What's the difference between Planets, Signs and Houses?

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This is one of the questions I get asked most frequently and one that causes a lot of confusion with beginners. The planets, signs and houses are the fundamental building blocks of astrology, so it’s important to know the difference!

The word Planet appears in front of an image of the planet earth, with Saturn and other planets in the background.

Planets

Planets are the most important & fundamental part of astrology. They are the movers and shakers of the zodiac.

Their movements reflect what happens in the material, earthly world. By studying what sign they are in and how they are interacting with other planets, we can learn about what might be happening here on earth.

Think of them as characters or actors in a scene. They each have personalities, ambitions and motivations.

Every planet has its own topics that it rules. Mercury governs thinking, logic, communication, merchants, markets and trade. Venus is the planet of beauty, love, connection, diplomacy, art and pleasure.

The words Zodiac Signs appear on a background image of a stylized image of the twelve zodiac signs, along with their constellations.

Signs

Signs are inert territory. They are the backdrop, setting, and environment that a planet moves through. They do not have personalities or motivations. In the past century, the importance of signs has been greatly inflated, mostly due to the popularity of Sun Sign astrology. You might think of yourself “as a Libra” or say, “Wow, what a Capricorn!” but that is just one small part of the bigger picture.

Ancient astrologers called them “the temple of the god.” Each planet has one or two “temples” devoted to them. When an astrologer says “Venus rules Libra and Taurus” it means that Libra and Taurus are the temples to Venus. Venus is the steward of that temple.

Planets love being in certain signs more than others. For example, because Libra and Taurus are her temples, Venus loves to be in those signs. But she loves to be in the sign of Pisces, where she is an honoured guest. However, Venus doesn’t like to be in the signs opposite her temples. For Venus, being in Aries and Scorpio can be difficult because those temples are so different from her personality.

There are 12 zodiac signs and everyone has all 12 in their chart. But not everyone will have planets in every single sign, so don’t panic if you have “empty” signs.

The word Houses appear on a background of a printed out birth chart.

Houses

There are 12 houses; each one represents a different area or aspect of your life. 1st house is your personality, body and health. 4th house is your home and family. And so on and so on...

The Houses connect the movement of celestial bodies to our individual lives. By knowing which planet is in which House, you can learn about how that planet will affect you personally. For example, Venus moving through your 4th house of home and family will likely bring blessings and connection to that part of your life. Maybe you have a nice long phone call with your cousin or you decide to redecorate your home.

Don’t confuse Signs and Houses!

There are some schools of astrology that associate Aries (the first sign of the zodiac) with the 1st house. Don’t do this! Signs and houses are distinct concepts and should not be conflated. The only folks who have Aries in the 1st house are Aries Risings.

Depending on which House System you use, Houses might contain one or more zodiac signs. In Whole Sign Houses, the house system I use, each House contains one Zodiac Sign.

Want to learn more about the planets, signs and houses in your birth chart?

With a birth chart consultation, you’ll learn about all of the major elements of your chart, such as which planets are in which signs and which houses. If you look at your chart and have no idea where to start, a consultation is the best way to learn how all of the parts fit together. You’ll learn about who you are, your strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, how to work with your energy, rather than against it.

ANY QUESTIONS? Drop them in the comments below! ⤵️ Let’s chat about it!