1st House – here we’re born, we’re thrust forward into the light after leaving the safety of the womb and each new experience is bright and vibrant. The world around us stimulates and every need comes bubbling up as a visceral experience that demands our immediate and undivided attention.
2nd House – in the second house we come to the realization that we are physically incarnate. We gain awareness of our primordial possession, our body. After this we reach outward and begin to grasp at each new thing. Exploring our new world through sensory experience and as we continue to amass belongings we become attached which provides us the unique feeling of security.
3rd House – having gained mobility we begin to explore. Every encounter is a question, every novelty a chance for learning. We begin to learn how to manipulate with our hands, we learn to speak, to brush our teeth, we’re potty trained, we interact with siblings and learn by expedition. Language and thought begin to structure our reality and provide us the tools we need for understanding.
4th House – familiarity breeds safety and security, and identity begins to set in. We are who our family is and our roots extend from them into our rich past. Here we find stability and structure, and we begin to identify with our inner world. The environment that becomes so familiar is imprinted and we take it forward with us into life as cultural inheritance.
5th House – we begin to play, to create, we laugh and scream, and all the world becomes a stage for our self-expression. Breathing life into creativity allows us to share the rich inner depth that was formed within the 4th House. We exclaim, “THIS IS ME!!” and we expect others to accept us and laud our creative exploits because they are surely as perfect and vibrant as we are.
6th House – the positive reception that we were so sure of in the 5th House turns out to be criticism. Here we recognize that not everything that we do is perfect, and the process of refinement and self-reflection begins. The mortality of our bodies comes forward, and we learn that we must care for and refine the physical vessels that we possess. Those creative pursuits that we prioritized must become practical and productive in order to sustain us.
7th House – here we meet the ‘other’, and all of the things that we reject about ourselves are mirrored back to us. We learn how to cooperate with others because we cannot escape their thoughts and feelings about us. We begin to form lasting relationships with them and we share ideas, thoughts, and dreams. We strike bargains and work together in common interest. Sometimes we make enemies.
8th House – the relationships that formed in the previous house begin to deepen, and we relate to others more intimately. Secrets are shared, and in that moment we recognize power dynamics at play. Our relationships go south and our darkest parts are dragged to the surface in our pain. Here we are faced with death and loss, and we must come to terms with what these things mean to us.
9th House – having faced the deepest despair of losing those who are dear to us we begin to search for meaning in order to mend our broken hearts. We run far and wide in order to escape the pain, and in the process begin finding answers to the burning questions in our souls. Why do things die? What does it mean to be alive? Are we alone in the universe? Is there a God? If so do they care? We turn to philosophy, higher learning, and religion to answer these for us.
10th House – our search for meaning and purpose in life lead us far and wide. We saw so many different ways of living and so many different ideas of culture. This knowledge of death and life shows us that the only thing that permeates beyond the boundaries of death is legacy. We begin to work towards shaping the mark that we want to leave in the hearts of those we touch, and we try to establish a lasting impact in the world that will last beyond our mortal lifespan.
11th House – after working long and hard at building our legacy we begin to see the fruits of our labor. Our reputation builds and others want to connect with us in order to share in the work that we have done. They bring recognition and reward, and we’re able to create communities with our shared ideas in order to influence others.
12th House – the association with large groups of people lead us to contemplate the nature of mass spirituality. Where do we go when we die? What happens to our spirit? These things settle in as we near the end. We begin to live a more quiet and spiritual life, eventually being secluded from those associations we had previously prioritized. Death settles in like a fine mist and our spirit is washed away into the ether. We reflect on our life and wonder if we’ll get to do it all again…