Astrology 101: The Houses
Because Astrocartography, or what I like to call Travel Astrology, is based on the natal chart, it’s important to understand the basics of Astrology. We’re continuing with part 3 of the series on the basics of astrology, called Astrology 101 (check out part 1 here and part 2 here), and we’re diving into the next step in understanding your chart - the houses.
The houses are essentially 12 parts of your birth chart that represent different areas of life (more on these below).
So why is this important? In astrocartography, the houses of the planets shift (not the signs!) in your relocated chart when you go to another place in the world. You are essentially rotating your entire chart when you relocate, so you will experience more or less influence in certain areas of your life.
Psst: if you want a no-fluff PDF quick reference guide to ALL the basics of Astrology, check out my Astro 101 guide here!
When we think about the natal chart, you’ll often see it broken up into 12 equal portions to represent the zodiac signs. There is also another breakdown into 12 wedges to represent the houses. Depending on what house system you use (such as Placidus vs whole sign), the sizes of the wedges may vary. There are different methods astrologers use to divide the chart—called house systems. While the meaning of each house stays the same, the planets and signs occupying each house can shift depending on the system used.
I read primarily in Placidus, so in this house system, the houses are based on the Angles. The angles are determined by the birth information because the AC is the degree/sign of the constellation that is rising in the East at the time of birth. The MC is the highest point in the sky, the DC is the point in the constellation setting in the West, and the IC is the unseen point on the other side of Earth. Think of the angles like the compass points of your birth chart. The Ascendant (East), Descendant (West), Midheaven (South), and IC (North) act as energetic anchors in your life story.
In the Placidus system, the AC is the beginning of the 1st house, the IC is the beginning of the 4th house, the DC is the beginning of the 7th house, and the MC is the beginning of the 10th house. The angles change due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis and will vary based on the time of year and the location. The position of each planet is calculated based on the location relative to the earth’s seasons, with the equinox beginning in Aries.
As mentioned, each house represents a different area of life. You can also think of it as one’s journey through life. They align with normal zodiac rulers starting with Aries, however, in each person’s chart depending on the time of birth, the sign will likely be different. When looking at the meanings, it helps to reference the zodiac sign since they sometimes share similar themes in their meanings.
The first house begins with the self, your appearance, the first impression you give off. It is related to Aries.
The second house is your possessions, money, values, accumulated wealth. It is related to Taurus.
The third house represents communication, early learning/education, siblings, and shorter travel distances. It is related to Gemini.
The fourth house represents home, family, roots/ancestry, and maternal lineage. It is related to Cancer.
The fifth house represents creativity, self-expression, fun, romance, and children. It is related to Leo.
The sixth house represents work, daily routines, service to others. It is related to Virgo.
The seventh house represents 1:1 relationships/partnerships of all kinds, though typically seen as the marriage house. It is related to Libra.
The eighth house represents the occult/taboo, hidden matters/shadows, sex, and also other people’s money. It is related to Scorpio.
The ninth house represents higher education, international travel, fame, religion/spirituality. It is related to Sagittarius.
The tenth house represents career, legacy, and public image. It is related to Capricorn.
The eleventh house represents community, friendships, social presence/interests. It is related to Aquarius.
The twelfth house represents the subconcious, anything hidden, imagination, and the spiritual world. It is related to Pisces.
For example, I have several placements in both my first house and my 7th house, and my IC is in Aries and MC is in Libra. This translates to a MAJOR emphasis of self vs. others in my life. My husband has a second house stellium (which is a cluster of 3+ planets in the same house/sign) in Sagittarius which means he is very driven to achieve financial freedom. Another client who also has a 2nd house stellium in his natal chart relocated and is now a 5th house stellium - and boy does he love children!
By understanding which area of life a planet is acting upon, you get greater context and understanding for what themes are most relevant in your life. Having an empty house doesn’t usually mean much besides that area of life being of lesser importance overall, but every house will be activated at some point in your life due to transits and progressions. I hope to have another blog post on that topic soon.
In relation to astrocartography, the houses where you experience significant life events may shift depending on where you are in the world, so yes, understanding different houses is important. Just because one house isn’t activated in your home country, it doesn’t mean it’s not being activated by other places in the world too! When you travel or relocate, the time zone and spatial orientation change, which means the planets shift into different houses. Suddenly, Venus might move from your 12th house into your 10th, activating career opportunities or greater visibility in that location. You can see some examples of how this plays out in my astrocartography case study videos from the podcast.
Understanding your natal houses is like understanding the stage of your life…what themes are most present, and where you’re being asked to grow, explore, or heal. But when you move across the globe, that stage changes. Suddenly, what felt hidden at home may become front and center somewhere else.
That’s where astrocartography becomes a transformational tool. It reveals the places in the world where your chart is lit up in new ways, where you’re naturally supported in love, career, healing, or spiritual awakening.
Curious to see how your life themes shift around the world? I offer 1:1 personalized astrocartography readings that help you pinpoint the best locations for growth, healing, and alignment.
Book your session here and discover what parts of the world are calling you into your next evolution.
