Astrology
“In this way, the science of the heavens, astrology, is said to have provided humanity with God’s true revelation of Wisdom.”
— Plato, philosopher & polymath
What is astrology?
Astrology, as many of you will know, is the study of the motion and correspondence of the heavenly bodies (i.e. the planets, exoplanets and stars) with the human condition. For us to state with confidence that astrology originates — as academics believe — from the Babylonians, Chaldeans or Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq) in c. 3000 BC would likely be naive. Why? Because we’re still discovering new things from old stuff that completely changes academics previously stated (with confidence!) ‘truths’. For example, the “world’s oldest temple”, Gobekli Tepe, which archaeologists have excavated less than 5% of at the time of writing (2024), is believed to have been built between 9,600 BC and 8,200 BC. Megaliths predating Stonehenge by some 6,000 years! Why do I bring Gobekli Tepe into this? Because this large Neolithic site in the Germuş mountains of south-eastern Anatolia, Turkey, believed to have been built some 7000 years before academics believe astrology originated, contains carved depictions of astronomical and zodiacal symbols. My point is that we really have no idea when, where and from whom astrology originated from. Whether that’s Mesopotamia in the third millennia BC, Turkey in the tenth millennia BC or even from a lost ancient civilisation, as Graham Hancock famously (thanks to Netflix) believes.
Alas, Astrology has allured academic minds, from Rhetorius of ancient Greece to Isaac Newton, for centuries. To understand astrology is to submit to the divine metaphysics that underpins the individual and collective intrapersonal, interpersonal and cosmological context that each of our souls live in. Astrology at no point dismisses the concept of free will. We always have free will as individuals. Astrology is all around us individuals on this floating rock that we call Earth - it’s the context to the material realm that we so easily identify with and spend practically every second of our waking consciousness within. Context acts as a mere container for the sentient contents within that can do as it pleases. Whether you feel called to understand the context of your container and whether you act on it or not is the free will that has brought you here today, not Mars or Jupiter. Why do people feel drawn to context? Perhaps it’s related to the innate human need to fit in. Does that, then, make understanding astrology one of the many ways that one can align their free will to be in a state of harmony with the universe? Yes, I believe it does.
So, we now understand that astrology transcends the definition of ancient, but what about astrology in the modern day? There are two main astrological systems that astrologers in the modern day work with that both originate from Hellenistic astrology — attributed to Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer and astrologer living in Alexandria, Egypt — which we can thank the cross-pollination of cultures from the Mesopotamians to the Greeks for. The modern methods of astrology take into account more planetary bodies and celestial objects than astrology of the past did, such as planets that they couldn’t see with their naked eye, dwarf planets and even asteroids. The two main aforementioned astrological systems are the tropical system and the sidereal system. The tropical system orients itself toward the four seasons a.k.a. the equinoxes (the Point of Aries and Point of Libra) and solstices (the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). Zodiac charts based on the tropical system are drawn per the sun’s reference to the horizon as seen from Earth. On the other hand, the sidereal system orients itself toward the positioning of the stars with its zodiac charts based on the sun’s reference to the constellations and its movement across the landscape of constellations. The latter system reflects what you see when you physically look up at the skies at a given point in time from a given geographic location. The tropical system is used in modern western astrology and the sidereal system is used in eastern (Vedic) astrology.
Reading and understanding your natal astrological chart
There are likely hundreds if not thousands of websites on the web that offer a free natal astrology chart to be generated for you to look at by simply typing in your time, date and place of birth. In that sense, the practice of astrology is easily accessible with wide open doors to the layman and beginner. On the other hand, there’s also a variety of astrology software on the market for those wanting a more comprehensive astrology experience. Regardless of how you create your natal chart, those three aforementioned inputs of yours is what, astrologically speaking, is going to determine the context that you can begin to analyse and contemplate. What is the purpose of that context? Put most simply, the reason astrology is a practice is that it’s a pursuit of getting a sense of who you are. Astrologers — and maybe you, shortly, if you’re new to astrology — tend to take a more macroscopic approach than the microscopic one of only considering the aspects in their respective silos. They will do this by looking at the various parts that interact with another (i.e. aspects) and even analysing the patterns that the different celestial bodies form on the chart. An important thing to note, in relation to your input of your time of birth, is that the traditional methodology for astrology (and numerology) is to convert the time to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Once you have a copy of your natal astrological chart to look at, I imagine you’ll want to start learning how to understand it. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what each element of your natal chart means. Each element has been listed in ‘importance’ (of understanding) order. Though I understand if you’d want to debate that!
Understanding your rising, moon and sun signs
Your rising sign (ascendant sign)
The common idea in western culture is that a person’s sun sign is the most significant.To put it plainly - this is wrong; and we can blame the craze of daily horoscopes for that misunderstanding. A craze that took over western media – with newspapers printing daily horoscopes as far back as the late 1800s and early 1900s – which arguably gave astrology a bad reputation for being nothing more than a trashy pseudoscience. Your rising sign, or ascendant sign, is the zodiac that is on the eastern horizon about to rise at the time of your birth. These signs change every two hours, give or take - of course. Thus, it’s far better suited (in comparison to your sun sign) as an articulation of who you are due to it being much more precise and specific in comparison to any other sign.
Your ascendant sign, or rising sign, dictates where your first house on your natal chart begins. The first house, like your rising sign, is undoubtedly the most significant representation of your essence as it’s the only house in astrology that’s entirely about you. What your rising sign (or ascendant sign) represents is akin to the Jungian explanation of the ego - the lower case ‘s’ self. Your projected external character. It can tell how you interact with others. For example, a sun sign Taurus with a rising sign Gemini can be down to earth, peaceful and practical in their private environments but, when around people, present more of the lofty and even capricious qualities of the intellectual and chatty Gemini. Speaking personally, I can attest to this. As a Virgo sun and Gemini rising with an introverted nature my duality never ceases to astound me. I’m a methodical and meandering character who takes pride in my solitude, finding comfort and strength in the font of my aloneness. Until I’m around a close relationship, that is. I find that I, rather immediately, without my conscious control, leap into a lubricated socialite!
Your sun sign
When we come to your sun sign, we arrive at the place that people identify with the most. Whenever you hear someone say “I’m a Scorpio!” or “I know right? I’m such a Pisces!”, they’re referencing their sun sign. The origins of your sun sign is an easy one to understand. What zodiac was the sun in at your birth? If Taurus, your sun sign is Taurus, obviously. Though, we shouldn’t dismiss the significance of what your sun sign represents, just because it’s simple. When you mix astrology with eastern wisdom, you get the idea that your sun sign is home to your karma; housing the karmic lessons you are here to learn within this incarnation. Alongside this, your sun sign denotes your innate skill sets, natural talents and also hints at the path to your greatest possible destiny.
The sun is one of the five personal planets (along with the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) and is associated with the influences from your father. It is said that the sun represents your childhood. The sun is the embodiment and symbol of masculine yang energy. The astrological house that your sun resides within is also a significant factor to consider within your natal chart. The house that your sun is in not only shows where your unique individuality shines but it indicates what, in your life, gets most vitalised when you are in your true natural flow. A good example to understand this – If I do say so myself – is, in fact, with myself. My sun sign is Virgo and my sun is in my fifth house. The fifth house in my natal chart is in Leo, a fire sign. The fifth house, universally speaking, is ruled by the sun and the element of fire. So, I can deduce from that rulership information that my sun is more than comfortable in this fifth house. The fifth house of fertility and creation is a succedent house that provides support to the ‘seat of your soul’ of the fourth house. As a Virgo with a busy fifth house, my vitality flows in abundance when I am being creative and expressive. Though, I have a very particular, comprehensive and often pedantic way of being so. How very Virgo of me!
Your moon sign
There is no more mystical planet than the moon and, mystically speaking, the moon is synonymous with the astral body and the astral plane. According to the great mystics of the world and initiates of mystery schools (past and present) such as the Rosicrucians, everyone has an astral body and your astral body goes with you through each incarnation. This astral body is the bearer of feeling and as the Buddha said - all feeling is indeed routing in desire and all your desires can be found within your astral body.
What’s all this got to do with your moon sign? Well, your moon sign denotes your emotional quotient, your subconscious and all the impulses that spring from that unseen place. Your moon sign can indicate why you say what you say and why you do what you. Your natal moon is often used as the first point of research within a past life astrology reading, too. Thus, there’s an abundance of mystical insight to be gained from your moon sign regarding what’s lying deep within your soul. The moon is one of the five personal planets (along with the sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars) and is associated with the influences from your mother. It is said that the moon represents your adulthood. The moon is the embodiment and symbol of feminine yin energy. The house that your moon resides in within your natal chart is a key area for introspection and contemplation. I’m a Scorpio moon and the moon is in my sixth house. The sixth house is a cadent house that denotes your everyday life. So, to say that I have a passionate subconscious underbelly that drives everything I do would be the greatest understatement of my life!
Understanding your north and south nodes
Your north node in your natal chart
In ancient astrology, the north node was known as the dragon’s head. I don’t know about you but the dragon’s head is a much cooler name than the north node! Though, the north node also makes sense as it, along with the south node, refers to the point(s) along the moon’s ecliptic orbit around the earth that intersects with the sun’s orbit. Spiritually speaking, it’s believed that your north node is your predetermined path to individuation and self actualisation and following it will bring you fulfilment. This makes your north node much like Dorothy’s yellow brick road (the golden path) in The Wizard of Oz. You must follow it! Pay close attention to the aspects that the planets in your natal chart form with your north node. Whether it be trines, conjunctions, sextiles or anything else - they can show you the amplifying aspects you possess that can lead you to your true north.
Your south node in your natal chart
In ancient astrology, just as the north node’s name was the dragon’s head, the south node was called the dragon’s tail. Your south node shows what opposes your north node. If the natal astrology chart you are looking at does not show you your south node - don’t worry. Your south node is directly opposite your north node. So, if your natal chart doesn’t appear to have a south node, it does, you just have to look past the laziness of the chart to plot the south node yourself! Much like the north node denoting your predetermined path forward, your south node denotes your predetermined obstacles in your way. Understanding the significance of your south node in your natal chart can help you come to terms with that which prevents you from moving forward towards where you need to be.
I don’t have a south node placement on my natal astrology chart?
Yes, you do. Your chart just isn’t showing it. Your south node is in the zodiac that’s directly opposite your north node. You can find the zodiac sign of your south node in this list below.
If your north node is in Aries then your south node is in Libra.
If your north node is in Taurus then your south node is in Scorpio.
If your north node is in Gemini then your south node is in Sagittarius.
If your north node is in Cancer then your south node is in Capricorn.
If your north node is in Leo then your south node is in Aquarius.
If your north node is in Virgo then your south node is in Pisces.
If your north node is in Libra then your south node is in Aries.
If your north node is in Scorpio then your south node is in Taurus.
If your north node is in Sagittarius then your south node is in Gemini.
If your north node is in Capricorn then your south node is in Cancer.
If your north node is in Aquarius then your south node is in Leo.
If your north node is in Pisces then your south node is in Virgo.
Understanding the personal planets in your natal chart
Mercury in your natal chart
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the fastest planet in our solar system – travelling through space at nearly 29 miles (47 kilometres) per second. It’s also the smallest planet and only slightly larger than the Earth’s Moon. Did anything in that previous sentence stand out to you or bring questions to your mind? For example, how can Mercury be the smallest planet in our solar system while also being larger than the Earth’s Moon? Put simply, our Moon is not considered a planet but a satellite of Earth. And, why did I say “Earth’s Moon” and not “the moon”? Because there are actually 293 moons orbiting planets in our solar system with more than 470 satellites orbiting Kuiper Belt Objects (KBUs) beyond Neptune, that’s why. Saturn itself has 146 moons!
Anyway, you get my point about moons - so, back to Mercury. With it being the fastest planet that is also closest to the Sun, it makes sense why there's been a deity associated with Mercury since time immemorial that wears winged sandals to travel between heaven (God’s place) and Earth (our place); and, as we know, “God” has always been synonymous with the Sun. The winged sandal wearer I’m speaking of is the supposed passer of wisdom to the ancient Egyptians - Hermes Trismegistus, also known as Thoth. The Greeks, who attempted to interpret and preserve the ancient wisdom lying desecrated in the sands of Egypt during the Ptolemaic era, shortened the deities’ name to just Hermes. It’s important to note that, unfortunately, by the time the Ancient Greeks came to Egypt - even the Egyptians living there were completely void of understanding the Ancient Egyptian wisdom that lay neglected therein - leaving the question, where did those who instilled and understood it disappear to and why didn’t they pass it on? But, that’s one of our universe’s biggest can of worms that I’ll leave for another day.
Hermes is also associated with one of the most famous symbols of all time that can be seen all over the word from neolithic sites to modern medicine - the caduceus, a staff with two snakes wrapped around it and wings at the top. The winged staff was believed to induce sleep - hinting at one of Hermes’ many roles of being the mediator between the living and the dead, the awake and the asleep and the underworld and overworld. Mercury, then, governs the intellectual or thought plane. Which brings to mind one of the seven hermetic principles “as above, so below” which, in fact, originates from the “Emerald Tablets of Thoth” - an ancient hermetic text written by Hermes Trismegistus himself. In the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, The Magician – number one in the major arcana after number zero, The Fool – is depicted with one hand pointing upwards towards the sky and the other pointing down towards the earth. With, in front of him, a table with the four classical elements of earth, water, air and fire laid upon it. The Magician tarot card depicts the “as above, so below” mantra and is ruled by the planet Mercury. As the planet Mercury speeds through the solar system above us, so below our thoughts, ideas, communications, creations and commerce are governed by it.
It’s the Romans that we can thank for the name Mercury after putting their own name onto their version of the Greek Hermes and Egyptian Thoth. It’s the same Romans that we can thank for having a seven day week as opposed to an eight day one - imagine how tired we’d all be if each week had an extra day (I jest)... The days were then named after the classical planets of Hellenistic astrology, in the order: Sun (Helios), Moon (Selene), Mars (Ares), Mercury (Hermes), Jupiter (Zeus), Venus (Aphrodite), and Saturn (Cronus). Wednesday is named after Mercury, which can still be identified slightly within the French ‘Mercredi’.
Note the house that Mercury resides in within your natal astrology chart - those are the subject areas that tend to occupy your mind the most. Likewise, looking at a solar returns chart to see when Mercury will return for you and noting the house it will be in will give you insight into what will be on your mind in that period. Mercury changes its zodiac sign every seven to eight days.
Venus in your natal chart
Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system - something that, if ‘she’ heard me say, I’m sure she’d take as a complement. It’s also the second planet from the Sun, our nearest planetary neighbours and the sixth largest planet.
Like Mars (one of the other personal planets), Venus embodies and is the symbol of one of the oldest archetypes known to man - love. Named, of course, after the Roman goddess Venus. The etymology of the Latin ‘Venus’ is an interesting one, stemming from the Proto-italic (pre Latin) ‘wenos’ meaning ‘desire’. The word ‘‘wenos’ has a Latin derivative ‘venenum’ meaning ‘poison’ - stemming from ‘wenes-no’ meaning ‘love drink’ or ‘addicting’. Friday is named after Venus, which can still be identified slightly within the Italian ‘Venerdì’.
Like the Moon, Venus corresponds with the emotional plane. Thus, Venus can be thought of as your attractor field. Venus, along with Jupiter, is known as a benefic. Meaning that their energy and influence can be helpful and positive. The placement of Venus in your natal chart can offer insights into who, and what, is drawn to you and why. Venus is also about the favours bestowed upon you, so the house your natal Venus occupies reveals what blessings you were born with. Venus changes its zodiac sign every 18 to 19 days.
Mars in your natal chart
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, the seventh largest and the only planet we know of inhabited entirely by robots. Mars, coupled with Venus as one of Earth’s two closest planetary neighbours, embodies and is the symbol of one of the oldest archetypes known to man - war. War and love. Push and pull. Destruction and creation. Death and life. Swings and roundabouts, eh?
In Greek culture, Mars was identified with the Greek god Ares; one of the twelve olympians, son of Zues and Hera and god of war and courage. In Roman culture, he was reinterpreted under the name of Mars with most of his festivals occurring in the month of March - the month named after him. Tuesday is the day named after Mars, which can still be identified slightly within the French ‘Mardi’.
Wherever, in your life, a climax, crescendo or denouement can be had - the essence of Mars will be found underneath it all. Mars is assertion - denoting how we utilise our inner fire, determination and aggression. The personal planets are the fastest moving planets, with the Moon changing signs every two days, the Sun every 22-23 days, Mercury every seven to eight days, Venus every 18-19, and Mars the longest of all at 57-58 days; give or take, of course.
Mars, along with Saturn, is known as a malefic. Meaning that their energy and influence can be intense and challenging. Due to this, in traditional astrology, Mars denotes strife. Thus, the house that Mars occupies in your natal astrology chart will denote areas of life subject to struggle or conflict.
Understanding the social planets in your natal chart
Jupiter in your natal chart
Jupiter, along with Saturn, make up the two social planets. Social planets show us where we are positioned within the collective whole. Jupiter is also part of a different coupling - with Venus, as the two benefics. Ancient astrologers referred to Jupiter as the ‘greater benefic’ and Venus as the ‘lesser benefic’. This emphasises Jupiter’s energy of expansion and growth and divine luck and prosperity. There’s a great deal of insight to be gained into analysing Jupiter’s placement in your natal astrological chart. Where Jupiter is positioned - you shine. Jupiter in our natal chart shows our prosperity and fortune and when you step into the house that Jupiter resides in you will find abundance. Jupiter changes its zodiac sign approximately every 361 days; making it take around 12 years for each person to experience their Jupiter return. Thursday is the day named after Jupiter, which can still be identified slightly within the French ‘Jeudi’.
Saturn in your natal chart
Saturn, along with Jupiter, make up the two social planets. Social planets show us where we are positioned within the collective whole. Saturn is also part of a different coupling - with Mars, as the two malefics; meaning that their energy and influence can be intense and challenging.
Saturday is the day named after Saturn, though I imagine by now you would have been able to guess that - as the English for Saturday by no means hides Saturn from its association!
The transcendental (collective) planets in your natal chart
Uranus in your natal chart
It is said that the collective planets, which are often called transpersonal planets or transcendental planets, vibrate at higher frequencies than the other celestial bodies and that they express how our personal unconscious connects to the collective unconscious. Uranus, in particular, is unique in that it rotates on its side - appearing to spin sideways; it’s also the seventh planet from the sun and four times wider than Earth. Uranus is also an outlier in that it’s the only planet named after a Greek god, as opposed to a Roman deity. In Greek mythology, Uranus, sometimes written Ouranos, is the personification of the sky.
Uranus, above all other planets, governs genius and is seen as the planet that breaks us out of old patterns and into new, more authentic ways of being. Thus, Uranus is associated with innovation, revolution and liberation. The energy of Uranus is synonymous with unexpected change. Therefore, analysing Uranus’ presence in your natal astrology chart, in particular the house that it resides in, can bring great insight.
Neptune in your natal chart
Neptune is one of the three outer planets (along with Uranus and Pluto) that have been discovered since the invention of the telescope that have since been and taken into consideration in western astrology. Neptune is the eighth and most distant major planet that orbits the sun and, due to that astronomical distance, is not visible to the naked eye. Neptune was the first planet located using maths – specifically, the calculations of Urbain Le Verrier – and it was the German astronomer Johann Gelle who was the first to observe the planet in 1846. Neptune takes 165 years to orbit the Sun, leading to the planet spending approximately 14 years, give or take, in each sign of the zodiac; allowing Neptune, just like its neighbour Uranus, to have a generational influence.
Due to how recently Neptune was discovered, astrologers have had to assign meaning to it. Though, the right to name the planet itself was claimed by Urbain Le Verrier who ultimately suggested naming the planet Neptune after the Roman god of the sea; the deep, ocean blue colour of the planet certainly makes it befitting of the name. Neptune’s glyph and symbol is taken directly from the Roman god Neptune’s trident which symbolises the curve of spirit being pierced by the cross of matter. In Roman myth and religion, Neptune is the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon and a brother of Jupiter and Pluto; with whom, as a threesome, preside over the realms of heaven, the earthly world (including the underworld), and the seas.
In astrology, Neptune is associated with the collective unconscious - a term coined by Carl Jung in 1916. It is the planet of dreamers. Thus, a strong Neptunian presence in your natal astrology chart hints at a strong imagination and an unconventional will to drive against the collective consciousness. Neptune is the bearer of psychic gifts and dreams and clairvoyance and intuition. In modern astrology, it’s widely considered that Neptune rules the 12th house - the house of the unconscious and unseen. Lastly, Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces, which is the age we are moving out of (the age of Pisces) to move into the age of Aquarius (the water bearer). The Aquarius constellation is the symbol in the sky of the water bearer who’s pouring his cup of consciousness into the mouth of a fish (Pisces). From this, we can intuit that the age of Aquarius is the age whereby the unseen and often dark influences on humanity become clear in the psyche of the modern man, elevating the collective consciousness up an octave, or two. Good riddance to the age of Pisces, I say - and welcome to the water bearer!
Pluto in your natal chart
Pluto, despite being discovered as a planet in February of 1930, was soon knocked off its perch - something I remember all too well in academia due to this change being taught during my school years! It was in 2006, only 76 years after Clyde Tombaugh first discovered Pluto, that the International Astronomical Union declassified it as a planet and reclassified it as a dwarf planet. So, after reigning for almost eight decades as our ninth planet, it was redacted to nothing more than a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt. Pluto was named, interestingly, by 11-year-old Venetia Burney of Oxford, England.
Despite Pluto no longer being considered a planet by astronomers - astrologers, on the other hand, have failed to relent the high regard that they hold the lovely little planet in. Astrologers have long found its metaphysical influences on earth to be significant and worth noting in a natal chart, for many reasons all revolving around the idea of transformation. This is why Pluto’s nickname in astrology is “the great renewer”, hinting at an influence sometimes larger than simple transformation - rebirth.
In classical Roman mythology, Pluto was the god of the underworld who’s notably wealthy. Due to this, Pluto is believed to govern big business, wealth and economics, and any enterprise that involves digging under the surface into the darkness to bring the truth within to the light that’s outside. Interestingly, Pluto’s entry into the zodiac sign of Cancer in 1914 – the sign in which it was later discovered – coincided with the start of World War 1. Pluto’s discovery also coincided with the birth of modern psychoanalysis at the time that Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung began to explore the depths of the unconscious. Interestingly, once again, there was a key element that was first synthesised and isolated in 1940-1941 as a requisite for nuclear warfare - worked on as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. This element was known as element 94 during its classification. However, since uranium had been named after the planet Uranus and neptunium after the planet Neptune, element 94 was named after Pluto during its declassification in 1948.
Pluto is considered by modern astrologers to be the primary native ruler of the eighth house and also the ruling planet of Scorpio. The eighth house in astrology is associated with karmic debts, inheritance, shared resources, power, risk, anxiety, desires, temptations and the like. The eighth house was called Epicataphora by the Greeks, meaning “falling down into the underworld”. Pluto, like Neptune and Uranus, provides a generational influence due to its lengthy 248 year orbit around the sun making it spend anywhere from 12 to 32 years in each zodiac sign. It’s important to note here that Pluto retrogrades for five to six months every year, allowing it to take its characteristic backslide in the zodiac for renewal and regeneration. The house that Pluto is in for you will often experience upheaval and catharsis.
The modern astrological considerations in your natal chart
Chiron in your natal chart
Chiron, or more officially, the minor planet 2060-Chiron, is a ringed centaur asteroid that orbits between Jupiter and Neptune that was discovered in 1977 by Charles Kowal and was named after the superlative centaur in Greek mythology - Chiron. Chiron was called the “wisest and justest of all the centaurs” by his brethren and is the embodiment of the wounded healer archetype.
Chiron can stay in a zodiac sign from anywhere between two to eight years. Thus, Chiron’s zodiac sign within your natal chart and the house that it resides in can bring you a lot of cathartic teaching. After all, like the shaman, what wounds us can become our greatest strength. Only a shamed man (woman) can be a shaman and only a man (woman) skilled in the art of alchemy can stop licking their wounds (lead) and turn (alchemise) them into gifts (gold).
Lilith (black moon lilith) in your natal chart
Lilith, often referred to as the "Black Moon Lilith," is a hypothetical point in astrology that represents the farthest distance between the Moon and Earth in its elliptical orbit. Unlike a physical celestial body, Lilith is a calculated point that is believed to hold symbolic significance.
In astrology, Lilith is associated with female empowerment, rebellion, and the hidden or unconscious aspects of the self. It may reveal areas where an individual feels suppressed or undervalued. By understanding Lilith's placement in a natal chart, one can identify untapped potential and areas for personal growth. Your Lilith signifies the qualities that, if developed and nurtured, could significantly alter the course of a person's life. It represents the hidden power or talent that, when brought to light, can lead to greater fulfilment and achievement.
The twelve houses in astrology
If you’ve come this far in your journey of understanding astrology, it’ll be no surprise to you that there isn’t a single unified approach when it comes to the house system. In fact, there are dozens. Including, but not limited to, the whole sign house system, Placidus house system, Koch house system, Equal house system, Porphyry house system and more. It’s true, Placidus is known as being the most popular house system in use today, perhaps because of its complex underlying mathematics and thus its academic favorability - calculating the houses in a time based method originated from the renaissance period. But, the house system that we will concern ourselves with here is the whole sign house system. Why? Because it’s arguably the most preferred house system in astrology to date due to its simplicity; while also being the oldest house system. Importantly, there are no exceptions to the compatibility of the whole sign house system being used in someone’s natal chart - unlike the Placidus system which does not work for extremely northern or southern latitudes (greater than 66°N or 66°S) because certain degrees of the zodiac never touch the horizon in those regions. The whole sign house system takes the entire span of the zodiac sign that appears on the ascendant of one’s natal birth chart as the first house, with the following sign making up the second house. The next makes up the third. Etcetera.
I see each layer within understanding astrology as layers built upon each other like layers on a cake. Firstly: understanding a planet. Secondly, understanding a planet in a zodiac sign. Thirdly, understanding a planet in a zodiac sign within a whole sign house. So, what do the houses represent? Each house symbolises different areas of your life. The houses fall into three classifications: an angular house, a succedent house and a cadent house. The angular houses (the first house, the fourth house, the seventh house and the tenth house) are associated with the cardinal zodiac signs that mark the start of each quadrant of your birth chart. What goes on in an angular house can be quite forceful and front-and-centre in your life. Succedent (the second house, the fifth house, the eighth house and the eleventh house) simply means subsequent and are the houses that are following on from the leading angular houses. Succedent houses, then, are the areas that provide support to the self and to the angular house. Succedent houses are more powerful than cadent houses and less powerful than angular Houses - with the cadent houses having the least influence on us. Cadent houses (the third house, the sixth house, the ninth house and the twelfth house) are the last houses in each of the four quadrants of your natal chart. The term “cadent” is derived from the Latin word cado, which means “to fall down” or “to decline”. What goes on in a cadent house denotes areas of learning for us, where we must transform weaknesses into strengths to grow.
The first house
The first house begins with — and is dictated by — your rising sign, also known as your ascendant. The first house is big. It’s the only house out of the twelve that is entirely about you. Thus, the planets that you have within this house can give you a lot of insight indeed. In ancient astrology, the ascendant was sometimes called the ‘helm’ and the Ascendant ruler ‘the steersman’; these points act as guides or help one navigate through life.
The second house
In Hellenistic astrology, the second house is known as the ‘Gate of Hades’, referring to the fact that the second house leads the way to the houses that lie beneath the horizon of the chart. The second house being the first succedent (following on from your first angular house) in your natal chart, then, provides the self with support. House two in astrology represents the self’s possessions. Such as, the body, money, and all other forms of resource and wealth. Due to this, you may be inclined to wonder whether the ancient’s were warning us against the slippery slope of materialistic pursuits with their whole ‘Gate of Hades’ gag! The ruler of your second house and the planets inside it speak to your financial capacities (or lack thereof) as well as our attitude towards money (possessions).
The third house
The third house is a cadent house in your natal chart. Ruled by Mercury and the element of air, the third house is the house of communications. Traditionally, it’s also the house of siblings and early childhood - maybe because they’re the people we first begin communicating with in our first environments! The third house represents our ability to express ourselves and connect with our immediate surroundings.
The fourth house
The fourth house, an angular house, can hold a lot of importance in your life. The fourth house is ruled by the Moon and the element of water. House four in astrology is the seat of the soul. Therefore, bring to your mind the influences you’ve had on your life, on your seat and your soul? If there’s family wounding here, particularly with your parents, this will be no easy feat. As, there’s a significant hereditary aspect to the fourth house, revealing hereditary tendencies that will help you get to the bottom of your roots. In a literal sense, the fourth house is the roots of your natal chart, sitting at the bottom of the wheel, touching the earth and involving everything earthly. You may find, upon contemplating your fourth house and the planets you have within it, that those planets are slightly less outwardly expressed than others. This would make a great deal of sense as, after all, home is where you’re hidden from the world. Thus, the absolute truth in the taste and texture of your private life can be examined here in the fourth house. How did your private life play out in your childhood? How connected to the landscape of your family home were you? Did you feel a core member of your family, at the heart of it, or were you an outcast hiding behind the closed doors of an area already behind closed doors? There is deep meditation, contemplation and healing to be had in the fourth house. Consider how you want to cultivate your home within (the seat of your soul) going forward, and indeed your homely environment. It’s ultimately the job of the individual to identify the areas where we may need to focus on building emotional security and creating a healthy home environment- as it’s our home, after all.
The fifth house
The fifth house is ruled by the sun and the element of fire and is the succedent house that provides support to your fourth. In the fifth house, fertility is found. It can show our creations, our children or progeny, and our personal pursuits. This house can also indicate our love affairs and secondary relationships. What would you do as a vocation if you could? What do you spend most of your time doing besides your “day job” and activities of consumption? Whatever it is, you can bet it comes from the fifth house. Prosperity in one’s life inevitably sprouts from the seeds of true creativity - the kind that bursts from you because you can’t contain it. It’s no wonder, then, why they call the fifth house the house of good fortune! Be careful, though. That which brings you joy can be overdone. The opposite of fertility is infertility and that’s no good to anyone. Yourself, in particular.
The sixth house
There’s a lot to learn within the cadent house of the sixth. Ruled by the planet Mercury and the element of earth, it is the house that best denotes our everyday life. If house five, historically, was seen as the house of good fortune, then house six was its counterpart - the house of bad fortune. This was due to the association with words that hold much more negative connotations in the modern day - servitude and slavery. The modern astrological connotations of the sixth house are, at best, positive and at worst neutral. Everyone’s everyday life consists of work, service and health. How healthy are you? What, or whom, do you serve? Yourself or someone else? A good cause or a bad one? What is your attitude towards work? These are all important questions for meditation. Your contemplations on the sixth house and the planets you have within it in your natal chart can reveal to you your core competencies that you ultimately do, or do not, use effectively in respect to your physical life and attitudes to and executions with work.
The seventh house
We now know that short term affairs and pursuits that stem from some form of lust, greed or playful desire exist in the fifth house, but what about the more serious partnerships? The more serious partnerships, such as marriage, belong in the seventh house. Marriage, also, does not have to mean a traditional marriage between two people. Someone can be married within their business partnerships, too! The seventh house, another angular and therefore prevalent house, is ruled by the planet Venus and the element of air. Put simply, the seventh house is the house of unions, partnerships and long term relationships. The ancient astrologers believed this house to also be home to our enemies. This is because the seventh house is the house of the descendant. So, opposite to the ascendant. And, deep within the ascendant lies our species’ oldest known myth that’s deeply felt within the core of our consciousness. Thanks to the recurrent rising of the sun that resurrects itself like Christ (the Son of God) we’re made to feel safe and able to live out our days. In ancient Egypt, the first pharaoh and main deity, though they had many, was Ra - the sun God. All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra. In some accounts, humans were created from Ra's tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians call themselves the "Cattle of Ra". This identification with and worship of the sun and its daily appearance that acts as an allowance of existence is deeply felt within us in the western world — though we know it not — as well as still being the worshipped daily deity within native cultures across the globe. As we know, though, when the sun disappears below the horizon at sunset and Ra begins his descent into the underworld to slay his foe Apophis, mankind is cast into a whole new world. Whereupon our deep-rooted fears ride the waves of darkness that the sun’s absence allows until it rises anew once again. This is why our deeply connected adversaries also find their home in the seventh house.
The eighth house
The eighth house is the succedent house that supports the seventh angular house and is ruled by the planets Mars and Pluto and the element of water. Carrying on from where we left off with the themes of the seventh house - the eighth house was called Epicataphora by the Greeks, meaning “falling down into the underworld”. Death is the primary association of the eighth house. Though, it’s not entirely doom and gloom, as without death there can be no resurrection after all. The eighth house, then, is all about transformation. Home to our karmic debts and how we deal with our shadows. In the eighth house you will find sexuality, power, risk, losses, desires, temptations and all that you’ve inherited - good or bad. This is also the house of inactive power, and therefore reveals otherwise unseen influences in our life. Planets within your eighth house may provide a particularly disturbing influence, but for some, these raw experiences may be just the ticket to growth that’s needed.
The ninth house
The cadent ninth house shows areas of higher learning, growth, and spiritual development that will further enhance and support both the preceding angular seventh house and the following angular tenth house. In Hellenistic astrology the ninth house was known as the house of God and is ruled by the planet Jupiter and the element of fire. This house relates to how we view spirituality, religion and mystical matters and denotes our connection to the whole. If you find that you have a particularly busy ninth house, you may realise why you perhaps tend to be more cosmopolitan, mystical-minded, and interested in diversity of thought. The ninth house relates to long journeys. The longest journey that we each go on is the incarnation that we’re experiencing this time round. Which is why the ninth house is the house of self actualisation and divination.
The tenth house
The tenth angular house is ruled by the planet Saturn and the element of earth. This is the house of the culminating angle, and will reveal your optimal career path, keys to social success, and potential for high achievement. It’s believed that the Great Work of your life exists within this house, which was assigned to you by the Divine at birth. The tenth house is home to your professional destiny or dharma, social status and reputation. The sun's significance to ancient astrologers cannot be overstated here again in the tenth house. As the sun ascends in the first house, symbolising the dawn of a new cycle, its energy reaches its peak at the tenth house, representing the midday sun's zenith and its blinding power. The tenth house, then, is one of the strongest houses in your natal chart, second only to your first house.
The eleventh house
The eleventh House, historically called the 'house of good spirits,' is the area of the chart that governs our social interactions. While friendships are the most common association, it also encompasses the broader network of people we know. The eleventh house is ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus and the element of air. As a succedent house to the tenth, your eleventh house supports your destiny through your connections to other people.
The twelfth house
The twelfth house is a cadent house. Meaning, the last house in a quadrant. Though, it’s not just the last in a quadrant, it’s the final house in your natal chart. As we know by now with cadent houses, they provide a different context than the other two classes of houses (angular and succedent). Angular and succedent houses provide a prominent and powerful influence. On the contrary, cadent houses are areas of learning and transformation that lie in waiting for us to tap into. In the same vein, the twelfth house is the house of all things hidden. Gifts, talents, challenges, difficulties, limitations, etcetera. The twelfth house tells the story of the demons we face to achieve transcendence. Thus, though the tenth house is the house of our professional destiny and success, a warts-and-all insight to one’s true hero’s journey can only be understood within the twelfth house. Although karmic debts can be found within the eighth house, the crosses we bear, suffer and conceal from others, like addictions or forbidden impulses, or the aspects of ourselves that remain beyond our grasp, such as subconscious self-sabotaging behaviours, are nestled deep within the twelfth house. This house can also indicate what we perceive as our limitations; and by viewing these traits as such, we may unknowingly fulfil our own predictions! Therefore, becoming mindful of the twelfth house's impact and maintaining self awareness can enable us to turn our weaknesses into strengths. The twelfth house is ruled by the planets Jupiter and Neptune and the element of water.
