Cadent House - Twelfth House

Twelfth House

Western astrologers have always regarded the twelfth house as a very unfortunate place. Hellenistic astrologers called it "the house of Evil Spirit" and its reputation did not improve with the Arabs or with medieval astrologers. However, Saturn the "greater malefic," does rejoice here—which means he has considerable dignity—and Valens says that Saturn in this place will bring considerable influence for honorable behavior. Paulus claims that an otherwise strong Saturn located here will bring success over enemies and joy in work.

Firmicus connects this house with slaves, enemies and defects, and Valens connects it with destitution and beggary. The connection with very bad luck and material privation is almost universally found with the twelfth, as are enemies.

It is from the medieval astrologers that the connection of the twelfth house with imprisonment derives; the idea is probably Arab in origin.

Modern astrologers have brought a spiritual aspect to the twelfth house that was wholly absent in the earlier tradition. This may have its origins in the Theosophical revival of present-day astrology, which had some Hindu influence. In Jyotish (Hindu astrology), the twelfth house is very unfortunate, but is also connected with sexual activity and with spirituality. Hindu astrology is closely connected to the Hindu religion, in which material attachments of all kinds—which are certainly the enemy of all twelfth-house significations—are considered to be a bar to spiritual progress. Much has been made of this suggested affinity by some modern astrologers, especially those influenced by the 19th-century Theosophy movement, such as Annie Besant and Alice Bailey.