Karen Hamaker-Zondag - The House Connection

The House
Connection
How to Read the Houses
in an Astrological Chart
Karen Hamaker-Zondag
SAMUEL WEISER, INC.

York Beach, Maine
To all my pupils
Table of Contents
List of Chans and Figures ix

Astrological Signs and Symbols xi
Foreword xiii
PART I: THEORY
Chapter 1: Types of Ruler 3
Chapter 2: House Connections 17
Chapter 3: Imponant Houses 27
Chapter 4: House Rulers in Aspect 49
Chapter 3: The Role of the House Ruler in
Complex Interpretation 77
PART II-HOUSE CONNECTIONS

Chapter 6: How the House Connections Work 115
Bibliography 247
Index 249
About the Author 255
List of Charts and Figures
Chan 1. An example chart 9

Chart 2. Fred's chart 24
Chart 3. Paul's chart 33
Chart 4 A Dutch politician 34
Chart 5. Wilhelm C. Rontgcn . . 36
• • •
Figure 1. The classical dispositorships 4

Figure 2. The classical and trans-Saturnian dispositorships 6
Figure 3. The house rulerships 44
Astrological Signs and Symbols *
Sign Symbol Day Ruler Element Cross

Night Ruler
Aries -r Mars cP Fire Cardinal

Pluto S
Taurus V Venus 9 Earth Fixed
Gemini 31 Mercury ? Air Mutable
Cancer Moon S Water Cardinal
Leo Sun e> Fire Fixed
Virgo UP Mercury ? Earth Mutable
tn-r
Libra Venus ? Air Cardinal
Scorpio yys Pluto S Water Fixed

Mars d
Sagittarius Jupiter -k Fire Mutable
Neptune *
Capricorn % Saturn ?s Earth Cardinal
Uranus ■6
Aquarius e-w/ Uranus Air Fixed
Saturn S
Pisces Neptune Water Mutable
Jupiter
♦The reader should note that this author uses European glyphs for the planets. Pub.
Foreword
House rulers and house connections arc important when looking at a
horoscope. Morin de Villefranche described this in some detail in his
Astrologia Gallica: Book 21. He embroidered the scanty outline of the
subject as it was known in his time. The study of house rulers appears
as early as Ptolemy, and Cardanus occupied himself with it, to name
but two exponents of the art. However, Morin appears to have been
the first to make a systematic approach, but he lived in an era when
the human psyche was still very much unexplored territory. Therefore,
many of his pronouncements and interpretations, which usually relate
to external characteristics and circumstances, look rather antiquated
today. Astrology is now becoming increasingly psychological in its
expression and this is why 1 have written this book.
House rulers and house connections provide us with a wider and
deeper perspective of the chart, and supply answers to all kinds of
questions that might otherwise remain a mystery. For example, it is
often said that with Jupiter in the 2nd house the native will enjoy a
good income. So how is it that there arc people with Jupiter in the 2nd
house who time and again suffer financial reverses? Generally speak-
ing, the cause seems to be that the rulers of the 2nd houses arc
involved in difficult aspects and house connections, so that the prom-
ise ofjupitcr in the 2nd cannot be realized except after many setbacks
and a great deal of hard work. And there arc numerous other examples
we could mention that would show how necessary it is to take the
house connections and house rulers into account when interpreting the
chart.
I have been working with house connections ever since I began
my astrological studies, and this book is the distillate of my findings.
Nothing could persuade me to omit this particular facet of interpreta-
tion, and I am in full agreement with the spontaneous comment of a
student who once said, "If you overlooked the house rulers and house
connections or did not know how to deal with them, you would not be
able to derive one quarter of the information from the chart you derive
from it now." I hope to present a systematic account of how to work
with this very important technique.
xiv / Karen Hamaker- Z.andag
Again, as always, my thanks to my husband Hans, who is an

unfailing source of support and constructive criticism for he read every
line of the manuscript, commenting wherever he thought necessary.
His efforts have made the work much easier to read and understand. It
is invaluable to have him to turn to behind the scenes.
Amstelveen,
Karen Hamakcr-Zondag
Other books by Karen Hamaker-Zondag
Aspects and Personality
Elements and Crosses as the Basis of the Horoscope
Handbook of Horary Astrology
Houses and Personality Development
Psychological Astrology
The Twelfth House

• • •
Foundations of Personality (1994)

(Combines Elements and Crosses as the Basis
of the Horoscope and Houses and Personality
Development into one volume to provide a
complete foundation for horoscope interpretation.)
PART I
THEORY
1
Types of Ruler
Rulers of Signs
Each planet, through its nature and properties, has a special relation-
ship with a certain sign and it is known as the ruler (or dispositor) of
that sign. Some planets rule two signs. On the other hand, some signs
have two rulers, a day ruler and a night ruler. This is the result of the
discovery of the trans-Saturnian planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto)
which now have to be included in the system of rulers or dispositors.
The day ruler (or dispositor) is the principal ruler of a sign. The
night ruler (or dispositor), the second ruler, is certainly important for a
sign, but its role is subordinate to that of the day ruler. The word
"night" has nothing to do with the "dark side" of such a planet, and
even less to do with nighttime; all it indicates is that the planet comes
in second place.1
Astrologers are pretty well agreed on where to assign both the
classical and the trans-Saturnian planets; Pluto is the only bone of
however there may originally have been more in it than that, because Sibly says
{Science of Astrology, 1784. p. 133): "Jupiter . . . has allotted for his houses . . .
Sagittary and Pisces . . Pisces his night house, is in trine to Cancer, the house of the
nocturnal luminary, and Sagittary, his day-house, in trine to Leo, the house of the
diutnal luminary." Translator's note
4 / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
contention. Most astrologers place Pluto in Scorpio, a minority place it

in Aries, removing Mars from Aries and giving it to Scorpio.
On looking at the rulerships more closely (see Table 1 on page 6),
we see that they have a systematic basis. This becomes cleat if we
arrange the zodiac signs in a certain way, starting with Leo, ruled by
the Sun, and Cancer, ruled by the Moon. The Sun and Moon stand
respectively for male and female, day and night, creative (yang) and
receptive (yin), also for conscious and unconscious. They ate known as
the "lights" of the horoscope, and are the most significant factors in
interpretation. By using the Sun and Moon and their signs as our
foundation, it is possible for us to understand figure 1.
By placing the signs as they are shown in figure 1, we can make
sense of the rulership arrangement assigned to the classical planets
from Mercury to Saturn inclusive. This distribution of rulerships held
Figure 1. The classical dispositorships.

The House Connection / 5
good until the discovery of Uranus. A vertical line is drawn from the
Sun and Moon to Saturn. Plainly this represents the psychological
structure of the human being in symbolic form. The psyche consists of
a conscious and an unconscious part (Sun and Moon), and we come
through out contacts (Mercury), through out emotional relationships
and the sense of security they afford (Venus), through out activities
and out ego-function (Mars), and through out philosophy of life and
out religious expansion (Jupiter), to a certain measure of out self-
demarcation and assumption of responsibility (Saturn). In my book
describing the nature and functioning of the planets, I have already
discussed this quite fully.2
By adding the mote recently discovered trans-Saturnian planets to
figure 1, we find that the ascending vertical line curves back down to
the bottom of the diagram in a way that is reminiscent of the uto-
botos, the serpent swallowing its own tail. The recurrent line is shown
in figure 2 (page 6). Here Uranus rules Aquarius; but, as we can see in
Table 1, it is the night ruler of Capricorn. The former ruler of Aquar-
ius, Saturn, is now demoted to become night ruler of the sign, but
retains its primacy as day ruler of Capricorn. In fact. Capricorn and
Aquarius are ruled by the same two planets, but one planet takes pride
of place in one sign and the other planet takes pride of place in the
other. The day ruler is always the stronger of the two rulers, and this is
the one we shall concentrate on in the following pages.
The same thing is true of Sagittarius and Pisces: Neptune is now
acknowledged as ruler of Pisces, with the sign's former sole ruler,
Jupiter, pushed into second place as the night ruler; but Jupiter has
retained its position as the main ruler, or day ruler, of Sagittarius, of
which Neptune is now the night ruler.
Pluto has become ruler of Scorpio, leaving Mats to become the
night ruler of the sign. But Mars remains day ruler of Aries while Pluto
is its night ruler.
The remaining signs, the pairs Taurus/Libra, Gemini/Virgo and
Cancer/Leo, have to make do with sharing one ruler per pair; except
for Cancer and Leo, which do have their own individual rulers, but no
night ruler. Thus the system appears to be incomplete; but this makes
sense, because the development of human beings is still far from
complete. Just as in the last two centuries three planets have been
discovered that have heralded a period of stormy developments, so in
-Srr Planetary Symbolism in the Horoscope (York Beach. ME: Samuel Weiser, 1985).
6 / Karen Hamaker-ZonJag
5 fc)
fe)
5 S
4
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(S <5
9 9
V to
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Figure 2. The classical and trans-Saturnian dispositorships.
Table 1. Signs and their Rulers.

Sign Day Ruler Night Ruler
Aries Mars —
Taurus Venus —
Gemini Mercury —
Cancer Moon —
Leo Sun —
Virgo Mercury -
Libra Venus
Scorpio Pluto Mars
Sagittarius Jupiter Neptune
Capricorn Saturn Uranus
Aquarius Uranus Saturn
Pisces Neptune Jupiter
the future others now unknown may be discovered or, perhaps, we

may gain a better conception of heavenly bodies we already know.
For example, there is a belt of asteroids circling the Sun, and
according to some authorities, these asteroids consist of the broken
fragments of what was once a planet. Other astrologers think that this
belt of asteroids should be assigned to Virgo; still others think that
some asteroids belong to Virgo and others to Libra. Opinions are still
very much divided on the matter. A recently found member of the
Sun's family is the planetary fragment Chiron, with an orbit between
those of Saturn and Uranus. Chiron was discovered in 1977, and its
possible influence has been studied by astrologers all over the world.
The research is not yet unanimous, but a strong body of opinion
provisionally assigns this fragment to Libra. And there are other signs
that the system of dispositorships may be extended and further refined
in the future, especially as astronomers suspect that there is another
planet somewhere beyond Pluto.
However, it does not matter too much, for our purposes, whether
or not there are planets still to be discovered. Only at the moment
when a planet is observed or observable in the heavens, is it thought to
manifest its influence on the earthly plane. "That which is above is as
that which is below, and that which is below is as that which is
above."3 What is found to have material existence in the sky will
perceptibly affect the earth.
Rulers of Houses
Each house begins in a certain sign; the cusp of the house stands in this
sign. The signs of the various cusps depend on the moment of birth.
This is decisive for our house divisions. For example, let's consider the
case of someone born with a Leo Ascendant. What this means is that
the cusp of the 1st house lies in the sign of Leo. The house ruler is the
planet that is the (day) ruler of the sign on the cusp of the given house.
Since the Sun rules Leo, it also rules the 1st house in our example. The
Sun here is the lord, or ruler, of house I.
If Scorpio was the sign on the Ascendant, then Pluto, the day
ruler (or day dispositor) of Scorpio, would have been the ruler of the
'Quoted from The Emerald Table of Hermes. Maty Anne Atwood's translation in A
Suggestive Enquiry (Belfast. 1918). 7>.
1st house. The other house cusps, too, begin in certain signs. When,
for example, cusp 6 (the beginning of the sixth house) lies in Sagittar-
ius, then Jupiter, the day ruler of Sagittarius, is the ruler of house 6.
As stated earlier, some signs have more than one ruler; they have
an additional (though less important) night ruler. The question that
arises is how far this second planet plays a role as house ruler. Experi-
ence teaches that such a second ruler does indeed have a role to play;
but, in every case, it is overshadowed by the day ruler of the sign
standing on the cusp of the house. The best thing to do with the night
ruler is to look to it for extra information, but to attach much less
importance to it.
Quite often, a house that begins in a certain sign contains the
whole of the following sign and ends in the sign after that. The sign
that does not contain a house cusp is called intercepted. Not all charts
have intercepted signs, but many do. In Chart 1, the 6th house begins
in Sagittarius and the 7th house begins in Aquarius. This means that
the intermediate sign, Capricorn, lies wholly in the 6th house and is
therefore intercepted. When a sign is intercepted, the influence of its
(day) ruler is not lost, but it is co-ruler of the house within which it
lies. In our example, the 6th house has two rulers, namely Jupiter
(from Sagittarius) and Saturn (from Capricorn). But, even so, we must
not forget that the main ruler is always the planet that rules the sign
standing on the cusp, even if the cusp is in the last degree ofthat sign.
In our example, Jupiter is the main ruler of the 6th house and Saturn
is the somewhat less important co-ruler. However, we must certainly
not ignore the information provided by Saturn, for a co-ruler can often
supply significant subsidiary details.
At this point, some confusion can occur. We are looking at the
main ruler and co-ruler of a house. In our example, Sagittarius and
Capricorn both rule the 6th house and they both have night rulers
(Neptune and Uranus respectively). These play no role of importance
here. What we are talking about are bouse rulers (main rulers and co-
rulers), not sign rulers (day and night rulers).
It can happen that a house begins halfway through a sign. Say, for
example, that the 11th house starts at 16° Taurus. This means that the
remaining fourteen degrees of Taums fall in the 11th house, while the
first sixteen degrees of this sign, that is to say the larger number, are
still in the 10th house. For this reason, we might think that Venus, the
day dispositor of Taurus, not only rules over the 11th house (which
begins in Taurus) but has something to say about the 10th house. The
&>
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Chart 1. A natal chart. Registered time of birth: July 4, 1948,

clocktime 6:15 hrs. Blokker, Holland.
idea is very plausible, but it is a big mistake. The ruler of a house is

always determined by the sign in which the house begins and, should
the case arise, by the sign that is intercepted in the house.
On examining Chart 1, we find the following house rulers:
Ruler of 1: Sun
Ruler of 2; Sun
Ruler of 3: Mercury
Ruler of 4: Venus
Ruler of 5: Pluto
Ruler of 6: Jupiter and Saturn (co-ruler of 6)
Ruler of 7; Uranus
Ruler of 8: Uranus
Ruler of 9: Neptune
Ruler of 10: Mars
Ruler of 11; Venus
Ruler of 12: Mercury and the Moon (co-ruler of 12)
Thus all the planets take part as house rulers. As we see, there are
planets ruling over more than one house, and there are those that
share their dispositorship or rulership over a house with some other
planet. Because the house tulerships are determined by the relation-
ships of the houses to the signs, only some of us will have the Sun as
ruler of the 1st and Mars as ruler of the 10th. So there are considerable
differences. And here is the great value of working with house rulers:
they give extremely individual indications.
Because none of the planets (except the Moon) travel particularly
fast, everybody born on the day for which Chart 1 was cast will have a
conjunction of Venus, Mercury, and Uranus. In fact, the aspect lasts a
number of days, although (of course) its nearness to being exact varies.
Now, although many people will share the aspect —and the character
potential that goes with it—only some of them will have Venus as ruler
of the 4th and the 11th. Others, born at some other time of day, or in
another pan of the world (or both), could have Venus as ruler of the
2nd and the 9th for instance.
The house a given planet rules makes a big difference when you
interpret a chart. A house ruler, by its aspects and by its placements in
sign and house, makes an indelible mark on the house over which it
rules. Therefore, in Chart 1, the placement of Venus says something
not only about how Venus expresses herself as a planet (that is to say
about the need for harmony, balance, and emotional contacts), but
also (as she is ruler of the 4th and the 11th) about domestic affairs and
the native's inner emotional basis (house 4) as well as attitudes regard-
ing friends and people of similar tastes and interests (house 11). So a
planet always performs a twofold function in a horoscope: it expresses
its own characteristics, and it rules one or more specific areas of life.
How House Rulers Function

Since a house ruler can tell us so much, it will be prudent to take a
close look at its functioning with a view to establishing rules for inter-
pretation. The first thing to consider is if a house ruler's sole influence
The House Connection /II
is on external circumstances. This question has to be asked because we

know that the houses in the horoscope are said to represent various
circumstances of life, and it is natural to suppose that the house rulers
must have a similar influence on our circumstances. However, by
restricting the role of a house ruler to circumstances, we fail to go far
enough. My many years of practical experience have painted me
another picture.
The houses of the horoscope represent not only external circum-
stances but also our (generally unconscious) expectation patterns and
needs. Since it is impossible to divorce internal and external, we can
just as reasonably find in the houses some developments in character
due to life's experiences as we can reasonably find character traits in
the planets in the signs. The houses have also to do with desire pat-
terns, and this makes it possible to interpret them psychologically (as
already explained in my earlier book on the nature and background of
the houses).4 The ruler of a house is not just an indicator of the
circumstances in which the things promised by that house must take
shape, it is also an indicator of the native's inclinations and of the
effect these will have on his or her character.
Working with progressions confirms this. There are a number of
techniques used by astrologers to move planets in the natal chart so
that the chart becomes a dynamic picture of the life of the individual.
Making these legitimate alterations in the positions of the natal plan-
ets enables us to find analogies to inner development and external
happenings. When a progressed planet forms a temporary aspect with
some other planet, the planets concerned make their influence felt not
only according to their own planetary nature but also according to
their significance as dispositors of one or more houses. Certain areas of
life (the houses) will be involved in the aspects of progressed planets.
An interpretation confined to external events implies that progressed
aspects always relate to things that affect us from the outside, and this
is certainly not true in practice. Progressions of house rulers, for
example, arc often linked with inner developments, showing that our
situations and circumstances arc closely connected with our inner
needs and normal expectations.
4
Scc my book Houses andPersonatity Development (York Beach, ME; Samuel Wciscr,
1988). If you don't have a copy of this book, note that it will be reissued in a double
volume (also including Elements and Crosses as the Basis of the Horoscope) under the
title Foundations of Personality in the fall of 1994.
Like the planets, the house rulers can be interpreted psychologi-

cally, as may easily be demonstrated by an example. Mercury is the
planet that tells us something about the way a person speaks, makes
contacts, thinks, does business, etc., and, in a similar fashion, the
ruler of the 3rd house tells us about the way the person expresses the
area of life covering such things as contacts, information, conversation,
and thought. That being so, because a difficult temporary progressed
aspect between Mercury and Neptune can go with temporary learning
problems, clouding of thought and an unusually active dream life, we
need not be surprised that the same sort of thing could happen with a
comparable aspect between the 3rd house ruler and Neptune.
A horoscope is replete with so many interpretative factors that the
mode in which a planet will express itself is very varied. The different
possibilities arise from the planet's many placement options in sign
and house. So the effect of Mercury will change from chart to chart,
even though, as a planet, its psychological meaning remains the same.
By considering the house rulerships, we gain additional information as
to the terrain in which a planet deploys its forces. As we have just
observed, the 3rd house displays an obvious relationship to the planet
Mercury. It always has something to say about our manner of gathering
information, thinking, communicating, and associating. The role
played by the ruler of the 3rd house in our chart, regardless of what
planet it is, provides us with further details about the way in which
Mercury itself can behave. (A well-placed Neptune can make a first-
class ruler of house 3!)
When Mercury is strong in the chart, and without difficult
aspects, yet is forced to cooperate with a poorly placed ruler of the 3rd,
the verbal skills of the native and his or her ability to communicate are
more impaired than would be supposed from the favorable position of
Mercury. On the other hand, if a Mercury with a difficult placement is
supported by a strong ruler of the 3rd house, mercurial matters and
capacities will flourish more than we would otherwise have a right to
expect. Therefore, we can make a judgment on someone's learning
abilities, on verbal and communicative skills, and so on, only if we
analyze the house ruler concerned in addition to analyzing the proper
planet.
Perhaps readers will ask if planets in the 3rd house should be
included in the above analysis. The answer is yes, but the part played
by the house ruler is decisive. A golden rule in interpretation runs like
this: Planets in a house cany a potential and may make things hard or
easy, but the house ruler decides the way in which the potential is
realized.
For instance, Jupiter in the 2nd house generally augurs well for
the obtaining of a firm foothold and financial and material security.
This is why wealth is attributed to this planetary position. But if the
ruler of the 2nd house receives difficult or undermining aspects and/
or is not well placed in some other respect, then the promise of security
will be made good only through hard work, and by overcoming oppo-
sition and reverses. Indeed, there is a question as to whether the
promise will ever be wholly fulfilled.
The Difference between a House Ruler

and a Planet
As has already been said, a house ruler must not be treated simply as a
planet. In itself, a planet always represents an archetypal reaction
pattern, a universal psychic factor that has become more and more
differentiated during the course of the centuries. A house ruler, on the
other hand, is absolutely individual and indicates psychic reactions
that result from various experiences. Incidentally, such experiences
need not have been registered consciously, but may have happened in
early infancy, or even when we were in the womb, for example. How-
ever, they include the incidents occurring at all ages of our lives. All
these experiences are represented by the houses, and the house rulers
introduce the archetypal patterns of the planets as individual charac-
teristics. I have a strong impression that house rulers are concerned
with inherited family traits. So often we see that children inherit either
some of the planetary placements of their parents or grandparents, or
house connections that are analogous to certain planetary positions.
Thus a Cancer father can very well have an Aquarian son, but the son's
Sun may be in aspect to the ruler of the 4th, the Cancerian house, so
that the son has something of the Cancerian about him and expresses
this in response to his experiences. Research into astrological family
relationships frequently reveal this sort of thing.
Both a planet as such and a planet as a house ruler can be inter-
preted psychologically. We can illustrate this by comparing Mercury
and the ruler of the 3rd house. Mercury represents the general need to
communicate and to relate to others mentally. It expresses itself in a
personal manner through the sign and house it occupies and through
the aspects it forms. The 3td house also represents communication and
mental exchange, but contains some additional features because of its
psychic formative factors. Among other things, it has to do with broth-
ers, sisters, and neighbors.
If, for example, there is a hard aspect between the tulet of the 3td
house and Saturn, it is likely that the native has no brothers or sisters
or that, due to circumstances, he or she has had little or no contact
with brothers and sisters, or has suffered some other form of depriva-
tion in this sphere. Numerous expressions of the aspect ate possible in
everyday life. To name but a few—children split between patents after
a divorce, an illegitimate child in the family (the native or one of the
other children), chronic illness preventing much contact with a brother
or sister. Often, with this aspect, I have seen rather inapproachable
children who refused to share in the cheerful rough-and-tumble of
normal youngsters, ptefetting to keep their own counsel and to play by
themselves.
In any event, something must have happened in childhood to
prevent quick and easy-going contacts, with the result that later in life,
the native finds it hard to handle informal negotiations with tact.
Certain experiences, or the lack of them, will color a person's mode of
thinking and communicating.
So we see that the role of a planet, as representative of human
needs in general, is enacted differently by each individual according to
experiences. And these experiences ate mote or less determined by the
house that corresponds to the planet. It really makes no difference
whether these experiences ate the consequence of circumstances that
seem to come ftom outside—such as being separated ftom one's broth-
ers and sisters after patents divorce—or ate the consequence of one's
own behavior—such as becoming withdrawn and unfriendly. Clearly,
these individual experiences may be ascribed both to the house and to
its tulet, and that is the reason why, in interpreting some specific area
of life, we have to look both at the planet concerned and at the tulet of
the house that is similar in nature to this planet.
A further illustration of the different functions of a planet is the
following: Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter is its day tulet, and its
functioning as tulet of this sign has an effect therefore on any planets
placed in Sagittarius. As house ruler, its functioning has an effect on
any planets placed in the house with Sagittarius on its cusp, even if the
planets ate actually in Capricorn. Thus Jupiter exercises a double
influence. First, a difficult placement of Jupiter will cause it to be a

troublesome factor in itself. Second, it will have an adverse effect on
any planets that happen to be in Sagittarius. The sign of Sagittarius is
much more likely to be a source of problems than it would have been.
A sign always functions in keeping with the way in which its ruler
works. This means that, merely on the grounds of differently placed
rulers, there will be dissimilarities between individuals with the same
Sun sign.
Then again, Jupiter is also a house ruler and, as such, determines
the manner in which the promise of the house is realized. What is
more, Jupiter as a planet has a strong affinity with the 9th house (in
fact, we call it the collective or mundane ruler of that house). The 9th
house is the house of journeys, both literal ("with bags all packed and
ready to go") and mental (study, the development of philosophical
beliefs, etc.) and it guides our judgments and opinions. Similarly,
Jupiter has to do with travel, study, and the formation of judgments
and opinions. It is closely allied to the 9th house, even when it is not
the real ruler of the 9th, which, with Taurus on the cusp, say, would be
Venus. (The position of Venus in the chart would give us information
on the ups and downs of matters germane to the 9th house).
How ought we to view the relationship between sign, planet,
house, and house ruler? The sign is always the background indicator of
the way in which planets in that sign will function and express them-
selves. Further information on their effectiveness in this regard is
provided by the position of the sign ruler. In our example, the place-
ment of Jupiter particularizes the functioning of Sagittarius. A planet
per se may be said to represent an archetypal reaction pattern in
human beings—the need for a certain element of human nature to
express itself. In the case of Jupiter, this is the religious sentiment and
the need to travel in the broadest possible sense —to form one's own
opinion, to arrive at a place where one has one's own vision, and to
make a synthesis of all one's perceptions. Jupiter (or any other planet
for that matter) may be regarded as an instrument, a basic internal
reaction pattern that helps us to give shape to certain things. At the
same time, it is a drive impelling us from within to behave along
certain lines, each in our own way.
The 9th house, which has so much affinity with Jupiter, is its
field of operations and source of materials. It indicates the extremely
individualistic mode we shall use to try to perform the Jupiter func-
tion. Any planets in the 9th house are employed as raw materials for
16 / Karen HamakerZondag
realizing Jupiter's aims. The ruler of the 9th reveals, by its placement
and aspects, how we are going to handle these raw materials, and what
the possibilities and problems are. The situation of the ruler of the 9th
in the horoscope shows how, and by what route, the archetypal drive
represented by the planet (Jupiter in our example) can manifest itself.
Therefore house rulers are of the utmost importance in interpre-
tation. They provide information on:
• The individual experiences belonging to the area covered by the

given house, and in particular;
• On the way in which the promise of the house may be realized, and;
• On individual experiences that are character-forming and that
supplement the activities of the planet that is analogous to the given
house
2
House Connections
General Rules
Sevefal rules need to be remembered when we are judging house rulers
and house connections. Because everything depends on the house in
which a planet is placed, we require a firm grasp of the following:
• When a planet is within four degrees of the cusp (the starting point)
of an angle, it is deemed to develop its potential in the following
house (the angle). Angles are the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses.
• When a planet is within three degrees of the cusp of one of the other
houses, it takes effect in this following house.
• These rules are applied with a significantly smaller orb when a planet
is retrograde. Only if a retrograde planet is right on the cusp of the
following house, is it counted as coming within the ambit of that
house, otherwise not. It is hard to give a precise orb rule for retrograde
planets. A retrograde Mercury, for example, when used in secondary
directions, will normally turn direct during the native's lifetime and
will enter the following house; but a retrograde Neptune or Pluto are
much less likely to do so. There is more room to maneuver with a
retrograde fast-moving planet than with a retrograde slow planet.
Fast-moving planets can be allowed an orb of Vh degrees maximum.
Before these rules can be applied, the time of birth needs to be known
with great accuracy. Correction of the time of birth can help us in
doubtful cases. With a slight difference in time, a planet may well
shed its influence in a house quite unlike the one we had supposed,
and this affects interpretation considerably. So although the rules are
inherently very useful, we must be careful with them.
If we have determined which signs are on the house cusps, and thus
in which houses the planets stand, we shall automatically know in which
houses the house rulers stand; each planet rules one or more houses. On
looking at Chan 1 (page 9), we see that Pluto is in the 1st house. Pluto
belongs to Scorpio, and that sign is on the cusp of the 5th house.
Accordingly, Pluto is lord of the 5th and provides information on the
matters of the native's 5th house. We say that the ruler of the 5th is in
the 1st. This is a circumstance that connects the two houses, and I call it
a house connection. We need to be aware of which ruler is standing in
which house. That is to say, it makes a difference to the interpretation
whether the ruler of the 5th is in the 1st, or the ruler of the 1st is in the
5th. For house connections the following rule always applies;
The house over which a planet rules serves the purposes of
the house in which that planet stands.
A simple example can clarify this point. If the ruler of the 1st house
stands in the 7th, then we look to our opposite number, or partner,
and manifest ourselves (1st house) through him or her (7th house).
But if the ruler of the 7th house is in the 1st, the reverse is true, and it
is our partner or companion who has to look to us. With the ruler of
the 1st in the 7th, we could well find ourselves at the beck and call of
our partner; but, with the ruler of the 7th in the 1st, the partner is
more likely to be answerable to us. In both cases, there is a close
connection between houses 1 and 7, and a strong involvement
between the parties concerned. (See Part 11 for a more detailed expla-
nation of the house connections.)
Sometimes two house rulers occupy each other's houses. For
example, the ruler of the 7th can be in the 1st at the same time as the
ruler of the 1st is in the 7th. This is known as house reception. The
involvement of the houses with each other is then much stronger. In
fact they go together. In other words, wherever the 7th house plays a
role, the 1st house joins in. The houses cannot be seen apart from one
another; the activities they represent flow together.
When interpreting the house rulers, we must always forget about

their ordinary significance as planets for the time being. It makes
absolutely no difference which planet acts as ruler of a given house; as
house ruler it simply informs us about the ups and downs of that
specific house. What matters is whether the planet is well or poorly
placed, and in which house it stands.
for instance, if Scorpio is on the cusp of the 3rd, then Pluto is the
ruler of the 3rd. It is quite erroneous to say the native will have a
compelling way of talking, and will be very secretive and unwilling to
pass on information, etc. When functioning as house ruler, Pluto loses
its Plutonian characteristics and just conveys the qualities of the 3rd
house. Everything to do with Pluto now has a direct reference to the
3rd house. A somewhat inaccurate yet effective way of looking at this
is to treat Pluto as if it were Mercury, the planet that has an affinity
with the 3rd house —always provided we do not confuse the instru-
ment, Mercury, with the sphere of action and the raw materials! In
other words: Pluto in its capacity as ruler of the 3rd in our example will
display Mercurial traits. But note well that Pluto is certainly not a
second Mercury here (it merely consists of one archetypal factor that is
symbolized by Mercury). It does have something to say about how we
gather information, talk, think, analyze, make brief contacts, and deal
with other 3rd house concerns. This role is exclusively involved with
the way Pliito functions as an archetypal factor, and not with the
archetypal factor, itself. So we must not combine the planetary charac-
teristics and the house rulership.
The aspects made by Pluto have to be interpreted not only as
aspects of Pluto to the planets concerned, but also (in our example) as
aspects of the ruler of the 3rd to these planets. The two things —Pluto
as such, and Pluto as ruler of the 3rd —have to be considered com-
pletely separately in interpretation.
Rather paradoxical results can arise from the above, results that
seem often to create misunderstanding. The significance of a planet is
not always in agreement with the significance of the house (or houses)
over which it rules (or is the secondary ruler). At one time the role of
the planet as a planet per se appears to predominate, at others its role
as house ruler appears to do so; while, in still other cases, the two roles
seem to be played together. Let us see what happens when Pluto as
lord of the 3rd is placed in the 1st.
20 I Karen Hamaker-Zondag
Pluto in the 1st

This placement gives great physical strength and a desire to do well in
the outside world; it makes the native inwardly tense and alert, and it
combines a great need for power and recognition with an obvious
combative streak. The native makes excessive demands of the people
with whom he or she comes in contact, but gives them hardly anything
in return. He or she makes a close study of the people around, tries to
fathom them so as to get to the bottom of their drives and motives,
and searches for background influences and undercurrents. The
knowledge of human nature acquired like this can be used in a posi-
tive way, but can also be misused in order to gain power. The native's
will-power is very great.
The Ruler of 5 in the 1st

This gives a great need for a multiplicity of contacts; and usually these
are made in a bright and friendly fashion. The native is mad about
facts of all kinds, likes to keep lines of communication open, and is
curious about whatever is going on around him or her. Talking usually
comes easily, and quick connections are made between persons and
things. In any case, the native soon gets the hang of things, sometimes
jumping from one topic to another, and wants to do most of the
talking. Contacts of all kinds are extremely important in his or her
attitude to the outside world.
As will have been observed, the two descriptions differ considera-
bly, and even conflict with one another on some points. When we
meet with this sort of discrepancy, we must never say that the factors
cancel one another out! On the contrary, each factor strives to express
itself, and will express itself come what may. That is to say, conflict-
ing factors do not neutralize each other, they actually impart certain
tensions to the character.
Pluto, as ruler of the 3rd in the 1st, leads to the conflicting desires
just described. With Pluto in 1, we hardly ever commit ourselves, but
hold our cards close to our chest. With the ruler of 3 in 1, we speak
frankly—perhaps sometimes naively so, Pluto in the 1st is looking for
depth, and makes excessive demands in contacts and relationships,
whereas the ruler of 3 in 1 is looking for large numbers of contacts and
plenty of information without being too exacting. With this place-
ment we shall notice the following effects:
• Sometimes we are very reserved, at other times more open and

talkative. These two attitudes manifest themselves in turn;
• We are inquisitive about everything and have no trouble in making
contacts (ruler of the 3rd), but are not so eager to part with our own
news in exchange. So we tend to have a say in any information
gathering in which we are involved, or even take the reins into our own
hands as independent investigators in order to gain permanent control
of a situation. Here, the horoscope factors do not alternate but
combine.
• Also, the purely Plutonian influence can predominate in such a way
that outwardly the native is very uncommunicative, but satisfies his or
her curiosity by checking things out quietly, by reading a lot, and by
keeping abreast of current affairs.
A great deal depends of course on the background of the signs, but the
important point here is that the normal functioning of one and the
same planet can come into conflict with its functioning as a house
ruler.
The Placement of the House Rulers in the Houses

As we have seen in the previous section, a house ruler exerts its influ-
ence in the house in which it stands. However, because it also has a big
say in the house it rules, we may safely assume that this house,
together with any planets in it, also exerts its influence in and serves
the purposes of the house occupied by the ruling planet. When we
have had a little practice in combining, we shall quickly notice that it
is not a particularly difficult problem in interpretation, although one
combination is rather more tricky than another. A good way of inter-
preting a house connection is as follows:
• Consider the meaning of the house ruled by the planet in question;

• Consider the meaning of the house in which this house ruler stands;
• Try to derive a sensible judgment from the idea that the house ruled,
which we call our starting point exerts its influence in the house in
which the house ruler stands. In doing so, we need to have a flexible
22 / Karen Hamaker-Zo ndag
approach. The idea "exerts its influence in" can also be expressed as
"has as its goal" or "leads to," and so on. We must simply remember
that the house in which the house ruler stands is the terminal point or
final purpose. Often the house ruler (and the house it represents) is an
instrument of the house in which it stands—in the widest possible
sense.
Perhaps an example will clarify this. Let us suppose that we have the
ruler of the 3rd in the 9th. How do we deduce the meaning of this
house connection? In the first place, we look at the significance of the
3rd house. It is the house of communication, contacts, exchange,
information, thinking and arranging, to name but a few of the many
key words.
Then we go to the 9th house; the house governing the formation
of our opinions and the way in which we expand our horizons. This is
the house that represents our studies and our travels, the formation of
our opinions, the publication of our views and discoveries. It is also the
house standing for the synthesis of our ideas and for our philosophy of
life.
What we require now is a formulation showing how the sphere of
the 3rd house expresses its influence in the 9th (the ruler of the 3rd is
in the 9th in our example). One possibility is the gathering of knowl-
edge and information (3rd house) is carried out for the purpose of
forming a judgment, a synthesis, or a vision. In other words, with the
ruler of the 3rd in the 9th, we gather information and make (brief)
contacts in order to gain an overview.
When the ruler of the 9th is in the 3rd (a connection which is the
reverse of the one we have just considered), the two houses still act
together but their rules are reversed. The 9th house is now subordinate
to the 3rd in the sense that our opinion, or judgment, or some idea or
vision that we have, involves us in the search for further information to
refine, support or substantiate it; or perhaps we feel impelled to keep
talking about this opinion or idea. The significant feature here is that
we have a jumping-off point, an incentive, for the acquisition of more
knowledge, whereas with the ruler of the 3rd in the 9th, we set to work
more or less without any preconceived ideas, but in the hope of
arranging in a coherent pattern any facts we may discover.
In each case, information gathering and opinion forming go
hand-in-hand, but in each case the picture is completely different.
Naturally, more could be said about this particular house connection;
The House Connection / 2i
the above is intended simply as an example of the difference in work-

ing.
Among those houses in which house rulers stand, the house con-
taining the ruler of the Ascendant is prominent. In one way or
another, it plays an important part in the life of the native. When
making our judgment, we ought to lay more weight on that house and
to attach more importance to such things as planets in the house, the
role of its ruler, and so on.
There is one more case in which a house receives greater empha-
sis, and that is when the ruler of a house is in its own house. The
influence of the house is increased because its mlcr is occupying its
own domain, and is expressing its influence there. The interpretation
of this situation is simple; consider the meaning of that house as such
and note its great importance for the native. At the same time, do not
lose sight of the fact that, by their placement, the house rulers express
a need, but the rest of the chart must show how far the meeting of this
need encounters resistance or support. Emphasis on a house does not
invariably mean that the needs of that house will be satisfied.
For example, consider the case where the ruler of the 1st house is
in the 1st. The influence of the ruler is then concentrated on the
terrain it actually rules. This strengthens the native's preoccupation
with himself or herself and increases the desire to be noticed in the
outside world. Regardless of what may be found in the rest of the
chart, the individual can impress others as a forceful personality, but
also as someone who is too self-centered. The need to draw attention
to himself or herself is powerful, but other horoscope factors may
hinder or even obstruct this.
Let us suppose that someone has a Taurus Ascendant, which is
generally an indication of a very reserved nature, and that Venus is
placed in the 1st house. The ruler of the 1st is then found in the 1st. If
Venus, as lady of 1, is also square Saturn, the reserve will be increased,
and so the need shown by the ruler of 1 being in 1 — the need for
powerful self-manifestation—is opposed by other factors. Now we
know that we must never think of two such factors as cancelling one
another out; therefore, in the present case, we must assume that the
native experiences an internal struggle between the inclination to be
reserved and to stay in the background, and the need to come to the
fore. He or she will tend to take a prominent position, but will prefer
to do so unobserved as much as possible.
Generally speaking, however, we can say that a house ruler in its

own house does add extra weight to that house. This will play a big
part in the life of the native, either directly or indirectly. In judging
the horoscope, it is imponant to take note of the house in which the
ruler of the Ascendant is placed, and also those houses that contain
their own rulers.
If we look at one or two house connections in Fred's chart (Chart
2), we shall be able to see how all this works out in practice. Fred has
Scorpio on the Ascendant. Pluto is the ruler, and it stands in the 9th
house. So Fred has the ruler of the 1st in the 9th. This means that Fred
involves himself in the outside world for the sake of 9th house matters;
literal journeys (abroad) or mental journeys (study, philosophical spec-
ulation, etc.). With the lord of the 1st in the 9th, he is certainly going
ifV >
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*
Chan 2. Fred's chart. Placidus houses. Registered time of birth: May 1,

1951, 21.30 hrs. Groningen, Holland.
to interest himself in one or more of the areas covered by the 9th

house, but it is not easy, just by inspecting a chart, to say exactly what
is going to occur when. As it happens, Fred is fascinated by foreign
lands. He loves to travel and hike and wants to see all the countries in
the world. Study has little attraction for him. He is more a man of
action who likes to use his hands. (See the Sun and Mars in Taurus in
the 6th house for this!)
With the ruler of 1 in 9. he feels the need to broaden his hori-
zons; he forms opinions based on personal experience —what he has
seen with his own eyes (the 9th house always involves making a judg-
ment or forming an opinion).
If, for the purpose of making a more detailed analysis, we exam-
ine what the ruler of the 9th house is doing, we discover that Leo is on
the cusp of the 9th and therefore the Sun is the ruler of that house.
Now the Sun stands on the cusp of the 6th house, which means that
the ruler of the 9th is in the 6th. Fred's 9th house activities concentrate
themselves on the 6th house. Or, to be more specific, Fred's need to
travel physically or mentally, to broaden his horizons, and to form his
own opinion, will make itself felt in the field of self-criticism and
analysis, of work and working conditions, of sickness and health, and
of social adjustment. Fred's spiritual development resulting from the
expansion of his horizon can be of special use to him in his work, and
it will also affect the way he sees himself (self-criticism is always a
factor in the 6th house). He will be inclined to take practical advan-
tage of whatever he learns from experience (the 6th house is geared to
usefulness and serviceability). It is also not impossible that someone
with this connection has foreign contacts in his work, or works abroad.
The old saying that a person with this connection will fall ill in a
foreign land has never come true in the cases that have come under my
observation; although in one instance there was a link between a
foreign country and disease: the native was a volunteer who helped
with medical projects in developing countries. In Fred's case, the con-
nection between his 9th and 6th houses expressed itself in the fact that
he took temporary employment abroad in order to cover part of the
cost of his world tour. What is more, his experiences overseas gave him
a totally new understanding of his work, of society, and of himself.
Fred's 6th house also contains Mars, which rules his 5th house. So
the ruler of the 5th is in the 6th. This means that everything involving
hobbies, self-assurance, self-expression, play, and pleasure (5th house) is
channeled into the house of work, analysis, service, and sickness and
health. In practice, this means that work for Fred is, or must be, a sort of
fad; and, at the same time, that he gains the feeling from his work and/
or charitable activities that he is appreciated or regarded as an authority.
Hobbies can lead to work or can be utilized in his work. Also there is a
need of independence and of opportunities for development (5th
house) in order for him to give shape to his work (service), or he gets a
great deal of pleasure (5th house) in being useful (6th house).
Fred's friends have often found this. Fred takes pleasure in helping
them, and doing so builds his self-confidence. The help he offers bor-
ders on work—odd jobs and minor house repairs. Although Fred likes
pleasure and relaxation, there is something about him that says work
comes first (the ruler of the 5th in the 6th makes the 6th the end point).
If he had had the ruler of the 6th in the 5th, work and recreation would
still have gone hand in hand, yet he would not have given it priority,
but would always have consulted his own convenience before engaging
in any task. However, Fred's ruler of the 5th is in the 6th, and his self-
expression is channeled into work and service. He is extremely helpful;
he also likes encouragement along the way. To some extent the presence
of the Sun in the 6th contributes to this, because any house occupied by
the Sun will figure prominently in a chart.
The sign on Fred's 6th house is Taurus, which makes Venus the
ruler of the 6th, so work and service are controlled by the partner or by
a close friend or friends. Before his travels, Fred worked in an office.
He had no special friends but did have a regular workmate with whom
he got on well. With the ruler of the 6th in the 7th, Fred's life partner
will tend to supervise Fred's work, health, and service. And, in fact,
Fred has become an able assistant to his partner. He likes working with
her and values her input and advice. He will work well with her if the
rest of his chart points in the same direction. Fred's critical attention
(the 6th) is turned on his panner's way of life; something that she may
find annoying if he takes notice of every little detail in the relation-
ship. He does show signs of this.
Flexibility is essential in combining the houses in house connec-
tions. Try to avoid abstract formulations and use everyday terms and
concepts. With practice, this will not be difficult.
Finally, it cannot be stressed enough that we must never rely
blindly on only one indication in the chart. Confirmation of it needs
to be found elsewhere. One indication is a possibility; two are a proba-
bility; three or more may be treated as a near certainty. House connec-
tions are no exception to this rule.
3
Important Houses
The Strongest House

As we have just seen, certain houses ate given mote weight in interpreta-
tion. But, in addition to this, there is another line of inquiry that will
identify important houses. The significance of these houses has nothing
to do with that of the house containing the ruler of the 1st or with the
house occupied by its own ruler. What I mean is the following.
All of us behave and, indeed, tun our lives, in accordance with set
patterns, which are for the most part unconscious. As soon as something
happens, we tend to react in a given way. Now the type of reaction may
be deduced partly from the planets in the signs and in the houses, but
the house connections afford us the opportunity to trace patterns and
sequences. What we have to do is to workout achain of house rulers. To
start with, we find the house where the ruler of the 1st is placed. Then
we find the ruler of the house in which the ruler of the 1st is placed, and
then the house in which that ruler is placed, and so on. For example, we
could discover the following chain: the ruler of 1 is in 7, the ruler of 7 is
in 9, the ruler of 9 is in 2, the ruler of 2 is in 11, the ruler of 11 is in 7.
This scries provides us with an insight into a reaction pattern that, for
this person, is related to the 1st house (we always begin with the 1st
house). We can begin with the ruler of each house, and the sequences
obtained will tell us something about the behavior stereotypes of the
28 / Karen Hamaker Zondag
individual concerned in the area of life governed by the said house.

Quite often, the patterns are so rigid that we can even recognize familiar
paths taken by the psyche in certain situations.
The following features are displayed by the above example. In
approaching the outside world, the native (1st house) takes his cue
from his partner (ruler of I in 7), apparently without being prompted.
He may not seem to be particularly submissive; but, subconsciously,
he takes note of what she likes and does in certain cases, and fits in
with her plans where possible. Because the ruler of I is in 7, he is in
her field of influence.
With the ruler of 7 in 9. the native finds it useful to have a partner
with the same interest in philosophical matters and, preferably, with the
same outlook on life; someone who loves studying or, at least, is eager to
broaden her horizons—perhaps through travel. But, in any event, the
partner (house 7) is required to share or appreciate the native's personal
vision. It is important to him that his partner adopts his view of exis-
tence; he is not inclined to be guided by the partner in this (as he would
be if his ruler of 9 were in 7). On taking things a step further, we see
that the ruler of 9 is in 2: the formation of philosophical views and the
sharing of these with another, i.e., with the partner (since the ruler of 7
is in 9) can give the native a sense of security.
The reader need hardly be reminded that the 2nd house is not
always interpreted in terms of possessions and finances. The primary
ideas conveyed by this house are security and feelings of satisfaction
and dissatisfaction. Money and goods are simply means to obtaining
these things. The native feels impelled to share his vision and to
broaden his horizons in order to gain a sense of security. With this
house connection, we quite often see strongly held opinions, which
help the native to feel confident.
When the ruler of the 2nd is in the Ilth, the native's certainties
govern his attitude to his circle of friends and to those with views
similar to his own. He turns to them for confirmation, and his sense of
security is largely dependent on the extent to which they give that
confirmation. Nevertheless, their reactions, if they are to be at all
influential, must enrich his relationship with his partner and must not
impair it. This is clear from the fact that the ruler of II is in 7. What
the partner thinks has a great deal of sway over the freedom of devel-
opment in 11th house.
In short, we see here the following pattern of behavior. In his
outer behavior, the native is very much involved with his partner,
either directly or indirectly. He needs a partner who will share his

opinions and outlook, so that he can build up a sense of security and
can feel that he is standing on solid ground. He turns to friends and
coworkers to reinforce this sense of security, but the opinion and
attitude of his partner are decisive in every respect. All this is true of
him whether or not he is aware of it. The pattern is one into which he
falls whenever the 1st house has a part to play in what he is doing.
It is important to note that, in a chain like this, each of the
preceding links has a role; we do not use just one link when working
out the pattern. In the above example, it is not simply the need for
certainty (2) that affects the 11th house: the native's personal vision is
important, too, as is the way in which, and the extent to which, his
partner can share that vision.
In this manner we can analyze every one of the houses, and put
under the magnifying glass what the native does in regard to each
house. And we shall find that certain extremely important connections
recur again and again. The needs and attitudes that these connections
represent will then be characteristic of the native. Several rules should
be borne in mind:
• The orb rule, namely that a planet within 3° of the cusp of the
following house (or 4° if that house is an angle), must be treated as if
it were in that house. However, if the planet is retrograde, the orb
allowed is much smaller.
• What matters, in determining the connections, is the day ruler of the
sign on the cusp. The rulers of intercepted signs have no say.
• A chain ends with the last house before the chain starts repeating
itself.
• A chain also ends when the ruler of a house is in its own house.
We can illustrate how the chain ends by going back to the example
given earlier. We had this series: ruler of 1 in 7, ruler of 7 in 9, ruler of
9 in 2, ruler of 2 in 11, ruler of 11 in 7. Thus the 7 th house crops up as
an endpoint twice —ruler of 1 in 7 and ruler of 11 in 7. If we were to
continue, the series ruler of 7 in 9, ruler of 9 in 2, etc. would repeat
itself. We should start circling round and round endlessly, so we stop
at the house which forms an endpoint for the second time in our
30 / Karen Hatnaker-Zondag
series. In this case, it is the 7th house. This series can be written more
succinctly as;
1 7 9 2 11 7
the 7th house being the endpoint here. And now, if we write the series
of house connections for each house individually, not only will the
recurrence of certain connections catch our eye, but we shall also
probably observe one or two houses in which some series keep crop-
ping up. There may be only one house of this sort; sometimes there
are two or three, but seldom more. Such houses will play a commensu-
rately important role for the native; they form a hub on which the
various house connections turn.
The identification of these one or two important houses is known
as finding the strongest house. The strongest house should be given
more weight when the horoscope is judged. The strongest house need
not contain many planets, although it may do so. And it is not always
the house we might have expected. Observe: there is definitely no rule
that the house should be propitious. What the word "strong" implies
is that the needs and desires represented by the house are pivotal, and
that the fulfillment of these needs and desires has a major influence
on what is done or not done in other areas of life.
Horoscope II: Fred

We can now proceed to draw some inferences from Chart 2 (page 24).
Fred has several borderline planets. The Moon is on the cusp of the 4th
and, according to the orb rule, is in the 4th house. Fred's Sun is 10°
39' Taurus and the cusp of the 6th is 11° 14' Taurus. Here, too, we
must apply the orb rule and assign the Sun to the 6th house. What
does this give us in the way of house connections?
The ruler of 1 is in 9, the ruler of 9 is in 6, the ruler of 6 is in 7,
and the ruler of 7 is in 7. In the 7th house we have our first repetition,
so the series stops there. In condensed form we write this as;
1 9 6 7 7
The other houses can be treated in the same way so as to obtain the
following series:
1st house) 9, 6, 7, 7.
2nd house) 4, 10, 5, 6, 7, 7
3rd house) 8, 5, 6, 7, 7.
4th house) 10, 5, 6, 7, 7.
5th house) 6, 7, 7.
6th house) 7, 7.
7th house) 7.
8th house) 5, 6, 7, 7.
9th house) 6, 7, 7.
10th house) 5, 6, 7, 7.
11th house) 7, 7.
12th house) 9, 6, 7, 7.
The example of Fred's chart is very straightforward, because only one
house stands out as the strongest—the 7th. It is the endpoint of all
twelve scries. Fred cannot get on without his partner. His satisfaction
with the various areas of his life ultimately depends on her. No matter
what he is concerned in, he needs her stimulus, and a great deal
depends on her participation. Obviously, we shall have to make a
closer study of the 7th house and the situation of its ruler, in order to
see how Fred handles this.
At first sight, we might not have anticipated that the 7th would
be the strongest house. Two imponant personal factors stand in the
6th house (the Sun and Mars) and, in the 4th house, we find both
Jupiter and the Moon, making this house also quite significant. How-
ever, the house connections do emphasize the 7th house and, in prac-
tice, Fred cannot escape from it. Of course, considerable importance is
also attached to the 4th and 6th houses because of the powerful plan-
ets placed in them; and to the 9th house, because it is occupied by the
ruler of the 1st. But irrespective of the energy and application given to
the matters represented by the other houses, these are all to some
extent subservient to one and the same house—house 7—which must
justify (or complete, as the case may be) the efforts put into and the
satisfaction obtained from the others.
}2 / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
In another example, we can look at Paul's chart (Chart 3) and

find the following house connections.
1st house) 9, 31 10, 9-
2nd house) 3, 10, 9, 3.
3rd house) 10, 9, 3.
4th house) 8, 8.
5th house) 8, 8.
6th house) 8, 8.
7th house) 9, 3, 10, 9.
8th house) 8.
9th house) 3, 10, 9.
10th house) 9, 3, 10.
11th house) 9, 3, 10, 9.
12th house) 9, 3, 10, 9.
In Paul's chart, we end up five times with the 9th house, four times
with the 8th house, twice with the 3rd house, and once with the 10th
house. So houses 9 and 8 come strongly to the fore. This is hardly
surprising since each contains three planets, including very personal
ones such as the Sun and Mercury. Here the results are much more in
line with expectations than in the case of Fred's chart.
Paul's keen philosophical and psychological interests led him to
study religion. Obviously, the 8th and 9th houses are directly involved
in his choice. Emphasis is laid in several respects on these houses in his
chart:
• The ruler of 1 (Pluto) is posited in the 9th house, which is already a

strong house within the series of house connections;
• The 8th house contains its own ruler, and is also a strong house in the
house connections;
• What is more, three planets stand in each of the two houses, and
several of these planets are personal ones (it is important to take this
<se
c?
-6i
4r
-Si
7"
*■
Chart 3. Paul's natal chart. Placidus house. Registered time of birth;

July 11, 1949, 15.30 hrs. Oosterhout NB, Holland.
into consideration when making a judgment); therefore the houses are

significant from this point of view, too.
Since these houses are so prominent, it is no wonder that they play

such a leading role in Paul's study, interests, and work. That work and
interests and the strongest house are often connected, is illustrated in
the following example, the chart of a leading Dutch politician (Chart
4, page 34), whose houses are linked together as follows:
1st house) 9, 3. 10, 10.
2nd house) 10, 10.
3rd house) 10, 10.
i4 / Karen Hamaker Zondag
*
95a O
T, Ma
?/3<i
T»p
ltu
K
vW
s
Chart 4. A Dutch politician. February 2, 1931, 10.15 hrs. Geldrop,

Holland. Source: Jan Kampherbeek. Cirkels, p. 186.
4th house) 5, 11, 12, 5.

5th house) 11, 12, 5-
6th house) 10, 10.
7th house) 4. 5, 11, 12, 5.
8th house) 3, 10, 10.
9th house) 3, 10, 10.
10th house) 10.
Uth house) 12, 5, 11.
12th house) 5. 11, 12.
The House Connection / i5
We find here, seven times the 10th house, three times the 5th, once
the llth, and once the 12th. The 10th house is very appropriate to
someone who has always held public office in government. This house
represents the making of decisions, laws and rules, and the organiza-
tion of the community.
Once again, we must remember to apply the orb rule. The Moon
and Mars both stand on the cusp of the 5th house. The Moon can be
assigned without difficulty to the 5th house. Mars is retrograde and, in
theory, ought to belong to the 4th, but it is a borderline case (there is
no hard-and-fast rule for deciding when a retrograde planet should be
assigned to the following house). However, in this instance, Mars does
not matter; it is co-ruler of the 12th, and co-rulers play no part in this
application.
Venus stands on the cusp of the 9th and is assigned to the 9th.
Jupiter stands on the cusp of the 4th, but is retrograde. Because it is
more than two degrees from the cusp of the 4th, its effect is felt in the
3rd. Neptune is also a borderline case: it stands on the cusp of the 6th
but is retrograde. It is more than 1 Vi degrees from the cusp of the 6th,
so is considered to still be in the 5th house, all the more so since it is
moving so slowly that, although (in secondary progression) it should
turn direct during the lifetime of this politician, it will be active in the
5th for most of that period.
By no means does the example of this politician imply that every-
one with a strong 10th house is bound to enter politics in exactly the
same way! Often we find people of this type in positions where they
can tell others what to do. But this could be in a small way, the scale
does not matter, perhaps authority is exercised only in the f amily. Even
people with very unassuming charts who have a strong 10th house can
be seen to develop in the direction of guiding and leading. They may
exert their influence behind the scenes, but the impulse to do so is
irresistible.
The strongest house will not tell us what the native is going to do
with that house. As I have already said, we must also look at the
position of planets in that house, and above all at the part played by
the house ruler in the remainder of the chart. What is more, for each
house, there exists an immense range of possibilities between its
destructive and constructive extremes. Both extremes show up in each
of the areas of life covered in the horoscope, but also we see an
emphasis on one extreme.
X ^
cr
2j>-'
(x
'O | g Ojb\ ■?
>
i£ij
Vt ^
Chart 5. The natal chart for Wilhelm C. Rontgen. March 27, 1945,
16.00 hrs. Lennep, Holland. Source: Jan Kampherbeek. Cirkels, p.
186.
A good illustration of this is the chart of Wilhelm Rontgen, the

discoverer of the electromagnetic radiation known as X-rays. (See
Chart 5.) On looking at his houses, we observe the following picture.
1st house) 8, 5, 6, 8.
2nd house) 7, 6, 8, 5, 6.
3rd house) 8, 5, 6, 8.
4th house) 8, 5, 6, 8.
5th house) 6, 8, 5.
6th house) 8, 5, 6
7th house) 6, 8, 5, 6.
8th house) 5, 6, 8.
9th house) 7, 6, 8, 5, 6.
10th house) 8, 5, 6, 8.
11th house) 3, 8, 5, 6, 8.
12th house) 8, 5, 6, 8.
Altogether, we finish at the 8th house seven times, at the 6th house
four times, and at the 5th house once. The 8th is therefore clearly the
strongest house, followed by the 6th. No one will deny that Rdntgen's
research into the forces latent in matter, and into what lies hidden in
the material world, fits in very well with the 8th house, which is much
emphasized in his chart. The idea of life and death associated with the
8th has been given shape by his discovery of the X-rays: the correct
dose can be life-saving, an overdose can result in death.
Murder and homicide, which used to be ascribed to a strong 8th
house, are not a foregone conclusion, although they can of course be
linked with it. It is impossible, from the bare horoscope, to say which
factor will prove to be destructive or not. Let us be cautious when
judging a strong house that (in our eyes anyway) is "difficult." Even on
this point alone, Rdntgen's chart is very instmctive. Because, what is
more, Mars, the ruler of his 8th house, is square as many as four out of
the five planets that Rdntgen has in the 8th. The old style of astrology,
which saw everything in black and white, would have drawn further
negative conclusions from this. Fortunately, our more psychological
modern astrology judges matters from a humanistic rather than from a
moralistic angle, and says something like this: yes, there is an element
of danger in this horoscope situation, because it gives the native a need
to live on a knife-edge rather than to play safe. On the other hand,
this 8th house with all its squares, represents a powerful creative
potential, which the native can carry to great heights, either socially or
in his personal development, or in both.
The orb rule still has to be applied in Rdntgen's chart. Mars
stands on the cusp of the 5th at 11° 39', while the cusp of the 5th is
14 ° 09' in the same sign. The difference of 2° 30' is less than 3 ° for an
intermediate cusp, so that Mars is assigned to the 5th house. Saturn
38 / Karen Hamaker-Xondag
stands at 15° 56' Aquarius, while the cusp of the 6th begins in 16° 20'
Aquarius, so Saturn is assigned to the 6th house.
If we disregard this rule, the emphasis on the 8th house is greater
still. Mars will then be in the 4th, and, through house reception
between the 4th and 8th houses (Jupiter Lord of the 4th in the 8th and
Mars, Lord of the 8th in the 4th) nearly all the house connections will
end in the 8th. This might seem to suit the bill very well indeed, but it
would be at the cost of the analytical 6th house—which also played an
unmistakable role in Rontgen's life
The Interpretation of the Strongest House

So how do we treat the strongest house in our interpretation? In every
case, we consider the significance of the house as such and interpret it
as an important need and/or character trait. Briefly, we then have the
following possibilities in interpreting the houses, which are offered to
the reader not as a complete list, but more by way of illustration.
1st House
When it is strongest, the 1st house gives a person a powerful desire to
stand out in the crowd. Such a person will usually seem to "be some-
one" and will not (knowingly or otherwise) hide his or her light under
a bushel. Anyway, generally speaking, this person will not go unno-
ticed. The wish to hold his or her own is well developed, and there is a
lively reaction to outside stimuli. In addition, this person likes coming
to terms with new experiences and situations, and seeks adventures, or
wants to occupy him- or herself with new (or, at least, personal)
things. This individual has a nose for what is recent, and for action—
which is sometimes precipitated by this person's very presence. With
the accent on the 1st house, this person likes to have his or her own
way and tends to be self-centered and wayward.
2nd House
When the 2nd is the strongest house, there is a need to play safe and
to stay standing on firm ground. The native needs some form of safety
net before venturing into a new situation. The 2nd house is deep-
rooted in the material and the tangible, and in the security repre-
sented by these things: from which there follows a pronounced desire

for financial security in particular, often enough. The attitude of the
native can be, "How much can I make out of this?" And yet, the
attitude toward matter can be not one of enslavement to it, but of
control, so that it is used to express personal sentiments and feelings.
Artistry and craftsmanship, too, belong to the 2nd house.
3rd House
When the 3rd is the strongest house, there is an obvious need for
exchange, conversation, gathering information (including reading),
arranging and passing on information, mulling over facts and ideas,
either with others or on one's own, and for performing mental analy-
ses. Even if someone has a very "reserved" horoscope, a strong 3rd
house will make the person talkative, clever with words, and a skilled
communicator. The native's lively mind sorts and arranges a host of
facts and things worth knowing. Often there is calculating ability and
the commercial instinct.
4th House
When the 4th is the strongest house, domestic life and the feelings
and emotions of others become important. There is a great need for
emotional security, and we find attachment to the trusted circle of
those with whom there are emotional ties.
The individual with this as the strongest house enjoys settling
down in a snug little group, and sometimes has a reserved attitude
toward outsiders. Such an individual is continually studying his or her
environment and arranging it so as to make others, and himself or
herself, feel at home. There is a great fondness for the past and for
objects having a sentimental value. The native's home can become a
hoard of heirlooms and mementos with which he or she is reluctant to
part. In general, he or she craves for firm family ties, or finds in
friendships the opportunity to care for others.
3th House
When the 5th is the strongest house, there is a clear desire to make the
most of one's own individuality and to hold the center of the stage.
Often this desire bestows a natural gift of leadership. The native is
inclined to do what pleases him ot het and gives self-satisfaction.

Professional hobbyism is one tendency. For preference, relationships
with others must be calculated to boost the self-image. The native
sometimes wants to run the show, while giving others the privilege of
doing things for him or her, and is not one to worry over details. Yet
he or she is not afraid to tackle ambitious projects personally, if there's
a mind to do it. The desire to be the center of attention may lead to
egocentricity—the placement of the ruler of the 5th will shed further
light on this.
6th House
When the 6th is the strongest house, the native has a down-to-earth,
practical disposition. He or she likes doing things and working with
the hands. Usually he (or she) is happy to help and serve others, and is
not a shirker. For some, work is a form of self-expression. Being useful
is important, and the motto is often "duty before pleasure." The
strong sense of what is fitting associated with this house expresses itself
not only in a willingness to abide by the wishes of the majority, but
also in an analytical and critical attitude, and the need for objectivity.
Sometimes we find an interest in health matters, and even activity in
this field.
1th House
When the 7th is the strongest house, the partner and/or companion
plays a very important and sometimes decisive role in the life of the
native, who expects much of the relationship, and of the partner or the
companion, and invests a great deal of psychic energy in the relation-
ship. The stimulus of someone close is badly needed, and so a partner
may well be sought early in life. Nevertheless, the fact that the 7th is
the strongest house does not guarantee a successful relationship; it just
means that the other person will be put first in everything. Therefore
the native has a great capacity for getting on with a partner, and will
no doubt always be prepared to compromise with them. A disadvan-
tage sometimes is overdependence.
8th House
When the 8th is the strongest house, the native is constantly aware of
his or her vulnerability. The 8th house represents both repressions and
hidden gifts and talents. The individual with this emphasis on the 8th
house feels the full weight of personal, usually unconscious, problems;
this gives him or her the inclination to adopt an attitude calculated to
disguise the vulnerability from the outside world. Not being able to
show feelings openly means that most of the strife is internal. The
native has a great desire to delve into what is secret, both in himself or
herself and in others, and may, for example, find arcane knowledge
attractive. The ability to investigate and to uncover matters is usually
well developed and intense. When these faculties are developed posi-
tively, we see high creativity and a strong regenerating capacity. When
the development is not so positive, crises easily occur. These may be a
need to defy dangers and to "dice with death" literally or figuratively.
9th House
When the 9th is the strongest house, the need to expand and to widen
one's horizons runs, like a red thread, through everything done by the
native. The main motive is to travel, either physically or mentally. The
native makes up, and speaks, his or her mind. What is said has the
character of a message, and the style in which it is delivered is teaching
or moralizing. Usually the need is felt to place facts and figures in a
fairly broad context and to make a synthesis of them. In this way, it
generally happens that a definite philosophy of life is formed, some-
times on the basis of religion. Personal ideas and opinions are impor-
tant, and so is their propagation. The native may follow a course of
higher education provided other pointers in the same direction are
found in the chart.
10th House
When the 10th is the strongest house, there is an inner compulsion to
become responsible for or to take control of pan of the community,
and to issue rules and regulations for it. Because the native is so aware
of his or her responsibilities, he or she is not easily influenced, and
might prefer to resign rather than give in to outside pressure. He or

she is therefore likely to be a good organizer and leader. The native
generally attaches great importance to everything concerning the out-
side world and to having a duly recognized role in running it.
Quite often, the native places so much value on the part he or she
plays in society that the result may even be an identification with it to
some extent. The native hopes to produce clearly defined structures,
not only in a material sense but also in society, and needs to have a
well-expressed ego. He or she generally likes to feel officially con-
firmed in a position of authority. Needless to say, this can lead to
egocentricity.
11th House
When the 11th is the strongest house, there is a great need to associate
with people having the same views and interests. Generally speaking,
these are friends, members of the same club or political party, etc. In
order to keep in with these folk, the native makes an effort to be
adaptable, and to find his or her level in their society. He or she learns
to treat them as individuals with their own needs and sense of values.
It is characteristic of the 11th house to see others as equals and to make
contact with them on terms of equality. The native avoids over-
familiarity, as this might hinder the development of the individual
development of self and others.
12th House
When the I2th is the strongest house, the native has a great desire for
quietness, privacy, and the experience of unity. However, it certainly
does not follow from this that there will be a dissolution of the person-
ality or any sort of loss or bereavement. But there is a definite need to
reflect and to get things straight inwardly. The purifying and refining
process can be sought through religion, yoga, meditation, communing
with nature, listening undisturbed to music and becoming absorbed
in it, and so on. With the 12th house, emphasis is also often laid on
service to the community in a selfless way, and on coming to the aid of
the infirm and the oppressed. The native may be inclined to retreat
into a dreamworld, and to chase after shadowy and fleeting thoughts;
but, with this house, he or she can just as easily use this capacity to feel
and imagine what it would be like to be someone or somewhere else,
and to use it (probably completely unconsciously) in such a way as to

"tune in" to social developments in the making, which are still below
the surface, or to feel the emotional undercurrents running through
the local community.
• • •
When a house, as the strongest house, is exercising a pivotal function,
the need it represents cannot be ignored. But it is by its function that
the house makes itself felt, not by its properties per se. We must not
assume that this need is bound to be satisfied. How the native fares
with the house depends on the nature of the planets in it, the place-
ment of its ruler, and so on. What is more, the significance of the
house must not be judged in terms of good or bad. The need it
represents is merely the main element in a pattern of personal desires.
The main need has to be satisfied if the most is to be made of the
other needs in the chain; also, it will supply the motivation to clear
away obstructions from the other needs.
From what has been said so far, it appears that the houses can
receive an emphasis in very different ways. Sometimes the various
types of emphasis are widely scattered among the houses; but, more
frequently, a limited number of houses will be emphasized from vary-
ing points of view, thus gaining in importance. Houses that play an
especially significant role include:
1) The house in which the tuler of I stands;

2) A house containing its own ruler;
3) The house in which the Sun is placed;
4) A house containing many planets, particularly personal ones;
5) A house functioning as the strongest house.
The Individual and the Collective House Rulers

As we saw in chapter 1, we can work with sign rulers as well as with
house rulers. The sign rulers apply to us all, because each sign has its
own special planet or planetary pair. The house rulers differ from one
person to another, since the exact way in which the houses are laid out
varies a great deal, and depends on the individual birth moment.

These house rulers are called individual house rulers.
We can also distinguish house rulers of another type on the basis
of the connection between signs and houses. The meaning of each
house is analogous to that of a zodiac sign, and the order of the signs
corresponds to that of the houses. Thus the meaning of the 1st house is
analogous to that of Aries, the meaning of the 2nd house to that of
Taurus, and so on in order through all the twelve signs and houses.
Figure 3 shows this connection schematically. As already men-
tioned, each house has its own day ruler. The day rulers are included in
the figure. To name just two examples, Aries, Mars and the 1st house
come together in the same segment, and so do Capricorn, Saturn, and
the 10th house. The planets associated with given houses in this way are
known as the collective rulers of the houses. Some astrologers term them
"Tmrm mrmW
Figure 3. The house rulerships based on the natural zodiac.
the mundane rulers. Anyway, they are always the day rulers of those
signs that correspond in meaning to the houses in question. So, in
principle, everyone has Mars as the collective ruler of the 1st house,
Mercury as the collective ruler of the 3rd house, Uranus as the collective
ruler of the 11th house, and so on.
Accidentally of course, these collective rulers can coincide with
our individual rulers; but usually they do not. Thus we have the much
more imponant individual rulers that are special to ourselves, and also
the collective rulers that are the same for everyone.
The point I wish to make is that the collective ruler of a house
comes into play when it makes an aspect with the individual ruler of
the same house. Let us suppose that the Ascendant is Leo, The indi-
vidual ruler of the 1st house will then be the Sun. But the collective
ruler is always Mars. We should look to see if there is any aspect
between the Sun and Mars and, if so, what kind of aspect it is. An
aspect shows the degree to which our individual expression of the
house is in step with a more collective course of events, or is in agree-
ment with a more collective quality of the age we live in. The son of
thing we are likely to observe is this:
• In hard aspects, we continually suffer from small setbacks and

irritations, because what we want in a certain area of life is, so to
speak, in conflict with what is possible at the time or with what others
are obviously expecting of us;
• In easy aspects, it is comparatively easy to have what we want in a
certain area of life, and people fall into line fairly readily with what we
wish to do;
• In the conjunction, collective and individual expression go hand in
hand. This means that, generally speaking, the effect of the mode of
expression is more pronounced;
• If the collective and the individual house ruler are one and the same,
the result is similar to that of the conjunction;
• If there is no aspect, the situation is neutral and there is no particular
pattern
The links between the collective and the individual house rulers form
small supplementary factors in interpretation. We can never hang
weighty matters on them! What they do is to supply helpful informa-
tion on the many things in daily life, things for which it is not always
too easy to find an explanation although they keep cropping up in our
personal affairs.
To give an example: when the collective ruler of the 11th
(Uranus) conflicts with our individual ruler of the 11th, we often find
that friends of ours are going to be away on a day we were hoping to
visit them, or they do not hear the telephone when we ring them, or
something else happens to get in the way. In short, considerable effort
is needed for success in Uth house matters. On the other hand our
friends can turn up on the doorstep unexpectedly at the most incon-
venient moments.
What can be gathered from the relationship between a collective
and an individual house ruler is the extent to which we have to struggle
against small obstructions and miscalculations; or the extent to which
we find it easy to take up some activity in the area of life concerned. It is
generally a question of timing, and may be known by the (spontaneous)
choice of the moment. However, the relationship between the two
house rulers tells us absolutely nothing about the quality of the activities
in the said area of life, or about how they will work out for us.
The best way to handle the interpretation is to consider the mean-
ing of the house and the type of activity it involves, and to see it in terms
of lucky breaks or disappointments, possibly taking into account the
situation at a given moment. Once again, I would impress on the reader
that nothing can be inferred here about important or far-reaching mat-
ters, but only about minor encouragements or inconveniences.
When Mars is in conflict with the individual ruler of the 1st, we
speak of a 1st house conflict. Venus square to, in opposition to, or
inconjunct the individual ruler of the 2nd, we treat as a 2nd house
conflict, and so on. If Mars is sextile or trine the individual ruler of the
1st, we speak of a 1st house harmony.
Here is an actual example. A married man has Jupiter (collective
ruler of the 9th) in opposition to the individual ruler of the 9th, and
thus has a 9th house conflict. His wife has a trine of Jupiter to the
individual ruler of the 9th, which gives her a 9th house harmony. Both
partners are, in different ways, interested in the philosophy of life.
But whenever the man presents his ideas, either to her or to his friends
or acquaintances, he encounters resistance. This can take an active
form; for instance, when he ventilates a perfectly sound idea in the
wrong company: or it can take a passive form; for instance, when
people let him speak but take no further notice of his ideas—perhaps
The House Connection ! 47
because of his presentation, ot because he will keep introducing them

at an inappropriate moment. His wife encounters less external resis-
tance to hct ideas and mote approval, because she has no 9th house
conflict. However, this does not mean that her ideas ate right and her
husband's ate wrong. She may have a much easier time getting people
to pay attention to hct, yet in fact her vision is not always as reasoned
and detailed as his in some respects.
The man finds it a nuisance to have to keep on overcoming resis-
tance, but, at the same time, this very resistance is a help to him because
his minor setbacks motivate him to make sure that his ideas ate well
researched and set on a firm basis. He formulates them better than his
wife does hcts, arranges them better, and pays mote attention to dig-
ging out facts that could lend support to these ideas. Through the
resistance he has had to overcome, he has been obliged to organize 9th
house matters very efficiently. His wife has never, or hardly ever, felt the
need to emulate him in this. Since she rarely meets with opposition,
there is nothing to check her when she goes off at a tangent, and she can
wander away from the main point for quite a while.
. Turning now to the 12th house, we should note that it seldom
refers to prisons and institutions! Twelfth-house conflicts of the sort
we are considering often entail something that thwarts the wish to be
alone and to experience the unity of things. The hindering factor can
be either internal or external. Thus you decide to spend a quiet week-
end in order to regain your equilibrium and, believe it or not, this is
the very weekend your neighbors decide to throw a noisy party. Or you
are just settling down to meditate when the telephone rings, or some-
one presses the front door bell.
So the question is, "What can we do about it?" The answer is
"Something, but not as much as we would like," for opposition and
the crucial moment are never entirely in our power. With a house
conflict, we know that we are going to encounter difficulties and make
miscalculations in a certain area of life, but the form they take and the
precise time when they will occur is quite unpredictable. This means
that we are unable to anticipate effectively. Of course, we can elimi-
nate certain factors (in the meditation example, by removing the
receiver from the hook, and disconnecting the doorbell before we
commence), but it is impossible to guard against everything that
might happen, and the nature of the conflict means that we some-
times simply overlook things.
4
House Rulers in Aspect
Aspects in General
Psychologically speaking, an aspect connects two or more psychic con-
tents with one another, and reveals the manner in which these con-
tents work with or against each other. Astronomically, the planets
form certain angles with one another as viewed from the Earth. We
learn which angles are aspects from tradition and by experience.
Aspects are classified as major and minor. The major are the conjunc-
tion, scxtilc, square, trine and opposition, and according to many (in
line with new psychological insights), the inconjunct as well. All other
aspects are minor (sec analysis of the aspects, for a synopsis).
In general we use the major aspects, although the minor aspects
ought not to be entirely ignored. The effect of the major aspects is
more obvious and therefore less debatable. In the following examples,
we shall confine ourselves to the major aspects, but the rules and
methods that are given are equally applicable to the minor aspects.
From planet to planet, each aspect offers a fresh spectrum of
possibilities. If we bring in the tulerships, an aspect can help us to
extract further information from the chart. As we have already seen, a
planet represents not only a psychic factor, but also one or more houses
in the horoscope. We can deepen our understanding of the meaning
and effect of a house by studying the aspects made by the planet that
JO / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
rules it. And so, a single aspect can be looked at and analyzed in
various ways.
Let us return to our example of Fred's horoscope (see page 24).
Fred has a conjunction of the Sun and Mars in Taurus. The Sun-Mars
conjunction can usually be analyzed according to the rules (see analysis
of aspects). But the Sun and Mars are house rulers; the Sun is ruler of
the 9th and Mars is ruler of the 5th. So we must also consider that the
conjunction is one between the ruler of the 9th and the ruler of the
5th. But, at the same time, the lord of the 9th is conjunct Mars and
the lord of the 5th is conjunct the Sun. This gives the following
picture:
The Sun conjunct Mars;
The Sun conjunct the ruler of the 5 th;
The ruler of the 9th conjunct Mars;
The ruler of the 9th conjunct the ruler of the 5th.
The rules for the interpretation of the aspects between house rulers
and between house rulers and planets are the same. Nor is there any
difference between the orbs allowed in the two cases. What is more,
whenever we treat a planet as a house ruler, it loses its significance as a
planet. Therefore, an aspect is regarded as being formed either by a
house ruler or by a planet, but not by a house ruler with the propenics
of a planet. Thus, in essence, it is immaterial that the Sun is the lord
of the 9th. Any other planet with the same placement and the self-
same aspects would have had an identical meaning as the house ruler
of that house. As far as Fred is concerned, his ruler of the 9th in its
capacity as a ruler of the 9th refers only to the area of life represented
by the 9th house, that is to say, to the forming of his opinions, his
need to widen his horizons, etc.
As already mentioned, everyone born on the same day is likely to
have the same planets in the same signs in nearly the same aspects
(with the exception of the Moon). Therefore, someone born on the
same day as Fred will have a Sun-Mars conjunction, but by no means
everyone who came into the world on the same day as he did has a
conjunction between the ruler of the 9th and the ruler of the 5th
house. In other charts, the Sun and Mars will rule over other houses;
so, in three out of four of the ways in which this conjunction can be
regarded, its meaning will vary. Only the conjunction of the Sun and
Mars as planets remains the same; the rulerships differ. For this reason,
the study of the rulerships is very enlightening; there is nothing so

personal as factors depending on the time of birth!
Aspects between Planets and House Rulers

We saw in the previous paragraph, that a single aspect between two
planets can be approached in four different ways in making an inter-
pretation. Two of these involve the aspect between a planet and a
house ruler. The interpretation itself is not too hard. As a rough guide,
we can apply the same keywords to the ruler of a house as we apply to
the collective ruler of that house, provided we bear in mind the main
differences between them.
Let us return once more to Fred's chart. His Sun-Mars conjunction
is also a Mars-ruler-of-the-9th conjunction, among other things. A
conjunction combines two factors. The effect of the one cannot be
seen apart from the effect of the other. Thus, in Fred, we see the need
to widen his horizons, to form opinions, and to travel mentally or
physically, going hand-in-hand with the need to say "I" with empha-
sis, to look after himself aggressively, and to be energetic and ambi-
tious (Mars).
Many readers will observe, no doubt, that this formulation looks
very similar to what we might say about a Jupiter-Mars conjunction.
But appearances can be deceptive. To obtain a more accurate picture,
we need to ignore static properties and characteristics, and place things
in a dynamic perspective
Jupiter as an archetypal factor, provides the lifelong motivation
and energy for making sense of and synthesizing things within as wide
a framework as possible. The manner and the sphere of life in which it
seeks to develop its power is determined by the sign and the house in
which it stands. Aspects say something about the extent to which it
manages to develop this power effectively, and about the psychic
factors and areas of life involved. It is important to understand that
Jupiter represents the impulse to seek a synthesis and inner truth
without telling us whether or not this synthesis has been found. The
synthesis itself is an affair involving the whole horoscope, because it
necessarily rests on the integration of all factors. And this is where we
must look for it.
We know that there is an area of life, the 9th house, that provides
us with information on how we can achieve a certain synthesis, how-
ever imperfect or one-sided it may be. For example, this house indi-
cates the sort of metaphysical thinking or philosophy of life we find
attractive, and whether we would do better with other philosophies. It
also indicates the degree to which travel or study plays a part in our
life, and says something about the nature of the travel or study. Thus
the house gives the circumstances in which and the material with
which we realize a synthesis.
The fact that Jupiter, as a general human drive, is active in each
one of us, means that we shall automatically interest ourselves in the
area of life that supplies and determines the material that suits the
drive. It offers an opportunity for self-expression. But if a house—in
this case the 9th—is empty of planets, it is difficult to see how its
active function is going to develop. An answer to this problem is
found in the house ruler. The dynamics of the house are derived from
the (particular) way the house ruler functions; representing, as this
does, the varied and fluctuating activities taking place in the given
sphere of life. Now, here we are looking at Jupiter with the motivation
it supplies, and when we have a Jupiter and Mars conjunction or a
tuler-of-the-9th and Mars conjunction, there is a disparity between the
two factors that makes it hard for them to express themselves joindy.
Another way in which a collective house ruler and an individual
house ruler are dissimilar is that, although the house ruler represents
the characteristics of the house, it loses in its capacity as house ruler
certain planetary qualities it would otherwise possess. Thus Jupiter in
its own right may lead to stoutness; a ruler of the 9th does not.
Obviously, this affects the interpretation. A Jupiter-Mars conjunction
can highlight problems with doctors, because Jupiter has to do with
the healing profession. With a ruler-of-thc-9th-Mars conjunction
nothing of that sort is found.
Bearing all this in mind, we can try to work out the various ways
in which his ruler-of-the-9th-Mars conjunction will affect Fred. For
example:
• Enthusiastically, and perhaps in an undisciplined manner (Mars), he

can take up some form of study, in order to learn about things and to
be able to sec them in a wide context (ruler of the 9th). Or he can
devote himself to some foreign interest, to the administration of
The House Connection / }}
justice, to education, to profound reflections on life, or to any other

9th house matter.
• Owing to the conjunction with Mars, he will put over his opinions
quite sharply. It appears that he makes up his mind quickly, which is
typical of Mars aspects. Mars is very much inclined to act first and
think later! Under the Martian influence, what is said about 9 th house
matters can be clever and witty; the danger is that it may not be as
well-considered as it should be. What is more, because Mars is unable
to express itself smoothly here, the presentation of what is said can be
so lacking in tact that it is liable to cause quarrels and differences of
opinion.
• Very often, with a Mars-9th-house combination, the native believes
that a foreign land (9th) will offer better opportunities for
development and achievement (Mars) than is offered at home. The
Mars-9th-house combination helps to get emigration plans off the
drawing board.
Of all the possible interpretations only a few will materialize. Not all
the facets, by any means, will be seen in one individual. The particular
facets that are in fact seen will depend on the rest of the horoscope.
Even so, it is not easy to identify them. Also, it frequently happens
that one form of expression manifests itself at one time of life, and
another form of expression puts in an appearance later on.
Anyone who get to know Fred will soon observe how quickly he
reaches a decision. His opinions are generally very sharp, and some-
times provocative. Also, he is an inveterate traveler, and has always
believed that he has more possibilities abroad to do what he wants
than he has in his own land. These are the most obvious results of Mars
conjunct the ruler-of-the-9th in Fred's chart.
As we said before, it is the house rulers that make such a differ-
ence between people born just a few hours apart. And someone who
was born several hours later than Fred will no longer have the Sun as
Lord of the 9th, and will simply not have his attitude or experiences as
far as 9th house matters are concerned.
Let us examine another example. In chapter J, we saw in Paul's
horoscope (Chart 3, page 33) the 8th and 9th houses were the strong-
est houses. I made a point of saying that it would be wrong to interpret
this fact as positive or negative without more ado—not only because
each house has both positive and negative potential, but also because
we need to know whether the native feels at home with the strongest
house or houses or not. Planets in these houses and the condition of
the rulers of the houses are necessary to know if we are going to make
any headway with our interpretation.
On looking at the ruler of the 9th in Paul's chart, we see that
although his 9th house is so strong, it is beset with a number of
difficulties. The ruler of the 9th, the Moon, is in Aquarius in the 3rd,
and makes the following aspects: inconjunct Saturn, opposition
Venus, inconjunct Mercury, and inconjunct Uranus. In fact, the Moon
forms the apex of a Yod-aspect with the sextile between Saturn and
Mercury-Uranus as its base. (For further information on the Yod-
aspect see Aspects and Personality.)
We can put the situation of the 9th house in a clearer light by
studying the position of its ruler the Moon. That the Moon is involved
in a Yod-aspect shows that Paul does not find study plain sailing. The
Yod-aspect gives puzzling confrontations, and the feeling that one has
one's back against the wall; and eventually, this produces a crisis.
Usually, however, the crisis gives access to a certain amount of creativ-
ity, although, as likely as not, this will be hampered by a sense of
insecurity. In the case of Paul's 9th house, it seems clear that he may
make several false starts with studies for which he has no aptitude, or
which he is liable to outgrow. His views on life and on the interrela-
tionships of things could well change quite radically more than once.
Finally, when he has passed through a crisis such as this, and every
Yod-aspect conceals one within itself, he may have a more wary atti-
tude to philosophical or scientific truth, and conclude that much of it
is individual rather than absolute.
For the person who is a seeker, the ruler of the 9th in a Yod-aspect
makes the finding of answers to questions about the meaning of life,
about the why of things and about truth and justice, more pressing. It
expresses itself in a nagging feeling that there must be more to life
(and everything) than has so far emerged.
A ruler of the 9th with this sort of hard aspect is most likely to
make studying a problem, but I want to draw attention to the fact that
1 have seen individuals with the worst 9th house conflicts going on to
graduate. If the conflicts are handled positively, the result can be
accurate, well-ordered thinking.
The ruler of the 9th inconjunct Saturn usually reduces the confi-
dence in one's ability to study (the proverbial inferiority complex).
Sometimes there is not even the wish to begin, "because it just
The House Connection / 5}
wouldn't work." On the other hand, feelings of inferiority may act as

an incentive to become a success by sheer dogged perseverance with
one's studies—this is the other side of Saturn.
When the ruler of the 9th is inconjunct Uranus, there is a need,
even though it may be devoid of inner tension, to build up, in a
humanistic and original way, a completely individual view of life. This
view may not be realistic in every instance however; in conflicts
between Uranus or Neptune and the ruler of the 9th, there is always a
danger of utopianism. A restless mind is given by Uranus inconjunct
the ruler of the 9th, and the same is true of Uranus conjunct Mercury,
and Mercury inconjunct the ruler of the 9th. When a certain detail is
so strongly emphasized, it is bound to show itself.
Paul has felt all this very strongly. Even when he was young, his
brain was running in top gear. He was idealistic and religious, and
attended a Catholic school. His teachers had differing opinions of
him. One thought that Paul would never amount to much because he
did not have a proper grasp of what he was being taught; another
thought that there was much more to him than met the eye, and that
Paul possessed above average intelligence, but made such incredibly
hard work of everything that it was difficult to see that he was so
bright.
Paul is definitely a seeker, and he likes it that way. Being a seeker
fits in with his life and his personality, and feeds his longing to
immerse himself in all sorts of philosophical, psychological, and reli-
gious questions. He turned his back on what the priests taught him,
but did not leave their terrain because he was still interested in the
study of religion. During his studies, he fell under the spell of a
certain philosopher, and perused every available piece of writing by
this individual. And he decided to write a thesis on the philosopher.
But the Yod-aspect struck again. As soon as he had made some pro-
gress, his interest in the man faded. Paul had developed in another
direction, had come to see things completely differently, and found it
very hard to go on working on his thesis. To have switched to another
topic would have taken too much time and, anyway, he now knew a
great deal about the philosopher. But what is so intriguing as far as we
are concerned, is that once again Paul had got on a new tack.
In the area of study and ideology, we see Paul chopping and
changing, and going from one thing to another following the changes
in his point of view. But one can hold a good conversation with a
J6 / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
seeker like Paul, for his search has taught him to be open to opinions
other than his own.
We have just been looking at a very brief piece of interpretation
using Paul's Yod-aspect with the ruler of the 9th at its apex. In actual
fact, pages could be filled on each of the aspects mentioned. It is
impossible to write a book dealing exhaustively with all the possible
interpretations of all the possible aspects of house rulers with planets,
or of house rulers with house rulers. Anyway, it is a question of apply-
ing known principles. But, to assist the reader, 1 shall work out in more
detail one or two aspects taken from Paul's chart, and shall show how
we can interpret the aspects between planets and house rulers.
First of all, we must try to form a picture of the house before
concentrating on its ruler. The house ruler carries the meaning of the
house. That is to see, the house is developed by the activity of the
ruler. The manner in which the latter behaves can reveal how we give
shape to the characteristics of its house.
We should attempt to have a clearly defined idea of each house.
Let us consider as an example a house that is usually regarded as
"difficult" to interpret—the 8th house. The 8th house reflects an urge
to challenge life under the shadow of death and to live on a knife-
edge; it reflects an urge to plumb the deepest secrets of life outside us
and the deepest hidden psychic contents in ourselves. Therefore, the
house also reveals our complexes and neuroses and how we come to
terms with them. The house shows our unconscious attitude toward a
partner, and also inner struggles. Fear of death and fear of the chal-
lenge of life, paradoxical as it may seem, both emerge from the
deathwish and love of life found in this house. The 8th house contains
a powerful hold on life and, at the same time, our most important, if
still hidden, gifb and talents.
The ruler of the 8th gives form to its house, and therefore sup-
plies information about the way in which the native deals with prob-
lems and tackles his or her complexes and neuroses. It says something
about the internal struggle that goes on in the native and about the
willpower that supports him or her. It shows how he or she will stand
up to the pressures and anxieties of life. And, of course, we must never
forget that, if there are planets in the 8th, the ruler of the 8th will
indicate how these planets express themselves.
Paul has Mercury as Lord of the 8th. And, as we have already
seen, Mercury forms part of the Yod-aspect. It is conjunct Uranus,
sextile Saturn, and inconjunct the Moon. In the light of the foregoing,
The House Connection / il
what is the significance of the ruler of the 8th conjunct Uranus? After
we have gained some idea of the nature of the ruler of the 8th, the
next step is to discover the meaning of Uranus. Uranus is out desire for
originality and individuality, and our need to break free from con-
stricting limitations. Uranus gives us the longing to develop a cleat
personal identity and to put ourselves in a position to go our own way.
It also gives the urge —and with it a certain capability—to change, to
renew, to sever, and to transcend. It can be capricious and impulsive,
stattlingly unpredictable, and unique.
These characteristics of Uranus now have to be combined with the
significance of the ruler of the 8th, with which Uranus is in aspect. In
the first instance, the type of aspect does not matter too much: what
matters is that there is in fact an aspect, and that the two factors are
mingled. The type of aspect comes in for consideration at the end of
the interpretation, as we shall see.
The ruler of the 8th in aspect with Uranus gives, for example, the
following possibilities for Paul: he will feel the desire to live his life in
a surprising and highly individual way. Hidden deep inside him there
is a challenging, even provocative, attitude to life; and he wants to
make progress by looking for new forms of expression. Insights regard-
ing himself, his problems, and his possibilities will strike him sud-
denly; and he will do best to tackle them unconventionally. Since the
ruler of the 8th reveals his approach to his problems, an aspect of the
ruler to Uranus lets us know further that, after a sudden break-
through, Paul's life can take another (inner, but sometimes outer)
turn, and that, as far as Paul's problems and their solution are con-
cerned, he needs to pursue an extremely individual course. Now,
Uranus is also the planet of equality and comradeship, so a therapist,
if he needs one, should treat this patient as his or her equal, and
should be open to new ideas.
Uranus is very allergic to patterns that have rusted solid and, with
an aspect between the ruler of the 8th and Uranus, Paul will keep on
maneuvering himself into situations in which he suddenly confronts
himself. However, the same aspect gives him the power and the possi-
bility to cope with such situations, even within a Yod-aspect. But the
planets or house rulers in this chart will more or less carry things to
extremes.
That the aspect is a conjunction signifies an indissoluble associa-
tion of the two factors, but does not signify whether this association
will be helpful or unhelpful. If the aspect were a square or opposition
between the ruler of the 8th and Uranus, the confrontations of Uranus
would be more problematical, sudden, and violent than if it were a
sextile or trine; yet even with a conjunction we often see an almost
explosive intensity. But, regardless of the nature of the aspect, the
main consideration is that there is a connection of some sort. All that a
knowledge of the type of aspect does for us is to let us know whether
its effect will be relatively good or bad.
Paul also has the ruler of the 8th sextile Saturn. This means that
whatever Saturn stands for is connected with the 8th house. In many
respects, Saturn is the polar opposite of Uranus; and, of course, a
connection between a house ruler and its polar opposite always spells
tension—but it can also spell a sometimes successful struggle to
achieve a balance. Let us take a look at this.
Saturn represents borders and limitations and, in particular, the
impulse to carve out a clearly defined ego by means of circumstances
that are often painful. It is our weak spot, part of ourselves that we
would prefer not to feel or experience. Nevertheless, once we have
learned how to cope with disappointment and have braved failure,
and have learned to recognize our limits in the process, the selfsame
Saturn bestows on us restfiilness and calm, depth and purposefulness,
soberness and tenacity. But, if we hide our heads in the sand, we shall
merely end up running away from problems we ought to face, or may
overcompensate by shouting down what Saturn is trying to tell us. In
other words, we shall indulge in evasive action, in closing our eyes and
ears to things, and in frantically clinging to the past out of dread of the
new. In general, our outlook will be pessimistic.
Saturn in aspect to the ruler of the 8th makes an already vulnera-
ble 8th house (the reservoir.of our complexes and neuroses) still more
vulnerable. People with a connection between Saturn and the 8th
house (irrespective of whether the aspect is easy or hard!) usually have
the inclination to shut their eyes to difficulties and to behave as if
nothing had happened. "Tomorrow is another day!" they exclaim
airily, but not from any inner conviction. The fear of confrontation
hides deep inside them, and the aspect of Saturn to the ruler of the
8th can make this hidden fear clearly felt. 1 quite often observe that
those with a connection between a ruler of the 8th and Saturn have
trouble with their attitude to authority (Saturn is the law!) and also
with deciding how to shape their lives, Yes, and I have frequently seen
this with harmonious aspects too! Sometimes the problems seem to
arise from a difficult relationship with the father in childhood.
The House Connection / .59
The other side of Saturn also puts in an appearance in many cases.

In those who have spotted the game of hide-and-speak they have been
playing and, with the courage born of despair, so peculiar to Saturn
and to the 8th house, have made up their minds to confront the real
world; we often see, after a generally quiet and sometimes prolonged
struggle, the achievement of success. They get a grip on their prob-
lems, put their lives in order, and set to work very systematically to
deal with their frustrations and fears. Then Saturn can cause these
natives to persist until there is clarity on the main issues. Clarity does
not mean that all problems are solved, however. Saturn is matter-of-
fact, and will give the sense to know that there are limits to the
solution of problems: we cannot be human without having problems.
On the basis of this realism, a connection between Saturn and the 8th
house can signify acceptance of limitations and the attempt to channel
the things mentioned in such a way as to prevent Saturn from using
unconscious actions (also a property of the 8th house) to confront
them externally with their weaknesses.
As we have seen, Paul has a fight on his hands with conflicting
aspects. On the one hand, the reforming and defiant Uranus, and, on
the other hand, the restrictive and often apprehensive Saturn, are
found to be in aspect to the ruler of the 8th. If we wish to know which
is the more powerful, then we must look to see which of the two is
more dignified astrologically. This will usually express itself more
strongly. With Paul, Saturn is in Virgo, in the 9th house, which makes
it strong both by sign and by house. Uranus in Cancer in the 8th
cannot match this. But this will not prevent Uranus from making itself
felt quite substantially. It simply means that the motivation provided
by Saturn is greater. As far as the 8th house is concerned, this repre-
sents a tendency to cling to the old to wait to see what happens with
the new. In a negative sense, we may expect Paul to keep on avoiding
issues raised by confrontations with the less powerful Uranus. But
there are also positive effects. With this combination, he can make a
calm and thoughtful approach to the problems of the 8th house, using
the originality and flashes of brilliance from Uranus without taking his
eye off the goal. And his composure can become a source of creativity
that gives him greater depth.
A combination of a conflicting planet with a house ruler can be
used very creatively and fruitfully, although we cannot deny that prob-
lems will occur from time to time.
SO / Karen Hamaker-7.ondag
With an aspect between the ruler of the 8th and Saturn, Paul may
feel attracted to the traditional forms of psychology and psychotherapy
(by which we do not imply that he will find himself on the psychia-
trist's couch!). But also, as will be realized, Uranus could make him
favor a modern approach. However this, in Paul's case, has worked out
very harmoniously. He could quite happily immerse himself in the
teachings of classical psychologists like Freud, while thinking for him-
self, discussing his own ideas, and forming his own opinions. In other
words, he casts a critical eye on the older theories and, where they do
not fit in with his personal ideas (Uranus), he discards them. And so
Paul is able to work with both individuality (Uranus) and tradition
(Saturn). Nevertheless, his critical attitude in the field of psychology
can land him in difficulties. His teachers may not always feel an urgent
desire for dissentient views on the accepted dogmas of the day.
Another thing to note is that Paul's ruler of the 8th is inconjunct
his Moon. Very often, a connection between the Moon and the 8th
house gives very intense feelings and emotions, which the native is not
always able to control. Hard aspects between the ruler of the 8th and
the Moon, or a placement of the Moon in the 8th, are quite likely to
be found in association with hysteria according to some astrologers.
However, speaking for myself, I would say that this is painting the
picture too much in black and white. Naturally, hysteria has a good
breeding ground in intense feelings and emotions that have no safety
valve, but other results are equally possible.
The Moon is the attitude we tend to adopt when we feel insecure,
and it represents our need to satisfy others emotionally and to take care
of them. The sign, house, and aspects of the Moon provide us with a
picture of this. In Paul, the Moon is in Aquarius in the 3rd house. As
soon as Paul is unsure of himself or wishes to feel more at ease, he will
withdraw into himself (the Moon in a fixed sign) and will brood over
his problems mentally in order to reach some conclusion that will give
him a feeling of repose and relief. The mental facet is emphasized
again by the 3rd house, and it is possible that he will use reading,
writing, and contacts with others as a means of getting back on his
feet. This feature is in conflict with the influence of the Sun in Cancer,
a water sign that looks at the surrounding world mainly through the
feelings, and judges people, objects, and situations on the basis of the
feelings they evoke. So, the Moon in an air sign and in an air house
forms a big tension field with the Sun in Cancer. Once more we see
that there can be tensions in the horoscope without "red lines," just as
there can be harmony without "green lines!"
I have mentioned this background information because we must
look at planets in their total situation before combining them with
some other interpretive part of the horoscope. In the foregoing, 1 have
restricted myself to house rulers and planets. Now let's take a further
step and look at the more broad-based situation of a planet before
linking it with the house ruler being studied. We have just seen that
the Moon is in conflict with Paul's nature, for example, causing him to
experience a strong internal struggle between feeling (Cancer/water)
and thinking (Aquarius/air). (See my book Elements and Crosses for a
detailed analysis of Paul's water/air duality).
What is more, the Moon forms the apex of the Yod-aspect, mak-
ing Paul inevitably unsettled. He constantly falls prey to tension,
insecurity and the questing spirit that belongs to the Yod-aspect. As
soon as we feel insecure, we relapse into Moon-behavior. With Paul,
this carries with it the disadvantage that he once more experiences the
Yod-tension at full stretch, but strengthened by the duality between
being (the Sun) and the search for emotional security (the Moon). To
make matters worse, the Moon is inconjunct the ruler of the 8th, a
connection with the 8th house which puts it in touch with things one
would rather avoid, such as problems, neuroses and conflicts. Paul's
8th house shows what he will do about these things; and, accordingly,
the inconjunct to the Moon gives us good reason to think that, ini-
tially, he will be at a loss to know what to do; also that he can tackle his
8th house problems only through his feelings and via conflict (the
inconjunct) with the feminine principle or with a female partner (the
Moon). In men, an aspect between the ruler of the 8th and the Moon
indicates that they are hoping to meet a fascinating woman with
whom they can enjoy an intense and deep relationship. They exhibit
an all-or-nothing attitude to this, and also they need their partner to
play an important role in bringing to the surface their unconscious and
repressed psychic contents. Therefore, in general, ruler-of-8th-Moon
connections produce initial difficulties in relationships, because such
powerful emotions and knotty problems are involved. In any case, not
every partner is able to take the impact of a projection of this sort. Nor
is a power struggle with the partner out of the question, not by any
means: the 8th house also has to do with the need for power to deal
with everything that might upset us.
62 / Karen Hamaker-Xondag
In fact, what the aspect is saying is neither more nor less than that
Paul's inner feminine component, his anima, is crying out to him for
attention; an that, because of the inconjunct, he does not know what
to do about it. Now, psychologically speaking, the integration of the
anima or animus in ourselves is no easy matter, and many of us wrestle
with it. But with Paul the emphasis is elsewhere. Because of the
confrontation and the threat of nonstop crises by the inconjunct, he
cannot afford to hide his problems. In everything he thinks and does
he is unable to avoid intense confrontations. For him, the problem is
more intractable than it is for many other people.
Paul has experienced all sorts of problems with relatives: intense
involvement, incomprehension, and struggles to be "king of the cas-
tle" have all cropped up in turn. On each occasion, he has tried sweet
reasonableness, but has come to the conclusion that that approach is
not sufficient in itself. Also, his Sun in Cancer seeks for realization!
In the light of the above, we shall appreciate that the aspect
between the Moon and the ruler of the 8th is very dominant in Paul's
life; and all the more so as the ruler of Cancer is the dispositor of his
Sun. Paul's life expresses this aspect most distinctly, but in a decidedly
positive sense, too. He is prepared to examine his feelings, to look at
them objectively, to subject them to criticism, and to ask himself what
is really going on inside him. Of course he can draw the wrong conclu-
sions from time to time; but we all do that—after all, we are only
human! In any case, the inconjunct does not exactly smooth his path
for him; but the probing, analyzing and feeling-in-depth of emotions
can help him to make progress — because there is a very positive side to
the reputedly difficult connection between the ruler of the 8th and the
Moon. Paul has that enormous conflict between feeling and thinking
which almost compels him to bring his thinking side to the fore. The
inconjunct of the ruler of the 8th to the Moon keeps impressing on
him, however, that he is not emotional enough, and that he needs to
use his feelings, too, even if he has little idea of how to do so. It
confronts him, day in and day out, with a side of him that he tends to
neglect —his feelings. In fact, this conflict takes him back to his
being—represented by the Sun in a water sign. That the path is not
easy, that it passes through relationship problems, and that Paul trav-
els it as a seeker, is perhaps the price he has to pay for the peace of
mind given by a steady balance between his superior and his inferior
function, between his Sun and his Moon.
We one and all pay a price in life for genuine individuation. And
we ought never to forget that the aspects that bring us difficulties offer
us, at the same time, a means of solving those difficulties. What is
more they provide the incentive to tackle all the psychic factors and
contents that together make up our psyche and, in a uniquely individ-
ual manner to fuse them into the unique individual each of us is. This
is true of the ruler of the 8th inconjunct the Moon. Intensity plus
uncertainty in the feelings give tensions and problems. But through
experiencing our emotions, and through coming to terms with our
confrontations and reading and talking about them, we can enjoy later
in life an emotional calm that rewards us for dealing with this aspect
positively. The gradual process of integration will bring with it a cer-
tain restfulness, reduced tension in the 8th house, and a better under-
standing and acceptance of ourselves
Mutual Aspects between House Rulers

Because each planet rules a house, we can also look at the aspects
between the ruler of a house and the rulers of other houses. In the case
of Paul, we know that his ruler of the 9th (the Moon) is inconjunct
Saturn, Mercury, and Uranus. If we treat these planets as house rulers,
we have the ruler of the 9th inconjunct the ruler of the 3rd, the ruler
of the 8th and co-ruler of the 10th, and the ruler of the 4th.
In judging aspects between house rulers, we set to work as fol-
lows. We start with the meanings of the house rulers concerned, as we
have learned them from the previous sections, and then we combine
these house meanings two by two with one another. Aspects between
house rulers imply that their houses influence one another. Thus, the
ruler of the 9th inconjunct the 3rd signifies that whenever we enter the
terrain of 9th house, the 3rd house is automatically involved, and vice
versa. The aspect shows the way in which the interplay will occur, and
so the type of aspect adds the finishing touch to our interpretation.
But what matters in the first place is that there is, in fact, a connection
between the two houses (exactly as in the case of aspects between
house rulers and planets).
Let us continue to use Paul's chart as our specimen. In this chart,
the Sun is the ruler of the 10th and Neptune is the co-ruler of the 4th.
We may safely give a co-ruler full weight when interpreting aspects
between house rulers. The Sun and Neptune are square one another,
which means that there is a square between the ruler of the 10th and
the co-ruler of the 4th. So, to begin with, we must study the signifi-
cance of both house rulers, and then we can connect the houses with
one another.
The 4th house represents our need of emotional security, and our
attitude to domestic circumstances, which is based partly on experi-
ence. It is our need to care for others, and our feeling for family and
tradition, and our sense of history. The ruler of the 4th indicates how
we are going to express the need to be caring, how we manage home
and hearth, and what we think of our families and loved ones.
Psychologically, the 10th house expresses our need to carve out an
identity, and to form a clear-cut picture of ourselves, so that we can
aspire to a recognized social position. The house shows how we exercise
authority and how we respond to authority, and how we react to the
external world in the light of our self-image. Generally speaking, the
10th house relates to our concrete position in the world and to the
made-to-measure mask we wear in order to impress others and hold
our own. The ruler of the 10th, therefore, shows how we deal with and
how we react to all these things.
Now, if the ruler of the 10th is square the co-ruler of the 4th,
then (either internally or externally) we shall experience a struggle
between our social activities on the one hand (10th house) and our
domestic life on the other (4th house). This struggle can take place in a
number of ways. For example: professional commitments may inter-
fere with domestic life, or working at home can make it hard to
separate private life from public life, so that the family suffers; or,
conversely, domestic circumstances can regularly stand in the way of
our social development—at least without special adjustments being
made.
However, inner effects arc also possible, and these are much more
imponant, by and large. Our desire to care for others and to make
them feel at home (4th house) is something we like to express in the
public domain when there is a connection between the rulers of the
4th and the 10th. In other words we want to bring a caring spirit into
our social and professional activities. There is a wide range of possibili-
ties here. For example, it may be that we choose a profession (from
which we invariably derive social standing) in the sphere of caring for
the elderly or for children, or in child nursing, or in supporting certain
underprivileged groups, or in some other work in which we can help
people. If there is a conflict between the ruler of the 10th and the ruler
of the 4th then either we do not know how to go about achieving this
aim, or, sometimes, we lay too much emphasis on what we are trying
to do in the field of welfare while at other times we seem to have lost
much of our interest in it (a hard aspect usually makes it difficult to
hold a balance). With patience, time, and trouble (typical of a hard
aspect), we can succeed in uniting the two houses harmoniously.
Then, having learned to direct our energies more efficiently, we can
set to work in an active and effective way in order to put a public face
on our caring spirit.
Yet another possible result of this square is that our social or
professional activities create emotional problems for us; we are not
comfortable with them. In that case we may well go looking for a
different situation, for instance in another line of work; and yet, we
will find that we experience the same emotional insecurity. Therefore
conflicts between the ruler or co-ruler of the 4th and the ruler of the
10th are liable to go hand in hand with (big) changes in work or social
status. However, if we are able to see that the source of this unrest and
emotional insecurity is to be found in ourselves, then the conflicting
aspect can finally produce a creative solution.
Individuals with hard aspects between the ruler of the 4th and the
ruler of the 10th are more inclined than others to let off steam at home
over their dissatisfaction with their jobs; or, vice versa, domestic prob-
lems interfere with the professional life more often than is normally
the case. Society and the home are always closely linked by a hard
aspect of this type.
Since the 4th-house-10th-house axis also shows how we have got
on with our parents in early life, tensions between the ruler of the 4th
and the ruler of the 10th indicate trying situations when we are young.
There is no need to start thinking in terms of parental separation or
divorce here. Generally the situation is one for which nobody is to
blame. For example, I regularly encounter this aspect in children
whose parents wanted to have them but were working hard to better
themselves socially at the time of the birth. It could be that the father
was away a good deal, or brought a lot of work home from the office,
while the mother took his place as much as she was able. Or perhaps
the father was out of work, and the whole family lived under the
shadow of this; which is another form of tension between the 4th and
10th house. These are situations which cannot be predicted with cer-
tainty, yet they are quite likely to occur as influences on children

growing up with an aspect of the type in question.
Let us consider another example. In Fred's chart. Mars is square
Pluto. Mars is ruler of the 3th and Pluto rules two houses—the 12th
and the 1st. Therefore, this aspect with Pluto as house ruler has to be
given two interpretations. We have the ruler of the 1st square the ruler
of the 3th and the ruler of the 12th is square the ruler of the 3th.
Often situations like this show conflicting or, at least, very divergent
character traits and desires. Nevertheless, every latent possibility will
seek to express itself, and this means that although the ruler of the 3th
square the ruler of the 1st and ruler of the 12th is but a single aspect,
two completely contradictory needs can arise out of it.
The 1st house represents our direct, undifferentiated approach to
the outside world. It is the way in which we respond, mentally, emo-
tionally, and physically to stimuli from without, the way in which we
go to meet the outside world and allow it to have access to us—a way
uninfluenced either by the outside world or by the nature of the
stimuli it has to offer. The ruler of the 1st will tell us how we give
shape to this activity.
The 3th house has been called the house of pleasure: it shows how
we express the things that give us enjoyment, such as sport, fun,
amusements, romance, etc. It represents our need to be creative and to
occupy the center. It also indicates our desire for leadership and exclu-
siveness, as well as indicating the things we like doing—sometimes at
the expense of the things we ought to be doing. A somewhat egotisti-
cal attitude is not foreign to the 3th house.
The ruler of the 3th house will express the desire to play an
important role and, above all, to follow personal preferences. Because
Fred's 1st and 3th houses are linked, others will always observe this in
his attitude. The square between the ruler of the 1st and the ruler of
the 3th may mean that Fred considers himself important and that he
squares up to the world. He craves attention and wants to be noticed.
This does not do away with the opposing significance of the Sun in
Taurus in the 6th, on the contrary, it sharpens the inner struggle
between modesty and the desire to be imponant—which also comes to
the fore elsewhere in the horoscope.
Because the ruler of the 3th is in conflicting aspect with the ruler
of the 1st, there is a danger that Fred's behavior will be erratic at times.
At one moment he could be clearly dominant doing precisely what he
fancies and, the following moment, he could feel so uncertain that he
resigns himself to doing what others tell him to do; and yet, in the
process of obeying them, he would probably forget his instructions
and start doing things his own way again. Also, although he likes to
have a pat on the back and a compliment every now and then (the 3th
house corresponds to Leo, of course), the hard aspect prevents him
from knowing how to accept these graciously. Either he puts the per-
son down, or he cracks a cynical joke, with the result that, if the
individual who made the compliment does not know Fred very well,
he or she will think twice before praising him again. And then Fred
must angle even harder for the desired pat on the back. The link
between the 1st and the 3th house makes this sort of stimulus neces-
sary every so often but, with a square, Fred —by his own attitude —is
liable to thwart his own chances of getting what he wants. This hard
aspect can also indicate insecurity, an insecurity for which he tries to
overcompensate by putting on an air that suggests the opposite is true.
Nevertheless, with this conflict, Fred will feel good in an environ-
ment where he can be himself in the knowledge that he is valued, even
if he is not praised to his face. Also he can very much appreciate half-
humorous compliments, because these offer him a chance to cover his
confusion when praised. When Fred comes to terms with this problem
in himself, he will be able to use the energy that is now being
absorbed by his insecurity and overcompensation, and will be able to
work very creatively while winning a central function. Creatively,
although not necessarily artistically. Fred is extremely clever with his
hands, and can make anything he sees. Complete confidence to take
his place in the outside world (the ruler of the 3th square the ruler of
the 1st) will also bring release for his Sun in Taurus in the 7th, which
loves to work.
However, the conflict between the ruler of the 3th and the ruler
of the 12th is an even bigger problem for Fred. Now, the 12th house is
not always easy to interpret; so let us dwell on it for a moment or two.
The old-fashioned view that "one loses everything connected with the
12th house" is as sweeping as it is incorrect. The 12th house represents
our need to retire and pull out of things in order to seek the unity
behind diversity, the unity that binds everything together. We find in
the 12th a hankering after mystical union and the concept of the
universal in life; but this means setting on one side our personality and
our limited social and mercenary aims, or at least according them less
importance; otherwise we shall never penetrate to the essential nature
of this house.
In the light of research I have been carrying out in the past few
years, it seems to me that the (hard to overestimate) role of the 12th
house as an area of life is chiefly determined by our experiences during
infancy (and perhaps even when we were in the womb) and by how
they affected us. In many respects, these experiences have a big influ-
ence on our later attitude to life. Frequently I have seen 12th house
conflicts linked either with conflicts between the parents of the child,
or with social tensions that had repercussions on it. Therefore the 12th
house also has to do with secret fears, fears we are unable to trace back
to specific events. They are, in fact, due to actual happenings, and
these took place at a time when our consciousness was not formed; so
nothing could be repressed.
Seen in this light, the ruler of the 12th shows how we handle our
need to experience unity, either positively in the form of social aware-
ness, willingness to make sacrifices, meditation, and the like, or nega-
tively in the form of addiction or depersonalization. Both extremes
lead to an intoxication in which unity is experienced.
This house reveals our capacity for relativizing and depersonaliz-
ing, and for dealing with unreasoned fears. The 12th house also
reveals the degree of empathy we possess. For the 12th house enables
us to get in contact with our fellows along unconscious ways, and to
intuit what makes them tick, where their needs lie, and even perhaps
what is going to happen to them, etc. Clairvoyance, telesthesia, pro-
phetic dreams and so on, all flow from the 12th house. A ruler of the
12th shows what we make of this. A horoscope does not inform us to
what extent a person is clairvoyant or telepathic. Such abilities are
latent in us all —in some more than in others. Therefore, the ruler of
the 12th does not say whether or not we are clairvoyant; what it does
say is what we are inclined to do with our latent powers.
Conflicts in the 12th house, or involving the ruler of the 12th,
often point to problems in infancy, and generally in the entire mythic
phase of childhood (which lasts to around the 7th year on average).
Fred's ruler of the 12th is square the ruler of the 5th, which can
have the following possible results. Hidden fears and uncertainty (12)
exert an influence on the self-confidence Fred seeks (5), so that he can
feel very insecure where his self-expression, hobbies, and leadership
are concerned. Owing to the conflict of the ruler of the 12th, he
struggles either with the tendency to undermine himself, or with the
problem of really not knowing what he wants to do and of always
searching for some self-reliance and identity without quite achieving
them. I have observed more than once that such problems involving
the 12th house and the 3th or 10th house go hand in hand with a
situation in which the child was not properly understood by one or
both of its parents, was not encouraged to be itself and therefore was
unable to build up a feeling of self-confidence. But even here we must
not pass judgment. The child born with this configuration quite often
does not give its parents enough to go on for a decision as to how it
should be encouraged.
Whatever the case may be, the child with this aspect will initially
have little self-trust and is not likely to know what it wants. Often the
consequence is questing behavior with the attendant possibilities of
overcompensation and of withdrawal into a dream world. Thus the
very same square aspect offers the child the chance to develop activities
within the 12th-house domain — namely dreaming and fantasizing—
which could blossom later into a talent for writing fairy stories or film
scenarios for example. Other modes of expression are also possible —
music, or those forms of creative expression in which the native sits
alone for hours studying, drawing, painting, writing, etc. Likely hob-
bies ate such things as hypnotism, meditation, yoga, religious retreats,
prayer, the occult, social work, and so forth.
Underwater sport is one of Fred's longtime hobbies. He has also
traveled widely (among other things, this is represented by the ruler of
1 in 9); but, in all this traveling, an important objective has been to
experience the stillness in himself in the solitude of unspoiled nature.
Thus he has remained for months at a time in the woods and wastes of
Australia in order to recharge his spiritual batteries. Therefore, even
conflicting aspects between the ruler of the 12th and the ruler of the
3th can express themselves creatively and acceptably—although this is
not to say that Fred does not wrestle with inferiority feelings, vulnera-
bility and insecurity, too.
We have now obtained two different aspects between house rulers
from the one aspect of Mars square Pluto. One of them, the ruler of
the 3th square the ruler of the 1st, gives a strong desire to do what you
feel like doing, while the other, the ruler of the 3th square the ruler of
the 12th, brings with it the problem of not knowing what you feel like
doing, and an initial lack of self-confidence when you do know it. The
aspects can exert their influence separately or in combination. Thus
the insecurity caused by the aspect with the ruler of the 12 th can lead
to powerful overcompensation when the ruler of 3 decides (as it were)
to make its square with the ruler of 1 felt; but, at the same time, it
leads to greater vulnerability.
The above examples illustrate how we can extend and refine the
interpretation of a chart with the help of the house rulers; which also
informs us why the native does certain things or makes certain state-
ments or overcompensations. Nevertheless, we must always look for
confirmatory factors in the horoscope. In dealing with examples, it is
very difficult not to wander off too much to other parts of the horo-
scope, because everything in the psyche is so connected. For instance,
Fred's ruler-of-5 aspects, at which we have just been looking, must also
be seen in the light of planets in 5 and of other aspects to the ruler of
5. The part played by the Sun is important, too. Failing this, we shall
not be able to make a balanced judgment, because our preliminary
findings may need modification. But, before we attempt these refine-
ments, we have to master the basics of the subject with uncomplicated
examples.
Aspects between house rulers will often corroborate other things
in the horoscope, and in this sense may seem superfluous. For
instance, we could ascribe Fred's desire to do what he likes to the Sun
conjunct Mars in the obstinate sign Taurus, strengthened by the
square of both planets to Pluto. We could also say that this is the
source of his need to stand up to others in order to preserve his own
individuality. But the background of this combination, and therefore
the "why" of this attitude, differs considerably from the background
of a house connection! This has been already mentioned, of course.
The fact that Fred's house rulers fall in line with the basic pattern
of his planets confirms the view that Fred really wrestles with this
problem. When we spoke just now of house connections seeming
superfluous, that was something of an exaggeration. In Fred's (and in
many other cases), they confirm or strengthen the other factors. If we
do not take into account the aspects between house rulers, we shall
miss some highly individual impressions. Fred's conjunction of the
Sun and Mars will obviously apply to everyone born on the same day
(and even to those born on neighboring days!) but by no means
everyone will have the effect of this conjunction confirmed and
strengthened by a conflict between the ruler of the 1st and the ruler of
the 5th and between the ruler of the 12th and the ruler of the 5th.
It is impossible to deal with all the aspects between house rulers.
However, I will give one more example—one that often proves diffi-
cult for beginners. This is the connection between the 8th and the
12th houses. Aspects between the two house rulers are found hard to
interpret as often as not. But if we keep to the guidelines, we shall
manage better than we might expect. Let us just take a look at what an
aspect between the ruler of the 8th and the ruler of the 12th can
contain.
In the first place, the two houses join together and influence one
another. How this happens is shown by the aspect formed. We have
already examined the meanings of the 8th and 12th houses. From a
psychological point of view, the following possibilities exist. The ruler
of the 8th has to do with the manner in which we face our problems
and deal with our complexes and neurotic tendencies. The 12th house
is deeply immersed in the unconscious, and has the power to express
itself through dreams and fantasies by means of picture language and
symbolism. If the two house rulers are in harmony, the native can get
to the root of personal problems in various ways, and may even be able
to solve them, through fantasizing, dream analysis, word association,
(self-)hypnosis, creative imagination, and the like. The process can
take place by the operation of an inborn mechanism as much as by
therapeutic help.
On the other hand, a conflicting aspect warns of initial difficul-
ties. Among other things, the 12th-house fantasies and dreams will
probably be misleading and will keep us skirting round our problems
instead of targeting them. Even if the dreams, fantasies, and symbols
contain potentially useful information for the psychotherapist, the
native may conceal a part of them, or may produce a distorted version
(usually without being conscious of the fact). He or she is liable to go
around in circles and to interpret the imagery incorrectly. With a hard
aspect between the ruler of the 8th and the ruler of the 12th, I have
often seen the therapeutic process move very slowly while being con-
stantly sidetracked. Also the number of anorexia patients I have met
who have hard aspects between the 8th and 12th houses is above the
statistical average. And here again, we are speaking of people who are
hard to cure.
There are other possibilities for aspects between the ruler of 8th
and the ruler of the 12th. For example, our psychological insights and
knowledge of human nature can be very useful in social work (a 12th
house feature). Generally speaking, a connection between the 8th and
the 12th gives the welfare worker a desire to probe and pry. Naturally,
with easy aspects this can be done more smoothly than with hard
12 ! Karen Hamaker-Zondag
aspects, but the latter tend to give an enormous involvement in that

wotk. Energy is always generated by the hard aspects.
Here is another possibility: it may vety well result from the solv-
ing of problems in ourselves (8th house) that we acquire a more broad
understanding of humanity in general, and a greater sense of propor-
tion (12th house). Conversely, out involvement in 12th house matters,
from prayer to working in a jail, to name but two, can confront us to
such an extent with ourselves and our conflicts that we are forced to
become preoccupied with them.
All these forms of expression depend, in the first place, on the
fact that a connection exists. And here I would remark that, in the
hard aspects of this particular house connection, I have seen extreme
effects, from crises (e.g., in anorexia nervosa) to vety creative activities
in defense of the underdog. Once again, it may be as well to remind
ourselves not to be afraid of the hard aspects. One cannot make ome-
lets without breaking eggs, as the saying is. And 12th house aspects
can take us only so deep and no further.
The connection between the 8th and the 12th has something to
offer on the occult front, too. Profundity and the experience of unity
go hand in hand. The search for the core (8) and the source (12) of
things can yield unsuspected insights into ourselves and into the
unseen world. Harmonious aspects make it easier to conduct this
search, but the disadvantage is that the energy to persist has to be
drawn from elsewhere, for these aspects are usually rather inert. On
the other hand, disharmonious aspects tend to produce conflicts and
ettot. But they do give the energy to take the necessary steps to acquire
and extend out experience. We may fall down and pick ourselves up,
metaphorically speaking, a number of times, but eventually we shall
arrive where we want to be.
Unaspected House Rulers

Just like any other planet, a house ruler can be unaspected. In my
book on the analysis of the aspects {Aspects and Personality), I devote
a chapter to the question of how unaspected planets work. In principle
we can apply the same guidelines to the house rulers. Unaspected
planets are liable to express themselves in an all-ot-nothing kind of
way. The same is true of house rulers.
Let us quickly remind ourselves what being unaspected signifies.

We say that a planet is unaspected when it makes no major aspect with
any planet. The major aspects are the conjunction, sextile, square,
trine, and opposition. The inconjunct is being increasingly accepted as
major, but is not part of the traditional set of aspects. What we must
ask ourselves, therefore, is whether or not a planet with no other
aspects than one or more inconjuncts should be treated as unaspected.
An unaspected planet usually creates tensions and uncertainty (as we
shall see); and, interestingly enough, an inconjunct also gives uncer-
tainty and latent tension. So it is very difficult to tell if a planet with
no aspects but inconjuncts is behaving as if it were unaspected or not. 1
will say this, however; my own experience suggests that the inconjunct
is a major aspect. My opinion is based mainly on the various cases
where I have seen an inconjunct produce stability after a crisis (it can
always become a steadying influence). Through planets carrying only
the inconjunct aspect, the natives had, on average, become more
sensible and mature, often at an earlier age, than one would see with
completely unaspected planets.
. With unaspected planets the tendency is to bring the factors they
represent well to the fore, but in an unpredictable manner and
generally—as 1 have already said —in an all-or-nothing way. An unas-
pected house ruler behaves similarly. In other words, it will emphasize
in our personality the house over which it rules, but without giving us
the ability to handle the matters represented by that house or to take a
firm hold on them.
Sometimes unaspected planets can have a very powerful effect,
and then, at other times, they can do absolutely nothing; but, usually,
unbridled action predominates. It is as if we are constantly trying to
obtain something substantial from the house with an unaspected
ruler, without knowing what we are doing or how to tackle this strange
and seemingly alien area of our lives. The resulting impact made by
this house on personal development gives it an almost unlimited
potential. There are opportunities for big achievements here, and a
number of people have made history thanks to their unaspected plan-
ets and house rulers.
The native experiences the contents of an unaspected planet as
difficult, and the same is true of a house with an unaspected ruler.
The problems felt give a sense of insecurity in the area concerned, and
the individual's confidence requires boosting with small compliments
and other encouragement. More often than not, those around see no
need to keep patting the native on the back and encouraging him or
her to carry on the good work; they are fully aware of the power of that
house and of what the native is doing with it. And so misunderstand-
ings can arise.
Aspects are one of the main means for integrating psychic factors
(planets) in the psyche. And the same is true of other sorts of psychic
needs and desire patterns (house rulers). However, the Ascendant and
the Midheavcn do not represent dynamic needs; so aspects of planets
to the Ascendant and MC, no matter how major they may be, do not
prevent a planet or house ruler from being unaspected. Nevertheless,
the link with an exit point gives the opportunity of experiencing
reactions of the outside world to the factor more quickly. This is even
more noticeable in house rulers.
There are unaspected planets in both Fred's and Paul's horoscope.
For Fred, this is Mercury, as ruler of the 8th and ruler of the 10th. For
Paul, it is Mars as ruler of the 5th and ruler of the 6th, and Jupiter as
ruler of the 2nd. How should we set about making the interpretation
of house rulers like these? First of all we make a note of the meaning of
the house ruled. We emphasize the role of that house in the chart,
with particular reference to the extreme manifestations of the house;
for the fact of being unaspected introduces the all-or-nothing princi-
ple. Then .we take into consideration that everything connected with
the house involves the native in uncertainty; and for a long time,
apparently, is neither recognized nor understood. This provides the
main outline of the interpretation.
Let us consider an example. Paul's ruler of the 6th is unaspected.
The 6th house stands for our awareness of, and our analysis and under-
standing of, facts; and especially our need to apply the results of our
analysis in a concrete and useful way. We find expressed in the 6th
house our critical sense and our attitude toward work or service and
toward working conditions. Also expressed there is our attitude toward
our body, and toward hygiene, illness, and health. The house says
something about the degree to which we can fit into society and
function there, and also exercise self-criticism.
Now, if the ruler of the 6th is unaspected, we see a number of
extremes put in an appearance. We can work all out month after
month, and even year after year, without realizing that the main
reason we are toiling away is that we are never satisfied that we have
done everything we could. Then, all at once, it no longer seems to
matter, and we put down the tools, often just in some critical situa-
tion. It is as if there is a blockage somewhere inside us, and we have to

rest before we can continue
For quite a while, we can be over-critical at work (often to the
annoyance of colleagues, for they are included in the criticism); and
then, suddenly, we can be paralyzed by an overdose of self-criticism
and not know which way to turn. We can neglect ourselves for some
years through bad eating habits, or through not sparing our body; and
then, without warning, we can turn into a health fanatic. Or, against
our better judgment, we can persist in bad habits for years, and then,
one day, we can simply give them up.
Our ability to give form to things is first class, because we have an
eye for detail and are very analytical. But we must be given the chance
to think matters through without being pushed. For if society makes
immediate demands on someone with an unaspected planet or an
unaspected house ruler, the person may "clam up" permanently, how-
ever gifted he or she may be.
With an unaspected ruler of the 6th, it is not always easy to
function within the existing social framework. We have our own ideas
and often fail to see where we go wrong. Not that we are unwilling to
see it, but we simply do not grasp what our own position is. This
makes an unaspected ruler of the 6th, in spite of all its penchant for
service and work, more of a loner than might have been expected.
Good advice seldom makes any impression, there seems to be nothing
in it. Nevertheless, we will analyze our experiences meticulously and
store them away somewhere; and so with the passing of the years we
can carve out our own place in society, which may be more individual
than originally seemed possible.
Someone with an unaspected ruler of the 6th frequently turns out
to be a hard worker, with a sense of form, and a person with a feeling
for details and practicalities, but, through his or her uncertainty, the
opposite can be true, such as slovenliness.
5
The Role of the House Ruler

in Complex Interpretation
House Ruler and Planets in the Houses

There is a small, but fundamental and not unimponant, difference
between the role of planets in a house and the role of the house ruler.
As has already been pointed out at the beginning of this book, planets
in a house hold a certain promise (in one way or another), but it is the
house ruler that decides how the promise is realized. Therefore, the
house ruler is the key element in our interpretation. It always indicates
the direction taken by the things promised by a planet, although it
cannot cancel them. The worst it can do is to weaken or hamper them.
The difference can best be illustrated by a few examples. For our
present purposes, I shall neglect the other horoscope factors; but, of
course, they must always be considered when making a full interpreta-
tion. Let us suppose that we have to judge the following two horoscope
situations
Chart A: Leo Ascendant, Saturn in 1, and ruler of the 1st
conjunct Jupiter;
Chan B: Leo Ascendant, Jupiter in 1, and ruler of the 1st
conjunct Saturn.
7S / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
The two situations arc quite similar, and a very rough assessment
would read something like this; someone who needs a great deal of
attention paid to him or her (Leo Ascendant) and likes to appear jolly
(Jupiter in 1 or the ruler of 1 conjunct Jupiter), yet feels somewhat
anxious or inhibited (Saturn in 1 or the ruler of 1 conjunct Saturn).
There is nothing wrong with this superficial interpretation, but we can
go much deeper.
A Leo Ascendant means that we want to come to the fore in our
contacts with the outside world, and to "show off as a means of
gaining recognition. We need to play a central role and to exercise
authority and we radiate self-confidence and pride. Not that we really
feel this degree of self-confidence with a Leo Ascendant, but we seek a
means of gaining self-confidence through our functioning in the out-
side world. At the same time, there is a certain amount of reserve: the
individual with a Leo Ascendant does not readily show their hand.
They can brood over problems without speaking up. At best, the
native with a Leo Ascendant radiates warmth and sympathy and is a
friendly, paternal figure in the community. At worst, we see the ego-
tistical potentate with a desire for self-affirmation and flattery.
The sign on the Ascendant tells us a great deal, but what it tells
us is colored by planets in the 1st house. If we picture a horoscope as a
closed castle, then the Ascendant is the drawbridge. The impression
made on the outside world by this drawbridge (inviting, defensive,
cheerful, or weak) is determined by the sign on the Ascendant, by
planets in 1, by aspects to the Ascendant, and by the placement and
aspecting of the ruler of the 1st. Thus there are all sorts of factors that
have to be brought together to form a whole when an interpretation is
made. In what follows we shall give extensive examples of interpreta-
tion; and we will begin by looking at Saturn in the 1st house.
With Saturn in 1 we are vulnerable in our approach to the outside
world. The form in which we manifest ourselves needs to be clearly
defined, we feel; and so we make the impression of being serious,
reserved, and perhaps inhibited or fearful, unwilling to be forthcom-
ing, and modest. Often, with Saturn in 1, we treat the world very
seriously and expect a serious response. Quite often we see the world as
vaguely menacing. With Saturn in the 1st there is a lack of spontane-
ity. We like to act responsibly, and may not creep out of our shell
unless we are sure of our facts (and it may well take us some time to
make sure of them), or have had long enough to grow accustomed to a
situation.
The ruler of the 1st conjunct Jupiter as the shaper of this fairly
restricted "promise," gives a rather more genial and optimistic tint to
the picture however. Yet Jupiter conjunct the ruler of the 1st gives an
urge to expand, and the ruler of the 1st conjunct Jupiter sallies forth to
meet the world with optimism and conviction, with a vision or philos-
ophy, and Jupiter conjunct the ruler of the 1st is very much set on
finding ways and means of expressing itself freely. Also, Jupiter is
ready to assist others in word and deed, and the cheerfulness it bestows
makes the native a source of comfort to the community. The reverse
side is that Jupiter conjunct the ruler of the 1st gives an attitude to
others of "I know best," so that the native appears arrogant and pedan-
tic.
There seems to be little intrinsic difference between a planet in a
house and a planet in aspect with a house ruler. What we have already
said of Saturn in the 1st can be used in interpreting Saturn conjunct
the ruler of the 1st, and our description of Jupiter conjunct the ruler of
the 1st can be used, without more ado, in interpreting Jupiter in the
1st. Before we examine the differences between them, it will be help-
ful to sum up the main distinctions. A planet in a house expresses its
nature in the area of life covered by the house and even colors what
goes on there, but has nothing to do with the way in which the house
as a whole expresses itself. That is dependent on the house ruler. If the
house ruler is linked with a planet, then the nature and properties of
this planet will also color the manner in which the house can reveal
itself. But now let us return to the difference in our example.
With Saturn in the 1st house we approach the outside world with
reserve (see above). This, in combination with a Leo Ascendant, modi-
fies the need to thrust ourselves forward (Leo Ascendant), because
with Saturn in the 1st house there is something hesitant about the way
we seek to make an impression, or else we may overcompensate by
being more obtrusive than necessary. Saturn always has the tendency
to exaggerate certain attitudes owing to feelings of inferiority and
vulnerability while acting as if everything were quite normal. The
reserve of the Leo Ascendant is increased through having Saturn in the
1st house. In a certain sense a Leo Ascendant is insecure, because it
looks for self-confirmation. Therefore, having Saturn in the 1st house
simply makes matters worse, because it intensifies the sense of insecu-
rity and the need for reassurance.
And so, people with a Leo Ascendant and Saturn in the 1st, will
approach the world in a rather reserved and aloof fashion, even suspi-
ciously at times, ot at any rate cautiously; but, underneath it all

(because they ate so interested in themselves) they ate asking for atten-
tion. Now, if Jupiter is conjunct the ruler of the 1st, this rather inhib-
ited outlook becomes less bleak. In other words, although we may still
exhibit a cautious reserve and perhaps feel nervous about meeting
people in an outgoing, spontaneous way, yet, with Jupiter conjunct
the ruler of the 1st, our heart tells us that everything will come out
better than expected. This planetary combination gives self-
confidence, it can help us rationalize cautious behavior, and it pro-
vides a cheerful outlook in general. Another thing it does is to make us
want to gain a reputation as a benefactor of the local community, as
someone who improves the environment, who is full of charitable
projects and good works. We may seem somewhat vulnerable in doing
these things, but comfort ourselves with a deep-down feeling of our
own worth. In a positive sense, Jupiter's enthusiasm and tendency to
rush matters can be canalized by Saturn in the 1st, with the net result
of a placid and balanced outlook. However, we must not forget that
this is a case of equilibrium reached between anxiety, inhibition, and
reserve on the one hand (Saturn in 1) and a hidden feeling of inner
confidence (Jupiter conjunct the ruler of 1) on the other.
With Jupiter in 1, we approach the outside world full of sponta-
neity and verve, for we feel ourselves simply bubbling over with
enthusiasm. We want to let everybody share what we have to offer, we
lend them a helping hand regardless of whether out interference is
welcome ot not, and ate very free with a lot of well-meaning advice.
Nothing irritates us more than frugality and austerity. With Jupiter in
1, we often display an open, paternal attitude, which is even mote
evident in combination with a Leo Ascendant. This stands in complete
contrast to what we saw with Saturn in 1. Jupiter in 1 can produce the
childlike enthusiast, but also someone who is moralizing and boastful.
Its combination with a Leo Ascendant frequently gives us the charmer
who captivates others with his free, spontaneous and open behavior
but also makes use of, them.
Now if Saturn is conjunct the ruler of 1, we shall certainly retain
this spontaneous attitude to the outside world, but with a touch of
reserve about it. We no longer talk quite so freely and, in spite of our
jovial appearance, we feel insecure at times and may be subject to
insecurity feelings. On occasion, we shall be constrained to ask our-
selves, "What on earth am I doing here?" even when we are joining in
enthusiastically in the middle of the action. This conjunction also
colors the way in which things from outside affect us and the way in
which we experience them. So we see that the cheerful and genial
promise ofjupiter in 1 is hampered by the conjunction of the ruler of
1 and Saturn.
Here, too, a balanced attitude is a very possible result, but now
via a very different process. Through the vulnerability of Saturn con-
junct the ruler of 1, we may learn that there is another side to our
contacts with the world around than just the exuberant side, and that
seriousness and depth are valuable, too. Plagued as we are by inner
uncertainty, we shall gradually learn to accept that our interaction with
the outside world can be much smoother if we let others have their say
now and then—something that is not always easy to do for Jupiter in 1
or a Leo Ascendant. The exuberance of Jupiter can be usefully con-
trolled here by Saturn conjunct the ruler of 1 and, in that case, what
we have is Saturn holding back and restricting the natural spontaneity
ofjupiter. By way of contrast, with Saturn in 1 and Jupiter conjunct
the ruler of 1, our insecurity is kept within bounds by an inner sense of
confidence.
As we see from this example, two horoscope situations can seem
very much alike on the surface without being as similar as we might
think. Great differences in the psychic mechanisms are observable
when we put the chart factors concerned under the magnifying glass.
Anyway, by this time, the role of the house ruler should be much
clearer to us. To some extent it has the decisive say in what happens,
but it cannot nullify anything contained in a house.
A further question that may arise is what is the nature of the
difference between an aspect to the Ascendant and an aspect to the
ruler of 1. For example: what is the difference between Saturn square
the Ascendant and Saturn square the ruler of the 1st? In the light of
the foregoing, we can state that Saturn square the ruler of the 1st has
to do with the realization of the promise, whereas the contents of the
promise are determined, as we know, by planets in the house con-
cerned. But, with the Ascendant or Midheaven, aspects to these house
cusps form part of the promise contained in the 1st or 10th house
respectively. In other words, Saturn square the Ascendant is subordi-
nate to the effect of the ruler of 1, while Saturn square the ruler of 1
has a partial influence on the role of the ruler of 1 and thus on the
working of the whole house. As a factor in our interpretation, Saturn
square the Ascendant certainly displays some similarity to Saturn in 1
or Saturn square the ruler of 1, but we must remain careful not to
confuse them. One very important way in which Saturn square the
Ascendant differs in its effect from Saturn in 1, is that Saturn square
the Ascendant sheds its influence from another house and from the
background provided by another sign, and so on. And this can make a
substantial difference to the interpretation as a whole.
I am going to deal in the following section of this chapter with
how the same or very similar looking horoscope factors can have distin-
guishable results. But, to conclude this paragraph, here is what may be
a superfluous remark. When we examine the house rulers, the ruler of
the 3rd in the 1st seems to have a different effect from the ruler of the
1st conjunct the ruler of the 3rd. And, here again, the aspect to the
ruler of the 1st is much like a dash of sauce on top of the interpreta-
tion, and the action of a house ruler in a house is dependent on the
role of the actual ruler of that house for the realization of what it (as
the ruler of another house) has imported into the house, and also on
the aspect of this house ruler to other house rulers.
How Should We Interpret a House?

When we arc beginners, working with house rulers and house connec-
tions can give us the feeling that wc have to wade through a morass of
factors before wc can make some sort of interpretation. But, after a
certain amount of practice, wc begin to feel more at home with them.
However, even from the very beginning, wc must get into the habit of
approaching out analysis systematically. One should never start in a
wild way interpreting all kinds of aspects and house connections, for
then wc shall be sure to lose the thread of what wc are doing. Instead
one should start by writing down what has to be looked at in interpret-
ing a certain area of the horoscope. After doing this, one needs to
examine which factors point in the same direction. To give an
example; in a Scorpio Ascendant with an aspect from the ruler of the
8th to the Ascendant, wc can rest assured that the effect of the
Ascendant is reinforced by an aspect pointing in the same direction.
Naturally the various factors must all be separately interpreted; but, in
making a final judgment of some theme or house, wc can gather
together everything that points in the same direction and can weave
them into a single account. And then, not only have we tackled the
interpretation systematically, but we have also established what is
The House Connection / S3
more important and what is less important, this enables us to keep our
interpretation within reasonable bounds and to concentrate on essen-
tials. It is easier for us to apply the rule of thumb that one indication
in a given direction represents a possibility, two indications a probabil-
ity, and three indications or more a probability bordering on certainty.
But, when considering the various factors, do remember the difference
between planets in a house and the house ruler!
Let us suppose that we want to analyze someone's Ascendant (1st
house) in order to see what is his or her attitude toward, and behavior
in, the outside world. The following factors have to be observed:
a) The sign on the Ascendant;

b) Planets in that house;
c) House rulers in that house;
d) Aspects of planets to the Ascendant;
e) Aspects of house rulers to the Ascendant;
f) The house in which the house ruler is posited (the sign in which it is
posited appears to be less important);
g) Aspects of the house ruler to planets;
h) Aspects of the house ruler to other house rulers.
It will be obvious that the sign applies only to the Ascendant. The sign
standing on any other cusp is unimportant, except in determining
which planet is the ruler of the house concerned. So far, at any rate, 1
have seen little evidence of any effect of signs on house cusps apart
from the sign on the Ascendant. The effect of the sign on the Mid-
heaven is still under discussion. Some astrologers attach great value to
it, whereas others regard it as unimportant. My own experience
inclines me to agree with the latter.
Let us take another look at Fred and Paul to see what factors in
their charts have a bearing on the interpretation of the 1st house:
Fred
a) Scorpio Ascendant;
b) No planets in 1;
c) Therefore no house rulers in 1;

d) The Moon trine Ascendant, and Saturn sextile the Ascendant;
e) The Moon is co-ruler of the 8th, which means that the co-ruler of 8
is trine the Ascendant. Saturn, as co-ruler of the 2nd sextile
Ascendant;
f) The ruler of 1 (Pluto) is in the 9th;
g) The ruler of 1 is square the Sun, sextile Venus, square Mars and
sextile Neptune;
h) The ruler of 1 is square the ruler of 9 (the Sun), sextile the ruler of
6, 7 and 11 (Venus), square the ruler of 5 (Mars), and sextile the ruler
of 4 (Neptune).
Paul
a) Scorpio Ascendant;
b) No planets in 1;
c) Therefore no house rulers in 1;
d) The Sun trine the Ascendant, Venus square the Ascendant and
Pluto square the Ascendant;
e) The ruler of 10 (the Sun) trine the Ascendant, the ruler of 7, 11,
and 12 (Venus) square the Ascendant, and the ruler of 1 (Pluto) square
the Ascendant;
f) The ruler of 1 (Pluto) is posited in the 9th:
g) The ruler of 1 is conjunct Venus and sextile Neptune;
h) The ruler of 1 is conjunct the ruler of 7, 11, and 12 (Venus) and
sextile the co-ruler of 4 (Neptune).
On comparing the two sets of factors, we notice that they have much
in common, e.g., Scorpio Ascendant, no planets in 1, the ruler of 1 in
9, Venus aspects, Neptune aspects, and so on. However, the differ-
ences in those factors having a bearing on the attitude to the outside
world are very great. Why that is so will be analyzed in the following
paragraphs, in which we shall examine, as briefly as we can, the
contents of our two lists.
Fred's 1st House

With a Scorpio Ascendant, the approach to the outside world is cau-
tious and reserved. We often find that people with this Ascendant
take the emotional temperature of their environment very carefully
without being in a hurry to expose their own feelings. The native with
a Scorpio Ascendant feels a certain personal vulnerability when put-
ting in an appearance on life's stage, and tries to conceal this either by
a show of confidence or by neatly side-stepping issues and avoiding
confrontations. The native often has a good nose for the weak points
of others, not least because of knowing his or her own weak points so
well. He or she seems to have a gift for digging into the hidden
problems of other people, and can readily see a sore spot. Not that this
person is always deliberately trying to find some sore spot in others;
and this is often discovered when (usually quite unconsciously) satisfy-
ing a wish to fathom the motives and undeclared desires in the people
he or she meets. The intuitive side of a Scorpio Ascendant is well-
developed, and the native can sense whether a thing is on the level or
not.
Some astrologers say that a Scorpio Ascendant makes one distrust-
ful and suspicious; but to take this statement just as it stands is mis-
leading unless we look into the thinking behind it. An internal strug-
gle is always going on, owing to the very nature of Scorpio, over the
question of the extent to which the native rules his or her own life and
the extent that life is consciously or unconsciously influenced by oth-
ers. The question is not one that makes the native miserable, generally
speaking, but Scorpio is the sign that lets us experience our own
vulnerability and confronts us with our own problems (it is a fixed
sign), and the native naturally wants to know the reason for these
things. The individual with a Scorpio Ascendant is constantly aware of
this vulnerability when contacting the outside world. This is why he or
she can be so cautious and reserved; and yet, under cover of this
caution and reserve, can be in a ferment, and can be eagerly trying to
reach the core of everything going on in self and others. The outside
world is assessed and weighed in the balances and, if it is found to be
too light, it is irrevocably set aside (quite possibly in a friendly man-
ner). The Scorpio Ascendant usually has an all-or-nothing attitude.
Because of this sensitivity (which will not be admitted on any
account), the native is very much involved in his or her environment.
This native will go through fire for the person he or she cares for. Once
forming a definite opinion, this individual will not change it for

anybody (fixed sign!) and will defend it with dogged determination.
There is another trait associated with a Scorpio Ascendant, too, one
that is not so easy to understand or accept. What we mean is that the
sign of Scorpio has to do with the process of transformation. Now, one
of the fundamental things about transformation is that the old has to
die before the new can come into being. The phoenix rising from the
ashes is a fitting symbol of Scorpio. People with planets in Scorpio, a
Scorpio Ascendant, a strongly placed Pluto or a powerful 8th house,
usually like to demolish the old fabric of their lives in order to build
something more viable. However, if they belong to a lower type of
humanity, there is no progress beyond the destructive stage.
People with a Scorpio Ascendant are able to gain the interest of
others and to stir them up. But, only if they, themselves, are prepared
to engage in self-criticism and to seek a balance on the human plane,
are they able and willing to perform constructive work. Then we see
them helping to solve the problems of friends and neighbors, and
finding ways and means of stimulating themselves and others to perse-
vere with hard tasks in spite of hindrances and liabilities. Psychologi-
cally, this can involve dealing with repressions in oneself and others;
while, in the business world, it can mean replacing the antiquated
machinery that is holding up production, it can mean reorganizing the
chain of command, and so on.
People with a Scorpio Ascendant like to keep control of the envi-
ronment to avoid the emotional upset of being constantly confronted
by a sense of personal insecurity. In those who are less refined, this
develops into an avid thirst for power; but, in those who are more
mature, the attitude is one of trying to influence the course of events
from behind the scenes.
Fred is very open and cordial in greeting people, which does not
bear out what has just been said. But the attentive observer will soon
see that this friendliness and openness is only a mask, and that the real
individual is very reluctant to remove it and show himself. Wherever
he is, Fred indulges in a certain style of humor (appealing to many and
irritating to some) and in wry banter; hoping that, by raising a laugh,
he can influence the atmosphere in such a way that no situation can
become serious enough to make him feel threatened. As a matter of
fact, there are occasions when Fred is perfectly serious, but then only
one or two people are present. In large gatherings, he puts on an act
without being aware of it. As we have said, this is his way of control-
The House Connection / S7
ling the situation. We should never forget that joking and light-
hearted chatter arc not necessarily the marks of an empty-headed
buffoon. Often they arc just a disguise. Horoscope readings that fail to
make allowance for this fact of human nature can go badly astray.
Thus, we should fall into a trap if, because Fred has a Scorpio Ascend-
ant, we were to suppose that he clams up in company. He talks a great
deal, and very effectively, too. And if we should say that a Scorpio
Ascendant makes a person grim and humorless to the extent that
others find him crabby, we should be wrong again; for Fred is often in
high spirits and he loves a good laugh. Not that we would be entirely
wrong—Fred does keep quiet on the topics of himself and his feelings;
and, although he appears happy, he is melancholy underneath. So we
have to be careful how we phrase our conclusions. On its own, a chart
will never tell us precisely how the native will give expression to a
Scorpio Ascendant: the background influences arc always the same,
but how they arc cither revealed or concealed varies from individual to
individual. All we can say of Fred in this connection is that he finds it
hard to commit himself; and, as a mechanism for avoiding confronta-
tions, he cither talks breezily in a way that makes him seem more
superficial than he is, or else makes himself unapproachable to keep
well clear of any unpleasantness. A pronouncement such as, "he is very
taciturn," is so simplistic that it stands a good chance of being wrong;
also it fails to throw light on the whys and wherefores in the back-
ground.
The person with a Scorpio Ascendant is often more involved in
the environment than might appear. Intensity is the keynote of Scor-
pio, and a Scorpio will feel intensely everything that is going on
around. Some experiences that others would treat as trivial can assume
such an exaggerated importance that the Scorpio Ascendant smoulders
over them for years.
Regarding planets and house rulers in the 1st house Fred has no
planets, and therefore no house rulers, here. If he did have any, we
should have to interpret the significance of planets in Scorpio or Sagit-
tarius in the 1st house.
Aspects to the Ascendant

Fred has two aspects to the Ascendant: a trine from the Moon and a
scxtilc from Saturn. The Moon's trine to the Ascendant gives Fred
considerable emotional involvement with the environment. Quite
often, we see that someone with harmonious aspects between the

Moon and the Ascendant can present themselves well, and therefore
can easily be wearing a mask. The good side of these aspects is that the
environment is not felt to be emotionally threatening. This, of course,
is in contrast to the Scorpio Ascendant, which is all too apt to feel
threatened in this way. The trine of the Moon to Fred's Ascendant will
reduce his sense of vulnerability, and will help him to function more
easily in his surroundings. And this is what he does, as we have already
seen. However, he retains his cautiousness.
The second aspect to the Ascendant, the sextile from Saturn
promotes a wait and see attitude; and so we have two conflicting
aspects to the Ascendant: one representing openness (Moon) and the
other representing reserve (Saturn). That we have to do with a sextile
here takes nothing away from the attitude of caution; because, in any
aspect, the fact of there being a connection between two or more
factors is what matters—the nature of the aspect is always of lesser
importance. And Saturn remains the same old reticent Saturn, how-
ever smoothly he is joined to the Ascendant. All the sextile does is to
make the connection more harmonious and the integration easier. The
native still approaches the world in a serious and conscientious fash-
ion, and is rather reserved. This may not seem to be in keeping with
what was said earlier about Fred's mask of jollity when in company,
but that mask has something of the proverbial sadness we associate
with the smile on the face of a clown; and Fred's friends know very well
how serious and punctilious he can be in spite of all his jokiness and
bluster. We must never dismiss conflicting factors as if they cancelled
one another out, for nothing could be further from the truth. Both
factors make themselves felt; so that, in this case, Fred's need for free
and friendly contact with others (Moon trine the Ascendant) will come
into play alongside his cautious, serious approach (Saturn sextile the
Ascendant), as we have already seen, and this fits in well with the
Scorpio Ascendant. However, it is entirely possible that other forms of
expression will manifest themselves during his life, while the underly-
ing feelings and needs remain the same.
The Moon's trine to the Ascendant gives Fred the desire to do
something of a sympathetic nature for the community —to care for
others to be warm-hearted toward them, and the like. But this does
not mean that he will make himself out to be some sort of Florence
Nightingale, or even that he will display his feelings: much of what he
feels can remain bottled up inside him. Nevertheless, the added input
from serious Saturn's sextile to the Ascendant can indicate that,

although Fred seldom puts his emotional commitment to others into
words, he lets it be known by his trustworthiness that they can always
rely on him.
Aspects of House Rulers to the Ascendant

The Moon is co-ruler of the 8th in Fred's chart, and so we have to
interpret a trine between the co-ruler of the 8th and the Ascendant.
The difference between a chief ruler (the planet ruling the sign on the
cusp of the house) and a co-ruler (the planet ruling over an intercepted
sign in a house) is not very great. The chief or true ruler is the deciding
factor, as might be guessed, but the co-ruler makes an important
contribution.
When the co-ruler of the 8th is trine the Ascendant, we apply to
matters belonging to the Ascendant our need to dig deep, to look for
the core of things, to tackle our complexes, to uncover hidden gifts,
and to acquire influence, and do so in a harmonious manner. Of
course, this strengthens the attitude given by Fred's Ascendant in
Scorpio, which works in the same sphere. So here is a repetition of the
scanning and weighing of the environment, because often (quite
unaware) he is engaged in a secret power struggle with it and he wants
to calculate how far he can go. Here, too, we see a cautious reserve
once more (possibly masked by a show of openness).
I have often observed that people like Fred give those in their
vicinity a great number of tests (thus they are very demanding), and if
those tested fail in some small point, contact will be kept on a very
casual basis. Only those who pass these tests with flying colors (and
sometimes this is just one person!) will be admitted into these people's
confidence. The exactingness is the result of the same sensitivity that
we saw in the Scorpio Ascendant. Therefore, as the people with this
aspect begin to feel more secure internally and more able to accept
themselves, their testing of others becomes more easy-going. I have
been unable to discover much difference between the effects of trines
and squares of the ruler of the 8th (Pluto) to the Ascendant; except
perhaps that with a trine the natives can persist somewhat longer in a
line of conduct because they have a knack of getting others to accept
it, or because it fits in with what others are doing anyway, and that
with a square they are more likely to provoke opposition but, at the
same time, nip problems in the bud quite quickly.
A further consequence of a connection between the 8th house

and the Ascendant is that our problems, or whatever we are wrestling
hard with, tend to show themselves in our outward behavior before we
are properly aware of it, and whether we wish it or not. This specifi-
cally applies to a connection between the 8th house and the 1st; it does
not apply to an aspect between Pluto and the Ascendant. Pluto does
not represent our personal problems and complexes; it has to do with
the general human drive to get to the bottom of things and to undergo
transformation through confrontation. Therefore it differs from the
ruler of the 8th in some points of interpretation.
Fred's ruler of the 8th is trine the Ascendant. Because of this, as I
have already said, he knows how to take advantage of things. Without
realizing how he does it, he can approach others in such a way that
they respond to him sympathetically, and possibly help him. Never-
theless, it is hard for him to abandon his problems and secret inten-
tions. In my own circle of acquaintances, I have more than once
observed that those who are good mimics or comedians often have
important factors (such as the Ascendant) in Scorpio, or an empha-
sized 8th house or dignified ruler of the 8th. Perhaps it is because they
so unerringly put their finger on small emotional nuances, and can use
them? Anyway, Fred, with his Scorpio Ascendant and co-ruler of the
8th trine the Ascendant, easily plays the clown when the fancy takes
him.
Saturn is co-ruler of the 2nd and is sextile the Ascendant. The
ruler (or co-ruler) of the 2nd sextile the Ascendant harmoniously links
a need to create and acquire solid security with our approach to the
outside world and our reactions to external stimuli. Often this means
that we are security-minded. Not that we are particularly secure, but
because we are looking for security in our environment and are also
trying to introduce it there. We need to keep in touch with the outside
world in order to have a handhold and a settled place in it. What is
more, we rely on the outside world for some of our motivation. The
2nd house always has to do with our feelings of satisfaction and dissat-
isfaction, and with our motivation. The ruler of the 2nd aspecting a
Scorpio Ascendant can lend obstinacy and tenacity to our behavior
toward the outside world, and, since there is a Scorpio Ascendant in
the present case, this side of things is strengthened — as is the inscruta-
bility of the native.
Now, if we stand back and survey the total "promise" of Fred's
Ascendant, with Scorpio on the cusp, the Moon trine and Saturn
sextile the Ascendant, and the co-ruler of the 8th and the co-ruler of
the 2nd sextile the Ascendant, then we see uncommunicativeness as
the leading characteristic, but that it is softened by the trine between
the Moon and the Ascendant, which also alleviates the standoffish
attitude due to other factors in the chart (whether or not this standoff-
ishness is disguised by a show of good humor). We shall take a look
further on at the way in which Fred is inclined to give shape to this
"promise."
The House Where the Ruler of 1 is Posited

Pluto rules Fred's 1st house, and Pluto stands in the 9th. So now we
have the task of interpreting the ruler of the 1st in the 9th. With this
placement, we are taken with the idea of travel in the broadest possi-
ble sense—either literally by going abroad, or metaphorically by
studying, philosophizing, and so on. Which of the two general
options will be chosen is impossible to say without further informa-
tion. Possibly we shall engage in literal travel during one period of our
lives and in metaphorical travel during another part. One thing is
certain, however: we shall want to look beyond the narrow horizon of
our everyday surroundings. The 9th house also has to do with the
formation of our opinions and judgments, and we shall endeavor to
take everything we meet in the outside world and place it within some
framework, maybe religious, maybe philosophical, or maybe some
other scheme of things. We have independent theories and ideas and
we try to live by them. Also our freedom, a typical 9th house matter,
will be dear to us, and we shall prefer to lead a life in which we suffer
as little interference as possible from outside rules and regulations.
Rules from within, agreeing with our own notions and ideals, are the
only rules to which we happily submit.
Fred held down a steady job for a long time. His work took him
out and about, it is true, but he was subject to all sorts of stipulations
and conditions of service. At the first return of his Moon/Saturn, he
made a break and began to travel. Before finally tying himself to
work, wife, and children, he wanted to see something of the world,
and this is what he did. It led to emigration plans, and Fred has
emigrated.
Here the 9th house has expressed itself in the form of travel; it has
never really caused the native to study. However, Fred is attaching
more and more value to his own opinions—which are pan and parcel
of the 9th house, of course—and this is a tendency that is strongly

suggested by the ruler of the 1st in the 9th (see also Pan II for the
meaning of the ruler of the 1st in the 9th). The ruler of the 1st in the
9th is one of the factors showing the way in which he tries to give shape
to the things indicated earlier. However, we must not become con-
fused and treat these new data as a "promise." How, then, should they
be treated? As we have seen, Fred has a certain reticence about him,
and yet is very emotionally involved in his surroundings, although this
is something he does not find easy to express. Also, he has a serious
side to him and is really over-sensitive—a fact he tries to disguise in
some way. And, as we have seen, he weighs up the outside world.
The realization of some of this promise is found in the 9th house.
With the ruler of the 1st in the 9th, Fred will attempt to place all these
things in a wider perspective, so as to arrive at a philosophy of life, a
view of society, or something along these lines. Then, so he hopes, he
will have a peg on which to hang his often dualistic feelings regarding
the outer world. There is another way in which his interest in foreign
parts can be connected with his attitude to his surroundings. If one is
very sensitive but finds it hard to show it, it may well be difficult to
stay in a sphere where so much has happened that is never mentioned.
The act of going to a foreign land can then give temporary or perma-
nent relief, because it creates the impression of starting again with a
clean slate.
What is more, visiting another country, or engaging in study, or
taking an interest in various philosophies, can make one feel liberated;
it provides room to grow and to come to terms with oneself and others.
Thus, with the ruler of the 1st in the 9th, we can use all sorts of 9th
house factors to make sense of our attitude to the outside world, to
understand and integrate it; alternatively, we can use the selfsame
factors as a means of evading important issues in our lives. But what-
ever we do, we do it in a 9th house manner!
Aspects of the House Ruler to Planets

In Fred's chart, the ruler of the 1st, Pluto, is square the Sun, sextile
Venus, square Mars, and sextile Neptune. We must now make an
effort to forget that the ruler of the 1st is Pluto. The content of a
planet adds nothing to its function as a house ruler. So it is a ruler of
the 1st, with its 1st house properties, that we are connecting with the
Sun, Venus, Mars and Neptune.
The fact that the ruler of the 1st is square the Sun indicates that
Fred experiences difficulty in approaching the outside world. He has a
great need to be himself, to attract attention, to prove himself, to be
recognized, and to feel important in and for his community. (This is
indicated by the connection between the Sun and the ruler of the 1st).
But the square means that he does not know how to bring these things
about smoothly. Firstly, his courage fails him and he pulls back prema-
turely; secondly, he starts shouting people down; thirdly, all goes well;
and fourthly, he starts trying too hard again, and so on. Inside, Fred
feels that something is holding him back from being himself and from
being accepted in his neighborhood. Of course the best thing to do is
to get over these feelings as far as possible; but, as always with squares,
disruptions keep occurring until the native realizes where the prob-
lems lie. Then they can be tackled intelligently.
In a positive sense, with the Sun square the ruler of the 1st, Fred
might be expected to choose an active form of manifestation and play
an important role in it, full of fire and enthusiasm (sometimes overdo-
ing it perhaps), were it not that this rather conflicts with what is
promised elsewhere in the chart. The uncertainty of the square reacts
with the vulnerability Fred already feels. The square between the ruler
of the 1st and the Sun reinforces his feeling of insecurity whenever he
looks for security. But he is inevitably confronted with his need for
security whenever he makes those contacts with his environment that
are so necessary for his self-esteem. We have already seen this when
studying the promise in the chart, but the ruler of the 1st square the
Sun also gives a desire for small compliments and pats on the back. So
the problem is increased.
The ruler of the 1st square Mars is a further aggravation of the
problem created by the ruler of the 1st square the Sun. Mars, too, likes
to be seen and to be cock of the rock, and takes a great deal of pleasure
in activating self and others. The native needs outside stimuli in order
to have something to react to, but his or her response is often rather
too sharp or quick-tempered, too thoughtless or too hasty (the
square), it can be tactless as well. Mars also goes with a degree of
ambition; not with the idea of shining at the center of things, but
from the love of a good contest. So Fred sees himself in competition
with the outside world in which he feels so vulnerable. However, his
vulnerability is a leading characteristic; being self-assertive is one of
the ways he handles it. It gives Fred the impulse to fight his way out of
difficult situations, sometimes in an unthinking and tactless manner,

but always energetically.
Nevertheless, whatever action he takes, it does not release him
from his insecurity; not only because the aspect is a square, but also
because he has a 1st house conflict. His individual ruler of the 1st
conflicts with the collective ruler of the 1st (Mars). And that produces
tensions in the approach to the outside world; cither through an inner
feeling of uncertainty, or else through external confrontations because
he fails to do things at the right moment. Fred experiences that like-
wise.
In addition to these two hard aspects, Fred also has two easy
aspects to the ruler of the 1st, namely a sextile from Venus and a sextile
from Neptune. With Venus sextile the ruler of the 1st, we are very
fond of social contacts, are good at personal relationships, and strike
others as sensible and friendly. We like our dealings with our fellows to
tun smoothly, and have no wish to dig too deeply into their back-
grounds, because this could so easily disturb the harmony between us.
Venus sextile the ruler of the 1st encourages the native to major on the
pleasant side of life and to keep cheerful; it can do much for the
preservation of social contacts in the broadest sense.
When we think about the sextile between Neptune and the rulct
of the 1st, remember that many people of Fred's generation, and even
those born some time before or after he was, have a sextile between
Neptune and Pluto. But by no means all of them have a sextile
between the ruler of the 1st and Neptune; so that, through the use of
the house rulers, this generation aspect is immediately transformed
into a personal aspect.
The friendliness characterizing the sextile from Neptune to the
ruler of the 1st has something indefinable about it, so that we some-
times appear to be a little vague or dreamy or somehow difficult to pin
down. Neptune's aspects often introduce an element of indistinctness,
as if a veil must first be removed before the underlying reality can be
unraveled. In spite of the fact that a sextile makes for friendliness,
Neptune's hypersensitivity—whatever the aspect, means that Fred is
more than usually sensitive in his functioning in the community. The
ruler of the 1st sextile Neptune either gives him a great deal of empa-
thy or makes him very sensitive to atmospheres and undercurrents. It
can also mean that he is easily influenced. Neptune makes the native
idealistic, and the native can express emotions beautifully in music
and art. Fred is mad about music, and a number of his contacts are
concentrated on sharing a love of music. In combination with Venus

sextile the ruler of the 1st, artistry, musicianship, or something of that
sort, active or passive, can play an important part in contacts with the
outside world. As already said, music is Fred's interest. (In actuality,
Neptune has many more possibilities than the above; such as love of
the sea, mysticism, religion, photography, films, and so on. Any of
these could have come to the fore—and may yet do so, for that mat-
ter).
Well, how are we to combine this with what has gone before?
Where we kept finding caution, reserve, a need of contacts in order to
feel reassured and, at the same time the ill-effects of personal insecu-
rity and ambition (Sun and Mars square the ruler of the 1st) in his
attitude to the outside world? On the whole, the aspects of Venus and
Neptune favor friendliness. Fred can count on a great deal of under-
standing from some of his friends, not only because they like him, but
also because they realize and sympathize with his insecurity. Therefore
they see his sometimes very tactless remarks in a different light from
the one in which they are seen by another group of friends to whom
this other side of Fred is quite common. The latter know him as the
Fred of quick repartee—always larking about—or the Fred who, in
spite of his clowning, can settle down seriously to hard work. In the
circle of his intimate friends, Fred has always found protection, even
though his insecurity can make him rather abrasive. In other circles,
for instance in his employment, he has often caused annoyance with
his standoffish and opinionated behavior; but, because the quality of
his work has been so good, people have found it difficult to take him
to task. And, in any case, he has always known how to save the day
with a friendly joke. Eventually, however, at the time of the first
Moon-Saturn crisis, he could no longer put up with the idea of spend-
ing his life on the treadmill (because of the combination of his vulner-
ability with the freedom-loving placement of his ruler of the 1st in the
9th).
Thus we see that Fred definitely displays the sharp edges of the
Sun and Mars square the ruler of the 1st, and yet he radiates a certain
friendliness that does much to repair the damage caused (although not
always, of course). Both sides of his character influence the way in
which the promise in his chart is realized. In addition, Neptune's
sextile to the ruler of the 1st, which increases his vulnerability and
sensitivity in the environment even though it is a sextile, is not always
easy to live with for someone who likes to keep both feet on the
ground—Fred is a Taurus.
Aspects of the Ruler of 1 to House Rulers

As we have just seen, the tuler of the 1st makes a square to the Sun
and to Mars. The Sun is tuler of the 9th and Mats is ruler of the 5th, so
that we have to interpret the ruler of the 1st square the tuler of the
9th, and the ruler of the 1st square the ruler of the 5th. What is more,
the ruler of the 1st makes a sextile to Venus as ruler of the 6th, ruler of
the 7th and ruler of the 11th (giving us three separate sextiles to
interpret), and to Neptune as lord of the 4th. All in all, we have to
examine the following: the ruler of the 1st sextile the ruler of the 4th,
square the ruler of the 5th, sextile the ruler of the 6th, sextile the ruler
of the 7th, square the ruler of the 9th and sextile the ruler of the 11th.
The ruler of the 1st sextile the ruler of the 4th gives Fred the
desire for emotional ties with his environment, and the need for
domestic security and an atmosphere of mutual caring. Emotional
response is important to him; and, because the ruler of the 1st is in
harmonious aspect with the rulet of the 4th, he comes over as someone
who is sympathetic, watm-hearted, adaptable, and interested in oth-
ers. The aspect strengthens the promise of Fred's Moon trine Ascend-
ant, and will cenainly help to provide the desired warmth and emo-
tional security. It can help to gradually open up the feelings given by
the Moon's trine to the Ascendant, so that they are not so hidden away
and, as it were, hermetically sealed. Placement and aspect always show
how a promise can be realized, and here there is obvious support for
the Moon.
The ruler of the 1st square the ruler of the 5th saddles Fred with
the problem that he wants to play a central role in his community,
craves attention and likes to be praised, but is not sure how to set
about satisfying these desires. Therefore, at one moment he gives the
impression of being egotistical, and at another he appears to be quite
the opposite. The 5th house is analogous to Leo, and so the square
between the ruler of the 1st and the ruler of the 5th aggravates the
effect of the square between Fred's Sun and the tuler of the 1st.
Because, in both cases, we have to do with realizers of the promise, we
are forced to conclude that Fred has to battle against doubts, uncer-
tainties, and overcompensations before he feels he has made any head-
way.
Possibly, through the impulsiveness and activity that squares

always imply, he has already gained recognition in his community, and
yet has not noticed this because he is plagued by doubts and because
his need for recognition is never satisfied. With these aspects, we are
not so likely to consider the actual situation in which we find our-
selves, as to be governed by what we feel. And, for Fred, a square from
the Sun and a square from the ruler of the 5th to the ruler of the 1st
indicates a strong desire for self-manifestation, for self-pleasing, and
for occupying a prominent and central position. But, owing to other
horoscope factors and to the circumstance that the aspect in question is
a square, this desire is not easy to fulfil.
The 3th house also shows our attitude toward children. Fred has
always said that he does not want children, and that if he did have
them, he would keep them in their place because he could not bear his
partner's attention to be diverted from him to them, or for the chil-
dren to get in the way of his activities. Yet his attitude is not purely
one of selfish ignorance. He once confided, "I just know I couldn't
stand having them, and then I sit down and eat my heart out over
what ! am missing."
The ruler of the 1st sextile the ruler of the 6th means that Fred
will, to some extent, be prepared to assist and serve others. Here we
have what appears to be a flat contradiction of the above, in which we
saw Fred as self-serving. However, in spite of his self-centeredness,
Fred will do anything for those he likes —for people who have shown
their esteem for him and to whom he feels beholden. He helps them
eagerly —perhaps a trifle too eagerly at times. Sometimes he runs
himself into difficulties by making ill-considered promises he feels
bound to honor. But, under the influence of the ruler of the 3th
house, he has for a long time indulged a passion for music, cookery (a
hobby of his) and other pastimes. Helping people alternates with
enjoying himself, but not always smoothly. The two activities are in
conflict; and we must not forget this when making our judgment.
The sextiles to the ruler of the 7th and to the ruler of the 11th
give Fred a number of opportunities to move easily in society—in
keeping with what we have seen elsewhere. And so, in spite of his hard
aspects, he has enough going for him to be able to solve any conflicts
that might arise between himself and his partner or friends. What is
more, the sextile between the ruler of the 1st and the ruler of the 7th
gives a need for a partner. With this connection, Fred is ready to be
candid, agreeable, and friendly toward his opposite number (with
hard aspects, and openness would still be there, but it might not seem
to be so rewarding). And Fred not only needs a panner with whom he
can have a candid relationship, he needs friends of a similar son, too—
as we see from the fact of the sextile to his ruler of the 11th. No
significance attaches to the two sextiles being formed by one and the
same planet. Fred looks for free-and-easy friendliness (both in himself
and others) in his contacts with the outside world. On the one hand
this can increase his openness, also the love of libeny indicated by the
ruler of the 1st in the 9th. On the other hand, it runs counter to his
caution and suspicion. Somehow or other, Fred has to find a middle
way to prevent his need of freedom and candor being side-tracked by
his reticence and reserve. Now the "promise" of reserve and caution is
realized through the need of openness. Therefore we may expect that
what he experiences and feels in the course of his life will give Fred the
chance to abandon some of his reserve and to meet difficulties in a
calmer and freer frame of mind.
The last aspect of the ruler of the 1st is a square to the ruler of the
9th. This is an imponant aspect, because the ruler of the 1st is placed
in the 9th as well as being square the ruler of that house. A square to
the ruler of the house occupied is always a burdensome thing, for it
stirs up very conflicting feelings regarding the area of life concerned,
and often raises doubts as well. Fred's wanderlust was—and is —
exceptionally strong; but his uncenainty as to whether it would be a
good thing to give up his job was equally as strong for a long time.
When he had overcome his doubts and had made up his mind that
travel was right for him, the question of emigrating arose in earnest.
Once again he was thrown into confusion, but he suppressed his
doubts only to have them affecting him physically in the form of a
rash! Here we see two realizers of the promise in conflict with one
another, with all the attendant uncenainty that implies.
Fred's need to be free and to widen his horizon is actually
increased by this conflict, which always has a creative potential, even
though — in my experience—the difficult features are the first to show
themselves. Active involvement in study or in foreign travel, the con-
tinual adoption of new interests, a lack of rigidity and the courage and
willingness to modify one's opinions all make from a ruler of the 1st in
the 9th and a ruler of the 1st square the ruler of the 9th a dynamic
person with a restless, resourceful mind. The disadvantage is the ever-
lurking doubt, and Fred has to learn that this doubt must not be
suppressed but must be accepted as a challenge, if he is going to make
progress and not stagnate. And progress is very much in Fred's line,
because he dreads an existence that is dull and tedious. He is ready
enough to avoid becoming dull, but pays the price of inner doubt for
this.
Now that we have taken a look at all the factors surrounding
Fred's Ascendant, a number of things seem to point in the same
direction. Certain factors can be taken together, while others can be
used to fill in the details and to bring out shades of meaning, until,
finally, a picture emerges of Fred's everyday world and how he presents
himself in it. Of course, it is a picture that has to be improved by, and
fitted into, the rest of the horoscope. But we now have a better idea of
Fred's attitude to the outside world, and we can see his activities and
opinions in broader perspective, than would have been the case if we
had ignored the house rulers. For then our interpretation would have
been confined to the Scorpio Ascendant and the trine between the
Ascendant and the Moon and the sextile between the Ascendant and
Saturn!
Paul's 1st House
Scorpio Ascendant
As we noted earlier, the 1st house for Fred and Paul have much in
common. The great differences in their approaches to the outside
world will be deduced in the following section. In order to point out
these differences, it will be necessary to return to Fred from time to
time.
We have already dwelt on the Scorpio Ascendant in Fred's chart,
Paul gives a different form to his Scorpio Ascendant. He is thoughtful
and likes to discuss abstruse topics, preferably those to do with philos-
ophy or psychology (he also has the ruler of the 1st in the 9th!). He
keeps his own personality out of sight of the crowd, but is prepared to
reveal himself to a small circle of friends. Unlike Fred, Paul has no
need to laugh and joke in order to come to grips with others. On the
contrary, placid Paul sets himself up as a sort of father figure, to whom
others can bring their troubles and have a good cry, while he usually
keeps himself out of range of their sympathy for him. Essentially, this
is a form of behavior by which he can control his environment without

having to commit himself.
As we mentioned when looking at Fred's chart, it is very difficult
to state unequivocally that Fred will travel and that Paul will prefer to
study. Both possibilities are always present in the 9th house. It is quite
likely that, later on, Fred will begin to study and that Paul will get
itchy feet. We can never draw such concrete conclusions with absolute
certainty from the horoscope. So we need to be careful; to state that
there is a possibility of this or that is the best plan when making an
interpretation.
When we look at its ruler to discover the effect of the 9th house,
we see that Paul, like Fred, has an embattled ruler. His ruler of the 9th
forms the top of a Yod-figure, which is hard to interpret because a
Yod-figure tends to go with extremes of behavior—from great doubt,
unrest, and wondering what to do next, to setting out on a highly
motivated, even fanatical, quest. Also this throws no light on the
question of whether Paul's travels will be physical or mental (studying
and the like). What we do see is that both Fred and Paul are very
reluctant to reveal what is going on inside them and that both of them
have devised a plan to exercise control at long range, so to speak,
which is exactly what a Scorpio Ascendant aims at.
Planets and Rulers in the 1st House

Like Fred, Paul has no planets, and therefore no house rulers, in the
1st house.
Aspects to the Ascendant

Paul has three aspects to the Ascendant, namely a trine from the Sun,
a square from Venus, and a square from Pluto. Paul's trine from the
Sun to the Ascendant is an indication that he wants to establish him-
self in the center of his environment and to feel established there —
something that the trine makes very easy to achieve. He needs to feel
important in some way or other wherever he is, and this fits in really
well with his Scorpio Ascendant. For instance, if Paul acts in a fatherly
manner from a veiled authoritarian position and offers someone a
shoulder to cry on, this is a form of behavior that can give him a sense
of self-importance, and it is also a form of behavior that is perfectly
acceptable to this Sun trine the Ascendant. What is more, the Scorpio
The House Connection / lOi
Ascendant easily adopts it in order to keep its distance from the prying
of others,
Fred had the Moon trine the Ascendant, and this gave him a need
to become involved in his community, not to be told what a fine
fellow he was (which is something that would be given by an aspect
between the Sun and the Ascendant), but for the sake of emotional
support. We cannot rule out a certain fatherliness with Fred's Moon
trine the Ascendant, but it would not be anything like as authoritarian
as that given by the Sun trine the Ascendant. (In any case, Fred, as we
know, had problems with the expression of authority; among other
things because of his ruler of the 1st square the Sun and square the
ruler of the 5th). So the ways in which the two men give shape to their
external behavior give us our first difference between them.
Paul's Pluto square the Ascendant increases his tendency to keep
a keen eye on his surroundings and to analyze what is going on. But
the fact that the aspect is a square means that he can easily come into
conflict with those around him, through expressing his observations
tactlessly or at the wrong moment, or through stupidly touching a raw
nerve in someone who then strikes back defensively. Nevertheless,
Paul's need to examine his surroundings is genuine enough, and he
sets about doing so just as Fred did with his co-ruler of the 8th trine
the Ascendant. While carrying out this examination, Paul can ask such
unexpected and penetrating questions that the other person is scared.
However, he himself does not realize this, and it is certainly not his
intention to sow panic.
As an aspect, the square bestows energy; and Paul can keep on
burrowing away into everything and anything. This square enables
him to gain a good knowledge of human nature and, although he
sometimes has to learn by his mistakes in this field, he eventually
acquires a fine insight into the hidden motives of those he meets. Paul
does not have quite the same advantage with his square from Pluto to
the Ascendant as Fred did with his trine from the ruler of the 8th,
which made it easier for him to approach others and to hold his own
with them. Paul seems fated to provoke power struggles and the like
with those around him, quite unintentionally, and this does force him
to weigh his words and actions more carefully. What is more, Pluto's
aspects also often give the need to take up a position that is unassaila-
ble. Pluto is frequently strong in the charts of people who have some
position of authority (either small or great), in which they create a
certain distance between themselves and others. Paul's square from
Pluto can therefore strengthen his need to adopt a paternal attitude

which, in spite of all his good intentions and the warmth he can
display, is motivated by his desire to stand aloof. And, because the
aspect is a square, this desire to stand aloof is bound to provoke
confrontations with those around.
Venus square the Ascendant often gives the desire to be thought
attractive, as does every aspect between Venus and the Ascendant, and
this can make the individual rather charming. As it happens, in this
instance squares are not always detrimental; sometimes they even
impart that little extra personal magnetism that arouses interest. And
yet, with Venus square the Ascendant, we have a certain amount of
difficulty in expressing affection. A square always makes it difficult
for the native to handle things smoothly; and so, at one moment, Paul
can be very pleasant and friendly, but, at another, he is withdrawn and
hard to fathom.
What is more, with this aspect, Paul needs balance and harmony
in his environment, and he likes to act as a peacemaker. But the
danger with the square is that what he sees as being a peacemaker
sometimes strikes others as being a busybody.
It will be obvious that Venus square the Ascendant does not sit
comfortably with Pluto square the Ascendant (quite apart from the
fact that Venus and Pluto are conjunct) because Pluto likes to dig deep
and this often disturbs the Venusian desire to have everything working
smoothly on the surface. Although, in theory, Venus could mitigate
the activities of Pluto, I have seen no convincing examples of this in
practice. On the contrary, it seems to me that Venus (conjunct Pluto!)
shows traces of Pluto's influence. In any case, with these two conflict-
ing aspects to his Ascendant, Paul can experience an emotional
upheaval in regard to the outside world, and he sometimes displays
inconsistent behavior; at one moment acting like a sleuth, and at
another just being sociable and friendly. However, his Scorpio Ascend-
ant will always bring the Pluto aspect to the fore.
Where the combination of the squares to the Ascendant of Pluto
and Venus can play him false is in situations where he tries too hastily
to mend matters (Venus in a square) after he has put a good relation-
ship at risk by prying into someone else's soul. He can overdo things
and misread the state of affairs entirely, and only make things worse.
Problems with relationships can also play a (sometimes great) part in
determining the way in which he approaches the outside world; there-
fore, if he wished, he could become an outstanding relationship thera-
pist. In fact, in his own small circle, he is already acting as such, for
most people turn to him for sympathy and advice when their relation-
ships run into trouble.
Aspects of the House Rulers to the Ascendant

Paul has the ruler of the 10th (the Sun) trine the Ascendant, and also
the ruler of the 1st (Pluto) and the ruler of the 7th, 11th, and 12th
(Venus) square the Ascendant. The ruler of the 10th tells us what we
do to carve out an identity for ourselves, and supplies information on
the way in which we form a picture of ourselves as a basis for function-
ing in the outer world. The ruler of the 10th also has to do with the
degree of authority we possess and with how we respond to authority.
From the point of view of our own authority, a trine between the ruler
of the 10th and the Ascendant can give a self-assured bearing, a
bearing that exudes authority. This fits in well with the same need as
represented by the Sun trine the Ascendant. It is fortuitous that we are
talking about one and the same aspect, there is no significance in it. It
is fortunate for Paul that planet and house ruler do not work against
one another.
With the ruler of the 10th aspecting the Ascendant or with the
ruler of the 10th in the 1st, we often see someone's social position
(10th house) having an effect on daily intercourse with people "out of
office hours." This need not mean that the native continually stands
on his or her dignity, although that may be so. Quite possibly he or
she is surrounded in private by people who are directly or indirectly
involved in public, and so the idea of authority subtly intrudes itself in
general contacts.
As we have already seen, Pluto is ruler of the 1st and, in Paul's
case, the ruler of the 1st is square the Ascendant. This means that in
his approach to the outside world he is not sure how to behave. He is
timid and forceful by turns. With a square, he needs to ease up. Those
around him often fail to see even half of the intensity of the conflict
that is going on inside him, although they cannot help noticing some
inconsistency in his behavior—something we encountered in a differ-
ent way with the conflict between the squares of Venus and Pluto to
the Ascendant. The uncertainty produced by this latter conflict is
supplemented and increased by the square of the ruler of the 1st to the
Ascendant.
104 / Karen Hamaker-Zo n dag
With the Sun trine the Ascendant, Paul is able to tackle the
above-mentioned uncertainty to some extent, although it will not
melt away like snow beneath the sun. And his feeling of doubt and
uncertainty can bring Paul the renewed temptation to hide behind the
solicitously friendly mask of the Scorpio Ascendant, and behind his
fatherly attitude. However, the square of Pluto to the Ascendant does
not let Paul off the hook, because it confronts him with the fact that
he has cast himself in a role of his own creation, although he still needs
to maintain a certain reserve. All these facets will show themselves in
Paul's behavior, although it is hard to predict when.
Paul's ruler of the 7th and 11th square the Ascendant gives him a
great need of human contacts—which is typical of any connection of
an air house with the Ascendant. But, because the aspects are squares,
Paul is not very good at handling these contacts. Sometimes he is too
ready to compromise (ruler of the 7th) and at others he absolutely
refuses to consider it, sometimes his manner is very chummy (ruler of
the 11th) and then again it can be very authoritarian (in accordance
with the first-named aspects). It is essential for him to find a middle
way in his contacts. He is greatly in need of a partner (Venus and the
ruler of the 7th square the Ascendant) but the squares show that he
will have to learn by hard experience how to make a relationship work,
and how to give and receive affection. With the ruler of the 11th,
converse with kindred spirits is also of great importance to him; but,
here, too, the square points to conflicts between his own needs (1st
house) and the wishes of his circle of friends (11th house).
Because both the 7th and the 11th house require him to display
openness as a person, the squares of their rulers can—for a time at
least—incline him, consciously or unconsciously, to persist in his
paternal role, as this keeps him out of range. Of course, there are other
roles that would do to save him from baring his soul, but the paternal
role suits the situation around his Ascendant so well, as we have seen.
Thus, as soon as personal contacts come into play, the squares (cer-
tainly in combination with Pluto square the Ascendant) inevitably
bring his more unsettled side to light.
The ruler of the 12th square the Ascendant gives Paul a certain
gentleness, 1 have very often noticed, in aspects of the ruler of the 12th
to the Ascendant, something friendly yet shy, something hard to pin
down, as if this person doesn't have much idea of how he ought to
manifest himself, and therefore makes a vague impression, and is seen
in a very different light by different people. Naturally others may find
him rather incomprehensible, even though the impression he makes is

so amicable. Usually, people do not know how to take this type, not
does he know how to take himself! This aspect can also make the
native over-sensitive, frequently very intuitive, and full of empathy
(sometimes strongly so), and that is something Paul can use in his
investigation of the psyche. His intuition and empathy can put him on
the track of the nature and solution of problems, but can also make
him unsure and vulnerable, because he can pick up energy from his
environment without being able to identify it, or even to distinguish it
from processes going on in himself. With aspects to the ruler of the
12th especially with hard aspects and the conjunction, he does need to
learn to distinguish the two. All this can sometimes give escapist
tendencies, or persuade him to defend things that are completely
unimportant, or things that are none of his business anyway. Sensitiv-
ity and vulnerability are great with this aspect, as Paul has discovered.
Now that we have looked at what is promised in Paul's chart, we
observe that in addition to the points of agreement with Fred's chart,
there are a number of striking differences. The need to have a central
role, or to exercise authority hardly figures in Fred's chart (certainly
not in the realization of the promise), but in Paul it strikes the eye
immediately. Possibly, as I have already hinted, this is one of the
reasons why we find a more fatherly attitude here. In a number of
respects Fred and Paul are similar due to the Scorpio Ascendant, and
yet they are completely different in other respects due to attendant
factors.
The House Where the Ruler of the 1st Stands

In interpreting Fred's horoscope we studied the meaning of the ruler
of the 1st in the 9th; Paul, too, has this house connection. But, as we
have already seen, Paul has expressed this meaning differently. He has
immersed himself in study and has a lively interest in psychology (the
latter does not come directly under the 9th house, but does so indi-
rectly as a form of study), in philosophy and in similar 9th house
matters. The freedom of the 9th house plays another role in Paul. As
long as he can keep happily working on his own interests, he cannot be
bothered about where the outside world has set up its boundaries. Like
Fred, he sets great store by the freedom to form and propagate his own
opinions.
The placement of the house ruler shows how the promise of the
house will be realized. Paul, like Fred, has the opportunity to make
sense of his life, by building up his own philosophy of life or vision of
society; and he may travel in order to gain in maturity or to escape
from his problems. Paul "chose" the way of philosophy and psychol-
ogy. He has a good understanding of his own behavior on many
points; but this does not get rid of his need to struggle with himself in
the areas he understands. As he grows older, it will become apparent
whether he has made constructive use of his inclination to explain
things and to place them in a wider setting, improving his comprehen-
sion of himself and others, and tackling his problems, or has used this
inclination to explain things in such a manner that he explains them
away and neatly avoids his problems. Even though he has already set
out on the "open way" and has engaged in confrontations with him-
self, there is always a danger that he will wriggle out of something with
clever arguments.
Aspects of the House Ruler to Planets

Paul's ruler of the 1st (Pluto) is conjunct Venus and scxtilc Neptune,
two connections also found in Fred's chart (Venus and Neptune both
scxtilc the ruler of the 1st). In Paul's case, the aspects influencing the
realization of the promise of the 1st house arc friendly. Venus conjunct
the ruler of the 1st makes us very much inclined to create and maintain
a friendly atmosphere. We wish for social and emotional contacts in
general, move easily in society and are not without charm. Just as in
Fred's case, some snags occur, however, due to the native's habit of
digging into things. Because this penchant for investigation and delv-
ing beneath the surface is strong in Paul, he is liable to spoil the
atmosphere by tactlessness and asking awkward questions (Pluto
square the Ascendant, etc.). But Paul already has an aspect of Venus in
the promise of the 1st house, i.e., Venus square the Ascendant. Now
Venus seems to be associated in a friendly manner with the ruler of the
Ascendant, so we may rest assured that the square in the promise
receives plenty of support from the ruler so that its energy will not be
too unsettling.
The ruler of the 1st scxtilc Neptune increases the rather vague
friendliness already given by the square between the ruler of the 12th
and the Ascendant. The ruler of the 12th and Neptune belong to one
another's sphere and have a similar effect, although we must never
forget that their background influences are different. Fred has no

aspect of the ruler of the 12 th or of Neptune—either in the promise or
in the realization of the promise. But Paul does have something to
realize, and thus strengthen, a promise here—which is an obvious
difference. Therefore Paul's sensitivity and vulnerability at this point
will be greater than those around him can see or even imagine. And he
will feel much more insecure than he—with his Scorpio Ascendant-
will choose to reveal. Although the aspect to Neptune is harmonious,
the planet is (and remains) the formless and sometimes chaotic Nep-
tune, which is more at home in the world of infinity than in delineat-
ing a fixed role and identity. But, with the Sun and ruler of the 10th
trine the Ascendant, Paul desperately needs a well-defined identity to
feel he is functioning properly.
Just as we saw in the case of Fred, Neptune can give an apprecia-
tion of music and art, also for such things as mysticism, religion, films,
the sea, etc. With Paul, it is not Fred's passion—music—that is so
important, but religion. Paul was not much of a churchgoer, prefer-
ring religion as experienced by himself to more formal instruction.
Not surprisingly, he held some "heretical" opinions on a number of
points (remember his ruler of the 1st in the 9th!). This is another way
in which he differs from Fred—but also a similarity — because Paul
"chose" something that would fit the picture of his horoscope.
Aspects of the House Ruler to Other House Rulers

The ruler of the 1st is conjunct the ruler of the 7th, the ruler of the
11th and the ruler of the 12th (Venus) and sextile the ruler of the 4th
(Neptune). In interpreting this, we remain in the same sphere because
we have already encountered the ruler of the 7th, 11th, and 12th in
the promise. If she was a problem there, here we see a harmonious
connection. In principle, we could go over the same ground of the
desire for friends and social contacts, the need for a partner and the
response to one, the longing for harmony in a relationship, the need
to give shape to an experience of unity and make room for intuition
and empathy. In itself, this implies that the above-mentioned needs
and abilities will be strengthened, since aspects already considered
point in the same direction. What is now important are the relation-
ships of these aspects to one another. Because the realizers of the
promise are harmonious, we can say here that Paul has more potential
for adaptability in himself, can learn to handle the giving and taking
of affection better, and finds it easier to cope with his emotions and
with problems in his relationships, than if the aspects had been dishar-
monious, or there had been no further aspects in the same sphere.
Therefore, in several respects, Paul has a much easier time than
Fred in realizing the promise of the 1st house. In Fred's case, attempt-
ing to realize the promise always produced fresh problems, and ini-
tially this could only increase his uncertainty. Owing to the reasonably
harmonious situation surrounding the realization of the promise of
the 1st house in Paul, somewhere deep inside him is the knowledge
that he is going to fall on his feet. And this usually happens, too,
although not always in the way he anticipates. Paul's philosophy of life
and his religious faith can help him in this.
The sextile between the ruler of the 1st and the co-ruler of the 4th
can confirm Paul in his friendly paternal behavior; but, at the same
time, increases his desire to earn the affection and goodwill of those
around him. And this desire is fulfilled, in spite of his above-
mentioned problems with contacts. The friendly nature of the aspects
means that these problems are solved or reduced to manageable pro-
portions.
In Fred's case, we saw in the promise, the Moon trine the Ascend-
ant, with the realization of the promise coming through problems over
authority and a desire for centrality (which themselves were involved
in further problems). In Paul's case, we see in the promise the desire
for authority and for a pivotal function, besides contactual difficulties,
especially on the emotional plane, but the promise is realized in a
friendly manner. Paul will eventually seem to be a more calm person
than Fred, who is always intense about the way he works things out.
Certainly, Paul is the more restful of the two, and radiates his basic
confidence that everything will turn out all right in the end. Fred's
restlessness seems to be saying to us, on the one hand, "I must see
what happens," and, on the other hand, "I must attend to it myself."
And the latter is the creative approach which Fred is urged to make by
his hard aspects.
Summing Up
When we work with houses and house rulers we need to bear the
following points in mind:
1. Each sign has a planet belonging to that sign — the day ruler (or day
dispositor). In some signs there is a second planet, subordinate to the
first. The second is called the night ruler (or night dispositor);
2. Each house has its own ruler. Its ruler is the day ruler of the sign on
the cusp of that house, even if the cusp is in the last degree of that
sign;
3. If a sign is intercepted in a house, then the house gets a second
ruler, namely the day ruler of the intercepted sign. This secondary
ruler must definitely not be overlooked in the interpretation,
although it is rather less important than the main ruler;
4. Through its placement in sign, but much more through its
placement in a house and through its aspects, a house ruler supplies
extra information about the house over which it rules;
5. A house ruler produces both a psychic effect and an effect on the
circumstances in which the matters belonging to the house must
express themselves:
6. When we treat a planet as a house ruler, it loses its propenies as a
planet for the time being. Thus it does not matter which planet the
ruler of the 6th is, as a house ruler it carries a 6th house significance
and nothing more;
7. Planets in a house contain a certain promise (either hard or easy),
but it is the house ruler that determines how this promise will be
realized;
8. A house ruler indicates, by its placement and aspects, individual,
character-forming experiences of the native;
9. In placements of house rulers in houses, it is always the house in
which the house ruler stands (and this is usually not the house over
which it rules!) that is decisive. The house ruler is deployed in that
house, and is an instrument of it. The house is its end-point, so to
speak. But because it rules over a whole house, all the contents of that
house (forming, in their entirety, its "promise") serve the purposes of
the house in which the house ruler is placed;
10. The house in which the house ruler is placed, is itself ruled by
some planet. And so we can construct a chain of houses and house
rulers. In such a house cycle, one house will function as pivot
(end-point). If that house turns up most often as end-point or pivot in

all the house cycles, then it is the strongest house in the sense that it
has a key position;
11. Each house has an individual ruler, but also a collective or
mundane ruler. Aspects between these two can throw a clear light on
the progress of affairs in all sorts of small happenings in the life;
12. House rulers usually have aspects with other planets. We may
interpret each of these aspects as an aspect with another ruler as well as
an aspect with another planet, thus as two or more separate aspects,
regardless of the question of the number of houses a planet rules.
Unaspected house rulers have to be interpreted in the same way as
unaspected planets.
When we have learned how to deal with house rulers and house
connections, we shall observe that they often show a resemblance,
likeness, or relationship to factors of a completely different origin
elsewhere in the chart, and that they strengthen or underscore these,
irrespective of whether the repetition is harmonious or disharmonious.
The value of this is very great. It provides us with one of the most
reliable means of assessing what will really come to the fore out of the
many aspects and meanings of planets in signs and houses.
If we confine our attention to the planets in the signs and in the
houses, and to the aspects of the planets among themselves and to the
Ascendant and Midheaven, then we frequently find too little confir-
mation of things that actually come to the fore. House rulers and
house connections then throw a clear light on the whys and where-
fores, because we shall often find the confirmatory factor in them.
There is no necessity for a precise repetition of the same aspects, as
long as the connections belong to a related or similar sphere and color.
Even squares in one case and trines in another case can be regarded as
supporting one another. For example: persons A and B both have
Mercury in Libra, they are tactful and they have a friendly way of
speaking; but, in practice, A is much more easily upset by difficulties,
is much more irresolute, and is more prepared to compromise with
people than B is. This could very well happen when A, besides having
Mercury in Libra, also has Mercury conjunct the ruler of the 7th, and
the ruler of the 3rd in aspect with Venus or with the ruler of the 7th. If
B does not have these aspects, the greater sensitivity of A is explained.
In the years that I have been studying house rulers and house connec-
tions, I have become convinced that exceedingly helpful factors in

interpretation are to be found in just this sort of difference, as we have
seen here in the —at first sight—very similar-looking first houses of
Fred and Paul.
But the fact of the matter is that most students require time in
order to feel thoroughly at home with the subject of house rulers.
Therefore, in Part II of this book, I have given short examples of the
interpretation of house connections. A complete analysis of all the
possible aspects of the house rulers with planets, or among themselves,
is impractical.
Here are a few tips meanwhile. If, for example, we have the ruler
of the 6th in aspect with the ruler of the 9th and we do not know how
to set about making an interpretation, the best thing to do is the
following. We know that an aspect is a connection. So the first thing
to consider is that there is a connection; the second thing to consider is
the type to which the aspect belongs. If, for example, we have the
ruler of the 6th square the ruler of the 9th, then by turning to Part II
we can gain some idea of what the ruler of the 6th in the 9th does, and
what the ruler of the 9th in the 6th does, and the way in which the two
house rulers interact. To work out what the aspect means as an aspect,
we add the coloring of the square. In this way we can practice judging
the aspects and, after a while, we shall notice that we no longer need
the short specimen interpretations. All we shall need to do is to follow
the rules.
PART II
HOUSE
CONNECTIONS
6
How the House Connections Work
It is impossible to deal with every facet of all the house connections

here. Life is much too complicated to be summarized in a single review.
The aim of this chapter is merely to give the reader a start, and to point
him or her to the right method of interpreting the house connections.
What follows is a brief listing of the character of the houses.
Brief Characterization of Houses
1st House
Psychological-, our immediate attitude to the outside world, our undif-
ferentiated mode of reaction, both mental and physical, to all possible
external stimuli. The start of, the tackling of, something new; the
personality, the vitality, the health (the latter also in connection with
the 6th house), and the stamina. The degree to which one is able to
hold one's own psychologically
External-, the external characteristics of the native, his or her appear-
ance and gesmres. The public aspect of any person or thing. The outer
form, and its beauty or defects.
Physical-, the head.
2nd Home
Psychological-, our attitude toward values and objects that provide our
security. Our feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction and the moti-
vations arising from them. Ability to secure our means of subsistence;
for example, the ability to earn an income. Our need for solid security
and the means by which we give shape to this. Economic insight. The
way in which we handle matter.
External-, money and goods, everything to do with possessions and
materials. Our spending habits and our method of earning. Debts,
wealth, profit, and loss.
Physical-, throat and nape of neck.
Ird House
Psychological-, our practical thinking, our impulse to examine and
classify all the facts and affairs we encounter on the path of life. From
this comes our ability to make plans and arrangements. The 3rd house
is also the house of connections, not only as a means of welding facts
into a whole, but for linking people with other people and with things
through communication and contact—for example in trade (in which
people exchange money for goods with one another). Practical, analyt-
ical thinking, classifying, arranging, brief communications, and
quick, short, but not too deep, contacts. Our need for news and for
telling news, our dexterity and general attitude to facts.
External-, letters, postal communications, publications of all sorts.
Short journeys, means of transport, documents, agreements and con-
tracts, telephones, the neighborhood or the immediate surroundings.
Numbers and mathematical studies. Brothers and sisters. Education.
Physical-, lungs, air passages, and hands.
4th Home
Psychological-, our need of emotional security and safety, our inner
emotional basis. Our attitude toward and our experience of domestic-
ity. Our need to care and cherish. Our feeling for the source of things,
thus for tradition, family and descent. Our heredity. Also our youth
and our old age, and what we make of them. The final solution or
conclusion.
External-, land, houses, agricultural land, hotels, heirlooms, the par-
ents and the running of the home
Physical-, stomach and chest.
5th House
Psychological-, the desire to structure our lives around the things that
make us happy, such as games, sport, having a good time, pleasures,
and amatory interests. The need to be ourselves, to develop self-
confidence and place ourselves at the center of affairs. Our creative
ability and the urge to be productive — either in such things as hobbies
or art, or in procreation, in which the sexual drive leads to the creation
of children. Our need of leadership and exclusivity.
External-, all places of recreation, such as cinemas, theaters, casinos,
circuses; concert halls, parks, golf clubs, etc.
Physical-, heart and back.
6th House
Psychological-, our need to consider, analyze and understand, in order
to make good and concrete use of what has been analyzed. Our atti-
tude to work and the working environment, especially toward working
as a subordinate or menial. Our enjoyment of work or the frustration it
brings. Our attitude to the body, especially to the physical reactions
that have to do with our health. Thus our attitude to diet, disease, and
related matters. Our critical acumen and ability to view facts objec-
tively. The degree to which we can and will function within a given
social system, and the degree of self-criticism associated with this.
External-, the circumstances in which we work. Thus the office, factory,
surgery, shop, restaurant, police station, barracks. In addition —
servants and personnel, the harvest.
Physical-, intestines.
1th House
Psychological-, our behavior toward our partner, our pattern of expec-
tations regarding a partner, and our experiences within the partnership
(married or living together). Our behavior when joining in a united
effort with others and how we experience this. Our need for harmony
and beauty, for equilibrium and for a friendly atmosphere. Also our
open enemies and how we behave toward them.
External-, the marriage service, the contract, the peace settlement, the
fine arts.
Physical-, the kidneys and the lumbar region of the back.
8th House
Psychological-, the urge to live on the razor's edge, to dig deep right
down to the core of things. Therefore also: delving into hidden depths
in the areas of psychology, parapsychology, magic, and occultism. Our
unconscious attitude toward our partner and toward joint ventures.
Our creative urge. Our love of life and fear of death. Our attitude
toward sexuality. Complexes and the potential for psychic regenera-
tion. The will. Inner struggles. Hidden gifts and talents, and the
longing for power.
External-, legacies, funerals, the dead, psychological crises, (life-)
insurance, wills, shared finances (with the partner or a friend), taxa-
tion, postmortem examinations, cemeteries, hidden places.
Physical-, the genital organs.
9th House
Psychological-, our need to spread ourselves and to expand our vision
and our horizon. Our need to travel—both physically and mentally.
Therefore our attitude toward higher education, studies, and foreign
countries. Our attitude toward religion and metaphysics, the philoso-
phy of life. Ideals and sense of justice. The propagation of knowledge
and convictions. The formation and expression of opinions. The abil-
ity to place facts and phenomena in a broad framework.
External-, long voyages, foreign countries, everywhere situated outside
one's own town or district, textbooks, embassies, global contacts, the
high court, exports, publications, universities and high schools, trans-

port, science, religion.
Physical-, liver and hips.
I Oth House
Psychological-, the need to differentiate an ego, and to form a picture
of oneself and of the outer world. Striving to reach a certain social
status. The mask we consciously wear in order to feel we arc function-
ing well in the outside world. The need to find acceptable limits and
structures for ourselves and others. The degree to which we possess
authority and the way in which we react to authority. The need to
submit to rules and regulations.
External: government buildings, the career, fame or the lack of it, the
position in the social or business world, the reputation. The law and
all rules and regulations. Status and promotion. One of the parents.
Physical: bones, teeth, hair, nails, knees, and other joints.
11th House
Psychological: the need to break through fixed boundaries and to
experience the other as oneself—not as superior or inferior. Attitude
toward friends and friendships and what is experienced as such; also
hopes and wishes arising from contacts with friends. The need to
associate with people with similar thoughts and feelings, but without
stifling the spirit of free discussion and debate.
External: the premises occupied by institutes and associations, clubs,
political parties and their offices, the White House, Congress, the
House of Representatives, democracy. Organizations in general.
(International) friendships, advisers.
Physical: calves and ankles.
12th House
Psychological: the need for retirement and detachment, the hidden
fears and inhibitions that can paralyze us (even to the extent of liqui-
dation of the personality), but which also can form the drive to seek an
inner, mystical union. Thus, transcendence of the personality. In each
case, the 12th house represents the attitude toward the merging of the
personality in the collective or the unconscious. Our deepest uncon-
scious inner life, our dreamlife. Experiences in infancy. The desire for
a solitary existence, escapist tendencies. The relativization of con-
sciousness. The link with the collective unconscious, and the sensitivity
to undercurrents and unconscious processes in society and in the sur-
roundings.
External-, cloisters, institutions, prisons, hospitals, and other public
buildings. Hidden places and lonely regions. The sea. Secret societies,
drugs, poison. Clairvoyance and the like. Meditation, charitable insti-
tutions, sleep, hypnosis, dreams, social work and social institutions,
sanatoria. But also: bribes, difficulties, pain, defamation, murder,
suicide, scandals.
Physical-, feet.
Never follow these interpretations blindly! I say this, indeed, for a
number of reasons, the chief of which is that each connection inter-
preted here is only one of many horoscope factors, and no significant
conclusions can be drawn from just one connection. Other factors can
give the matter such a new turn that we have to say completely differ-
ent things about one and the same house connection appearing in two
different charts. In this introduction to the process of interpretation, I
have kept matters on a psychological level as far as possible, in order to
give the reader some insight into the mechanisms through which we
will and act. Although, when speaking of the 8th house, it is perfectly
possible to babble about "the partner's money," we shall notice that in
many 8th house connections the native is not in the least concerned
with the partner's money. This external detail does, in fact, come
under the 8th house, but is only one of many such details and is not
bound to be expressed in every chart. So this is the emphasis where
mechanisms are concerned: the main purpose of a chart is to give us a
better understanding of ourselves and others. The external details can
be left to take care of themselves.
Although I am well aware of the danger that the following inter-
pretations could be used like cookery book recipes, I have nevertheless
set them down — with the express warning that they must not be used
in this way. Many years of teaching experience have convinced me that
there is a great need for something like this to give the student a
nudge in the right direction. What is more, with the help of the rules
The House Connection / 12)
in Part I, and the brief characterization of the houses listed earlier in

this chapter, the reader can make his or her own interpretation, which
can then be checked against the examples we will now explore. If the
present chapter is used as training material, and as a source of ideas for
elaboration, it will have served its purpose.
To make optimum use of the following examples, we should
study both connections between two houses, so that the distinction
becomes clear. In fact I have done my best to describe the differences
and similarities as plainly as possible. Thus, if we want to know the
effect of the ruler of the 11th in the 8th, we should read not only
about the ruler of the llth in the 8th, but also about the ruler of the
8th in the llth. This will speed up the learning process, so that soon
we no longer need to consult the book, but can reach our own conclu-
sions.
The 1st House
The Ruler of the 1st in the 1st

Our activities and manifestation are centered on ourselves. In practice,
this means that we are very self-involved in what we do and in what we
refrain from doing, that we are impulsive. How this affects others does
not matter to us so much. Not that we ignore them altogether, but
often we just blurt things out and rush in where angels fear to tread.
Primarily, we are interested in ourselves and in our own impulses and
sudden desires. Therefore, we appear to be rather egotistical at times.
However, this self-centeredness is not usually ill-meant, but often
seems very natural and naive, so that people seldom take it amiss—
unless factors elsewhere in the chart indicate otherwise.
Because the 1st house indicates our approach to the outside world
and our reaction to outside stimuli, any concentration on the 1st house
can mean that we look for attention and reassurance in the world
around us, either through our bearing, gestures, and behavior, or
through the care we bestow on the way in which we present ourselves;
for example, in our style of clothing.
Dependent as we are on our environment, we take our chances as
they come. In this respect, we have a certain amount of ambition, but
it is not the sort of ambition that is determined to achieve its goal
whatever the cost. We are not out to do something special, but simply
to be ourselves; at least, that is usually the case. Also, our attitude is
mostly one in which we sec ourselves engaged in lively competition
with the environment. This is a role in which we can be very stimulat-
ing to those around us, but also very tiresome, because we rarely stop
to think whether our impulsive desires and actions happen to come at
the right moment for them. Whether we are aware of it or not, action
and reaction are very important to us—especially as we do not take too
well to being on our own without someone to stimulate us. We look
for a stimulus not so much within ourselves as in the reaction to the
way in which we present ourselves. Then we arc very good at taking
matters further on our own initiative, and giving others an added
stimulus.
With this connection, we need to be careful not to rush people.
There is always something boisterous and inconsiderate about the 1st
house, although the degree to which this is true largely depends on the
planets and signs concerned.
The 1st and 2nd House
The Ruler of the 1st in the 2nd

The 1st house is an instrument for giving form to the 2nd. Personal
activity and manifestation is concentrated on our desire for security,
both in the figurative sense of having firm ground under our feet, and
in the literal one of becoming well-established in material things. This
connection used to be interpreted as "the love of money," but that is
only one of the possibilities and certainly not the main one. The 2nd
house shows the part that matter plays in our lives, and this can mean
manipulating it skillfully just as much as it can mean using it commer-
cially. Thus we may want to keep close to matter and to knead and
shape it for ourselves. Therefore, with the ruler of the 1st in the 2nd
we may like to collect material things in order to gain a sense of
stability, or to do something creative (not seldom something artistic)
with materials—anything from knitting to sculpture. The point is
that, in manifesting ourselves (1st house) we direct our attention to
our need for security (2nd house) in all its facets.
The House Connexion / 723
Stimuli from outside, to which we react and which we need (1),

frequently excite feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction and these can
impel us to take certain steps or to do certain things. But we ourselves
can be a motivating force in our contacts with others. With this partic-
ular house connection, the stimuli we give and the stimuli we receive
in return where the external world is concerned, work powerfully
through us in the sphere of pleasure and displeasure.
The Ruler of the 2nd in the 1st

The 2nd house is an instrument for giving form to the first. Our need
for security and to handle materials is concentrated here on the need to
manifest in the outside world. Often the ruler of the 2nd in the 1st can
give us an air of confidence; we appear to be purposeful and self-
assured, even if we do not feel that we are. There is nothing particu-
larly surprising in this show of certainty, because the 2nd house (like
its analogous sign Taurus) also has to do with tenacity, and with
feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Planets and house rulers in
the Isthousecolorthe way we present ourselves, and in this case we do
so rather obstinately, we insist on what we want with more persever-
ance than usual, and so create the impression of being more sure of
our facts than we may actually be. Essentially, the ruler of the 2nd in
the 1st implies that we will look for security in the outside world. We
need something solid to go by, and will gladly offer it to others; how
this is expressed can vary from being prepared to give money or goods
to charity, to standing like a rock in a storm for those who need
psychological support. However, where the giving of financial help is
concerned, there is a danger that, without realizing it, the natives will
fall into the habit of waving cash around in an attempt to buy contacts
or affection.
The ruler of the 2nd in the 1st can induce us to find satisfaction
in the world and to try to motivate the world to do what we want. But,
if we simply consult our own feelings, we shall run the risk of neglect-
ing the real needs of those around us. On quite a number of occasions
I have also observed that, with this house connection, we may tend to
overcompensate in times of uncertainty, and to concentrate too much
on our physical needs (by taking snacks or eating candies), or to be
seized with a sudden mania for buying clothes, and so on. But much
depends on the rest of the horoscope of course.
124 / Karen Hamaker-7.on dag
The 1st and 3rd House
The Ruler of the 1st in the ird

The 1st house is an instrument for giving form to the 3rd. In what we
do, we concentrate on out need for communication, exchange, brief
contacts, the gathering and arranging of information, and the like.
We enjoy busying ourselves with this son of thing, and feel happy
when we can chat with people naturally, indulge in give-and-take, or
pursue some hobby or profession with a 3rd house flavor. Another
possibility is a fondness for keeping in touch with brothers, sisters
and/or friendly neighbors (if this is not contradicted elsewhere in the
chart), as these, too, come under the 3rd house.
With the ruler of the 1st in the 3rd, we ate usually inquisitive,
and like putting two and two together. We classify all stimuli from the
outside world, as they play a role in out thoughts and exchanges of
information. We shall be attracted to such things as journalism, writ-
ing, teaching or learning, making short journeys, reading books, and
we like talking about these topics. Also we enjoy clever conversation
and jokes. Generally speaking, we possess commercial acumen and
selling abilities. Out reactions to, and out dealings in, the outside
world ate chiefly aimed at eliciting a mental or informative response,
which continues to fuel out thoughts and out association of ideas.
Because out need for this sort of exchange gives us a smooth approach
to others that avoids being too ponderous, we can become everyone's
friend, with the danger of superficiality and blowing with every wind.
However, with this connection, we can keep talks going under all
kinds of circumstance, or can get them started again, and this can do a
great deal of good in the social sphere.
The Ruler of the 3rd in the 1st

The 3rd house is an instrument to give form to the 1st house. We
bring out need for contacts, communication, and the gathering and
arranging of information, directly to the outside. Often, this produces
a certain openness to those around us—at the very least, communica-
tiveness. We talk to othets readily, find it easy to make contacts, and
ate quite prepared to go along with people (both literally, in the sense
of a short trip, and metaphorically in the sense of ideas and new
concepts). Out curiosity is aroused by everything that happens. We
came across inquisitiveness in the previous house connection, but

there our dealings with the outside world were a means of gathering
more facts and information, and this stimulated our curiosity. Here,
however, our curiosity influences our behavior, and poking our nose
into everything is our way of approaching the outside world. Often,
we start conversations with direct or indirect questions designed to
elicit information.
With the ruler of the 1st in the 3rd. we need not always seem very
communicative (although this is not foreign to our nature), because
we can turn to reading, for example, to satisfy our interest in the
outside world. When the ruler of the 3rd is in the 1st, making contacts
is an instrument for presenting ourselves to others. Certainly, we may
enjoy reading, but then our main aim is to be well-read and to impress
people with the fact. In various instances, I have observed, both with
the ruler of the 3rd in the 1st and with the ruler of the 1st in the 3rd,
that experiences during play with little brothers and sisters or other
playmates, have been very influential on the approach to the outside
world later in life, as well as on the way in which impulses from
outside are assimilated. To say the least, they have been more influen-
tial than in the normal case.
The 1st and 4th House
The Ruler of the 1st in the 4th

The first house is an instrument for giving form to the fourth. Our
personal activity and self-manifestation is concentrated on our emo-
tional basis, on emotional exchange with the environment, on the
home and domestic circumstances, and on caring and cherishing. We
like being at home, as likely as not, or use our home as our base of
operations. Often we find a need, wherever we are, to create a snug,
homely atmosphere or situation —at home, in the office, even at the
holiday resort.
Caring for and supponing others also comes into our pattern of
needs in quite a marked way. Generally there is a strong link with one
or both parents and the strongly charged emotions involved can be
either pleasant or unpleasant.
The 1st house puts us fait and square in the outside world. Our
contact with the latter and the stimuli we receive from it, can have a
great influence on our feelings of safety and comfort, when the ruler of
the 1st is in the 4th. Hence the need to create domesticity—as a defense
against any feelings of insecurity. With the ruler of the 1st in the 4th, we
need not shut ourselves away. Sometimes this house connection
expresses itself symbolically, as for example in a lively interest in geneal-
ogy, folklore, history, or in some other thing that has to do with the
roots of the family, the race or the culture. This connection represents
the desire to experience one's roots emotionally.
The Ruler of the 4th in the 1st

With this connection, the contents of the 4th house are more an
instrument than a goal. With this connection, we can use our need to
care and cherish as an attitude to the outside world; which makes us
rather fatherly or motherly in our approach. Our need for domestic
and emotional security can be actively expressed by giving others sym-
pathetic help and care, etc. Emotional ties with those around us are
often important as far as we are concerned. In fact, both house connec-
tions between the 1st and the 4th can make us occupied with emo-
tional ties and emotional security. The difference is that with the ruler
of the 4th in the 1st we let our feelings show, and we incorporate them
in our attitude to the environment, whereas, with the ruler of the 1st
in the 4th, all impulses from ourselves and from the outside world are
allowed to have their effect on us and are liable to cause emotional
calm or disturbance. Also, with the ruler of the 4th in the 1st there is
frequently a strong emotional bond with one or both parents, but here
the situation in respect of the parental home has a greater effect than
usual in determining our approach to the outside world.

The 1st house is the instrument that shapes the 3th house. Our activi-
ties and manifestation are concentrated on the areas of pleasure, sport,
games, creativity and self-affitmation. This connection often occurs in

people who want to go through life as professional hobbyists. When
our behavior toward the outside world is a means of finding self-
affirmation, of fulfilling our ambitions, a desire for leadership, and a
central position, then there is generally an overemphasis on the ego.
We use ourselves as a standard of measurement, and often make sure
that we are in a position to more or less do what we feel like doing.
More often than not, we possess leadership qualities with this
house connection, and the sort of poise that impresses children. In any
case, the 5th house represents our attitude to children; and, with this
connection, I have often encountered a love for and a playfulness with
children, plus a natural gift for keeping them in order.
The pleasure-clement in the 5th house can vary from a great
fondness for (amorous) escapades, frequent visits to discos and similar
entertainments, to dedication to a very serious hobby from which a
great deal of pleasure is derived. So, by no means is everyone with this
house connection a Casanova. But there is definitely a need for self-
expression in the broadest possible sense—from chasing compliments
to artistic creativity.

Here, the 5th house is an instrument for giving form to the 1st house.
With this connection, our bearing toward others is one of benevolent
authoritarianism. We assert our need to be central within our immedi-
ate surroundings, and possess leadership qualities. Also, with the ruler
of the 5th in the 1st, we will not hesitate to make a bid for power of
any sort within our immediate circle, in order to play a central role.
Playfulness in the broadest possible sense can be used in our
contacts with the outside world—for example by acting as an
entertainer—both for the sake of having fun and for the purpose of
achieving an important and valued status. But naivety and childish-
ness can be present; also a sense of rivalry, which can be put to good
use in sporting contests. Hobbies and pastimes can be a means by
which we make contact with the outside world: we are more than
willing to share our interests with others.
128 ! Karen Hamaker-Zondag

Our personal activities and manifestation are concentrated on the need
to analyze and systematize in order to be able to give everything a
more useful and effective function in the great wheel-work of life.
This explains why, with this house connection, we often like to occupy
ourselves with practical, concrete matters, and usually have a well-
developed eye for forms, relationships and details. This can lead to
neatness and orderliness in external things; but I have also seen very
sloppy people with the connection, who have said to me with a
friendly smirk that what mattered to them was to keep everything nice
and tidy inside their heads. And, indeed, they all seem to be very
systematic, orderly, and even fussy, in their own way.
Work and service come under the 6th house; and, with the ruler
of the 1st in the 6th, we often feel impelled to work, to do things for
the community or, in any event, to make ourselves useful one way or
another. This can find us in subordinate jobs, in the health service, or
possibly in the armed forces. We look at things with a critical eye, and
are inclined to put ourselves and others under the magnifying glass for
a careful examination. Often we are quick to notice the little manner-
isms of others.
We have no wish to assume a very provocative role in society; our
criticisms are applied in a small way, to ourselves and to individual
things, without attacking the functioning whole. In many cases we feel
a need to be conformist; but, note well: it is entirely possible that we
are strongly opposed to current social standards, but meticulously
observe the rules and values of the subculture or group to which we
belong.

Our needs to analyze and systematize, our critical ability, and capacity
for service become instruments in contacts with the outside world. Our
initial reaction to the latter can appear to be rather coldly critical and
analytical; firstly because we have a good eye for detail and regularity,
but sometimes secondly because of a need to scrutinize things and take
them on their merits. On the other hand, we can be exceptionally
helpful, as if helping others gives us some sort of status. Thus the
native with the ruler of the 6lh in the 1st can get into situations where
he or she has no time to attend to personal affairs, as so many other
folk have been promised assistance.
A critical attitude to the environment can cause tensions. Those
around may express irritation, or we ourselves may feel nervy and a lot
less calm than others may suspect, for the ruler of the 6th hides
everything behind an impassive mask.

Our own activities and manifestation are concentrated on the sphere of
life of our opposite number (especially a life partner or close friend) in
our chart. In practice, this comes near to letting the partner lay the law
down on how we behave in the outside world. We attach great impor-
tance to what they think and do. And, even though there is evidence
of so much independence in our horoscope, we cannot help referring
everything to our partner for a direct or indirect decision, and we let
the partner become involved in all our affairs. As a matter of fact, I
have often seen a certain docility toward the partner where this con-
nection exists.
However, partnership involves giving and taking and, in a posi-
tive sense, the connection gives us the ability to reach acceptable
compromises and to create balance in all kinds of relationships. The
disadvantage of this position is the doubt that can arise, on the ques-
tion of whether or not to choose a partner in preference to living alone;
especially when independence is strongly indicated elsewhere in the
chart.
The 7th house also shows what our attitude is to our opposite
number, and with the ruler of the 1st in the 7th we are inclined to let
this person (7) absorb us (1), another indication of how significant he
or she is in our life. And we must remember that this can apply to the
worst of marriages. Nothing is shown about the quality of the union;
all that is revealed is that a union of one sort or another has a decisive
effect and that the partner governs our behavior and directs how we
shall present ourselves to others, as likely as not.

With this house connection, the relationship with our opposite num-
ber is very important; but with this difference that, with the ruler of
the 1st in the 7th the person represented by the 7th house has the last
say, whereas with the ruler of the 7th in the 1st the person represented
by the 1st house does—that is to say, we do. With the ruler of the 7th
in the 1st we need a relationship in which either we play first fiddle
and boss the show, or else have no feeling that our own activities or
manifestation are being hindered by the other person. We prefer to
have a partner who leaves us free while being strongly attached to us,
going along with whatever we want to do or enjoy doing. Yet even
here the partner is very influential regarding our approach to the
outside world (the ruler of 7 is always an "instrument") but his or her
influence is usually transformed by us, because independence is a
craving with this house connection.
The desire to keep the peace, restore balance, make compromises,
and the like, can be expressed in our attitude when we have this house
connection. And so we often appear rather friendly. Certainly, we are
interested in others and have the ability to make contact with them;
however, we put priority on being able to express ourselves freely.

Our activities and manifestation are concentrated on that area of life in
which digging and burrowing, in the widest sense of these words, are
the main modes of operation. Thus, we may delve into ourselves and
others (psychology), into hidden realms of the mind and spirit (para-
psychology), or into the mysteries of matter (for example, in experi-
mental science); we may go deepsea diving, study archeology, or probe
into matters of life and death as in surgery, pathology, undertaking, or
detective work; also we may interest ourselves in occultism. The 8th
house is the house of deep-lying causes, of backgrounds, and of the
whys and wherefores of things.
With the ruler of the 1st in the 8th, we are inclined to look into
the motives underlying our own actions, and even more inclined to
study the motives of others in regard to what they do and do not do,
because our behavior is often a reaction to our environment. Therefore

it is sometimes said that, with this house connection, we keep getting
in deep with ourselves and others. We have a certain reserve; our
findings have to be brooded over or assimilated before we will show
our hand, and this makes us appear rather wary. It is possible that we
would make a fine strategist. However, since the 8th house is also the
house of our repressions and hidden conflicts, our own activities and
manifestation in and our contact with the outside world (1) will con-
tinually face us with this difficult side of ourselves. The result can be
defense mechanisms, caution, sometimes "playing at hide-and-seek,"
and mysteriousness. Generally, although we would not admit it at any
price, we feel unsure in our contacts with the outside world and some-
times we find it hard to decide whether we should do a thing or not.
This uncertainty is part of the reason why we seek to identify people's
motives—we want to secure ourselves against surprise attack. In a
constructive sense, this can contribute to a knowledge of human
nature, but it can also lead to a love of power in order to gain as much
control as possible of everything the outside world could throw at us.
This (generally quite unconscious) need is also found when the
ruler of the 8th is in the 1st; but there is a big difference. With the
ruler of the 1st in the 8th, our own activities and manifestation and all
contacts with the outside world give us the need to reflect and to take
time to look into motives and underlying reasons, while the ruler of
the 8th in the 1st produces a penetrating, investigative attitude right
from the start as a form of personal manifestation. Therefore it is
perfectly possible that, with someone who has the ruler of the 8th in
the 1st, you will quickly get involved in conversation on 8th house
subjects; whereas, with someone who has the ruler of the 1st in the
8th, you may not notice straight away that he or she is also interested
in such things.

All the properties and equipment of the 8th house are now an instru-
ment for helping us form an attitude toward the outside world. Some-
times, indeed, it is asserted that the person with the ruler of the 8th in
the 1st will commit suicide or will become a murder victim; and
sometimes this is also said of the person with the ruler of 1st in the
8th. To be sure, cases in which the natives are murdered or commit
suicide are known with this house connection, but there are numerous
other cases in which no such thing occurs. Therefore we should be very

wary of jumping to conclusions in the matter, while even to hint at
such a possibility to the native is utterly wrong and irresponsible.
Our need to challenge, unravel, and unmask things reveals itself
in our attitude to the outside world. This means that everyone and
everything we meet is put through a series of tests to see what might be
wrong with them, before we bother to look for their good points. This
imparts an air of secretiveness and, in addition, something that may
best be described as a watchful, challenging scrutiny. The latter form
of behavior can be found sexually attractive by others.
Under the 8th house we also find the struggle we have with
ourselves and with factors hidden inside us. Sometimes the struggle
shows, however hard we try to conceal it. Others can tell that some-
thing is going on, even though we do not breathe a word of it. What is
more, with this position, we experience our vulnerability so strongly in
everyday life that we act forcefully quite often in order to disguise our
uncertainty. Frequently we attempt to obtain a position of authority
(sometimes small but often big) within our circle.

Our activities and manifestation are concentrated on the area of life
that relates to our need to expand and to widen our horizons, both
literally and metaphorically; that is to say, either by travel and going
abroad or by study and forming opinions. The 9th house also gives us
a sense of justice, and with the ruler of the 1st in the 9th we often feel
drawn to affairs in which wise and just decisions are taken in the
promotion of a good cause. Idealism and dreams of the future are
prominent features of the 9th house. Sometimes the scales will be
tipped in favor of one of these things; sometimes more are in evi-
dence. One individual will make plans to emigrate, another will
become a champion for some such idea as that of continuous educa-
tion.
We experience a need to place whatever we encounter in a fairly
wide framework; the 9th house is always the house representing the
search for a synthesis. What is more, the desire for freedom is very
The House Connection t Hi
great and we need to lead a life that does not seem to enmesh us in
rules and regulations.
With the ruler of the 1st in the 9th we cannot say that therefore
we shall take up academic study, or therefore we shall be given to
travel and shall live life on the go. That is much too black-and-white.
There are plenty of people with no more than an average education
who have the ruler of the 1st in the 9th. But they may have fairly wide
interests (for example, they may love watching as many TV quiz shows
as possible, even the most scientific ones, and educational programs),
or they may spend more than average on holidays and the like.
What is more, we are strongly inclined to form our own opinions
and to trust our own judgment. And, with the ruler of the 1st in the
9th, we are always liable to speak our mind, either in an irritating or in
a constructive way. Because we are inclined to follow our own opinion
once we have formed it; although, seeing the house is a mutable one,
our concern is not to cling to our opinions and judgments, but to put
them to the test and improve them.

The characteristics of the 9th house are now the instrument of our
approach to the outside world and contribute to our typical behavior
in it. Thus we are always ready to say what we think, and have a view
to express on every topic that arises. Sometimes we are moralizing and
admonitory, and feel called to convince others of the "truth" we have
discovered. Opinionatedness can be one result, although it may have a
positive side. What we mean by this is that standing up for what we
believe to be right is a trait of the ruler of the 9th in the 1st: we arc
prepared to let the world know how it must or should behave.
Often we are fond of sport and of free existence. Contacts may
interest us only when they have something more interesting to say
than the gossip of the day, or when we can unburden our own
thoughts and reflections. The latter should not be underestimated:
with the ruler of the 9th in the 1st, we like to hear ourselves talk, and
quite often we are able to convince ourselves of what we have found
only by trying to convince others of the truth of it. Therefore, with this
house connection, we often make a poor listener. But, if we can put
ourselves in proportion in developing a philosophy of life, we may be
able to adopt a genial and sympathetic approach in which we willingly
lend an ear to others and offer them well-considered advice.
In any case, with this position, we need to be expansive in what

we say. The danger being that we may be too expansive: for example,
by mentioning in an offhand way how many fascinating exotic person-
alities we know, for example a paramount chief we met on safari, or an
Icelandic minister, a leading educationalist, or a religious leader, etc.
With this house connection, we want to lay hold of whatever lies
beyond the limits of our horizon.

Our activities and manifestation are concentrated on our (external)
social manifestation and on our (internal) carving out of an identity.
Quite often, with this position, we have a very great desire for recogni-
tion within the established order, either in the community as a whole
or in some subculture. We are ambitious to obtain a prominent posi-
tion; but a clearcut position that fits our ego-image is also acceptable.
We want to have a certain amount of power, authority and structure,
and we enjoy creating rules and regulations for others which we too
must observe. Provided other factors in the chart do not contradict it,
we generally have a great sense of responsibility and prefer to express it
in our profession and our daily life. Egotism frequently shows itself
with this position, although this need not take a negative form. A
great deal depends, in this connection, on how purposeful and effec-
tive are our behavior and our contacts in the outside world, and on
how far they contribute to a stable, and preferably influential, social
position, or to a position that at least gives us recognition. The soloist,
both in the arts and in professional life or in "high-flying" circles, can
be found with the ruler of the 1st in the 10th.

Our need to regulate, structure, and demarcate (10) plays a significant
part in our primary attitude, which can result in a certain degree of
authoritarianism. There is nothing very mutable about the 10th
house; it is stiff and starchy, and the ruler of the 10th in the 1st can
make us fairly unbending. In a positive sense, this means that we tend
The House Connection / 73.5
to stick to our guns in difficult circumstances; but, in a negative sense,

there is a danger that we shall leave others little room for maneuver
and will accept their good suggestions only when it suits us to do so.
And so, with the ruler of the 10th in the 1st we are very self-
oriented and, on the credit side, can become a selfmade man or
woman; or, on the debit side, can be very hard and forbidding because
we are determined to achieve our goals at all costs. Now, when the
ruler of the 1st is in the 10th, we have a situation in which we wait to
see how our outside contacts measure up to the requirements of our
10th house; but, when the ruler of the 10th is in the 1st, we are
already so rigidly structured that all sorts of contacts are weeded out
right from the start. I have quite often encountered leadership quali-
ties in this house connection, and part (sometimes a large part) of the
native's contacts have consisted of followers or hangers-on.

Our activities and manifestation are focused on the area of life that
involves sharing the company of people with similar views and a simi-
lar disposition to our own. The 11th house shows how we get on with
them, what we expect of them, and how our friendships develop from
this. When the ruler of the 1st is in the 11th we have a great need to be
on the same wavelength as others, so as to exchange ideas with them
and can share all sons of activity with them. We are eager to belong to
their circle and are interested in everything that goes on in it. Of
course, this does not imply that we spend all our time at the club, or
that we are always surrounded by a crowd of friends, A single friend-
ship can satisfy the requirement of this house — the houses represent
qualities not quantities.
The 11th house reveals the extent to which we appreciate the self-
expression of others, however much it conflicts with our own way of
doing things. Frequently, the ruler of the 1st in the 11th shows that we
are very much involved in the ups and downs in the lives of those we
care about, and that we are able to develop side by side with them. A
certain humaneness also belongs to this position.
But the 11th house is not all friendships and parties. It contains
the basic premise of the equality of all human beings, and there is a
readiness to proclaim this truth in the community somewhere along
the line. Often the 11th house reveals the reactions of the public to
our behavior. With the ruler of the 1st in the 9th we interest ourselves
in these reactions and are usually prepared to take notice of them,
because it is very important to us to form relationships with those who
share our outlook.

Here too, great significance is attached to contacts with people on the
same wavelength as ourselves; but, with the ruler of the 11th in the
1st, we are always inclined to impress them with our own significance.
However, our decisions to do or not to do certain things are always
colored by notions of equality, free expression, and friendship. We
raise the banner of equality and fraternity in the world, are friendly in
our approach and behavior, and believe that we are all equally valu-
able.
We are an advocate of equal opportunities yet, because the 1st
house is the endpoint, there is something in our attitude that says,
"But this is better than that. . . ." This can make us decidedly domi-
neering, in spite of our affability. Owing to the informality by which
we greet a minister no differently from how we greet a road sweeper,
we can start to get above ourselves and can even become deliberately
provocative, but seldom with bad intentions. We have a wish to adopt
an approach that will do no more (in our eyes) than test the value of
fixed conventions and, if necessary, break them. We are liable to be
inquisitive about others, their motives, wishes, and desires; in fact we
are interested in people in general.

Our activities and manifestation are concentrated on that area of life
that involves the experience of unity, quietness and isolation, the
collective and the unconscious, but also hidden fears and escapism. In
The House Connection / HI
practice, this means that we are somewhat reserved, even shy, toward
others; very often due to a much greater sensitivity and vulnerability
than they are able to realize. Even we ourselves are unaware of this
sensitivity at the time, but in the first instance feel vaguely uneasy
about stepping into the limelight. Usually we have no problems about
being left in peace and quiet on our own; in fact we regularly seek this
in order to "recharge our batteries." Our vulnerability toward our
environment often results in our being overinfluenced by it; but then
a short period on our own will often correct this effect.
With this house connection, we must beware of being too easily
manipulated, especially by people who try to play on our emotions.
Our sensitivity can find a better outlet in work or hobbies to do with
12th house matters such as intuition, empathy, dreams, hypnosis,
meditation, yoga, religious or welfare work, and so on.
Often we are in search of something incomprehensible or univer-
sal; but, if we find a stopping place, say in some faith (not necessarily
traditional) or creed that attaches importance to transpersonal unity,
then we have the opportunity to lay a solid foundation on which we
can cope with the most difficult circumstances. If we do, we can come
into possession of that inner peace that shines out into the environ-
ment.
Our strongly developed intuition can guide us in the sense of
learning to guess the needs of others, or of adopting the right attitude
in a given situation. Or we can enter into, and put into words, the
unspoken feelings of individuals and groups. We prefer to remain in
the background if we have the ruler of the 1st in the 12th, but our
influence can spread out to the front lines. The danger is that we can
place such a disproportionate gap between ourselves and others that
we demotivate ourselves, and then the more undermining and
anxiety-laden facets of the 12th house begin to show.

With this house connection, intuition, empathy, compassion, vulnera-
bility, and other 12th house qualities, are ingredients of our attitude
toward the outside world. We sense atmospheres and, even as we enter
a room, can feel underlying tensions and the like. Our reactions may
be totally unconscious in this respect. Quite often, we shrink in antici-
pation of trouble to come or feel thrown on the defensive when we
detect these hidden tensions. We do not know the cause of the ten-
sion, but arc so hypersensitive that we can easily jump to the conclu-
sion that those present do not like us or that something else is afoot,
and so we prefer to leave. Sometimes we can feel things physically,
such as another person's headache.
The 12th house dissolves form, and this comes over in out atti-
tude as something indefinable often enough. People have difficulty in
making us out, with the consequence that they react to us in all sorts of
different ways, because each one forms a different picture of what we
are about. This can undermine out self-confidence to some extent,
because if we never know how people arc going to respond to us, we
have nothing to go on. Some folk will find us mysterious and thctcfotc
attractive.
With the tulct of the 12th in the 1st, just as with the previous
house connection, we tend to fit in with what is going on in the
unconscious, in the sense that we feel what attitude we should adopt
in a certain atmosphere. The danger is that we shall talk and act like
"the last book we have read." Our sensitivity makes us suggestible, but
we ourselves can influence others by suggestion. Questions to do with
infinity, unity, religious faith, spiritual life, the needs of humanity
and of the oppressed, belong to this house connection. We occupy
ourselves with such themes in a big or in a small way, and others see
this interest as part of out very nature. The same questions come to the
fore when the tulct of the 1st is in the 12th, but then we prefer to deal
with them on out own, and they hardly enter into out dealings with
the outside world.
The 2nd House
The Ruler of the 2nd in the 2nd

If the ruler of the 2nd house is posited in its own house, we have an
unusually strong urge to acquire security and to have firm ground
under our feet. We have a special talent for creating stability; which is
just as well, because we do need a solid base in life, and to possess
some form of wealth, either spiritual or material. Generally speaking,
we experience comfort and discomfort acutely. In a positive sense, this
can motivate us to learn the skills to earn an income, and we can
motivate others when necessary. But, in a negative sense, we can all
too readily indulge a desire for possessions, luxuries, money, and a life
of ease.
However, on a higher level, we may have a feeling for matter and
materials (which can take us into such occupations as a buyer, broker,
artist, etc.); and we seem to know by instinct when to play safe—for
example, whether or not to sign a contract containing a penalty clause.
As always, if a ruler is posited in its own house, the role played by
that house in our character is strongly emphasized. This means that,
even with a complete absence of indications elsewhere in the chart, we
like to have something to fall back on, cither in the form of tangible
possessions, or in the form of the knowledge or skill required to earn a
living, so that we shall never be left in want.
Obstinacy and stinginess are other characteristics of the ruler of
the 2nd in the 2nd, and reflect our powerful desire for a secure exis-
tence.
The 2nd and 5rd House
The Ruler of the 2nd in the $rd

Our need to create and acquire security is concentrated on the area of
thinking, planning, transferring and connecting, and of contacts and
communication. We seek security in these things, and that is why
people with this house connection often earn their livings—cither
wholly or partly—by using skills belonging to the 3rd house (although
we have to look elsewhere in the chart to discover the actual profes-
sion). The search for security, and for something to go on, by means of
contacts, ideas, analysis, and so on, can make us seem very positive
and self-assured in our approach to others, even though we do not feel
this. With the ruler of the 2nd in the 3rd, we have such a forthright
style of speaking that people think our opinions are unshakeable.
Unfortunately, there is a good chance that we shall become so obsessed
with security that we leave no room for anything really new. Or we
cling to data that are no longer valid, having been rendered obsolete
by the march of progress. The 3rd house shows our attitude to facts;
and, with the ruler of he 2nd in the 3rd, we may be inclined to confine
recognition to those facts that fit in with our idea of stability, and
confirm certain fixed values or, at least, do not contradict them.
Unless the rest of the horoscope denies it, our thinking is concrete
and practical; the concreteness and certainty of the 2nd house are
always the instrument of our thinking and planning.
The Ruler of the ird in the 2nd

In this house connection, too, we find practical thinking and plan-
ning, but the perspective is different. In the previous case, the search
for security was expressed mainly in our thinking and communicating;
but, in the case of the ruler of the 3rd in the 2nd, the reverse is true:
here we use our thinking, analyzing, communicating, and transfer-
ring, to obtain the utmost possible stability, or even material wealth.
Here we find concrete and practical thought in a more pure form than
with the ruler of the 2nd in the 3rd, because in the latter case our
thought-world and our contacts have the last word.
With the ruler of the 3rd in the 2nd, as with the ruler of the 2nd
in the 3rd, we can earn our living with 3rd house matters, which
invariably serve as a means for creating security; and we have the
motivation to gain proficiency in them. People with a very restless
spirit can profit by this position because the 2nd house will keep on
insisting on composure and caution. However, with the ruler of the
3rd in the 2nd, the native can be more obstinate and less flexible in
what he or she has to say than with the ruler of the 2nd in the 3rd; he
or she always seeks solid worth in the processes of thinking and com-
municating, but finds it difficult to abandon anything that matches
the personal pattern of values.
The 2nd and 4th House
The Ruler of the 2nd in the 4th

Creating and winning security is a way of fulfilling our desire for
hearth and home, an emotional basis, and union with the family, the
past and tradition. Our own household, home, or family, or indeed
any place where we feel emotionally secure, are very important to us:
they are each and all means for feeling firm ground under our feet, for
being able to find our own values, and thus for obtaining stability. We
certainly do not need to be fond of our relatives with this house
connection, but this is a definite possibility. The crux of the matter is
that we must have somewhere where we feel safe and at home, either
literally in a house or in our own room, or metaphorically in some
other sphere of life. Whether or not people such as parents or children
are part of this cozy environment is of secondary importance.
Often we need to spend a great deal of money or to use many of
our skills in order to create and maintain a secure place like this.
Because houses 2 and 4 are the pillars of our security (the 2nd is our
existence, and the 4th is emotional life), a house connection between
the two always gives a great desire for a fixed abode or place of work.
People with this house connection attach more than usual importance
to "good form," provided the rest of the horoscope concurs.
The Ruler of the 4th in the 2nd

With this connection, it is our emotional basis, and our home and
family ties and attachment to the past, on which reliance is placed for
obtaining solid security. Often we have a powerful need for physical
closeness to those who are dear to us; the 2nd house is always focused
on sensory perception. Because of the bias of the 2nd house toward
what is material, we can also become emotionally (4) involved in the
acquisition of concrete security, possibly in the form of possessions and
an income (2), although I have met people with this house connection
who liked to occupy themselves with the shaping of matter (artisti-
cally), mainly from emotional impulses —and found a sense of peace
in doing so. In fact, craftsmanship and working creatively with matter
(in anything from sculpture to needlework) are quite often engaged in
for their soothing effect by natives with this position. But with the
ruler of the 2nd in the 4th and with the ruler of the 4th in the 2nd, I
have known cases in which business people had their offices at home
and/or earned an income by selling and buying real estate, or by
working the earth (as farmers, miners, etc.).

Our desire to provide and obtain security is focused on the area of
sport, games, pleasure, creativity and children. A secure subsistence is
a means of gaining a feeling of self-confidence. Very concretely, we
can spend a great deal of money on things that we enjoy, such as
hobbies, sport, and our children.
Because skills and motivations (2) are also instruments of the 3th,
we can invest so much energy in our hobbies that we may even make
money from them. In the area of amusement (3) we can seem so self-
assured that people do not realize that we are diverting ourselves to
build up our confidence. This house connection gives us the desire to
do something, either great or small, to amuse and please ourselves and
others. Not that we want to serve and entertain others for their own
benefit: we intend to have iun—and recognition. And recognition is
something we seek in order to have a sense of security, if the ruler of
the 2nd is in the 3th.
Sometimes, with this house connection, we see parents who look
for a great deal of support and security from their children. Fre-
quently, having children is enough to give a sense of worth and assur-
ance (certainty in caring for the young ones). All sorts of 2nd house
activities can be turned into hobbies by the person with this house
connection—such as finance, collecting (preferably valuable articles),
gem-cutting, and also singing (the 2nd house is the counterpart of
Taurus), etc.

Although the ability to turn hobbies into a source of income was
present in the previous house connection, it is even stronger here.
Hobbies, sport, games, pleasure and creativity (3) are the invariable
instruments for giving shape to our need for security and an income
(2). Because sensory perception (2) is so important to us, we may well
choose hobbies that lead to something visible or tangible (collecting,
model building, etc.). But the need for concrete security can play a
part in other 5th house matters, too. For example, there is a danger
that we will see children as possessions, and may be inclined to make
our own children conform to our own value pattern.
The clement of rashness in the 5th house, speculation and gam-

bling, can sometimes contribute to our income, but I have seen many
horoscopes of people with a 2nd-5th connection who had never won
anything to date. This connection has absolutely nothing to tell us on
the subject of profit and loss. There is a difference that should be
noted at this point: those with the ruler of the 5th in the 2nd are more
likely to take a chance if they are in a good position to win or if they
feel fairly safe in some other respect, whereas those with the ruler of
the 2nd in the 5th usually take greater risks. People in the first group
would probably be playing marbles (2) when people in the second
group were playing cards (5).
Tbe 2nd and 6th House

Our need to create and acquire security is concentrated here on the
area of work and service, of criticism and analysis, and of sickness and
health. With this house connection, we wish for security and stability
at work, and can toil away long and hard (the obstinate 2nd house as
an instrument for the 6th). Often, people with the ruler of the 2nd in
the 6th and people with the ruler of the 6th in the 2nd, are prepared
to roll up their sleeves whatever the circumstances; work, service, and
security arc closely interwoven. This is a fine house connection to have
in times of high unemployment, because our urge to work can help us
to find a position exceptionally quickly. With the ruler of the 2nd in
the 6th, we are prepared to invest all our skills and (financial)
resources (2) in our work and working environment, also in things to
do with health. The latter can vary from the outlay of (much) money
on patent medicines and health products to the acquisition of knowl-
edge regarding health and disease and having a healthy life style. We
may even find work in the medical field. Also, serving others in our
work, whether or not in the medical profession, is another common
outlet (both here and with the ruler of the 6th in the 2nd).
The 6th house does not specify what we shall do or how we shall
serve others; all the same, the ruler of the 2nd in the 6th does show the
desire to be of service. The armed forces, restaurants, politics, etc., are

possible spheres of activity. Now, with the ruler of the 2nd in the 6th,
we express a need for security and for finding our own values in the
work we do; this puts its special stamp on our service. Nevertheless,
the critical outlook of the 6th house has the final say in our values and
our certainties. And we like to play safe in matters of sickness and
health.

This is another house connection in which the themes of work and
security are blended. But here the 6th house—representing our mode
of working, our attitude toward sickness and health, and our powers of
analysis—shapes the way in which we express our need for security.
Perhaps we wish to work, or actually do work, in the field of services,
relief work, medical work, and the like. Although it has been said
that, with this house connection, we demand concrete payment (2) for
all services rendered (6), which may well be true, we are not purely
materialistic. Often, with this connection, we have a good sense of
material values and know how to make capital out of our work, and
how to earn a good income. And yet idealistic, unpaid work is also a
possibility when doing good gives us a feeling of earning an estab-
lished place in the community. Thus someone once told me that he
was glad he learned so much from what he did; it motivated him to
undertake even more. And, after all, the 2nd house is involved in non-
material things, such as skills and motivations.
Sometimes we find a practical, useful, objective approach with
connections between the 2nd and the 6th house, if the rest of the
horoscope does not contradict it. With the ruler of the 6th in the 2nd,
whatever is matter-of-fact serves our own value-pattern, and with the
ruler of the 2nd in the 6th it can also serve the general good; however,
we have to remember that the 2nd house always acts as- a pivot for our
self-interest and personal security. This shows up more clearly in the
ruler of the 6th in the 2nd than in the ruler of the 2nd in the 6th, yet
in the latter we often see that we judge our own interest by the general
good; so that, even though the manner is rather indirect, we are still
looking after ourselves.

Here our need to create and acquire security is concentrated on the
area of life represented by the life-partner and companion. A partner
is indispensable to our concrete well-being; we are inclined to follow
our opposite number's lead in many things in order to feel that we
have solid ground under our feet. Also we make a point of offering the
other person security in the relationship (in some cases we are prepared
to earn their living for him or her) in exchange for the reassurance of
having them with us. Through our involvement with our life-partner,
or through firm contact with a companion —and sometimes even
through our social functioning in general —we can be confronted in
such a way by our personal values and need for security that we can get
into perspective what it is that makes us dependent on something or
someone else, namely our uncertainty and search for certainty. As we
learn to cope with this discovery, we can develop greater self-reliance.
Thus with the ruler of the 2nd in the 7th we sometimes see a certain
amount of docility to begin with, because the partner must offer us
security; but, as time goes on, we are able to offer him or her security
and support, and so there is a greater opportunity for comradeship.
Sometimes I have observed the desire to set up in business with a
partner, or to work alongside one. But there is invariably a need to
find security in serving the other, and this plays an important part in
our certainties, motivation, and satisfaction.

With this house connection, our personal security and our partner are
very much tied in with one another, and we often find that the partner
is expected to give us security, but not in the same way as in the
previous connection. There we ourselves offered our means (2) to the
partner, here the partner (7) is the instrument for providing our means
(2). And so, sometimes, the partner literally contributes to our well-
being. This can lead to a marriage with a well-to-do partner, but there
are many other possibilities. So the partner can form an important link
in our motivation or in the expression of our feelings of satisfaction
and dissatisfaction. Or we may seek a partner who shares our (fixed)
values and has a similar need for security to our own; and, if not, we
arc inclined to try and force these values on our opposite number.
However, this can bring us into conflict with ourselves, because we do
need our partner or companion to give shape to our desire for
stability—the ruler of the 7th being an instrument for the 2nd house.
In a positive sense, we also find cooperation in working for a motivat-
ing, common ideal (whether or not this ideal is spiritual or material
makes no difference).

Our need to create and acquire security is focused here on the area of
life that contains the greatest amount of insecurity. It is the area where
we struggle with ourselves, where we look for intensity and depth and
come face to face with the causes and consequences of our repressions,
fears, and so on. Thus, with this house connection, we go looking for
security (the need for security expresses itself here in 8) in a terrain that
gives us the necessary confrontations. The 8th house is also the house
of power. If we have enough power, we can guide what happens to us
to some extent and avoid confrontations. The effects of this house
combination can vary considerably. We can try to satisfy our need for
security by handling "big money" (as a banker, insurer, etc.) or by
occupying or making a bid for some position of power (in politics say).
But we can become an authority in any number of different areas.
The 8th house also contains great intensity, in addition to our
hidden talents. With the ruler of the 2nd in the 8th, we can find
security in intense self-involvement. One example is an interest in
psychology, another artistry. What matters to us is to challenge our-
selves and life with controlled intensity; this makes us feel more
assured. We arc like the entertainer who is never sure of a good
reception, but saves the day by "giving it everything he or she has got"
and sweeping the audience along.
Even on a small scale, the ruler of the 2nd in the 8 th is confronta-
tional: every so often security is sought in a terrain that is insecure.
Thus, paradoxically, we can gain some hold on life by concerning
ourselves with the problem of death. As regards sexuality, which also
comes under the 8th house, we note the following. Security can be
sought in provocative behavior, but this is true of the ruler of the 2nd
in the 3th, too. The difference between the 5th and the 8th is that 5
contains the element of pleasure and risk-taking, but in 8 we challenge
the other person to see how far we can go, and in this way challenge
life itself—no fun-and-games are involved here. Now because the
main theme of the 8th is the struggle between the life-urge and the
death-wish, and sexuality only mimics this, sexual provocation is not a
characteristic of everybody who has the ruler of the 2nd in the 8th.

Everything to do with the 8th house can be used to obtain security and
may be an income as well. The 8th house digs below the surface, and
therefore archeology, deepsea diving, the occult, surgery, (para)psy-
chology, experimental science, investigative work in research and in
the secret service, and similar activities, are useful to us in the forma-
tion of our pattern of values (the 8th house is the instrument here) and
also in the confirmation of our values (by providing us with an income
for example). Big financial interests can enter into the picture, too.
We can obtain a feeling of security by uncovering the things that
make us insecure (as is typical of the 8th house). The search for what is
hidden can motivate us strongly. When it comes to handling material
things we can be very intense. Thus, as a banker, we would keep an
eagle eye on customers' accounts, and, as an artist, we would have an
enormous amount of emotional involvement in and would put a lot of
energy into our creative work, to preserve our peace of mind and to
strike a balance between our conflicting feelings.
With either connection between the 2nd and the 8th, we find
problems (8) being solved by handling and shaping matter (2). With
the ruler of the 2nd in the 8th, manipulating matter is a means of
identifying our problems (for example, by occupying ourselves with
creative work we can sense where our problems lie, even though we
may not be able to put the discovery into words); whereas, with the
ruler of the 8th in the 2nd, we use creative work on matter in order to
rid ourselves of problems we already see and know, or we convert our
problems into a creative pursuit because it eases the tension for us and
gives us fresh motivation to do something new. Sometimes, too, the
representation of our problems (in a concrete or symbolic manner) is a
healing process with the ruler of the 8th in the 2nd, a process that
helps us to recover our equilibrium.
The 8th house is liable to work compulsively, by way of overcom-

pcnsation for example. Therefore, the ruler of the 8th in the 2nd can
mean that owing to an insecurity felt all the more intensely because
the ruler of this confrontational and insecure house is posited in a
house that seeks security, we can seek material security by becoming a
compulsive hoarder. In a positive sense, however, we can find peace by
integrating in our life the restlessness, the confrontation, and the
struggle with ourselves.

Here our need to create and to obtain security is concentrated on the
sphere of travel both physically (abroad) and mentally (in philosophy,
study, religion, and so on). Although we may actually spend a great
deal of money (2) on the things mentioned, the main effect of this
house connection is to give us clear-cut opinions and ideas. Our need
for security and our attachment to certain values (2) are the instrument
here of the house of journeys, persuasions, and judgments (9). There-
fore fixity and fixed values find expression in our ideals, our concep-
tions, and our sense of justice, and in all the convictions we try to
convey to others. Therefore the danger that we will find hobby-horses
to ride is not imaginary; but steadfastness in opinions and beliefs has a
positive side. Once we have taken up some study, we can pursue it
with marvelous perseverance. Generally speaking, the things we want
to know, and to tell others, are very down-to-earth and practical.
However, the effect of the 2nd house is not always materialistic. If
we are taken up with the practical needs of the world, the desire for
security given to us by the ruler of the 2nd in the 9th can also express
itself as the wish to raise the subsistence level of others in the world,
and therefore to make it a more stable place in which to live. But it
must be said that the things on which we form a judgment or opinion
are based on preconceived values and certainties. Often we find that
our means of subsistence (2) and working in travel, education and
philosophy, or in some other 9th house matters, somehow go together.
With the ruler of the 2nd in the 9th, the emphasis is placed on
bringing our security and stability elsewhere in our world or on
imparting it to the realm of the mind; whereas with the ruler of 9th in
the 2nd, it is 9th house activities themselves that give us a sense of
security, and they are especially useful in reinforcing our own system of
values.

As we have already seen, the 9th house is focused here on our own
security and material safety. This can mean that we use our ability to
convey our knowledge, ideals, and opinions to earn a regular income.
However, what is more important is the attempt to employ our stud-
ies, religion, or a sense of justice to identify those things that will give
us a sure footing in life, either literally or metaphorically. From the
same background, 9th-house matters can strongly motivate us to learn
new (often diverse) skills, and the fresh insights and ideas we gain can
open up further paths to us.
Here, too, there is a danger that we may cling to a specific
conviction with blind stubbornness (2) because of the security it offers,
or may fanatically stand in the breach if we are naturally very insecure.
But if our character is fairly stable, there may be a desire to pass on our
new-found certainties to others in a manner that, far from being
fanatical, is practical and level-headed.

Our need to create and acquire security is concentrated here on that
area of life that, externally, has to do with the struggle for a certain
social position and, internally, has to do with the forming of an iden-
tity based (unconsciously) on what we think we are able to do and to
be. With this connection we desire a stable social position. We are
more than likely to plan our career, and to look for a recognized
position of authority in the outside world. In any event, we put on a
show of being strong and self-assured.
r
For preference, we express our fixed values (2) in the community
and in our work, and, given the chance, we are inclined to turn these
values into rules and regulations that ate binding on ourselves and
others. Having a solid position, both in the inner and in the outer
world, is so important with this house connection that we ate prepared
to create it ourselves.
At the same time, when it comes to carving out an identity for
ourselves (10), we have a great need for a cleat-cut picture of ourselves;
which is why we have an even greater need for an equally cleat-cut
picture of the outside world. Otherwise, we tun the risk of failing to fit
in with the outside world.
We ate often strongly motivated to work for—and to apply—out
skills to all those things that we think belong to us or can help us
socially, as well as those things that will give us a definite value in
other people's eyes or will give us an authoritative role—because, with
this house connection, we frequently possess managerial qualities,
although these need not be exercised in a prominent place. Also we
ate prepared to spend a great deal of money on anything that will
further out career or improve out status.

With this house connection, out social position serves out security
mainly. And so we have a great need for a stable career. For out part,
we can restore stability to the work from which we earn an income.
Stability and security ate the goals behind many of out efforts. The
forming of an identity for ourselves (10) always turns on the question
of security (2). On the one hand, we tun the risk of clinging to all sorts
of security purely because, if our security is lost or modified, we feel as
if we have lost a piece of ourselves. But, on the other hand, we have
the need to form a self-image that is practical, sober, and realistic, a
self-image with which we can do something; so that, as we become
more self-satisfied and better able to accept ourselves (10), we are
motivated in other areas of our lives—after all, with a properly func-
tioning self-image, the ruler of the 10th in the 2nd gives us an incen-
tive for activities of every kind (the 2nd house also contains our feel-
ings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction).

Our need to create and acquire security is concentrated here on friends
and on those with similar ideas and tastes to out own. With this house
connection, we ate liable to let our sense of values and our notion of
stability and security depend on the understanding and esteem
accorded to us by this circle. In the 11th house lies our need to
encounter others as out equals ot comrades—not as superiors ot inferi-
ors. Yet, with the ruler of the 2nd in the 11th, we can look up to
others, because we need them so desperately in order to feel safe and
to have a sense of stability. Many of out values, opinions, and motiva-
tions can turn out to be borrowed from ot, at least, approved by, out
friends and colleagues
Although it is said of this house connection that we spend out
money freely on friends and clubs and the like, this is certainly not the
rule but simply one possibility. We can use out powers of persuasion
and out. skills in a wider circle in order to find the security we seek
through providing this circle itself with security in a certain way.
There is a great desire for firm friendships; and I have quite often
seen, both with the ruler of the 2nd in the 11th and with the ruler of
11th in the 2nd, that an income is earned in a joint venture with
friends—we may go into business with them, and so on. But it is
equally possible that, with either connection, we do work in which we
can give shape to our values and ideas within a greater whole, helped
by or for the benefit of people of a like mind. Work in politics or in
some communal organization is therefore a distinct possibility.

There are more possibilities with this house connection than have
already been named. The core of the situation is our need to let friends
and like-minded people share our values. Here, too, we seek security
in our circle of intimates, but in a different way from the above. Here
we are more likely to have preconceived opinions and to find friends
for ourselves among those who share these opinions, while with the
ruler of the 2nd in the 11th we are more inclined to make friends first
and then to arrive at a (sometimes new or modified) pattern of values.
With the ruler of the I Ith in the 2nd we are therefore not so depen-
dent on others for the satisfaction of our need for security. Friends and
people on the same wavelength as ourselves can give us a big incentive
to do or to learn certain things. They stimulate our feelings of satisfac-
tion and dissatisfaction (2) quite powerfully and, by their presence,
stir us into activity, provided what we do leads to a sense of security, or
to visible results (2).

We attempt to create and find security in an area of life that is imma-
terial and in many respects even incomprehensible. To all appearances
this is a difficult point: a connection between one of the most material
houses and the least material house in the horoscope. However, it need
not cause any serious problems. In our search for security, things that
others may find hard to understand—such as yoga, meditation, hyp-
nosis, religion, dreams, creative visualization and so on—can give us a
sense of safety and stability and, in fact, we can obtain palpable
benefits from them.
However, the 12th house is also concerned with less mysterious
things, such as self-sacrificing service (voluntary work in the third
world, for example) or work in hospitals, prisons, institutions, etc.
And, with the ruler of the 2nd in the 12th we can channel very many
of our skills and motivations into these activities. In several instances I
have observed that, although not working in any of the above spheres,
the native did help out in them from time to time because it made
him or her feel good. In other instances, the native has had a sympa-
thetic and unselfish attitude regarding work, due perhaps to religious
sensibilities or to a social conscience.
The 12th house has something extra-special about it. In this
house lies our ability to intuit and enter into what is going on in the
stream of time as it flows between past and future. People in whom
the 12th house plays an important part often have presentiments. I
have frequently found the ruler of the 2nd in the 12th (and the ruler
of the 12th in the 2nd) in people who, without being able to say why,
did practical things or transacted a piece of business with what later
turned out to be perfect timing; all at once, the time was ripe in the
community to do something, and they just did it.
With the ruler of the 2nd in the 12th, we can give (much) money
to charitable institutions on behalf of good causes, relief work, or the
religious needs of humanity; and we seek personal security (2) in the
sense of unity with all mankind (12). In some cases, this search for
unity can lead to the misuse of alcohol or drugs, or to religious fanati-
cism. But, in a positive sense, the person with the ruler of the 2nd in
the 12th can take an interest in the plight of the underprivileged and
can devote his or her means and abilities to helping many of them.

With this house connection, 12th house matters are the instrument
that can serve to obtain security, but not as in the previous house
connection. Here our need to experience unity and to explore the
unseen world is subordinate to values, security, and practical require-
ments. Here, too, we can be gainfully employed in or with things of
the 12th house, but the idealistic need to experience unity within
ourselves and with others that was so prominent in the previous con-
nection, is directed to more practical ends. "Cosmic consciousness and
all that sort of thing is fine," says the ruler of the 12 th in the 2nd, "but
it must lead to something." However, it is not so easy to shrug things
off like this, because on the negative side all sorts of elusive and
invisible factors (frustrations, fears, unrecognized collective needs con-
flicting with personal security) can attack our safety and our material
situation. And so one can encounter surprising extremes: uncertain
chaos as against a clearly defined motivation in which intuition plays a
valued role.
In a negative sense, I have met people with this connection (and
also with the ruler of the 2nd in the 12th) who have irresponsibly
drawn money on the dole, or did little to help themselves, because the
state "has heaps of cash." But, more positively, I have seen the yoga
instructor, the dream analyst, and others mentioned in the previous
house connection; although, it must always be remembered that per-
sonal security and motivation are the ends for which service to others is
only the means.
Often, with this connection, there is a great deal of creativity. In
fact, the 12th house seems linked to emotional expression in art and
music. Anyway this sort of thing (where the tender feelings of the
public are stirred) can lead to a sense of security, or even produce an

income. There is no need to associate the 12th house with fraud and
imprisonment: the number of cases where these occur is very small!
The 3rd House
The Ruler of the ird in the ird

Our need to examine and classify as many as possible of the facts that
we encounter on our path through life, and our thinking and arrang-
ing, are concentrated here on their own terrain, besides being the
instrument it uses to express itself. This can produce considerable
acumen in thinking and analyzing, quick-wittedness in conversations
and debates; but, undoubtedly, we do "think for thinking's sake, and
speak for the sake of speaking." Because this house is concerned
mainly with the way in which we deal with individual facts without co-
ordinating or synthesizing them, we ate able to master an enormous
quantity of impressions and data, but at the risk of not being able to
sec the forest for the trees and of losing the train of thought. Therefore
although, with the ruler of the 3td in the 3td, we ate usually a mine of
information, we do have problems seeing what lies behind all the facts
and figures we have accumulated.
This house connection is very helpful in professions demanding
flexibility in speech, writing, and gesture, and the mental gift for
absorbing new details quickly. Such professions ate those of journalist
(where a great number of facts have to be taken in at top speed),
educator (where we must always be prepared to answer unexpected
questions from students and to cope with unscheduled interruptions),
and representative (where we need to see the implications of every
word the client says and must never be caught napping).
With this house connection we ate liable to have a restless,
inquiring mind, so thafwe need to read a lot, to write and/or talk, to
transmit facts or goods, to make short contacts, and so on. As a result,
we can be very well-read, can discuss any subject, have plenty of
business acumen, and are always open to new impressions and indeed
welcome them. Unfortunately there is a danger that we shall remain
superficial and be quickly distracted, so that we fail to complete any-
thing and ate prepared to abandon yesterday's sure thing for the sake
of today's top attraction. We can miss making solid contacts because

we flit around chattering. Exchanging information comes so easily to
us that we are inclined to use it as a mask. Nevertheless, with this
connection, we are able to lift people from a deadlock with our unas-
suming cheerfulness and easy flow of conversation, and to save many
an awkward situation with a humorous remark.
The 3rd and 4th House
The Ruler of the 3rd in the 4th

Our thinking and planning, and our need to examine and classify all
the facts and things we encounter, are concentrated here on the area to
do with home and hearth, our emotional basis, and our tics with
family, the past and tradition. Facts, information, and brief contacts
(3) play an imponant pan in our emotional life or, more specifically,
in family life, so that, for example, a free open exchange of opinions
and a flexible contact with other members of the family are very
imponant for our emotional comfon and to make us feel "at home,"
both literally and metaphorically.
With the 3rd house as the instrument of the 4th, or as a source of
emotional security, we can become involved in all sons of 3rd house
activities. For instance, I have often seen the building of a small library
in the home, or a collection of magazines or newspapers, a passion for
using the domestic telephone, or various people being brought home
for a cozy chat. Brief contacts with people of every kind, taking cogni-
zance of the most diverse facts and information, and things that occur
to us when we marshal our thoughts (all 3rd house matters) exen a big
influence on our ideas of emotional tics, the past, tradition, and so
on. The 3rd house also has to do with trade and transpon. So a link
between the 3rd and the 4th house (the ruler of the 4th in the 3rd in
this instance) can give the desire to deal commercially in things involv-
ing the home, whether they be houses themselves or the contents and
interiors of houses. Sometimes, too, we like writing at home (3) in
order to feel emotionally at ease (4). The nature of the writing is not
particularly significant, and could be a novel, a poem, a newspaper
repon, a letter, or a diary.
The Ruler of the 4th in the 5rd

Here our need for emotional security, and our capability for giving
warmth and care, are a means of determining our attitude towards
facts. In actuality, our subjective feelings play a big part in the way in
which we arrange and approach facts, even though we imagine that
our thinking is very objective. In a positive sense, we can use our
feelings to ascertain or appreciate certain facts, but we can use the
same feelings to ignore valuable facts that do not suit our book.
In itself, the 3rd house is very neutral and objective; but, with a
4th house connection, it loses something of its neutrality. With the
ruler of the 4th in the 3rd, thinking and analyzing, talking, and
writing are not determined by our emotional well-being and the need
for emotional security alone. Generally speaking, the environment
most closely involved in our emotional health, namely the family in
which we grew up and the family we ourselves have started, has a
strong influence on our attitude toward the mental and contactual
activities of the 3rd house.
However, there are so many other possibilities, such as an interest
in, or writing about, things such as the manners and customs of one's
country, folklore, genealogy, family psychology, history, and every-
thing else to do with the country, the native soil, and one's roots.
Perhaps there is a gift for the imaginative representation on paper of
an emotional atmosphere in the form of folk tales and fairy stories, or
an interest in sayings and proverbs. In short, the varied 3rd house is
protean in its possibilities. But with the ruler of the 4th in the 3rd, it is
our feelings and our need for emotional security, and our capacity to
be loving and caring, that form the basis. Facts themselves (3) remain
the endpoint
The Ruler of the ird in the 3 th

Our thinking and planning, and our need to examine and arrange all
the facts and things that present themselves to us, are concentrated on
the area of gambling and pleasure, creativity and children, and on all
the things that give us a sense of self-confidence and authority. We are
preoccupied with recreations such as hobbies and sport, with what
brings enjoyment (from family outings to interests demanding a lot of

hard work), or with things that gratify us because we can put some-
thing of ourselves into them (as an entertainer, for example), or we can
use them to prove our worth (perhaps as the member of some board of
governors or directors).
Writing, drawing, calligraphy, linguistics, trade, transport, quiz-
zes and intelligence tests, and many other 3rd house concerns can
become favorite occupations. Also we may approach various 5th house
matters, such as looking after children and playing sports and games,
in a 3rd house manner; in other words, we may think about them,
enjoy reading, writing, or talking about them, and so on. Often, with
the ruler of the 3rd in the 3th, we desire to discover as much as
possible about subjects that fascinate us and, in this way, to increase
our self-confidence. What is more, we like the contacts and give-and-
take (3) that give us reassurance. Sometimes, too, we prefer to trace
ideas in broad outline rather than to pore over their details, and are
more concerned with organization than with practical performance.

With this house connection, the need of self-confidence and author-
ity, and of entertainments, games and hobbies, is an instrument both
of thought and speech. We desire to impart an air of authority to our
words and to make our presence felt in brief contacts, and frequently
do so with case. The 5th house always seeks the agreeable and roman-
tic side of life, and this is an attitude we can express in words and
gestures. That is why we meet the ruler of the 3th in the 3rd in
individuals who can sweet-talk others so charmingly that the latter are
unaware that the conversation is being manipulated. Taking a lead in
3rd house activities can be another outlet.
The need for playfulness in our thinking and speaking often puts
us in a good position to understand the fun-thinking of children, and
therefore this house connection is helpful for teachers of toddlers and
younger children (the same is true of the ruler of the 3rd in the 3th).
The 3rd house is inevitably concerned in the transmission of knowl-
edge and information, and teaching material can be presented in an
entertaining and spontaneous way.
With the ruler of the 5th in the 3rd, favorite activities can some-
times influence or alter our thinking, either directly or indirectly. For
example, by training hard for a certain sport, we can discover certain
links between mind and body that give us a completely different

outlook on all sorts of things. But contacts with children (5) or giving
full rein to the playful element in ourselves, can switch our thoughts to
another track and give us a fresh approach to facts and information.
The Srd and 6th House

Our thinking, planning, and a need to examine and classify all the
facts and figures we encounter are focused on the area of life where we
find our work and service. Therefore our thinking is mostly very practi-
cal and down-to-earth; we feel compelled to do something with infor-
mation, contacts, and the like, and not seldom we possess a remark-
ably keen eye for details, and are good at filling in work schedules. In
our work we can use all sorts of activity belonging to the 3rd house.
Often, part of our work consists of the collecting and arranging of facts
(library or journalistic work, etc.), or the transmission of facts and
information (teaching, commerce, etc.), or marshalling facts and fig-
ures into a scheme (bookkeeping, programming, etc.).
However, the 3rd house possesses a certain restlessness and curios-
ity that can influence our behavior at work. We have a great desire for
change and a constant flow of new impressions in our sphere of work,
which can turn us into a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none, but can
also give us a very flexible attitude to work and a liking for going on
many small business trips.
There is often considerable mental interest in health matters, and
a fondness for reading and talking about a proper diet and sensible
living. But I have not always seen this knowledge put into practice.
The 6th house also shows our attitude toward objective reality. The
ruler of the 3rd in the 6th is found regularly in the charts of those who
like to fit in and do what is generally accepted (although there must be
nothing in the rest of the chart that contradicts this). With the ruler of
the 3rd in the 6th, thinking is governed by objective reality, and the
native's code of conduct is usually that one should do one's duty in a
sensible and practical manner whatever it may be.

Here the desire to apply our analysis of our situation in concrete and
useful ways and our need to work and to be of service, are focused
(internally) on our thought processes and (externally) on brief con-
tacts. In other words, practical usefulness and attention to detail are
the instruments of our thought, so that this house connection offers all
kinds of opportunities for purposeful, systematic, and pragmatic
thinking. We need suitable facts that we use in a practical way, which
is different from the need to do something practical with facts that
come to hand. There is a subtle distinction here. In the latter case, any
facts whatever can be put to good, concrete use; but, with the ruler of
the 6th in the 3rd, there is a prior choice of facts; above all, we seek
practical and useful information.
Our desire to work and to be of service also expresses itself in the
sphere of the 3rd house, so that we find all sons of 3rd house matters
turned into work. With the ruler of the 6th in the 3rd, our thinking
(3) is often critical (6), and there is a danger of niggling and faultfind-
ing, we need to make sure we are not going about rapping people's
knuckles. With this house connection, work, service (6) and contacts
(3) are fused, which can signify all sorts of things, such as brief contacts
in which we make ourselves useful (the 6th is the instrument of the 3rd
here) or which have to do with our work. In casual conversation (3) we
can exchange ideas on all kinds of 6th house subjects, for instance on
health matters, but also on work in the broadest sense, on the econ-
omy, or on how we ourselves make both ends meet, etc.

Our thinking and planning and a need to examine and arrange all the
facts and figures we encounter, are concentrated here on the partner
and on teamwork. Our partner or a close friend are therefore very
decisive for the way in which we view the world; every form of
exchange with them is very important. And so the partner has to be
someone to whom we can talk. We need a partner who has a lively
mind, whose interest is quickly aroused in all sorts of things; someone
who continues to intrigue us even when satisfying our curiosity. Vari-
160 ! Karen Hamaker-'Zondag
ety (the 3rd house is a restless house!) is also very necessary in the
relationship. Not that we want many relationships, simply a partner
who can keep us fascinated, especially on the mental plane (3).
Because the 3rd house (thinking) is subordinate to the 7th (the
partner or companion), there is a danger of being too readily influ-
enced by those who are close to us, and of trying to ape what they
think and say. The other side of the coin is that we are prepared to
listen to the thoughts and opinions of others without shutting our
minds to them.
A link between two houses involved in contacts and communica-
tion usually gives a great need for give-and-take, both with specific
persons and in general. If the rest of the horoscope is not too much at
variance with it, we can, with such a house connection, have a good
command of words and a knack of keeping in touch with people. For
instance, in company, we know how to keep the party going by telling
a joke or by giving an amusing turn to the conversation (we find this
with the ruler of the 7th in the 3rd, too). In conversations and in other
mental activities, we are concerned with creating a balance, with open-
ing up stiff and formal talks, with preserving harmony, with maintain-
ing contacts and a friendly atmosphere by diplomatic behavior and
tactful speech.
The Ruler of the 1th in the $rd

We find diplomatic speech and behavior with this house connection,
too. Our need for harmony, balance, and a flexible and humane
contact with the other person (the life partner, companion, or even the
opposite number in general), is invariably an instrument of our
thought and speech. As already said, friendly conversation, placidity,
diplomacy and the like, are found here, too. Also there is a need for
mental exchange with the partner; but, here, we are the ones who
more often decide the topics discussed. Nevertheless, the partner's
opinion is certainly valued, and he or she can always stimulate our
contactual and mental activities.
In matters such as trade, traffic, the conveyance of facts and
goods (3), we often see a concrete involvement with the partner, who
helps us earn our living by them; the partner is then an actual assis-
tant, or helps to supply facts and information, or gives advice. The
partner's opinion and involvement is very important to us.
Sometimes the effect of this house connection is more abstract;

and then the 7th house no longer represents the other person or our
attitude toward this person, but rather a need for beauty, harmony,
and balance. The potential of this connection includes cultured
speech, fine writing, and the ability to improve the way in which one's
thoughts are expressed in order to make them more flexible and pleas-
ant to the ear, and so on.

Our thinking and planning—and the need to examine all the facts
and everything we encounter—are concentrated here on the area of
life involving confrontation with ourself, profound searching in gen-
eral, and the desire to challenge life. Our thoughts are occupied with
what lies ^e^/Wphenomena, and with seeking the essence of things.
However, by doing this, we confront ourselves with our repressions,
complexes, and neurotic tendencies, which also lie in the 8th. The
consequences can vary considerably: a fear of death we are unable to
banish from our minds, fear of exposing our inmost thoughts when
talking to others, persistent looking for hidden drives in ourselves and
others—which, in the course of our lives, can give us a good knowl-
edge of the human hean — and so on. Much depends on the approach
to the solution of problems, but one thing is certain: with the ruler of
the 3rd in the 8th, contacts, conversations, mental activity, reading
and writing, are all instruments in carrying out the search for a solu-
tion. Quite often, while reading something, it does not have to be
anything special, we can get a flash of memory or inspiration and
exclaim, "This describes me and my problems exactly!" or something
of the sort. Such confrontations can help us see the reason for our
predicament and can assist us to resolve it.
Another keyword of the 8th house is intensity. We seek intensity
through our thinking, and use facts to give shape to this intensity.
However, this house also has to do with power, usually needed to mask
our insecurity, and less often displayed as an expression of personal
162 I Karen HamakerZondag
equilibrium by which we automatically radiate power and authority.

On this account, our thoughts (3) can turn on themes to do with
power; but sometimes the emphasis is on trading (3) in those things
where important interests (8) are at stake, such as in the world of high
finance (banks, insurance brokers, etc.).
Sometimes our way of talking and communicating is cynical or
provocative, often because of our need to see how far we can go and
whether we can draw the other person out.

Our search for intensity and profundity, but also our confrontation
with ourself, are the instruments here of the 3rd house, that is to say of
our thinking, our contacts, and so on. Consequently, we are quite
likely to look for facts and contacts that have more to offer than trivia
and tittle-tattle, This connection brings composure to the restless and
rambling 3rd house. We pursue a line of thought more persistently
and consider matters in greater depth. However, our need for conver-
sations that have some substance can cause problems. In itself the 3rd
house gives easy-going, informal contacts; but, with the ruler of the
8th in the 3rd, we have little taste for such contacts, as they do not
have much to offer us. This can produce taciturnity (seeing everything
and saying next to nothing); it can also produce the use of our influ-
ence (power is a feature of the 8th) to steer conversations, possibly in a
manner that is too forceful and manipulative.
The 8th house also has to do with problem-solving, and has an
inbuilt mechanism for repressing whatever we cannot or will not solve.
Often the act of repression gives us a desperate desire to hide our
insecurity by showing ourselves to be well-informed. We may insulate
ourselves by blocking genuine contacts and by insisting on imposing
our own style on conversations.
Where we have more balance, we can, with the ruler of the 8th in
the 3rd, encourage ourselves and others to look at the things men-
tioned in greater depth from fresh standpoints. We can carry out
research into traffic and transport problems, or deficiencies in trade or
education, etc. We use our abilities to tackle problems with thorough
intensity in the terrain of the 3rd house so as to introduce or carry out
improvements.

Our thinking and planning and our need to examine and arrange all
the facts and figures we encounter, are directed toward the widening
of our horizon, the synthesis of facts, the framing of a philosophy of
life and the formation of our own opinion. All that we see, hear or
read, contributes, in this house connection, to our personal vision, and
we try to fit it into our existing view of life and society. If the new facts
do not fit, with this connection, we are usually prepared to accommo-
date them by modifying our views.
We have a great need to discuss things that transcend everyday
cares: things such as religion, philosophy, distant lands, freedom,
study, and so on. What is more, the 9th house also represents the
propogation of knowledge and truth. With a connection between the
3rd and 9th houses, we are particularly keen to write on certain sub-
jects, or to deliver lectures, or something to the same effect; and, in
doing so, we hate to leave any fact unused. Knowledge and informa-
tion are instrumental in the formation of our judgment and we use
them as a vehicle for our opinions. This can have various results. It can
bestow a pseudo-objectivity: we let the facts "speak for themselves,"
but forget that (because what we are doing is finally in the interests of
the 9th house) we may well be employing these facts as a mouthpiece
for our opinion, so that they are "colored." But with this connection
there can also be a need to share some vision, symbolic picture, or
ideal when writing, speaking or lecturing and the like. This could
apply to political pamphlets, or to fairy tales containing a moral. For
the message of the 9th house demands a hearing. This house connec-
tion often gives good powers of expression, but with a danger of
tactlessness (9th house).

With this connection we already have a preconceived opinion, vision,
or philosophy of life (9) to use as an instrument of our contacts,
thoughts, conversation, and research. This colors the facts for which
we are looking; we keep a sharp lookout for things which will help us
widen our horizon. From a somewhat different background from that
of the ruler of the 3rd in the 9th, the native's opinions can be biased
with the ruler of the 9th in the 3rd. Incidentally, this has nothing to
do with dishonesty: generally speaking, it is just the result of a strong
attachment to a certain idea or ideal that we have wholeheartedly
espoused and therefore plays an important part in out informal con-
tacts (3). We must take care not to adopt a lecturing style of speaking
or set ourselves up as guardians of our neighbors' morals. On the other
hand, we can make outstanding use of out stimulating powers of
persuasion to convey knowledge and information; so this is a good
connection for educators. With the ruler of the 3rd in the 9th, all sorts
of facts contribute to the formation of a judgment, opinion, idea, or
ideal; with the ruler of the 9th in the 3rd, we start with an ideal, idea,
opinion, or judgment and look for the facts that will substantiate it.
The Ruler of the ird in the 10th

Our thinking and planning, and the need to examine and arrange all
the facts and figures we encounter, arc concentrated here because we
desire to carve out an identity, to form a (clear) self-image on the basis
of what we are able to do. We also desire to present a certain picture to
the world, a picture that will enable us to function in society. All sorts
of 3rd house matters, such as the gathering and classifying of informa-
tion, talking and exchanging, can become out means of approach to
the outside world. Often, with such a connection, we make an effort
to be communicative; we start conversations easily and give the
impression that it is easy to talk to us. The test of the chart will show
the extent to which this impression is true.
Planets in the 10th quite often provide information about the
type of work we do (the 10th house is the house of social position), and
the ruler of the 3td in the 10th can indicate a profession in which
communications, contacts, information, analysis, and above all vari-
ety, play an important part.
With this connection, out thinking (3) is used to build structures
(10) and, with the ruler of the 3rd in the 10th out analytical ability will
be devoted patdy to structuring, and also to the laying down of rules.
Our ideas tend to be practical and concerned with our social life; they
are also concerned with the formation of a personal identity.
The Ruler of the 10th in the ird

With this house connection, too, thinking and the need for structure
go hand in hand. Here the desire to sort, define, and classify finds an
outlet in the arranging and ordering of facts and in making practical
use of them. I have often observed very purposeful thinking and
speaking with the ruler of the 10th in the 3rd (and, for that matter,
with the ruler of 3 in 10). With the ruler of the 10th in the 3rd, the
process of forming an identity affects the way we interpret and codify
facts; also we try to exercise authority in affairs of the 3rd house in
order to impose ourselves on society.
We can be communicative, but not in the same way as in the
previous house connection. With the ruler of the 3rd in the 10th
contacts, communication, talking, and thinking are means of
approach to the outside world; but, with the ruler of the 10th in the
3rd, we seek the identity and the resource to take part in community
life in the sphere of contacts, communication, talking, thinking,
and—what we must not forget—our aim is to find and recognize
ourselves in the 3rd house area of life, so that it becomes more espe-
cially a goal. As with the ruler of the 5th in the 3rd we may be guilty of
talking down to people, because we want them to share our picture of
ourselves and of our place in society. This, and the fact that we some-
times identify with our knowledge, can lead to rigid opinions and
hobby-horses on the one hand, but to soundly structured lines of
thought on the other.
That we tend to speak in an authoritative manner can stand us in
good stead in the world of commerce, for example, because our down-
to-earth eloquence carries conviction (with the ruler of the 9th in the
3rd, we have the power to pass on information convincingly; with the
ruler of the 10th in the 3rd, we are much more direct, and have aims
to achieve). With the ruler of the 3rd in the 10th, facts, contacts and
information can help us to acquire authority, while with the ruler of
the 10th in the 3rd, our authority, or rather identity, is something we
wish to express in contacts or in our handling of facts, so that we can
prove our worth in these things. So, once more, there is a difference in
background even though the effects are practically identical.

Our thinking, planning, and the need to examine and classify all the
facts and figures that present themselves to us are focused on a desire
for contacts with people of similar thoughts and outlook, with friends,
and with those to whom, somehow or other we feel inwardly related.
Our thoughts are taken up with these people, with the possible result
that we all too readily accept their opinions and modes of thought and
let them determine the way in which we see and interpret facts, that is
to say, the way in which we arrange and elucidate our thoughts. We
long to engage in mental give-and-take with others, and have a great
need to converse with friends and to exchange information with them.
In itself, this connection shows good contactual ability.
In the 11th house, we also find the power to break through fixed
forms and limits to discover the value of people who are completely
different from ourselves. And so, with the ruler of the 3rd in the 11th,
we can introduce a certain originality into our thinking, speaking, and
analyzing, because our thinking is an instrument in transcending
forms in the widest possible sense. Also we eagerly make contacts
because of a belief in equality. However, our so-called equality can end
up looking very much like inequality if we give way to the tendency to
let others guide our thinking. If we manage to avoid this danger, the
ruler of the 3rd in the 11th can provide a two-way stimulus for a living
exchange of impressions and opinions with friends and mentally con-
genial companions.
Sometimes, due to restlessness (3), we can expect too much of our
circle of friends, and can become fickle and changeable. Less hurtfully,
we can seek friends who are themselves full of change and variety.
Sometimes this connection (and also the ruler of the 11th in the 3rd)
can indicate a liking for less usual forms of communication, such as
sign-language for the deaf, the decipherment of old scripts, the decod-
ing of secret messages, and so on.

Our need of friends, of contacts with like-minded people, and of
equality as such, and our need to break through fixed boundaries, are
the instrument for our thinking, analyzing and ordering of facts. This
frequently leads to an uninhibited, even provocative, approach to

people who are high up the social ladder. Since the 11th house is the
instrument, considerable stimulus can be derived from the circle of
people with the same mental outlook as our own; nevertheless, our
own thoughts and ideas (3rd house) will always come first with us. The
essence of this connection is that our genuine friends ate restricted to
those who share our mental and contactual preferences.
As we have just said, friends and those who are congenial spirits
can serve as mental stimuli: we look for exchange of information and
enjoy talking to them. Sometimes this gives a desire to have many
friends, each of whom can arouse and satisfy our curiosity in some
special field of interest; the danger being that too many contacts for
the sake of information and impressions will lead to superficiality, and
that we shall fail to make the sort of friends from whom we can adopt
values that will give direction to our thinking in a highly individual
manner (11). A single friendship, based chiefly on mental exchange,
can help to deepen our thinking and can impart originality to the way
in which we gather and classify facts. Independent thought, combined
with a willingness to listen to others who are on the same wavelength,
remains one of the characteristics of the ruler of the 11th in the 3rd,
The Ruler of the ird in the 12th

Our thinking, planning, and the need to examine and classify all the
facts we encounter, are brought to bear on a longing for unity, a need
for detachment and isolation, and an interest in a rich inner life. Very
often, with this connection, we are concerned with such things as
dream-life, meditation, yoga, fairy tales, myths, and legends, espe-
cially for their symbolism and deeper meaning. We are able to sense,
understand, and often explain to others, the more esoteric aspects of
life. Perhaps, due to our feeling for the emblematic, we write poetry or
prose that touches a tender chord in our readers.
There is a danger that we may confuse dream with reality, because
our fantasy and powers of imagination are so well-developed.
Although some astrologers assert that, with this connection and also
with the ruler of the 12th in the 3rd, we are somehow lacking intellec-
tually. My own experience shows that this is wholly without founda-

tion. Certainly, with these house connections, linear, causal thinking
can mature rather later than usual, because of the need to dwell longer
in the mythic phase. However, it is striking that people with this
connection possess a remarkable type of memory and, by making
cross-connections and putting two and two together, can fill in details
that they do not know for a fact.
If we have this connection, then we are capable of being perfectly
happy on our own, enjoying 3rd house pursuits such as reading, writ-
ing, poetry, or prose, preparing lessons or lectures, and so on. It is
during these solitary hours that we often get our best ideas and inspira-
tion. On the other hand, with the placement of the ruler of the 3rd in
the 12th, communication is not a strong point. With this connection,
we are sometimes inclined to react not to what is said, but what is
probably intended. We can divine what is left unspoken; but it is not
always wise to blurt out such things. Sometimes we find it hard to
concentrate because we are easily distracted by our rich inner life.
The Ruler of the 12th in the ird

Our longing for unity, our sensitivity and sympathy, our need for
isolation and detachment, and our desire to enjoy the things of the
spirit, are instruments of our thinking and planning, our speech and
gestures, and our need to exchange goods and ideas. This gives various
results. We can make outstanding use of our empathy (12) in trade,
where a knack of spotting fast-selling lines and of knowing what argu-
ments a customer will find persuasive are very important.
What is more, intuition plays a significant part in all our con-
tacts, because we are more or less inclined to react to the emotional
content of words and intonations, and thus not to what is actually said
but to what may well be intended—just as with the ruler of the 3rd in
the 11th. But with this difference that, with the ruler of the 3rd in the
12th, contacts and conversations sometimes lead to inexplicable feel-
ings that determine our reactions although we do not have a proper
hold on them; while, with the ruler of the 12th in the 3rd, we already
have an uncomfortable feeling when entering into a conversation that
we ought to be on our guard. So we are quicker on the mark.
With the ruler of the 3rd in the 12th, there is a lack of concentra-
tion because our fantasy tuns away with us all the time. With the ruler
of the 12 th in the 3rd, there can be a similar lack of concentration, but

now because our approach to things is rather chaotic (12), or because
we have to settle down and collect our thoughts. And sometimes we
are so good at reading between the lines that we tend to become
sidetracked. However we can also discover valuable information in this
way
All sorts of 12th house matters can play a part in our thinking and
talking. Thus we may feel the need to correspond with others on
various (sometimes Utopian or unrealistic) ideals. Collective needs,
the care of the aged, of the mentally disabled, of drug addicts, and of
others requiring help (12), can interest us, and we may teach or write
about them.
Frequently, with a connection between the 12th and the 3rd
house, we approach facts in a naive or childish manner. With the ruler
of the 3rd in the 12th, it is the facts themselves that sound a certain
chord in us and we try to harmonize this with religious sentiments, a
need to experience unity, or some ideal to which we devote ourselves.
But, with the ruler of the 12th in the 3rd, we are already inclined to
look at facts in a somewhat unrealistic way—through rose-tinted
glasses.
Secret anxieties also lie hidden in the 12th, and these can feed our
thoughts with the ruler of the 12th in the 3rd. On the other hand, our
thoughts can draw inspiration from the measure of idealism and reli-
gious feeling found in both connections. With the ruler of the 3rd in
the 12th, we can use all sorts of information, facts, and contacts, to
inspire us. With the ruler of the 12th in the 3rd, a certain inspiration is
already an instrument of our thoughts and contacts.
The 4th House
The Ruler of the 4th in the 4th

Our need for emotional security and comfort, the desire to care and be
cared for, to cherish and be cherished, and the longing for domesticity
can all express here in undiluted form. We have an unusually strong
need for emotional warmth and safety which we also like to give to
others. Our attitude is probably a very caring one. This can be good or
bad. For example, on the one hand, we can be a loving parent who
J70 / Karen Hamaker Zondag
builds a safe and cozy nest; but, on the other hand, we can be a
chivvying parent who holds children and everyone else in the home in
a firm and almost smothering embrace, ostensibly for their own good,
but mainly for our own emotional reassurance. Wherever we are, we
have the ability, if we will, to create a warm air of domesticity, and will
really be in our element when we are in surroundings where we feel at
home and have the opportunity to make our neighbors, acquain-
tances, and friends welcome, so that we can mother them. The main-
spring of our actions is a powerfully developed desire to look after
others and to mean something to them.
Quite often there is a strong attachment to the old home or to
one of the parents. The rest of the horoscope will show whether this
attachment is felt to be agreeable or oppressive by the native. In this
connection, we should note that to make a special stand against the
influence our parents have had over us is a form of psychological
attachment to them. With this house connection, we often bestow
much time, money, and/or energy on things to do with family,
hearth, and home. In real terms, this can mean a house in which
attention is paid to the appointments, but more with a view to com-
fort than to decor. Sometimes (if the rest of the chart does not contra-
dict), people with a prominent 4th house like to furnish their dwell-
ings as trendily as possible in order to win general approval.
Frequently we have an interest in, or a feeling for, folk an,
tradition and so on, or we are extremely patriotic or nationalistic.
The 4th and 5th House

Our need for emotional security and comfort, and the desire to care
and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are focused on the
area of games and pleasure, creativity, children, and on all those
things that give us a sense of self-confidence and authority. The crea-
tion of a warm, comfortable environment gives us pleasure, makes us
more self-assured, adds to the enjoyment of our hobbies, and so on.
With a house connection such as this, we may be adept at organizing
things for children, and may also be involved in the management of
other things that have to do, either directly or indirectly, with caring
o
for others. We may be entrusted with looking after the needs of people
in other areas beside our own. We throw ourselves heart and soul into
running charity events, bazaars, and so on. Here, unlike the previous
house connection, the good cause (in which we are emotionally
involved) is a means to an end; our own satisfaction and assumption of
a leading role is what matters to us most.
Also we can arrange our domestic life (4) in such a way that it
revolves around our many hobbies. With this placement, I have regu-
larly seen that the native's environment, even in youth, has encour-
aged hobbies and creativity. Sometimes home life suffers from an
overemphasis on sport, amusements, gambling, or pleasure. With this
connection, we can spend quite some time away from home looking
for the emotional satisfaction to be derived from adventure or
romance. Then the house we live in is simply a point of departure and
return. In the vast majority of cases, home and hobbies are blended,
and, with the ruler of the 4th in the 5th, our house and household are
subordinated to a desire for entertainment or our absorption in some
serious pursuit.

Hobbies and home are linked by this house connection, too, but now
much more in the sense that the hobbies give shape to domestic life
and, figuratively, provide us with an emotional base. The same is true
of the other 5th house matters, such as amusements, sports, children,
creativity, and ambition. Also these primarily serve to improve emo-
tional well-being, and they show how we set up our home life. Hob-
bies may be used directly or indirectly to improve home and environ-
ment.
The attachment to hearth and home is often great: we take plea-
sure in expressing ourselves in the domestic sphere. Quite often,
people with this placement convert their residence into a sort of home
base for their operations. If, with the ruler of the 5th in the 4th, we
wish to experience a sense of emotional security, then it is virtually
essential to have a regular opportunity to do—within the home
environment—certain things we like doing, such as rummaging
through our papers and spending time on our hobbies (free from any
responsibility), while displaying a certain measure of authority. For all
these things are instruments for building up a sense of security. In
both house connections (the ruler of the 4th in the 5th and the ruler of
the 5th in the 4th) I have seen people who proudly put their homes on
display; then the ostentation of the 5th house and the actual domestic
environment ate combined. But in most cases there is merely a great
attachment to the home and an interest in doing everything possible
to make it a pleasant place in which to live.

Our need for domesticity, emotional comfort, safety, and our desire to
care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are focused
here on work and the working environment, on service, and on the
sort of contemplation and critical analysis required for useful activities.
We want to be occupied in looking after and mothering others and in
creating a homely atmosphere. Usually we try to bring an air of cozy
informality to our work. This is an outstanding connection for all
kinds of housekeepers and those holding similar positions.
We have a great need to be happy in our work, and arc more
inclined than others to mope if the atmosphere is uncongenial or if the
job is repugnant to us. On the other hand, we can throw ourselves
heart and soul into work we enjoy and that gives us an outlet, whatever
that work may be.
Because we look for emotional security in an area that represents
our habit of critical analysis, subjective emotional impressions (as a
means or instrument) can impair our objectivity. Our point of view is
always subjective. With the ruler of the 6th in the 4th on the other
hand, our critical ability is usually brought to bear on matters that
interest us or in which we feel at home, so that it is not the point of
view but the topic to be criticized that is determined subjectively.
With the ruler of the 4th in the 6th, there is sometimes a great
emotional interest in health, disease, and diet. If we are active in one
of these or in a related field, we can carry out our task in a warm,
understanding, and caring way. Service to others and humane feelings
ate closely linked with this connection. With the ruler of the 4th in the
6th, the impulse to help others is usually emotional and we like to do
so caringly, whereas, with the ruler of the 6th in the 4th we use
helping others (and may even need to help others) in order to feel
The House Connection >173
good and to know we are wanted. In the latter instance, we are not so
paternal or maternal in our behavior.

Service to others is the instrument of our search for emotional security.
We can use expressions of various 6th house characteristics to improve
our home life. Service to others can take the form of helping, or
making the house attractive to them, and can give us a feeling of
satisfaction. It can also take the form of slaving away at constant
cleaning and polishing, but this is simply a possibility, not a rule.
Working at home or doing work in which our own house plays an
important part, will often be found with this connection. Also, we
frequently feel a need either to take work home because it is more
agreeable to do it inside out personal environment than it is outside,
or to do work that puts us in touch with ourselves and our feelings,
and makes us more serene. Whether the work is writing, bookkeeping,
sweeping, or polishing is immaterial.
Sometimes, with this connection, we wish to do something par-
ticularly useful (6) for our country or our family (6); which is just as
likely to lead to political activism as it is to cultivating the kitchen
garden. The keynote is the psychic need; the practical results can take
many forms.'

Our need for domesticity, emotional comfort, and security, and a
desire to care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are
focused here on the life partner. Our peace of mind depends largely on
the happiness of our relationship, because our opposite number (7) is
the end-point in this house connection. We hope to obtain emotional
warmth from the other person, look for a fatherly or motherly type,
and ourselves show care and concern in the relationship. Domesticity,
emotional warmth, and the like, are all needed to make the relation-
ship meaningful.
At the same time, we run the risk of losing something of our-

selves, because we are inclined to wrap our opposite number in cotton
wool or to meet the partner more than halfway in some other respect
for the sake of the emotional tie and emotional response. If we have
independent traits shown elsewhere in the chart, we shall find this
something of a problem. The 7th house indicates companionship.
With the ruler of the 4th in the 7th, sometimes the result is teamwork
with a close relative or someone who is like a member of the family to
us. In this case, our affection for this other person is very great.

With this house connection, just as with the ruler of the 4th in the
7th, we seek a domestic partner, one who is caring and kind, and who
makes a big contribution to our sense of security. But there is a differ-
ence from the foregoing connection. There the way in which we try to
give shape to our need for domestic and emotional security is subordi-
nate to the wishes of the partner; whereas, with the ruler of the 7th in
the 4th, the partner has to fit in with, or be resigned to, our way of
doing things. That is why we are liable to find this aspect in people
who have, or wish to have, a docile, caring partner, one who offers a
safe home port, irrespective of whether the native spends much time
in it or not. Sometimes, too, we find collaboration with a close relative
when this connection appears in the chart; in which case the collabora-
tion often has to do with family possessions and interests, or with other
things that have to do with home and hearth, security, or maybe
tradition and the native land. With the ruler of the 7th in the 4th, the
partner has to fit into our sphere. With the ruler of the 4th in the 7th,
we are more likely to fit into theirs.
Th/e 4th and 8th House

Our need for domesticity, emotional security, and a desire to care and
to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are focused here on the
area of life and death, inner struggles, repression, and hidden gifts or
talents. Generally speaking, this means that the field in which we are
seeking security has little security to offer in the first instance.
On a number of occasions, people with a 4th house-8th house
axis (both the ruler of the 4th in the 8th and the ruler of the 8th in the
4th) have confided to me that, in their youth, they suffered some
trauma or experienced an emotional upheaval which left deep traces,
although what happened was later repressed. With the ruler of the 4th
in the 8th, we feel emotionally vulnerable, and find it very difficult to
show our hand. Therefore we tend to allow few, perhaps too few, to
share our inner and our emotional life. We need tender care and
affection but find it hard to let this be known; and so we often keep at
arm's length the very thing for which we long. Nevertheless, even
though our emotional sensitivity is so acute, we can achieve a great
deal with this connection.
We may display enormous application and intensity when we are
emotionally involved: the 8th house always has to do with depth and
intensity. Our emotions and a desire for companionship and home
life, that our sensitivity makes us hide, can prove to be the incentive to
get through to ourselves and others and to gain deep psychological
insights. Inner peace (of mind), or a place where we feel at home, or
emotional involvement (4) are invariably a key for unlocking uncon-
scious and repressed problems.
Now, in fact, the fourth house can have a good effect here. I have
often observed that people with the ruler of the 8th in the 4th or the
ruler of the 4th in the 8th are prepared to give psychological support to
people with family troubles. Insight and understanding, with the ruler
of the 4th in the 8th, flow mainly from the fact that we ourselves
experience (or have experienced) very strong emotions, which are the
point from which we set out in search of answers.
With this connection we can experience a powerful emotional
attraction to esoteric and secret teachings, parapsychology, or the sub-
jects of force and strategy.

When we discover a way to deal with repressed or unconscious prob-
lems we gain a feeling of emotional stability. We need to dig deep and
penetrate to the core of things, and we have a desire to confront
ourselves with everything: our complexes, neuroses, hidden gifts, and
talents. We focus here on comfort and security both emotionally and.
176 I Karen Hamaker Zondag
more concretely, in the home. Here, too, we find an initial situation

that is insecure. Events or situations in our youth have left deep traces
behind (whether or not we are prepared to recognize this is another
matter). We have an enormous need for an intense emotional link
with our environment. Frequently, this need is more than the environ-
ment can satisfy. Sometimes we are too demanding; sometimes there
is little or no rapport with those around us. The quest for emotional
comfort and security can be conducted so unconsciously that we have
no idea what claims we ate making on others, or why they are grum-
bling.
Another effect is that we feel so vulnerable that we insulate
ourselves by devoting ourselves completely to a certain avocation—
usually something to do with caring, in the broadest possible sense.
Sooner or later, with this placement, we make huge changes in
out lifetime. I have seen big changes (usually for the better) in people
with the ruler of the 8th in the 4th, subsequent to a change in attitude
toward their childhood, the past, their home and family, or emotional
ties in general.
We can develop a fine appreciation of child and family psychol-
ogy; but, when we ignore emotional problems when they arise, we
may still resort to forcefulness and manipulation. This forcefulness
then becomes an instrument for expressing our feelings. Only when
we have a secure position of authority, in small things as well as in
great, do we dare to display affection and domesticity. Therefore, with
this house connection there are two extremes (besides all the nuances
in between), namely the (fortunately rare) domestic dictator and the
family psychologist.
Finally, it often happens that we invest a great deal of effort or
money into a plot of land, our own house, or our own domestic
surroundings, with resulting peace of mind, however restless the ruler
of the 8th in the 4th may be initially.

Our need for domesticity, emotional comfort, security, and our desire
to care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are
expressed here in the area of travel, both physical (to foreign countries)
and mental (study, philosophizing, etc.), and in the area of the forma-
tion of opinions and the passing of judgments. Although we some-
times see a literal fulfillment in the form of a home (4) abroad (9), or
parents (4) associated in some way with another land (9), as foreign
nationals for example, foreign places need not enter into our situation
at all. Psychologically, this connection often signifies that we try to
express our feelings, especially our caring ones, in opinions and judg-
ments that relate to the kind of (self-)education we pursue, or our
philosophy of life. Our feelings on some subject, or on how we think
things ought to be play a large part in our psychological develop-
ment.
Since the 9th house also has to do with the propagation of our
own views, the ruler of the 4th in the 9th sometimes gives such an
emotive style of exposition, that philosophical views are explained in a
theatrical or dramatic way. The 9th house is also involved in the search
for a synthesis. Apart from the fact that our emotions are directly
involved in the way in which a synthesis is attempted, the ruler of the
4th in the 9th can also mean that we want to include our feelings in a
wider, sometimes comic, context, with the danger that we may ration-
alize them. With the ruler of the 4th in the 9th, domestic life and the
family can loom large in the native's (self-)study or spiritual evolution.

With the ruler of the 9th in the 4th, the family is not an instrument of
our spiritual evolution, but we use our philosophy of life and our
religious or social convictions as materials for our family life in a literal
sense and as an emotional basis in a figurative sense. In this connec-
tion, we often meet people who advocate a certain freedom (for parent
and child) in rearing children and in family relationships. Both with
the ruler of the 4th in the 9th and with the ruler of the 9th in the 4th,
I have seen that, in his or her immediate environment (the family) the
native found the necessary encouragement to study or develop in some
special way.
With the ruler of the 9th in the 4th, we can sometimes experience
a liberating peace of mind when we feel or intuit for ourselves the
meaning of life, love and sorrow; the meaning of things lies in the 9th
house, and here that house is always the instrument that helps in the
formation of the 4th. With the ruler of the 4th in the 9th we saw that
peace of mind contributes to the native's spiritual evolution. But, with
the ruler of the 9th in the 4th, the spiritual evolution contributes to
the formation and maintenance of domestic and emotional security.
We can devote ourselves to a certain ideal, or else in the back-
ground prepare the way for others to devote themselves to it. Some-
times such an ideal becomes a part of us very early in life, forming the
climate in which we grow up (religious climate or humanistic climate),
but that is not always the case. Even in our later years, more recently
formed ideals and opinions are important in this connection.

Our need for domesticity, emotional comfort, security, and our desire
to care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are concen-
trated here on our need to carve out an identity, and to strive for a
certain degree of authority and a certain social position, in keeping
with the image that we have of our place in the outside world. This
house connection can be encountered in people who invest a great deal
of energy in furthering their careers, while the whole family has to
help (willingly or unwillingly) or suffers temporary neglect. For some,
the work relates to hearth and home, and caring activities, and con-
tributes to the social position in some way. For example, the nursing
profession, interior decoration, "meals on wheels" for the aged, and so
on, can provide a function in the community. Often we want work in
which we can become emotionally involved. Sometimes, in spite of
the need to build a career, we are so sensitive and vulnerable that we
prefer to play an important part behind the scenes rather than to step
into the limelight.
The 4th and 10th houses also represent parental influence; and,
both with the ruler of the 4th in the 10th and with the ruler of the
10th in the 4th, our parents have had an important influence on us.
Irrespective of the rest of the horoscope, we find in both placements
either a strong bond that leads us to follow in the footsteps of our
elders, or else a strong reaction that impels us to go the opposite way.
The Ruler of the 1 Oth in the 4th

Here our need for social position, a desire to carve out an identity for
ourselves, and our craving for authority and autonomy are focused on
house and home, and on our wish for emotional comfort, security,
kindness, and care. Often, with this connection, the career can literally
blossom at home, so that everything begins and ends there. There are
many options of course, but 4th house activities tend to come to the
fore: for example, housekeeping, social work, interior design, estate
management, and farming, are all possible.
However, we try to use social status to give a feeling of comfort
and security to ourselves and members of the immediate family. This
can lead to overdriven ambitions. If the domestic situation is warm
and happy, ambitions can usually be expressed in a balanced way. This
is more difficult when our homelife is unsettled. With this connection
our social position can flourish or suffer based on what happens at
home. We are more sensitive with this than with most other house
connections. There is something rather subtle about it, as there is with
the tuler of the 4th in the 10th. So, family, house, home, and emo-
tional basis ate the objectives of the ruler of the 10th in the 4th, and
therefore our self-image and social status are strongly under the influ-
ence of both the present domestic situation and the environment of
our childhood.

Our need for domestic and emotional commitment, security, a desire
to care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are focused
here on contacts with people who share our attitudes and interests—
with friends and with those for whom we feel an inner affinity. We
seek emotional security in their company, which can mean that we are
seldom at home. For whenever we feel a need for emotional support,
we think of staying with some good friends. Because we are inclined to
fly to them for comfort, their ideas and opinions, their insights and
way of life can exert a powerful influence on us. In order to preserve

peace and harmony with them, we tend to follow them, and, usually,
this makes us feel good.
We look for like-minded people who can give warmth and have
something motherly or fatherly about them, while we ourselves have
lots of warmth and care to offer. Emotional ties, security, and friends
who can be regarded as a surrogate family are much mote important
with this house connection than friends with whom we can share
intellectual interests, although the latter ate not ruled out. The emo-
tional sphere takes precedence.
The 11th house also represents a need to break through bounda-
ries. With the ruler of the 4th in the 11th we can let home and family
play a part in the breakthrough process; for example, by accepting
brand-new social ideas on raising children and on everything to do
with the home, by rejecting certain role patterns (if the test of the
chart is in agreement), or by setting aside ethnic, cultural, or other
barriers by throwing out house open (it is the instrument here) to
various activities in this field.

Openness toward the new and different and breaking down bounda-
ries and fixed forms ate also found when the ruler of the 11th is in the
4th, but the background is different. Here we are just as willing to
accept the new and unusual provided it strikes a chord in our feelings.
The new and unusual must not threaten our secure base but it may
help broaden this base or even replace it. Thus "open house" can be a
feature of both connections. With the ruler of the 11th in the 4th, the
door is always open to friends and kindred spirits. But although
friends ate an important factor in our emotional health, we ate less
inclined to follow them than with the ruler of the 4th in the 11th,
because with the ruler of the 11th in the 4th out own feelings and
opinions have the last word. In any case, out friends will already have
been chosen because they ate in broad agreement with us.
With this connection, our domestic circumstances can be change-
ful and turbulent, also we can have frequent visits from and contacts
with friends —in fact we may need these. An old-fashioned, dull
domestic routine has absolutely no attraction for us.

Our need for domesticity, emotional comfort, security, and a desire to
care and to be cared for, to cherish and to be cherished, are expressed
in the part of us that longs for unity; it combines with our need for
isolation, detachment, and a desire for a rich inner life where the role
of worldly values and temptations has become unimportant. With the
ruler of the 4th in the 12th we are usually sensitive and vulnerable on
the emotional plane. We have an enormous need to provide and
experience warmth and safety but, for one reason or another, do not
immediately succeed in doing so on a personal level. Sometimes this is
a consequence of a sense of insecurity or of being unsettled in our
youth; but, in other cases, we are disposed to retreat to an emotional
island, and to concentrate on being caring in collective areas such as
the third world, social minorities, the oppressed, the underprivileged,
and other groups in need of help. We can excel in this, but find it
hard to display the same warmth and care to individuals.
We may feel very vulnerable as a person with this house connec-
tion. This has not always been an easy house connection in our West-
ern culture with its one-sided emphasis on being positive and empiri-
cal. On the other hand, there are numerous opportunities for finding
a form of emotional security in the field of the unseen, the indefinite,
and the incomprehensible. Among the areas in which we can find
relief—areas for which we have an unmistakable affinity—are dreams,
dream imagery, meditation, yoga, hypnosis, creative imagination,
music as emotional expression, and many other things to which we can
turn our attention in our quiet moments or which put us in touch with
our inner world or religious sentiments.
Both the ruler of the 12th in the 4th and the ruler of the 4th in
the 12th are regularly encountered in people with stronger than aver-
age intuition. The 12th house, which can be dreaded for its imper-
sonal activities, is not a stranger to fear. The attempt to experience
emotional calm in a potentially threatening area can trigger flight
mechanisms such as addiction to drink and drugs, retreat into a dream
or fantasy world, and so on.
Often with this connection (and with the ruler of the 12th in the
4th) we have initial difficulty in knowing what to do about homelife.
This can give us a sense of alienation, a feeling of being lost, or a

feeling of discomfort in a home we may have been living in for years.
And yet, quite frequently, as we become more sure of ourselves (using
music or imaging or visualization techniques), we find we have great
resources because we can draw direct from our unconscious life-source
(12) for emotional security and, in this way, can introduce warmth and
humanity into our home life.

Much of the previous listing also applies to this house connection,
although the background is different. Here the need for an experience
of unity, our feelings of detachment and isolation, our need for a rich
inner life is an instrument for laying our emotional base and for giving
form to hearth and home. As a result, we may need a quiet room in
the house where we can unwind, be ourselves, and recharge our batter-
ies. The laying of an emotional base, to which reference has just been
made, can be brought about by such things as meditation and hypno-
sis, mentioned earlier, but also by other things belonging to the 12th
house, such as the sea and all that is associated with it, service for the
community, the religious or spiritual side of life, etc. Thus one indi-
vidual will feel at home when gazing into a large aquarium, while
another may want to hold seances at home, to mention just two very
different possibilities!
Sometimes, as with the ruler of the 4th in the 12th, we are not
sure how to shape our domestic lives. With the ruler of the 4th in the
12th, the reason for this uncertainty is having to find our emotional
security in a collective context; with the ruler of the 12th in the 4th,
the reason is that we bring all sorts of emotional needs to the surface
when constructing our emotional base. For a time, we can fall prey to
inner restlessness and become a kind of wanderer—literally, by leaving
home to visit foreign lands, or metaphorically, by traveling in other
emotional worlds. We certainly have a feeling for the past, for parapsy-
chology, for dreams, for fairy tales, etc.
Not seldom, humanitarian impulses (the instrument) prompt us
to care for others (the goal)—perhaps by supporting foreign relief,
perhaps by helping a member of the family. Also with this connection,
I have often observed a shorter or longer period in youth when we felt
insecure or were not accepted, or when chaotic tendencies were at work
and there was no steady routine due to bouts of illness or some other
The House Connection / ISi
disturbing influence in the home. There was a lack of suitable soil in

which a sense of security could grow. We need to provide this soil for
ourselves, but may lack the confidence to do so. Taking refuge in
flight is a possible response; but we can also make creative use of the
potential of this house connection, as hinted earlier.
The 5th House

Being ourselves, developing and radiating self-assurance, finding our-
selves at the center of attention—through creativity and through
doing things that give us pleasure, such as sports, games, and
hobbies—are both a means to an end and the end itself. Not only are
these strong needs, but the drive to satisfy them is strong. The associ-
ated character traits will come to the fore (if the rest of the chart
concurs). We long to exercise authority, can perform functions that
put us in the lead, and can organize all sorts of events to make us feel
important. Thus we can aspire after an executive role in some
enterprise—possibly as an unpaid administrator in a charitable organi-
zation, or in a sports club or the like. Our role has to be a central one
because we have such a need to be reassured.
However, reassurance can come to us in other ways. If we devote
adequate time and resources to things that give us pleasure, and if this
brings recognition (sincere praise is often all we ask), then in many
cases we are not so obsessed with becoming the center of attention
elsewhere. It is hard to say what our favorite pursuits and hobbies are
likely to be, there are many choices. The chief requirements are that
they give us pleasure and that they earn us a degree of approval and
respect. If these are denied, we feel an urgent need to obtain this
somehow or other. In which case, our behavior can be fanatical and
coercive, and even imperious or tyrannical. Those around us may
accuse us of egotism, when what we are seeking is enough space and
recognition to help us develop self-confidence.
Creativity is often prominent; with the ruler of the 5th in the 5th,
our creativity ranges completely from art to amusement if the rest of
the horoscope supports this. Procreation—producing the next
generation—is another expression of this house. Looking after chil-
dren, whether they arc our own or not, can be second nature with this
house connection. And should children play a very minor role in our
lives, which is entirely possible of course, then we ourselves may have a
disarming but childish confidence that everything will turn out all
right in the end; and this can lead to the taking of (sometimes unnec-
essary) risks. Work and play can be treated as a welcome challenge,
and the notorious gambling fever of the 3th house can also break out.

Our need to do the things that bring us pleasure, to engage in hobbies
and creative pursuits, and to have a central role and to be self-
confident, is concentrated here on the domain of work and working
conditions, and of the kind of analytical and critical thought that has
useful applications. Our hobbies can become our profession. Often
with the ruler of the 3th in the 6th and with the ruler of the 6th in the
3th, hobbies merge with work; with this difference that, with the ruler
of the 5th in the 6th, we use our favorite pursuits to shape our work,
whereas with the ruler of the 6th in the 3 th, we try to confine ourselves
to doing work that will be a credit to us or work that suits us. With the
ruler of the 3th in the 6th, we look for a measure of independence
(preferably within the context of service), or, at any rate, some say in
the work that we do. Possibly we think of work as a hobby and express
our ambition in the field of work and service. Sport and games,
children, or amusements, may relate to our work, although other chart
factors will naturally contribute to our choice of occupation.
There is a degree of tension with the ruler of the 3 th in the 6th, in
the sense that the pronounced self-interest of the 3th house has to
serve as an instrument for the (sclf-)critical, often reserved and unas-
suming, 6th house. Therefore, in spite of our ambition in the area of
work, etc., we can toil long and hard at routine tasks and keep out of
the limelight for a period. The fur begins to fly when the work no
longer meets our expectations. The 3th house also sometimes exhibits
a love of ease, in which case we arc happy to let others run round for
us. Needless to say, such an attitude at work will cause problems,
although serving others is still our goal.

The above-mentioned tendency to sit back and let others get on with
our work for us is as strong—if not stronger—with the ruler of the 6th
in the 5th. Everything to do with work and service invariably serves our
purpose to make something of ourselves, and especially to enjoy life.
Not only do we need, more than anybody, work that is a hobby, we
cannot do without it. I have seen people with this house connection
lose an incredible amount of energy in overcoming various internal
blocks before they were able to tackle work they did not like. But when
a job appealed to them, there was no holding them.
With the ruler of the 6th in the 5th, all sorts of things belonging
to the 6th house can arouse our interest or become hobbies. What we
mean are such things as plans and projects (an eye for detail belongs to
the 6th house and creativity belongs to the 5th), breeding and herding
cattle, allopathic or alternative medicine, manual work, repairs and
odd jobs, and so on.
Also, with this house connection, we strive for a certain indepen-
dence, for a measure of control over our work, and prefer to be an
executive or a self-starter; for here the 5th house represents the nature
of our goal. We can toil hard and long to win social acceptance.
However, I have also encountered this connection in mothers who were
completely satisfied with being maternal and raising their families.
Their services were literally given to their children in a very positive
way. Whatever we do, the crux is whether or not we like doing it.

Our need to do the things that please us, to spend time on hobbies
and creative pursuits, and to play a central role with self-confidence, is
focused here on the part taken by our opposite number or partner.
With the ruler of the 5th in the 7th, we need the other more badly
than we might care to admit. We put on a display of verve and eager
ambition, but mainly so that they can reassure us. Independent
though we may seem, with this house connection, we cannot cope
without our opposite number, because we derive our self-confidence
mainly from the partner. Sometimes dominating behavior creeps into
the relationship, but this flows from our insecurity. If we possess only a
little self-confidence, our behavior toward the other person will be
characterized by warmth and charm.
Because we like to do things together (the same is true of the ruler
of the 7th in the 5th), we easily become involved in the partner's tastes
and interests. The partner's hobbies often become our hobbies. How-
ever, our personal ambition and egoism inevitably tend to spoil
things, because the placement of the ruler of the 5th in the 7th implies
that we will want to achieve our ambitions in our partner's terrain.
And the above-mentioned dominating behavior can raise its ugly head
once more. But our need of a partner and the consciously or uncon-
sciously felt dependence on them, does not always leave much room
for such a central role in a relationship. The placement can also make
us want to let the world see how very kind we are to a partner, or it may
give us the desire to have a good-looking or sophisticated partner to
strut round with, and so on.
Sometimes we take up hobbies in the fields of sociology and
interpersonal relationships; on the other hand, we may have a love of
fashion, clothing, or other things with which we, with our desire for
harmony, can make life more pleasant and beautiful.
The Ruler of the 1th in the 5 th

With this house connection the partner also plays an important role
which can improve our self-confidence, but here the role is more
obviously a supporting one. If at all possible, the partner must do or
take part in the things we enjoy as hobbies, and from which we can
gain credit or reassurance. When the horoscope shows elsewhere that
we are subservient, we can make ourselves very useful to our partner,
although this is not something one would naturally envisage with this
house connection. Even so, we reckon on receiving a certain amount of
praise and encouragement in return. Although we can act in an
authoritarian manner toward the partner, the reverse is also possible.
The essential point is that whatever our relationship with our opposite
number may be, it must give us pleasure and a feeling of reassurance.
The pleasure may go hand in hand with a romantic attitude (and, in
extreme cases with the behavior of a Don Juan), but this need not
always be true.

Our need to do things that give us pleasure, to engage in hobbies and
creative pursuits, and to play a central role with self-confidence is
focused here on an intense area of life, the terrain in which we struggle
with ourselves in order to conquer repressions and complexes and to
uncover our hidden gifts and talents. Owing to this complex duality,
the 8th is a difficult house to interpret. And here, because the 8th
house plays an important part in winning self-confidence, much of the
effect of this connection depends on the state of affairs within our-
selves.
Our interest can be captured by all sorts of 8th house matters,
from high finance, and life and death, through sexuality. We have a
tremendous desire to prove ourselves; our ambition is expressed here
in an intense house. Yet the insecurity that accompanies our drive to
succeed can cause us to overdo things. A lust for power, treating life as
a gamble, stubbornly trying to get our own way without any consider-
ation for others, are possibilities; but there can also be totally different
results, such as a keen interest in matters of life and death, hobbies
that help us to make personal progress by confronting us with our-
selves, creativity arising out of our most deeply hidden, unique gifts
(8). These activities need not always be deeply investigative; what
characterizes them is their intensity. For example; ready-to-assemble
kits for our hobbies come under 5: but hatching out something of our
very own and transforming it creatively, with blood, sweat and tears, as
if we were on some "holy crusade," is something that comes under 8.
With the ruler of the 5th in the 8th, we tap this deeper creativity
through our hobbies. Activities we enjoy are bound to give self-
confidence (5), particularly when we come face to face with a (grim-
mer) more substantial reality, one that demands we abandon ourselves
to our true inner self (together with its shadow). In this sense, sexuality
is also linked with the 8th house, its fun side lies in the 5th, its
elements of surrender and intensity lie in the 8th.
The ruler of the 5th in the 8th can result in sexual obsessions, and
some astrologers even go so far as to highlight the theme of death
found in the 8th and to brand the native as a potential sex murderer.
But, although I have come across one sex murderer with this house
connection (he has the ruler of the 8th in the 5th and the ruler of the
5th in the 8th), we must never generalize this. 1 have seen the same
connection in the charts of a sexologist, and of people with no special
calling but with what seems to be a completely individual approach to
life, determined by a large pan of their total self—that is to say, by
their complexes as well as by their gifts, and by the desire to delve
deep into themselves. Connections between the 5th and the 8th often
run to extremes.

Here our desire for intensity, our need to delve into the psyche, to
confront ourselves and others in order to get to the root of things, to
face complexes and repressions—not to mention hidden gifts—are an
instrument for gaining self-confidence and for deriving enjoyment
from the things we do. Again we see a cenain duality, for the path to
pleasure and self-confidence can be thorny. The ruler of the 8th in the
5th will probably confront us, sooner or later, with the necessity for
self-examination; if not, we run the risk of becoming isolated. Fear
and defensiveness (8) can make us determined to take and keep the
reins in our hands; we want everything to revolve around us and we
upstage everyone else while we bask in our imagined glory. But this
leaves us feeling lonely, which eventually may cause us to open our
eyes and start taking a less superficial view of things.
All sorts of 8th house matters can become hobbies; for example,
(para)psychology, archeology, deep-sea diving, detective work, or sci-
entific research, in short anything that uncovers, unveils or exposes
what is hidden.
Because the battle between a love of life and a fascination by
death is fought out in the 8th house, those who have the ruler of the
8th in the 5th feel happy only when they are challenging life and
seeing how far they can go (stunts and recklessness). Another uncon-
scious drive is to conquer death by enshrining our own unique individ-
uality in something creative—a noble deed, a work (of an, for
example) executed with passion, and so on. Indeed, with the intensity
and true creativity of the 8th house, we can become highly original, if
wayward, anists (or practitioner of the an of living), provided we are
not incapacitated (temporarily) by 8th house problems.

Our desire to do the things that give us pleasure, to engage in hobbies
and creative pursuits, to have a central part and to be self-confident, is
focused here on our need to travel either literally and/or mentally, to
be expansive, to widen our horizons, and to form our own opinions
and judgments. This house connection often goes with a great love of
freedom. Not that we are dissolute or profligate (although there is a
slight risk of this), but that we need to be active after our own fashion
and without being forced (5) in areas where we are completely free to
develop, either in broadening the mind or in traveling, while dream-
ing of the future.
Therefore a teacher with this connection (the 9th has to do with
imparting information) can be very stimulating with his enthusiasm
and animation when he is talking about a subject that lies close to his
heart, which is the rule rather than the exception with this house
connection. He (or she, of course) can dream of an ideal process of
education, and can expect to be given the liberty to work toward it.
The 9th house is the house of synthesis and anticipation of the
future; if, then, we are looking for self-affirmation in it, we need a
great deal of freedom, enthusiasm, and opportunities for develop-
ment and for broadening the mind —and we gladly reciprocate by
providing these things for others. With this house connection, we do
not hide our opinions, because speaking our mind is a confidence-
builder for us. In fact, we are so emphatic about what we think that
other folk's ideas tend to go by the board. Possibly we exercise a
managerial or organizing function, in politics, institutes of higher
education, law courts, and the like.

The earlier-mentioned executive functions are sometimes found with
this connection, too; but here the fact that we manage and organize is
more important than what we manage and organize, whereas the
reverse is true with the preceding connection. Here the 9th house is
always the instrument of the 5th, so that everything to do with the
widening of our horizons, with study, travel, philosophy of life, and
forming opinions can serve to reassure us and to make us feel good.
Our recreation can be travel or study (of one or several subjects), and
we can enjoy giving lectures on the knowledge we have lightheartedly
acquired. Of course, this will boost our self-confidence. With the
previous connection, one would expect our hobbies to lead to further
study and sometimes to higher education; but, with the ruler of the
9th in the 3th we tend to choose those studies which make us impor-
tant or reassure us, or which amuse us enough to (be able to) play a
part in the hobby sphere.
With this house connection we need plenty of freedom to feel
comfortable. And we are always ready to accept a challenge; for the
spirit of adventure in the 9th house is a means of self-expression for us.
This may give an adventurous or free-for-all attitude, or can lead to
revolutionary concepts in creative matters, so that new trends and
fashions are born before we are aware of it. Usually they just emerge
from the way we are.
No matter whether the function we perform is important or rela-
tively unimportant, we do need space. With this connection, a top
executive in big business will want a free hand to take risks and to be
original. Also, with the ruler of the 9th in the 3th, we like the sound
of our own voice: airing our opinions builds self-confidence.
The Ruler of the 5 th in the 10th

Our need for pleasurable occupations, for creativity and amusement,
for self-confidence and an important role in life is the basis for form-
ing our identity, for achieving social status, and for obtaining a mea-
sure of autonomy and power. With a ruler dedicated to self-
confidence and authority placed in a house that majors on authority,
considerable ambition may be expected. Our desire is to hold an
imponant or influential position or to operate independently. We
have to be able to think of our work as our own.
If the rest of the chart does nothing to prevent it, a married
woman with this connection will have a home that runs like clockwork.
She will think of plenty of things her husband can do for her while she
looks on and supervises.
Quite frequently, 5th house matters have a say in our professional

or social position, and may even form the whole of our work, which
can vary from show business, management or self-employment,
through artistic activities or caring for children. I have observed, in a
number of individuals, that working with children has produced sub-
tle but far-reaching changes in their self-image, their mode of func-
tioning in the outside world, and in the associated pattern of expecta-
tions. Children (5) can serve as an instrument for building our identity
(10). Nevertheless, in the final analysis, our attitude, our expecta-
tions, and our status will determine the extent to which we are influ-
enced by children. Our self-image is the goal in this house connection.
The 10th house is not a particularly flexible house and, with this
connection there is a risk that we shall be very unyielding when our
identity and authority are called in question. We are quite prepared to
make a fight of the issue.

Here too, ambition is strongly developed. We need a clear-cut self-
image, social status, and desire autonomy and authority. So, once
more, this placement indicates a big wish to be important. Now, with
the ruler of the 5th in the 10th, the main aim was to win a solid
position in the outside world; but, with the ruler of the 10th in the
5th, social position is subordinate to what we experience as pleasurable
or important, and this may sometimes bring us into conflict with what
society expects or requires. What is more, with this connection, our
social position is often determined by 5th house matters, as in the
previous connection. But whereas there these 5th house matters could
form part of our social behavior and position, here our whole social
behavior is generally speaking oriented toward creativity, ambition,
hobbies, and amusements. And so, very often, our profession and/or
public image are tied up with activities in the area of the 5th house.
Very often there is a certain natural ascendancy over others, partly
due to the way in which we make our assumption of authority seem
self-obvious. However, if there is anything elsewhere in the chart that
undermines this, we can find ourselves in executive positions where we
are ill at ease because we accepted them without thinking.
We can be very fond of children (our own or those of others) and
we may be ambitious for them. This can stimulate their development,
but if we are too dominating it can inhibit them.

Our need of pleasurable things such as hobbies and games, our need
for a central role, for self-confidence and creativity, are focused here
on a desire for contacts with people that we like. We want an impor-
tant place in our circle of friends and in society in general; yet, because
the 11th house calls the tune here, we ate to some extent dependent
on the othet(s)—we readily adopt their thoughts and desires in order
to have (and to preserve) a sense of belonging. Now, although this
represents a form of insecurity (of which we ate not always aware,
possibly because we do not wish to be aware of it), we usually make a
very good job of disguising the insecurity from ourselves and others by
the natural, pleasant, and amusing manner that we adopt in out social
milieu. The 5th house imparts a certain pride, authority, and flair;
and, with its emphasis on pleasure, can make a very good impression.
We look for esteem and boost our self-confidence by participat-
ing in groups where we feel comfortable. We want to share our hob-
bies with friends and with other kindred spirits, but we also allow
ourselves to be influenced by their tastes and preferences. Sometimes
this leads to problems, for out own self-expression lies in the 5th house
and the self-expression of others lies in the 11th. The ruler of the 5th
makes us want to have the last word, but out need to make and
preserve contacts is what tips the scales. Out creativity, among other
things in an artistic sense (5), can therefore be strongly influenced by
those with whom we ate familiar. Sometimes we suddenly discover a
number of new things in ourselves after making new friends.
With children, who also come under the 5th house, we maintain
a chummy, open, and free contact; sometimes with the intention of
making a break with current role patterns (our need to change forms
also lies in the 11th house). We tend to instill into the minds of
children the importance of social functioning, because the latter is so
decisive in out own experience.

As with the previous connection, out circle of friends and social activi-
ties play a big part in out lives. Only here we ate mote decisive. Out
fondness of the company of people with whom we have some
affinity—friends, kindred spirits, and the like—is an instrument for

and subordinate to what we take pleasure in doing and it does not
deter us from putting ourselves first. To put it more delicately, we look
for friends who feel they have an affinity with us. It is important to
have friends who are on our wavelength; we are not interested in
having friends who want us to be on wavelength. We prefer them
to like the things we liked before we met them. Others can certainly
influence our ideas, but by no means as strongly as they would do if
we had the ruler of the 5th in the 11th. Anyway, with this house
connection, our friends are prepared to put up with our rather domi-
nating attitude, or may scarcely notice it, because we have so much
warmth and spontaneity to give.
Social behavior and creative expression are so closely linked by a
5th-llth house connection that, in both varieties of this connection,
part of our act in our circle of friends and in society is liable to be sheer
creativity.

Our need to do things that give us pleasure, to enjoy hobbies and
creative pursuits, for self-confidence and the need to play a central role
is concentrated on a desire for isolation and detachment, on a desire
for unity and for a rich inner life in which worldly longings have
become unimportant. This placement looks like we don't have any
ambition because the 12th house has apparently blunted its keen
edge. But make no mistake, we can focus our ambition on impersonal
or collective goals while, behind the scenes, we feel amazingly impor-
tant. It is just that we do not relish appearing before the footlights.
With this connection, we prefer to be on our own doing the
things that give pleasure and build self-confidence. An artist with
such a connection will withdraw completely during the creative process
in order to work in isolation.
We can also achieve our ambition in 12th house matters, such as
service to the community—in which we devote ourselves to the
oppressed, the underprivileged, or others in need—or we can take an
interest in everything to do with the unseen world, such as meditation,
hypnosis, religion, or other spiritual interests. And sometimes we put

a great deal of effort into things to do with water, and especially into
things to do with the sea. Somehow or other, we want to shine in them
or to find reassurance in them, for the 5th house is always ambitious.
In everything to do with the unseen world or community service
or with what goes on behind the scenes (which need not be anything
underhanded) we like to play an important role.
Often people with this connection have a feeling for dreams,
fantasy, the conceptual world of a child. Other things that come under
the 12th house are fairy tales, fables, legends, and the mythic phase of
childhood. Sometimes the connection with such things results in
writing—like the authorship of fantasy novels. The world of endless
possibilities is also the world of the child, and we can explore this
world creatively with the ruler of the 5th in the 12th. Here, too, there
is the danger, typical of the 12th house, of being carried away (for a
time at least) into fantasy land, addictions, or unrealistic ideals.

The world of the unseen and the unbounded plays an important role
here, too; not because it is our only interest, but because it can enter
into our hobbies and is a means of gaining self-confidence. At first
sight, it may seem utterly nonsensical that anyone could gain confi-
dence through things that have no solid material foundation; but the
answer to this is that we arc not looking for material security when the
ruler of the 12th is in the 5th. With this connection, we can derive a
sense of pleasure, self-confidence, and authority from the idea that
there is more to life than earthly delights, and we arc capable of
feeling at one with the greater whole. This feeling can come to us in
various ways; for example, during religious exercises, when we are
undergoing hypnosis, or as we gaze in contemplative mood at the
measureless ocean.
Our hobbies arc quite likely to relate to service to the community
or the world of the unseen. For instance, an artist may feel impelled to
depict the unity of all living things (12), and a schoolchild can display
the same sensitivity by reading or writing metaphysical poetry.
Although we can gain a feeling of confidence from this infinite
world with the ruler of the 12th in the 5th, we often go through a
(sometimes fairly long) period of insecurity first while we arc desper-
ately trying to find out who we arc. Insecurity is generally experienced
with the ruler of the 5th in the 12th, too, but in another way. With
the ruler of the 5th in the 12th, the building up of our self-confidence
(or even receiving a compliment) can create vague fears (12); whereas,
with the tulet of the 12th in the 5th, we suffer from insecurity and
these vague fears right from the start. However, once we have found
some security, we can sometimes go to meet life with an almost child-
like cheerfulness, because our confidence is not derived from transient
material things but from deeper values. Yet, with this connection also,
there is a danger of harmful habits and of going in search of inner
reality by means of narcotics and mind-bending drugs and of losing
oneself completely in the process.
What is more, with this connection, there is often an understand-
ing of the fantasy world of the child, but we are sometimes inclined to
limit the child's space because we think the collective fantasy world
ought to be in keeping with our own, which is not always the case—
cenainly not completely so. It is possible to encourage children to use
their creative imagination in such a way that we give them something
that enables them to keep in contact with their creative unconscious
right on into adulthood. However we must be careful not to introduce
into their upbringing, or to present to their minds, ideas that are too
idealistic, unworldly or eccentric.
The 6th House

Our need to consider and analyze things and to draw from them useful
and practical conclusions, out critical ability and our willingness to
serve, are not only our goal but also the toad by which we reach that
goal. Naturally enough, this leads to considerable emphasis on the
above needs and characteristics, and makes us keen to satisfy or express
them. Now, this can make us shine in 6th house matters, but it can
also, in extreme cases, make us hypercritical, nit-picking, easily
bogged down in fussy details, and apt to lose sight of the overall view.
In a positive sense, this connection can indicate a practical and down-
to-eanh attitude and the desire to harness our energies to something
useful (which can amount to working hard for a salary).
Wc can find and do work in any area of the 6th house; for
example, in health care, in the army, in the fire department, in ser-
vice, in restaurants, in shops, with animals, and as a dietician, but also
by doing practical work (including odd jobs) with our hands—
provided the rest of the chart docs not block us.
Often, where our work is concerned, wc arc prepared to memo-
rize a wealth of practical details and to make efficient use of them; and
yet, in other areas of life, wc can be slovenliness itself. Although the
6th house favors order, neatness, and regularity, I have found that
these arc not always sought on the outer plane. Our home may be a
chaos, while wc keep, with meticulous precision, a well-arranged men-
tal note of the things that arc important to us. Of course, external
orderliness can leap to the eye with this house connection; all I am
saying is it is not a law of the Medes and Persians. Nevertheless, wc do
find an eye for detail, precision, and regularity in external things quite
often. The native can be a designer of useful objects such as pieces of
furniture, but can also be a fashion designer with a fine eye for detail,
or the sort of bookkeeper who will puzzle over the accounts after hours
until they can be made to balance.
In rare eases, I have seen in very rich, idle people, a (sometimes
too) critical attitude to workers and personnel, but in times like out
own this attitude is not as common as it was formerly. It is important
to us to be able to make good use of out analytical and critical faculties
in planning, scrutiny, and research, at work and elsewhere, but some-
times wc tend to overdo these things.

The need to consider and analyze in order to make useful and concrete
findings, a critical ability and willingness to serve others, are concen-
trated here on union with our opposite number or life partner or
companion. The ruler of the 6th in the 7th certainly highlights some
sort of companionship; work and partner arc always involved with one
another by this connection, and in addition we tend to attach great
value to the role of the partner. In a positive sense, this means that wc
like to settle things amicably, and this facilitates cooperation. And yet.
with this connection, we remain very critical of the partner, because

our eye for detail is turned on this person. Sometimes our critical
faculty can conflict with our need to preserve a harmonious atmos-
phere in our working relationships, including our working relationship
with the partner. For we make a certain set of demands on the partner
on account of various trifles that appeal to us. However, on the other
hand, harmony in the relationship with this other person is so impor-
tant that we gladly relinquish our demands. Perhaps the best solution
is a partner who indulges in criticism on his or her own account.
Also our objectivity (another 6th house trait) is applied to the
other person, who may well be piqued by our coldly critical analysis of
the relationship. Or we use our objectivity to hide our emotions dur-
ing matrimonial disputes. On the credit side, there is the opportunity
for a very honest relationship, in which the other is seen as an equal,
not from ideas of fraternity, but from a hard-headed look at the
association. Equality in this sense can result in concrete agreements
concerning work, money, and living quaners. But the role of the
partner has a decisive effect on the way in which we tackle these
things.

Partner and work are linked by this house connection, too; but now,
where collaboration is concerned, the emphasis is more on our per-
sonal ideas and conditions of work, although we do also seek harmony
and balance in work. Sometimes, with the ruler of the 7th in the 6th,
there is a relationship in which the partner (whether or not compelled
by necessity) contributes to our work or makes it possible; and often
practicality or usefulness underlies the relationship. The 6th house is
invariably practical not playful, and precise but not very impetuous.
This house connection, like the previous one, is firstrate for working
with others.
It is said that, with this house connection, we run the risk of
marrying someone who has poor health and needs to be waited on, or
a partner who needs our help in some other way; but, in practice, we
do not rush into a marriage of this type. However, it can be that we are
content to serve our partner —as, generally speaking, we are with the
ruler of the 6th in the 7th—but here we do so on our own terms.
If the previous house connection makes a person a critical life
partner or companion, the ruler of the 7th in the 6th makes us even
more critical, because the partner is subject to our critical examination

(6) and has to be resigned to following our detailed prescription for
life and work. Certainly we can possess objectivity —more objectivity
than usual in fact. But, whatever the case may be, if we find a partner
with whom to share a piece of work or a working agreement, and if we
can be serviceable to the partner, then we can be very happy with 6th-
7th house connections.
Finally, with the ruler of the 7th in the 6th, our working environ-
ment or actual job can involve 7th house matters of various kinds, such
as diplomacy, the creation of a harmonious atmosphere, but also lux-
uries (cosmetics for example) and fine arts, contracts and the like.

Our need to consider and analyze for the purpose of making good use
of our findings, our critical ability, the desire to serve, are concen-
trated here in the area where we struggle with ourselves in order to
overcome repressions and complexes and to break through, as
intensely as we can, to our hidden talents and to the core of things.
With this connection, we can use our critical acumen and our eye
for detail in tracking and research in the widest possible sense. Often
we are ultra-precise in searching into the kernel of things, which some-
times leads to significant discoveries after years of hard and careful
work.
Another possible effect is when, through our work, our willing-
ness to help, or our powers of objective analysis, we intentionally or
unintentionally discover psychological laws and truths about the psy-
che in ourselves and others. This can encourage us to keep on research-
ing, and often leads inevitably to confrontation with ourselves.
Situations in or around our work can suddenly bring us face to
face with ourselves, too. And if we genuinely desire to look our prob-
lems and repressions straight in the eye, then this house connection
can bring us work in which helping people at a psychological level
plays an important part somehow or other. For even a salesperson in
any line of business can, with insight and the right approach, give
customers the little nudge they need to make satisfactory purchases.

The ruler of the 6th in the 8th makes us good at this.
People with the ruler of the 6th in the 8th often find work in the
terrain of the 8th house, work they do with dedication and with great
intensity, and that frequently brings problems to light or demands
digging and seeking. It can even be work involving power or finance,
which always come under the 8th house.
If we are prepared to tackle our 8th house problems, then, with
the ruler of the 6th in the 8th, we can gain a great deal of insight into
the relationship between mind and body, and contact with disease can
give us a better idea of the psychic functioning in ourselves and others.
It is a big advantage to a physician to have this house connection (or
the ruler of the 8th in the 6th). Such insights enable us to tap our
hidden potential and to gain fresh energy and stamina. But if we
shrink from coming to terms with our unconscious problems, we may
get tangled in all sorts of defense and flight mechanisms, such as the
urge to work and to make ourselves useful in order to get a grip on
ourselves and our surroundings (the 6th as an instrument of the 8th) as
long as we do not have to lay ourselves open to others. This can go
hand-in-hand with ambition at work, but not with open ambition. So
the 8th house develops its unconscious pressure here. We can take
evasive action by taking intense interest in some facet of our work in
order to avoid confrontation, which ultimately is almost unavoidable.

The ruler of the 8th in the 6th knows a similar flight mechanism.
Here, too, we turn to our work as a means of escape from complexes
and neuroses. But there is a difference from the ruler of the 6th in the
8th. There work, service, sickness, and health inevitably led to con-
frontation with ourselves, and gave us a choice between sticking our
heads in the sand or facing up to things. With the ruler of the 8th in
the 6th, we try to discharge the tension of these things in our occupa-
tion, irrespective of whether we take up the gauntlet or stick our heads
in the sand. With the ruler of the 8th in the 6th we can put our
shoulder to the wheel and work harder and longer than anyone, and
we are very demanding on colleagues and subordinates because we also
ask a lot of ourselves. The more fiercely we play at hide-and-seek with
ourselves the more demanding we become; but the opposite is true if
we have the courage to tackle our complexes and neurotic traits and
tap our hidden resources. Then psychological insight, understanding

of the problems of others, insight into the whys and wherefores of all
sorts of things, insight into power structures, and so on, can help us to
develop an adaptable attitude at work and trim our demands to suit
the abilities and preferences of different people. Those with this house
connection are often appreciated for their obligingness, their readiness
to be always at the beck and call of others, and for their hard work;
but, in many cases, such qualities attend and mask inner problems.
This house connection often gives an interest in, and a growing insight
into, the relationship between mind and body. Frequently there is an
irresistible urge to investigate and analyze; even people who have had
no more than an elementary education will inquire into the reason for
things. The 8th house is a sphere in which we feel alone (but definitely
not lonely); and, in fact, with the ruler of the 8th in the 6th, we are
inclined to work on our own or to seek a function in which we are left
largely to our own devices.

Our need to analyze, to ponder, apply our results usefully, our critical
ability, a desire to serve, are all concentrated here on the need to
extend horizons either physically or mentally, and to propagate our
views. Sometimes this means quite literally doing business abroad, or
working in institutes of higher education or in courts of law, etc. We
set about learning things as systematically and as objectively as possi-
ble. The orderliness and regularity of the 6th house are an instrument
of the 9th. When we have reviewed and analyzed something, we want
to look at it in a wider context—philosophical or sociological—or to fit
it into some concrete theory of our own. Whatever the case, we have
clear-cut ideas on how we should understand our findings.
Often we have restless minds, and are always looking for opponu-
nities (the 9th house is always seeking new pastures). This occasionally
causes instability, but usually signifies no more than a love of
change—which often expresses itself either in work that involves a lot
of travel, or in the need to study and investigate.
Professionally (6) we can be characterized both by enthusiasm

and by a certain opinionatedness. We are keen on looking for fresh
opportunities. But since we trust our own judgment above all things,
we are sometimes inclined to fling the advice of others to the wind
even when it is good, and to convince ourselves that we know best.
Work that demands a certain amount of bravery, flair, and exploration
should suit us well.
With this connection, I have sometimes seen amazing casualness
in the native's diet, living habits, and dress. The 9th house does not
give an interest in such things, and the native will wear anything that
comes to hand, eats at odd hours, and cannot get worked up over
niceties. And so, with the ruler of the 6th in the 9th, we can encounter
the rather striking contrast between external slovenliness and careful
exactitude regarding studies.

Our need for expansion, for widening our horizons by traveling physi-
cally (abroad) or mentally (study, religion), and our need to hold our
own opinions, are focused on a useful, concrete, practical and industri-
ous area of life. Generally, this implies a practical, down-to-earth
outlook; the plans we make must be profitable, and must have an
obvious goal. Our insights must have real value and we like our judg-
ments to be watertight. We sit and think about all sorts of things and
analyze and sift them according to our preconceived opinions (the 9th
as an instrument of the 6th). Also we are prepared to study for our
work in order to improve ourselves, often without any external stimu-
lus but purely out of interest and a love of learning.
As with the previous house connection, so here; we can do well in
work that needs to be performed with courage and flair. With the
ruler of the 6th in the 9th, being able to cut to the chase was the main
point, but here it is only a means to be used when necessary, our work
does not have to be permanently absorbing and challenging. The
deciding factors, as far as we are concerned, are regularity and a solid
basis (6).
With this connection, we can also do work involving travel or
contact with foreign countries. This can mean anything from a career
in a travel agency through bookkeeping for an export firm.
Our studies and training must be mainly practical or have some
bearing on practical matters (economics, for example). Things that
have a direct application are particularly important to the 6th house,

and our need to widen our horizons is concerned with them. Passing
on what we know can form part of our work, both in education and in
other fields, such as writing a book on craftsmanship, old trades, the
care of animals, and so on. The self-conceit of the 9th house is instru-
mental in shaping our work, and we like to be given a free hand in
doing it, and do not set great store by the opinions of others.

Our need to reflect and analyze and to make good and concrete use of
our findings, our critical ability and our desire to serve, are an instm-
ment here for defining our personal identity, for gaining social status,
and for obtaining a certain measure of autonomy and authority. There
seems to be an element of contradiction in this house connection; the
6th is a subordinate house, but the 10th is associated with lawmaking.
Nevertheless, a fusion of some sort is possible. For example, we can
give our services and advice to gain standing in the community and to
feel important. With this connection, we often strike others as being
very obliging, because we keep coming up with viable solutions to
their problems, thanks to our practical insight. We are able to promote
our career prospects with our diligence, adaptability, efficiency and
organizational skills. Besides earning us a commendation, these quali-
ties can elevate us to a position of partial or complete independence.
We have fixed ideas about management, and these ideas are
likely to be in conformity with the way things are done in out own part
of the world. And so, we have much of the equipment necessary to rise
to the top, from errand boy or gal Friday to company director. Our
insight based on experience into how to run a company can give us an
edge over managers taken on straight from college with heads full of
theory and little else.
With the ruler of the 6th in the 10th, it is possible to take a
critical and objective look at the picture we have of ourselves and of
our place in society, and to do something constructive about what we
see. But self-criticism, although it is an important feature of the 6th
house, will not put in an appearance unless the courage we require to
examine our shoncomings is found elsewhere in the chart. Failing this,

the place of self-criticism can be taken by hypercriticism of others, by
way of overcompensation for the criticism we are sparing ourselves.
And then, with the ruler of the 6th in the 10th, we can be a nit-picker
who, although extremely painstaking in activities demanding great
precision, splits hairs with others and prevents them from attending to
the main task. But the achievement of self-criticism can provide the
constant feedback required for well-prepared work.

Our need for a well-defined identity, autonomy, authority, and a
desire to achieve social status, are the instrument here for our need to
make ourselves constructively useful and to develop our critical ability.
It may sound strange but, with this connection, I have encountered a
high degree of willfulness. The explanation is that the 6th house is
critical and analytical and strives for objectivity, and therefore does not
think much of preconceived opinions. If someone gives us advice, then
the 6th house prompts us to analyze it to see how far we can trust this
advice. With the ruler of the 10th in the 6th we are not impressionable
as far as facts and figures and advice are concerned. We have a point of
view, that is to say an image of ourselves, a consciousness of our
position and a determination to rise in the world and to have our
authority confirmed. And so we are inclined to make our mark on all
6th house matters, especially where work, analysis or service play a
pan. If our findings tun counter to those of others, we are liable to "do
our own thing" regardless, although always with a practical end in
view. Thus the ruler of the 10th in the 6th is not always biddable; it
reserves the right to make mistakes in order to learn from life. That
this is often hard in practice does not matter too much to the native,
who puts experience under the microscope. And, depending on
whether the analysis being carried out is self-analysis or analysis pro-
jected on the outside world, he or she will cither grow through per-
sonal experience or, alternatively, will take offense and be unwilling to
learn because "the fault always lies with others."
I have also more than once observed, with this house connection,
that the progress of the native's career (10) keeps bringing more work
with it (6), and often this is accepted gladly because it helps to lift us
up the social ladder. Anyway, the fact that the ruler of the 10th is in
the 6th shows that genuine hard work is required. Like the ruler of the
6th in the 10th, the rulct of the 10th in the 6th can also give occupa-
tions in the services or in service industries, such as the armed forces,
hospitals, health care, restaurants, public office, and so on.

Our need to ponder and analyze in order to make good use of our
findings, and our critical faculty and our desire to serve others, are
concentrated here on our contacts with friends and with people on the
same wavelength as ourselves, that is to say with kindred spirits. On
the one hand, this connection can imply a very critical and even
demanding attitude toward these contacts; on the other hand, we
prefer the company of practical people with a good critical sense.
Quite often this results in the formation of friendships through our
work, irrespective of whether we are working for others, for ourselves,
or for charity. Our working conditions and working environment are
conducive to meeting like-minded individuals. Conversations with
people in these circles are important to us and we feel happy when the
topics discussed are practical — topics related to everyday life, but also
with politics, or with the organization of some society or club.
We like to be helpful to others and expect them to help us in
return in certain respects, which they often do. We introduce objective
attitudes into our circle of friends, but run the danger of applying
double standards, namely our own based on our own well-weighed
analysis, and the standards of others with whom we do not wish to fall
out. Whatever the case, our concerns are mainly practical or business-
like. We can find employment in 11th house terrains such as associa-
tion work, politics, work in the sphere of contacts, or work in which we
break through rigid limitations of form, cither literally or in interper-
sonal relationships.

With this house connection friends and kindred spirits are closely
associated with our work and/or our penchant for critical analysis.
Quite often we are helped in our career by contacts or by the intcrvcn-
tion of friendly people, are enabled to find work, or are put in a

position to benefit ourselves and society in some other way. The opin-
ions and ideas of friends and of like-minded people are quite impor-
tant to us in our work, but our own analysis and our own practical
insights have the last say in this and, indeed, in any other of our
material concerns. In a number of cases I have seen people with this
connection introducing something humanitarian into their work, or
something that could contribute to the individual development of
themselves or of others. This is not surprising when we remember that
the 11th house represents the need to pull down barriers and to respect
everybody's individuality, and that here it is the instrument of our
work and service.
We also find this house connection in people employed in insti-
tutions where they work with many individuals to achieve a single
goal, a state of affairs that produces a cenain social atmosphere, per-
haps even a subculture. Examples of such institutions are the armed
forces (the professionals of course, not the conscripts), political bodies,
trade unions, and the like. Comradeship is often something we need
in order to enjoy our work, and we know how to bring a touch of
informality even to the most sedate organizations.

Our need to reflect and analyze (in order to make good use of our
findings), our critical faculty, and a willingness to serve are used to
give shape to our need for isolation and detachment, and our longing
for unity and a rich inner life in which worldly desires lose their
attraction. At first sight, this looks impossible, for how can a very
down-to-eanh, practical house assist the development of a formless
and, sometimes, even chaotic house? Nevertheless, there are a number
of conclusions that can be drawn from this connection. In the first
place, we need work (the means) in which silence (the end) plays a
pan, such as work on our own, in isolation, or work behind the scenes
where we are less exposed to public criticism, or work in which inner
quiet is important (e.g., hypnosis or meditation). On the other hand,
we may become involved in work that touches our feelings or appeals
to our sympathies; so that we can live an extremely self-sacrificing life

with this connection. And sometimes we do something very practical,
quite possibly something to do with the sea, or have a recondite
occupation, such as analyzing narcotics and hallucinogens.
Psychologically, this house connection indicates that our critical
faculty and eye for detail run the risk of being sidetracked or even of
going astray in some way or another. The 12th house always blurs
contours. Our self-criticism can be excessive without good cause, and
so can our criticism of others. It is important for us to find a positive
way of using our powers of analysis. For example, we can set to work
helping people with addictions or with social problems where intu-
ition and empathy are required. Then again, we might do artistic and
creative work that touches the emotions, or we might try to make sense
of the world of the unseen by carrying out objective research into
spiritism, superstition, meditation and so on.
Dreams, feelings, sudden thoughts and other images from within
can give us guidance in our work and in our critical scrutiny of our-
selves. If we have this connection, the relationship between mind and
body is at least as important for us as it is with the 8th and 6th house
connections. Neither with the ruler of the 6th in the 12th nor with the
ruler of the 12th in the 6th need we be afraid that we shall start
suffering from all sorts of ailments at an early age. If we know how to
use the unconscious forces of the 12th house creatively, we may well
live longer than most. However it is possible for us to suffer from
exhaustion because we do not know when to stop where our emotional
involvement is concerned.

The world of the unseen, of seclusion, of dreams, and of the collective
unconscious is an instrument here for our need to make a critical,
useful and concrete application of what we have considered and ana-
lyzed. As in the previous connection, there is an element of apparent
contradiction here: the chaotic and indefinable seem hardly suitable as
an instrument for our common sense and analytical ability. Also, just
as in the previous connection, we feel urged to use our intuition and
empathy in our work; and, in fact, they are helpful in fields where, for
example, we have to make social, psychological, or even medical diag-
noses that require more than head knowledge. The difference from
what we find with the ruler of the 6th in the 12th is that there the
important thing was to satisfy out feelings, while here, with the ruler
of the 12th in the 6th, the concrete application matters more to us.
Nevertheless, the unseen world is still tied up with work and service.
This is a fine connection for magnetizers and for people in similar
professions, but the ordinary family doctor can gain a great deal of
benefit from this aspect.
In our work we sometimes have very idealistic — and not always
realistic—concepts. Indeed, in a few cases, there can be an aversion to
hard work and a preference for profiteering. But we must not think
the worst unless there are further indications of the same kind in the
chart; in which case, the chaotic tendency of the 12th house can cloud
our objective view of things.
We may have religious convictions that exercise an influence over
our social behavior, our approach to work, and our attitude to sickness
and health. But other convictions or ruling ideas can also play a part:
we may have an emotional affinity with vegetarianism for example.
With the ruler of the 12th in the 6th, dreams, associations, feel-
ings and the like (to which we can be immediately responsive if we
choose), sometimes make a direct criticism of us. But if we shut our
eyes to it, we can lose ourselves in senseless fault-finding and carping
at others, and at society, in order to distract attention from our own
failures. Again, as we stated concerning the ruler of the 6th in the
12th, there is no need to fear that we are unusually susceptible to
disease. With the ruler of the 12th in the 6th, we can often draw a
large amount of energy from within during quiet moments of seclu-
sion, or during sessions of yoga, meditation, or prayer. And a definite
religious attitude (not necessarily formal) can prove inspirational in
our work as well as having a beneficial effect on our physical wellbe-
ing.
The 7th House

Satisfying our desire for a life partner is both a means and an end with
the ruler of the 7th in the 7th. Voluntarily or involuntarily, we have a
great longing to be near our opposite number. How many times have I
heard people with this connection sigh that they would not know what
to do without the partner! The absence of the latter affects them

greatly and makes them feel incomplete.
It must not be supposed, however, that the relationship will
always be happy, regardless of the rest of the horoscope, and of the
attitudes of those concerned; although, with the ruler of the 7th in the
7 th, we tend to let the other person lead. The 7 th house represents our
willingness to compromise and, with the ruler of the 7th in the 7th,
this characteristic is accentuated.
In deference to the other person, we can look for compromises or
even give way, which can cause problems if it does too much violence
to the rest of the chart. First and foremost, we try to keep the peace, to
preserve a pleasant atmosphere, to share as much as possible with the
panner (especially in social life), and to follow and understand the
partner as much as possible. Unfortunately, this can mean papering
over the cracks in our relationship for many years. On the other hand,
we can really mature in a relationship with a companionable panner
who comprehends but does not abuse our insecurity and our, often
unmeant, dependence. Because the other person plays such a big role
in our lives, he or she can be very stimulating, and can even set us on
our feet and increase our self-confidence. But if the other person
deliberately abuses us to make us docile, the world will see us as
"cowed" or "hen-pecked."
We tend to display the same docility when collaborating with a
companion, and we like to keep the peace or reach compromises. But
once we have found ourselves, we can show a completely different side
of our character, both as a companion and as a spouse. Little by little,
and in a subtle and tactful way, we can put over our own ideas on the
relationship until we achieve equality. However, if the other person
takes what we are doing the wrong way, or if we fail to win the hoped-
for concessions, the relationship can become very difficult because the
balance will swing to the other side, and the enjoyment will go out of a
relationship which does not come up to our expectations. Be that as it
may, with the ruler of the 7th in the 7th, contact with a panner is
vitally important to us for self-realization; sometimes extremes are
experienced in the relationship, but usually we are tactful and ready
enough to settle matters amicably.

Our need for and our attitude toward a life partner is concentrated on
out need to live dangerously and to get to the bottom of out com-
plexes and neuroses, as well as to uncover hidden gifts and talents.
This is a very intense house connection for a relationship. We seek an
ideal relationship with an all-ot-nothing approach, in which we delib-
erately challenge the other person in order to see how fat we can go—
and how fat they can go, too. Sometimes this ends in open warfare.
But mote often than not, it is just a matter of drawing the other person
out for a time (usually quite unconsciously) until we know where the
limits lie. And then the relationship can become solidly based; the
lowest stone has been brought to the surface and we know where we
ate. Needless to say, with this connection we ought to have a forceful
partner, and generally speaking we do; although, occasionally, the
partner is no match for us, and then the relationship cannot be satisfy-
ing, for we need the tension of struggling with an equal in order to
settle down.
Forming a relationship usually encourages us to grow and some-
times we are brought face to face (possibly in no uncertain terms) with
the shadow side of ourselves. The partner is always instrumental in
causing us to penetrate to our own depths, and our relationship with
the partner compels us to abandon ourselves to life. Usually this is
more concrete than sexual. Sometimes the most decisive thing for a
woman is surrendering to the husband, or, for a man is loving submis-
sion to the wife, but other things may be more important.
Once the confrontation with ourselves is out of the way, we can
become really dominant in a relationship; power (resulting from the
build-up of internal pressure) always goes with the 8th house, and this
is something with which the partner may have to reckon.
The same more or less applies to collaborations. I have seen many
individuals with this connection who have undergone a radical change
(very often to their advantage) due to an important collaboration or
companionship, yet without any deep crisis. But I have also seen
others "slave-driving" a colleague in an attempt to escape from inner
problems. Anyway, a relationship can alter us significantly and can
help us discover hidden gifts and talents; it can also degenerate into a
power struggle if we do not come to terms with ourselves.

Power play, intensity, and an all-or-nothing attitude, are liable to be
the means (and sometimes the weapon) in relationships that have the
ruler of the 8th in the 7th, but in a different way from what we found
with the 7th in the 8th. Problems within ourselves (8) have very direct
repercussions on our relationship (7) and are not the consequence of
that relationship. Although, of course, all of us have inner problems
that affect our relationships, the fact is more apparent in those who
have this house connection. There is a great need to intensify the
relationship, and to enjoy many shared activities. Given honest self-
appraisal, the ruler of the 8th in the 7th can give considerable inner
growth through a partnership.
Although we want our own power and influence to be felt in a
relationship, we seek a partner who is so strong that, to begin with, we
ourselves may very well slip into their control, and it is only later on
that we wake up and stan struggling. Our struggles can be long or
short, energetic or mild, depending on how much we think of our-
selves and how much our partner thinks of himself or herself. With
both connections I have found that the persons concerned were not
only closely bonded but in almost paranormal communication with
one another. But in less refined cases I have observed possessiveness
and jealousy toward the other person, because the panner (7) is made
the escape-valve for the nagging uncertainty arising from problems
that have been neither tackled nor solved (8). With this connection,
we can trespass so much on our partner's time and leave so little room
for maneuver in the relationship, that, indirectly, we give the partner a
great deal of power over our unconscious. Nevertheless, the other
extreme is possible, too; that is to say, a relationship in which two
strong characters stimulate one another to discover and develop their
hidden gifts and talents.

Our need for and our attitude toward a life partner is focused on
physical or mental travel, on widening our horizons, and on our need
to make up our own minds and to form our own opinions. With this
house connection, we long for a partner with whom to share our
insights, philosophy of life, religious beliefs, or social vision. While we
do not want to adopt our partner's vision, this can certainly help in the
formation of our own. Discussions with the partner may help us mod-
ify our ideas, but we will not permit the partner to meddle with them
too much.
The opportunity to grow and develop in a relationship is very
important to us; not so much in regard to our psyche, but more in the
sense of study, freedom, and a chance to improve in general. The 9th
house represents our need of perspective and hope for the future, and
we are least happy in a relationship that is not very exciting, or shows
no sign of going anywhere but just ticks over. We require freedom of
movement for ourselves and also gladly concede it to our opposite
number. A relationship in which the partners support and encourage
one another, and perhaps pursue the same studies, is one of the
positive possibilities of this connection.
There can be a shared love of travel. Although it is sometimes
said that, with this connection, marriage to a foreigner or to someone
with a completely different ethnic, social, or cultural background
often takes place, it is not a common occurrence.
With the ruler of the 7th in the 9th, we may well have a strong
sense of justice, because the 7th house, as the house of peace and
harmony, is an instrument here of the search for what is true and right.
When collaborating with someone we expect to have a fairly free
hand and we accord the same privilege to our colleague. Foreign
places, study, the dissemination of knowledge or the propagation of a
belief, not to mention a fight for justice, can all play a part in the
collaboration.

With this house connection, liberty, foreign countries, justice, breadth
of outlook, knowledge, study, all contribute to collaboration. But here
it is the partner or companion who is more likely to lead. There is the

same desire as before to share a concept, opinion, or vision with the
other person; but, whereas in the previous house connection, the
emphasis was on our own vision, now we ate inclined to go along with
his or her vision and to say those things that will meet with our
partner's approval. Of course, we do express certain ideas of our own,
but the partner will guide us in the formation of those ideas. We can
no longer make up our minds independently, but independence is not
of first importance to us. As a matter of fact, this does have its good
side: the 9th house influence always tends to make people very opin-
ionated; however, with the ruler of the 9th in the 7th, we ate prepared
to climb down in order to fit in with our partner's notions, and so we
gain flexibility in our thoughts and relationships. With the ruler of
the 7th in the 9th, we tend to keep forcing our opinions on the
partner. With the ruler of the 9th in the 7th, there is mote chance of a
dialogue.
Another feature of this connection is sharing a love of travel and
study with the partner, and setting out to realize certain idealistic
hopes for the future. We also have a great love of justice (as an
instrument of our social sense), which sometimes comes out in our
work (in a court of law, for example) or in our spare-time occupations
(delivering lectures on moral issues, doing relief work, etc.). Given the
opportunity, we often bring a lot of enthusiasm and idealism to a
relationship. Possibly we advocate an open marriage (this goes for the
ruler of the 7th in the 9th, too).

Our need of a particular relationship with a life partner is closely
interwoven with the formation of our self-image and with social posi-
tion and career. Our partner definitely plays a part in the creation of
our identity and is very influential on our attitude about ourselves and
society; but, because everything is focused on the 10th house, the
degree to which we let them influence depends on our own limits, our
own values, and our own ideas. With the ruler of the 10th in the 7th,
the reverse is true, and the partner has the last word.
With the ruler of the 7th in the 10th, we prefer a partner who will
support our ambitions and career, either directly by collaboration,
advice, or stimulus, or indirectly by taking off our hands everything
that does not immediately help our aims. There is not the slightest
reason why a partner of this sort should be a slave. More than once 1
have seen a very capable, energetic partner with his or her own field of
interest who seemed to support the native, directly or indirectly. Col-
laboration can be very fruitful with this house connection. However, a
few conditions have to be fulfilled, the chief of which is that the
partners in the collaboration should have their own tasks with clearly
defined responsibilities; also, they should share some socially recog-
nized goal. Although, with this connection, we give priority to our
own values and (social) concepts, in a relationship or collaboration, the
opinions, support, and application of the other person are things we
prize, and sometimes we will not make a move without their whole-
hearted approval. Therefore this is not a placement that signifies self-
conceit and lack of attention to one's partner.
Because the 7th house has peace and harmony emblazoned on its
shield, and because the 10th house is concerned with profession or
career, facets of the 7th house often enter into our occupation; which
may, for example, be in the diplomatic service, have something to do
with harmony and embellishment, or involve the art of persuasion (or
even flattery). Politics are another option.

Our social position, and the way in which we carve out an identity for
ourselves are closely intertwined with the role of our life partner or
companion in this house connection. But here we are more (and some-
times too much) inclined to heed and follow our opposite number.
Although we may occupy the foreground while the partner remains in
the background, the partner is usually the driving and guiding force
behind us and he or she has the final say.
This is an outstanding placement for collaboration because we are
a good listener as a rule, and are ready to compromise and behave in a
reasonable way in the interests of peace and harmony. Of course the
rest of the horoscope must endorse this and if, for example, we are full
of inferiority feelings and are dependent on the life partner or com-
panion for everything, we may lay such a heavy burden on his or her
shoulders that the relationship runs into problems. The further devel-
opment of the relationship is largely governed by the extent of our

self-acceptance and ability to look at ourselves objectively. In good
cases, the relationship is outstanding and successful because it is based
on equality and sincerity. The partners can encourage one another's
social aspirations; and, if only one of them is working, the other will
gladly share their ups and downs and, where possible, help to clear
bottlenecks for them. Here, too, the native's occupation often has a
7th house theme, such as diplomacy, harmony, agreement, art, poli-
tics, and social life, to name but a few possibilities.

Our need for and our attitude toward a life partner is, in this house
connection, closely involved in contacts with friends and kindred spir-
its, or people with whom we feel an inner affinity of some sort. Both
with the ruler of the 7th in the 11th and with the ruler of the 11th in
the 7th, if we marry or live together with someone, we need their
friendship and companionship. Tolerance in the relationship with our
life partner counts for more than love-making and sex. Although it is
very difficult to distinguish between the two house connections out-
wardly, there is a difference. With the ruler of the 7th in the 11th, this
friendship and companionship are the main object, and (chiefly men-
tal) contacts are what is important. If we have friends that the partner
does not like (although, with this house connection, we do try to have
the partner approve of friends), we will not abandon our friends —
which is something a person with the ruler of the Uth in the 7th
might well do. With the ruler of the 11th in the 7th, friendship is
certainly very important, but it does not have overriding importance
either in itself or in a relationship. In both cases we have a great need
of freedom in the relationship. At any rate, we want to feel that we can
develop our self-expression in whatever way we desire (and often we
never make any use of it). Also we seek a partner with a similar idea of
freedom. Contemporary forms of cohabitation could appeal to us if we
have either of these house connections—with this difference, that the
ruler of the 7th in the Uth definitely favors the breaking of role
patterns and taboos, whereas with the ruler of the 11th in the 7th, any
breaking of role patterns must serve the interests of the relationship.
The tendency, with the ruler of the 7th in the 11th, to see the
panner as an important member of our circle of friends, brings with it
the danger that we will confuse love and friendship and will marry or
live with someone who makes us a good friend but a poor partner. We
may try to kid ourselves that we are enjoying a modern, open relation-
ship with no strings attached, but, for all that, we can be getting
ourselves a raw deal —just comradeship without love.
Also, with this connection, we are inclined to let the form and
content of a relationship be governed by the prevailing standards of
the group for which we feel an affinity, because the ruler of the 7th in
the 11th encourages this. Thus a conflict can arise between our desire
for a companion who will leave us free and our actual dependence on
our panner. Indeed this house connection runs from one extreme to
the other, from the individualist in a relationship through the hus-
band who has become completely absorbed in the environment pro-
vided for him by his wife. Naturally, we usually find that the native is
living somewhere along the line between these two extremes.
The Ruler of the 11 th in the 1th

In addition to what has been said above about this house connection,
we see with the ruler of the 11th in the 7th that freedom and comrade-
ship are an instrument for shaping our relationship. We prefer a
situation in which our friends are those of our partner and vice versa,
but here the partner has the final say in who our friends will be.
Although, as in the previous connection, love can be confused with
friendship, the danger is not so great, because we do not form friend-
ships out of the desire for a relationship (as someone with the ruler of
the 7th in the 11th is inclined to do), but form a fairly close relation-
ship because of the importance we attach to friendship (the ruler of
the 11th being in the 7th). Friendship here is an instrument of the
relationship. With this connection, we tend to let the partner decide
our attitude toward friends and friendship. But we do have a provoca-
tive and nonconformist streak in us which can lead to conflict. The
challenge to fixed forms and the concern for the individual develop-
ment of self and others, which are inherent in the ruler of the 11th,
mean that rules in a relationship that are too strict usually go by the
wayside.
We look for obligingness and comradeship on the grounds of

equality in a relationship. With both the ruler of the 7th in the 11th
and the ruler of the 11th in the 7th, there is a possibility of collabora-
tion with friends, or of undertaking important things in some other
way with the help of people belonging to our circle of friends. We seek
a form of cooperation in which all are equal, and contribute according
to their individual skills and experience.

Our need for and attitude toward a life partner are focused on our
need for isolation and detachment, and on longing for unity and for a
rich inner life in which worldly pleasures have lost their appeal. The
connection is one, like the ruler of the 12th in the 7th, that can run to
extremes. When a formless house such as the 12th has to give direction
to a relationship, the result can easily be confusion or derailment.
With this connection, we often view a relationship very idealistically,
and are ready to sacrifice a great deal for it and to sink our own
interests. The danger is that we will confuse love (7) and compassion
(12), and will marry or live with someone we rather fancy who we
(consciously or unconsciously) know needs us. Occasionally such an
alliance is entered into out of vague feelings of guilt (12 again).
Inspired by an ideal, a religion, or some other source, we can uncom-
plainingly continue to play the helpful role for a very long time; in
essence we turn this into our own special form of relationship. But we
do need some privacy: somewhere we can be on our own to recharge
our batteries regularly. This can do the relationship good although, if
the partner does not understand our behavior, it can worry him or her.
Anyway, with the ruler of the 7th in the 12th, we need our quiet times
in order to do our part in bringing music back into the relationship.
Because we have to give shape to our relationship in such a collec-
tive area of life, the ruler of the 7th in the 12th can also entail the risk
that we are in love with love and not with our partner; in other words,
that we prefer the intoxication of romance to the prosaic side of things
that everyday life always brings to a relationship. It can be a long while
before we really get to know the other person, because of all the dream
images, ideals, and fantasies that we place between us and them, or

project on them. Often, with this connection, we look to sec what
form we can give the relationship.
Nevertheless, the ruler of the 7th in the 12th does have a number
of plus points up its sleeve for us if we open ourselves up to the world
of the unconscious. We can forge a close and unbreakable bond with
the other person, without being able to explain the nature of the link
or the power of attraction. I have encountered an almost telepathic
communication in such cases. It is also possible for us to meet in a
spiritual (or other) 12th house setting, someone with whom we can
share feelings we are unable to share with anyone else; this can form
the basis of a true union. Actually, our affections embrace the whole
world, which is symbolized for us by the partner; and the partner may
feel that he or she has no hold on the relationship or on his or her part
in it, and may experience frustration and a sense of being cheated. Be
that as it may, although chaotic elements can steal into a relationship
(or working partnership), this is an ideal connection for those who
wish to join a partner in cultivating a rich inner life.

With this connection, we bring to bear our need for isolation and
detachment, and our longing for unity and a rich inner life on our
relationship with the life partner or companion. Here, too, idealiza-
tion of the other person, or a relationship built on compassion, can
play a part—but not in the same way as in the previous connection.
We expect much of a relationship. Also we invariably introduce into it
(collective) imagery of some sort as an instrument, and look for a
partner in whom we can see this imagery; that is to say, we seek an
idealistic partner with whom we can feel at one—but, in doing so, we
run the risk of being completely swayed by this other person. With the
ruler of the 7th in the 12th, we sought a partner who shared our own
ideals. But, with the ruler of the 12th in the 7th, we tend to let him or
her determine our particular brand of idealism.
Once we become more self-reliant, it can come as a great shock to
see ourselves and our parmer in a new light, and in this sense we
experience a disappointment. With the ruler of the 7th in the 12th,
the reverse is true. There our dream and fantasy world is the end-point
and we possess the capacity to imagine that a bad relationship is good.
The ruler of the 12th in the 7th can promote unrealistic expectations
too, but deep anxieties can play a hidden role in a relationship.
It has been said that, with the ruler of the 12th in the 7th (or with
Neptune in the 7th), we shall marry someone who is often drunk.
However, 1 have not found this to be a hard and fast rule in my own
practice. Certainly, with such a house connection, we feat that out
relationship is fragile and, because of this, we (usually without being
aware of what we ate doing) sink out own interests and do everything
we can to make the other person as ideal as possible. And so the latter
feels stifled, or unable to move, or is left guessing what we are up to.
And then they can turn to the bottle; but the cause lies deeper. So,
admittedly, a partner who takes to drink is one possibility, but it is by
no means a rule. A strong spiritual union in which the outside world
has no place, either literally or metaphorically, but which we find
fulfilling, telepathic contact, dreams and ideals shared with the
partner—these are all positive expressions of a house connection that
has some difficulty in finding a recognized form.
The 8th House

Intensity in all respects is the key concept for the ruler of the 8th in the
8th. Our need to live dangerously, to challenge life as a symbol for
challenging ourselves, our need to penetrate to the core of things and
to bring to the surface what is hidden, our compulsion to tackle
complexes and neuroses, and our desire to discover our buried gifts
and talents—all these are both a means and an end in this area of life:
intensifying the things mentioned and their mode of expression. We
try to identify and remove the limitations to our personal power and
ability; and, if we are not aware of this fact, then, all too often, we
project our desire on the outside world, and see how far we can go with
others by conducting a (clandestine) power struggle with them. (Inci-
dentally, it is illusory to suppose that the entire contents of the per-
sonal unconscious, the 8th house, can be made conscious in such a way
as to liberate us from our projections.)
Wherever we are, we feel a need to look into the business of all
and sundry, and to poke about for the reason of things—sometimes
more deeply than necessary, and we take other's words and actions the
wrong way and so offend them. Nevertheless, if we restrain ourselves
and adopt a more balanced approach, we can show considerable dis-
cernment and penetration and can display great insight, maybe as a
top scientist, detective, or industrial spy, to name but a few possibili-
ties. What is more, we aim to discover something of lasting value. It
makes no difference whether our great discovery is a new atomic parti-
cle or the application of an important principle in the field of interper-
sonal relations to change somebody's life for the better.
And if people with the ruler of the 8th in the 8th dislike being
challenged, the need can exist to do something, that, as it were, "raises
the dead," or bestows power; and, because the 8th house hovers
between the extremes of life and death, out contribution can be cither
very constructive or highly destructive.
Sometimes the urge to challenge life appears to manifest itself in
events or situations that seem to say: "Prove that you have the ability
to. . . Not seldom, I have seen individuals with the ruler of 8th in
the 8th whose lives have been very intense in this respect, who have
been very lonely; the main reason for their struggles was their diffi-
culty in committing themselves to others.
Sexuality also belongs to the 8th house. And this is something in
which we ate likely to be very interested if we have the ruler of 8th in
the 8th. Naturally, there are many degrees of difference between the
sex maniac and the sexologist who tries to unravel everything to do
with this theme, clinical, mental, and emotional. The sexologist, too,
tries to bring to the surface whatever is most deeply buried. Our ability
to surrender to life and to ourselves often expresses itself here in the
degree to which we can hand ourselves over sexually to out partner.
Certainly, the ruler of the 8th in the 8th can have a strong element in
it of sex for the sake of sex; but in the long run the native seeks that
form of sexuality that will enable him or her to plumb the depths in
themselves and in the other person, thus sexuality is more a means
than an end.
With the ruler of the 8th in the 8th, we want to prove and
challenge life and to discover the extreme limits of our individuality.
Therefore we can indulge in covert provocation, a sort of friendly but
very decided independence where current norms and opinions are
concerned. In fact there is much that can be achieved here if we simply
go our own way; but not without a (for us, manageable) struggle. And
we know how to act creatively when we will. We would not feel we

were alive in the absence of stress and challenge.

Our need to experience intensity, and to dig down to the core of
things, the urge to tackle our complexes and neuroses, and our strug-
gle for power (over ourselves and, by extension, over others), arc
focused on travel both physical (abroad) and mental (study, philoso-
phy of life), on the search for truth (which we often proclaim as THE
truth), and on the formation and expression of our opinions and
judgments.
With the ruler of the 8th in the 9th, we inject a certain amount of
passion into our words, and often the enthusiasm with which we
rehearse what we have learned or discovered can give others the feeling
that they arc obliged to do or read the same. Yet, usually, we arc
unaware of our compelling word-choice and intonation. We arc car-
ried away by our own fervor, and do not realize how contagious this is.
With the ruler of the 8th in the 9th, we like to immerse ourselves
in things that lie beyond the horizon of everyday life and its vicissi-
tudes; things that have to do with power, or with psychology, research,
the occult, the laws of existence, life and death, and whatever is
connected with them. Study (9) in these areas is entirely possible; and
if we feel emotionally attracted (as the instrument) by the subject we
are studying, we can sometimes display an all-or-nothing attitude,
burning the midnight oil, and amazing others by our zeal and tempo.
But, if the subject fails to interest us, then we have a powerful psychic
resistance to overcome, and this costs us a large amount of energy.
The impression we make, and the topics that interest us, depend
on how comfortable we feel with ourselves. If we play at hide-and-seek
with ourselves by covering and denying our faults and our complexes,
then the effect of the ruler of the 8th in the 9th can sometimes
degenerate into a literal power struggle in 9th house terrains (such as
religion, philosophy of life, scientific theories, and the like). We may
become very fanatical on these topics, and may even go so far as to
twist the words and pronouncements of others. Our dogmatism is in
proportion to our insecurity and to our desire to keep the lid on

Pandora's box (8)1 and we are scarcely open to reason. We cling to our
ideas and ideals with grim obstinacy.
But, to the extent that we achieve a measure of tolerance, we can
apply ourselves, full of fire and enthusiasm, to our ideals and our
dreams of the future, and can bring our ideas and concepts to the
attention of others without manipulation or power struggles, yet gen-
erally without any impairment of our powers of persuasion. In many
cases, we experience further development of the psyche (8) by occupy-
ing ourselves with travel, study, religion, metaphysics, or something of
that sort; and, when we make discoveries about ourselves and our own
functioning, we often feel the need to report them to others so that
they can share the riches we have found. Therefore, the person with
the ruler of the 8th in the 9th is a good propagandist.

Here the needs of the 9th house are an instrument of the 8th house, to
which they give shape and in which they must find fulfillment. This
means that it is very necessary for us to have some philosophy of life
(no matter what) that stirs us deeply and makes a strong appeal to our
emotions. Also we need to keep on deepening our convictions. The
things that make up our vision, or fit into it, or the things we see and
experience during our travels can have a big influence on us by starting
up internal processes that bring our dark side to light. And we may be
compelled to take a more profound look at the meaning of things and
at our own role in the world. This can lead to confrontations and can
change us completely from a characterological point of view (8).
The unconscious nature of the 8th house and the primitive urge
to (deliberately) forget or repress things usually provide the necessary
uncertainty in this terrain. It may well happen that we espouse a
certain philosophy of life from which we draw a great deal of strength;
and, with the ruler of the 9th in the 8th, are so afraid of losing it, that
we defend it frantically, and strike others as being something of a
stick-in-the-mud. Our sense of security always stands or falls with this
vision. Its type—religious, philosophical, or social—makes no differ-
iln ancient Greek mythology, a box, the opening of which released all sorts of evils to
plague the world. The one thing left behind in it was Hope. Translator's note.
222 / Karen Hamak er-Zondag
ence. What we want is something to give us certainty. The 8th is

always the end-point—the search for an inner core.
This connection often goes with an interest in things that are
hidden, which may have to do with the occult, but may also be
political undercurrents, or secrets and mysteries that need to be unrav-
eled or fathomed, or deep-sea diving, or—for people who dig graves
or comfort the dying—matters of life and death. We pursue these
interests with great enthusiasm, are studious, and are eager to have
good explanations or a synthesis in this area (the 9th house here is an
instrument of the 8th). Once we take up a certain line of thought, we
do not let go until we come to the end of it (this is true of both 8-9th
connections). To those around us we may appear to be worrying, but
all we are doing is combining our predilection for intense searching
with our vision and our coordinating ability.

Our need for intensity, the desire to penetrate to and uncover the core
of things, to tackle complexes and neuroses, and to gain power, are an
instrument here of forming one identity, for gaining social status and
coming into possession of a certain autonomy and authority. It will be
clear that this is a placement in which, on the one hand, we are very
preoccupied with ourselves and, on the other hand, we provoke con-
frontation. The suction exerted on the conscious by everything we
have repressed or have attempted to ignore (8) will show in the image
we create for ourselves in the outside world, on the basis of which we
function in society (notwithstanding the fact that the urge to deal with
these repressions also resides in 8). Often we feel an underlying vulner-
ability; but with this connection we possess the resources to hide the
fact: the 8th house is well-stocked with defense mechanisms and the
10th house can provide a mask. One of the most effective defense
mechanisms is the adoption of a powerful, authoritative attitude, or of
some other form of behavior that commands respect. Be that as it may,
we easily approach the world with our real self heavily disguised and
give the impression that everything is under control and that it is
going according to plan. And we may not wish to admit that we can
shiver and cry inside—even to ourselves.
With this house connection, I have seen people undergo a radical

change at some point in their lives, quite often after a crisis, which,
strange to say, can be quite minor. Tackling our personal problems,
and having the courage to face them, has great consequences for the
way in which we look at ourselves and the world, and therefore for our
functioning.
If we shut our eyes to our problems, the hidden anxiety we feel
for ourselves can erupt into a power struggle that engulfs our whole
environment. Hardness, reserve, and defensiveness are our armor, and
yet this house connection can be full of possibilities if we have the
courage to lay aside this armor. For then, the ability to explore and
study things in depth can herald a really vigorous personal develop-
ment without any striving for empty power.
Everything belonging to the 8th house can be used to define
identity or as a means of securing our function in society. Therefore a
position of authority can be regarded as important by people with this
house connection, as can anything to do with life and death, from
directing funerals to comforting the dying, or (para)psychology and so
on. Usually, with this connection, we need recognition and support
from the outside —at any rate in the beginning—in order to feel more
secure on the inside. As a matter of fact, we often do receive this
following and support because we put on such a show of confidence.
The rest must come from us.

Here, just as in the previous connection, we are likely to undergo one
or more far-reaching changes during our lives, because identity and
crisis, identity and repression, but also identity and hidden gifts and
talents are so closely bound together. I have observed more than once,
with this connection, that the native had a craving for recognition
because this was lacking in childhood, either through lack of encour-
agement from the parents or because he or she did not send out clear
enough signals that encouragement was needed, or from some other
cause. We keep looking for our identity and continually stumble upon
all sons of insecurities in ourselves. Time after time, whenever we form
a particular self-image, we take it to the house of confrontations (8),
where we come face to face with things about ourselves that we had
(deliberately) forgotten, things that pose painful questions about our-
selves and our lives.
Our responses can be exaggerated: we can perform some feat in

order to give expression to an identity, both psychically and literally, or
we can retreat behind an inner wall because we experience every exter-
nal influence as threatening. And yet, in spite of all our retreating or
exaggeration, we can certainly build a first-class career for ourselves;
we are very good at keeping the inner life and outer conduct separate
from one another. Here, too, we are inclined to pass ourselves off as
powerful or self-sufficient, and to a large extent we can get people
where we want them; but that does not satisfy us until we really come
to terms with ourselves. For then we find the strength for which we
have been seeking, and we can make balanced use of out hidden gifts
and talents and win appreciation in the circles in which we move,
whether large or small. Until this time comes, the outside world does
not know us as we ate, because out vulnerability makes us very reluc-
tant to show ourselves in out true colors.
And so, with both 8th-10th connections, we see the conflict
between out powerful stance in the outside world and out value as an
adviser of others (because we ate inclined to catty out a deep analysis of
things), on the one hand, and the vulnerability and loneliness we feel
because of a sense that no one knows us, on the other. Only a confron-
tation with ourselves—which seldom happens—can break the vicious
circle and reveal hidden gifts and talents; and then in a very noticeable
and intense manner.

Out need of intensity, out desire to dig deep to discover the cote of
things, out concern over complexes and neuroses, and out striving for
power ate an instrument here of the need to be in contact with kindred
spirits, with friends, and with others who, in one way or another, ate
on the same wavelength as ourselves. We seek close contacts with
friends and with others who share out outlook; and we want compan-
ions who ate well-matched with us in character.
As with the tulet of the 11th in the 8th, we like spatting partners
or, in other words, friends with whom there is such deep trust that we
can say what we like without fear of causing offence or misunderstand-
ing, even when we are being cynical or poking wry fun. But this
necessitates the ability to take a frank look at ourselves; for, unless we
can face our own weaknesses, we cannot make allowance for the weak-
nesses of others. We are liable to go to extremes (as we are with the
ruler of the 11th in the 8th): on the one hand engaging in tremendous
power struggles and jockeying for position with friends and associates,
and on the other hand forging wonderful unbreakable friendships.
Anything in between is also possible; but, with this connection, spe-
cial importance attaches to the way in which we handle ourselves and
the extent to which we are still playing hide-and-seek with ourselves
and others. These factors are directly involved in our friendships —as
they are invariably the building blocks of the latter.
Much of what we go through in ourselves is initiated by friends
and kindred spirits, and the growth of our psyche can be largely
dependent on them. Therefore, with this connection, it pays to be
careful when we make friends, because their influence on us is greater
than we might think. One good feature is that our friends will often
help us out with problems, and will seldom desert us during hard
times however prolonged.

Here too, friendships and the development of the psyche are closely
entwined, and (as already mentioned) we need a sparring partner.
Kindred spirits and people on the same wavelength as ourselves (the
means) are very influential on our psychic growth (the end); but, with
this connection, we are more in control. In fact sometimes we can
make far-reaching changes in our circle of friends whenever we
undergo changes in ourselves.
We do not refer matters to others, but (often unconsciously) take
the line that if they will not go along with us they are welcome to
leave. And with our powers of penetration, and our need to fathom
everything to do with the psyche, we can go too far for some people.
Thus our circle of friends evolves by "natural selection."
A negative trait is our endeavor to gain power over our friends,
due to the fact that we need them to support us and to camouflage our
insecurity. They must not have too much to say for themselves,
because we have no intention of letting them put us under the magni-
fying glass. So the adverse side of the ruler of the 11th in the 8th is a
preference for a crowd of followers to a few real friends. But, as with
the ruler of the 8th in the 11th, we can certainly have true friends if we
recognize our insecurity and dare to tackle it without reacting on
them. So there is a contrast between psychological dependence on
friends, disguised as far as possible by the use of power and authority,
and very firm friendships that affect us deeply and are ended only by
death. The 8th house always brings conflicting effects in its wake.

Our need for intensity, our desire to penetrate to the core of things
and to tackle complexes and neuroses, and our striving for power, are
concentrated on our need for detachment and isolation, and on a
longing for a rich inner life in which material things have lost their
luster. For the outside world, this is a rather incomprehensible connec-
tion; even for the native it is sometimes difficult, although it holds a
lot of promise. For example, we can become intensely (8) involved in
12th house areas; possibly finding work in collective institutions such
as prisons and hospitals, or seeking to make contact with the world of
the collective unconscious through spiritual things, yoga, meditation,
hypnosis, symbolism, and the like. An important point is that what-
ever we do we do with single-mindedness and intense application.
Often there seems to be some suggestion of a personal crisis or of
personal problems (8) through which our eyes are opened to further
possibilities, either in the sense of self-sacrificing service or in the sense
of a conscious search for the solitude in which we are free to occupy
ourselves with our internal world. Therefore, with this connection,
even when the rest of the chart is very "open," it can be a long time
before others really come to know us. Not that we are putting on act;
no, we have something unfathomable in us that is very hard to place or
to put into words even to ourselves. To the world it remains completely
hidden. But we do need our quiet time in order to recharge our
batteries and to remain ourselves. When in company, we can retain a
sense of inner isolation, but this does not mean that we do not like
having people around us. Certainly, the feeling of being alone need
not be experienced as negative.
With the ruler of the 12th in the 8th, we find detachment and
self-realization, but the relationship is reversed. When the ruler of the
12th is in the 8th, quietness and solitude (which are the instrument
here) can assist the growth of the psyche and can contribute to the
solution of problems. But, when the ruler of the 8th is in the 12rh, we
can have a sense (especially after a period or moment of inner distur-
bance) of approaching nearer to the universal source of things, of
being joined to life in all its manifestations, and perhaps of entering
into a deeper religious experience. Also, with the ruler of the 8th in
the 12th, certain inner psychic processes and confrontations lead to an
interest in dreams, the symbolism of fairy tales, hypnosis, and so on;
while, with the ruler of the 12th in the 8th, we are already interested
in such things and employ them for self-discovery and in tackling our
complexes. With the ruler of the 8th in the 12th, we can prosper in
any I2th house area where we choose to develop.
There is a danger of religious fanaticism as overcompensation for
problems in the 8th that remain unassimilated; thus, even here, the
8th house craving for power can raise its head. Full of dedication, we
apply ourselves to something that is not associated with our problems
in order to avoid being sucked into them. We can behave, at first
sight, in a perfectly acceptable social manner; by making it known that
our ruling passion (8) is the selfless service of others (12), But anyone
who takes a closer look at us will see that, in the long run, we are
wolves in sheep's clothing. We manipulate those around us by playing
on their sympathies or by aggressive service that actually serves no one.
Other forms of fanaticism, in which we can be completely trapped, are
even less rare with this placement. Nevertheless, the individual who is
able to behave in a balanced way with this house connection effects
such a union between two profound areas of life that the source of his
or her creativity will never run dry. The native can draw from an all but
inexhaustible reservoir and possesses great originality. This makes it
possible for his or her life to be lived independently and non-
provocatively and filled with personal symbolism—usually in a quiet
and unobtrusive manner.

As we have already seen, with this connection we can use all kinds of
12th house matters in order to enter into confrontation with ourselves,
to tackle our complexes, and to gain access to our hidden gifts and
talents. Dreams, hypnosis, meditation, yoga and prayer, but also such
things as quiet service and gazing out to sea, are helpful means of
unlocking and developing the self. Quite often, paranormal abilities
are found with this, and with the previous, connection; but there have
to be confirmatory indications in other parts of the horoscope.
Often, with this house connection, we have to face a far-reaching
change in our life that is typical of the connection. This can happen
suddenly or may be very gradual. The source or cause of this psychic
change, which can have the effect of waking from a dream, lies in the
indefinable and spiritual 12th house. However, the ruler of the 12th
house can also act as a bringer of pain and chaos, especially when we
have been unrealistic and have set our sights too high, or when we try
to escape from ourselves. In this respect, the ruler of the 12th in the
8th plays a remarkable Janus role2 and has two aspects. Any planet or
house ruler in the 8th can wake us up to ourselves, and the ruler of the
12th is no exception, as we have just seen. But we must not leave out
of account that the 12th house offers us flight mechanisms in the form
of illusions, aberrations, and addictions, which hush us asleep rather
than wake us up. So we have to be careful when interpreting the ruler
of the 12th in the 8th. This connection can be found in the drug
addict who is trying to escape from himself or herself, but also in the
psychiatrist who specializes in dreams and symbolism.3
As with the ruler of the 8th in the 12th, so here, when we have
achieved balance, we have a never-failing source within us whereby the
collective unconscious works in a fructifying way on the personal
unconscious and both flow together to give positive results.
The 9th House

Our need for expansion and to widen our vision and our horizons, our
love of physical or mental travel, and an interest in future possibilities
and in justice, arc a means and an end in themselves. With the ruler of
2
janus, an ancient Roman god with two faces, front and back. Tr. note.
3A quick check on some charts of famous people revealed this house connection in the
charts of self-confessed drug addict Crowlcy, the unconventional French poet Baude-
laire, three psychologists including Adlcr, but not in those of Freud or Jung. Tr. note.
the 9th in the 9th, there will be a tremendous desire to form our own
view of people and society —a view that is the result of looking beyond
the horizon, either literally by making a journey, or metaphorically by
reading, studying, and researching. The welding of facts into a greater
whole lies in the synthesizing and coordinating 9th house.
With the ruler of the 9th in the 9th, we are inclined to look for
fresh data and to follow broad outlines; not so much to penetrate to the
core of things as to accommodate our findings in our existing model of
reality, and thus to strengthen this model, or—at least in principle —to
modify it. Visiting other countries and seeing them with our own eyes
can give us tolerance and understanding and can make us take a less
parochial view of the society into which we were born. Study, religion,
and the like, have a similar effect, each in its own way.
When we have made up our mind about things, which we will
surely do with this connection, opinionatedness is frequently the result.
Because, for truth-seekers like us, an opinion has more the character of a
conviction. We are eager to propound our ideas to others as persuasively
as possible. Since we are already convinced, all that remains is for them
to be convinced. This sometimes makes us moralistic and pedagogic.
And if people refuse to listen (perhaps because we are wrong), we still
go our own sweet way; for venturing an opinion is quite different from
submitting a conviction to discussion. In fact, the strength of our opin-
ions can mean that we have no time for rules and regulations. Our self-
justification may lead us to create and obey our own standards, which
can be in serious conflict with those of society; so that problems are
certainly not excluded. And yet, with this same strong-mindedness, the
person who has the ruler of the 9th in the 9th can also serve loftier ends.
If, with this placement, we are prepared to listen to the advice and
opinions of others, and to give these a proper place in our thinking,
then we can carry them with us and arouse their enthusiasm for such
things as alternative forms of society, and more freedom for the individ-
ual, to name but two examples. Because we are able to see beyond the
end of our nose, and take a long-term view, we can help to initiate new
systems of education or to improve existing ones. The 9th house always
involves looking ahead to the future, liberty, and possibilities for devel-
opment. Our zeal for the things we discover and for the theories, ideas,
and ideals we support, is often very great. We have it in us either to
retire like a hermit into the convictions of a closed mind, or to go forth
like a missionary in the service of the search for truth and wisdom.
?30 / Karen Hamaker-Znndag

Our need to expand, and to widen our vision and horizon, and to
travel physically and mentally, and our interest in justice and in future
possibilities, are used here, as an instrument for forming a self-image
and identity for ourselves, on the basis of which we can function in the
outside world and reach a certain social position and a measure of
autonomy and authority. Quite literally, we can get a better look at
ourselves through study, through travel, or from some other activity
involving foreign countries. But other needs of the 9th house, not
even in the professional sphere, can also contribute to the formation of
an identity. We are thinking of the desire to express our sense of
justice, to exercise free speech, to propagate our own opinions, and so
on. Since the 10th house has to do with our career, 9th house matters
can form an important part of that career, or can assist in its promo-
tion. For example, an individual with the ruler of the 9th in the 10th
will be prepared to take training courses for the sake of promotion, or
will give up schoolteaching to become a scientific assistant at a univer-
sity. There are many other possibilities: the native may become an
ambassador, or someone with overseas interests involving travel (espe-
cially long-distance travel), or someone earning a living in an institu-
tion devoted to religion or to philosophical pursuits. These things can
also be encountered with the ruler of the 10th in the 9th. However,
there is the difference that, whereas with the ruler of the 10th in the
9th we concentrate on finding a synthesis, on travel, and on develop-
ment when building a career and an identity, with the ruler of the 9th
in the 10th we can do numerous other things—beside which we can
use (and generally will use) the means offered by the 9th house.
With the ruler of the 9th in the 10th, we also have an urge to
promote our religious or political beliefs. We want to convince others
in order to become more convinced ourselves, and more settled emo-
tionally.

The entire formation of our identity not only depends on, but is
chiefly concentrated on, a philosophy of life and a vision of society.
Everything we think of ourselves and everything that contributes to
defining our identity, we place within the framework of the greater
whole —the framework of society or the framework of life —according
to whether we are politically or philosophically minded. With this
connection, we are liable to become upset if anyone starts pulling our
ideas to pieces or throws doubt on their value, because this pulls the
(social) rug out from under our feet when we think we are safely
standing on it. Our vision in any area, no matter what, is decisive for
the way in which we present ourselves to the outside world in general
and to society in particular. If we are very insecure, we can develop
political, religious, philosophical, or some other sort of fanaticism,
which is wholly in conflict with the real need of the 9th house, namely
the development of tolerance in ourselves on the basis of knowledge
and wisdom. With this connection, we can see much of the world,
either literally through travel, or metaphorically through exploring the
world of human knowledge; and this, on the other hand, puts us in a
much better position to acquire tolerance, provided we preserve an
open and honest attitude toward ourselves.
With the ruler of the 10th in the 9th we can become an outstand-
ing teacher, stimulating and enthusiastic, or a scientist with the same
qualities. But here too there is the danger we might turn into a
fanatical propagandist or ride unbridled hobby-horses if we allow our
sense of security or our identity to depend on the 9 th house (the 9th is
the end-point of the 10th here!). However, if we manage to curb this
tendency a little, then open enthusiasm, flexibility in forming our
opinions, and a willingness to let others stick to their own ideas, can be
our badge of honor. And, with such obvious virtues, our love of
freedom and our need to widen our horizons (9) may well find an
outlet in our professional life (10) as we warmly recommend our ideal-
istic vision.

Our need to expand and to widen our horizon, and to travel physically
or mentally, and our interest in justice and in future possibilities, are
concentrated here on the formation of a circle of friends and on mak-
ing contact with kindred spirits. We want to make friends of people
who have something to teach or tell us, with whom we can exchange
experiences and ideas, and can travel, philosophize, or otherwise com-
municate on the same wavelength. We wish to share ideals and plans
for the future with them, and find opportunities for doing so; and we
look for enthusiastic and motivated individuals who can stimulate us
with their ideals. However, in all discussions and conversations we can
adopt other people's opinions or even pass them off as our own,
because on the level of study and the formation of opinions, the need
to share with and to communicate with others and to feel we are
functioning as one of a group, is central for us. Cenainly we put
forward our own opinions and talk about them, but we are also pre-
pared to water them down considerably. If we have very little self-
reliance, we allow ourselves to be swayed by others and so lose our-
selves, but this is by no means always the case. If the horoscope points
elsewhere to a love of ease, then both with the ruler of the 9th in the
11th and with the ruler of the 11th in the 9th, we may be inclined to
choose friends with whom we can travel for fun without bothering to
evaluate our experiences, let alone make a synthesis of them in true
9th house style. Yet often the opinions of ourselves and others play a
big part in our friendships. If there is some view we favor which we
would like to propagate, then, with the ruler of the 9th in the 11th,
we will first test it against the views of our friends. Once we feel sure of
our ground from this angle, we can sally forth full of confidence, even
though a plank may be completely missing from our argument. The
knowledge that others are involved gives us reassurance.

With this connection too, friendship and the exchange of thoughts
and opinions go hand in hand, but we are much less ready to let others
get in a word, to listen to them, or to respect their views. The reason

we need friends and kindred spirits so much, and we do need them, is
to off-load our ideas and opinions on them. We are always eager to
talk, but the danger of "one-way traffic" is great. Usually, as far as we
are concerned, conversation means us doing the talking while others
express enthusiastic approval of our findings. Therefore we often make
others enthusiastic, but the other side of the picture is that our friends
are not true friends on a basis of equality, but followers whom we lose
altogether as soon as they wander off. A lot depends on how much we
are in the clear with ourselves, for if we make a balanced approach to
ourselves and others, we will not want followers as friends, but friends
to whom we can keep presenting our ideas so that they can help us
(friendships are always the instrument here) to improve, refine, and
even (thoroughly) revise our vision.
With this connection, too, we like traveling with friends, both
over the globe and in spirit (by studying with them, philosophizing
with them about everything under the sun, and so on). Not seldom,
with this connection, we feel the need to make our opinions common
property, and so they reach a much wider (if not worldwide) public.
This result can be achieved through lectures, publications, or via the
media, or by introducing our views into the field of education, or in
some other manner,
Nevertheless, in both connections between the 9th and 11th,
there is a degree of conflict. Both houses favor freedom, and we
should naturally expect that the two connections would be character-
ized by freedom and equality. Of course, freedom and equality play a
significant role, but the extent to which we grant them to ourselves
and others largely depends on the extent to which our insecurity will
allow us to do so. In many horoscopes with these connections I have
encountered extremes, such as a complete dependence on the opinions
of friends, which with the ruler of the 9th in the 11th implies inequal-
ity in the relationship, and a complete dominance over friends, who
are not real friends in the sense of companionship (again there is
inequality) in the area of opinion-forming with the ruler of the 11 th in
the 9th. But, in all the cases concerned, the native feels very vulnera-
ble and insecure. Persons who are more balanced are capable of show-
ing true freedom and comradeship in a very heart-warming manner.

Our need to expand, to widen our vision and horizon, to travel physi-
cally and mentally, our interest in justice and in future possibilities,
combine with a need for detachment and isolation, our longing to
experience unity in diversity, and a need for a rich inner life where the
material has lost much of its appeal. With this connection, we need
studies, ideas, theories and opinions (our own or those of others) that
lead us (whether we consciously intend it or not) to a deeper under-
standing of human existence, or to the realization that underneath our
individual cares lies a deep union with our fellow-men and -women,
or to more profound religious feelings, or to deeper, hidden layers in
ourselves, through which we learn, for example, to interpret dreams,
to gain insight into the working of archetypes, to use hypnosis or
alpha-training, and much more of the same kind. The crux of the
matter is that, by means of study and because of the urge to widen our
theoretical and practical knowledge, we can penetrate to silent depths
of our own psyche, where matter, space, and time coalesce.
This house connection can surprisingly be very concrete in its
effects. The sea and the universe show a symbolic analogy to the
depths of the psyche, and quite often we see that people with this
connection are interested, for example, in space travel or marine navi-
gation as a concrete expression of an archetype. And yet these interests
are active in the psyche because the feeling they give us, which we can
neither describe nor explain, unmistakably contributes to a sense of
general well-being. Incomprehensible as this feeling is, it is hard to
talk about it, which explains some of the reserve of the 12th house. In
our minds we can be eagerly occupied with typical 12th house matters
(dreams, hypnosis, myths, fairy tales, legends, the accounts of creation
found in various cultures, and so on). But the 12th house also has to
do with being of service and the need to deny ourselves; so, with the
ruler of the 9th in the 12th, studies concerned with hospitals, institu-
tions, and so on, are also possible.
The ideas of foreign lands (9) and oppression (12) are sometimes
united in the desire to serve the third world, either actively or pas-
sively, either as a fund-raiser, as a worker in the field, as a member of
committees or action groups, as a propagandist for this area of need, or
The House Conne tion /
as someone who helps behind the scenes. And the aim of all these
activities is to learn to see ourselves in proportion, and to experience
within us something of humanity in general.

With this connection, the need for isolation and detachment, the
longing for unity and for a rich inner life (in which material things no
longer play a part), are instruments for widening our horizon, for
forming our own vision and opinions, and for study and travel, Cer-
tain feelings we may find hard to pin down, which come from some-
where deep inside us (12), and spring from an unconscious knowledge
and the primary union with life, can influence our beliefs, our (social)
vision, the studies we pursue, and our contacts with foreign countries.
The emotional aspect invariably enters into this, Not, by any means,
that we have difficulty with the rational side of our study (or studies),
or that we study in a chaotic way (chaos, too, belongs to 12), but that
we apply ourselves to our studies only when we are emotionally
involved in them and are able to work alone at our own speed. Our
preferred subjects are those dealing with 12th house matters: dream-
interpretation, service to the third world, psychiatric nursing, work
with or on water or space, or work having religious or occult connota-
tions. The possibilities are many, but something with a 12th house
flavor must come into our studies somewhere along the line.
Our desire to help the underprivileged (12) can motivate us to
take up some study (9) that prepares us to assist them; but it can also
motivate us to visit a third-world country, The development worker is
a fine example of the influence of this combination. However, the
background is different from that of the previous connection; because
here the desire to travel abroad is satisfied through relief work,
whereas there the desire to help is satisfied through travel.
With this connection, the desire to aid the needy or oppressed
does not have to be felt in regard to material things alone: we can also
be convinced that there are people in spiritual need requiring help.
This, too, ran induce us to study or to journey overseas (as a mission-
ary, or a gum, etc.). In an unbalanced personality, connections
between the 9th and the 12th house sometimes bring dangers, because
outlandish ideas can steal into our philosophy of life and into our
politics with the ruler of the 12th in the 9th, and certain ideas and
opinions can lead to (self-)undermining behavior with the ruler of the
9th in the 12th and have physical, mental or social repercussions. And
then we see the reverse of the true effect of this house connection:
intolerance and lack of understanding instead of the deep human
sympathy and insight and the level-headed tolerance to which this,
and the previous house connection, can lead.
The 10th House

The need to define our ego and form a clear self-image, and our desire
for a social position in which we can enjoy a measure of autonomy,
authority, and power, are both a means and an end here. Everything
reinforces this need and this desire, which can show up in various
ways; but, first and foremost, we have a compulsion to prove ourselves
in the community and/or in society at large, and also to discover for
our own satisfaction what we can do. We are, so to speak (often
unconsciously), in competition with ourselves—a mechanism by which
we keep hoisting ourselves up the social ladder or increasing our
kudos.
A lust for power is to be expected with this connection. Usually
we cannot endure interference or contradiction; something in our
attitude says, "I'm in charge," or, "I know what I'm doing, leave the
organizing to me." At times we take too heavy a load on our shoulders,
but nothing will induce us to admit it. We are continually spurring
ourselves on, keeping ourselves on our toes, and, in the long run, we
may become muscle-bound, metaphorically speaking. Even with a
chart indicating that we are very retiring, we have a great deal of
ambition if the chart contains this connection.
The truth is that we are constantly looking in the outside world
for values to confirm our sense of identity and self-image, and it is this
insecurity that lies behind the way we motivate and stretch ourselves.
But, if we come to feel more assured and learn what we are able to
achieve at a certain level, we can moderate our ambition. However,
this does not prevent us, at every turn, from feeling that there is still
more we can do. Our need to be an achiever (and often to win pres-
tige) keeps us on the go. Another danger with this house connection is
that (for a longer or shoner period) we overconcentrate on our role in
society and in the outside world, at the expense of our emotional

world, our inner world, and our family life. In the end this can take its
revenge, and leave two courses of action open to us: either we can
brush aside every reproach and every objection with the hardness of
the 10th house, can see to it that they miss their mark, or can discour-
age them in advance, leaving us free to continue in the same old way,
or we can learn that we could keep searching in the outer world
forever, but true reassurance is available within us and only within.
Certainly, we want to prove ourselves — and it does not matter if it's to
ourselves, parents, immediate family, friends, or society. The more
refined individual with the ruler of the 10th in the 10th can attain a
certain degree of satisfaction with himself or herself by accepting and
using limitations creatively. Frequently this does not happen until the
person in question has been at the top (relatively speaking) for some
time (whether in a small way or in a big way makes no difference), for
only then can he or she see things clearly enough to get them into
perspective.

Our need to define ego and form a clear picture of ourselves, and to
achieve a position in society that carries with it a certain measure of
authority and autonomy, is focused here on contacts with friends,
kindred spirits, and others with whom we feel an inner bond in some
way or other. Working with friends or in groups, or finding work
through friends, groups, or organizations, has often been ascribed to
this connection. Now, although they are very likely with this connec-
tion, we find the same effects with the ruler of the 11th in the 10th.
With the ruler of the 10th in the 11th, friends, kindred spirits, and/or
organizations do play a big part in our lives, however, because we are
inclined, very largely, to see ourselves and society through their eyes.
Even if the rest of our chart reveals pronounced egocentric tendencies,
with this connection, we still have to have a lot of approval, help, and
support from outside in order to feel comfortable. But it does not
follow, by any means, that we surround ourselves with people we call
our friends or soul mates. We can also find the desired affirmation by
identifying ourselves in some way with a trend, a cultural group, a

group with spiritual aims for society, or something of the sort, without
taking the trouble to meet those involved or even ro find out who they
are. The point is that how we look at ourselves depends, more than we
may be willing to admit, on the attitude and judgment of our friends,
because this gives us a sense of certainty.
Although, with this connection (and with the ruler of the 11 th in
the 10th, as already said) we can be helped socially by our friends, we
are also prepared to use our own position and means to help them
whenever necessary.
Because the 11th house also has to do with breaking old molds,
we are liable, with this connection, to undergo a significant change by
coming to see ourselves in a completely new light as a result of our
functioning in society and in our circle of friends. And we will try to
introduce a touch of unconventionality and humanity, something fra-
ternal and a flicker of freedom, into the work we do and into the social
position we occupy. Quite often 1 have seen people with this connec-
tion engaging in spare-time activities that are humanitarian or pro-
mote solidarity, and this has contributed to their status and role in
society.
The Ruler of the llth in the 10th

With this connection, contacts with friends and kindred spirits assist in
the formation of our identity. This was also true of the previous con-
nection, but there the role of friends and kindred spirits left a deep
impression on our identity. With the ruler of the llth in the 10th, our
own social status and self-image are the deciding factors. In other
words, we welcome contacts with friends and others when they are
broadcasting on our wavelength, but not when they expect us to "tune
in" to them. Here, too, we have the need to season our social position
with the spice of humanity, and with something mold-breaking, liber-
tarian, and consultative (which is why the ruler of the 10th in the llth
and the ruler of the llrh in the 10th are good house connections for
members of Congress).
When the effect of this house connection is harmonious, we are
able to formulate the aims of our group (11) in such a way that it
makes a bigger impression on society (10). Frequently we make our
friends while building our career and, as a rule, they help us to build
it. Lack of balance can lead us to abuse our friends by keeping them
harnessed to our little chariot; but with a balanced approach there can
be mutual respect in the relationship and mutual help.
Traditionally, the 11th house represents hopes and wishes in
regard to contacts with others, but it also embodies a kind of ambi-
tion, namely the freedom we use to be ourselves when we are with
other people, and our desire to let others be given consideration.
Therefore the ruler of the 11th in the 10th can make us ambitious in a
way that says: "Everyone is free to be themselves, and I am going to be
as free as they are!" This can make us wayward but also resourceful
enough to cope when times are hard.

The need to define ego and form a clear self-image, the desire for a
social position that carries with it a certain measure of authority,
autonomy, and power, are both focused on some form of detachment
and isolation, on a longing for unity and for a rich inner life in which
worldly aspirations have lost their appeal. In many ways, the 10th and
the 12th house seem to be at odds with one another: the 10th is intent
on forming an ego and on manifestation in the outer world, while the
12th is concerned with disassociation and with the inner world, and
shuns the outer world.
The ruler of the 12th in the 10th and the ruler of the 10th in the
12th frequently occur in individuals who have lived through a period
of insecurity (especially in their very early years). This may be no fault
of the parents. Internment in a camp during a war, or some other
unavoidable hardship, can very often be indicated by this house con-
nection. Owing to a lack of security when we are so young, we can
keep looking for something most of our lives, often with absolutely no
idea what this something is. We seek security, but immediately under-
mine it with doubt; then we try to find certainty elsewhere, but simply
start doubting again. Even when we have built up a certain identity,
we are liable, both with the ruler of the 10th in the 12th and with the
ruler of the 12th in the 10th, to disbelieve and undermine that iden-
tity. In confrontations of all kinds, in and with the outside world, we
feel unsure of our ground because we allow ourselves to be influenced
far too quickly, and our uncertainty makes us even more impression-
able, (The ruler of the 12th in the 10th also gives this feeling of
uncertainty).
However strong our character may be in other respects, we can
display a great deal of docility and servility toward those who have
managed to influence us. Nevertheless, the 10th house has to express
itself in the area of life represented by the 12th house. Therefore, with
the ruler of the 10th in the 12th we have to learn that we cannot find
security in externals, but can find it only in our own inner source.
Those who have learned to put some trust in their own feelings, their
inner voice, their dreams, and so on, can actually develop very strong
personalities, even if they prefer to keep out of the limelight. The
outside world does not matter to them in the ordinary way; they feel
the glory of it all when they are helping behind the scenes, and their
sense of unity helps them to share in it in their own special way.
However, many concrete expressions of this connection are possi-
ble, such as a career in an area that bears some analogy to the indefin-
able qualities of the 12th house. Thus the native might become a
physician, a medium, a sea captain, or a hypnotherapist, for example.
The crux of the matter is that the experience of unity, whether or not
in symbolic form (e.g., the universe or the sea), is indispensable to us
in our search for a personal identity.

I have met even greater insecurity in this connection than in the
previous one. Here chaos and disassociation are always an instrument
for our identity, and this can be very undermining. We are so uncer-
tain of ourselves that we tend to accept what others tell us we are like,
and are susceptible to all sorts of reactions and opinions impinging on
us from the outside world. In fact we are probably rather hard for
anyone, including ourselves, to understand. But this is usually because
of unsettled circumstances in early youth, such as given by the ruler of
the 10th in the 12th. However, it is noticeable that, when we no
longer look for security and stability in the outside world, but in
ourselves, in dreams, in our feelings, and so on, our uncertainty in the
outside world will gradually disappear and we shall start occupying
ourselves with a 12th house interest of some kind.
What we need with this connection is work where we can use our
feelings (of sympathy) and can be intuitive and empathic. Whether we
become a social worker, doctor, nurse, probation officer, or yoga

teacher, our aims will be to use and give shape to the 12th house in
order to define our identity. If we learn to handle the elusive side of
our nature, and if we are able to find a measure of stability in it, then
we can achieve a great deal with this apparently chaotic house connec-
tion. There is only a slim chance (in spite of what some books say) that
we will become alcoholic or a drug addict, or otherwise land in the
gutter, with this connection. Our inner resources generally bring out
our good side, if our ego is prepared to stand back a little.
The 11th House

With this house connection, we need contacts with friends, with kin-
dred spirits, and with others to whom we feel inwardly united in some
way, and we need to break through established patterns in order to
give everyone the same chance. Exchanges with others are very impor-
tant, and often we are active in one way or another in societies, clubs,
or other (formal or informal) groups. We do not strive for a position of
power but, on the contrary, value democracy and equality. However,
this does not mean that we are never guilty of a certain form of
discrimination: even while promoting equality within our own group,
we can be dismissive of other groups. Such behavior is sometimes
intensified in proportion as other trends in the chart indicate our
identity (and not only that part of it involved in the 10th house) is
adopted from our friends.
In the circle in which we feel at home, we like to hobnob with
folk who have something wayward, individual, or distinctive in their
makeup; and the friendly iconoclasm of the 11th house shows itself
here. Certainly we have a passion for equality, but we are in no way
prepared to let it stand in the way of diversity where friendships are
concerned.
What often escapes notice is that the 11th house has a confronta-
tional side. Not only do our friends reflect traits and preferences of
ours that we find pleasant, but through their involvement in our lives
they can form a clear mirror for other things going on inside us, too. It
is not possible to tell from the 11th house alone what our friends will
be like externally, but it does show what we want from them and how
we interact with them. On the one hand, Saturn in the 11th can mean
no friends or older friends, and on the other hand it can mean a close
bond in which few words need to be spoken or in which serious
conversations can prove very stimulating to both parties. Filling in the
details depends largely on us and on the extent to which we can accept
ourselves and can allow others to be themselves. With the ruler of the
11th in the llth, the confrontational activity of friends and kindred
spirits is unusually great. Therefore a very sudden or very far-reaching
change can take place in our circle of friends after a lot has happened
in our own psyche. And so, with the ruler of the llth in the llth,
friends and allies are important in many respects; without any con-
scious intention on our part, they help us to settle down and to look
ourselves squarely in the eye.
The llth and llth House
The Ruler of the llth in the 12th

Our need for contacts with friends, kindred spirits and others with
whom we feel united in one way or another, is focused on detachment
and isolation, on experiencing the unity of all things and on a rich
inner life in which material values have lost their appeal. This means
that we badly need friends with whom to share an interest in one way
or another on an emotional or other indefinable plane —from music,
poetry, and art, through religion and spiritism—in order not only to
experience unity in diversity but also to give it expression.
As with the ruler of the 12th in the llth, we are inclined to
idealize our friendships, and so lay ourselves open to the chaos and
disappointment of the 12th house. We invariably see others not as
they really are, but as they fit into some picture in our dreams, fanta-
sies, and ideals, and so we seldom do justice to our friends or to reality.
Therefore, with this connection, we must take care in choosing our
friends. Otherwise we can be disappointed, or we can make so much of
our friends that we let ourselves be used by them and always put their
interests before our own.
On the other hand, we may just as easily use our friends for the
sake of our ideals, probably without meaning to do so. The fact of the
The House Connectio- 243
matter is that a degree of estrangement, disappointment, abuse, or

advantage-taking can creep into a friendship with this house connec-
tion, Both with the ruler of the 11th in the 12th and with the ruler of
the I2th in the 11th, I have more than once observed third parties
trying to undermine a good friendship by gossip; so there is every
justification for warning the native to look out for this.
With this connection, too, the possible effects can fall outside the
world of the senses; that is to say there can (virtually) be a telepathic
link with friends, and something very valuable but impossible to
describe in the way of an atmosphere or shared environment. Friend-
ships can be essential in helping us look deep into our soul, to analyze
dreams, or to share in Bible study or in the investigation of Eastern
religions or of anything else in the realm of the collective unconscious.

With this house connection, our need for isolation and detachment,
plus the desire for unity in diversity and for a rich inner life arc focused
on our need for friends and kindred spirits. As in the previous connec-
tion, this means that we are looking for a certain emotional tie with
friends. Whereas, with the ruler of the 11th in the 12th, friends have
to fit our ideal image of them, with the ruler of the 12th in the 11th
we are much more inclined to allow this ideal picture to be determined
by what is customary or approved in our group. There is a danger that
friendships will be abused by others, but also by us, because friend-
ships are the outlet for our service, our (at any rate partial) depen-
dence, and our need to give shape to the 12th house.
What is more, our behavior can have a rather chaotic and unpre-
dictable tendency, in keeping with similar behavior in the circles in
which we move. This can create doubts in ourselves and others, mak-
ing us either more and more withdrawn or more and more subservient,
and carrying us round and round in a vicious circle. Only by acquiring
insight into our activities (and in this we can be helped by dreams,
daydreams, fantasies, word association and many other 12th house
energies) can we break a vicious circle such as this. Then we can realize
other possibilities, for example: we can share some ideal with friends
and also make it more widely known; we can help friends and oilu rs
behind the scenes in order to foster the life of the community "id
encourage people to accept one another for what thev are; we ceo set
up parapsychologicsl t xperiments with our friends; or v.-c can ;,h re
with others a love of the sea, or of music, or of some other 12th house
interest. In this way we are strengthened in our inner depths and feel
we are immersed in the unconscious current that flows through all, as
well as in the consciously experienced stream that joins us to kindred
spirits.
The 12th House

One of the most subtle and sensitive house connections, and one that
runs to extremes, is the ruler of the 12th in the 12th. Our need for
isolation and detachment, and our desire to experience the unity of
things and to have a rich inner life, are reinforced so that our suscepti-
bility, which can show itself as empathy and intuition, is greater than
average. Our sympathies, too, are quickly aroused by those who play
on them.
If the desire for isolation gets out of hand, we shall long for peace
and quiet in one form or another, but we shall not find it because the
search becomes never-ending. Then there is a danger that we shall
finally take up with all sorts of outlandish ideas, which block balanced
functioning in the physical world. But this is not inevitable.
A very different form in which our (over)sensitivity can express
itself is the ability to intuit things or have presentiments of situations;
in other words, clairvoyance and direct knowledge. Many individuals
with the ruler of the 12th in the 12th seem to have more than their fair
share of paranormal gifts (when the rest of the horoscope points in the
same direction, of course). If we leam to recognize and use these gifts,
we shall find that we have tapped into an inner source that will never
dry up. We can keep drawing that source of security that is so charac-
teristic of this house connection that it astonishes and puzzles the
outside world.
And so we see the extremes of a deep union with ourselves and
others, and of escapist tendencies. Quite often we are kept going by
some belief or faith, which need not have anything to do with reli-
gion. On the quiet, this can motivate a great deal of that part of us
that is represented by the rest of the horoscope. We are not motivated
by enthusiasm or by the prospect of conscious gain; no, the motivation
provided by the 12th house lies in the often scarcely conscious "knowl-
edge" that life is good the way it is, whether or not it meets our wishes
and desires. The motivation provided by the 12th house can also take
the form of an unshakable faith in the meaning of life, in the sense
that we are all small cogs in the big wheel.
Frequently, these underlying motivations can be symbolized in
the conscious by something very concrete. Thus someone with the
ruler of the 12 th in the 12 th can bestirred by the sight of the national
flag, and can feel ready to fight for it, not realizing that the feeling has
nothing to do with some entity known as the "fatherland" or so on,
and that the "fatherland" carries the projection of a need of unity, in
this case unity with one's people. With the ruler of the 12th in the
12th. we can be prepared to efface and sacrifice ourselves completely
in all possible ways. On the other hand, we can become idle dreamers
living with our thoughts in a different world.
The need to experience unity is strong, and we can find a feeling
of unity in social activities on behalf of the needy, because they are
people just like ourselves; but we can experience temporary unity in
the abuse of drugs and other addictive substances which blur the edges
of our personality and engulf us in a collective fantasy.
It is most important to help children who have the ruler of the
12th in the 12th to express in some way, at an early age, the rich
feelings that they themselves cannot understand or put into words. For
example, we can teach them to make music, to paint, draw, recite
poetry, etc. The earlier in life we learn to express our feelings, the
better we shall understand them later.
Bibliography
Hamaker-Zondag. Aspects & Personality. York Beach, ME: Samuel
Weiser, 1990.
Elements & Crosses as the Basis of the Horoscope. York
Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1984.
Foundations of Personality. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser,
1994. Combines Elements and Crosses as the Basis of the Horo-
scope and Houses and Personality Development into one volume,
to be published in the fall of 1994.
Handbook of Horary Astrology. York Beach, ME: Samuel
Weiser, 1992.
The Houses and Personality Development. York Beach, ME:
Samuel Weiser, 1988.
Planetary Symbolism in the Horoscope. York Beach, ME:
Samuel Weiser, 1985.
Psychological Astrology: Astrological Symbolism & the
Human Psyche. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1990.
The Twelfth House: The Hidden Power in the Horoscope.
York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992.
Maternus, Firmicus. Matheseos Libri VIII. Translated as "Ancient
Astrology Theory and Practice," by Jean Rhys Bram, Park Ridge:
New Jersey, 1975.
Morin de Villefranche, J. B. Astrologiae Galteicae. Liber Vigesimus
Primus. Translated as "The Morinus System of Horoscope Inter-
pretation," by R. S. Baldwin, Washington, 1974.
Index
A chest, 117
children, 97
ankles, 119 Chiron, 7
ascendant, 78 conjunction, 45
Scorpio, 85, 86, 99 conscious, 4
sign in the, 83 creativity, 117
aspects, 49 cusps, 7
between planets and house
four degrees orb, 17, 29
rulers, 51
three degrees orb, 17, 29
conflicting, 71
easy, 45
hard, 45
major, 73
mutual, 63 D
none, 45 death
of house rulers to ascendant, fear of, 118
• 89
detachment, 119
of house ruler to planets, 92,
dextenty, 116
106
diet, 117
of ruler of 1 to houserulers,
96 disease, 117
dispositor, 3
to ascendant, 87, 100
asteroids, 7 Dutch politician, 34
attitude, 119
authority, 119
E
economic insight, 116
B
emotional security, 116
back, 117
bones, 119
C feet, 120
friendships, 119
calves, 119 Fred's chart, 24, 30, 50, 51, 66,
chain ends, 29 74, 83, 85, 92
reception, 18
seventh, 118, 145, 173
genitals, 118 second, 38, 116, 122, 138,
139, 140, 142, 143, 145,
146, 148, 149, 151, 152
seventh, 40, 129, 159, 185,
H 196, 207, 209, 211, 212,
214, 216
hair, 119 sixth, 40, 117, 128, 158, 184,
hands, 116 195, 196, 198, 200,202,
head, 113 204, 205
heart, 117 strongest, 27, 38
heredity, 116 tenth, 41, 64, 119, 134, 149,
hips, 119 164, 178, 190, 212, 222,
house 230, 236, 237, 239
character of, 115 third, 39, 116, 124, 139, 154,
eighth, 41, 118, 120, 130, 155, 156, 158, 159, 161,
146, 161, 174, 187, 198, 163, 164, 166, 167
209, 218, 220, 222, 224, twelfth, 42, 119, 136, 152,
226 167, 181, 193, 205, 216,
eleventh, 42, 119, 135, 151, 226, 234, 239, 242, 244
166, 179, 192, 204, 214, conflicts, 47, 68
224, 232, 237, 241, 242 house connections, 17
fifth, 39, 66, 97, 126, 142, workings of, 115
156, 170, 183, 184, 185, house rulers, 19, 63, 77, 109
187, 189, 190, 192, 193 collective, 43
first, 38, 66, 115, 121, 122, in aspect, 49
124, 125, 126, 128, 129, in first house, 83, 105
130, 132, 134, 135, 136 of 1st in 1st, 121
planets in, 100 of 1st in 2nd, 122
rulers in, 100 of 1st in 3rd, 124
fourth, 39, 116, 125, 140, of 1st in 4th, 125
155, 169, 170, 172, 173, of 1st in 5th, 126
174, 176, 178, 179, 181 of 1st in 6th, 128
ninth. 15, 41. 118, 163, 176, of 1st in 7th, 129
189, 200, 211, 228, 230, of 1st in 8th, 130
232, 234 of 1st in 9th, 24, 132
position of ruler of one, 91 of 1st in 10th, 134
interpretation, 82 of 1st in 11th, 135
planets in, 77 of 1st in 12th, 136
of 2nd n 1st, 123 of 5 th n 5th, 183

of 2nd n 2nd, 138 of 5 th n 6th, 184
i f 2nd n 3rd, 139 of 5 th n Tth, 185
of 2nd n 4th, 140 of 5 th n 8th, 187
< f 2nd n 5th, 142 of 5 th n 9th, 189
rf 2nd n 6th, 143 of 5 th n 10th, 190
of 2nd n 7th, 145 of 5 th n 11th, 192
of 2nd n 8th, 146 of 5 th n 12th, 193
rf 2nd n 9th, 148 of 6th n 1st, 128
of 2nd n 10th, 149 of 6th n 2nd, 144
of 2nd n 11th, 28, 151 of 6th n 3rd, 159
of 2nd n 12th, 152 of 6th n 4th, 173
r
f 3rd n 1st, 20, 124 of 6th n 5th, 185
of 3rd 2nd, 140 of 6th n 6th, 195
of 3rd n 3rd, 154 of 6th n Tth, 196
of 3rd n 4th, 155 of 6th n 8th, 198
of 3rd n 5th, 156 of 6th n 9th, 200
of 3rd n 6th, 158 of 6th n 10th, 202
of 3rd Tth, 159 of 6th n 11th, 204
of 3rd 8th, 161 of 6th n 12th, 205
rf 3rd n 9th, 22, 163 of Tth n 1st, 130
of 3rd 10th, 164 of Tth n 2nd,145
of 3rd. n 11th, 166 of Tth n 3rd, 160
rf 3rd n 12th, 167 of Tth n 4th, 174
of ith 1st, 126 of Tth n 5th, 186
of 4th 2nd, 141 of Tth n 6th, 197
of 4th 3rd, 156 of Tth n Tth, 207
of 4th 4th, 169 of Tth n 8th, 209
of 4th Tth, 173 of Tth n 11th, 214
of 4th 9th, 176 of 8th n 1st, 131
of 4th 10th, 178 of 8th n 2nd, 147
of 4th 11th, 179 of 8th n 3rd, 162
of tth 12th, 181 of 8th n 4th, 175
of 5 th 1st, 127 of 8th n 5th, 188
of 5th 2nd, 142 of 8th n 6th, 199
of 5th 3rd, 157 of 8th n Tth. 210
of 5th 4th, 171 of 8th n 8th, 218
of 8th in 9th, 220 of 12th in 1st, 137

of 8th n 10th, 222 of 12th in 2nd, 153
of 8th n 11th, 224 of 12th in 3rd, 168
of 8th n 12th, 226 of 12th in 4th, 182
of 9th n 1st, 133 of 12th in 5th, 194
of 9th n 2nd, 149 of 12th in 6th, 206
of 9th n 3td, 22, 163 of 12th in 7th, 217
of 9th n 9th, 228 placement in houses, 21
of 9th n 10th, 230 rules for judging connections
of 9th n 11th, 232 17
of 9th n 12th, 234 unaspected, 72, 110
of 10th in 1st, 134 house rulerships, 44
of 10th in 2nd, 150
of 10th in 3td, 165
of 10th in 4th, 179
of 10th in 5th, 191 I
of 10th in 6th, 203
of 10th in 7th, 213 inclinations, 11
of 10th in 8th, 223 inconjunct, 73
of 10th in 9th, 231 intestines, 117
of 10th in 10th, 236
of 11th in 1st, 136
J
of 11th in 2nd, 151
of 11th in 3rd, 166 Jupiter, 5, 14, 15
of 11th in 4th, 180 in 1st, 78, 80
of 11th in 5th, 192 justice, 118
of 11th in 6th, 204
of 11th in 7th, 215
of 11th in 8th, 225
of 11th in 9th, 232 K
of 11th in 11th, 241 kidneys, 118
of 11th in 12th, 242 knees, 119
L in signs, 11
unaspcctcd, 73
lifestyle circumstances 11 Pluto, 4
liver, 119 in first, 20
lumbar, 118 Pluto retrograde, 17
lungs, 116 progressions, 11
psyche, 5
psychic contents, 49
M
Mars, 5
Mercury, 5, 11, 12 R
Mercury retrograde, 17 reaction, 115
Moon, 4, 5 retirement, 119
retrograde, 17
Rontgen, Wilhclm C., 36
ruler, 6
N day, 3, 6, 29
nails, 119 difference from planet, 13
neck, 116 function of, 10
Neptune, 94 night, 3
Neptune retrograde, 17 of eleven in seven, 28
of houses, 7
of signs, 3
types of, 3
o
orb, 17, 29
s
safety, 116
P Sagittarius, 14
Saturn, 5
partner, 118 in one, 78, 80
Paul's chart, 33, 53, 63, 74, 84, Scorpio
99 ascendant, 85, 86, 99
philosophy, 118 self-criticism, 117
planets serpent, 5
in first house, 83 sexuality, 118
2!4 / Karen Hamaker-Zondag
sign V
social status, 119
stamina, 113 values, 116
stomach, 117 Venus, 5
Sun, 4, 5
T W
teeth, 119 working environment, 117
thinking, 116
throat, 116
trans-Saturnian planets, 3
travel, 118
Y
yang, 4
u yin, 4
unconscious, 4
uroboros, 5
Karen Hamaker-Zondag is one of the leading members of the Astro-
logical Foundation, Arcturus, in Holland. She is a graduate of the
University of Amsterdam with doctoral degrees in social geography
and environmental engineering, Her post-graduate study of psychol-
ogy, astrology, and parapsychology has inspired a counseling practice
where she combines Jungian concepts with astrological theory. She is
the author of six other books also published by Weiser. She has lec-
tured extensively in Holland, Belgium. Germany, England, the
United States of America, Switzerland, Scandinavia, and Canada, and
most recently lectured at the United Astrology Congress (UAC) in
Washington, DC.
SI4.M5 Aslrolofiy/l'sNcholo^
The rulers of the houses of the natal chart and the

connections between those houses provide adeep
perspective of the personality and reveal answers
to many questions that arise when interpreting
charts for clients. This no-nonsense book ex-
plains clearly the rulers of the signs, the houses,
the functions of these rulers, how to interpret the
strongest house, and how aspects between house
rulers work when reading the natal chart. This is
an important book for students who are interested
in understanding how the houses interrelate, for
it explains why similar aspects between planets,
or even planets in signs, will be affected by house
placement and rulership.
ISBN 0-87728-769-4 SAMUEL WEISER, INC.

Box 612
York Beach, ME 03910-0612
9 "780877 287696

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The House

How to Read the Houses

SAMUEL WEISER, INC.

List of Chans and Figures ix

PART II-HOUSE CONNECTIONS

Chan 1. An example chart 9

Figure 1. The classical dispositorships 4

Sign Symbol Day Ruler Element Cross

Aries -r Mars cP Fire Cardinal

Gemini 31 Mercury ? Air Mutable

Cancer Moon S Water Cardinal

Leo Sun e> Fire Fixed

Virgo UP Mercury ? Earth Mutable

Scorpio yys Pluto S Water Fixed

Again, as always, my thanks to my husband Hans, who is an

Aspects and Personality

Elements and Crosses as the Basis of the Horoscope

Handbook of Horary Astrology

Houses and Personality Development

The Twelfth House

Foundations of Personality (1994)

contention. Most astrologers place Pluto in Scorpio, a minority place it

Figure 1. The classical dispositorships.

Figure 2. The classical and trans-Saturnian dispositorships.

Table 1. Signs and their Rulers.

the future others now unknown may be discovered or, perhaps, we

<55 /•i VU,

Chart 1. A natal chart. Registered time of birth: July 4, 1948,

idea is very plausible, but it is a big mistake. The ruler of a house is

How House Rulers Function

is on external circumstances. This question has to be asked because we

Like the planets, the house rulers can be interpreted psychologi-

The Difference between a House Ruler

influence. First, a difficult placement of Jupiter will cause it to be a

• The individual experiences belonging to the area covered by the

When interpreting the house rulers, we must always forget about

Pluto in the 1st

The Ruler of 5 in the 1st

• Sometimes we are very reserved, at other times more open and

The Placement of the House Rulers in the Houses

• Consider the meaning of the house ruled by the planet in question;

the above is intended simply as an example of the difference in work-

Generally speaking, however, we can say that a house ruler in its

Chan 2. Fred's chart. Placidus houses. Registered time of birth: May 1,

to interest himself in one or more of the areas covered by the 9th

The Strongest House

individual concerned in the area of life governed by the said house.

either directly or indirectly. He needs a partner who will share his

Horoscope II: Fred

In another example, we can look at Paul's chart (Chart 3) and

• The ruler of 1 (Pluto) is posited in the 9th house, which is already a

Chart 3. Paul's natal chart. Placidus house. Registered time of birth;

into consideration when making a judgment); therefore the houses are

Since these houses are so prominent, it is no wonder that they play

Chart 4. A Dutch politician. February 2, 1931, 10.15 hrs. Geldrop,

4th house) 5, 11, 12, 5.

A good illustration of this is the chart of Wilhelm Rontgen, the

The Interpretation of the Strongest House

sented by these things: from which there follows a pronounced desire