TeachingsinWesternandVedicAstrology

November2002 The

TheHousesoftheHoroscope:AVedicViewpoint
Manydifferentbranchesofastrologyunderstandandusethe12housesof
thechartindifferentways.Bylearningalargerrangeofmeaningstoeach
house,weenrichourpracticeofastrology.

Admittedly,therearedifferenceswithinbranches,too,e.g.theHorary
branchofVedicastrologysometimesplacesthemesinadifferenthouse
thannatalVedicastrologydoes,andNorthIndianastrologersdifferfrom
SouthIndianastrologersinsomeoftheirattributions.Whilethismeans
thatonemusttestandexperimentwiththeinsightsfromeachfield,this,in
itself,isagrowingprocess.

TheFirstHouse.

Most"astrologies"valuethefirsthouse(anditslord)muchmorethan
mostotherhouses,becauseitrepresentsthepersonthemselves.Amongthe
diversethemesgiventothishouseare:One'sleadership,independence,
selfunderstanding,interestinselfdevelopment,status,health,longevity,
charisma,resilience,capacitytocopewithlife'schallenges,andphysicality
andthelackofanyoftheseattributesifthefirsthouseismorechallenged
thansupportedastrologically.

Achallengedfirsthousemayresultinselfcenteredness,arroganceor
exaggeratedhumility,inefficiency,antisocialtendencies,unlikeability,and
aninabilitytoactualizethepromisesofthechart.

Ontheotherhand,astrongfirsthousecanindicateaninnermandateto
succeed,pragmaticintelligence,agoodpersonality,acomfortable
embodiment,clearandhealthyinclinations,andtheabilitytomakethe
mostoutoftheirlives.

TheSecondHouse

Formanyastrologersthemeaningofthesecondhouseislimitedto
moveablepossessions,wealth,spendingpatterns,values,securityand
sometimesselfesteem.Infact,thesecondhousealsorepresentsallvocal
themes,e.g.one'sabilitytospeakand/orsingeffectively,thesweetnessor
roughnessofthevoicetone,thetendencytospeakharshly,etc.Thesecond
housealsocoverstheoralthemeofeatingandingesting(takingthingsin,
andnotjustthroughthemouth),aswellastheteethandfood.

OneofthemeaningsofthesecondhouseonlyindicatedbyVedicastrology
isthetenorofthefamilylife,includingboththegeneraltoneofthefamily
lifeanddisruptionstofamilylife.

TheThirdHouse

InmodernWesternastrology,thethirdhousemeanssiblings,neighbors,
shorttrips,themind,communication,andcorrespondence.

Thethemesofthethirdhousearegreatlyexpandedinotherastrologies.
Foronething,thethirdhouseindicatesallthingsmanual,i.e.manual
laborandthetrades,prowessinfightingandcoordination,abilitytouse
thehandsforfineworklikeart,music,massage,andcrafts,andwriting
ability.

Thethirdhousealsomeansmuchmore.Theideaofexercisingthe
initiativeandefforttoaccomplishataskinathirdhousetheme,asis
courage,cleverness,talent,might,boldness,enterprise,andtheabilityto
promoteone'sagenda.Additionally,hearingcomesunderthethirdhouse,
asdoesmoving,becausethethirdhouseis12thtothe4th,andtherefore
representsthedissolutionofhomeandthepartitionofproperty.

TheFourthHouse

Besidesthemorecommonmeaningsofthefourthhouse,mother,home,
andfamily,thishousecorrespondstoplants,water,lands,vehicles,sleep,
graves,community,formaleducation,andone'ssenseofwellbeing,i.e.
peaceofmind(andheart).Ourearlylifeexperiencescolorthestrength
andsolidityofthegroundofourbeing.

Sinceethicsarelearned"atone'smother'sknee",thishousealso
representsmoraleducation,oursenseofrightandwrong,andthe
relationshipbetweenone'spassionandone'sethics.Asthehouseof
ancestors,thenatureofone'slineageisalsoindicatedhere.

TheFifthHouse

Inadditiontothewellknownthemesofchildren,recreation,romance,and
play,thefifthhouseindicatesaperson'sdiscernment,intelligence,wisdom,
penetratinginsight,goodjudgment,andabilitytogivegoodadvice,aswell
asthelikelihoodofhavingchildren(orthelackthereofifheavily
challengedastrologically).

Otherthemesofthe5thhouseincludeinvolvementinthegovernment
Otherthemesofthe5thhouseincludeinvolvementinthegovernment
(everythingfrompresidentorkingtoapersonreceivingagrant),writing,
teaching,andpublishing,andpractitionersofmysticalpractices.

TheSixthHouse

MostWesternastrologersplacehealthissues,enemies,pets,debts,and
employeesinthishouse.Infact,itisthehouseofacutediseases(nothealth,
perse),aswellasofanxietyandworry,antagonismandemnity,theft,
alienation,weapons,andprofessionsdealingwithdisease.

TheSeventhHouse

Wellknownasthehouseofpartnerships,bothbusinessandmarital,the
seventhhouseisthehouseofsexualattraction,passion,affairs,andeven
thesexualcharacteristicsandbehaviorofthespouse.Itisalsothehouseof
independenceinbusiness.

Furthermore,thestrengthofplanetsin,aspecting,andrulingthishouse
indicateswhetheronefeels"attheeffectofothers"orinapositiontohelp
others.

TheEighthHouse

Itmaysurprisesomeastrologerstoknowthatwhiletheeighthhousedoes
indicatethemannerofdeath,incest,bankruptcy,research,inheritances,
scandals,crises,transformations,andtheoccult,italsoindicateslongevity,
knowledgeofancientclassicalsubjects,posthumousfame,winninga
lottery,alternativemedicine,andsacredsex.

Additionally,itrepresentschronicproblems,suchaslingeringillnessesand
unresolvableissues,aswellasmanipulation,disgrace,andmurder.

TheNinthHouse

Thishouseindicateslongdistancetravel(asopposedtoforeigntravel),
pilgrimages,praying,givingcharity,andgoodfortune,aswellasthemore
commonlyunderstoodhighereducation,religion,institutions,andbeliefs.

Oneseaseordifficultyinascertainingtheirlifepurposeisfoundhere,asis
thefather(!)andtherelationshipwiththefather.

TheTenthHouse

Besidescareer,authority,rules,achievements,anddiscipline,thetenth
houseindicatesonesstatus,dignity,commercialsuccess,andhonor(or
lackthereofifastrologicallychallenged.

Thisisthehouseofonesprimaryactivities.

TheEleventhHouse

Herewefind,inadditiontofriends,groups,andgoals,theattainment(and
fulfillment)ofonespurpose.IntheEleventhhouseweseeifthingscan
comeeasilytotheperson,whetheritbesupport,money,orgifts.

Onesabilitytoreceiveishere,aswellasonesoldersiblings,goodqualities,
majorinvestments,andonesgainsandprofitsingeneral.

TheTwelfthHouse

MostWesternastrologersattributeselfundoing,imprisonment,hidden
weaknesses,hiddenmotives,behindthescenesactivity,andcompassionate
servicetothishouse.

Vedicastrologersadd"pleasuresofthebed"whichincludesleepingand
beds,andsexandorgasmaswell.Thisistheprimaryhouseofexpediture,
losses,wastefulness,addictions,andcharity.Itisalsothehouseofforeign
travel,foreignresidence,immigration,andisolation.

Itisalsothehouseoftherelinquishmentoftheegointoenlightenment.

TheDifferentMindsetsofWesternandVedic
Astrologers
AftermyBridgeofSkiesarticlecameoutinTheMountainAstrologer,
whichoutlinedtheVedicperspectivesandmethodsthatcouldbedirectly
appliedtoWesternastrology,Ireceivedoverahundredemailspraisingthe
article.Ialsoreceivedone,fromaprominentWesternastrologer,
completelyrejectingthearticle.

Ihavecometounderstandthemotivationofthatastrologer.TheWestern
approachtoachartisverydifferentthantheEasternone.Infact,ifItried
toreadaVedicchartusingmyWesternapproach,thechartwouldn't
work.Andviceversa.Butmostastrologersdon'trealizethis.

Here'sanexampleofthestrikingdifferencesinaWesternandaVedic
interpretationofthesamefactor:

IfsomeonehasMooninCancer(Tropically)intheFirstHouseina
WesternChart,wemightconcludethat:

1.Theyareaveryemotional,evenmoodyperson.

2.Theyarestronglyconnectedto,andinfluencedby,theirmother.

3.Theyaremotivatedtonurtureandtakecareofothers.

4.Theirphysicalenergiesmaywaxandwaneduetothelunarinfluence.

5.Theyareverysensitive,becauseoftheMoon'sreceptivity.

6.Theyshouldbecarefultoeatonlywhentheyarenotupset,becausetheir
bodyisstronglyaffectedbytheiremotionalstate.

AVedicinterpretationofthesamefactor(MooninCancerintheSidereal
ZodiacintheFirstHouse)mightsay:

1.Thepersonhasaverystrongandhealthybodyandislonglivedand
veryphysicallyactive(lordofthefirstinthefirstandstronginitsown
sign).

2.Thepersonispopularandwelllikedbyothers.

3.Thepersonisabletobouncebackfromlife'schallenges.

4.Thepersonhaspracticalintelligence,i.e.isabletoutilizethetalentsshe
has.

5.Thepersonlikestotravel(becausetherisingsignandMoonarein
moveablewhatWesternastrologerscallCardinalsigns).

6.Thepersonwillbelikelytohavemultiplemarriages.

AverygoodastrologerofeitherWesternorVedicorientationmayindeed
includesomeofthefactorsfromtheothermethod'slist(above),butnote
thattherearestillstrikingdifferencesbetweenbothapproaches.Iamnot
sayingeitherapproachiswrong,Iamsimplysayingthatbothsystems
haveverydifferentorientations.Also,sinceeveryWesternandVedic
astrologerhastheirownstyle,thesecomparisonsonlyindicategeneral
differencesinapproach.

Infact,inbothWesternandVedicsystems,MooninCancerinthefirst
housewouldindicatesomeoneinterestedinLunaractivitieslikeplants,
flowers,theocean,women'sthemes,caretaking,etc.
ButwhatI'mcomingtofindistherealdifferenceinthetwoapproachesis
thewayfactorsareblendedandintegratedintoawholeperspective.

InmodernWesternastrology,theaspectsbetweentheplanetsarethe
primaryintegrativemechanisminachart.Iftwoplanetsareinstrong
aspect,theirenergiesandthehousestheyinhabitandthemesthey
representbecomelinked.

InVedicastrology,amuchlargerwebofinteractionsisutilized.Aspects,
dispositors,yogas(planetsthatformspecificcombinationsbyvirtueof
theirplacementsandrulerships),andsignificators(e.g.Jupiteras
significatorofchildren)allaretakenintoaccounttoascertainwhichwaya
specifictheme"leans".

Asaresult,someonecanbeanexcellentpractitionerofonebranchof
astrologyandbecompletelyunpreparedtoworkinanotherbranch.In
fact,masteringonebranchmayevenbecomeanobstacletolearning
another,becauseonecannotusethesameapproachwithboth.

DifferencesinApproachesbetweenWesternandVedicAstrology

Western
methodofassessingthescale Majorpositiveaspect
ofaperson'slife(i.e.famous, patterns(e.g.GrandTrines),
ordinary,etc.) harmoniousaspectswith
tightorbs.
methodofassessingdegree Strengthofchallenging
ofchallengeinthelife aspects,especiallythose
formedbySaturnandMars.
Planetsinthe8thhouse.
Vedic
PositiveYogas.(Planetary
combinationsforwealth,
power,giftedness,etc.)
Thestrengthofthe
ascendant.
ChallengingYogas.Weakness
oftheascendant.Weaknessof
planetsbysign,house,aspect,
andrulership.

primarypredictivemethod transitsbytheouterplanets, planetaryperiods(dasas)&

secondaryprogressionsby
theinnerplanets.
meaningofthelunarnodes Northnodepositive,the
directioninlifetoaspireto.
Southnodenegative,the
placetomoveawayfrom.
karmicindicators thelunarnodes,seeabove.
factorstoconsiderwhen thehouse,itsoccupants,
assessingalifetheme theirdignityandnature,
aspectstoitsoccupants,its
subperiodscalculatedfrom
thenakshatraoftheMoon.
Northnode:lust,drives,
ambitions,compulsions.
Southnode:losses,surrender,
enlightenment,self
effacement.
thewholechart,especially
strongandrepeatingpatterns
thehouse,aspectstoit(even
ifempty),itsoccupants,the
house'slord,itsconditionand
 rulerbyhouseandsignand aspects&rulership,pertinent
dignity. yogas,otherrelatedhouses,
thetheme'splanetary
significator.
primarymethodofanalysis examiningindividual evaluatingthechart'syogas
planets,oneatatime,witha andtheneachhouse,then
strongemphasisoneach examiningwhichplanetsand
planet'ssign.lookingatwhat housesareactivated,bothin
planetsarereceiving themainchartandinthe
Uranus,Neptune,orPluto subcharts,duringthecurrent
transits. planetaryperiod(dasa).

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