I have studied and experimented with many different house systems over the years. When I first realized that Western/Tropical astrology was based on the seasons and not the stars I thought, well why am I not using the Sidereal house system which calculates the 12 zodiac signs based on the observable sky? Isn’t astrology all about the constellations after all?
That curiosity led me down a path of learning about Sideral astrology which takes into account the real location of the constellations and their actual size. For six months I dedicated myself to experimenting with this house system and comparing it to what I knew about myself from the Placidus house system. In Western/Tropical astrology, I am an Aquarius Sun, Libra Rising, and Libra Moon (all three Air signs). Using the Sidereal method to calculate the houses, I am a Capricorn Sun, Virgo Moon, and Virgo Rising (triple Earth).
At first, I could see how this might fit my personality, as I’ve always been very disciplined, and feel that strong Saturn influence over me (Capricorn). I am also a bit of a clean freak and can’t think unless my space is completely decluttered (Virgo). But further investigation of myself and my life overall showed me acting more free-spirited, independent, and uninterested in climbing any kind of career ladder. My highest aspirations were simply to “experience life” and get to know who I really was. I was drawn to traveling abroad from a young age and had the urge to explore unfamiliar territory. I was inspired by authors and musicians who thought creatively, made humanity better with their words/lyrics, and inspired me to deepen my own sense of spirituality.
Most of all, I realized that where I “shine” (Sun) and where I derive my greatest “comfort” (Moon), is within the realm of personal development and learning. I love to learn. And I value strong communication skills - language, words, writing, teaching, and inspiring others with ideas. All of this resonates with the Air element (mentally dominated activities), and not only with my three Air signs (Sun, Moon, and Rising) but also my North Node life purpose point in Gemini! This additional Air sign confirms why I love teaching and sharing information with others, and why serendipitously I have always found myself in work roles that require me to educate others.
So, when asked why I use the Placidus house system, the answer is simple: it just fits my personality better. We all have to do our own personal investigation to see what resonates with each of us. No house system is wrong, and every house system can teach you something about yourself.
For me, accepting the Placidus house system became the obvious choice after speaking with numerous seasoned astrologers, who reminded me that most people living in North America relate more to the four seasons because they feel the rhythm of nature within their own bodies. In the springtime, they feel invigorated by the warm air and longer days. They embrace the chance to start anew, and this resembles the energy of Aries perfectly. Aries marks the beginning of the Western/Tropical zodiac on or around March 21st. That said, although the zodiac sign Aries always coincides with the vernal equinox, the constellation Aries does not. This is where we get into the discussion about Western/Tropical astrology being based on the seasons, not the stars.
About 2,000 years ago, the constellations in the sky above did align with the seasons and Aries was the constellation that aligned with the vernal equinox at the start of spring. But, due to the procession of the equinoxes - which is the fact that the Earth tilts while it spins along its axis – and which changes our perspective of the night sky, the stars we see above tonight, are not the same ones we saw 2,000 years ago. At present, in the year 2023, when we say that we are “in Aries,” the constellation above is actually Pisces. Everything in the sky appears to have moved backward from our perspective on Earth and it does so at a rate of one degree every 72 years.
So, if there are 30 degrees in each zodiac sign, that’s 30 times 72 which equals 2,160 and this is how many years it takes before a new sign is overhead at the vernal equinox. So, to sum this up, Western/Tropical astrology never changed from the original constellations that lined up with the stars and Sidereal astrology has compensated for the movement of the constellations. This is why in different house systems, you become different signs.
Though I am not covering all the other house systems in this blog, there are many more you can investigate on your own. I went with Placidus originally because it is how I was taught, and it is one of the most commonly used house systems in modern astrology. Additionally, I have always loved the changing of seasons, I enjoy aligning my body’s rhythms to that of nature’s, and to me, Aries energy just feels more congruent with springtime than Pisces.
I hope all that made sense and cleared up some questions, but I highly encourage you to do your own research to see which house system fits best for you.
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