First House

Mode: Cardinal
Ruling planet: Mars
Ruling sign: Aries
Governs: the Self

First house is the house of the self, the house of beginnings. The cusp of the first house is also known as the Ascendant, or the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the precise moment of one’s birth.

The first House speaks about how you’re going to realize your potential, how your personality will unfold during your life. It’s the start in anything: projects, relationships, adventures.

The first house is determinant in one’s personality, especially in the self-aware aspects. Whatever is in your first house will make its presence felt. Whatever you express through your first house will be very strongly perceived. Whatever you understand as “me” will be strongly emphasized by your first house.

After the first return of Saturn – which occurs 28-32 years after one’s birth – the first house will become the dominant trait of one’s personality, equalling – or surpassing – the solar sign. Whatever you learned during this period – namely, the hardships that Saturn imposed on your, its lessons – will be expressed through your Ascendant, from now on.

If the solar sign is your main goal in this life, the Ascendant is about the tools you use to achieve this goal. The solar sign is structural, the Ascendant is instrumental. The solar sign is descriptive, the Ascendant is active.

Whatever planet resides in the first house, it will be very powerful felt and it will strongly affect how other people will perceive (you will be Lunar, if the Moon is there, or Saturnine, if Saturn is in the first house, etc). If the planet is on the cusp, the influence will be overwhelming.

The first House is ruled by the planet Mars and the sign Aries.

Planets in the First House – natal

Sun Moon Venus Mercury Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto

Planets in the First House – synastry

Sun Moon Venus Mercury Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto