The Ninth House

There are 12 Houses in the birthchart, and each rules a different area of life. For instance, the 1st House rules the ego, the self or self-expression. If one were to have their sun or any of the personal planets (moon, mercury, venus, mars) in this house, then self-expression becomes very important to this person at all times, and this person would be a real individualist. House 2 rules money, material possessions, and values, hence someone with a stellium of planets there would prioritize making money or acquiring material goods and creature comforts as a quest in life. And so forth.

I'm not going to go into each and every house in detail, but I must say the houses are my favourite subject in astrology, because they are so 'specific' and telling of which areas one should focus on in one's life. (Virgos love categorizing things!) In order to find out which planets lie in which house, you need to have the exact birth time and place; with the date only, you can find out which sign your moon, venus or mars etc lie in, but you won't know your Ascendant (the sign which kick starts your birthchart and determines which houses your planets are placed). That's definitely not good enough for an in-depth chart interpretation. So I highly recommend you get your exact birth time and place to find out which areas are most important for you in this lifetime. Since you're already here (in this lifetime), you might as well.

You can find out your birthchart here: http://www.astro.com/cgi/ade.cgi?ract=xx687474703a2f2f7777772e617374726f2e636f6d2f6367692f63686172742e6367693f6369643d3b6c616e673d3b676d3d61313b6e686f723d3b6e686f323d3b627479703d323b6d74683d61743b736461793d313b736d6f6e3d353b7379723d323030393b6873793d2d313b7a6f643d3b6f7262703d3b72733d303b6173743d&lang=e&rs=0&btyp=2at

This blog is called The Ninth House because I have a particular affinity with the 9th House, needless to say. I have almost all of my personal planets, including the sun lying there. Actually, as like alot of PhD students at Cambridge which I've come across and had the honour of doing charts for - the majority of them have personal planets in the 9th House. That is truly significant. The 9th House rules philosophy, higher education, publishing, long distance travel, ideals and the higher mind. It is Sagittarius's house, with Jupiter as it's ruling planet, signifying optimism, hopes and ideals, spiritual growth and the love of freedom! PhD students nonetheless exude all of these qualities and are forever intellectually curious and share a penchant for higher learning and horizon broadening. Or else we wouldn't be here right?

I find myself philosophizing about things alot, as a result of the 9th House influence, and I live in my mind alot. The thing I find most satisfying is mulling over substantive issues (I find myself talking about 'values' alot) and discussing them with like-minded peers. I can never just sit there and 'hang out'; I won't be satisfied, I'd feel restless and want to leave. I don't think I can be very compatible with someone who didn't have a strong 9th House influence or wasn't idealistic like me. That is not to say that people with no planets in the 9th House aren't 'profound' or 'spiritual'; they may have many planets on the top half of the chart, ie, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and be just as complex characters. The bottom half of the chart - starting from the Ascendant at '9 o'clock' and in anti-clockwise direction with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Houses - signifies more personal pursuits, such as self-expression, material goods, family, roots, siblings, interpersonal communication, pleasure principles, romance and work etc. People who have alot of planets in these houses are more concerned about manifest or directly personal needs and goals. Whereas people who have more planets in the top half are more into complex issues such as religion, sexuality, spiritual needs, vocation (as opposed to just work), relationship with others (as opposed to romance on a frivolous level), place in society and community etc. You will find a distinct difference when interacting with individuals who are predominantly not on the same 'half' as you. Eg, you may be frustrated when you (a 9th House dweller) talk to a 2nd House dweller about 'ideals' when all they want to do is earn money. Or a 5th House dweller (pleasure-seeker, children-lover, speculation-oriented) might think an 11th House dweller (humanitarian, do-gooder) incredibly dull and too much of a goodie-two-shoes.

I said I wouldn't go into detail about the Houses, but I guess I can't resist. They are just too interesting. So, what does this all have to do about 'love', as suggested on the outset? I think compatibility of life pursuits and orientations. Ultimately you'll have to be with somebody who prioritizes the same things as you. Finding out which houses your loved ones 'occupy' is a useful starting point.

The Saturn Return

The very first topic I want to address is The Saturn Return, because it is very relevant to myself, and to many who are approaching their 28th year or have embarked on it already.



It is one of the most important transits you are going to experience in your lifetime. It's when the planet Saturn completes a full cycle through your birth chart and returns to the place it was when you were born. There is a Saturn Return once every 28-years, which means the First Saturn Return will occur when you are 28, lasting for roughly 2 years until you're 30. The Second Saturn Return will be when you're 58 to 60, and the Third, if you live that long, will be when you're 88 and so on.



This is known to be a very stressful period, and you will find yourself becoming very introspective and questioning everything you've done so far in life. If you're happy with your achievements so far, it is harvest time and you will find yourself reaching higher goals and be on the path to a true vocation in life. If not, then you are in for some major spring cleaning, ie, you will discard everything in your life that's not working and will have to rebuild everything anew. You will start to think about more profound issues, such as where you stand on the world stage and what role you want to play in society. Saturn is a very serious and severe planet (austere Capricorn's ruling sign, and co-ruler of eccentric Aquarius) and puts forth alot of limitations and obstacles. You really need to work hard for your goals to prove that you really want them. Saturn makes you work hard, that's a fact. But, being the Realist of the planets, it also helps puts things into perspective. If things are not working out now, chances are they will get discarded, ie, relationships in particular. For instance, alot of divorces occur during people's 30th year because they got married too early in life and didn't know what they really want. Saturn gives people a reality check, much like a smack in the face, and tells them what they really want or should aspire towards. Some people get married or have children during their 30th year, or get a new job or move on to a new career. 'Change' is the key word, for better or for worse. Even if it were for worse, it can only get better after the worse has gone. Saturn is a very apocalyptic planet much like Pluto in this way. It blasts away all your illusions of grandeur and makes you suffer intensely before it gives you what you want. But you will get it, and the pain will pay off eventually. As renowned astrologer trained in the realm of Jungian psychology, Liz Greene says in her brilliant work, Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil: 'Saturn. . . is never easy to deal with because his function is that of promoting growth.....and it is only frustration and pain which at present are sufficient goads to get a human being moving." It makes perfect sense to say that one has not fully grown up before one turns 30; one can only be an 'adult' after one has been through Saturn Return.

Take myself for instance, I can testify that Saturn Return is indeed a painful period, having almost completed my cycle at the moment. Right now Saturn is 2 degrees from my birth Saturn (in Virgo), and will probably have moved on to Libra by the end of this year, I reckon, and I will finally be 'free'. I actually first experienced the inklings of Saturn Return towards the end of my 27th year. Some people may feel it earlier or later, depending on the level of evolvement of the person (the awareness) and also the fact that Saturn is a very slow moving planet and always goes retrograde (backward and then forward), hence it's effects come sometimes AFTER it's physical manifestation. During my Saturn Return, I have been propelled towards my vocation, and am in Cambridge doing my PhD now. I wouldn't have worked that hard to get to where I am now if it weren't for the obstacles and limitations that put me deliberately to the test. But yes, only good things will ensue if you have stood the test of the Saturn Return.