The 12 astrological houses: the areas of your chart

Signs, planets, houses: who does what

A birth chart is read with three ingredients. The planets stand for energies (affection for Venus, action for Mars, thought for Mercury). The signs describe how those energies express themselves. Finally, the houses show the area of life where they play out: relationships, work, family, friends...

The birth sky is divided into twelve houses, starting from the ascendant. That is why your birth time is needed: without it, you know the signs of your planets but not the houses they sit in.

Houses 1 to 6: building yourself

• 1st house — the self: appearance, temperament, the way you approach life. It begins at the ascendant.
• 2nd house — resources: money and possessions, but also what gives you a sense of worth.
• 3rd house — your close circle: siblings, neighbours, everyday exchanges, short trips, learning.
• 4th house — roots: family, home, the place where you feel you belong.
• 5th house — pleasure: creativity, leisure, budding romance, your bond with children.
• 6th house — daily life: everyday work, habits, lifestyle, a sense of service.

Houses 7 to 12: meeting others and the world

• 7th house — the other: partnership, associations, commitments made as a pair. It begins at the descendant, opposite the ascendant.
• 8th house — transformation: intimacy, crises that help you grow, what is shared or inherited.
• 9th house — horizons: long journeys, higher education, beliefs, the search for meaning.
• 10th house — vocation: career, reputation, what you set out to achieve in the eyes of the world. It begins at the midheaven.
• 11th house — shared projects: friendships, networks, common hopes.
• 12th house — the inner life: the need to withdraw, inner life, what is lived in silence.

An empty house is not a gap

There are ten main planets for twelve houses, so some are bound to be empty. A house without a planet doesn't mean that area is missing from your life. It is then read through the sign on its cusp and the planet that rules that sign.

On the other hand, several planets gathered in one house point to an area where a lot of energy is concentrated — a theme that will come back often in your story.

A simple method to get started

1. Find the house with the most planets: it is often a central theme.
2. Look at where your Sun is: it shows the area where you seek fulfilment.
3. Note the house of your Moon: it shows where you find comfort.
4. Finally, read the sign on the cusp of the 7th and 10th houses to shed light on partnership and vocation.

Keep in mind that houses describe fields of experience, not events written in advance. They invite reflection and never replace professional advice.

Your chart, house by house

The most telling way is to see them in your own sky. Your birth chart places each planet in its house from your birth time and place. For a guided reading, our psychics who specialise in astrology can help.