NOTE – All material here is completely in my words, Please feel free to reproduce with permission and not otherwise. (click on pictures to see them bigger) Thanks!

7) Aspects

This is vital. Every planet aspects the house exactly opposite to it or in other words the 7th house. The exact aspect is at a point 180 degrees from the planet. Example Mercury in Virgo at 17 degrees will aspect Pisces. More specifically Pisces at 17 degrees but to some extent the entire sign of Pisces. As a rule, as you learn to see aspects, try to mentally keep the aspect to + and – 5 degrees from exact aspect. This implies that the above Mercury will aspect Pisces between 17+5 and 17-5 or between 12 and 22 degrees most strongly. For Sun take +/- 10 degrees

An aspect means the planet will have an effect in that area like a PARTIAL presence in that area as opposed to actually being deposited in that spot. Also if in the above example say Jupiter sits in Pisces at 12 degrees, then you can say that Mercury – Jupiter are aspecting each other and hence forming sort of a combination. They will affect each other both functionally and generically. That means say mercury is in virgo in 9th and Jupiter hence in 3rd house in pisces. Mercury owns and sits in the house of knowledge, education etc and also a significator of it. Likewise Jupiter sits in 3rd house of communication and action. In this case mercury rules 6th and 9th house and Jupiter rules 3rd and 12th houses. SO 3,6,9 and 12 houses are related this is Functional relation (what planets rule) and the Generic relation is the general characteristics of Jupiter and Mercury are now related. So since both represent reading/ writing/ education etc, they will increase each other’s effect in that area or work together so to speak.

So all planets aspect the 7th house. Some planets aspect other houses as following-

Mars – aspects 4th, 7th and 8th

Saturn – aspects 3rd, 7th and 10th

Jupiter – aspects 5th,7th and 9th

Rahu & Ketu aspect 5th and 9th from their respective positions.

8) Exchanges

When two planets sit in each other’s houses, its called a Sign interchange. Example in the above case say Jupiter was in Virgo and Mercury in Pisces. They are now sitting in each others signs. Astrological significance is that they get heavily related to each other and merge each other’s qualities together. Also the houses get heavily related to each other in this case. They sort of ‘work together’ and in tandem and none wants to destroy the other’s house as it knows the other planet is in its house (good way to think about it)

Then can be Nakshatra (lunar asterism) interchange called as ‘Sookshama’ interchange. This works only in each other’s dasas (we haven’t talked about Dasas or planetary periods yet, so this is beyond the scope right now). But the above point of sign exchange is very important. In some way when 2 planets interchange signs, they are ‘sort of’ actually sitting in their own respective houses for predictive purposes and hence tend to give good results

9) Think of Planet Karakatvas

Already discussed before. When you see a planet, think of what it represents and what is COMMON in the house and planet. The common part will show results floridly depending on dignity and strength of planet.

Example in Capricorn ascendant Jupiter rules 12th house and 3rd house. Now 12th among other things = foreign journeys etc. Say Jupiter sits in 9th house in Virgo. Now this Jupiter will not only give effects of 12th and 3rd house in 9th but also think Jupiter = guru, religion, higher education, Luck/ destiny and 9th house also represents Luck, guru, destiny etc. So Jupiter in 9th will give results of both.

Below is a table I compiled to help you think. This is not comprehensive but is a very good starting point to help you in learning-

10) Positive/ Negative Houses

Trying to summarize a very vast topic in a few points below-

• As I mentioned before 1,5,9 are lucky and good/ auspicious houses
• 1,4,7 and 10 are Kendra or central houses and good
• 11th house is house of gain and generally any planet in 11th is good
• 6,8 and 12 are negative houses and cause delay, pain, agony and blockages/ endings, debts etc.
• 3rd house is relatively neutral but tending to negative in results
• Rulers of 3, 6 and 11th houses can be Evil in their results even if on surface the results don’t look evil, they have a predisposition to do damage
• Rulers of 2nd house and 12th house will give the result of the other house they rule as these are Neutral houses. If the house is of Sun or Moon (leo or cancer) then the planet owns just one house. In this case the place where sun or moon sit and the planets they sit close to, they give the effects of those planets more (like Rahu and Ketu the shadow planets do)
• A generic Malefic Planet owning a Kendra loses its negativity (generic Malefics are – Saturn, Mars, Sun & Rahu/ Ketu). A generic benefic planet ruling a Kendra loses its benefic nature (Jupiter, Venus, Moon & Mercury) unless it also own a Kona house (1,5 or 9th)
• Lagna lord or ascendant lord is always auspicious
• Planets good in Shadbala and other dignities protect the houses they rule and weak planets give problems in the areas of houses they rule
• When a planet rules both a Kona (1,5 or 9th) and Kendra (1,4,7 and 10th) it becomes a Yoga Karaka or a planet that does extremely good
• Mercury and Moon are impressionable planets. Even though they are generally considered Benefic by general nature, they give results as per their association. If mercury sits with benefics Jupiter and/ or venus, it will be benign. If it sits with Saturn, Mars, Rahu/ Ketu it becomes malefic in nature too. Moon is good when far from sun and Waxing and negative when its dark (close to the sun) darkest is when its a no Moon night, brightest on full moon when moon is 180 degress away from Sun
• When a planet owns 2 houses, the one which is the MK (Mooltrikona) sign is to be given more importance.
• Ruler of 2nd house and 7th house is a Maraka or Killer planet as it has potential to end the life (being 12th to 3rd and 8th house respectively which are houses representing the life force in an individual). Keep in mind a Maraka planet can still give other gains and riches in life as per its aspects, strengths and placement etc. But it will still have the potential to kill. however if this planet also rules a Kona house (1,5 or 9th) it loses it potential to kill to a large extent as 5th and 9th are highly benefic houses.
• A planet ruling only 8th or 12th and no other sign (which can happen when Sun or Moon) rule these generally negative houses, will become Neutral in its functionality
• Combining all rules above, you will notice that Saturn/ Venus/ Mercury/ Rahu form one subgroup and Mars/ Sun/ Moon/ Jupiter/ Ketu the other group as per natural friendships and rulerships as follows-

11) Planet Functionality Chart (Important!)

This is for quick reference. Again keep in mind, this is just as per rulership and hence if Venus is good for Capricorn ascendant, its good for all of them. But in an individual horoscope, depending on where Venus is placed and its strength/ aspects and dignities, the results will be modified of course-