Need constructive criticism on piece I wrote about the houses

noxflisk

Active member
Hello! I run an astrology blog, and I have recently been trying to write more educational articles (rather than my usual posting -- which is answering questions regarding astrology). I realize that every astrologer (well, almost every astrologer) has their own unique understanding of astrological chart features.

The following is my rough draft of an introductory post for those who are unfamiliar with houses. The vast majority of my followers are very new to astrology. I used a poll to figure out which areas my readers are the least knowledgeable, and a disproportionate number of poll participants did not know what the houses were, or what they mean. Apparently, many had heard the astrological houses mentioned somewhere, but few understood anything about them.

Please do give me constructive criticism. I would like to make this better if I could. I also would be happy if you were to point out any grammatical errors, or issues with my writing such as repetition of certain words, poor organization (if you'd point out how I should rearrange it, that'd be lovely), and so on.
I would like any ideas for additions as well, if you have any.
Note that I am quite casual with my writing, so expect that. I prefer to keep it that way.

Here it is:

A lot of people are unfamiliar with the astrological houses, so, I figured I would make an introductory piece, explaining what they influence and how they manifest themselves, et cetera.

Now, if you don’t know your house placements, know that you MUST have your exact time of birth in order to calculate it. The houses move through the signs at a rate of one sign per four minutes, so it is imperative that you be right on the mark with your birth time, else your end result will not make sense.

Now, you know that the time of year you were born in is the deciding factor as to which sun sign you will have. For example, myself, being born on December 20th, have the sun sign of Sagittarius. As I mentioned before, your sun’s house varies depending on the very minute of your birth.

The sign placement of your sun is like a “base”; your sun’s house placement is how you consciously express your ego, your being, THROUGH your sun’s sign. My sun’s placement decides that I am an 8th house Sagittarius. I express my Sagittarian disposition through traits/behaviors/attributes associated with the 8th house. To reword that: my Sagittarius sun sign is like my base stats, and its placement in the 8th represents the additional qualities tacked on to that Sagittarius archetype. The 8th house shows the type of character that manages to shine through my Sagittarian-ness, and make me unique to other Sagittarius suns.

Each house corresponds with one sign. There are 12 signs, and hence there are 12 houses. Your sun’s house is very, very seldom the native house of your sun sign. Take my placement(s) for example: Sagittarius’ native house is house 9, and yet here I am, in house 8. House 8 is the native house of Scorpio. Therefore, I would have Scorpio-like qualities being expressed through a Sagittarius consciousness and ego. (As the sun is representative of your conscious mind and your ego.) I would essentially think like a Scorpio, but apply those thoughts onto real situations like a Sagittarius.

Does that make sense?

Note: Native signs of the houses go as followed — Aries is associated with house 1, Taurus with house 2, Gemini with house 3, Cancer with house 4, Leo with house 5, Virgo with house 6, Libra with house 7, Scorpio with house 8, Sagittarius with house 9, Capricorn with house 10, Aquarius with house 11, and lastly, Pisces with house 12.

Each house shares a profound number of traits with its native sign. Houses are, at the core, a set of abstractions, and signs are a personified version of them.

Read about the meanings of each house here.
 

Lin

Well-known member
First I wouldn't put information about your personal chart is this.
Rather I'd say, "let us say you have....etc."

Also, you begin with not the houses but the construction of the chart and why it's important to have a birth time, etc.
So this part should be entitled something like, "Before you begin" or "Creating your Chart" or something like that.
I wouldn't put in the part about one degree every four minutes as most people will be getting a chart generated by a computer...and you've already said the time of birth is vital.
I wouldn't use the words "time of year" That implies 'season' rather than 'date.'

Just make it clear that the best charts are those which have absolutely accurate birth date and time.
(and by the way, a few minutes difference probably won't make that much difference - unless it's at the end of a sign...but again, that is not a beginners issue). Many people will STOP there if they feel it would be useless to go on without an exact TOB.
When really, a noon chart would probably be 90% accurate. I am not suggesting you say this, just giving my experience ...with charts for which I have no TOB.

Telling beginners that their Sun placement is very rarely the native house of that sign is confusing. they don't need to know this.
You can show a 'natural zodiac' at some point in the blog....and at that time also show a 'time chart' of someone ...showing them that their placements will depend only upon their time of birth. But that the natural rulers of the sign will be impressed on that house regardless if there are planets in it or not...or which sign is ruling it.

For instance: the 2nd house is Venus' natural house and will always represent Venus subjects like money, values, love, ownership, etc....regardless which sign is on that house or which planets are in that house.
And Saturn will always represent structure of the Career (10th house matters) regardless of which sign is ON the 10th house cusp or which planets are in that house.

Those are my first thoughts.
LIN
 

Arena

Well-known member
In my view if you want to speak/write about houses, then you need to tell about a few different house systems, so people be aware that there is not only one simple truth available. Keeping it simple might be your approach, so keeping just your focus on whole sign houses might be more clear to the readers, but then it would be a good idea to state that you are using whole sign houses.

Assigning ASC to 1st house is in my view more valuable than assigning Aries to 1st house. If Aries is 1st house, but your ASC is Leo, then would you say your ASC is in 5th house maybe?

The speed of moving through the signs depends on your latitude. I live in polar latitudes, therefore I can see there are signs of fast ascension and slow ascension.
 

Lin

Well-known member
I'm sorry and I hate to really disagree, but my experience and my preference is to use ONE system and stick with it. Again, you are dealing with a lot of beginners....so....it would really confuse them to skip around. Saying the Ascendant is in the 5th house is not only inaccurate it would not make any sense...and if other astrologers see you saying that they won't take your blog seriously (at least I wouldn't.)

Showing some charts (anonymously) with different times and place of birth and the appropriate ascendants will be the 'picture which is worth a thousand words.'
LIN
 

noxflisk

Active member
I'm sorry and I hate to really disagree, but my experience and my preference is to use ONE system and stick with it. Again, you are dealing with a lot of beginners....so....it would really confuse them to skip around. Saying the Ascendant is in the 5th house is not only inaccurate it would not make any sense...and if other astrologers see you saying that they won't take your blog seriously (at least I wouldn't.)

Showing some charts (anonymously) with different times and place of birth and the appropriate ascendants will be the 'picture which is worth a thousand words.'
LIN

That's what I was thinking. I SHOULD state somewhere that this is about Placidus houses and all that somewhere on there, but I don't think introducing multiple house systems in one lesson would be a good idea.

I like your idea about adding pictures. I think that's something I'm going to be doing.

Thank you to everyone who's responded so far! :smile:
 

noxflisk

Active member
First I wouldn't put information about your personal chart is this.
Rather I'd say, "let us say you have....etc."

Also, you begin with not the houses but the construction of the chart and why it's important to have a birth time, etc.
So this part should be entitled something like, "Before you begin" or "Creating your Chart" or something like that.
I wouldn't put in the part about one degree every four minutes as most people will be getting a chart generated by a computer...and you've already said the time of birth is vital.
I wouldn't use the words "time of year" That implies 'season' rather than 'date.'

Just make it clear that the best charts are those which have absolutely accurate birth date and time.
(and by the way, a few minutes difference probably won't make that much difference - unless it's at the end of a sign...but again, that is not a beginners issue). Many people will STOP there if they feel it would be useless to go on without an exact TOB.
When really, a noon chart would probably be 90% accurate. I am not suggesting you say this, just giving my experience ...with charts for which I have no TOB.

Telling beginners that their Sun placement is very rarely the native house of that sign is confusing. they don't need to know this.
You can show a 'natural zodiac' at some point in the blog....and at that time also show a 'time chart' of someone ...showing them that their placements will depend only upon their time of birth. But that the natural rulers of the sign will be impressed on that house regardless if there are planets in it or not...or which sign is ruling it.

For instance: the 2nd house is Venus' natural house and will always represent Venus subjects like money, values, love, ownership, etc....regardless which sign is on that house or which planets are in that house.
And Saturn will always represent structure of the Career (10th house matters) regardless of which sign is ON the 10th house cusp or which planets are in that house.

Those are my first thoughts.
LIN

I agree with everything mentioned here. Except I don't mind adding my own personal information. I planned to use my own chart as an example (well, one of the examples) throughout a series of lessons I'm planning on writing.
 

Frisiangal

Well-known member
Hi,
I googled 'astrological houses' and there were 597.000 sites, including some major and very reliable explanation sources. What and why is it that makes you want to add your own instead of simply recommending those already available by providing the website address(es)?

It's only a personal perspective (9th house side:smile:), yet I disagree with the house realm=natural sign quality theory, and more with a planet acting as 'representative' of ITS natural sign qualities that 'functions' through a sign that manifests through a house realm.

Using your own example:
To reword that: my Sagittarius sun sign is like my base stats, and its placement in the 8th represents the additional qualities tacked on to that Sagittarius archetype. The 8th house shows the type of character that manages to shine through my Sagittarian-ness, and make me unique to other Sagittarius suns.



A house does not show character. It only shows a realm of life that undergoes expression.
Other astrologers might suggest that the Sun's natural sign, Leo, in whatever house, influences why Self expresses itself through Sagittarius (sign=character) IN an 8th house realm of life in preference to elsewhere.
IMHO Scorpio as a sign has nothing to do with the explanation.

Lin wrote:
the natural rulers of the sign will be impressed on that house regardless if there are planets in it or not...or which sign is ruling it.

For instance: the 2nd house is Venus' natural house and will always represent Venus subjects like money, values, love, ownership, etc....regardless which sign is on that house or which planets are in that house.

It's probably my way of thinking, Lin, yet is this so?
Personal finances and values are ruled by the 2nd house.
Private 1 to 1 relationships are ruled by the 7th house.
Neither are ruled by Venus or Taurus-Libra.
Venus only works for her natural signs' houses through whichever sign and house realm they place her to get their meaning across.
E.g. Put Venus in Aquarius in the 6th house, or Venus in Scorpio in the 9th house. As sign ruler, how does her attitude towards financial values and a personal relationship play out when neither Taurus or Libra are on their natural house cusps?
Or is it that Taurus and Libra always refer to physical matter and social mentality?

Noxflisk; With so many if, but, and and's, describing house realm
relationships isn't as easy as it may sound. It could be very confusing for beginners.
After 3 decades I'm still trying to pin it down accurately (Virgo Asc.:rolleyes:). Hope your Sag side is better than my 9th house side.
Good luck in your attempt at doing so.:smile:
 

Lin

Well-known member
Frisiangal,
We are always going to disagree about the 'natural' houses/planet ruler...situation.

I'm just a big fan of the people who taught me...including Isabel Hickey who said, Having let's say, Venus in the first house is like having Venus conj. Mars.
And having Saturn in the 4th would be like having Saturn conj.. Moon.
etc. At it's foundation, each house, no matter what sign is on the cusp, retains the 'decor' of its natural ruler. NO matter which sign is on the Asc, Martian character -energy - metaphor will be present.
You said,
"Personal finances and values are ruled by the 2nd house.
Private 1 to 1 relationships are ruled by the 7th house.
Neither are ruled by Venus or Taurus-Libra."

Venus does rules the 2nd house and the 7th. I don't understand what you're saying.
But partnership money is an 8th house issue....Pluto's domain.
I have always used this system and it works.

IN fact, one of the biggest breakthroughs I ever had was when I finally was able to look at a chart and see the natural rulers "within" the symbolism without 'trying.'
It became part of the language I was learning and it's never disappointed me.

But we all learn, and teach, in our own way.

To the OP:
The reason I feel that you shouldn't introduce your own chart and the specifics of it (at least in the beginning) is that EACH person who will be reading the blog will be attempting to identify what you are saying with THEIR OWN charts and life. And if they keep getting your symbolism which is unique only to your chart, again, I think it would be confusing.

In fact, when I first learned astrology my teachers forbade us to use our own charts in class. They said we could take what we learned and apply it to our own charts in our homework. And they also did not use their own charts. Believe me, , it keeps the reader objective enough to learn more widely. Using your own chart will only make them very familiar with YOUR life.

IN my own teaching, after the first couple of lessons explaining astrology, we begin to use the STUDENTS chart...so that they can totally identify with what they are learning.

You can't do that on a blog...I know...but you can use 'famous' people's charts. This is very useful as there is a lot of information out there about people in the public eye...especially today. And the recognition they get from 'inside' information they feel they will have will make them more interested.


I wish I could agree with you about that....(using your own chart) but I think it would be a big mistake.
LIN
 
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Frisiangal

Well-known member
Frisiangal,
We are always going to disagree about the 'natural' houses/planet ruler...situation.
I would hope that 'we' could be replaced by a more general 'astrologers', as always is a very long time to be in disagreement.:smile:

You said,
"Personal finances and values are ruled by the 2nd house.
Private 1 to 1 relationships are ruled by the 7th house.
Neither are ruled by Venus or Taurus-Libra."

Venus does rules the 2nd house and the 7th. I don't understand what you're saying.
But partnership money is an 8th house issue....Pluto's domain.
I have always used this system and it works.

But we all learn, and teach, in our own way.

I guess it is indeed a matter of how each person's mind works. Mine is like the workings in the inside of a giant clock. Mechanisms of cogs and wheels in constant motion.:biggrin:

To clear any misunderstanding in my last post, especially to noxflisk, I am NOT implying that a house cannot have a ruler, only that it does not have a natural ruler; i.e., Mars will always rule 1st house, Mercury always rules 3rd house, Moon rules 4th, Saturn rules 10th, etc.etc., because a planet shows a funtional behaviour pattern and not a circumstance of life.
What is true is that a house CAN have a ruler, but this will be defined by the sign on the cusp of that house. A planet in a house may even take precedence above the house ruler in defining the circumstances of that house.


To the OP:
The reason I feel that you shouldn't introduce your own chart and the specifics of it (at least in the beginning) is that EACH person who will be reading the blog will be attempting to identify what you are saying with THEIR OWN charts and life. And if they keep getting your symbolism which is unique only to your chart, again, I think it would be confusing.

I agree wholeheartedly with this view because the personal subjectivity is set aside. It might be easier for the readers to learn if several 'e.g. examples' are given, in which astrological objectivity is the mode to differentiate between Sun (or planets) in different signs in the same house.

:smile:
 

Tessie

Banned
Please do give me constructive criticism. I would like to make this better if I could. I also would be happy if you were to point out any grammatical errors, or issues with my writing such as repetition of certain words, poor organization (if you'd point out how I should rearrange it, that'd be lovely), and so on.
Hi. I chip in with literary expression.

1. As a general rule, phrases in the following format are grammatically incorrect:

* "Please do give me..."
* "Please do understand..."
* "I do wish you would..."
* "I myself agree..."
* "I do think..."

To be grammatically correct, unnecessary double emphasis should be edited-out. For example, as it relates to the above, "Please give me...," "Please understand...," I wish you would...," "I agree...," "I think...," are sufficient. As a writer, you have time allocated to your written piece. Readers, on the other hand, are different. They are busy people. They want to get just the message and go, as quickly as possible. Unnecessary words get in the way of your ability to hold your client's attention. They also make the text sound amateurish, even if the content is not. It is not the reader's job to fish out unnecessary words. It is yours. No double emphases, no repetitions. They are surplus.

Also, verb always comes before adjective. For example, rather than, "Please do give me...," you might say, "Give me please," or "Could you provide please" or "I would be grateful if you could provide me with...," etc.

2. When writing for the public, it is vital you show a plan which the reader can follow. A short piece like this needs:

* Introduction: to state the problem and the aim of the article as it relates to the problem.
* Message, itself.
* Conclusion: which re-states the problem, re-states the aim, summarizes the message and a final conclusion.
* Introduction and Conclusion, respectively, should be 10% of the content of the entire piece.
* One paragraph should be at least three sentences long.

3. Before you begin explaining how astrological houses are used, I think, you need to define what astrological houses are. Houses and house overlays are not the same thing. The Thema Mundi and the modern equivalents will show what houses mean irrespective of the native's overlay. The native's overlay then adds, not replaces, meaning to houses. Talking about houses, you must distinguish the two.

4. Rather than beginning each paragraph with the word, "Now," which is unnecessary, informal and therefore unsuitable for a formal piece, you could start with what you need to say. If you wish to emphasize some important order, you might articulate this by indicating, "First," "Second," "Third." Or you can bullet point for maximum clarity and separation.

5. "You sun's house." A person does not have a sun. There is one sun. A person has a chart. You might say, "Sun's position is X house," or "The sun occupies the X house," etc.

6. If you wish to use ego terminology, it is important you define what ego means and how it relates to humans.

7. I understand you are intent on disclosing your personal natal information. I agree, there is a time and place where case study information is useful to the extent that it is necessary. I do not agree that your article is it. Your article is not it. If you want to add some detail about your personality, I encourage you to do it in your blog bio. Those who are interested in that information can read it. This article, is for the sole purpose of astrological houses. John and Jane Foe in Pembrokeshire want the clear formula to apply to their charts. Their charts are case study enough. Your chart, noxflisk, is unique, therefore not generalisable, therefore not relevant. It does not add to the formula. It clouds it. As it takes up most of your article, it makes your article irrelevant.

A clear example is easy on the senses, such as sun in first house, sun in second house. It does not demand attention. The person can imagine the placement without interference to reading. A simple, straight-forward example complements learning. A detailed, convoluted example obscures it. When the example is complicated yet unnecessary, as it is here, it discredits the author. When adding to a body of knowledge, as you are trying to do, you want to grab attention as a good author, not as an eight house sun in Sagittarius on the ninth cusp. Here, you can't do both. Decide.

I understand you may be wanting to show houses in context and provide a more complete picture. That is not possible within an article like this. There is much information within a chart to predict the behaviour of a placement (e.g., sign, house, degree, sect, quadrant, humor, element, profection, transit, etc., to name a few). If you want to show more, you will have to do it through a series of definitional articles, such as this, before moving on to their complex interactions. The title of the present article is "Houses." This means, just houses. Not signs. People understand signs. Think about it.

8. If you wish to communicate houses only from the perspective of your experience, I think it is a show of common courtesy to the beginner-reader, as well as professional conduct to the community at large, to provide a caveat somewhere (e.g., just ahead of your conclusion) indicating there are other important house systems to which your descriptions/teachings do not apply. You could supplement this caveat with a reason why you support/endorse the particular system which you used, re-state your aim to provide only the basics and encourage others to use these as a basis to expand their learning and explore further.

9. Rather than listing house histories. It would be more helpful to your reader if you searched and pasted instead a fitting diagram and gave a brief indication underneath about what the diagram shows.

***​

I think you would do well to re-think your article in order to make more effective it and yourself as a writer. That will happen only through exercise, time and heeding good advice. I have taken the liberty of re-writing some of which you could include. It is not exhaustive. You could add much more.


Astrological Houses​


Time and date provide valuable information in astrological analysis. Theory and usage of astrological houses is confusing to beginners. The present article provides a brief introduction to key concepts.

The astrological chart has 12 astrological houses. These are divisions which adhere, in theory, to the 12 astrological signs. Each astrological house is one half of a dimension comprising it and the house opposite it. Both, the dimension and the house, function independently and have independent philosophical meanings and attributes attached to them. These meanings can be viewed in Figure 1 [paste image of house meanings]. For instance the first house, in any chart, represents the body and, in particular, the head. The second house shifts focus from the head to the throat and speaks of resources. [You, noxflisk, could consider defining each house culminating in expression of the holistic and exhaustive nature of the astrological chart covering each aspect of life.]

Astrological houses in the astrological chart are also grouped by predictive commonality. The last three houses and the first three houses (i.e., H.10, H.11, H.12, H.1, H.2, H.3) comprise the eastern hemisphere of the chart and are proxy for the 'self.' The rest of the chart (i.e., H.9, H.8, H.7, H.6, H.5, H.4) is the western hemisphere and represents the 'other' (see Figure 2.). Similar grouping is made with the northern and southern hemispheres of the astrological chart which are grouped by commonalities pertaining to inner and outer psychological foci, respectively. There is equal grouping. The chart itself, before birth, is balanced, its houses empty but ready to be inhabited by new life.

The first thing to note in understanding astrological houses is the necessity to have the correct time of birth in order to recruit their utility for the native. The time of birth always constitutes the first house, the ascendant. Correct time of birth gives houses identity because the time of birth is a snapshot of celestial weather at the event which is the overarching blueprint for life beneath. Time of birth determines the sign and the sign, at the time of birth, gives identity to the first house. Because there are an equal number of houses as there are signs, the identity of the first house determines the overlay for all other houses by the astrological order of signs. The sign of each house and any planets posited therein will establish its colour and style in fulfilling its function.

Note, time of birth differs from date of birth. Date of birth is a different topic because it changes every 24 hours. Astrological house overlay shifts one charted degree for every four minutes. Every shift alters the chart's characteristics and thereby their expression on the native. Any predictions made from the natal chart are valid and reliable only if the correct birth time is used to yield the results. The correct birth time can be confirmed with a chart rectification specialist.

Many house systems are available to use for astrological analysis. There is not one system that is better than another. This type of judgement cannot be made since astrology, at present time, is not an exact science. Each astrologer and technique has a preferential bias that works. Once a student has grasped the basics of astrological chart reading, a good exercise in further learning is exploring the potential of one's chart through experimentation with different methodologies, many of which pertain to "houses."
 

Frisiangal

Well-known member
I can't help wondering if and how Noxflisk is experiencing the current transits of retro. Jupiter in Leo, retro. Saturn in Sagittarius, and the most recent ingresses of Mercury into Aries and Mars into Taurus.:biggrin:
 

Lin

Well-known member
I think it's useful for newbies to know that there are many roads to enlightenment. And if astrologers differ in their views, or methods - wording - whichever house system is used - focus (some people never read for other people...they research, they do mundane astrology, etc) it's OK....as long as the information gathered and disseminated is accurate; meaning the information is useful and honest or fulfills the need of the querant.

This is a big subject. There will ALWAYS be debate.
LIN
 
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