As you expand your understanding of astrology beyond your sun sign, you may be surprised to discover just how much of the Zodiac is represented in your birth chart. You may have planetary placements in fire, earth, air, and water signs. You might discover a stellium in a sign you previously knew nothing about. Astrology sets you on a course of self-discovery — and that's what makes it so fun.
So, what about when you notice something in your chart that isn't totally satisfying? Those who are already acquainted with the 12 houses of the Zodiac know this feeling well.
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Each house is associated with an area of your life, such as romance, family, or work, and we use the planets' placements across the houses to inform our understanding of them. Having chatty Mercury in the 10th house of career, for example, is totally different from having disciplinarian Saturn in the same place.
As important as each house of the Zodiac is, it's not uncommon to find that, in your particular birth chart, some of your houses have no planetary placements at all. As you can guess, this discovery is far less satisfying than, say, learning about your rising and moon sign. An "empty house," as it's known, can be baffling to anyone who isn't a seasoned astrologer, but it isn't a cause for alarm.
First of all, an empty 10th house shouldn't be taken as a sign that your professional life is doomed or nonexistent — you could be gainfully employed your entire working life with nary a planet in the 10th house. That said, your career probably isn't the focus of your life. The planets' positions in the houses can imply what sort of friendships or jobs we'll have, but, more generally, they reveal where we will focus most of our energy. In other words, if your 10th house is actually home to several planets, you may have some workaholic tendencies.
An empty fourth house can be even more alarming, given its "foundational" placement on your birth chart (it's literally positioned at the bottom of the Wheel). Plus, it represents the role of family and the home in your life, which many people naturally value. Again, you don't need to worry about dying alone due to a lack of planets in the fourth house. Rather, family planning probably isn't a huge hangup for you — for the most part, you have that part of your life figured out.
So, don't panic over an empty house — but don't dismiss it, either. Just because you have an empty 10th house doesn't mean you're a slacker. Lucky for you, it probably means you won't have to face many challenges or dramatic shifts in your career path. And even if your fourth house is empty, you could have extremely strong bonds with your parents. You may even have an easier time maintaining those bonds than most. It's the houses that contain planets that will demand most of your attention.
Once you get more familiar with your houses and their respective planetary guests, an empty house will seem less like something you've been excluded from and more like a non-issue. If anything, it'll be a welcome break from all the cosmic noise emanating from elsewhere in your chart.
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