I came across this thread while looking for experiences of people with the ruler of ti8heir ascendant in the 12th house. Nice, I hope someone is still interested to continue the conversation.
I am a Cancer Sun (4) with Leo Ascendant (4). My sun is in the twelfth house as are my Mercury (26), South Node (27) and Mars (28) Respectively rulers of the 1st, 3d, 11th, 4th and 10th house)
I have been studying many 12th house charts, also of celebrities. You search for some 12th house placement and you will get charts with one or more planets and points there. Of many you can find personal information, so you have material to check things.
I have seen that the biggest difference in how easy or difficult these placements work out is the condition of these planets. Are they in a sign they feel good in, do they have aspects with well placed planets or points.
How is the overall strength of the planets there and which house(s) do they represent.
This makes the difference between how such more difficult placements will work out, Happy planets are more likely to generate happy results than planets that have to struggle to express themselves.
Many aspects to these planets are sources to get that inner energy out. Few aspects to these planets makes it more difficult, because they are unconscious energies and with a little help they express themselves easier.
The 12th house often tells about inner energy sources that the person is not aware of that he has them, but they build up inside them any way. So releasing them is important in some form or another. That is probably why quite a few artist in any form have 12h house placements. There is a lot of inside creative energy to express in many creative forms. The sign of the house and which house rulers are there will show how.
I new many heardships in my life. From a very young age.
My mom was in a poor condition when pregnant of me. Bad relationship with my father, no house, no food etc.
My parents were young, not ready, using drugs, making two more kids, fighting aggressive fights, having an open relationship that neither of them could handle. Father often absent, including in jail. And then my mother left us when I was 8.
I took over the mother role for my younger brother and sisters and felt like a failure because I couldn't be a good mom.
My father was addicted to gambling and was many nights away. I was always in panic when he left, sometimes screaming from my bedroom window to place don't leave us alone. I developed migraine in that time. There was no money for food, so cooking often was very sober... And I felt I failed. My father couldn't be made happy, my kids had nothing to eat, and I was helpless, couldn't change a thing.
I got burned when I was 2, had 3 times eye surgery before I was 3, fell in glass etc. Broke my front teeth at 11 and my parents did not take me to a dentist to repair it, so I reached puberty without front teeth...
Although I know also happiness in relationships I have a difficult time keeping them. Sometimes really tough relationships.
I can continue like this, but the 12th house can be a tough one.
I now depression very well, but know also the pearls that lay often underneath them. But I know that now I am 47 and know better that I have crisis sometimes in my way of growth.
It's easier to deal with it.
I meditate a lot. I have been visiting ashrams, also in India since I was 17.
I lived in India also for 6 years. The 12th house can also tell about living abroad. It really has many signification possibilities. In Vedic astrology it is indeed seen as more positive, because it is a house of self undoing. Anti materialistic. Undoing of ego, looking for a greater Oness. More aware of the collective. People with 12th house placements can often go very deep into themselves and also in unity.
The 12th house is an inner house. The house before the Ascendant. It's under the surFace, and you have to learn how to access it. I think.
I am also very creative, (Moon, ruler of 12th is in Sagittarius 5th house (28), conjunct Jupiter in Capricorn).
I think a 12th house with difficult positions will become easier with the years. As more and more of your unconscious will be made conscious and you learn how to work with these energies.
My South Node is also there. I feel that this makes it more difficult to let go of all this past. Cancer is already a stubborn keeper of memories and everything past. Leave victim feelings behind. Be accountable for myself.
Living in the present is an intense exercise for me, but I'm getting better. NLP and Mindfulness are helpful too.
I have to learn to make better choices, conscious choices. Choices that are not based in trauma. There is often trauma involved in 12th house placements. Therapy in whatever form can be very helpful, to have somebody watch this inside with you in this unconscious space.
I am a little stuck again. Where to go, what to do, things must change and then I get easily a paralized like feeling over me. This lasts a bit and then I can go again. This might be mars at his worse degree of the zodiac conjunct the south node in 12. No movement possible, no matter how I try.
Often some kind of illness will show up too. But it will always heal (pof, north node and Jupiter in 6
)
Meditation helps me really tremendously by the way, it really brings me peace.
I hope this will help your investigation. If you like to see my chart I will search how to upload it.
I wonder if you recognize this difference of how this house works depending on planetary dignities.
Thank you all for this thread!