The Seventh House

One To One Relationships – Open Enemies – How We Co-operate Or Compete With Others – Partnerships of All Kinds – lawsuits – Qualities We Feel We Lack – What We Project Onto Others

The Seventh House At A Glance
House Classification: Cardinal
Opposite House: First
Natural Ruler: Venus
Natural Sign: Libra

Core Meaning: Expanding Self-awareness through one-to-one relationships
Outer Meaning: Marriage, Partnerships, Open enmity

Opposing the house of the ‘self’, the seventh takes us into the realm of the ‘not self’, traditionally defined as the house of partnerships, marriage and open enemies.
While it is certainly true that the sign on the seventh house cusp can describe what we look for in a partner, this is not the core meaning of this house.

At the heart of the seventh house experiences is the mirror that life holds up to us. Where the first house says. ‘Look at me, this is who I am,’ the seventh says, ‘Let me look at you, who are you?’ In other words, this house describes what we least recognize in ourselves and therefore unconsciously seek in our intimate relationships.

Through our seventh house we often project qualities we feel we lack, or subconsciously dislike in ourselves, on to those with whom we become closely involved. Ideally, with experience, we can learn to ‘own’ these qualities for ourselves. But if we continually give our power away by depending on others to compensate for us, the build up of resentment can lead to open hostility and even law courts-m hence the litigious side of the seventh house.

Ultimately, this house teaches us that the path to greater self-awareness is through understanding other’ viewpoints. Repeated lack of success in our close relationships, for instance, tells us more about ourselves than it does about our partners – as do conflicts with our enemies. The lessons of the seventh may be tough, but they are fair, for we only get back what we put out.

Planets in The Seventh House:
Planets in the seventh indicate a strong need for relationship, and describe qualities we bring into and receive from our close encounters.
Mars and Uranus, for instance, may find it hard to give up their individuality, a resistance that, through the mechanism of projection, can be acted out by either party in a relationship.

Reference: The Instant Astrologer: Felix Lyle and Bryan Aspland