The twelve houses
Signs say how, planets say what, houses say where. A house is a slice of the sky as seen from one spot on the ground at one minute — which is the whole reason houses need an exact birth time and planets don't.
Charts here use Placidus, the most common system. Where a house begins differs between systems, so a planet close to a cusp can honestly be read as either side.
1First House
angularThe body, the approach, the first thing anyone meets.
2Second House
succedentWhat you own, what you earn, and what you consider worth having.
3Third House
cadentEveryday mind — talking, learning, siblings, the short journey.
4Fourth House
angularHome, family, roots — the bottom of the chart and the private half of a life.
5Fifth House
succedentPlay, romance, children, and anything made for the joy of making it.
6Sixth House
cadentWork, routine, health — the daily maintenance a life runs on.
7Seventh House
angularThe other person — partnership, marriage, and open opposition.
8Eighth House
succedentWhat is shared and what is surrendered — other people's money, sex, death, debt.
9Ninth House
cadentMeaning at a distance — travel, higher study, belief, the long view.
10Tenth House
angularThe top of the chart — vocation, reputation, and public standing.
11Eleventh House
succedentFriends, networks, and what you want the future to look like.
12Twelfth House
cadentWhat runs underneath — solitude, the unconscious, and what undoes you quietly.