Birth Chart Ruler in Houses (The Placement of the First House Ruler, Lagnesha)

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One planet has the most influence over your personality!

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Table of contents:
What is the first house?
Which one is your birth chart ruler?
The chart ruler in houses
In the 1^st  
In the 2^nd  
In the 3^rd  
In the 4^th
In the 5^th  
In the 6^th
In the 7^th
In the 8^th  
In the 9^th  
In the 10^th  
In the 11^th  
In the 12th
Additional information

What is the first house?

To understand how to analyze the placement of the birth chart ruler we need to know what the first house is all about. Some people may have some idea as to what this part of the natal chart is, but I suspect that most folks don’t have the entire picture. So, here I will do my best to give you the full description of this vital point in the horoscope and all the areas it governs. Yes, this is an entire astrological house and as such it is related to more than one aspect of our lives.

What popular Astrology would make you think is that the cusp of the first house mainly relates to our personality. Actually, if the term “1^st house” does not ring a bell, maybe the word “Ascendant” would be more recognizable. The first house in astrology is widely known as the rising sign or the Ascendant (usually marked as ASC in the birth chart), and here is what it signifies:

• The “mask” we wear in front of other people

I know that this term may sound a little hypocritical, but it is not. Every person on Earth has multiple aspects to their persona, and we usually show different parts of our character to different people. This does not mean that what we show to others is fake – it simply means that there are some characteristics we want to portray, while others we may reserve for our closest people or only to ourselves. So, the rising sign and the first house ruler placement can show us what part of our personality we gladly show to the outer world. How do we want to be perceived as by others? What do we want other people to think about us? What character traits do we want to be associated with? That is why we often say in Astrology that the Ascendant is how we “market” ourselves as. These are the traits that we want to convince other people and convince ourselves that we possess, and this is who we are. However, we all know that the human personality far more complex and multifaceted than this. There are character traits we have that we don’t necessarily want to portray to the external world. There is a part of our personality that we show only to our closest people. And there are unconscious tendencies we don’t even know we have and express – the so called “shadow” according to Jungian psychology. So, the important thing to remember is that the rising sign and the chart ruler are the most visible and recognizable sides of ourselves. This is the main reason why we can easily guess some else’s Ascendant rather than their Sun sign (if they are different). The Ascendant is deliberately shown and it is sort of “in your face” when you meet someone new.

• Our behavior

Our day-to-day behavioral patterns are another way of showing our personality in front of the world. And this tendency includes all our typical habitual actions we may not realize we do consistently. These are our mannerisms, hand gestures, our posture, our gait, our communication style, etc. As a natural consequence of the previous point – our usual behavior is just another way that we show the preferable side of our persona in front of the world. For example, someone who is rather impatient and fast in everything they do, may have a fast and anxious gait and they may have a lot of hand gestures to showcase their dynamic personality. By the way this could be quite typical for people with a Gemini Ascendant and a Mercury chart ruler. On the other side of the coin, someone with a Taurus Ascendant and a Venus chart ruler may express their natural patience and stability by walking and generally behaving in a much slower pace. You get the point. That is why in the series dedicated to the rising signs we paid a lot of attention to how the 12 zodiac signs usually behave.

• Our dress code

Again, we are circling around the topic of how a person want to be perceived as, and how they show up into the world. Logically, how we dress, how we do our hair, how much and what types of make-up we put on, etc. can be seen mostly in the rising sign and the 1st house ruler placement than anywhere else. I would like to make one important exception – if the individual has any stelliums in their chart – they might be quite influential as well. The simple reason for this is that stelliums should be analyzed as placed in the first house which deals with how we dress and behave in front of other people. And we do this in addition to their house placement in the horoscope! But we are going to dive deep into this intriguing part of Astrology another time! So, I encourage you to become a member of our email list so that you can be notified when these articles would be published. In the meantime, you can enjoy my FREE career guide according to your unique natal chart potential!

OK, back to the Ascendant! Let’s illustrate this aspect of this house with an example! Let’s take a look at the birth chart of the late Tina Turner (may her soul rest in peace!). She had her rising sign in Leo and a Sun chart ruler. So, she behaved and dressed like a true Lioness – bold, flashy, and easily recognizable! Leo loves to be on a stage under the spotlight, and more importantly – to attract other people’s attention. And a typical Leo rising would dress and wear their make-up in a way that would make them easily stand out in the crowd. She actually wore her hair exactly like a true queen of the jungle! Of course, we need to always take into account the societal norms and the how much the environment allows us to do. If Tina was an accountant, for instance, she may not have used the same amount of glitter and glamour, but she sure would have made an effort to make an impression on everyone around her! Given that her first house ruler is in Sagittarius – another fiery sign which is a true dynamo, we can see why her powerful energy was unmatched on the stage!

• Our worldview

The first house is not just about how the world sees us, but also how we see the outer world. The Ascendant can be these unique lenses through which we filter the enormous amount of information we are bombarded with every single second of our life. I don’t think that there is a person on earth who can be 100% objective and impartial and not have any judgment on what happens around them. We all do this to a certain extent based on our belief systems and our worldview. So, different rising signs with different birth chart rulers with different placements and aspects to these planets and luminaries would see the exact same event in a completely different light! Let’s say that someone has a Sagittarius Ascendant and a Jupiter chart ruler. This is the zodiac sign and the planet related to unwavering faith and powerful optimism. So, it could be quite possible that for such a person to see the world through pink eyeglasses and even may seem like a true Pollyanna. They may perceive any challenging even as a blessing in disguise, just as any self-respected philosopher would do (specially the Stoics)! Actually, Sagittarius is the sign associated with philosophy and religion. On the other side of the spectrum, someone with a Capricorn rising and a Saturn chart ruler may have the absolute contrary interpretation of the same situation. The 10^th sign in Astrology is the hard-core realist of the zodiac which often leans towards downright pessimism. They are trained to see the challenges, the limitations, and the obstacles so that they can call upon their natural self-discipline and grit to overcome them. Trying to predict what might go wrong so that they can try to prevent it, is indeed part of the Goat personality, and very often they see the world in the darker color shades.

• How we begin anything new

I hope that by now you have gotten a better idea how the rising sign is something far more than just part of our personality! So, since this is the first astrological house in our natal chart, we can safely say that this is the house of new beginnings. The Ascendant and its ruling planet or luminary will give us a lot of information how we approach new endeavors so that we can understand ourselves much better. What I would like to instill in you is that comparing yourself to others and their unique processes may not be beneficial to your self-esteem and confidence! You do you and let others be themselves. Oh, by the by, the topic of self-worth, self-esteem, and our potential for making money will be dissected later on on the blog since it is related to a different astrological house. So, I would take the risk of sounding like a broken record, and remind you again to sign up for our newsletter to get regular notifications for all brand new and fresh articles!

OK, back to the main topic of today! What you can see in the analysis of the rising sign is that two different people with two different Ascendants may have a totally different approach when staring new projects. For instance, someone with a Scorpio Ascendant and a Pluto chart ruler will be quite different from someone with their 1^st house cusp in Cancer and a Moon chart ruler. Since Scorpio is the sign of deep thorough research, this person might begin their new endeavors after a long and exhaustive preparation process – getting all the necessary information, tools, strategies, people, and resources needed to give them the best  chances of success. The 8^th zodiac sign is also the sign of managing other people’s assets and getting support from others, so they would make sure they get all their dicks in a row before they even make the first step! Well, the Scorpion is quite the proud and haughty sign, so failure is not an option for them! Contrary, someone with the Crab Ascendant may start their new projects in quite the emotional way. It is highly likely that they may begin new things and projects just because of a strong emotional push. Also, since the Moon is the cosmic body related to fluctuations, their new endeavors may go through ebbs and flows and cause them to have the same emotional wave by reacting to the inconsistent results.

• Our childhood

Alright! So, speaking about beginnings we cannot skip one of the most important beginnings – the beginning of our life. It is only logical to associate the first house with the first years of our lives. This is when we usually form our personality as well! This means that by analyzing the Ascendant sign and its ruler we can make some assumptions for the type of childhood this person may have had. What examples may we take? Oh, we haven’t touched on the Aquarius rising! I will take David Bowie for this one. He is my most favorite example of the difference between the Sun sign and the Ascendant. Let’s take a look! So, David Bowie was a Capricorn. But could we have guessed this based on how he behaved, dressed, and presented himself? I could not see anything of this ultra ambitious, traditional, strict, disciplined, and serious Goat sign! However, what he showed us (and what he wanted to be perceived as) was his Aquarian side – his Water Bearer Ascendant! He was unconventional, avant-garde, futuristic, gender fluid, and a true rule breaker – everything any self-respected individualistic Aquarius would be proud of being! But here we are talking about childhood. What was David Bowie’s childhood, and how did he behave during his early years? I bet he acted like a Water Bearer! Here’s what other people say about the young Bowie! In his Wikipedia page we see that at the age of six he had already acquired “a reputation as a gifted and single-minded child—and a defiant brawler” (the 11^th zodiac sign is associated with rebellions and anarchy).  Also, “his dancing during the newly introduced music and movement classes was strikingly imaginative” – the main keyword in astrology we use to describe the Water Bearer is “imagination”. “His stage presentation… was described as “mesmerizing … like someone from another planet” – Aquarius is the sign of space exploration, and anything so avant-garde, futuristic, and ahead of its time that might seem like it is alien-made! So, based on this small piece of information about Bowie’s childhood, we can say that he truly had some unconventional and unorthodox early years!

• Our physical bodies

OK, the last aspect of the first house in Astrology, I wish to point out to, is the physical body. Are you surprised? Well, the rising sign is how we present ourselves and how we show up into the world. And yes, we show up with our bodies. So, based on the Ascendant and its lord we can make a few assumptions as to how the body of this person might look like. However, I want to make a disclaimer here – the topic of physical appearance is a huge one and it incorporates a lot of elements. The first house is the first place to look at, but it is far from the only aspect to analyze in this regard. For example, something like the ratio of number of planets below and above the horizon can also give us a lot of information about this, especially when we talk about the height of the individual. If you have no clue what these terms mean, stay tuned so that you can be among the first to learn about the meridians of the natal chart!

Are you curious about some intriguing examples? OK, let’s check the Aries Ascendant and the Mars chart ruler! The first zodiac sign and its lord are associated with sharp edges and anything that looks rather pointy – since Mars is the god of war – all weaponry, like swords and daggers, are right in the ally of this zodiac sign. So, a person with a Ram Ascendant may have many triangular body shapes that look rather sharp. For instance, those who have a triangular hairline often have a strong Mars and/or Aries in their chart! Have you seen the hairline of Kourtney Kardashian? They often call it “the widow’s peak”, but I think that the term doesn’t sound very nice. This is a shape that is often associated with Aries. She has her Sun in Aries, and Mars – one of the first house rulers – is extremely well-placed on a throne in the sign of the Ram. James Dean is also considered to be the poster child for the typical Aries appearance.

Speaking of physical bodies, here in this house we can also make some judgments about the general wellbeing of the individual. The 1st house is one of the houses related to our health (in addition to the 6^th and the 8^th). However, since this is a very sensitive topic, I think it should be approached with extreme care, caution, and reason. I would advise people to trust only seasoned, experienced, and expert astrologers when it comes to their wellbeing. The potential stress and fear that may come as a result of hearing about some possible ailments can be much more harmful than the potential we can see in the chart. Remember that a huge portion of how we use our horoscope is our free will. I think I should make an entire post about the main astrological principles I try to adhere to, so if you are interested, stay tuned! In the meantime, I would suggest you don’t go deep into the topic of medicinal astrology – it is like reading your symptoms on the internet. It is not helpful, but it can definitely mess with your head and your mental wellbeing! When I touched on the subject of the Ascendants, I usually try to make some light suggestions that could be beneficial to the individual. For instance, someone with a Pisces Ascendant and a Neptune cart ruler might have sensitive feet. So, it might be reasonable to go to an orthopedist and check their foot arches – just as a precautionary measure. Having this rising sign does not necessarily mean that there will be anything wrong with the feet.

Alright! I keep mentioning these chart lords, but how do you actually determine your birth chart ruler? Let’s find out!

Which one is your birth chart ruler?

So, first things first! What exactly is the chart ruler? If this term does not ring a bell, let me give you a very simple and easy to understand description! This is the planet or luminary which rules the rising sign (also known as the Ascendant – ASC for short). So, the Ascendant is actually the cusp of the first astrological house which is related to our personality (as explained in the previous section). Every zodiac sign has a lord which is a celestial body in our Solar system which rules this sign. Keep in mind that some zodiac signs have more than one rulers, and you need to take all of them into account when checking the placement of the birth chart ruler! Moreover, another extremely important detail to note is that the first house is naturally associated with the sign of Aries, and so the ruling planet Mars will always be considered one of the 1^st house lords! OK, I know that for many people this area might be quite vague, so let me give you a very simple list of all the astrological signs and their lords!

If I have to sum it up in one sentence – the chart ruler is the ruling planet of the Ascendant sign! Now we have a better understanding how important the rising sign actually is, and that we are so much more than our Sun signs! Ok, here’s the list of planetary lords:

• If your ASC is Aries (♈), the lord is Mars (♂);
• If your ASC is Taurus (♉), the lord is Venus (♀);
• If your ASC is Gemini (♊), the lord is Mercury (☿);
• If your ASC is Cancer (♋), the lord is the Moon (☽);
• If your ASC is Leo (♌), the lord is the Sun (☉);
• If your ASC is Virgo (♍), the lord is Mercury (☿);
• If your ASC is Libra (♎), the lord is Venus (♀);
• If your ASC is Scorpio (♏), the lords are Mars (♂) and Pluto (♇);
• If your ASC is Sagittarius (♐), the lord is Jupiter (♃);
• If your ASC is Capricorn (♑), the lord is Saturn (♄);
• If your ASC is Aquarius (♒), the lords are Saturn (♄) and Uranus (♅);
• If your ASC is Pisces (♓), the lords are Jupiter (♃) and Neptune (♆).

Let’s illustrate this with a couple of examples so that there is no confusion!

If your rising sign is Aquarius, you need to check the placements of Uranus, Saturn, and Mars. Uranus is the new lord of the 11^th sign, Saturn is the first ruling planet of Aquarius, while Mars is the natural ruler of the first house.

If your rising sign is Aries, you need to locate only the placement of Mars. Mars is the ruling planet of the Ram as well as the natural lord of the 1^st house.

If your rising sign is Leo, you will need to take into account the locations of the Sun and Mars. I think that the logic here is quite clear! :- )

The chart ruler in houses

Now that you found your first house lord, let see what its placement by house actually means! This will give you some more information on how all these areas the Ascendant governs may manifest in your life – more details about your personality, your potential positive and negative character traits, and how you may show up into the world!

First house ruler in the 1^st house

This is a very interesting position since the chart ruler is placed in the same house. This means that all the areas of the 1^st house will be further emphasized by this placement – the personality, the behavior, the physical body, the worldview, etc. However, what we cannot assess solely based on this position is the exact manifestations of these aspects. They will largely depend on the particular Ascendant sign and the ruling planets themselves – depending on which the exact birth chart ruler is and the aspects of this planet. Then we can make some assumptions as to how the individual may present themselves. Fortunately, we can say a few things. Since the first house is the domain of Aries and it is the first house of spirit which is considered to be an active and initiating area. This means that the individual with their first house ruler in the first house will likely have a lot of the typical traits of the Ram – dynamic, adventurous, proactive, and headstrong. Keep in mind that each astrological aspect and placement has a positive and negative side. On one hand this position may help the person be more self-assertive and driven by their own goals and aspirations in life. On the dark side, this may lead to excessive egotism, self-absorption, and self-centeredness. Consequently, forming long-lasting and loving relationships may be a challenge. But I remind you to always look at the whole chart and take everything into consideration. As I said previously, this placement will largely depend on the rising sign and the aspects of the lord.

Birth chart ruler in the 2^nd house

The second house is the first of the houses of substance and it is the domain of Taurus. This is the astrological house related to values, your value system, assets, money, real estate, and self-worth. Having the 1^st house ruler in the second house means that the individual may possess a lot of the typical characteristics of the Bull – stability, practicality, and a strong work ethic. This placement may cause the person to be strongly driven by attaining all kinds of tangible and intangible assets with their own hard work and applying daily efforts. This is also a good position for someone who strives to create their own values in life – to have a personal sense of what’s valuable and what’s not. Again, depending on the sign at the cusp of the house and the aspects of the lord, we can have a wide variety of possibilities here. On one hand, the person with their chart ruler in the 2^nd house may have a sensible and strong sense of self-worth, a stable and admirable value system and work ethic. However, with multiple challenging aspects, the individual may be prone to be too materialistic, and obsessed with acquiring wealth and fortune with any means necessary. Keep in mind that what the natal chart shows us is potentials and possibilities – everything can be changed with self-awareness, free will, and conscious effort!

The chart ruler in the 3^rd house

The third house is the first of the social houses and it is the domain of Gemini. This is the astrological house related to communication, education (especially primary education), short-distance travels, and our siblings.  Having the 1^st house ruler in the third house means that the individual may possess some of the typical characteristics of the Twins sign – communicative, dynamic, adaptive, humoristic, etc. Getting your ideas across may be extremely important to you, and if there are other aspects in the natal chart that support this – you may be an extremely talented salesman. Travelling and generally having a lot of diversity in life can also be vital to you and your wellbeing. The chart ruler in the third house placement may also manifest as having tight connections with the siblings (if there are any), and it is possible to have quite similar personality types. The individual may also be quite the curious life-long learner, and attaining practical information may be extremely important. If the 1^st house ruler is well placed and has beneficial aspects, the person may tend to exhibit more of the positive traits of the Gemini sign. However, with challenging aspects the person might have some issues in the areas of the first house – self-expression and behavioral patterns in front of the world. Humor may turn into hurtful sarcasm, adaptability may turn into unreliability and inability to make commitments, curiosity may turn into lack of focus and absent-mindedness, etc.

1^st house ruler in the 4^th house

The fourth house is the astrological house connected to our personal space, our birth family (especially the mother), and our home. This is the first house of secrets but they are also often called the houses of endings – the 4^th house governs the latest years of our life and post humorous fame. This section of the natal chart is naturally ruled by the sign of Cancer. This means that the individual who has their first house ruler in the 4^th house may actually express some of the typical characteristics of the Crab – having a powerful emotionality and intuition, caring, compassionate, traditional, patriotic, etc. This placement usually points out to one main thing – the personality of the individual will be deeply influenced by their parents, but the mother will usually have the most impact. In rare cases the fourth house may represent the father, but this means that the mom would have to be the most successful breadwinner of the house. Well, we are all more or less copying the behavioral patterns of our parents, but in the case of the chart ruler in the fourth house, this may be a life-long deep connection that may be impossible to break. As you can guess, this is quite the double-edge sword. The mother may have a strong positive impact on the person which may cause them to feel nurtured, unconditionally loved, and emotionally supported. However, if the lord is not well placed and has challenging aspects – this bond may have some negative impact and the person might feel incapable to individuate from their mom. The individuation process is a term used in Jungian psychology and signifies the act of distinguishing yourself from your parents – determining which character traits and inclinations are yours and which ones are not. Finally, you may also sense how this position of the chart ruler may cause some difficulties in the area of romantic relationships. When the mother is always on the top of the list of priorities, the spouse may often feel like they are constantly playing the second fiddle. In this case, the family constellations method may be beneficial.

First house ruler in the 5^th house

The fifth house is the astrological house related to our children, romance, hobbies, speculations, sports, and creativity. This is the second spirit house and it is naturally governed by Leo. This means that the person with their 1^st house ruler in the 5^th house will likely possess a lot of the typical traits of the Lion – proud, caring, loving, entertaining, creative, romantic, etc. This placement may turn the individual into a party beast – a person who loves all kinds of social gatherings and entertainment. They may be naturally creative and may have multiple talents. Romance and children are quite important, and even if the individual does not have kids of their own, they may be involved in mentoring adolescents or become foster parents. Again, depending on the Ascendant sign, the sign in which the 1^st house lord is placed, and the aspects, there is a wide variety of potentials and possibilities. With beneficial aspects, the person may embody the positive traits of Leo – caring, loving, entertaining, athletic, creative, etc. However, if the chart ruler is not well placed and has negative aspects, the individual may be prone to be too dramatic, egotistical, self-centered (even narcissistic), emotionally immature, vain, etc.

Birth chart ruler in the 6^th house

The sixth house is the second house of substance and it governs the areas of habits, day-to-day work (our job), physical wellbeing, and pets. The house is naturally ruled by the sign of Virgo. The 1^st house ruler in the 6^th house placement may manifest as the individual expressing many of the typical traits of the Virgin sign – practicality, a strong work ethic, perfectionism, focused on detail, serving others, etc. As you may have guessed, if the person with this placement may have a life motto, it would be “Work, work, and then work some more.” The individual may be hyper focused on creating and maintaining habits which often involve work, productivity, and their health. If this sounds too good, do not be fooled – there is always a dark side to any astrological placement. In this case here, if the person with their birth chart ruler in the sixth house does not get a handle of this position, they may become extremely anxious about these areas – being too concerned about their wellbeing (to the point of developing hypochondria), total inability to deal with mistakes (the debilitating form of perfectionism), becoming too nitpicky, hyper critical and self-critical, workaholic, servile, and being completely unable to relax and enjoy life.  However, these are some of the rare extreme cases where the 1^st house ruler is not very well placed and has challenging aspects (especially to some of the “malefic” planets Saturn, Mars, and Pluto). The most probable case is that the person will be somewhere on the spectrum of having beneficial habits involving one’s work and wellbeing, and the tendency to overthink too many details about these topics.

The chart ruler in the 7^th house

The seventh house is the second social house and it governs the areas of relationships, marriage, business partnerships, competitors, and visible enemies. The house is also widely known as the Descendant and it is naturally under the rulership of Libra. What this means is that the personality of the individual with this placement may include some of the typical characteristics of the Scales – diplomatic, tactful, friendly, communicative, fair, sensible, romantic, etc. This is a very interesting astrological placement – the lord of the house related to the self is located in the house related to others. As usual, this placement may manifest in many different ways and the more aware we are how it plays out, them more agency we have to make some change and corrections (if necessary). On the bright side, this may be a very powerful aspect to help the person become an extremely connected individual – their natural diplomacy and impeccable manners may be their golden ticket to creating allies and partnerships wherever they go! Connecting with others may be the single most important thing in their life, and for these people WHO they know and who they connect to can be much more influential than WHAT they do. However, there is always another side of the coin! If the chart ruler is not well placed, there are some hazards that may come with the 1^st house ruler in the 7^th house placement! The person may come off as indecisive, lacking a sense of personal identity, and even spineless – changing their opinion based on their environment. They may be completely unable to assert themselves and avert any kinds of conflicts at all costs. Be mindful if you notice you gathering way too many rivals and adversaries instead of allies! This may be a sign that you may need to become more self-aware of your personality traits and tendencies, and make some changes.

1^st house ruler in the 8^th house

The eighth house is the second house of endings and it is related to the areas of other people’s assets (especially finances), inheritances, support from others, death and rebirth, surgeries, secrets, soul mates, intimate relationships, and restoration. You may have already guesses that this is the domain of the sign of Scorpio. So, how can the first house ruler in the 8^th house placement manifest? Well, it is highly likely that the individual may possess quite a few of the typical characteristics of the Scorpion – being secretive, investigative, deep-probing, spiritual, capable and skillful, resourceful, resilient, passionate, and driven. Definitely someone you don’t want to have as an enemy! :–D All jokes aside, this can be an extremely powerful placement the person may take advantage of or abuse. It all depends on the level of awareness, their value system, and their free will. On the positive side, this placement may help the person become extremely resilient and able to overcome almost any challenges in life – they may recoup and restore their body, mind and spirit like no one else! These are among the most skillful people who can make thorough research on every subject matter. They may also be extremely adept in the world of finance, insurance, inheritance law, esoteric knowledge (including Astrology), and medicine (especially surgery). However, great power comes with great responsibilities. If the chart ruler is not well placed with many challenging aspects, the individual may be prone to show the negative side of Scorpio (the one that usually gets them their bad rap) – vengefulness, arrogance, jealousy, secretiveness, and even brutality.

First house ruler in the 9^th house

The ninth house is the third spirit house and it is associated with the following life areas – foreign lands, different cultures, long-distance travels, philosophy, religion, moral standards, and ethics. This house is naturally ruled by Sagittarius. Logically, people who have their 1^st house ruler in the 9^th house often express a lot of the archetypal traits of the Archer – having an open-mind, freedom-loving, adventurous, athletic, optimistic, well-educated, curious, enthusiastic, and generous. This placement may make this individual an impossible dreamer who has so many idealistic views of the world. On one hand this may manifest as having high moral and ethical standards – always looking for reaching new higher levels of personal self-actualization. This may be the person you turn to when you feel down and you desperately need some unwavering optimism to cheer you up. Even when the going gets tough and you feel the situation is hopeless, the person with their chart ruler in the ninth house will have a smile on their face and reassure you that a way out will be found! However, everything may get into the unhealthy extremes. If the birth chart ruler is not well placed, the optimism can turn into unrealistic Pollyanna type of faith which would prevent them from taking constructive action into solving the problem. Also, there may be a tendency to be too changeable to the point of being completely unreliable and unstable – basically being a nomad literally and figuratively speaking. Lastly, speaking about Sagittarius and their native house, we cannot miss the usual and frequent tendency for promiscuity and inability to make long-lasting bonds. Again, I think that in these cases the family constellations may help soften these inclinations and characteristics.

Birth chart ruler in the 10^th house

The tenth house is the third house of substance and it governs the areas related to career, social status, reputation, achievements, and authorities. This house is naturally ruled by Capricorn, and what that means is that the person with their 1^st house ruler in the 10^th house will exhibit some of the common traits of the Goat – ambitious, disciplined, and responsible. This placement often signifies that the individual largely identifies with their career and achievements. Being driven to improve their social status and rise in the professional ranks is extremely important to them. This position of the natal chart ruler may be one of the most powerful significators for a great potential to succeed in life, and not because the stars blessed the person with luck and fortune, but because they naturally possess the character traits needed for professional growth – ambition, self-discipline, maturity, and persistence. However, every inclination has a potential downside. In this case with the first house ruler in the tenth house, the individual may put all their eggs in one basket – their career. As a result, if they experience any downfall in their professional arena, their sense of identity and personality may completely crash down. Moreover, their personal life may greatly suffer, if they continuously put their time and effort into achievements and not spend enough time with their loved ones. This placement may also signify a strong connection with the father. The dad (or another strong authority figure) and their professional path may be the single most powerful influences of the individual’s personality development and career choice. As I mentioned in the section on the 4^th house, this may be a double-edged sword. The relationship with the father and authority figures may make or break that person’s identity or potential for professional success. If you wish to learn more about your best career field choice, do not miss the opportunity to grab your FREE astrological professional guide!

The chart ruler in the 11^th house

The eleventh house is the third social house and it is under the rulership of Aquarius. This means that the person who has their 1^st house ruler in the 11^th house may have quite a few of the typical characteristics of the Water Bearer – friendly, open-minded, democratic, individualistic, inventive, rebellious, etc. The eleventh house is also the house related to all kinds of clubs and organizations, so it may be quite common for these people to love being part of any social groups based on interests or common goals. The first house ruler in the eleventh house placement is a powerful significator that friends may play a bigger and more influential role in that person’s life. The social circle may even greatly influence the personality of that individual. It may be common for such folks to change their behavior and worldview based on the friend group they are in. Wise men say that we are the average of the 5 people we interact the most, but for those folks this statement might be even truer. And that can give you a very powerful tool – if you wish to change something in your life, maybe you can start by changing your social circle first. If the chart ruler is not well placed, this may lead the individual to express some of the negative traits of Aquarius – anarchic, rebellious against everyone and everything just for the sake of rebelling, emotional coldness and distance, haughtiness, etc. As every aspect related to Aquarius, this placement can also be looked at through the perspective of the common good. If you strive to cultivate personality traits, behaviors, and skills which may be beneficial to humanity, you may reach new levels of fulfillment and a sense of greater purpose!

1^st house ruler in the 12^th house

The twelfth house is the third house of endings and it is naturally ruled by Pisces. This is the house related to our intuition, the unconscious mind, hospitals, prisons, secrets, pain and suffering, hidden enemies, as well as our greatest hidden strength. Having your first house ruler in the twelfth house may signify possessing some of the archetypal traits of the Fish – intuitive, compassionate, talented (especially in the realm of music and poetry), religious, altruistic, etc. I have seen this placement in a lot of people who indeed have a very strong intuition which always guides them in some direction in life. Whether that’s positive or negative depends on many factors, and in my opinion, one of these main factors is the unconscious mind of the individual. What’s in there? What beliefs have been installed during early childhood? These will largely influence the instinctive behavior of this individual. This placement may also manifest as a strong tendency to work behind the scenes – literally or figuratively speaking to hide your face and your personality from the public eye. As you can see this tendency may be beneficial for, let’s say, choosing a career which involves having this skill, such as a director, screenwriter, author, puppeteer, etc. (The Ascendant and the chart ruler play a significant role in our best career potential. So, if you wish to learn what your most suitable professional field is according to Astrology, make sure you grab your FREE career report!) On the more negative side, this placement may make the individual come off as quite elusive – their real identity and personality may remain hidden, and this may lead to some issues when connecting with other people on a deeper level. However, we need to take a look at the placement of the 1^st house ruler and whether it has beneficial or challenging aspects. This position may be extremely good for being involved in some form of spiritual practices, and the process of shadow integration may be pivotal for the individual! This may turn the traumatic sources of emotional suffering into stepping stones for getting access to their powerful inner strength.

Do you need an example?

Let take a look at the natal chart of Steve Jobs! I love his horoscope! So, his was a Virgo Ascendant which means that he was indeed quite hard-working, detail-oriented, practical, and prone to perfectionism. This rising sign points to having his 1^st house lord being Mercury – the celestial body related to communication. Where is Mercury placed? The chart ruler is in Aquarius which means that he definitely possessed some of the typical characteristics of the Water Bearer – an open-minded sign which is tightly connected to the technological advancement of humanity, and we can clearly see his fascination with computers and communicational devices. He was also quite interested in some New Age type of philosophies which is also in the domain of the 11^th zodiac sign. Moreover, the 1^st house ruler is in the 5^th house which is related to hobbies and creativity, and basically striving for being under the spotlight. And we can see that his marketing genius sure knew how to attract the attention of people – something extremely important in the world of business! And when I said “business”, let’s see how the natural ruler Mars is doing! Mars is located on a throne in Aries which would give Jobs an immense leadership potential – he may have been quite enthusiastic, headstrong, initiative, ambitious, dynamic, dominating, and even despotic. Aries is a cardinal sign and it excellent for those who want to pursue a career in business, entrepreneurship, adventurism, management, etc. And that’s not all either! The first house ruler is in the eighth house related to other people’s assets and deep thorough knowledge and research. So, this placement gave Jobs a competitive edge in the realm of getting all kinds of support from other people and companies. This support might be financial but it could also be moral as well. The 8^th house is the house if cults, and we could clearly see how he managed to turn his persona and his creations into totems of worship, creating a real cultish type of following and fanaticism!

Did you notice how the personality and the realm of the Ascendant is so tightly connected to our potential for professional and career development? Well, let me remind you that the first house is about how we want to be seen by other people, and most of us want to be perceived by our work and our achievements in life. That is why often times we can see some of the best and most suitable career options in the rising sign! If you are interested in this topic, and you wish to find your professional vocation in life based on your natal chart, do not miss the opportunity to get your FREE astrological career guide! You will learn the step-by-step algorithm for uncovering your potential for success, better social status, and accomplishments!

Additional reading

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The Only Way to Learn Astrology vol. 3

Does this topic of the birth chart ruler pique your interest? If so, here’s where you can learn so much more about the interpretation of the 1^st house ruler placement! This is by far my most favorite book series on the topic of Astrology I really enjoy. I would actually call it a series of textbooks you can use to get to know this intricate ancient system. The first three installments of the series are dedicated solely on the process of natal chart analysis, and this third volume is the culmination of this algorithm. And this is a book any Astrology enthusiast must not skip, in my opinion of course! Here you will learn the placements of all the 12 house rulers through the astrological houses and their meaning. Logically, you will get much more information about your exact placements of your chart ruler. But that’s not all! In section II of the book you can find a couple of intriguing examples of how the exact magic of birth chart analysis happens! We learn best by examples, right? So, you can see the exact step-by-step process by peeking into some famous celebrities and their horoscopes, like Princess Diana of Wales, Ernest Hemingway, Barbra Streisand, etc. Wait, there’s more! At the end of this work you will see some super exciting interpretation points that most people find fascinating and intriguing. For example, the potential for your physical wellbeing in the chart; the potential for how your body might look according to Astrology; how to navigate the meaningful relationships in your life – romantic, business partnerships, relationships with siblings and parents, etc. This section might be considered as an introduction to Synastry – a large and intricate branch of Astrology solely focused on relationships of all kinds. If this topic is near and dear to your heart, you can also grab volume 5 of the series which is dedicated to Synastry. Lastly, the book will help you uncover your immense potential for finding your best professional path and professional vocation based on the elements of your natal chart! However, I do wish to remind you that this is a bit advanced and it is best suited for those who are well-versed into the complex world of Astrology. That is why I made a very simplified version of this algorithm to help you get started the process of finding your potentially best career field! You can go and garb your FREE copy of this guide right HERE! Wish you lots of success and luck!

BUY THE BOOK

Moreover, I wish to reiterate that having a strong foundation and an excellent understanding of the basic astrological concepts is a must to reap the full benefits of this third volume! If you are unsure whether your knowledge is complete, I would recommend you start from the first and the second installments of the series. Having them all by your side will help you tremendously when doing any kind of birth chart analysis!

As I stated a couple of times in this article, it is best to start analyzing the 1^st house ruler placement by actually identifying and getting to know the Ascendant sign first! It will give you the necessary foundation to understand how you present yourself into the world, how you start new projects, and how you view the world in general! Then you can identify the chart ruler and see how their placements add more flavor to these base characteristics. So, down below you can find all the 12 rising signs. Find yours and learn more about your personality and identity!

RELATED: The 12 Ascendant signs in Astrology