Here, you will learn about what the First House in astrology means and how to interpret it in your birth chart.
The birth chart is split into 12 different houses, each house with its own meaning. When interpreting a birth chart, we can think of the planets as the what, the zodiac signs as the how, and the houses as the where.
Thus, someone with their sun in the 12th house of hidden enemies, isolation, endings, and the subconscious may carry a much darker and more intense disposition than someone with their sun in the 5th house of fun, creativity, and pleasure. The zodiac sign then tells us the flavor of how this energy gets channeled.
We all contain each of the 12 houses in our birth charts, even if we don’t have any planets there. Each chart is different – some of us may have planets that only occupy a few houses in our birth charts, while others may have planets that are more evenly distributed. It is not negative nor uncommon to have many “empty houses” in a chart, and we can still use the meanings and signs of those houses to interpret the overall story of our birth chart.
The first house is where your chart begins. It is where your rising sign, or the “ascendant” is located. The ascendant is extremely important as it is unique to you. Your sun sign is based on what time of year you were born, and your moon sign is based on what time of month you were born. The degree and sign of the ascendant, however, changes several times per day and is determined by the specific time and location of your birth.
Traditionally, people would regard the ascendant as “their sign” in the same way that people commonly talk about their sun sign today. Depending on other factors in the birth chart, you might even relate to the sign of your first house more than you do your sun sign!
It is also considered an “angular” house, along with the 4th, 7th, and 10th houses. Planets placed in these houses are extremely important, as they are the placements that are likely to have the most observable effect in your life and personality.
Another reason why the first house is so important is because it determines the order of the other zodiac signs in your chart, and thus the planets they rule. The astrological order of the zodiac is: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. So if Sagittarius rules your first house, Capricorn will rule your second, Aquarius your third, etc. This means that an Aquarius moon with a Sagittarius rising will have their moon in the 3rd house, while an Aquarius moon with a Taurus rising will have their moon in the 10th house.
If you have prominent placements in the first house, or you would just like to better understand this part of your chart, keep reading to find out what this house says about you and your personality!
The First House In Astrology
The First House is the house of identity. As the first house is the foundation of your chart, we can look at the first house to understand the very essence of you. Your beginnings, the impressions you leave on others, how you approach the world as a whole, and sometimes even your physical appearance.
First House placements are on a mission of self-discovery. They want to embrace their individuality, honor their independence, and seek to understand themselves as much as they can. If you have a prominent first house, your focus is on you. You may be painfully self aware, or you may encounter life circumstances that will force you to gain a better understanding of yourself. A First Houser wants to form and maintain a solid sense of identity to carry with them throughout their lifetime.
As a first house stellium myself (that means I have multiple planets in my first house), I can attest that exploring the self has been a core theme throughout my life.
How a First Houser achieves this desire is going to be determined by the zodiac sign that rules the first house. You can also look at the planetary ruler of the first house (also known as your “chart ruler”) and its location in the birth chart to better understand the energy of this house.
So for example, Aries risings may present as bold, competitive, and assertive in their expression of self. A Capricorn rising with first house placements on the other hand may come across as more demure, but wholly committed to self-improvement and achieving success according to their personal standards.
Of course, these are general descriptions and the energies can be enhanced or debilitated depending on other factors in the birth chart. However if you are newer to astrology, it is best to start with a basic understanding of the core meanings of each sign and house.
As with all things, there are strengths and weaknesses that can be found in the first house. Positive expressions of the first house can include self-awareness, introspection, confidence, and independence. Negative expressions of the first house can manifest as someone who is egotistical, arrogant, or distrusting of others. Some First Housers may feel that they are best going at it alone. The rest of the birth chart, as well as environmental and personality factors, will influence the behavior associated with this house. In some cases, if the planets in the first house are being negatively aspected, the First Houser may find it very difficult to understand themselves.
How To Interpret Your First House in Astrology
Now that you understand what the First House in astrology means and why it is important, you can look to your own birth chart to see what your First House says about you.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you are beginning to interpret your first house:
1. What is my rising sign? What meaning does that zodiac sign have?
This first step is simple enough. Start by learning what the zodiac sign of your first house means, and think about how those traits are tied into your sense of identity, beginnings, and general approach to the world. So if you are a Sagittarius rising, reflect on how the qualities of freedom, adventure, optimism, and truth relate to how you portray yourself to the world.
2. What is that sign’s ruling planet? What meaning does that planet have?
Each zodiac sign has a ruling planet. As mentioned previously, the ruling planet of your rising sign is called your “chart ruler,” and thus carries great importance in your natal chart.
There are a couple of different methods for understanding sign rulership. Traditionally, only 5 planets and the luminaries (sun and moon) were considered – Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. In modern astrology, the planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are also incorporated and assigned co-rulership to the zodiac signs. I am partial to traditional astrology myself so I don’t usually use the outer planets as sign rulers, but there is no right or wrong method to use.
In traditional astrology, Mars rules Aries and Scorpio, Venus rules Taurus and Libra, Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, the moon rules Cancer, the sun rules Leo, Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, and Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius. Everything is the same in modern astrology except Uranus rules Aquarius, Pluto rules Scorpio, and Neptune rules Pisces.
Regardless of which method you choose, you can use the governing planet to better understand the characteristics of your rising sign. So if you are a Taurus rising, reflect on the traits associated with Venus. Think of what beauty, pleasure, love, and aesthetics mean to you. This is the energy that is guiding your ascendant.
3. What house and sign is my ruling planet in?
Now that we know what your chart ruler is, let’s find out where it’s located in your chart. Start with the house theme, then the zodiac sign it’s in.
Let’s say you’re a Capricorn rising, with Saturn in Pisces in the third house. You will first need to understand what the third house represents, and then what Pisces represents. Mix those definitions together with the meaning of Saturn, and you should have a clearer idea of what is influencing your First House / ascendant traits.
Taking this example, the third house in astrology represents self-expression, writing, thinking, communication, siblings, and short-distance travel. Pisces can represent empathy, intuition, and dreams. Thus, we could conclude that a Cap rising with this Saturn placement would have a more open, compassionate, imaginative flair to their Capricorn traits, compared with the seriousness typically associated with the Capricorn zodiac sign. We could also expect to see these traits become most apparent in the way you think and communicate, especially those within your immediate environment. The potential outcomes of this are many and depend on the rest of the birth chart, but one way we could see this placement pan out is someone who is a spiritual teacher, or perhaps a fantasy author.
4. What is the condition of my ruling planet?
This step is for those who are more advanced in astrology. Not all planets are created equal in the birth chart. Some get a little extra help based on their position, and some have a harder time completing their mission. Interpreting the planet’s essential dignity and the aspects the planet is involved in can give you a lot more context on how that planet operates. If your ruling planet is in fall, or is encountering a lot of squares or oppositions, the energy could feel less easily accessible to you at times.
5. Are there any other planets in my first house?
Lastly, look to see if there are any other planets in your first house. All of these planets are important and can influence the energy of your first house, but especially the planets that are closest to your ascendant degree. Take note of the meanings associated with these planets, and any aspects those planets are making as well.
Now you know how to understand the First House in your birth chart! Leave a comment with your First House placements!
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