The only thing I used to know about astrology was that I was an Aquarius. That was it — hard stop. I'd never really identified with most of the characteristics assigned to Aquarius sun signs, so I didn't think too much of it. But as I started exploring the world of astrology, I learned more about my sun, moon, and rising signs and that I had an entire star chart — all of which were way more aligned with who I was as a person. Once I understood that my sun sign wasn't everything and that it was, in fact, only a very small part of the picture, astrology became far more interesting to me.
One key component of astrology that I had to understand in order to dive deeper was the 12 houses. The 12 houses aren't an entirely new concept — they're linked to the signs you're already familiar with. If you've ever seen your birth chart depicted as a wheel or circle (it often looks like a pie chart at first glance), the 12 houses are the 12 different segments of that wheel. Each house represents a different aspect of your life, such as wealth, communication, or relationships, and each house is traditionally ruled by an astrological sign.
However, your personal star chart is more important than which house rules which sign, as each person's star chart and sign placement is different. The placement of the planets within the 12 houses, and thus the placement of each astrology sign at the time of your birth, can reveal insights about your personality and how you relate to the world around you. Essentially, on each unique birth chart, each house is ruled by a different sign, and where those signs land has implications for who you are. The first six houses are known as your personal houses, which relate to the self, while the last six are considered interpersonal houses, which are about how you relate to the world around you. Let's dive in.
