The Houses
What are the Houses in Astrology?
Kevin Burk, author of ‘Understanding the Birth Chart’, likens the planets to the actors, the signs to the roles they play and the HOUSES to the spaces where the actors play out their scenes.
The HOUSES are the divisions of the Natal Chart into twelve spaces. Specifically six of which are above the horizon and six of which are below the horizon.
Furthermore in “The House Connection,” Karen Homaker-Zondag emphasizes how fundamental understanding not only the houses but the house rulers and their conditions and connections are to correctly interpreting the chart.
Kevin Burk, author of ‘Understanding the Birth Chart’, likens the planets to the actors, the signs to the roles they play and the HOUSES to the spaces where the actors play out their scenes.
The HOUSES are the divisions of the Natal Chart into twelve spaces. Specifically six of which are above the horizon and six of which are below the horizon.
Furthermore in “The House Connection,” Karen Homaker-Zondag emphasizes how fundamental understanding not only the houses but the house rulers and their conditions and connections are to correctly interpreting the chart.
In Hellenistic Astrology the Houses are called 'The Places'
Hellenistic Astrologer Chris Brennan notes that in the Hellenistic tradition the diurnal rotation became a secondary reference system in addition to the zodiac. “The Places,” he goes on to say, “primarily indicate areas or topics in the native’s life, although they can also indicate other things such as how active or ‘busy” a planet is in producing it’s significations, as well as timing information about when a planet’s signification will manifest.”
The Plethora of House Systems
The many different systems of house division can be extremely confusing especially for beginning Astrologers. The ‘correct’ system of houses is not something that is universally agreed upon by Western Astrologers. Most house systems use at least one of the angles, either the Ascendant or the Midheaven as their reference point. Some house systems seem to work more effectively with certain types of Astrology. For example, Jeffrey Wolf Green uses the Porphyry system in Evolutionary Astrology and if practicing the Huber Lifeclock technique the Koch system is recommended.
The Whole Sign House System
If a specific astrological technique is accompanied with a recommendation or instruction to use a specific house system- I will generally comply for that technique. However, with the strong resurgence of traditional and hellenistic astrology in the past few decades for the most part I use the Classical Whole Sign House System as advocated by Chris Brennan, Rob Hand and Demetra George.
In the Whole Sign House System, whatever sign the Ascendant or Rising sign is in, automatically becomes the sign of the first house. From zero to thirty degrees of that sign constitutes the entire first house. The next house (counter clockwise) is the next house in zodiacal order and also encompasses the entire or ‘whole sign’ as it’s house. This pattern repeats itself around the chart.
Click on the Houses below to find out more about their traditional meaning.
Resources:
Burk, Kevin. Understanding the Birth Chart, A Comprehensive Guide To Classical Interpretation. Llewllyn © 2002
https://theastrologypodcast.com/2013/07/18/(house-division-in-astrology)
https://theastrologypodcast.com/2015/11/21 (whole sign house the best system)
George, Demetra. Astrology and the Authentic Self. IBIS Press © 2008
Green, Jeff. Pluto, The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul. Llewellyn © 1994
Hamaker-Zondag, Karen. The House Connection. How to Read the Houses in an Astrological Chart. Weiser ©1994
Huber, Bruno and Louise. Lifeclock. The Huber Method of Timing in the Horoscope. Weiser ©1994
