Understanding the First House in Astrology: Your Complete Guide

INSIDE: The first house in astrology is the point where your natal chart starts to spin. A house of the self, the physical body, and our character, it represents the basic self – who you are effortlessly and authentically. Let’s dive into the meaning and symbolism of it now…

Identity is a blend of our uniqueness, social conditioning, and inner striving to be authentic. It is an important part of our existence, as it represents the self, who we are unapologetically. We build our identity throughout our whole life.

As published in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology, researchers believe that we can be aware of our identity to a varying degree, as the level of self-awareness differs from individual to individual. 

In astrology, the crucial point where we look to understand someone’s basic identity is the Ascendant and the First House. Today, we are talking about the first house in astrology meaning, so if you are curious, let’s jump right into it!

The Meaning & Symbolism of the 1st House in Astrology

The 1st House represents the self – who we are at our core and how people see us. It is the first of the four angular houses; therefore, it represents the foundation of our natal chart. This is also the place where our Ascendant or Rising sign falls, and so it is very closely associated with everything the Rising sign represents.

The first house represents life itself, and since it is associated with the sign of Aries, it represents new beginnings, vitality, our physical body, and particularly our head and overall appearance. It signifies our basic temperament. It rules the first impressions we give out and can tell us a lot about how people see us.

This is the beginning of any chart and represents our basic attitude towards life in general and how we appear in the world.

We don’t appear as our zodiac signs, we show up in the world as our Rising Sign and the sign that is on the cusp of the First House. Planets in the First House will add a flavor to the characteristic of the Rising Sign, making our character more complex and much more unique.

For instance, someone may be a Virgo Rising but have Mars in their first house in astrology, so their character will be a blend of Virgo traits and Mars traits. 

To understand your First House, it is important to look at the Sign on the Cusp of the 1st House, and the planets placed in that house. Here’s what each sign and planet in the 1st house means…

First House in Signs

The sign found on the cusp of the first house in astrology, or the sign of the Ascendant is the sign of the First House. This sign determines the nature of the first house and defines matters of this house.

This is the sign that people will most likely associate with our character, and it will describe our character and how we appear to others. For more in-depth information about the sign on the cusp of your First House, read 12 Rising Signs of the Zodiac and look for your Rising sign.

Here are some qualities and traits based on the sign found on the cusp:

• First House in Aries – action-oriented, a desire for change, dynamic nature, assertive, energetic, competitive, playful, ambitious
• First House in Taurus – grounded, a desire to enjoy nice things, taking it slow, strong values and beliefs, a love for aesthetics things, a desire for stability, easy-going
• First House in Gemini – curious, lighthearted, cunning, changeable, a desire to know and understand as much as possible, sociable
• First House in Cancer – sensible and sensitive to energy, warm and welcoming, emotional, a need to feel safe, a need to love, feel accepted, and be loved
• First House in Leo – proud, gregarious, dignified, royal-like, generous,  a need to feel seen and heard, strong principles, a desire to be unapologetically authentic
• First House in Virgo – problem-solver, thinker, a desire to be effective and do things the right way, analytical, intelligent, a desire to strive for better
• First House in Libra – poised, fashionable, sociable, charming, a desire for establishing balance, a need for harmony, a need to find the middle ground in everything, a dislike of conflict
• First House in Scorpio –  mysterious, sharp, alluring, a need to be in control of oneself, strong instincts, quiet fighter-persona
• First House in Sagittarius – open-minded, philosophical, a desire to explore and experience, jovial, a cosmopolitan character, adventurous
• First House in Capricorn – highly structured, organized, business-minded, ambitious, a quiet mastermind, strategist, rational, level-headed
• First House in Aquarius – unique, open to new things, a desire to learn and understand the world, humanitarian, egalitarian, firm opinions, a desire to improve and make necessary changes
• First House in Pisces – intuitive, people’s people, creative, spiritual, imaginative, dreamers, visionaries, a desire to accept and include everyone

Planets in First House

Planets in the first house in astrology can…