Difference between House and Planet

jg1982

Well-known member
When interpreting a natal chart how would you differentiate between a house and a planet which are similar in meaning. Example: Mercury vs the 3rd house.

Mercury stands for the mind, communication style, etc. Doesn't the 3rd house show roughly the same?? I realize the 3rd house stands for other things like siblings, early education, etc. But, in general when refering to the mind, in this case, it's confusing to me when trying to interpret a chart, especially if house and planet are in completely different signs.

Same goes for other houses.

How do you guys go about separating planet and house?

Thanks!
 

jg1982

Well-known member
Read it, but it did not really answer my question... it was more of a discussion of modern vs classical astrology. Its more of a general discussion than a specific technical explanation of delineation.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
When interpreting a natal chart how would you differentiate between a house and a planet which are similar in meaning.

Example: Mercury vs the 3rd house.

Mercury stands for the mind, communication style, etc.
Doesn't the 3rd house show roughly the same??
I realize the 3rd house stands for other things like siblings, early education, etc.
But, in general when refering to the mind,
in this case, it's confusing to me when trying to interpret a chart, especially if house and planet are in completely different signs.

Same goes for other houses.

How do you guys go about separating planet and house?

Thanks!
3rd House significations :smile:

Brothers and sisters,
cousins or general members of the family
(not parents, they belong to the 4th house).
Neighbours and our local neighbourhood.

The environment in which we live and work.

Short journeys or those made on a regular basis.

Lilly notes that this house shows a propensity for: "oft removing from one place to another"
Letters, rumours, reports, messages and messengers.

Communications generally.
Newspapers, magazines, telephones, postal service.
Written deeds and contracts.
Speeches and debates.
Our ability to express ourselves and communicate to others.
Languages, mobility skills and self-expression
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/temples/h3.html

MERCURY SIGNIFICATIONS http://www.skyscript.co.uk/mercury_att.html
 

jg1982

Well-known member
Read it but, in essence, I read about the same thing for both, hence my problem. Aside from the third house signifying locations (neighbourhood, etc) tthe third house is VERY similar to mercury.

So, if I wanted to know about someone's communication style, problems, etc...would I look at the third house or at mercury? If the answes is both, then I would ask what the difference between them is then? There must be some sort of difference however subtle, for mercury and the third house are two separate things. I find the third house/mercury to be particulary problematic in this regard... it goes back to the x=y=z issue. What happens if the third house suggests one thing about communcation and mercury's placement/aspects suggest the opposite???
 
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JUPITERASC

Well-known member

Read it but, in essence, I read about the same thing for both, hence my problem.
Aside from the third house signifying locations (neighbourhood, etc)
tthe third house is VERY similar to mercury.
'similar'
is not
'the same as'
:smile:
So, if I wanted to know about someone's communication style, problems, etc...would I look at the third house or at mercury?
Not necessarly
begin by assessing 1st House
because
Older sources note its influence upon the intellect, the way the mind works, and speech.
In general, the first house represents the focal point for the personality
and manner of expression.
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/temples/h1.html


If the answes is both,
then I would ask what the difference between them is then?

There must be some sort of difference however subtle, for mercury and the third house are two separate things.

in order to assess communication style
assess 1st house

I find the third house/mercury to be particulary problematic in this regard...
it goes back to the x=y=z issue.
What happens if the third house suggests one thing about communcation
and mercury's placement/aspects suggest the opposite???
post an example chart illustrating your dilemma
 

jg1982

Well-known member
Understood. Analyzing anything regarding the personality seems to require more than looking at a single planet or house. However, I am not quite that advanced yet. The connections I can make at this point are limited by my limited knowledge. My particular point of interest is the difference between house and planet, especially in mercury/3rd house because those seem to read almost identical in astrology "cookbooks", so it is a bit frustrating for a beginner, such as myself, to be able to discern the subtleties between a mercury placement and a 3rd house sign.

Any chart in which mercury is in a different sign than the 3rd house sign is a good example, especially when the signs are radically different.

Lets say, Capricorn in the 3rd house, Mercury in Sagitarius. Does the person have a capricornian mind/speech or a saggitarian one?

I guess a better way to pose my question is: When you, JupiterASC, are reading someone's chart what do you take a way from mercury's placement and what do you take away from the third house sign? How do they differ and contrast with each other? What is the KEY difference between those two elements? what is the CORE and meaning of mercury's placement and it's function VS the third house?
 
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JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Understood. Analyzing anything regarding the personality seems to require more than looking at a single planet or house. However, I am not quite that advanced yet. The connections I can make at this point are limited by my limited knowledge. My particular point of interest is the difference between house and planet, especially in mercury/3rd house because those seem to read almost identical in astrology "cookbooks", so it is a bit frustrating for a beginner, such as myself, to be able to discern the subtleties between a mercury placement and a 3rd house sign.

Any chart in which mercury is in a different sign than the 3rd house sign is a good example, especially when the signs are radically different.

Lets say, Capricorn in the 3rd house, Mercury in Sagitarius. Does the person have a capricornian mind/speech or a saggitarian one?

I guess a better way to pose my question is:
When you, JupiterASC, are reading someone's chart what do you take a way from mercury's placement
and what do you take away from the third house sign?
How do they differ and contrast with each other?
What is the KEY difference between those two elements?
what is the CORE and meaning of mercury's placement and it's function VS the third house?
When delineating any natal chart one's focus is on the natal chart as a whole
because
to isolate any particular factor
leads to generalisation
and that is counter-productive
:smile:
 

tsmall

Premium Member
When interpreting a natal chart how would you differentiate between a house and a planet which are similar in meaning. Example: Mercury vs the 3rd house.

Houses and planets are not similar in meaning. Houses represent particular areas of the native's life. Planets show how and what those areas will be like.

Mercury stands for the mind, communication style, etc. Doesn't the 3rd house show roughly the same??

No. Mercury in traditional astrology does represent the rational mind, the Moon the primative mind, but communication style is mainly determined by temperament, the 1st house (because the 1st house is everything about the physical manifestation of the native) and it's rulers, those ruler's dispositors, the conditions of them, and any aspects to the rulers and the 1st house. The 3rd house is representative of sibilings, extended family like cousins, neighbors and friends (basically your "tribe" or the people you associate with daily due to proximity), short distance journey, knowledge, religion, letters and rumors.

I realize the 3rd house stands for other things like siblings, early education, etc. But, in general when refering to the mind, in this case, it's confusing to me when trying to interpret a chart, especially if house and planet are in completely different signs.

That is because you are trying to put together a jig-saw puzzle without knowing how all the pieces fit together. Planet does not equal sign does not equal house.


How do you guys go about separating planet and house?

Thanks!

By not conflating them in the first place.


Lets say, Capricorn in the 3rd house, Mercury in Sagitarius. Does the person have a capricornian mind/speech or a saggitarian one?

This person would likely have Scorpio rising so Mars would be of primary importance. Capricorn 3rd house is ruled by Saturn, so to understand how matters relating to siblings, neighbors, short journies, etc. would be determined by understanding what Saturn is doing in the chart--where he is, if he can regard Capricorn, if he is impeded in any way. Mercury in Sagitarius is in detriment so we would want to understand what Jupiter (his dispositor) is doing.

Trying to jump straight to delineation is like trying to build a house with no foundation. The link to skyscript/temples is a good place to start. It might help you to draw your own circle divided into 12 parts and label them, so that you can see that the houses represent certain areas of your life, keeping in mind that traditionally we are talking about outward manifestations of those areas and not inward or strictly mental ones.
 

Oddity

Well-known member
Think of it this way:

Planets act. Signs modulate the expression of the planets, tell you the quality of the action. Houses show you the areas of life in which a planet acts.

Up to a point you can look at general significations, too, like Venus for love, or Mercury for the rational mind (Moon for the instinctive mind, though).

You'll get a clearer picture of say, relationships, if you have Gemini on the seventh, by looking not only at any planets in Gemini, but also at Mercury, where it is, what it's doing. Merc in 3 with Gemini on the 7th cusp? You'll meet a partner locally, maybe through close friends or siblings.
 

wilsontc

Staff member
Traditional Astrology ONLY, to All

All,

Please do NOT post non-traditional responses in the Traditional Forum. If you want to promote something you wrote, go to the Recommendations Forum.

Back to Traditional,

Tim
 

AppLeo

Well-known member
Planets are like the slices of the personality that each represent different things. The houses represent slices of our lives. Depending on where a planet is in a house, determines where that part of our personality will act in our life.
 

waybread

Well-known member
jg1982, if you're one of these increasingly rare people who still reads books, I recommend Deborah Houlding, Houses: Temples of the Sky. She talks about the meanings of houses from a traditional perspective, and notes when the planets do and do not correspond with houses based upon the signs the planets rule.

Mercury, for example, is the traditional ruler of money and trade, even though the second house relates to people's personal finances.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Planets are like the slices of the personality that each represent different things.
The houses represent slices of our lives.
Depending on where a planet is in a house, determines where that part of our personality will act in our life.
A PLANET acts

A HOUSE shows the area of life
in which the planet acts


as well as
how strongly the planet can act


houses-labeled.gif


1. Birth/Self/Appearance/Vitality/Strength


2. Resources, material comforts, earnings
and all issues concerning wealth or of a financial nature
including the manner of attaining wealth, personal goods and belongings,
assets, income, gain, money lent to others, profit (or loss when afflicted),
support and assistance from others. http://www.skyscript.co.uk/temples/h2.html


3 Brothers and sisters, cousins or general members of the family
(not parents, they belong to the 4th scene aka house).
Neighbors and local neighborhood. The environment in which we live and work.
Short journeys or those made on a regular basis.
Letters, rumors, reports, messages and messengers.
Communications generally. Newspapers, magazines, telephones, postal service.
Written deeds and contracts. Speeches and debates.
Our ability to express ourselves and communicate to others.
Languages, mobility skills and self-expression http://www.skyscript.co.uk/temples/h3.html


AND

the
quality of the planet's expression
is influenced by the SIGN location of the PLANET


wheel-layers-3d.jpg


DEPENDENT ON THE TIME OF BIRTH
-
a different sign is pinned as an individual 'background or cusp'
on each of the 12 'houses'


PLANETS AS ACTORS FOR EXAMPLE:

Venus and Jupiter are in general thought of as the 'good guys'
Mars and Saturn are traditionally the 'villains of the piece'
Mercury can be the 'dodgy geezer', sometimes good sometimes not so good
- dependent on the company Mercury keeps :smile:
 

tsmall

Premium Member
All, I moved this thread from the traditional forum to the houses forum so that it can get the attention it deserves.

Moving,
Tamara
 

hunnyb143

Member
When interpreting a natal chart how would you differentiate between a house and a planet which are similar in meaning. Example: Mercury vs the 3rd house.

Mercury stands for the mind, communication style, etc. Doesn't the 3rd house show roughly the same?? I realize the 3rd house stands for other things like siblings, early education, etc. But, in general when refering to the mind, in this case, it's confusing to me when trying to interpret a chart, especially if house and planet are in completely different signs.

Same goes for other houses.

How do you guys go about separating planet and house?

Thanks!

Hi I'm sorry you didn't get your question answered. I think it's because honestly no one here wants to admit they don't know either.

I've been trying to figure this out as well. It's pretty frustrating

The best way I can answer is like this... the 3rd house is where you can look at the actual practical experiences of how you communicate and where you express yourself for example... Sagittarius on the 3rd house, will go around their community speaking about their religious/spiritual beliefs. They may prefer speaking in church etc. The 3rd house is not so much an indicator about our intellect, unless Mercury is there too. Rather, it is merely the kinds of conversations we prefer to have in life. In Sagitarrius they will prefer to have spiritual conversations about philosophy and beliefs, but let's say their Mercury is in Capricorn in the 4th house, then the person communicates in Church and stuff because this is part of their family's traditions and reputation and they are more traditional than they are spiritual in nature. Or if this 3rd house Sagittairus has Mercury in Libra in the 1st house, then the person will have philosophical conversations because they believe other people look up to them and that they have spiritual authority in people's lives about what is a right/wrong way to live.

In contrast, let's talk about Mercury...

Mercury represents the fact that all humans are born with a set of lips, a larynx and vocal cords etc for the purpose of literal communication and verbal expression, regardless of where they choose to speak.
So someone with Mercury in Sagittarius thos is someone that is also philosophical maybe even religious, but you will only know this if they have Sagittarius on the 3rd cusp or if you ask them questions like "what do YOU think?" Because this Mercury in Sagittarius could have Virgo on the 3rd house cusp so they're not necessarily interested in talking about spiritual subjects to the world but if they do, it's for practical reasons. They would be more insightful about things like Yoga and healthy eating and know a lot about it because of their wise Sagittarius Mind.

Or if they have Capricorn on the 3rd house cusp, then rather than communicating about spiritual subjects because it's their family's tradition...they do it because it supports their own reputation and earns them money.

I hope this made sense. I would love to elaborate and have a more in depth conversation:)
 

jg1982

Well-known member
I wanted to thank you all for your time and effort in helping me learn. I read and analyzed every single response. I realize it has been a while since my original post, but nonetheless, I wanted t express my gratitude to every person that contributed to answering my question.


Peace and all the best to you all.
 
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