1st House: The House of Self
The 1st House in Astrology is commonly known as the “House of Self” and is home to Mars and its zodiac rulership is Aries. In astrology, the first house is an angular house or cardinal house and represents the “identity in action”. It governs the realm of our self-identity and the image that we project. The 1st house in astrology concerns first impressions and the persona but it also relates to how we take action and how we approach new situations and opportunities.
It is associated with our physical appearance, movement, and personal expression. People who have a strong emphasis on their first house may exhibit a heightened preoccupation with themselves and their own self-interests that can make them appear to others as self-absorbed.
Unique Qualities and the 1st House
The 1st house in astrology points to the qualities that make us unique individuals. It portrays our style of dress, physical attributes, personal goals, and priorities. It relates to the ego and our natural impulses and instincts. The astrology sign occupying the first house in the birth chart is known as the ascendant or rising sign. Knowing the exact time of birth is necessary for determining the rising sign because it changes every couple of hours.
The rising sign signifies the characteristics you tend to express as part of your outer persona which might explain why some people don’t seem to act like their sun sign. It can also be referred to as your ego for how you want to be perceived. In contrast, the sun sign represents the core of our identity and encompasses all the vulnerabilities and flaws that we are learning to compensate for or learn to master in this lifetime.
Trends and Cycles
Because the first house is so personal in nature it can be difficult to read for astrologers. We look to the first house to pick up on trends and cycles and also the state of health and vitality when studied in conjunction with the sixth house. Partnerships with the 7th house, home life in the 4th, and so on. The strength and nature of an individual’s determination and willpower are also indicated by the first house. After learning your ascendant, reading both your Sun sign and your ascendant sign whether in horoscope forecasts or personality descriptions will give you a more accurate picture of who you are.
Let’s talk about Actualization
Who are you? What are you meant to become? How do you evolve into your best self? The First House speaks to the actualization of one’s unique potential and destiny. This process of finding ourselves and fulfilling our sense of purpose is one of the greatest gifts we can give to the world. The distinctive qualities and behaviors we express are often referred to as ‘personality’. The First House concerns the individual and their orientation to the world. It is the totality of one’s existence and the package we present to the world. The presentation itself, or our outer being, is also governed by the First House…the physical body and how we portray ourselves and, in particular, your head and face.
Childhood Experiences
The First House also pertains to your early childhood experiences. From our first steps to our opinions and worldviews into later stages of adulthood are accounted for here. What path will we take? What is our attitude and perspective on life? It all begins with the 1st house and serves to sculpt and form who we are. The House of Self is the most personal and most powerful House in your birth chart because it symbolizes your whole being, your mannerisms, your style, your attitude, and your temperament. This is the House of your outward behavior and your preferences. The First House reveals both the way you present yourself to others and the way the outside world tends to perceive you.
Self-Interest and the act of Becoming
It is often referred to as the House of self-interest. The first house encompasses what you want out of life and the manner in which you go about achieving it. It highlights your physical characteristics from your looks to your body type. I feel the first house is the most important point in a horoscope because it orients the rest of the chart and the other astrology houses that follow. In astrology, the First House is treated as a sort of lens through which the rest of the chart is viewed and interpreted.
The First House speaks to the person you are becoming and will become, both internally and externally. It displays our self-styled image and the roles we choose to play in the world. It is our essential qualities…our approach to life, and our demeanor. The first house in astrology reveals the dynamic between the inner self and the outer body.
Interested in the different houses of astrology? Check out our post about the 2nd house of astrology here. You can also check out some of our videos here.