Learn Astrology ( Lesson 22)

The Fifth House (Family and Romance)
 
The Fifth House of the horoscope governs the principle of creation - physical, artistic, and financial. This House is assigned to children and also to things that cause thrills and excitement, such as theatres, entertainment, gambling and speculation. It will show the physical capacity for procreation, whether one is likely to have a large or small family, and the sex which will be likely to predominate. At the same time, in judging matters to do with children it is essential to study the horoscope of both parents for the Fifth House of one may contradict the Fifth House of the other and the indication of a large family in one may be offset by the other.
 
The nature of the Sign on the cusp of the Fifth House is very important for certain Signs are known as fruitful Signs and others as barren Signs.

  FRUITFUL                 BARREN

                                                         Cancer                       Gemini  
                                                         Scorpio                      Leo  
                                                         Pisces                       Virgo
 
The rest of the Signs exercise a more or less normal radiation. Of course there are instances when, even with fruitful Signs on the cusp of the Fifth House, either a small or no family at all occurs. Alternatively, barren Signs on the cusp of the Fifth House do not always deny a family. A great deal will depend on whether or not there is a planet in the Fifth House or the Sign position of the planet ruling the Fifth House.
 
The financial creative power as far as speculation and investment of the native is also tempered by the aspects made to or by any planet in the Fifth House or to or by the planet ruling the Sign on the cusp of Fifth. Good aspects will assist matters to do with money but bad aspects will bring difficulties and accentuate denying vibrations.
 
The artistic expression of the native is determined by the influence of the Fifth House depending, once again, on the Sign and planetary determinants involved.
 
In a Mundane Figure the Fifth House signifies children and their attitude and their complete environment, schools, amusements, sports, etc. It also expresses public speculations and investments and the inclination to receive or pay debts. And since it is the realm of the country's creative and procreative activities, it indicates the probable changes in the birth rate during the period immediately following that for which the Figure is cast. In a National Figure it affects the upper legislative house.
 
In an organization it determines the executive personnel.
 
An important principle of Hindu astrology is that if a planet aspects its own house, that house gets strengthened. This should be seen very closely in the case of the fifth house around which revolves the realization of the potency of mantra, yantra, because this house is important in two ways: in the case of the individual whose horoscope is being examined, it represents the spiritual merit of his past life and in the case of his father, it is the house of his spiritual merit of his present life. It is a good fifth house that bestows viveka or a sense of discrimination and deep spiritual wisdom born both of the reading of scriptures and spirituals practices.

Learn Astrology ( Lesson 21)

The Fourth House (Endings)

The Fourth House begins at the point of midnight. For this reason it is assigned to all endings, to old age, and to old people. It also exercises power over the family life into which we are born, i.e., the home life created either by the parents or, in certain instances, the foster parents, or the communal type of home life of an orphanage. Obviously, in the latter instances there will be little if any parental influence. In general the Fourth House defines our environment no matter how often it changes during our lifetime.

The initial phase of the home-life obviously will be broken either by marriage or vocation and a new home image created. Thus, under normal circumstances, a new sequence of domestic conditions are created which can be completely different from those of the parental home due to the influence and desires of the marriage partner. Further changes in these conditions can, again, be set up when a child or children are born. When the vocational aspirations compel a change, they can be of quite a drastic nature. Vocational activity in any field can cause a departure from one set home arrangement to one invariably of a very different character. These domestic or "living" conditions are termed the environment as distinct. from the work or business sphere, and this is the chief function over which the Fourth House rules.

The Sign on the cusp of the Fourth House will show the kind of parental domestic arrangement and family life into which one is born as well as the subsequent changes which are possible in connection with vocation and marriage or the setting up of an independent home.

Note: Remember in a future lesson you will he given a chart demonstrating the particular influence of each sign and each planet as it passes through each House. For the present, however, it is important that your knowledge of the significance of each House develops.

Apart from conditions of environments again depending upon the cusp Sign, the Fourth House has a very dominant rule over the conditions in operation during the closing years of life - the period generally known as "the end of life."

In a Mundane Figure, the Fourth House represents circumstances and events affecting real estate values, mines and the products, buildings, crops, produce and all agricultural interests.

In a National Figure it portrays the characteristics of any governmental opposition, and the time that such opposition may be expected to culminate.

In a court of law the Fourth House defines the efficiency of the jury.
In an organization it signals the real estate investments and the holdings.

The fourth house representing buildings, represents the religious-philanthropic institutions one builds and also the trusts one creates or religious, philanthropic and other good trusts with the money one has.

In the life of an individual the fourth house represents his desire to pursue his spiritual life in the quiet surroundings of a place, house or ashram with rhythmic regularity. In the case of a yogi it can represent pranayama or breath-control. But if such a house is disturbed, such persons find that by moving from one place to another only they can follow their spiritual pursuits.