New Moon on Monday Astrology

Ok so … here’s one of the places it starts to get confusing.  

Each of the 12 signs is *associated* with each of the 12 houses.  Aries, the first sign, has rulership over the 1st House, Taurus the second sign over the 2nd house, and so on. .  But if you’re a Capricorn Rising, then Capricorn rules your 1st House, not Aries. Right? 

Right.  The sign on the cusp of each house rules that house in your individual chart.  But the 12 Houses are still always associated with the 12 signs, in the same order. 

The 1st House is always associated with the self, action, and beginnings - and these are all Aries concepts.  But if your Ascendant falls in Capricorn, those concepts are also colored in a Capricornian way:  your actions are always ambitious, and the impulse of the 1st House is grounded by the Earth of Capricorn, you might have a more serious (Capricorn) childhood (beginning), your personality (1st House/Self) is smart and sarcastic and dry (Capricorn). 

This also extends to the planets that rule the Signs and therefore the Houses.  Mars rules Aries, and therefore the 1st House.  But if you’re the Capricorn Rising person we’ve been talking about, doesn’t Saturn (the planet that rules Capricorn) rule your 1st House? 

Yes.  See above.  The 1st House is associated with action and moving forward - Martian concepts, always.  With Capricorn on the Ascendant, that action is tempered by Saturn, the planet that rules Capricorn.

The planet that rules your Rising Sign, by the way, is the planet that rules your chart. So if you’re a Gemini - then yes, Mercury rules your Sun, and has everything to do with your essence, but if you’re a Gemini with Capricorn Rising, then Saturn rules your chart.  If you’re a Gemini with Taurus Rising, then Venus rules your chart.  If you’re a Taurus, with Capricorn Rising, then Saturn rules your chart.  If you’re a Taurus with Gemini Rising, then Mercury rules your chart.  The planet that rules your Ascendant always rules your chart, no matter what your Sun sign is.