Sixth House

The House of Virgo and Mercury

Here is our attitude toward health
and the way we look after ourselves –
or not – through diet and exercise.
This is the house of the daily round
of work, routine, and discipline in our
lives. It will also suggest the kind of
hobbies and spare time interests we
might feel inclined to pursue.

THe HouSeS

251

Seventh House

The house of Libra and Venus

Just as the First House is the most
personal of the 12, so its polar house
(the Seventh) relates to our attitude
toward partners – not only in love
but also in business. A planet here
will be a big factor in our attitude.

Eighth House

The House of Scorpio and Pluto

The Second House rules security
through earnings, and in the eighth
House the accent is on inheritance,
investment, unearned income, and
insurance. negative emotions, such as
jealousy and resentfulness, can emerge,
often countered by self-analysis and
soul searching. Sexual instincts and
fulfilment are also focused, as is the
individual’s attitude toward death
and the afterlife.

Ninth House

The House of Sagittarius and Jupiter

This is the house of higher education,
of college and university life. Here we
have the individual’s attitude towards
long-distance travel and exploration –
geographically and intellectually.
Idealism, optimism, and our ability
to communicate are accentuated, as
is emigration. It is also known as the
house of dreams, wishes, and desires.

the second six houses

the importance of timing

Unless the birth time is known to within
two hours, we are unable to integrate the
houses into our astrological interpretations
because we will not have the all-important
Ascendant. Nevertheless, a great deal of
information can still be gleaned from the
positions of all the planets in all the signs,
and the relationships that they make to
each other. This area of astrology is known
as the aspects (

see p265).

Tenth House

The House of Capricorn and Saturn

This is the house of aspiration and
ambition – the need to achieve, to set
goals, and how we set about reaching
them. As a balance to the Fourth House
(the one of home and family life), the
Tenth House has the career to the fore.
It is also the voice of the “inner father”,
who either encourages or puts us down.

Eleventh House

The House of Aquarius and Uranus

The creativity of the Fifth House shows
what we can do for ourselves, while this
house accentuates our attitude towards
friends and what we can do for them.
It is also concerned with our social life,
how we spend our leisure time out of
the home, our humanitarianism, and
how we cope – psychologically and
practically – with world disasters.

Twelfth House

The House of Pisces and Neptune

This is the house of seclusion and
escapism. This house shows how we
cope with being alone and what work
we can do “behind the scenes”. Here
hospitals, retreats, and prisons are
accentuated, as is the need for peace
and quiet, whatever that means to each
individual. A sense of vocation or
psychic ability can be present.