The First House in Astrology: the House of Self

In this article, you can learn what you need to know about the first house in astrology. This is a really important and in many ways special house, since its cusp is the ascendant. It represents the beginning.

Your birth chart includes a lot more than just a sign: there are twelve houses in the natal chart. Each of them describes a certain group of life areas that are in some way intertwined.

Fascinating, right?

So, each of the twelve astrological houses is a slice of your life. There is a house talking about your travels, about marriage and relationships, about money, even about your PET.

To give you an idea about which house is associated with what, here is a quick overview of the meaning of each house in astrology:

• 1st house: self, physical body, beginnings
• 2nd house: possessions, values, money
• 3rd house: communication, learning, short trips
• 4th house: home, family, roots, one parent
• 5th house: fun, hobbies, children, romance
• 6th house: work, health, daily routine, pets
• 7th house: committed relationships, marriage, legal affairs
• 8th house: death, joint resources, sex
• 9th house: higher education, foreign travel, wisdom
• 10th house: career, reputation, public image
• 11th house: friends, organizations, humanitarianism
• 12th house: ending, everything hidden, the subconscious.

Simple, right?

With respect, I must disagree.

You’re barely scratching the surface. But let’s begin at the beginning.

What is the 1st house in astrology?

Also called the House of Self in astrology, the first house describes YOU.

Each house is important in astrology. But there are some houses that are more important than the rest. These are called angular houses (their cusp is an angle), and the first house is one of them.

Angular houses include the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th house in the natal chart. (They are called angular because they begin with an angle. There are two axes, the AC-DC and MC-IC axes. This means there are four angles in the chart.)

The house no. 1 is extremely important even among the angular houses, so let’s take a look at what you can find here.

The first house in astrology represents the owner of the chart to describe it to you in a nutshell, in every aspect.

It shows what you look like, the physical body you live in and how others perceive you when they meet you for the first time.

It also describes your approach to life in general, what tactics you choose when it comes to new beginnings. The first house is also about your attitude. It gives a description of your identity.

The Ram of the First House in the Natal Chart

There are some things in the world that simply belong together, no matter what. Think about cat and cuteness. Or peanut butter and jelly.

In astrology, to each house belongs a zodiac sign in the natural chart.

The relationship between the signs, planets and houses is very important and it is based on the similar characteristics they share. Basically, to each house is assigned a certain zodiac sign and its ruling planet .

The first house is associated with the sign Aries and its ruling planet, Mars. You could also say that in the natural chart, Aries rules the first house.

Of course, not in every chart is Aries on the cusp of the first house. The layout of the houses entirely depends on your time and place of birth. This leads us to the next chapter:

The Ascendant: Who You Appear To Be

Why is it that so many people don’t act like they are supposed to based on their Sun sign?

The reason is simple, and you can put it either in one word or two words. In the first case, it’s the ascendant, in the second rising sign. They are synonyms in astrology. Actually, the term ascendant is Latin for rising sign.

In astrology, the Sun represents the core of your personality and your true self, but it’s the ascendant how you come across when you meet someone. So if you are a Virgo Sun but Aquarius rising, people will perceive you as a unique, smart and a bit shy person who is way quirkier than your average Virgo.

Here is the definition of the ascendant.

According to Wikipedia, the zodiacal sign and degree that is ascending on the eastern horizon at the specific time and location of an event.

In the natal chart, the ascendant is the cusp of the first house. It’s one of the three most important components of the chart (and your personality), the other two members of the big 3 being the Sun and the Moon.

Can you find the rising sign of John F. Kennedy in his birth chart?

He was a Libra rising. The ascendant is the horizontal black line on the left side of the chart, where it writes AC.

The ascendant is the mask you wear in the world, as astrologers often put it together. But don’t let this fool you, it’s an integral part of your personality and it affects everything you do in life.

To calculate your ascendant, you need the exact time and place of your birth. The sign on the eastern horizon changes every 4 minutes, so it’s crucial to know the hour and minute when you were born.

Read more: the ascendant in signs

First House in Astrology in Depth

If you got through to this point, you already have a general idea of the connection between the first house and the self. It shows your primal character and your overall outer expression.

There is another name for the first house, it’s also called the House of Life.

But did you know that the first house shows the circumstances of your birth? For example, with Saturn there or Capricorn on the cusp your mom was probably in labor for a long time before you could come to the world.

Anyways, it’s important to understand the deep connection between your life and your first house. This house represents your identity. Identity is the base of a healthy personality, as you can only connect to the world if you know who you are.

A troubled first house often gives problems here, the person feels that life is out of their control, which is one of the most painful feelings in life. This often leads to a desire to control those around you, and you can become bossy and domineering. Or the other extreme is when you stop trying and go with whatever flow comes your way.

But as always, one clue is not enough, you always need to take the whole chart into account.

Planets in the First House in the Natal Chart?

Pay special attention to any planets you find in the first house. Planets in angular houses (and the first house is an angular one) become more powerful because they manifest on a physical level.

If you have any planet in the neighborhood of the ascendant (within an orb of 10 degrees), this planet has a HUGE influence over you. You can also say that it’s conjunct your ascendant, which is one of the most important aspects in astrology.

You can even come off as if your ascendant was the sign of this planet. So Pluto on your ascendant makes you pretty Scorpionic, no matter the actual sign.

Planets that take place closer to the ascendant effect your physical appearance (Venus there gives some real beauties). If a planet is closer to the cusp of the second house, it affects your personality more than the body.

You cannot hide what’s in the first house in astrology. People will immediately see the traits of any planet there mirrored in your personality. A packed first house indicates a multifaceted personality.

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