One
The First House
House of Aries Element: Fire
Ruling Planet: Mars
Area of Consciousness Personal
Awareness through self—projection & personal effectiveness

Sun in First House 1

The Sun in House I indicates an incarnation in which the learning through becoming a more self-expressive individual.

With this placement of the Sun it is common to find the Moon in the houses of Relative or Universal consciousness, particularly VII & XI. The past life experience has involved working in conjunction with others; in the current lifetime there is a need to become more aware of self and more personally effective.

Unless it is stressfully aspected by Saturn, the Sun in this house confers a self-confidence, which is founded upon self-acceptance. A person with the Sun in the House I is a martyr neither to self-doubt nor, the approval of others, unless the Moon is in Libra or House VII. Yet there is nothing aggressive or competitive about this placement of the Sun; rather there is usually sufficient self-confidence for others not to appear threatening. This is after all, the Sun in the House of its Exhaltation.

The presence of the Sun in House I minimizes the conflict between a person’s perception of himself and the way in

which he has been encouraged by his upbringing to show himself. A person with this placement usually has little

difficulty in identifying his desires and his interests. This is especially evident when the sign on the Ascendant is the same as that occupied by the Sun. This placement creates its fair share of celebrities and it is significant that House I notables tend to owe their renown as much to the image they present as to any talents they may display. Although a person with the Sun in House I is unlikely to dissemble in the presence of people known to him he frequently cultivates a professional or public persona in order to project himself more effectively.

There does not appear to be any specific profession, which attracts House I people. They tend to be found wherever

there is scope for them to express themselves with a minimum of restriction 

A person with the Sun in House I expects - and gives - respect for what he is, as well as for what he does.

This placement of the Sun gives a tall, strong physique.

Mercury First House 1

When Mercury is in House I with the Sun, or with the Sun in House II, then this creates subjectivity and no ready comprehension of the perspectives of others. Depending upon the aspects, which Mercury receives, this placement confers extreme effectiveness in defining and expressing the interests and views or a neurotic concern with being heard and understood.

With Mercury in House I and the Sun in House XII there is a stronger channel of commun­ication between the conscious and unconscious mind than when both the Sun and Mercury are in XII. Whilst this combination’ weakens the subjectivity which is associated with Mercury in House I, it does enable a House XII person to define with greater clarity, his own interests and stance. With the Sun in any of these placements, Mercury in House I, unless retrograde, gives a tendency towards extreme talkativeness, and when rising is likely to give a distinctive tone of voice.

Venus in First House 1

Of the inner planets, when they are working through House I, only Venus and the Moon are particularly sensitive to the reaction of others. The ruler of Libra when found in the House of Aries, however, needs to impress itself favourably on others. For a person with Venus in House I, being acceptable to others is the cornerstone of his identity and he will usually seek to achieve this through a display of qualities that are known to please.

As Venus in House I tends to confer classical good looks, he is usually assisted in this aim by an attractive appearance.

Mars in First House 1

With Mars in House I a person projects himself forcefully and usually with little regard for others. The sign in which Mars is found indicates the form which assertiveness takes. A person with Mars in House I defines himself according to his desires and is capable of rash and wilful behaviour as he goes in pursuit of them. An explosive temper is common. Physical hurt, particularly to the head, is frequently the result of impetuosity. According to Sepharial, a scar on the face is a distinguishing feature of people with Mars in House I who also tend to walk in a distinctive manner with the head thrust forward. Unless Saturn lends its influence, Mars in I, especially close to the Ascen­dant, gives red hair, the intensity of the colour being in direct proportion to the proximity of Mars to the rising degree.

Jupiter in First House 1

Jupiter in House I gives warmth, positivity and generosity. But, unless Saturn is strong in the chart there is unlikely to be much in the way of self-discipline and staying power. This placement can also encourage judgmental attitudes towards the views and lifestyles of others. A person with Jupiter in House I puts new experiences before stability and although this placement, unless retrograde, creates a fondness for comforts of all kinds. There will be nevertheless a preference for quality of life above material security - a choice that the Jovian will give the status of a moral principle. Jupiter in House I, especially when it is near the Ascendant, creates a large frame, which in combination with self-indulgence, which tends to go with a House I Jupiter, is liable to create weight problems.

Saturn in First House 1

When Saturn is in House I there is karma arising from assertiveness. Past life experience has been characterised by either ruthless self-seekingness or a reluctance to undertake any kind of action to help self. Either way - and the position of the Moon will indicate which - there is a need in the current lifetime to focus upon the related issues of responsibilities to self and res­pect for the boundaries of others. People with Saturn in House I start life feeling vulnerable and inadequate. Frequently the sense of inferiority is rooted in dissatisfaction with their personal appearance. Negativity about self creates a sense of being unequal to the challenges, which present themselves, and to impotence and defeatism. For people with Saturn in House I self-worth and personal effectiveness are the two sides of the same coin: if they are to overcome the fearfulness they experience when confronting change in any form they first need to develop a more positive attitude to themselves.

Saturn in House I tends towards a meagre frame. When close to the Ascendant it produces dark hair and a pale complexion.

Uranus in First House 1

Uranus in House I confers an individuality, which borders on the eccentric. A person with Uranus in House I will do things in his own way and is likely to have unusual interests, which he pursues without regard for the opinion of others. This placement occurs in the charts of people who for developmental reasons need to be freed from over-identification with the wishes and expecta­tions of others.

Uranus in House I elongates the body. In the earth signs, especially when close to the Ascendant it produces a large build; in air and fire signs it tends towards boniness and sharp facial features. In water signs the result tends to be large, bulky forms, and in earth signs birth marks or scars on the face.

Neptune in First House 1

Neptune in House I creates acute sensitivity to the energies of others, to the extent of taking on their emotional states, perspectives and mannerisms. If Venus in House I seeks acknowledgement for qualities, which are distinctive, Neptune, the higher octave, seeks to merge by eroding differences. A person with this placement takes on the identity of those with whom he comes into contact, with the result that his own personality tends to be a kaleidoscope. A House I Neptune is common in charts where there is evidence that insensi­tivity in past lives has adversely affected others.

Neptune in House I gives the spiritual advantages, which come from not having a powerful ego, and when near the Ascendant, especially when in the water signs, can confer considerable psychic ability. In his dealings with the world, how­ever, the Neptunian is disadvantaged by his inability to define and protect his own interests and by his difficulty in establishing within himself a stable base from which to operate. Activity therefore tends to be fitful and self-defeating in its inconsistency.

Unable to impose boundaries, a person with Neptune in House I is invaded by the emotional energies of others and sapped by their needs, a condition which fre­quently manifests in the physical body in the form of a prematurely lined face.

Pluto in First House 1

With Pluto in House I a soul is experiencing individuation over the course of many lifetimes, during which a sense of alienation and separation will trans­form into a fully functional individuality.

As the concept of self is meaningless without the existence of other, the experiences which Pluto in House I needs, come through the relationships which the person forms and which have the ability to transform his perception of him­self. The situations in which these transformations occur may be traumatic: sometimes the personality has to disintegrate in order to be rebuilt. Most people with Pluto in House I discard identities, rather as a snake leaves behind a skin, at the end of relationships of significance. Each relationship tends to mark a watershed in the Plutonian’s life. The extent to which the Plutonian co-operates with this process and whether he views his partner as the catalyst or the enemy depends upon the stage of development he has attained. Pluto in House I, especially when it is close to the Ascendant, gives an explosive temper, which is triggered if a person considers himself to have been misunderstood, or if the will is opposed or desires thwarted. 

This placement of Pluto gives intense, deep set eyes.

Moon in First House 1

A person with the Moon in House I has known considerable personal recognition in previous lives, the memory of which can come through into the current incarnation as a strong desire for renown. Only the overall pattern of the chart will show whether this yearning can be fulfilled. The position of the Sun indicates the area of life in which the person will need to excel in this lifetime.

In the absence of the real thing, people with the Moon in House I tend to settle into a Walter Mitty kind of existence in which they become the centre of a universe of their own creation. Those who do become accomplished some area or another, however, are usually able to use the past life memory to present themselves with great effect.

People with the Moon in House I are frequently born to parents who are acutely cons­cious of the impression they make on others and the child himself is likely to be very self-conscious at an early age.

The Moon in House I, especially when it is near the Ascendant, gives a very fair skin and dark hair, which is likely to turn silver before a person reaches middle-age.

NOTE — As indicated in the text, where there is an emphasised 1st House there seems to be a very strong possibility that the Moon or the outer planets are in the houses of Relative or Universal consciousness. This suggests that the experiences and responsibilities of the solo operator are new to the soul, and it may be that, because the past life memory of having co-operated with others is strong, that an emphasised 1st House does not tend to create the ruthless and self-interestedness which could be expected from planets working through the House of Aries. Indeed this placement is likely to manifest a far less aggressive brand of self-consciousness than an emphasised 5th House or the Sun in Leo. Yet this does seem to be a reflection on the power of the past life memory rather than on the 1st House per se.