Understanding the astrological houses is an important key to unlocking the birth chart. Where the planets and signs represent inherent aspects of who we are—how we love, how we think, how we communicate—the houses are each associated with the different areas of our lives where we apply these basic energies. When you look at a birth chart, the wheel (a 360º circle) is divided into twelve equal sections. Astrologers call these sections “houses.” The houses can be read individually, each depicting a specific part of life, but they can also be interpreted in totality.
Moving counterclockwise around the wheel, the twelve houses symbolize the completion of a cycle: from beginnings to endings. The houses remain the same from chart to chart, meaning that we all have the same houses in the same places, in charge of the same things—the first house is always in charge of the way we present ourselves to the world, the fourth house is always in charge of family stuff, no matter who’s chart we’re looking at.
Looking at your natal chart, you’ll discover that certain planets and celestial points occupy certain houses. The planets’ locations are structured by the ascendant (the constellation rising from the eastern horizon at your moment of birth), which is why the location and time of your birth are important! While the houses and their respective jobs stay the same, the signs and planets that live there change from person to person, and so change how that part of your life is expressed.
By studying the relationship of the planet in a house, you can discover consistent themes and recurring energies in your life. For example, if the planet Venus is in your third house, your values align neatly with communication. Perhaps your friends often become lovers, or you’ve found fortune in your local community. Once you have a thorough breakdown of what the houses rule, you can begin to uncover what it means for a planet to take up residence there.