#architypes

So I spent some time writing up the second half of this blog, only to have the entire thing disappear when I went to schedule the post. Hopefully I do not miss much of what I had written, and I apologize if I do because there was some insightful stuff there. That being said, on with the lesson…

Every chart holds 12 houses in astrology, and each house outlines an area of progress in the life of the protagonist (the protagonist in the case of examining your own natal chart being you). The bottom half of the chart (houses 1-6) represent the self and the inner world (or soul). The top half of the chart (houses 7-12) represent the outer world or other (or the collective). Now let us peer into the journey of the natal chart by examining the architypes of the houses.

The Houses

FIRST HOUSE The first house represents self-actualization. In the journey of life, it is here we begin to develop and discover our personalities through action. The sign governing this house is known as the rising sign, and it is the veil through which we express our planets. It is the physical body; one’s approach to life; discovering one’s individual way; and the natural persona that is seen by others.

SECOND HOUSE The second house is where we begin to determine what is valued through tangible things, and the truth of how these effect our sense of self-value. It is resources; values; material security; possessions; the experience of nature and connection to the earth; sensual enjoyment of material things; productivity and expenditure; self-confidence or lack of; and proving one’s self (or proving one’s value).

THIRD HOUSE The third house represents the stage where through our questionings, we are able to gain understanding of the relationships between things, as well as our relationship to these things. It is the rational mind; the exchange of information; all forms of language and communication; learning; shock; the unexpected; improvisation; and reaction.

FOURTH HOUSE The fourth house is where we find our sense of emotional security that comes from our deep inner-self. It is our inner world; the home; one’s personal roots; family and emotional security; the private; the need for domestic tranquility; the experience of community; radical commitment; and traditionally represents the mother.

FIFTH HOUSE The fifth house is our need to creatively express who we are (our ego) to the world. It is all forms of creativity and self-expression; the projection of self onto the stage of life; the sense of identity; energy expenditure and vitality; the need for pleasure; play; love affairs; courtship; traditionaly represents children; and performance. SIXTH HOUSE The sixth house is where we begin to analyse the self in order to heal existing wounds. It is through healing we learn self love, and are able to express the ultimate versions of ourselves. To be our best for others, we must first become the best ourselves. Before we can love others, we must learn to love ourselves. This is the last house transitioning from the self to the other, from the inner to the outer. It is the developement of efficiency and proficiency through engaging the practical; material challenges posed by the world; the refinement of self-expression; duties and skills; mentoring and being mentored; the urge to be competent; helpfulness; everyday work; habbits and hobbies; and self-sufficiency.

SEVENTH HOUSE The seventh house is our first experience with the other and the outer world. It is our first taste of seeing ourselves reflected by another. It is all forms of close relationships; coming to awareness through others; intamicy; commitment; relationships based on equality; negotiation; and compromise.

EIGHTH HOUSE The eighth house is where we experience deep union with others. If thinking in terms of romance, it is the phase of the relationship in which the honeymoon is over and the deep, dark truths of the other, and in extension the self, are revealed. It is through these revelations that we experience the beauty of transformation. It is all forms of union: emotional, sexual, financial; the challenge of merging with another in relationship; transformation; issues of power and control; the expereince of ego-death and dying; social taboos; the occult; the repressed and perinatal unconscious; regenration of the self through experiencing the values of the other; others’ resources, money and possessions; instincts; wounds; everything psychologically charged; sexual bonding; and in the words of Steven Forrest, “the house that makes you make animal noises.” That is to say, noises that are universally understood, such as sighs, screams and moans. *wink*

NINTH HOUSE In the ninth house we journey in the search for answers to our new truths, and in doing so generate philosophies about ourselves, others and the world. If we remain open in our quest, great wisdom is revealed. It is the relationship of the self to the wider world; meaning and world view; gaining a broader perspective on one’s life through travel, study, and living abroad; the exposure to different cultural perspectives; the search for one’s own truth-philosophy; higher education and learning; values; and life as a quest.

TENTH HOUSE The tenth house is the outer world (or collective) and the paradigm that governs it. It is our first experience of integrating ourselves within the paradigm, finding our place in the collective, and leaving our mark. It is worldy acheivement; personal and professional ambition; one’s public role and public life; the social persona; one’s contribution to the collective through a particular vocation or calling; reputation; and traditionally represents the father.

ELEVENTH HOUSE The eleventh house is where we wish to liberate from constraints. This is the stage, that through the connection of mind and heart, we come to understand that unique part of ourselves that is an aspect of creation, and what its purpose is within the collective. It is the working toward this realization with a sense of non-attachment as to how we may be perceived, that new social structures, groups and paradigms are built. It is one’s individual purpose within the larger collective or social group; participation in movements; associations and groups with common aims; the social circle and groups of friends; goals; strategies; development over time; allies; tribal experience; teamwork; and networking.

TWELFTH HOUSE The twelfth house is the final stage of our journey before we begin again. If the eleventh house is liberation, the twelfth is transendence. It is where we take all of our knowledge and healing, and we finally see the larger picture that was once clouded. It is the point we see through illusion, we see ultimate truths, and through non-attachment we are able to experience unconditional love of not only the self, but the other/collective as well. It is transcendece or dissolution of the ego; mysticism and personal sacrifice; acting as a conduit or vessel of the transpersonal or the collective unconscious; myth; dreams; fantasy; arts and imagination; isolation; withdrawal; the growth of awareness through solitude or privation; spiritual life and behind the sences activities; the hidden; institutions in which the ego is rendered powerless; the end of a cycle and beginning of a new one; returning to the cosmic womb; the dimension of life “beyond” our world; release; psychic experience; and necessary losses.

Now you are equipped with some of the architypes surrounding the houses. If you cross-reference these with my previous post speaking to the architypes of the signs, you will be able to have a greater understanding of how the houses influence your planets, and how the signs influence the houses. You will also notice patterns or similarities between the signs and houses they govern.

To give an idea on how to interpret someone’s planets, let us use the sun in Virgo in the ninth house. Someone with this placement could be seen as a person who garners joy from learning (ninth house) about the self (the sun). If we go one step further, through analysis of the self (sun in Virgo), this person is able to find answers which contribute to their philosophies of themselves and how they relate to the world (ninth house). If we wish to go even further by incorporating partnering signs/houses, this person will come by these answers by first questioning (third house) illusions (Pisces) they hold about themselves. Upon seeing the reality (Virgo) of these illusions, and analysing the wounds caused by them in order to heal them, they are able to create new philosohpies for and of the self, and gain a greater wisdom of themselves and their relation to the collective. If we wished to go even further, we can begin to look at how Sagittarius and Gemini square Virgo and Pisces, which create challenges and can show wounds that need to be addressed in the chart. We can also address the need to communicate these philosophies, and the need to help others on their life’s journey through their learnings. We can also look at how aspects to the sun influence the expression of that planet, and so on and so forth. I will leave it as is for now, as I would like to move on the partnering signs in my next entry, but you can see how complex and in depth astrology can really get. Far more deep than you cry a lot because you are a Cancer, or you will marry rich because your venus is in your tenth house (I wish though).

If you are daring enough to expose yourself to the world, or at least the community that is tumblr (eleventh house in action!), leave a comment below with an interpretation of one of the planets from your natal chart. And just so we are even, the example above is from my own chart.

I would like to speak about partnering signs and the importance of balancing their energies in an effort to “master” the natal chart. We must first look at the foundations of astrology in order to begin to understand the true complexities that exist within it, and therefore, within ourselves. It will aslo provide insight as to why, for example, you will find some Aries who are very partner oriented, and some Libras who are quite flighty, preferring not to unite. So today I will touch upon the architypes of the signs and houses. Understanding these architypes will provide the starting point into a greater wisdom of the zodiac. So let’s get into it.

The Signs

ARIES (I am) Ruler of the first house, its element is fire, its mode is cardinal, and its planet is Mars. Aries is the self. Its qualities are self assertion; impulsive; initiatory; direct; decisive; agressive; headstrong; impatient; and action oriented.

TAURUS (I have) Ruler of the second house, its element is earth, its mode is fixed, and its planet is Venus. Taurus is the truth and value we gain from the external. It is grounded; persistent; possessive; inflexible; materialisitic; slow in nature; sensual; tactile; beauty-loving; and concerened with physical security.

GEMINI (I think) Ruler of third house, its element is air, its mode is mutable, and its planet is Mercury. Gemini is the question. It is inquisitive as it must question everything. It is perceptive; communicative; quick; lighthearted; scattered in attention; superficial; changable; of the mind; and holds a breadth of interest and knowledge.

CANCER (I feel) Ruler of the fourth house, its element is water, its mode is cardinal, and its planet is the Moon. Cancer is the inner world. It is sensitive; emotional; nurturing; gentle; dependent; sentimental; vulnerable; reticent; and concerned with emotional security.

LEO (I create) Ruler of the fifth house, its element is fire, its mode is fixed, and its planet is the Sun. Leo is the heart. It is creative; noble; enduring; dominant; prideful; egotism; self-importance; dramatic self-expression; and holds the urge for recognition of the self.

VIRGO (I serve) Ruler of the sixth house, its element is earth, its mode is mutable, and its planet is Mercury. Virgo is reality. It is discrimminating; industrious; analytical; meticulous; detail-oriented; holds a critical-eye; self-effacing; self-reliant; realistic; practical; and healing.

LIBRA (We are) Ruler of the seventh house, its element is air, its mode is cardinal, and its planet is Venus. Libra is the other. It is relationship-oriented; fair-minded; diplomatic; harmonious; aesthetic; striving for balance; rational; vain; and indecisive.

SCORPIO (We have) Ruler of the eighth house, its element is water, its mode is fixed, and its anchient planet is Mars, and modern planet is Pluto. Scorpio is the truth and beauty we gain from the depths of the internal. It is emotionally-intense; penetrating; insinctual; intuitive; desiring; driven; holds the urge to transform; brooding; compulsive; secretive; controlling; self-destructive; and regenerating.

SAGITTARIUS (We think) Ruler of the ninth house, its element is fire, its mode is mutable, and its planet is Jupiter. Sagittarius is the answer. It is thruth-seeking; enthusiastic; expansive; open; philisophical; aspiring; adventurous; blundering; indifferent; over-extended; generalizing; and self-righteous.

CAPRICORN (We feel) Ruler of the tenth house, its element is earth, its mode is cardinal, its planet is Saturn. Capricorn is the outer world. It is hard-working; ambitious; practical; self-controlled; responsible; dutiful; acheivement-oriented; concerned with status or its place in the outside world; traditional; conservative; restrained; and somber.

AQUARIUS (We create) Ruler of the eleventh house, its element is air, its mode is fixed, its anchient planet is Saturn, and modern planet is Uranus. Aquarius is the mind. It is seen as the rebel of the zodiac as it is meant to liberate from constraints. It is humanitarian; group-oriented; eccentric; individualistic; freedom-loving; sociable; friendly; aloof; and detached.

PISCES (We serve) Ruler of the twelfth house, its element is water, its mode is mutable, its anchient planet is Jupiter, and modern planet is Neptune. Pisces is illusion, and the transendence of illusion. It is compassionate; imaginative; inspired; psychic; idealistic; escapist; dreamy; naive; confused; deceptive; unrealistic; unconditional love; and healing.

This entry is becoming a bit longer than anticipated, so I will be splitting up the signs and houses. Looking at your natal chart, use the information discussed thus far to see how the signs’ architypes influence your planets. I will post the architypes of the houses within a week.

Although the information above is just scratching the surface, I hope I can help you on your journey of discovery.