Your birth chart reading is like a grand plan or a picture of your life’s journey. The planets show the type of energy that is at play (Mars is drive, Venus is love), the zodiac signs show how that energy shows itself (Mars in Aries is direct drive, Venus in Taurus is stable love), and the houses show where in your life these energies are most active.
Each of the 12 houses rules over different ideas and events. Someone who reads your birth chart analysis will tell you how the planets in each house and the zodiac sign at the beginning of each house affect your life.
Let’s look at what each of your birth chart’s 12 houses says about different parts of your life.
The 12 houses are like the rooms in your life; each one is set aside for a different set of events and responsibilities. The zodiac signs that start each house and the planets that are in them (called “house cusps”) show where your energy is directed and how you experience different parts of your life.
In your birth chart reading, each house stands for one of the following:
House 1: The House of Self and Identity
What it rules: personality, looks, self-image, first impressions, starts, body language, and behavior.
What you learn from your birth chart: One could say that this is one of the most personal homes. Your physical look, personality, how you greet people, and your first thoughts are all represented by it. Your Rising Sign, also called your Ascendant, is the sign on the edge of the 1st House. It has a lot to do with who you are and how other people see you. Planets in this area have a big effect on who you are and how you start things.
House 2: The House of Possessions and Values
What it rules: money, things you own, resources, beliefs, self-worth, income, safety, and spending habits.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house is about everything you own, your money, and the things you value, both personally and materially. It shows how you feel about money and safety, as well as how you make and spend it. It also shows how much you value yourself and what you really care about in life. Planets in this area can show how much money you can make, how much you spend, or where you feel safe.
House 3: The House of Communication and Local Environment
What it rules: talking to each other, short trips, learning, early education, neighbors, close surroundings, thought patterns, normal interactions.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house controls how you talk to people, your relationships with brothers and other close relatives, and the area around you. It has to do with short trips, running daily errands, and how you gather and think about knowledge. It also shows where you went to school and how you got along with your neighborhood. The planets in this area affect how you think, talk, write, and connect with other people in your area.
House 4: The House of Home, Family, and Roots
What it rules: home, family, roots, parents (often the mother figure), ancestry, emotional foundations, safety, personal sanctuary, and the end of life are some of the things that come to mind.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house is very private and stands for your home life, your family roots, and your mental safety. It has to do with your bond with your parents, especially the caring parent figure, who is usually the mother, how you were raised, and the kind of space you make for yourself. It also has to do with your heritage, your past, and your sense of where you fit. The Imum Coeli (IC), which is at the very bottom of your chart, is here.
House 5: The House of Creativity, Pleasure, and Romance
What it rules: creative thinking, expressing yourself, love, kids, hobbies, fun, excitement, drama, speculation, risk-taking, and creativity.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house is all about having fun, being happy, and expressing yourself. It includes the early, exciting stages of love, kids, artistic projects, hobbies, and risky activities like gambling or investing. It shows how you use your special skills and where you look for fun and pleasure. Planets in this area can show how creative you are, how you date, or how you relate to your kids.
House 6: The House of Work, Health, and Service
What it rules: daily habits, health, illness, service, pets, duty, work setting, daily routines, and self-improvement.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house rules your daily life, including your job (especially day-to-day chores, not your career status), your habits, and your health. It also has to do with helping other people, your pets, and your everyday habits. It shows how you handle your tasks, how well you can keep yourself healthy, and how efficient you are. Planets in this area can show how hard you work, common health problems, or how your efforts help others.
House 7: The House of Partnerships
What it rules: partnerships, marriage, committed relationships, contracts, open enemies, negotiations, legal issues, one-on-one interactions.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house is the opposite of the 1st House (Self) and represents “the other” – specifically, your significant one-on-one relationships, most notably marriage and long-term partnerships. It also covers business contracts, legal disputes, and open adversaries. It shows what you seek in a partner and how you relate to others on an equal footing. The Descendant (DS) is located here, opposite your Ascendant.
House 8: The House of Transformation, Shared Resources, and Intimacy
What it rules: shared resources, joint finances, taxes, inheritance, debt, sex, death, rebirth, transformation, psychological depths, occult, trauma.
What you learn from your birth chart: This is a deep and complex house dealing with shared resources (money from others, taxes, inheritance, loans), intimacy, psychological transformation, and themes of death and rebirth. It relates to power dynamics, secrets, and confronting taboos. It can indicate how you handle shared finances, your approach to deep emotional and sexual bonds, and your capacity for profound change.
House 9: The House of Higher Learning, Travel, and Philosophy
What it rules: higher education, philosophy, long journeys, foreign cultures, religion, spirituality, wisdom, publishing, law, ideals.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house expands your horizons. It governs higher education, long-distance travel, foreign cultures, philosophy, religion, and your belief systems. It shows your quest for wisdom, your pursuit of truth, and your adventurous spirit. It relates to teaching, publishing, and legal matters. Planets here can indicate a love for learning, a desire to travel, or a strong spiritual inclination.
House 10: The House of Career, Public Image, and Reputation
What it rules: career, public image, reputation, status, ambition, authority figures, parental figure (often the father), life direction, achievements.
What you learn from your birth chart: This is a highly visible house, representing your career, public standing, and reputation. It shows your professional ambitions, your achievements, and how you are seen by the world at large. It also relates to authority figures and one of your parents (often the father figure or the dominant parent). The Midheaven (MC), which is the highest point of your chart, is located here. Planets here strongly influence your career path and public recognition.
House 11: The House of Friends, Groups, and Hopes
What it rules: friends, social groups, networks, aspirations, hopes, wishes, humanitarian causes, future goals, social activism.
What you learn from your birth chart: This house is about your social life, your friendships, and the groups you belong to. It represents your hopes, wishes, and long-term goals, particularly those that benefit humanity or involve collective efforts. It indicates your role within communities and your capacity for innovation and social change. Planets here can show the types of friends you attract, your involvement in groups, or your dedication to a cause.
House 12: The House of Spirituality, Secrets, and Self-Undoing
What it rules: Subconscious, spirituality, solitude, hidden enemies, secrets, karma, institutions (hospitals, prisons), self-undoing, dreams, mysticism.
What you learn from your birth chart: This is often considered the most mysterious house, representing the subconscious mind, hidden realms, spiritual pursuits, and things that are concealed or unknown. It can relate to self-undoing behaviors, karma, institutions like hospitals or prisons, and unseen forces. It’s a place of retreat, introspection, and delving into the deeper, less tangible aspects of life. Planets here can indicate a strong spiritual path, a need for solitude, or challenges that operate behind the scenes.
In a comprehensive birth chart reading, an astrologer looks at the signs on the cusps of these houses, the planets within them, and how those planets interact with each other. This intricate dance between planets, signs, and houses creates a unique and detailed picture of your life’s journey, revealing your strengths, challenges, and opportunities in every area. The more planets and strong aspects you have in a particular house, the more focus and energy that area of your life will receive.