ONE LARGE CIRCLE OF LIGHT DIVIDED INTO TWELVE PORTIONS
An astrology chart, (horoscope) symbolises the Circle of Life. Ancient cultures divided the circle into different areas of life in order to understand natural Laws. Their well-developed systems, based on observation and correlation, travelled through ages of time to become astrology.
In western astrology the astrological circle is divided into twelve portions. I recommend you have your birth chart in front of you while reading this section. The text will have more meaning when you do. Relate the house descriptions to your self and your life. Positioned on the left-hand centre section of the chart’s outer rim is the glyph that signifies the Ascendant, or Rising Sign. It clearly describes specific personality characteristics that play a major role in defining the identity, or event, in question. Each portion, or house, shows the different areas where that individual plays his or her unique game of life. The zodiacal signs connected to the planets show how the individual plays his or her life game within the different areas. The planets indicate what the specific life game is being played.
Briefly – the twelve houses represent the different areas of life where we experience both outer/material and inner/ psychological experiences.
Beginning with the Rising Sign (Ascendant), shown on the left side centre section of the chart and moving counter-clockwise around the chart.
1st house: New beginnings; personality, physical appearance, image, ego and my “mask”.
2nd house: Values, money, possessions, self-worth, gifts and talents and how I use them to earn a living.
3rd house: Education, early learning, communication, movement and siblings
4th house: Home, family, parents, genetic heritage and soul’s roots
5th house: Recreation, romance, love affairs, children, heart chakra and creative expression
6th house: Service, work, health and daily routines
7th house: Significant relationships, marriage, love, equality, harmony, justice and contracts
8th house: Power, money, sex, death, occult and esoteric interests, shared resources, secrets, subconscious shadows, treasure.
9th house: Higher education, natural Law, religion, spirituality, far horizons, travel, beliefs, ethics and morals
10th house: Ambition, career, profession, goals, achievements, success and life path
11th house: Hopes, aspirations, future direction, groups, friends and grandmother
12th house: Pathway to Spirit: Divine union: psychic talents; Institutions, such as ashrams, monasteries, hospitals and prisons; psychological imprisonment, veils of illusion, suffering through veiled (unconscious) motivations.
This circle of life can also be interpreted as four different life phases. i.e. from gestation to birth – birth being represented by the first house cusp; from birth to approximately seven years of age, (when psychological patterns are usually developed) childhood to adult and adult to death.
Ashtara