Astrology Intro: Bringing Us Closer To God (Pt 7)

This is part 7 of an ongoing series of articles. If you haven't already, please read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6

Parts 4, 5 and 6 of this series have brought us so far through the 7th house of our example native, which is just over halfway through our evaluation. The perspective of the progression used has been to compare each sign as a step along a progression of consciousness from the first point of awakening and awareness through building foundations and realizing our intelligence, to facing our first major challenges, and integrating others and partnerships more fully into our being and experience. In this part we will carry on from there with an evaluation of the 8th, 9th and 10th houses.

Here are our tables we've been using for a quick reference into the status of the planets and houses in our native's chart. Our first table is a general assessment of placement and strength:

These next two tables we mainly use to see information at a glance about the planetary and house placements that can be useful for making our assessments of the houses:

The Eighth House

The eight house, along with the sixth and twelfth, is a Dusthana house. These houses are normally associated with challenges and suffering and out of this trio, it can often bring on what we societally consider the most challenging aspects of the three. It can deal with upheaval, change, disease, and death. But complementary to that is the energetic support for transformation and change. One thing about eastern culture that has slipped into the west over time as the west becomes more attuned to eastern spiritual ideals and philosophy is that "we cannot evolve, grow, and change without some level of suffering." I wouldn't say that's completely accurate, but I will say that I can certainly see how the eighth house can bring on these types of perceptions. And, to some extent, most of us have probably had an experience where it wasn't until we suffered a bit that we finally learned a needed lesson.

In what may seem like a stark contrast to that description; the eighth house is also a Moksha house along with the fourth and twelfth houses. Moksha is about spiritual liberation. The eighth house assists in spiritual liberation through what was just described; significant challenges which could lead to upheaval, and the correlating opportunity for transformation. Dealing with life and death, this house is where we have the opportunity to get in touch with a darker side of things. This can be revelatory or disastrous depending on one's preparation to face these things within themselves. 

In our native's chart, the eighth house is in the sign of Pisces, which is ruled by Jupiter, and Jupiter is placed in the fifth house.

The Ruler of the Eight House Placed in the Twelve Houses

Fifth House

Positive: If the ruler of the eighth house is supported and placed in the fifth house, the person will have sudden financial games from outside sources. His partner or spouse will become wealthy and successful. If other elements of the chart agree, then the person could have talent in stock market investing. This placement is generally excellent for wealth and general prosperity. It also promotes longevity. His first child will live in a nice home,drive a nice car and will live a peaceful, happy life. The second child could become wealthy or prosperous. The person could study a subject that requires deep research or which is alternative in some way. This is also a good placement for the study of astrology or other occult subjects.

Negative: If the ruler of the eight house is placed in the fifth house without support, the person will have financial losses due to risk-taking, and he should be very conservative regarding the stock market. He will have a troubled and complex mind. As a result, he may have a difficult time learning. He could have breaks, interruptions, or obstructions in his education. This placement also produces problems regarding children. For example, the first child could be restless and unsettled, and will probably have several changes of residence in life. If the eighth lord is seriously afflicted in the fifth house, then there could be a loss of child, or one of the children could have health problems. Due to an excess of negative karma coming from past lives, the person feels unlucky and generally unfortunate. This placement also makes life difficult for the person to benefit from good advice.

Taking a look at this evaluation, we can really see how the lord of the eighth brings that energy into the fifth house. The fifth house significations such as luck (from a karmic perspective) and children. Not mentioned in our description above, but in Kelleher's text, is the correlation between the eighth house and getting money from clients, or outside sources. Here we see how this may combine with fifth house significations as well.

Our native's Jupiter we evaluated as pretty even, so we'd probably see a mix of the positive and negative here. However, the challenges it deals with are just Saturn's aspect and being retrograde. Jupiter is in its own house (and office) and receiving the Moon's aspect - and when the Moon and Jupiter play together, good things happen. While retrograde makes things more difficult, it can be overcome under the right circumstances. For this reason, I'd say that Jupiter leans towards the positive. There are no planets in the eighth house, and no planets aspecting it, so that's all we're going to consider for the eight house in this cursory evaluation.

The Ninth House

The ninth house is a house of Dharma in Vedic astrology, along with the first and fifth houses. The way we are referring to Dharma here is in purposefulness. This is in a deeper way than our jobs, which is most likely the first place the mind turns to for people indoctrinated into western culture and society. Here we are looking more for purposefulness as in our mode of being. If we theorize that we were created to fulfill a certain purpose, that ultimate purpose could be to just "be ourselves" to the fullest. If God wanted a being to exist such as us, our purpose is just to fulfill our true mode of being in the way that feels most intuitive when we are most in touch with God.

This house takes on the highest form of dharmic expression in terms of spiritual principles. Here the native seeks truth, wisdom, and learns how to discern so that they can carry on the progression of themselves as a child of the universe. This is very well-placed after the eight house, where we may face our greatest challenges, and life and death. In the ninth, the native has the chance to evaluate these things from a philosophical or spiritual perspective and grow from them. A chance to attain wisdom, and level up one's game based on what they've learned from the challenges they've faced so far.

It can be considered a house of education. We've discussed the fourth house being related to the classroom, and the type of education or learning in the fifth, but here we are talking about higher education. College, finding a guru, or even just learning through our father are ways this can be expressed.

While it does have significations with ideals of the highest nature, there is also the danger of stalling in the ninth house. One may become fooled by the ego into thinking they have found or are an expression of truth, rather than understanding the cyclical nature of learning, discerning, refining, and going back for more. We would all be wise here to not become to attached to any gains we may achieve here. While we may become wiser, the way we gain wisdom is not absolute, but relative. A wise action under one circumstance may not be wise under another. Making sure to understand ever-evolving nuance of situations can make sure we don't become stuck with what happens in the ninth house, and is essential to integrating its lessons.

The first, fifth and the ninth are also Kona houses in Vedic astrology, and these are houses of benefit. This can be luck, but through the eyes of this philosophy luck is an expression of karma, so the rewards attained here are due.

The ninth house for our native is placed in Aries, which is ruled by Mars, and Mars is placed in the fourth house.

The Ruler of the Ninth House Placed in the Twelve Houses

Fourth House

Positive: If the ruler of the ninth house is placed in the fourth house, the person will be lucky and prosperous. He will come from a good family and could inherit family property. He will have excellent luck with real estate and will live in a beautiful home. He will also own a nice car. This placement favors education, and suggests that the person will attend a first-rate college or university. His mother will be a strong, virtuous person with a pronounced sense of purpose in life, which will provide him with a solid upbringing and high values. His father could be instrumental in helping him purchase a home, land or a car. Similarly his father will probably pay his university tuition.

Negative: If the ruler of the ninth house is afflicted in the fourth house, the person could have problems regarding property inherited from his father. His father could also be the source of demonstrative disharmony when the person is growing up. If the person approaches his father for money to purchase homes, cars, land or college tuition, he might meet with the resistance or disagreement. It is also possible that the father could have several job changes that make it necessary for the person's family of origin to move frequently. This is also a negative placement for the health of the mother, producing physical problems signified by the afflicting planets and the planet that is the ninth lord.

In our native's chart Mars has to battle being conjoined Ketu, and naturally exchanging aspects with Rahu. But, it is placed in its own house, which also is the house that Ketu rules in some schools of thought. There's a lot of opportunity for chaos when these three malefics come together too. So our native may have a wild ride here with ups and downs but it may just squeak out to be on the positive side of this explanation.

The Tenth House

The tenth house carries forward some of the more introspective, or self-refining aspects of the ninth house to be outwardly expressed. Here is where one makes their impact upon the external world whether that be on the scale of societies or communities. This house is the house of karma, as it is defined in the more traditional Hindu sense of "action".

Career is the most common thing that astrologers look to the tenth house to discern. Especially in western society and culture, one's career is usually the most direct way that one would interact with society. Correlating to this are also status and reputation, or authority. And as an extension of that, authority figures are also represented here, which can come through insofar as the native's position of authority, or the native's relationship to these authorities.

Like Capricorn, the tenth house in the natural zodiac, people with prominent tenth houses may have extra pragmatic tendencies. One could discern strictness of conduct or organizational tendencies here. There is a thread that runs from the tenth house through Capricorn into its lord Saturn with these significations.

Complementary to all of these mundane, worldly descriptions are spiritual ones - although these are not as commonly expressed. After all, a spiritual life lived completely in one's head is only one half of the equation. Walking the walk; actualizing our spiritual ideas and integrating them into our mundane lives appropriately tends to bring great benefit to not only us but to our communities and society at large.

In our native's chart, the tenth house is placed in Taurus, whose lord is Venus, and Venus is placed in the first house.

The Ruler of the Tenth House Placed in the Twelve Houses

First House

Positive: If the ruler of the tenth house is placed in the first house, the person will be independent in work. Frequently this indicates that he will be self-employed, but it can also mean that his career will allow him a great deal of independence or authority. This placement also suggests professional fame and recognition, especially if the tenth lord combines with the lagna lord, or the rulers of the fifth or ninth houses. The person will become progressively more successful and prosperous.

Negative: If the ruler of the tenth house is weak, or afflicted in the first house, the person will have professional problems related to a tendency to be too independent. He may find it difficult to harmonize with his boss or coworkers, or he could have professional setbacks and reputation problems. This placement can also produce ill health in childhood usually followed by improvement and better health later in life.

Side note for the positive description - the "lagna" is the first house, or ascendant. So, when it mentions the lagna lord, it's talking about the lord or ruler of the first house. And, it just so happens that in our native's chart, the lagna lord is the Sun, who is also in the first house. Overall, Venus had an about even disposition, but with a lot going on. It's conjoined the Sun, which can bring challenges, but also wildcard Mercury, while receiving Jupiter's aspect. Another interesting thing with the Sun is that it can commonly be looked to for career-related things in people's chart. So, our native's tenth house could benefit from that. I would say we lean a little bit positive in this description.

Our native also has Rahu in their tenth house.

Planets in the Tenth House

Rahu in the Tenth House

Positive: Rahu in the tenth house is good for professional success. The person will have a sense of urgency and excitement about achieving his professional goals. He will be somewhat driven and compulsive, but when Rahu is favorable, this takes the form of total fascination with his work. He becomes consumed with ambitious drive and finds great pleasure in working hard. He will be an innovator in his profession, taking a revolutionary approach to his work. Since he prefers to stay on the cutting edge of his field, he may achieve breakthroughs that advance his profession. This placement also suggests that the person could work at a profession that is unconventional. Rahu in the tenth is seen in the charts of computer programmers, electricians, chemists, scientists, chiropractors, engineers and astrologers. With Rahu placed here the person will be driven to succeed and will achieve both professional and financial success. Because of the strong desires that are always associated with Rahu, however, even a positive Rahu in the tenth house tends to make the mind restless.

Negative: If Rahu is malefic and placed in the tenth house, the person will have many changes in his profession. He will be compulsive in a negative way, possibly becoming a workaholic or a fanatic. He might be very eccentric, alienating his mainstream coworkers. In any case, this is not a good placement for positive relations with bosses, professional peers, or coworkers, and it causes the person to be a loner in his work. If Rahu is seriously afflicted here, the person may have sudden reversals or disasters in his work. For example, his boss could suddenly fire him, or he could accidentally make a fatal mistake in his work that causes him to lose status or to lose his job. Because this placement gives a rebellious nature, the person will try to avoid having a boss. If he does have a boss, then the boss might be strange, aggressive, driven or obnoxious in some way.

Unfortunately for our native, their Rahu doesn't look too good. It's (obviously) receiving Ketu's aspect and also Mars. That extra strong Mars energy may exacerbate some of the issues pointed out in Kelleher's evaluations here.

So our native seems to have a lot going on with their tenth house between its lord being in the Ascendant and conjoined two planets, with Rahu being in it and receiving Ketu and Mars' aspect. I'd say that our native might have a very prominent expression of tenth-house related things in their life and unfortunately it seems like it might cause some serious challenges.

Understanding the Evaluation

Ten houses through this evaluation, it's probably starting to settle the mind a bit how we look at houses as relating to different realms of experience, and how they play together with their lords, and any planets occupying them to manifest expressions according to their significations in our lives. The strength and placement of their lords, and planets within them, can help us understand how they can correlate to the patterns inherent in nature and the design of these cosmos we are a part of.

In our next part we will finish the evaluation of our native's houses with the eleventh and twelfth. This part of the process is in my opinion the gateway to a true appreciation of astrology and that connection to God we keep referencing; so we'll also do a summary/recap of these articles evaluating houses to try to bring it all back together before moving onto the next part, transits.