| Recently I have seen several online astrology articles | | | | why they are not easy to understand or read. Only |
| with multiple approaches to the reading of the 12th | | | | part of the 4th house is confusing. We do understand |
| house. Some of those articles were quite good, but | | | | home, hearth, family, and roots; but endings is such an |
| some left me questioning whether the general basics | | | | abstract concept that we struggle. Part of the 8th |
| of the 12th house were fully understood. It is truly not | | | | house contains easily understood categories such as |
| one of the easier houses to understand and read. This | | | | death, taxes insurance, joint finance and indebtedness. |
| article will take you back to basics, 12th house basics, | | | | Keywords such as catastrophe, destiny, or fate |
| and all remarks will be based on the Tropical Placidus | | | | versus free will are abstract enough to be confusing. |
| system. First of all, what are astrological houses? | | | | As close as I can tell the 12th house does not contain |
| The sky is full of stars at the most amazing distances | | | | any easily understood concepts and is just full of |
| from each other and from Earth, yet through the | | | | abstract concepts that double the confusion. One thing |
| centuries we have been able to generate an "as | | | | for sure, the three abstract houses just mentioned as |
| above, so below" set of references. We study the | | | | natural water houses are not as easy to define as |
| patterns of the sky and their general effect on our | | | | most of the other houses. |
| earth and its inhabitants, the energies in signs and | | | | When I am teaching, I use a keyword concept to |
| aspects. That is the "as above" part of astrology. | | | | create mental hooks for the beginning student. This |
| What about the "so below" part of the process? My | | | | "cookbook" approach is frequently frowned upon by |
| description starts with the fact that when we look at | | | | astrologers; however I think it gives a jump-start to the |
| the area of chosen effect, our local physical space | | | | prodigious amount of information an astrology student |
| and our lives, we must therefore make our reading | | | | must learn just to get started. I see it is a temporary |
| physical. As a planet in a solar system we are | | | | crutch that can be discarded once it has served its |
| contained within those sky bodies we see, but | | | | purpose or retained because it makes it easy to find a |
| because this is our common footing, we don't count | | | | beginning point for your readings. I teach three specific |
| ourselves among the stars. This footing is physical | | | | memory hooks for the 12th house. |
| reality for us, earthly experience. Cosmic energies are | | | | Common 12th house references are self-undoing, |
| continually bombarding and influencing us, affecting and | | | | self-sabotage, karmic, mental, and hidden, Why? No |
| sometimes infecting us, the physical inhabitants of the | | | | single house is totally good or totally evil and I'm not |
| physical earth. The first realization should be that | | | | seeing any nice concepts in that list. When reading the |
| houses have to do with our physical reality. | | | | 12th for a new client, I whimsically say "Into each life a |
| When you look at any standard chart, the entire sky is | | | | little rain must fall," then talk to them about their |
| laid out in its actual circular pattern, usually around the | | | | shortcomings, because that's largely how I see that |
| outside of the wheel form. We have an arbitrary | | | | energy. If their 12th house is really difficult you might |
| starting point, the Ascendant but it is a complete | | | | say "The 12th house represents just how I shoot |
| 360-degree circle. What is not readily understood is | | | | myself in the foot." Make it first person rather than |
| that the center of that circular chart contains the Earth | | | | making someone else the bad guy in this story. It |
| itself. Let me repeat that. Earth and its inhabitants are | | | | makes it easier to swallow what you need to tell them. |
| in the very center of every chart. You are in the | | | | I would like you to do a simple exercise I teach my |
| center of your chart and the point that represents you | | | | students. Place one open hand a few inches in front of |
| individually is the Ascendant. To attempt to study all of | | | | your face and then circle it around to the back of your |
| human experience in one bite is just too difficult, so we | | | | head. At first can you see your hand clearly and then |
| must break down that experience to smaller | | | | you lose direct view? You know your hand is there, |
| increments to achieve understanding. The whole of the | | | | but you can't see it. When your hand is directly behind |
| chart is you and your experience. The divisions we | | | | your face (Ascendant) at the back of your head |
| use to create understandable compartments are the | | | | (behind the Ascendant), you can't see the territory or |
| houses, arenas of physical reality and experience. | | | | the issues. The 12th house is therefore your blind spot. |
| We use the number 12 for houses just as there are 12 | | | | You may need another pair of eyes to see what you |
| signs. Our wheel is 360 degrees and 12 conveniently | | | | can't see for yourself, a friend, a counselor, someone |
| divides evenly into that number. Equal house charting | | | | to peer into your own potential darkness. That's how |
| reflects those equal 30 degree segments. Have you | | | | we self-sabotage. We don't see how we misuse or |
| ever noticed that life does not seem all that equal? | | | | misapply12th house energy. The sign on the cusp and |
| When you add the dimensions of longitude, latitude as | | | | planets in the house do give us clues to our blind spot. |
| well as date and time, those houses change in size | | | | Hidden means just that, not easily accessed or |
| and range, what was once equal becomes unequal. | | | | understood or private, it doesn't mean anything dire or |
| To me unequal reflects reality. There are many | | | | foreboding. |
| scientific ways to mathematically measure that division | | | | Earlier I mentioned the sequencing of the houses. Use |
| of space but that is too large a subject for this article. I | | | | that sequencing information to organize the flow or |
| choose the Placidus house system because it works | | | | stages of a life. What are you working on to bring to |
| for me. | | | | balance in this lifetime? Look to the 12th house. |
| Just to paint a clear picture, date determines the | | | | Additionally, there is another way to use sequence. |
| broadest stroke of a chart. Time of birth refines it to | | | | The 12th could be what was present in experience |
| some degree but it is longitude and latitude that further | | | | just prior to physical birth represented by the |
| refines it to the personal. No two objects can occupy | | | | Ascendant. That could be the two hours prior to birth, |
| the same space at the same time, so each chart cast | | | | prior incarnation or experience, prior debits and credits |
| must be different, occasionally marginally different as in | | | | to our spiritual bankbook, the potential of past lives with |
| the case of multiple births. When you add time of day | | | | karmic implications. This is one form of karmic reading. |
| to location of birth (longitude and latitude) a unique map | | | | A child born with a malefic (difficult energy) planet on |
| emerges, one based on that local space at a particular | | | | the 12th house side but close to the Ascendant could |
| moment in time, individual in nature. The local space is | | | | have experienced pre-natal birth trauma. Your reading |
| clearly defined and the increments (houses) of that | | | | can be as simple as a specific fact and still be valid, |
| specific space at that specific moment are created | | | | perhaps abrupt but absolutely valid. |
| for that chart. | | | | My third theme is that of our so-called second breath. |
| The 12 increments commence at the Ascendant and | | | | If we have used all that we consciously knew we had |
| proceed counter-clockwise around the chart, traveling | | | | at our disposal, have expended all our time, experience |
| a full 360-degree circle back to the Ascendant. Why | | | | and energy and are exhausted from the effort, some |
| counterclockwise? This is because the signs and their | | | | of us are able to reach back inside ourselves and find |
| natural motion are measured clockwise (just look at | | | | a new wellspring from which to draw. In the west we |
| any chart) and the Earth rotates one full circle every | | | | call that our second breathe. I think that when you |
| day bringing each degree of the zodiac to all points of | | | | reach back inside yourself for qualities and abilities you |
| possible charts every day. As the Earth spins on its | | | | didn't even realize you had available, you reach into |
| axis, the point of the zodiac that signifies birth moves | | | | your 12th house, sort of a fall-back position. |
| forward in the signs (clockwise) as the Earth rotates | | | | âEUR¨âEUR¨ |
| on its axis within (opposite direction for rotation or | | | | When looking at any 12th house, my three immediate |
| counter-clockwise). As you progress in your growth, | | | | themes to explore are: |
| your Ascendant and the balance of the houses | | | | - the source or pattern of self undoing, that which can |
| attached to that progressing Ascendant move | | | | sabotage us through our ignorance of its existence, |
| forward in the zodiac and your whole chart view | | | | hidden, unconscious, invisible; |
| changes. You experience, grow and become and that | | | | - sequencing in all its forms: the natural sequencing of |
| is reflected in your changing signs and bodies (as | | | | the houses, the past as it relates to the present |
| above) as well as your house system (so below). | | | | immediately prior to birth or perhaps in prior |
| There is a natural, predictable order to your growth | | | | experiencing such as karma and rebirth, as well as the |
| and progress. You start as a helpless infant, reach out | | | | drawing to a conclusion of any life cycle as it prepares |
| into life gradually, involving others and experience, | | | | for the new cycle to come; |
| through the full range of human activity until you reach | | | | - that second breath, a source of strength and |
| your sunset years and the end of that particular life | | | | resilience that we occasionally find within, our fall-back |
| cycle. If you are a believer in continuing consciousness, | | | | position. |
| then each end must also mark a new beginning, | | | | I've covered all the originally listed descriptions with the |
| hopefully on a much higher turn of the spiral of life. The | | | | exception of mental. I do want to bring this forward, |
| houses reflect that growth and progress sequentially. | | | | but this is a subject that takes much study and which |
| You would be wise to additionally study hemispheres | | | | must be handled delicately. If you are not a trained |
| and quadratures, the 6th/12th house axis and the | | | | mental counselor recognize your limitations but do learn |
| common house breakdown of life, wealth, association | | | | from your charts. Leave diagnosis and prescription to |
| and abstract to deepen your understanding of houses. | | | | the trained professionals. Over the years I have done |
| I will be featuring these concepts in future articles. | | | | many unusual charts that have taught me much about |
| The first house is I/me. The second house is mine. The | | | | the 6th/12th axis. For example, I did the charts of |
| third house is my immediate environment and my | | | | several psychologists and their patients over several |
| communication, (I am, I want, I communicate that want). | | | | years. I noticed that the 6th/12th axis was always |
| With whom do you communicate? The fourth house | | | | heavily involved, so to me this became the |
| brings in the whole family. You hopefully grow in grace | | | | psychological axis. I've also researched the charts of |
| and talent in your fifth house. You learn there is no | | | | over 100 serial killers in the last three years. The 6th |
| free ride in the 6th house. You develop socialization | | | | 12th axis is heavily involved in their horrific activities. |
| skills in the 7th house. The mine of the 2nd house must | | | | That does not mean that a strong 6th/12th axis will |
| give way to yours or ours in the 8th house. Outside | | | | make you either mentally deficient or a serial killer, but I |
| environments and communications develop in the 9th | | | | think it does point out the psychological implications. Put |
| house, You will make it or break it in the 10th house. | | | | this concept in the back of your head to observe |
| Your rewards or lack of them accrue in the 11th house | | | | through countless charts and learn before you believe |
| and you wind down in the 12th house as you prepare | | | | you are entitled to an opinion. |
| for the coming change of cycle. See the natural | | | | Hopefully you have developed a better grasp of |
| sequence? Not all segments are equal or easy, hard, | | | | houses in general and the 12th house in particular. As I |
| rewarding, frustrating, or any adjective you choose for | | | | mentioned previously, no one house is ultimately bad or |
| any segment. | | | | good, each is a mix of experience. Those houses that |
| This article is about the 12th house as one of the least | | | | are not as easily understood and take a little more |
| understood segments. Each of what are referred to | | | | effort and practice but they are definitely worth the |
| as the natural "water" houses, the 4th, 8th, and 12th are | | | | effort. The 12th house is our house of mystery, but |
| naturally ruled by Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces | | | | mysteries were meant to be examined, explored and |
| respectively, the water signs. They are categorized as | | | | solved. |
| "abstract" houses. Now we are getting to the heart of | | | | |