In astrology, houses divide the natal chart into twelve segments, each representing specific life areas. Understanding house systems and planetary rulerships is essential for interpreting how planetary energies express themselves in different life domains.
1. House Systems
A house system determines how the zodiac is divided into 12 houses. Different systems offer slightly different placements of house cusps.
Common House Systems
System | Description |
|---|---|
| Placidus | Most widely used; divides houses based on time of birth and latitude. |
| Koch | Time-based, popular in modern astrology; emphasizes angular houses. |
| Equal House | Divides the chart into 12 equal 30° segments from Ascendant; simple and consistent. |
| Whole Sign | Each sign equals one house; Ascendant sign is the 1st house; traditional and Vedic astrology. |
| Porphyry | Divides quadrants into three equal parts; simpler than Placidus. |
2. House Rulerships
Each house has natural rulership by a zodiac sign and can be influenced by planets located in or ruling the house.
House | Life Area | Natural Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| 1st House | Self, personality, physical appearance | Aries / Mars |
| 2nd House | Finances, possessions, values | Taurus / Venus |
| 3rd House | Communication, siblings, local environment | Gemini / Mercury |
| 4th House | Home, family, roots | Cancer / Moon |
| 5th House | Creativity, romance, children | Leo / Sun |
| 6th House | Work, health, daily routines | Virgo / Mercury |
| 7th House | Partnerships, marriage, contracts | Libra / Venus |
| 8th House | Shared resources, transformation, sexuality | Scorpio / Pluto |
| 9th House | Higher education, travel, philosophy | Sagittarius / Jupiter |
| 10th House | Career, reputation, authority | Capricorn / Saturn |
| 11th House | Friendships, social groups, hopes | Aquarius / Uranus |
| 12th House | Secrets, subconscious, spirituality | Pisces / Neptune |
Practical Tips
- Choosing a House System
- Beginners often start with Placidus or Equal House.
- For traditional or Vedic astrology, Whole Sign is preferred.
- Analyzing House Rulerships
- Check which planets rule each house and which planets are located in each house.
- Houses indicate where life events, challenges, and growth occur.
- Integration
- Combine house system, sign, ruler, and planetary aspects to understand the full picture.
