The twelfth house gets a lot of flak. This is because of it’s association with bad things, or things that we’d rather not face in astrology or in life. It’s associated with hidden enemies, karma, exile, hospitals, prisons, dreams, and service. Very little of that, if any, sounds good. So let’s break down how the twelfth house can play out in real life, and not just in the woo-woo world of astrology.
Can it describe abuse? Yes. Can it describe addiction? Yes. But so can the fifth house, and the areas of that house get swept under the rug. We look over those things in the fifth. But with the twelfth, there seems to be no where else we can brush it off to. All we see is bad. We see exile, karma, hospitals, and prisons, but we don’t see how these things aren’t actually all bad. Sure, the hospitals house the sick. No one really wants to be there. But people can also be healed at a hospital. Nurses and doctors and those who wish to help others, such as chaplains, work there. These are indicative of twelfth house placements, and how I wish to introduce the twelfth house to you.
Because above all, in almost every single chart I’ve seen, people with twelfth house placements are drawn towards service. Every single one has a desire to help people, whether that be in their family unit, in their community, or for a living. My former therapist had a stellium in the twelfth in libra, which makes sense given her work. My sister has some planets in the twelfth house, she hopes to help people with disabilities or people with special needs (she told me to put an emphasis on the people part, so as not to define the person by things, which I think sums up this placement perfectly) in her line of work. Every single individual, without a doubt, is drawn to service. There is a sense of martyrdom there, a sense of service and duty towards people and their fellow man. Not because they have to serve others, but because they want to.
The twelfth house, much like the ninth house, can also be associated with spirituality and karma. Here’s the thing, in all forms of spirituality, we are called to help our fellow man. People go and serve at hospitals, orphanages, prisons, and try to heal. The twelfth house blends the two perfectly, whether the individual is religious or not. These people love to help others. Whether the individual is actually spiritual or not is another story, but I find that most find meaning and purpose in helping or serving others. These people can often go into the messiest places of society and find the core of it, and love it. Not love in some sick or twisted way. But love it so that it allows space for healing and growth. They want to change the way we see these things, and heal and grow them from the inside out.
But just as the house is multifaceted, so are people. So let’s talk about some other applications or implications for twelfth house placements or individuals.
The twelfth house is the house of hidden things. This may be hidden enemies disguised as friends, but could also just be things we keep safely under lock and key. Mars in the twelfth house, for example, may symbolize someone who keeps their passions or motivations to themselves. It may also represent someone who tries to hide their anger, or not let it impact their relationships. Moon in the twelfth house may suggest a private person who keeps their emotions to themselves, while Mercury in the twelfth house may suggest someone who is reserved, and does not outwardly express themselves. None of these are bad things. It just describes how people act, and how people are. There’s no good or bad tied up in it. We’re just people. We all just act in different ways.
I know someone with Mercury in the twelfth house, for example. Mercury is his chart ruler. He ends up reaching a lot of people through his job and the work that he does, but nobody ever thinks about who is actually posting or writing it, or the person behind the screen. His work is seen, yet at the same time, he remains unseen.
My point is, twelfth house placements aren’t all doom and gloom. And they can manifest in a variety of ways. Don’t put yourself into a position where you define yourself by your chart or where you think you should define yourself by your chart or placements. Don’t become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you can please try to wait and see how things come out and come into fruition. There are many ways our placements can come into light or life itself. Only time, observation, and waiting, will tell.
Thanks for reading the post! Best wishes, and remember, you decide how you live out your fate.
Sincerely,
Abby
