The zodiac wheel used in Western astrology is divided into 12 sections, referred to as houses. Each house represents a separate area of life where the signs and planets express themselves.
In the same way that signs and planets are grouped and categorized, the houses of the zodiac are grouped into two categorizing systems. These systems are based on the elements and modes you read about in Chapter 2.
We categorize the 12 houses by elements: fire, earth, air and water. Instead of referring to these houses by element, however, we name them based on the area of experience they represent: life, substance, relationships, and endings.
Element: Fire
1st House: Body
5th House: Soul
9th House: Spirit/Mind
The Life houses are where you find inspiration, energy and motivation.
Element: Earth
2nd House: Possessions
6th House: Occupation/Work
10th House: Fame/Recognition
The Substance houses are where you find stability and practicality.
Element: Air
3rd House: Blood relatives and neighbors
7th House: Romantic partners, intimate one-on-one relationships
11th House: Friends, platonic relationships based on shared interests
The Relationship houses are where you find people you relate to on a regular basis.
Element: Water
4th House: Ending of physical body
8th House: Death; liberation of the soul
12th House: Metaphorical or philosophical death
The Endings houses are where you find sensitivity and soul awareness.
The 12 houses are also grouped by mode: cardinal, fixed and mutable. Again, we don’t refer to them by mode, but name the houses based on their placement within the zodiac wheel: angular, succedent and cadent. There are four houses per group.
Houses: 1, 4, 7, 10
Mode: Cardinal
The angular houses fall on the angles or axes of the zodiac wheel. These houses are where the action happens.
Houses: 2, 5, 8, 11
Mode: Fixed
The succedent houses follow (“succeed”) the angular houses. These houses are where there is stability and purpose.
Houses 3, 6, 9, 12
Mode: Mutable
The cadent houses are where there is adaptability and a friendly outlook.
The 12 houses of the zodiac, broken down by element and mode.
Numbers on the zodiac wheel refer to the house number.
Now it’s time to take what you’ve learned about signs, planets and houses and look at how they all come together in a birth chart.