As we explore the Houses of our Birth Charts, it is helpful to remember that all of life’s activities & the ways we express them are in one of twelve houses. A tall order indeed. Yet, it works!
The 1st house begins our birth charts & records the degree and minute of the sign that was rising at the moment of our birth. The 1st house shows how we dawn on life and on any new beginning. The 2nd shows what grounds us & helps us as we move in life. In the 1st house, we do activities that “extend our personality out into the world, the 2nd house activities represent how we extend our reach into the world.”¹
The 2nd house is often spoken of as the house of possessions. What do we own? This extends beyond concrete items to our feelings, our emotions, our inner selves. What are our natural talents? How do we claim ourselves? What do we place value on? How do we seek security? We more clearly define who we are in this world through the things that we own, the resources we have to use & the worth we claim for ourselves.
If Aries is the sign of your 2nd house, your instinct is to create something in the material world to increase the feeling of self-worth. You are eager to start new projects and try new things.
Improving & polishing life & the world you live in, with Virgo as your 2nd house sign, you understand the value of living according or within your means. One of your resources is informed practicality.
2nd house Libra indicates that you would derive your feeling of self-worth from your connections and relationships with others. Achieving balance & enhancing beauty & peace in the home is a core resource. Part of your skill set is the ability to work collaboratively with others.
With Cancer as the sign of your 2nd, your resources include strong intuition, emotional sensitivity & the ability to nurture & support those close to you. More important than money and investments, is spending time around family & friends and being grateful for what you have. Finding happiness in the “little things in life” comes naturally to you.
The 2nd house deepens the 1st house process of self-discovery. Knowing the signs of the houses adds another layer of understanding of our natures & our potentials in life.
¹ as noted by Amy Herring in Essential Astrology