The 12 Houses in Astrology

What is a “house” in astrology?

There are many ways of mapping the sky. 

The way that might be most familiar to you is the zodiac: the 12 signs that our Sun blazes through each year. But thanks to the Earth’s rotation, the stars look different at different times of night and in different locations. That’s where the 12 houses come in. The houses of your natal chart illustrate how the sky would have appeared from your perspective at the time and place of your birth. They anchor the sky in your unique vantage point and divide it into segments that represent distinct areas of your life.

In astrology, the planets are the main actors in a birth chart, and the signs are the roles and costumes they try on. The houses are the stages where everyone performs their big show. They correspond to the various sectors of your life, from your vocation to family matters. They also encompass the people you find in each domain, such as your caregivers (4th House), your romantic or platonic partners (7th House), and even your neighbor, local barista, or bus driver (3rd House).

What does it mean if I have empty houses in my birth chart?

When you interact with your birth chart for the first time, you may notice that some houses are hosting a lot of activity, yet other houses appear sparse or empty. This is normal.

If you add up all the planets in our solar system, plus the two luminaries, you’ll get a cast of 10 main characters: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Meanwhile, there are 12 houses in your chart. Inevitably, some of those stages are going to be vacant.

Remember: The sky is always changing, and so is your relationship with it. There is no “wrong” or “weird” arrangement. Every chart is perfectly unique — just like every person.

What does it mean to have a full house?

When three or more planets huddle together in the same house, this grouping is called a stellium. The closer the planets are to each other, the more their energies start to intertwine. For example, a stellium involving the Sun, the Moon, and Venus could mean that heart-to-heart connections form a cornerstone of your life. Venus brings charm and affection to this merger, while the Moon helps you feel nurtured by your bonds. With the Sun on the same stage, your relationships may even influence your sense of your life’s purpose. 

If you have multiple planets and/or points in one house, that area of your life (such as career for the 10th House, or community for the 11th) will be a focal point for you. But does that mean your empty houses don’t matter? Not at all.

How do I work with empty houses in my birth chart?

Even if you don’t have any planets or points in a house, this area of your life can still be rich and fulfilling. You have all 12 houses in your chart, no matter where the “planetary actors” are. If your 7th House of partnerships looks vacant, this doesn’t mean you won’t form long-term, fulfilling relationships. Similarly, if it seems like your 4th House is unoccupied, this doesn’t mean you won’t have meaningful ties to your home, family, or ancestry. While your energy may be naturally pulled toward the packed houses, you might find that other areas of life turn out just fine without much attention or effort on your part.

To work with one of your empty houses, all you have to do is identify the house ruler. The CHANI app uses a house system known as whole sign houses. (If you don’t have the app, you can pull up your chart with our online chart tool.) With this method of dividing a chart, each house overlaps completely with one of the 12 signs. The planet that rules a given sign also rules the house in that part of your chart and the corresponding area of your life.

For example, if you’re a Taurus rising, your 7th House of partnerships is Scorpio. Scorpio is ruled by Mars, so this planet is the ruler of your 7th House. This means Mars-like themes of passion, drive, intensity, or impulsiveness could characterize your close relationships, whether romantic or platonic. Mars’ location in your birth chart and its aspects to other planets and points will add more nuance to your interpretation. If your Mars is in Pisces, which would be the 11th House of community in this example, you might meet your romantic partner or best friend through your social circles or collective endeavors, or themes of friendship might show up in your committed relationships.

If you’re a subscriber to the CHANI app, we do all this work for you. The description of each planet in the Me tab of the app folds in the meanings of the house(s) it rules. As you get to know how this system works, you’ll understand why we interpret your chart the way we do.

When you’re making sense of an empty house in your chart, you can begin by asking yourself these questions:

• What sign is occupying this empty house?
• What planet rules this sign? 
• Which house is this planet in? 
• What are the themes of that house? 
• How do these themes intersect with the themes of the empty house? 
• What aspects is this planet forming with other planets and points?

Remember the above example: If the ruler of your 7th house of committed partnerships is in your 11th House of friendships, you might meet your romantic partner or best friend through your social circles or collective endeavors, or themes of friendship might show up in your committed relationships. The topics of one house are carried into another. This can take time to understand and integrate, but once you do, you’ll start to notice the many ways that house topics can overlap, merge, and show up in your life.

 

All 12 astrological houses, explained

Here is a breakdown of what each house means and how to work with it.

1st House: self, appearance, vitality, and life force

Your 1st House, also known as your ascendant or rising sign, is determined by the sign on the eastern horizon when you were born. 

If you’ve ever woken up early to watch the sunrise, you know that the Sun — like the Moon and the other planets — always emerges from the east. In your birth chart, this part of the sky is represented by the left side of the chart wheel.

The 1st House is the portal through which you, like the Sun, come into the world. For this reason, the 1st House represents your life, body, and vitality. You might notice that your personality features some qualities of your rising sign and of any planets or points that dwell here.

• If you have planets or points in your 1st House, each of them will form part of your character and sense of self. Because the 1st House is the most personal corner of your chart, you might relate to these planets as special guides with whom you have an affinity.

• If you don’t have planets or points in your 1st House (aka your rising sign), don’t fret — just focus on the planet that rules this sign. In traditional astrology, we consider this planet your chart ruler. The chart ruler is a key for everyone, even if you have other planets or points in your 1st House. You can think of your chart ruler as the main planetary actor, or avatar, that represents you. The sign and house placement of this planet, as well as the aspects it’s making with other planets and points, will inform your identity and purpose. In the CHANI app, we pay special attention to the planet that rules your rising sign and therefore your 1st House, and we describe it with your life’s direction in mind.

• If a planet or point in today’s sky is passing (or transiting) through this part of your chart, it may feel up close and personal. Venus’ annual blessing to this area could bring a sweet lift in self-confidence. Conversely, Saturn’s once-in-30-years visit to your 1st House brings reality checks and initiations into the next stage of being a grown-up, no matter what age you are. You can discover your current transits and learn more about how they’re impacting your life by heading to the Transits tab of the CHANI app.

 

2nd House: assets, resources, and talents

If the 1st House is you, the 2nd House is your piggy bank and treasure chest. In traditional astrology, the Greek word for this house was bios (life) — not because it hosts living organisms or biology lab equipment, but because it signifies all the ways you earn your livelihood.

Yes, the 2nd House is the place of money — specifically your money and how you make it, rather than the money you share with others — but it’s also the place for your other material belongings. It’s the storage closet where you keep the sentimental curios, beach-combed stones, hand-me-down tarot decks, and well-loved suitcases you lug from place to place. And it’s your collection of inner resources and your vast repertoire of talents.

• If you have planets or points in your 2nd House, they will inform your relationship with money, possessions, and material security. For example, with Jupiter in this part of your chart, you might be generous — maybe even extravagant — with your resources. This placement may help you trust the abundance in your life, or it could mean working in education is how you pay the bills. By contrast, if you have Saturn in this area, you might be more frugal or careful; saving for a rainy day and systematizing your budget could be practices that help you feel safe.

• If you have no planets or points in your 2nd House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with money and material security.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a change related to your income or livelihood. A visit from Uranus could lead to unexpected windfalls or shifts in your circumstances, such as an urge to break free from your current job or experiment with a new income stream.

 

3rd House: communication, daily rituals, siblings, and extended family

Nicknamed the “temple of the Moon” by the Roman poet Manilius, the 3rd House is all about your local haunts. The Moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor in our solar system, so it’s fitting that the 3rd House represents the folks in your immediate orbit.

Today, not everyone knows their neighbors as well as ancient astrologers did 2000 years ago, before the era of digital screens and rapid travel. But in addition to our nearby community, the 3rd House is also the realm of siblings, cousins, kindred friends, and extended family.

The Moon is a mirror, a reflector of light. It travels faster than any other body in our sky, so both the Moon and its “temple,” the 3rd House, are traditionally associated with go-betweens. That makes this a place of conversation and communication technology. This is where we transmit and receive all kinds of messages — through social media platforms, text threads, in-person exchanges, love notes, books, podcasts, and language itself.

• If you have planets or points in your 3rd House, they will reflect your communication style, your relationships with siblings and extended family members, and the neighborhoods you frequent. For example, with Venus in this area, you might be diplomatic, accommodating, or artful in your verbal expression. You might even be a poet, novelist, or translator.

• If you have no planets or points in your 3rd House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your communication style and your relationships with your siblings, extended family members, and/or local community.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you might experience a shift in your daily routines or local interactions. For example, when Mars passes through this area (once every two years), you might notice more commotion on your block, such as honking cars or busy construction sites, or more heated exchanges with neighbors.

 

4th House: parents, caregivers, foundations, and home

The 4th House is the midnight of your chart, signifying your home, family, and root system. You can think of it as a basement vault, safekeeping your childhood memories and the stories of your caregivers, parents, grandparents, elders, or ancestors.

The 4th House represents your lineage, your upbringing, and the life you lead behind closed doors. It’s the private room where you can lounge in your pajamas and devour almond butter straight from the jar. In other words, it’s your abode — the place that looks, sounds, smells, and tastes like home, where you feel safe to nest and rest.

• If you have planets or points in your 4th House, they could reflect your upbringing, your caregivers, or your idea of home. Venus in this corner of your birth chart may move you to adorn your dwelling with colorful flowers and lush fabrics, while Saturn might inspire a more minimalist aesthetic in your decor.

• If you have no planets or points in your 4th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with your home, family, ancestors, and/or caregivers.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in your home or family life. A visit from Jupiter to this area could expand your sense of family or home; you might decide to move into a bigger apartment, or perhaps to grow your family through a birth, adoption, or marriage.

 

5th House: pleasure, romance, creative energy, and children

Hellenistic astrologers described the 5th House as the place of good fortune, which evoked blessings for the body (as opposed to good spirit, which related more to one’s mind or soul). The 5th House is Venus’ boudoir and the site of all sensual pleasures: the oils and dripped honey, the flirtations, and all kinds of leisure activities.

Of the 12 houses, the 5th is the most generative. Traditionally, this is the place of children, but it’s also about the fruits of your artistic or intellectual labors. Here you find human offspring as well as the manuscripts, choreographies, recordings, and performances you bring into the world.

The 5th House is the place of getting creative and simply having fun. It’s what we do on a Friday night — whether that’s going out to a party or blissfully staying in.

• If you have planets or points in your 5th House, they might inform how you create and have fun. Saturn in this area may make it difficult to enjoy a pastime that doesn’t feel “productive” to you. You might be so serious about your art projects or hobbies that they turn into a side gig or even a career.

• If you have no planets or points in your 5th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with creativity, pleasure, and/or children.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in what brings you joy. A Uranus transit, for example, will interrupt your regularly scheduled programming with new and unusual forms of fun; spontaneity and surprise could inform your romantic or creative realms over this seven-year period.

 

6th House: work, health, and pets

This is one of the houses that gets a bad rap in astrology. The 6th House makes no traditional aspect (aka relationship) to the ascendant, meaning it can’t “see” that part of your chart — and because the ascendant represents your vitality and life force, the 6th House signifies health concerns and everyday toils. 

Now, ancient astrologers had a severe view of the world, and socioeconomic justice didn’t count for much. But today, we might associate the 6th House with workers and worker rights, labor activists, and the crucial roles that allow our society to function. In the past, animals and livestock were very involved in our daily toil, so the themes of the 6th House have also come to include pets. 

While the 6th House can denote illness, it’s also related to healers, village midwives, witches, and medicine people. This is the place of practical magic: the humble, essential preparation before a great rite of passage.

• If you have planets or points in your 6th House, they will play a role in your relationship with work and wellness. Mercury in this area could mean that you work with words, communication, or data in some way. Mercury also rules learning, so educating yourself about your health could be one of your preferred modes of self-care.

• If you have no planets or points in your 6th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with work, health, and/or wellness.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in your health or workload. A Mars transit here could bring a flurry of activity and momentum to your workday — but you’ll have to pace yourself to avoid burnout.

 

7th House: committed partnerships

While the 1st House represents the self, the 7th House is about other people. If you imagine the birth chart as a round table, the 7th House symbolizes those who face you on the other side: your beloveds, best friends, and business partners as well as any therapists or clients. 

This is the space of twoness, of me and you, of companionship and commitment. The sign of your 7th House hints at your partnership style as well as the types of people you attract or keep close to you. The opposition between the 7th and the 1st can feel like a tug-of-war — but when handled with care, this tension provides something like balance, helping to lift up and hold together everyone involved.

• If you have planets or points in your 7th House, they may represent your relationship habits, the types of people you feel attracted to, and the people you tend to attract. With Saturn in this corner of your chart, you may feel drawn to older people or those who feel reliable and sturdy; it may take longer to figure out how to share yourself with the right person, if that’s your goal, but the bonds you form are bound to be lasting.

• If you have no planets or points in your 7th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with love, partnership, and/or commitment.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a change in your closest relationships. Venus’ annual visit to this area of your chart will sweeten your existing ties to other people and possibly magnetize new folks to your sphere.

 

8th House: death, mental health, and other people’s resources

Classically described as the “Gate of Hades,” the 8th House is the domain of all that is deeply buried. This is the threshold between life and death, since the Sun passes through the 8th House before “casting down into the underworld” below the western horizon.

Folks with significant placements in the 8th House may gravitate toward grief work or therapy. They are the psychopomps, the unflinching souls who guide other people through the darkness.

This is also the place of mineral wealth — the seams of gold, silver, and quartz that vein the rocky layers of the earth’s mantle or the silt of a riverbed. The 8th House represents material assets threading to and from outside sources, including the revenue you share with other people but also debts, grants, loans, taxes, and inheritances.

The Latin name for Hades is Pluto, which comes from the Greek word for wealth, ploutos. Whether you’re working with unconscious emotions or treasures hidden beneath the surface, the 8th House contains a portal to subterranean stashes and shadows.

• If you have planets or points in your 8th House, they’ll hint at your collaborations, shared resources, and grief processes. The Sun or Moon in this area may make you a guide or torchbearer for other people’s journeys through mourning or psychological healing.

• If you have no planets or points in your 8th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with grief, loss, mental health, shared wealth, and/or joint ventures.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in how you relate to grief, mental health, or collaboration. When Jupiter blesses this area (once every 12 years), you may find yourself able to soothe or release an old sorrow. You could also receive wealth from an outside source such as a grant, scholarship, or loan.

 

9th House: travel, education, publishing, religion, astrology, and philosophy

In the 9th House, we enter the halls of higher learning — colleges, universities, wisdom traditions, and the quests you undertake on your way to earning a PhD in life. While this house can denote distant journeys — and folks with major placements here tend to seek adventure — the 9th House also rules the roaming of the mind and spirit. Traditionally, this is the place of scholarship, whether you pursue education in an institutional setting or teach yourself through books and lived experience.

While the 3rd House — at the opposite end of the chart — details our daily rituals and ephemeral communications, the 9th House encompasses the scriptures, lawbooks, and oral histories that stand the test of time. While the 3rd House walks the dog around the neighborhood, the 9th House itches for long-term migrations. This is the home of the wanderer, the wonderer, the philosopher, the conjurer, the priest, and the astrologer.

• If you have planets or points in your 9th House, they reflect your desire for adventure or your hunger for wisdom and ideas. If you have the Moon here, that could indicate you feel nurtured by exploring, roaming, and exposing yourself to new experiences.

• If you have no planets or points in your 9th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with higher learning, travel, spirituality, and/or adventure.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in your worldview or wisdom path. Uranus passing through this area could shake up the received ideas you previously took for granted; this transit could present itself as a crisis of faith, a welcome system update, or both.

 

10th House: career and public roles

The 10th House is one of the most prominent perches for a planetary actor. If you have placements here, you may wear them on the sleeve of your power suit. While the 6th House can denote your chores or the grunt work of your day job, the 10th House has to do with your career or calling.

Your vocation may or may not be how you bring home the vegan bacon. It’s your life’s work, the path that gives you a sense of accomplishment and meaning. This house also relates to your public life, which could include your online platform or the other ways you offer your radiance to an audience.

• If you have planets or points in your 10th House, they will inform your career ambitions, your public roles, and the paths you ultimately feel drawn toward in this life. The Sun in this area, for example, could tug you toward leadership positions where your full self can shine.

• If you have no planets or points in your 10th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your career, vocation, public roles, and life path.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a career change or upgrade. Jupiter’s rare visit to this place (once every 12 years) may bring abundance, accolades, praise, and good press.

 

11th House: community, friends, and good fortune

The 11th House is the clubhouse where all your comrades, covens, and communities gather. It’s the place where everybody knows your name, but it’s not necessarily where you make one-on-one commitments, as you do in the 7th House. This house tells you about the folks in your social sphere and the networks where you circulate.

The 11th House also relates to the hopes, dreams, and aspirations you share with your collective. This is the HQ for your activist groups, the hub where you assemble with kindred spirits and strategize a kinder, happier, healthier, and more just future.

• If you have planets or points in your 11th House, they may represent your friendships or communal involvements. Jupiter in this area could create a profusion of acquaintances and social ties; it could also indicate that you find wisdom or spiritual fulfillment in group settings, such as a faith community, book club, or study group.

• If you have no planets or points in your 11th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with friends, social dynamics, collectives, and/or activist groups.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may experience a shift in your communities or friendships. When Mars passes through this area, you might have to navigate a conflict within a friendship or collective; alternatively, it may be a time when you enjoy an adrenaline-fueled activity with friends, such as hang gliding, mountain climbing, or even a heated board game night.

 

12th House: sorrow, loss, daemon, and hidden life

Arguably the most foreboding and least understood of the houses, the 12th House has a complicated reputation. Since it corresponds to the sign that drifted over the ascendant just before you were born, it can represent a limbo between worlds — the threshold between existence and nonexistence.

Just as you might be totally unaware of someone who’s right behind you, the 1st House can’t witness the 12th House. For this reason, the 12th House dons a sort of invisibility cloak. It’s associated with secluded spaces — such as locked bedrooms, private institutions, and remote cabins in the woods — as well as behind-the-scenes activities. 

The 12th House is also the place of the trolls that lurk under the bridges — the hecklers and naysayers who go unnoticed until they want to be detected. These could include other people as well as our own inner critics and saboteurs.

If you have significant placements here, you may feel drawn to the seams and underbellies that mainstream society prefers to ignore. You’re a friend and guide to folks on the fringes, handing out headlamps to help others find their way.

• If you have planets or points in your 12th House, they may reveal sides of you that you find difficult to access. Someone with the Sun here may feel more comfortable behind the scenes, even if some deeper part of them longs to be witnessed.

• If you have no planets or points in your 12th House, consider the ruler of this house. This planet’s sign and house placement, as well as the aspects it’s forming with other planets and points, will factor into your relationship with solitude, sanctuary, self-limiting habits, and/or behind-the-scenes activities.

• If a planet or point is transiting through this part of your chart, you may not notice it directly. Instead, you may observe a sudden change in your sleep patterns or an unexpected desire to retreat to your bat cave. A visit from Jupiter to this place could soften your negative self-talk or enlarge your self-compassion; it could also bring the most magnificent rest that you’ve experienced in a long time.

 

Further reading:

What is a birth chart?

What whole sign houses are and why we use them

An introduction to the zodiac signs

 

Looking for more intel? Read your daily horoscope:

Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra 

Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces

Then download the CHANI app on iOS or Android for additional horoscopes, meditations, affirmations, readings for the current Moon phase and sign, and more.