The words a chart uses
What are the houses in astrology?
The houses are twelve divisions of a chart, set by the time and place of birth, each traditionally associated with an area of life.
Where the signs describe a style, the houses describe a setting. The twelve houses divide the sky around the birthplace into areas the tradition associates with parts of life, and a planet in a house is read as that planet's theme showing up in that area.
The twelve areas
The 1st house is traditionally associated with how you meet the world; the 2nd with resources and what you value; the 3rd with learning, speech and the near at hand; the 4th with home and roots; the 5th with play, creativity and children; the 6th with daily work, routine and care of the body.
The 7th is associated with partnership and close others; the 8th with what is shared, intimacy and change; the 9th with belief, travel and study; the 10th with vocation and public life; the 11th with friends, groups and hopes; the 12th with solitude, rest and what lies out of view.
Two ways of dividing the sky
There is more than one house system. Placidus divides the sky by time, so its houses vary in size; whole sign houses give each house one whole sign, starting from the sign rising. Becoming Choice shows both rings. Where they place a planet in different houses, both readings are offered, and you can notice which, if either, speaks to you.