Astrological Houses: The Twelfth House in Brief

While the First House represents the outer you and how you project yourself into the world, the Twelfth House is the opposite. The Twelfth House in astrology represents the inner you and how you don't project yourself into the world. You could say that the First House is what you want to be known as while the Twelfth House is what you don't want to be known as.

We all have an aspect of self-doubt, a face that we would rather stay hidden. Any person who denies this, or who dwells too much on it, is going through life in a weakened and self-defeating manner that only invites enemies. This type of action is characteristic of the Twelfth House.

But don't take this to mean that everyone with a planet in the Twelfth House acts in such a way. Instead, it indicates that there is a hidden dimension to the personality. It is the planet in the Twelfth House that will indicate what qualities this hidden dimension possesses.

Associations change over time, and the Twelfth House has come to mean all things that tend to negate our ego. Some religions and other institutions in which individuals are only a small part (including corporations, hospitals, prisons, the military, and most branches of the government) are governed by the Twelfth House. It rules the need for privacy and the solace found inside ourselves.

Since the horizon line divides the First House and the Twelfth House, a person born with the Sun in the Twelfth House would be born just after sunrise, which is a quiet and gentle time of day. This is the perfect time for solitary pursuits and meditation. It is a time when all things are united as the world transitions from darkness into light. Dawn is the time of mist and dew and nothing seems truly real. The Twelfth House is associated with mysticism and faith, the kind of faith born out of the magick of a new day. This innocent faith makes us more willing to both forgive and sacrifice, so philanthropy and charity are also associated with the Twelfth House.

This house also symbolizes the early years of life, usually to age seven. These years are usually hidden inside our own subconscious, so the subconscious is also ruled by this house. The signs and planets ruled by the Twelfth House can indicate the major themes of those formative years and provide us with insights into the nature of their effect on our later years.

The Twelfth House is ruled by the planet Neptune and the sign Pisces.