Read About All Houses In Astrology:
What Are the 12 Houses in Astrology?
According to house lords astrology, a kundali house represents a specific area of a person’s life, such as health, career, love, or family. Each house shows how planets influence that part of life and what challenges or opportunities may appear.
Understanding the kundali house meaning helps predict life events and make better decisions. It shows how your personality, actions, and destiny are connected to the planets and zodiac signs in your chart.
Why Are There Only 12 Houses in Kundli?
Our Kundli consists of 12 houses. Each of these houses rules over different aspects of a person’s life. But why only 12, not more? Let’s know about this in detail!
- Division of the Sky: Astrology divides the sky into 12 equal parts, just like the 12 zodiac signs. Each part is called a house and represents a specific area of life.
- Connection with Zodiac Signs: There are 12 zodiac signs, and each sign naturally rules one house, making it 12 houses of the zodiac.
- Reflection of Human Life: The 12 houses cover every part of life. Together, they show the full journey of a person from birth to death.
- Universal Symbolism of Number 12: The number 12 also connects to nature, 12 months, 12 phases, and 12 cycles of time. It represents wholeness and balance in astrology.
Types Of Houses In Astrology
In Vedic Astrology (Jyotish), the twelve houses of the birth chart are classified into four primary types based on their nature, influence, and the areas of life they govern:
- Kendras (Angular Houses)
The Kendras, or Angular Houses, are the most powerful and supportive houses in the chart, forming the four main pillars of life.
- Houses: 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th
- Significance: These houses represent the four cardinal directions and key areas of stability and action in life.
- Effect: Planets placed here are generally strengthened and are instrumental in a person's achievements and overall well-being.
- Trikonas (Trinal Houses)
The Trikonas, or Trinal Houses, are considered the most auspicious houses, often referred to as the "Dharma Houses" (houses of righteousness and purpose).
- Houses: 1st, 5th, and 9th
- Significance: They represent blessings, good fortune, and alignment with one's higher purpose.
- Effect: Planets here bestow favourable and easy-flowing results, indicating natural grace and spiritual progress.
- Dusthanas (Evil or Malefic Houses)
The Dusthanas, or Evil Houses (also called Trikasthanas), are houses associated with challenges, suffering, and obstacles in life.
- Houses: 6th, 8th, and 12th
- Significance: They deal with areas of struggle, transformation, and loss:
- Effect: Planets placed in or ruling these houses often bring difficulties, though they can also be agents of profound spiritual or personal growth if managed well.
- Upachayas (Growing or Improving Houses)
The Upachayas, or Houses of Growth, are those where a planet's results and the area of life itself are said to improve and strengthen with time, effort, and maturity.
- Houses: 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th
- Significance: They represent areas that require effort and demonstrate cumulative progress.
- Effect: Even malefic planets are considered to do relatively well in Upachaya houses, as the challenges they bring can be overcome through consistent effort.
The 12 Houses In Astrology & Their House Lords
Each house has a natural significance, and a House Lord- the planet that rules the zodiac sign placed in that house. Understanding the lord is important:
| House | Category | Lord | What It Governs |
|---|
| 1 | Kendra (Angular) | Self / Personality | Physical appearance, health, temperament, and overall life direction |
| 2 | Dusthana | Wealth & Family | Family, speech, finances, values, and early education |
| 3 | Upachaya | Courage & Effort | Siblings, courage, communication, short travels, and mental strength |
| 4 | Kendra (Angular) | Home & Comfort | Mother, property, domestic happiness, emotional foundation |
| 5 | Trikona (Trine) | Creativity & Fortune | Children, education, intelligence, and spiritual inclinations |
| 6 | Upachaya | Challenges & Growth | Enemies, debts, diseases, daily struggles, discipline |
| 7 | Kendra (Angular) | Relationships & Partnerships | Marriage, business partnerships, public relationships |
| 8 | Dusthana | Transformation & Hidden Matters | Longevity, inheritance, occult, secrets, sudden events |
| 9 | Trikona (Trine) | Luck & Dharma | Fortune, higher education, religion, long journeys, spiritual growth |
| 10 | Kendra (Angular) | Career & Ambition | Career, fame, social status, professional achievements |
| 11 | Upachaya | Gains & Aspirations | Friends, social circle, gains, ambitions, and elder siblings |
| 12 | Dusthana | Expenditure & Loss | Losses, foreign travels, spiritual liberation, and hidden expenses |
What Do Houses In Kundli Bring To a Person’s Life?
Houses in Kundli are of utmost importance and also help identify one’s personality and future! However, that’s not all! Read below to know what all houses unlock:
- Life Areas: Each house represents a specific area of your life — like career, love, health, money, and family.
- Direction and Focus: Houses show where your energy, time, and attention naturally go in life.
- Planetary Influence: The planets placed in each house decide how that part of your life behaves — smooth, lucky, or challenging.
- Life Events: Major events like marriage, job changes, or travels are seen through the movement (transits) in different houses.
- Personality Development: Houses shape your character — how you think, love, and grow.
- Opportunities and Challenges: Each house brings blessings and lessons that help you evolve spiritually and emotionally.
- Balance and Growth: Together, all 12 houses guide you toward understanding your life purpose and achieving inner balance.
How to Count Houses in Kundali?
Counting the houses in a Kundali is simple because they are fixed positions, regardless of the style of chart (North, South, or East Indian).
- Find the 1st House (Lagna/Ascendant)
The starting point is always the 1st House, also known as the Lagna or Ascendant.
- Fixed Location: In almost all chart styles (especially the most common North Indian style), the 1st House is the top-most central diamond or square. It is the most important house as it represents you—your personality, physical body, and overall life path.
- Symbolism: This house contains the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the moment and place of your birth.
- Count Counter-Clockwise
Once you locate the 1st House, you must count the remaining houses sequentially in a counterclockwise direction.
- Start: The 1st House is where you begin.
- Follow the Sequence:
- The house immediately to the left of the 1st House is the 2nd House.
- Continue moving counter-clockwise: 3rd House, 4th House, 5th House, and so on.
- The house number in kundli counting ends with the 12th House, which is the house immediately to the right of the 1st House.
Key Points to Remember While Counting Houses
- Do Not Count the Sign: When counting the vedic astrology houses, you are counting the fixed geometric segments of the chart, not the zodiac signs written inside them.
- Fixed Houses: The house numbering is always 1 through 12. Even if a chart is drawn in a different style (like the South Indian chart), the house that acts as the Lagna (marked by "As" or the starting point) is always treated as the 1st House, and the sequence follows counter-clockwise.
- House Lord: The House Lord is the planet that rules the zodiac sign inside that specific house.
Conclusion
The 12 Houses in astrology provide a powerful roadmap to your personality and destiny. They reveal your destiny, decisions, and direction. By understanding how these houses and their lords work, you can bring balance to your life and move closer to your higher path.