What are the houses and what do they mean?
The houses in astrology represent different areas of life. If the planets are the characters and the signs are the vibe, the houses are the stage where it all takes place.
What are the houses?
First off, what is a chart?
A chart is a snapshot of the sky, as it is seen from the Earth aka Terra. Everything has a chart. We take a snapshot at the moment of birth - whether that's a human, an event, a business.
Charts will look differently depending on the house system an astrologer uses. If you're a costar girlie, they use a system that cuts up the chart differently than say the CHANI app.
Houses are the little pieces of pie when you are looking at a chart. They represent different areas of life that we all have to deal with. How they show up in your chart, is what makes you YOU.
There are always 12 houses although there are not always planets in each of them and they are not always the same shape or size.
Some houses will be empty. Many houses may or may not be full.
In any case, that doesn't mean that your house is "empty" per se. It still has a sign in it and that sign has a ruling planet and that planet is somewhere in your chart, I guarantee it.
The meanings of the houses
The 1st House
The Self, identity, vitality, appearance, the body, temperament. The most YOU part of the chart. The closest to you, it contains your rising sign.
The 2nd House
Money, how you make money and what you do with it, income streams, resources, cars, your job, self-worth, value, financial habits.
The 3rd House
Close friends, friends who feel like siblings, siblings, neighbors, the neighborhood, short distance travel, communication, writing, rituals, the goddess.
The 4th House
Home, foundation, roots, ancestry, family, roommates, self-care, heritage, homeland.
The 5th House
Creativity, play, romance, flirt, children, hobbies, sex, romance, art, entertainment.
The 6th House
Daily life, daily work, daily chores, employers and employees, coworkers, pets, health, habits, fitness, workplace.
The 7th House
The other, committed partnerships, chosen relationships, allies, enemies, people's projections of you.
The 8th House
Other's people's money, inheritance, debt, grants, banks, loans, the occult, death, taxes, trauma, mental health.
The 9th House
Long distance travel, life's philosophy, astrology, spirituality, higher education, learning, publishing, religion, ethics, teaching, divination, the house of god.
The 10th House
Career, public image and roles, what you're known for in your industry, fame, reputation, vocation, ambition, achievement.
The 11th House
Aligned community, hopes and dreams, wishes, friends, groups, network, media, membership.
The 12th House
Sorrows, hidden life, institutions, shadow work, incubators, dark rooms, addiction, dreams, endings, the liminal, the unknown, hidden enemies, karma, solitary / aloneness.
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