By John, For EraofLight.com

In my last article (https://eraoflight.com/2024/07/07/the-primitive-qualities-in-astrology/), I have ventured in synthesizing Astrologic Signs from the Elements and their Primitive Qualities; but I didn’t follow through reasoning the specific Zodiac sequence that they follow.

Since Zodiac Signs align in a circular pattern, there’s no real start or end to their sequence; it just repeats indefinitely… However, between the energy of Pisces – which favors dissolution into a greater whole – and that of Aries – which sparks distinction from the whole – there is something like the “navel” of the cycle, a point of tangency if you will.

As manifest fractals of Life in the Solar system we all have the entire Zodiac in our compositions; but depending on their positions as seen from the specific Earth location we are born upon – physically becoming distinct from a whole – each Sign is experienced as a different aspect of our individual lives called a House.

Houses are analogous to Signs in number and sequence, so it’s convenient to approach the logic of both orders as a single thing, as long as we can keep their differences in mind. They’re essentially the same, but while Signs answer ‘how’, Houses ask ‘where/when’.

In the fixed star plane of the Zodiac, the cycle “navel” is at the Earth’s vernal point (Aries’ equinox) and in the local Earth plane it lies at the Ascendant (ASC), which marks the start or cusp of the 1st House. So while Aries says ‘I am me’, the First House asks ‘Who am I?’. To reference Aries’ qualities from last article, this House is the context of your life where there definetly wasn’t a ‘you’ and then you are spontaneously noticed (hot), out of sharp contrast (DRY). It comprises any and all circumstances in life when one is initially perceived as an entity distinct from others.

So if you have for example Gemini in the First, you present youself in many different ways (HOT) depending a bit on the circumstances (wet) and without much depth, which tends to come off as ‘dubious’ regardless of how legitimate it is for you. (“But that’s not what it says in your card…”)

Polar to that we have the Descendant (DSC) marking the cusp of the Seventh House, which asks “Who is the other?”; and Libra replying “You are the other”. Opposite Houses/Signs are pairs of opposite Humidities for the same Temperature; so Libra matches the ‘other’ as actively as Aries contrasts them.

To follow on our example, Gemini in your 1st House implies that it’s polar Sagittarius will be in your 7th: to you, any matching ‘other’ will naturally seem very enthusiastic (HOT) with little regard for the circumstances (dry), which tends to come off as ‘moralist’ or ‘overbearing’ (“Yes, you already gave me your card. Twice.”)

The axis formed by the ASC and DSC levels the horizon line of an astrological birth chart. As you can tell, it’s poles represent the two extremes of individual existence: the ‘I‘ and the ‘other‘. Note that the Signs/Houses edging this axis (Pisces/Aries+Virgo/Libra) are the same edging the Humidity axis from our Element-clustered graphic from the last article (albeit in a different order), which suggests that dry or wet are ambivalent measures of individuality.

Likewise, we have a vertical axis linking Zenith (MC – Medium Coeli or Midheaven) to Nadir (IC – Imum Coeli), the up/down reference for any given point on Earth. It further divides our sequence into four quadrants and – just like Temperature for Elements – is an ambivalent measure of collective scope or access for Signs/Houses. The IC extremity is our personal world: the internal roots, the subjective base that sustains us; while the MC extremity is our public world: the external fruits, the objective goal that drives us.

So instead of an Element, each quadrant of this sequence amounts to 3 Houses/Signs that correspond to a generic portion of the cycle. Q1 is both personal and about ‘me’; Q2 is personal and leans towards the ‘other’; Q3 is public and about the ‘other’ and Q4 is public and leans back towards the ‘me’. That being said, I’ll resume exploring the sequence of Houses in pairs of opposites and illustrating with examples of Signs.

HOUSES 2-8:

Once the ‘me’ is defined, it seeks a stable medium for material expression: that’s the Second House asking “What do I have?” What is constant, what is there sustaining your being against change? (Dry+Cold) The answer from Taurus is “I have stuff” – which at the most basic level means a physical body, but eventually extends to how you provide from/for it, all the material possessions we create or enjoy through the five senses.

If Gemini is in the 2nd, there seems to be a transient aspect to your production and your possessions – so you either don’t grow very attached to them or prefer them to have multiple uses, like a swiss-army-knife. Trading is almost a second nature, and value is often found in bargains. 

And opposing this we have the Eighth House asking “What does the other have?” What is left for the ‘me’ as a result of it’s association with the ‘other’? (Wet+Cold) … “The other has stuff ” says Scorpio rather curiously, as it desires to know beyond immediate appearances, what seems intangible. Opposing that which materially sustains you in the 2nd, this is what changes, what transforms you.

Death, heritages, taxes, sex, occultism and profit/loss in partnerships or adversities are seemingly different topics of the 8th House; but if you can see them essentially as transformation or transfer of energy, it’s easier to notice we tend to have the same perspective of them. And in the case of Sagittarius here, it tends to be an optimistic one: all possible outcomes of association are ultimately an improvement, plus with the polar Gemini in the 2nd, you know how to be versatile with your acquisitions.

HOUSES 3-9:

As direct consequence of existing in a material world, you must develop relations with your surroundings. The Third House comprises of all circumstances that invite variable input from you (HOT+wet), asking “How do I interact?”. Comparison and emulation are the basis of the learning process, at which Gemini excels while answering “I exchange.”

In the opposite end, once you and the other have received your dues, it becomes possible to venture beyond your surroundings. The Ninth House is about circumstances that are not quite inviting your input yet you input anyway (HOT+dry), in other words, “How do I expand?” – and Sagittarius just says “I go further”, regardless of it being an answer at all.

Gemini in the 3rd House and Sagittarius in the 9th make it easier to observe and represent the essence of their respective qualities, but harder to distinguish between Sign and House, which only manifest combined. By now you understand that there’s no right answer to what a House ‘asks’, only combinations that function differently.

For instance if Gemini is in the 9th House, your sense of expansion into the outer world is one that wheighs the circumstances: consider your long-term options, make trial runs – you definitely jump, but you look first. This perfectly complements Sagittarius in the 3rd, because your way to look first is by jumping in before reasoning can take place – you speak your mind confidently, buy things on impulse and so on.

HOUSES 4-10:

As a result of our personal interactions, we learn to choose what feels right to say, think or do when responding to the world. It becomes our subjective base, a collection of past experiences that we can rely on to derive expectations and make decisions. 

These inner roots of character are the IC, cusp of the Fourth House: any and every situation where you receive what you need (COLD+wet) to thrive. Your cultural origins, the home you share with your kin on any level: household or nation. It prompts the question “How does society provides for me?” – while Cancer recites, “I accept what is convenient“.

With Taurus in this position, you feel supported by things that anchor you (Dry+Cold) – especially in the material sense. A tangible house, nourishing food, nurturing family, practical values and opinions… which you tend to cling and grow attached to. 

The MC contrasts it at the top of the sky: this is where our outward expansion ultimately leads to, the fruits you present to the world. Opposing previous opinions and expectations, here you have facts and results that speak for themselves. Note that both points – IC and MC – are not about the individual (midway between the ‘me’ and the ‘other’) but rather about collective input and output respectively.

And as cusp of the Tenth House, it starts back towards the ‘me’: all those situations where you subject to what you must (COLD+dry) for your worldly deeds. “How do I provide for society?” Achievements and the ensuing reputation (or their absense altogether), your ‘fruits’ that become someone else’s nourishment – all are natural concerns of Capricorn who states “I endure what is necessary“.

Scorpio here balances the opposing Taurus by projecting change and transformation in the outside world (Wet+Cold). Hence the tangible effects of objective achievements are often overlooked in favor of what really motivates them ‘behind the curtains’.

HOUSES 5-11:

Being nurtured within a culture encourages us to manifest our own personal essence. Whatever you  constantly radiate for simply being yourself (Hot+Dry) is your natural creative expression, a Fifth House question: “How do I generate?”… Thus Leo proudly proclaims “I create.“

Taurus here makes for rather raw expression of character. Art is crafted for what it brings to the physical senses, it doesn’t require more profound meanings (or that’s it’s own profundity). The concrete existence of one’s production – be it a clay ashtray, a broadway musical or their own children – is enough of a trophy to hold on to indefinitely.

Centering the opposing quadrant, the Eleventh House follows suit encouraging response from our objective experiences endured in the collective field of the 10th House. So whenever you’re enacting plans considerate of all factors external to yourself (Hot+Wet), you answer 11th’s “How do I cooperate?” – whereas Aquarius will impassibly respond “I apply.”

With Scorpio in this placement, one’s sense of congregation stems from an emotional connection to meaningful transformation ideals. It’s not about what is practically achieved by the group, but what the group stands for that really matters – If there’s no loyalty to that, subscriptions must be somehow terminated.

HOUSES 6-12:

Depending on how prolific is your creative expression, it often requires a selective process to find what best matches your personal purposes. As we approach the public realm but still don’t have a specific ‘other’ in sight, we must limit our own creative output through some practical exclusive scrutiny (DRY+cold) defined by our Sixth House, which asks “How do I qualify?”. Virgo, always sharp with detail, replies “I analyze.”

If you have Taurus in the 6th, you select (or expect to be selected) at face value; and can be slow to adapt or change your standards. You feel betrayed if something rots in the fridge as a matter of principle, regardless of it’s expiration date, since your service routines tend to be materially productive and reliable.

As with personal expressions, the impersonal impressions we derive from participating in larger groups can be too extensive or contradictory to assimilate as an individual. At the polar end of the public hemisphere – bringing the cycle back to the ‘me’ – our entire input is summarized through an inclusive process (WET+cold) ordained by the Twelfth House, which asks “How do I integrate?”  And Pisces ever complacently suggests, “I merge.”

Having Scorpio in the 12th means you absorb primarily the underlying, transformative aspect of experiences into your being; without which you feel incomplete. On the other hand, the intensity of such experiences helps bringing your whole experience into completion.

Every closing of the cycle at the ‘navel’ point (ASC) presents an opportunity for awareness growth: as we integrate all of our previous fields of experience (Houses), we can find a transcendent meaning to our individual existence or rekindle our purpose in a different light. Either way, we will emerge as a renewed consciousness in the First House/Aries again.

FINAL NOTES

One aspect that can help understand the logic sequence of the House system is it’s self-defining integrity property: by default, all Houses are numbered and defined in relation to your point of individuality (ASC), but other references can be explored.

For example, the polar-opposite contrasts that I’ve used to present the full cycle is essentially a Humidity swap; so you could say your ‘me’s objective goal (1st’s 10th) is also the ‘other’s’ subjective base (7th’s 4th), and vice-versa. Even the ‘consequential’ linear sequence that I followed is a 1-1 evolution pattern, so every House is literally a property of the individual House theme (1st’s 2nd) that precedes it. 

While it is indeed very complex to perceive your individual creative expression (1st’s 5th) as an individual interaction capacity (1st’s 3rd) of your individual possessions (1st’s 2nd), it’s this complexity that makes the logic sequence absolutely consistent.

In reality, experiences don’t necessarily succeed in such order, as all House/Sign combinations (defined by each person’s birth daytime and location) only represent a possible coherent set of life perspectives that coexist in the same person at the same time.

Furthermore, how and if these perspectives are meaningfully experienced depends on where each of our planetary functions is stationed around this set. Everyone has every Sign, House, and Planet in their astral birth chart but how their absolute and relative importance varies is where our Astrological diversity truly lies.

For now, my focus has been approaching this diversity through the abstractive lens of Primitive Qualities; but there is plenty of material available describing Houses and Signs through more practical examples. Once the purpose of abstractions is attained, it’s natural to employ shortcuts for these concepts: generally speaking Fire translates to Identity, Air to Social, Water to Emotion and Earth to Material; while Cardinal-Fixed-Mutable refers to Initiative-Safety-Process respectively.

I hope that this article’s combination of qualities suits whichever aspect of your life is in pursuit of the knowledge herein contained!

Namaste