With the 12th House, the journey through the Astrological Houses ends. Along the way, the "I" took shape and substance. He matured, learned to relate to others, meditate on the existence of life, and dedicated himself to the greater good.
Now, in House 12, the "I" abandons individuality and returns to the collective whole. This House of Spirituality is the place to repair past mistakes, which is worth referring to as karma, the legacy of past lives.
Twelfth House
- Sphere - Reintegration
- Planet - Neptune
- Sign - Pisces
- Element - Water
- Quality - Mutable
- Polarity - Female
- Position - Cadent
- Physiology - Feet, Toes
- Places - Prisons, hospices
- Color - Green
- Key Words - return, karma, family secrets, unrecognized enemies, intuition, union, reflection, confinement, reparations, sacrifice, escape institutions, collective unconscious, faith.
The 12th House, naturally associated with the Water element, the sign of Pisces, and the planet Neptune represents the urge to return to the original state of unity.
After a long journey through the previous Houses, the "I" expresses this desire to return home to the distant comfort of the mother's womb, not in physical terms but spiritual terms. The soul wants to merge with the whole from which it comes or escapes from the vicious circle of reincarnation ( karma ).
Before continuing, let us remember the soul's journey through the 12 Astrological Houses.
- In the 1st House, in Aries, the soul incarnates and acquires an ego. The consciousness of the "I" is born.
- In House 2, in Taurus, the soul gains substance and discovers that it is unique.
- In House 3, in Gemini, try to communicate with others and express yourself.
- In House 4, in Cancer, he discovers his identity and develops an instinct to protect others.
- In Leo's 5th House, the "I" is revealed, wants to shine and be recognized.
- In the 6th House, in Virgo, the willingness to help others is revealed.
- In Libra's 7th House, the "I" is ready to relate to others.
- In Scorpio's 8th House, the "I" recognizes your creative ability.
- In the 9th House, in Sagittarius, the soul searches for the meaning of life.
- In the 10th House, in Capricorn, he wants to establish himself in society.
- In the 11th House, in Aquarius, the "I" recognizes its connection with the whole.
- In the 12th House, in Pisces, you want to go back to the origin.
House 12 and the Extended Sense of "I"
In House 11, the "I" learns and recognizes that it cannot have an entire existence if it lives isolated, alone, only turning towards itself to satisfy its needs. Isolated, it does not exist. To reach its full potential, the ego needs to relate to others, to integrate into the whole.
On the other hand, the ego also realizes that its connection with others and the world has two meanings. It gives and receives. External ideas and currents influence it, but it also leaves their mark.
Others influence us, and others are influenced by who we are. We realize that when we are involved in common causes, we can make a difference, contribute to the common good, and contribute to a more just society.
The notion that we exist as an isolated entity loses space for a broader sense of "I." In the 12th House, the heart and soul become the means of expression of spirituality. Unlike the 1st House, where the ego creates its identity from the intellect, in the 12th House, it is a spirituality that shapes the "I."
The rediscovery of our totality, our eternal nature (only possible as a member of Humanity and not as an isolated being), infinite and eternal, becomes our greatest desire.
We feel the need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. On the other hand, the awareness of our finitude, the desire for preservation, and the fear of death contribute to this feeling.
Pisces, the sign associated with the 12th House, represents two fish swimming in opposite directions. The "I" also faces a dilemma. On the one hand, you want to transcend your individuality and be a part of something bigger.
On the other hand, he fears that he will lose his identity. We can leave the job done or an offspring. Power, prestige, love, and sex are how we find this feeling of eternity, of legacy.
Prayer, prayer, and connecting with the Divine is another way of finding the balance between individuality/reintegration and satisfying this need for transcendence, the feeling of being connected to a reality greater than ourselves that surpasses us as individuals.
By associating themselves with Pisces duality as well, people who are overly empathetic to the unhappiness and misfortune of others may adopt opposite strategies to manage this pain.
Either they take refuge in self-destructive behaviors (such as alcohol or drugs), withdraw from reality, or go to work and try to help. That is, they can become martyrs and saviors.
House 12 As the "House of Karma"
For those who believe in reincarnation, the human soul is immortal, and it is impossible to fulfill its mission in a single lifetime. The improvement is a long journey, not extinguished only in a short passage on Earth.
In each reincarnation, the soul brings what it reaps from previous life experiences and latent capacities waiting to be developed. What lives in previous existences affects what is in the present.
The soul is born again, and its legacy of previous lives is represented in the birth chart that indicates everything we bring from the past as what needs to be awakened to continue.
Difficult positions in the 12th House can suggest old weaknesses and misused energies in previous lives and that we have yet to learn to use them wisely in the present. Favorable positions suggest firmly settled qualities, which turn into advantages in today's life.
House of Secret Enemies and the Unconscious
House 12 also has this connotation. That of the enemies we do not recognize and the activities in the shadows. From the point of view of some astrologers, this association may mean not so much intrigue and external conspiracies but a personal boycott.
In other words, the great enemy can be internal. We can be ourselves when we boycott ourselves when we act against ourselves due to a lack of confidence, doubts, personal contradictions, or fear when hidden weaknesses or internal forces undermine the achievement of our goals and dreams.
Therefore, the positions of this House can be an indicator of the nature of the unconscious and the root of psychological problems. While the 8th House represents how we can resolve these difficulties, the 12th House helps us understand their fundamental nature.
The human being lives between the conscious and the subconscious. There are attitudes and decisions that we make without really knowing why. They happen almost "naturally" because they make sense to us without rationally explaining what happened.
For example, someone who wants to have a passionate relationship is terrified of being alone but does not want to give up his independence and the lifestyle that gives him this freedom.
In this situation, the person may be attracted to those already in a relationship or who do not match their progress. This is a choice that the subconscious makes. Since he does not want to compromise (conscious), he is attracted to those who are not available (unconscious). The dilemma is solved.
Knowing the planetary energies that work in the 12th House allows us to gain this awareness. It allows us to be honest with ourselves.
Understand if what we want is what we need or if our subconscious, what is hidden, is working against us. It allows us to figure out who we are and what we want for ourselves. In a way, it can help us unblock certain situations.
The 12th House and the Relationship with Prisons and Hospices
Another classic association with the 12th House is prisons and hospices. Hospitalization or a period of absence may be necessary to restore physical and psychological balance, causing the person to recover again, another principle of this House.
The passage through orphanages, hospices, and the treatment of people with disabilities also appears in House 12.
As an expression of compassion and care for the less fortunate, positions in this House may also suggest the convening of activities such as working in a charitable institution, institutions of social solidarity, or monastic life.
For those who believe in reincarnation, past lousy karma can be redeemed through goodwill and this kind of humanitarian action.
In the 12th House, the notion of communion with the whole is complete. While in the 11th House, we wake up to this notion of union with the whole, in the 12th House, it becomes a fact. In this House, we realize that what serves our well-being will serve the good of all.
After becoming aware of our individuality and going through a series of experiences, we acquire the notion that we are one with creation. The 12th House represents the end of a cycle. With physical death, we return to the whole. What exists at the beginning exists at the end. We return to the Ascendant to begin a new beginning.
The 12 Houses in Astrology
- House 1 - Individual Identity (the "I")
- House 2 - Money, Earnings, and Possessions
- House 3 - Mind, Environment, and Brothers
- House 4 - Home
- House 5 - Creative Self-Expression, Hobbies, and Fun
- House 6 - Work, Health, and Small Animals
- House 7 - Couple and Marriage
- House 8 - Sex, Death, and Birth
- House 9 - Philosophy and Adventure
- House 10 - Career and Social Statutes
- House 11 - Friends and Community
- House 12 - Spirituality and Subconscious
