With House 12, the journey through the Astrological Houses ends. Along the way, the "I" took on form and substance. Matured, learned to relate to others, meditate on the existence of life, and dedicate himself to a greater good. Now, in the Twelfth Astrological House, the "I" gives up individuality and is returned to the collective whole. This one is the House of spirituality, the place of repairing past mistakes, which is worth referring to karma, to the inheritance of past lives.
Index
The Twelfth Astrological House
- Sphere - Reintegration
- Planet - Neptune
- Signo - Pisces
- Element - Water
- Quality - Mutable
- Polarity - Female
- Position - Candent
- Physiology - Feet, toes of feet
- Places - Prisons, hospices
- Color - Green
- Keywords - Return, karma, family secrets, unrecognized enemies, intuition, union, reflection, confinement, reparations, sacrifice, escape, institutions, collective unconsciousness, faith
The 12th House, naturally associated with the element Water, the sign Pisces and the planet Neptune, represents the urgency of returning to the original state of unity. After a long journey through the previous Houses, the "I" manifests this desire to return home, to the distant comfort of the mother's womb - not in physical terms, but spiritual. The soul wants to merge with what it came from or escape the vicious circle of reincarnation (karma).
Before we move on, let's remember the soul's journey through the 12 Astrological Houses
- At House 1, in Aries, the soul incarnates and assumes an ego. Self-consciousness, the "I" is born.
- At House 2, in Taurus, the "I" " gains substance and discovers that it is unique.
- At House 3, in Gemini, the "I" tries to communicate with others and express itself.
- At House 4, in Cancer, the "I" " discovers your identity and develops the instinct to protect others.
- At House 5, in Leo, the "I" reveals itself, wants to shine and be recognized.
- At House 6, in Virgo, the "I" reveals the willingness to help others.
- At House 7, in Libra, the "I" is ready to relate to others.
- At House 8, in Scorpio, the "I" recognizes the creative ability.
- At House 9, in Sagittarius, the "I" seeks the meaning of life.
- At House 10, in Capricorn, the "I" wants to establish itself in society.
- At House 11, in Aquarius, the "I" recognizes its connection with the whole.
- At House 12, in Pisces, the "I" wishes to return to the origin.
Twelfth Astrological House and Extended Sense of "I"
At House 11, the "I" learns and recognizes that it cannot have a full existence if it lives isolated, alone, only turned to itself and to the satisfaction of its needs. Isolated, it does not exist. To fulfill its full potential, the ego needs to relate to others, to integrate with the whole.
On the other hand, the ego also realizes that its connection to others, and to the world, is twofold. It gives and receives. It allows itself to be influenced by ideas and external currents, but it also leaves its mark.
We are influenced by others and others are influenced by who we are. We become aware that when we get involved in common causes, we can make a difference, we can contribute to the common good, to a fairer society.
The notion that we exist as an isolated entity loses space for a broader sense of "I". In the 12th House, heart and soul become means of expressing spirituality. Unlike House 1, where the ego creates its identity from the intellect, in the 12th House, it is the spirituality that gives form to "I".
The rediscovery of our totality, of our unlimited nature (only possible as a member of Humanity and not as an isolated being), infinite and eternal, becomes our greatest desire. We feel the need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. On the other hand, the awareness of our finitude, the desire for preservation, and the fear of death contribute to this feeling.
Pisces, the sign associated with the 12th House, represents two fish swimming in opposite directions. The "I" is faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, it wants to transcend its individuality and be part of something bigger. On the other hand, it is afraid that by doing so it will lose its identity. Power, prestige, love, sex are ways we find to seize this feeling of eternity, of legacy. We can leave a work done or a legacy.
Prayer and connection with the Divine is another way to find the balance between individuality/reintegration and to satisfy this need for transcendence, for the feeling of connecting to a greater reality than us, which surpasses us as individuals.
Also associated with the duality of Pisces, people who are excessively empathetic with the misfortune of others, may adopt opposite strategies in order to be able to deal with this pain. Either they take refuge in self-destructive behaviors (such as alcohol or drugs), move away from reality, or get to work and try to help. In other words, they can become both martyrs and saviors.
House 12 As the "House of Karma"
For those who believe in reincarnation, the human soul is immortal and it is not possible to fulfill its mission in a single lifetime. The improvement is a long journey, which does not end with just a brief passage on Earth.
In each reincarnation, the soul brings with it what it harvests from previous life experiences, as well as the latent capacities that wait to be developed. What lives in previous lifetimes affects what you find in the present.
The soul is born again and its heritage from previous lives is represented in the astral map that points out everything we bring from the past as what is necessary to awaken in us, in order to continue.
Difficult placements in the Twelfth Astrological House can suggest old weaknesses and misused energies in previous lives that we have yet to learn to use wisely in the present. Positive placements suggest strongly sedimented qualities that become advantages in the present life.
House of the Secret Enemies and the Unconscious
The 12th House also has this connotation. That of enemies we don't recognize and activities that take place in the shadows. According to some astrologers, this association may mean not so much outside intrigues and conspiracies, but personal boycott.
In other words, the great enemy can be internal, it can be us when we boycott ourselves, when we act against us, for lack of confidence, doubts, personal contradictions, or fear. When hidden weaknesses or inner strengths undermine the realization of our goals and dreams.
Thus, the placements of this House can be an indicator of the nature of the unconscious, and the root of psychological problems. While House 8 represents how we can solve such difficulties, House 12 helps us to understand their fundamental nature. The human being lives between the conscious and the subconscious. There are attitudes and decisions we make without quite knowing why. They happen almost "naturally", because they make sense to us, without a rational explanation for what happened.
For example, someone who wants to have a passionate relationship, who is terrified of being alone, but who does not want to give up their independence and the lifestyle that this freedom gives them. In this situation, the person may feel attracted to someone who is already in a relationship or who does not respond to their advances. Deep down, this is a choice the subconscious makes. As it does not want to compromise (aware), it is attracted to those who are not available (unconscious). The dilemma is resolved.
Knowing the planetary energies that work in the 12th House allows us to gain this awareness. It gives us the chance to be honest with ourselves. It allows us to decipher who we really are and what we want for ourselves. In a way, it can help us unlock certain situations. To understand if what we want is actually what we need, or if our subconscious, what is hidden, is working against us.
House 12 and its Relation to Prisons and Hospices
Another classic association with the Twelfth Astrological House is prisons and hospices. A hospital stay or a period of leave may be necessary to restore the physical and psychological balance, making the person whole again - another principle of this House.
The passage through orphanages, hospices, and treatment of people with disabilities also appear in House 12. While expressing compassion and care to the less fortunate, the placements in this House may also suggest the call for activities such as working in a charity, or the monastic life. For those who believe in reincarnation, past bad karma can be redeemed through goodwill and these types of humanitarian actions.
In the 12th House, the notion of communion with the whole is complete. While in the 11th House we wake up to this notion of union with the whole, in the 12th House it becomes a fact. In this House, we realize that what serves our personal well-being will serve the good of all.
After becoming aware of our individuality, and going through a series of experiences, we gain the notion that we are one with creation. The 12th House represents the end of a cycle. With physical death, we return to the whole. What exists at the beginning, exists at the end. We go back to Ascendant to start a new beginning.
The 12 Houses in Astrology
- First House - Our Cosmic First Impression (House of "Self")
- Second House - Material Goods, Money, Personal Resources
- Third House - Mind, Communication, Brothers
- Fourth House - Home, Roots, Family Life
- Fifth House - Creativity, Joy, Pleasure, Children
- Sixth House - Work, Health, Exercise
- Seventh House - Love, Romance, Marriage, Social Activities
- Eighth House - Birth, Death, Sex, Transformation, Mysteries
- Ninth House - Travel, Education, Religion, Philosophy
- Tenth House - Ideal Purpose, Career and Destiny (House of Midheaven)
- Eleventh House - Friendship, Electronics, Technology
- Twelfth House - Imagination, Subconscious Mind, Secrets, Mysteries
