First House

The First House - The Ascendant, The Rising, The Hour Marker

The first house is the sign that rises in the east, representing the moment of time captured by your horoscope. The ascendant, the point where the sky and heavenly bodies emerge into visibility, is where the visible and invisible meet, where spirit and physical form merge. It carries the symbolism of both mind and body, and serves as the foundation for all interpretation in natal and other forms of horoscopic astrology.

The first house is both the most important house and the simplest to understand. The first house is You, while the other houses represent other people and areas of your life. It is your baseline self, your essence, your identity. As you journey through life, experiencing the other houses, that essential self grows and evolves.

To unlock the secrets of the first house, begin with the sign and any planets residing within. Pay close attention to planets closer to the degree of the ascendant, as their influence will be more potent. Then, explore the traditional ruling planet of the sign on the first house. Consider the sign and house the ruler is in, and the nature of its relationship with the first house and other planets in the chart. Finally, seek out any planets making an aspect to the degree of the ascendant, as they will exert considerable influence on your life and character, particularly when applying within 3 degrees.

The first house is the gateway to the self, the starting point of your journey through the life. Embrace it, and you will begin to unravel the mystery of your birth chart.