freedom from restrictions |
The computer printout is sufficient for you to know the aspects. Usually the printout also indicates the orb of an aspect, i.e., how close the distance of the two planets is to the exact aspect. The larger the orb, the weaker the influence of the aspect will be.
Aspects are angular distances between planets in the zodiac, and between planets and the cusps of the first and tenth houses.
Distances between planets which are considered to be major aspects are the following:
When we say that two planets are in mutual aspect, we mean that the distance between these two planets is within a specific range. The distance is measured in degrees. This is so because the planets are inscribed in the periphery of a circle that represents the ecliptic, or the path on which the planets make their way through the zodiac.
To figure out the aspects is easy when you draw the planets and houses into the astrological signs. Each sign has 30 degrees, proceeding counter clockwise.
Aspects are strongest when they are correct. For instance when they are conjoint in the same degree, or exactly 60, 90, 120, or 180 degrees apart. When an aspect is exact, then its impact is strongest. The further planets are away from the point of the exact aspect, the weaker is the influence of the aspect. The range within which planets are effective is called the maximum orb of the aspect. Two planets that are 54 degrees or 66 degrees apart are still considered to be in the sextile aspect which would be exact at the distance of 60 degrees. However the influence of a sextile that measures 54or 66 degrees is much less than the influence of an exact sextile of 60 degrees.
As far as the orb of an aspect is concerned, opinions differ and so do computer programs. As a good rule you may consider 8 degrees maximum orb for the opposition and conjunction, 7 degrees for the square and trine, and 6 degrees for the sextile.
Besides the major aspects, astrologers work with many minor aspects such as aspects of 30, 45, 135, and 150 degrees. We will not consider these aspects at the beginning of our work.