Birth Chart - The Houses

You will see that the chart is divided into twelve sections.

These represent the division of the space surrounding you at birth. The sign on the first house "cusp" (the line that marks the beginning of the house) is the sign that was rising over the horizon at the time and place of your birth this is your rising sign, (or Ascendant).

The sign on the seventh house cusp is the sign that was setting at the time of your birth, the line between the first and 7th house cusps therefore represents the horizon. Planets in the upper hemisphere were therefore above the horizon at the time of birth, and planets in the lower hemisphere were below the horizon; planets in the left hemisphere (left of the line joining the 10th and 4th house cusps) were rising in the east and planets in the right hemisphere were setting in the west.

Each house represents a specific area of life experience. The positions of the planets in these houses therefore show in what areas of experience the effects of these planets will be most noticeable.

The Ascendant is an important point and has its own particular meaning.