Twelfth House: The House o' Secrets

The twelfth house always has somethin' a bit off-kilter, and no matter how hard we try to nail it down, you can bet its meanin' will slip right through our fingers just when we think we've got it. It's the house with the Latin name carcer, meanin' "prison," and it can literally turn your life into a lock-up in any way you can imagine. It's also dubbed the House of Self-Undoin'. The natural unfoldin' of our Self rolls through this logical line of houses, the second after the first, the third after the second, and so on. If we catch on that the twelfth house is talkin' about somethin' else entirely, a backwards movement from our first house to the twelfth, and right there behind our backs, we gotta ask ourselves just how special it really is and how it helps us grow.

• Zodiac Sign: Pisces
• Rulin' Planet: Neptune
• Secrets
• Fears
• Hidden desires
• Dreams
• Fantasies

Life's Domains

This here's the house of dreams, our subconscious, and everything mysterious and hid from plain sight. It speaks of imprisonment, whether it's a real-deal jail sentence or any chains that hold us back in this life. All in all, it's the house that shows everything behind our backs, all that's left behind, and as such, it most clearly speaks of our past life experiences. The things it hides can be plainly seen by folks around us, and our pals might take its secrets as a normal part of their daily grind, seein' as it's the second, "logical" house from the eleventh. It's the realm of the greatest knowledge we can find in close friends and social hangouts, and while some of us will get the best of it through gossip, others will get it through spiritual guidance and support.

Besides its rule over prisons, the twelfth house also speaks of all places of solitude, like hospitals and mental institutions. It's elusive and mysterious; we 'can't see what's inside it until we close our eyes, and even then, it's a dreamland still to be figured out. It's our spot for loneliness and reflection, retreat and self-sacrifice, while at the same time, it's our comfy bed and our most beautiful land of wishes, talents, and imagination. This house talks about all the stuff we don't know and don't get, and we gotta be real careful not to stir its waters so we can see the heart of things clear as day.

The Twelfth House in Aries

When the twelfth house is sittin' in Aries, it's almost always a sign >there'll be trouble with healthy boundaries in that >person's life. Others will >butt into their >world like >they >ain't got no skin to know and guard >themselves >from >those >who >steal >their >energy. Over >time, >they'll >have >to >"remember" >what >it >was >like to >follow >an >inner >passion, >fight >for >their >rights, >yell >at >others >if >the >moment >calls >for >it, and >be >truthful >about >whatever's >on >their >mind. While >Aries >would >love >to >have >a >clear >goal >and >point >all >its >energy >at >it, >that >energy >seems >to >bend >here, >only >to >end >up >in >a >weird >subconscious >state >where >it's >neither >shown >nor >used. This >is >a >spot >that >speaks >of >a >past >life >that >ended >with >aggression, >in >the >army, or >from >firearms, >sharp >objects, and >most >often, "before their >time."

The Twelfth House in Taurus

If the twelfth house >is >in >Taurus, >the >mystery >of >the >material >world >can >stay >hidden >for >years, >just >like >hedonism >and >the >chase >for >pleasure >in >this >physical >realm. >This >spot's >typical >for >those >who've >never >felt >true >satisfaction, >and >all >those >who >have >secret >sexual >relations, >or >at >least >folks >who >gotta >eat >on the >sly >from >everyone >else. Spirituality >and >real >talents >fall >into >the >sign >ruled >by >Venus, >meanin' >creativity >and >inspiration >come >as >a >given, >but >only >after >they're >found >and >approached >with >diligence. >True >intimacy >is >found >in >secret >connections, >and >warmth >will >have >to >be >built >in >solitude, >first >by >realizin' >how >worthy >we >are, >and >only >then >startin' >to >seek >someone >to >acknowledge >it. If >someone >wants >to >make >their >dreams >come >true, >this >spot's >perfect, >as >it >brings >Earth >into >our >personal >dreamland, >makin' >anything >we >imagine >possible.

The Twelfth House in Gemini

The twelfth house >in Gemini >ain't >all >that straightforward >because >of >its >fishy >nature >and >everything >to >do >with >emotions >as >a >thing >entirely >separate >from >rational >thinkin'. >Speech >can >be >messed >up, >while >those >with&>low >self-esteem >easily >turn >to >gossip >and&>matters >that >ain't >their >place >to >talk >about >at >first. It's >also >a >spot >that >can >give >a&>great >talent >for&>languages, >words, >and&>writin'. >It's >a&>shame >to >use >it >on&>other >folks >and&>spend&>too >much&>time&>thinkin' >about&>their&>business, >abilities, >and&>weaknesses. Those&>born&>with&>the&>twelfth&>house&>in&>Gemini&>must've&>ended&>their&>past&>life&>with&>a&>huge&>desire&>to&>speak&>their&>mind, >share&>their&>inner&>truth, >and&>express&>their&>personality&>somehow. >The&>chains&>made&>here&>will&>show&>up&>through&>weird&>friendships&>and&>relationships&>with&>kids, >but&>mostly, >they'll&>show&>up&>through&>hardships&>in&>their&>mind&>that&>they&>can't&>fully&>explain.

The Twelfth House in Cancer

With the twelfth house in Cancer, >you >can >instantly >spot >a >family >secret, >as >well >as >a >tendency >to >put >one >or >both >parents >on >a >pedestal. >It's >a >burden >for >the >whole >family >tree >and >a >sign >that >debts >were >left >in >the >realms >of >the >emotional >and >fragile >within. Strange >goings-on >hide >in >the >twelfth >house, >and >when >Cancer's >here, >you >can >see >these >odd >happenings >at >home >and >in >intimate >relations. >Dependin' >on >the >Moon's >very >personal >placement, >we'll >see >how >well >this >can >be >mixed >into >their >daily >life, >and >if >disappointment >is >their >family >history >or >not. An >emphasis >on >sensitive >emotions >is >also >seen >here, >and >we'll >find >that >the >cusp >of >the >twelfth >house >in >any >Water >sign >gives >a >person >the >knack >to >feel >what >others >feel, >often >unable >to >tell >where >one >person >ends >and >their >emotional >body >begins.

The Twelfth House in Leo

When the twelfth >house >starts >in Leo, >the >very >personality >itself >seems >odd, sensitive, and >unknown. These >folks >will >have to >get >to >know >their strength >and >inner >truth >while >they >remain >in murky >waters, hid >from the >common >eye. It >often >signals >that >a >previous >life >carried >a >story >of >success >and >an >image >that >was >kept&>and&>remained&>important&>to&>the&>person&>till&>death. This&>can&>be&>mighty&>helpful&>if&>the&>unconscious&>memories&>of&>it&>are&>pleasant&>and&>bring&>confidence&>and&>peace. However, >if&>there&>was&>ever&>any&>dishonesty&>in&>their&>approach, >this&>life&>will&>be&>the&>one&>to&>fix&>it, >embracin' >the&>flaws&>of&>others, >those&>we&>don't&>wanna&>see&>and&>don't&>wanna&>show, >and&>findin' >kin&>in&>crime, >finally&>free&>from&>self-criticism. As&>the&>clear&>image&>of&>one's&>Self&>is&>blurred, >the&>general&>good&>of&>mankind&>will&>be&>important&>to&>these&>folks, >as&>well&>as&>humanitarian&>efforts&>they&>often&>turn&>to&>at&>some&>point&>in&>their&>life.

The Twelfth House in Virgo

If the twelfth >house >is >in Virgo, >we >can >almost >picture >a >mechanism >in >a >person's >mind >that >makes >them look >silly >when >they >want >to >show >their smartness, >and&>incredibly >clever&>in&>the&>most&>unforeseen&>situations. They'll&>rely&>on&>their&>brain, >while&>practical&>matters&>will&>always&>hold&>a&>certain&>mystery. The&>chains&>made&>here&>will&>be&>tied&>to&>old, >used&>things, >ones&>that&>may&>or&>may&>not&>be&>fixed. This&>middle-of-the-road&>Virgo&>principle&>can&>be&>pretty&>tricky&>when&>we're&>talkin' >about&>someone's&>twelfth&>house, >cause&>dreams&>tend&>to&>get&>smashed&>by&>reality, >sensitivity&>by&>common&>sense, >and&>vice&>versa. If&>a&>person&>with&>the&>twelfth&>house&>in&>Virgo&>wants&>to&>find&>happiness, >they&>gotta&>realize&>where&>their&>true&>talent&>lies&>so&>they&>can&>use&>it&>and&>share&>it&>with&>the&>world. Quite&>often, >their&>talents&>will&>be&>found&>in&>writin', >detailed&>analysis, >or&>chattin' >with&>the&>strangest&>critters&>here&>on&>Planet&>Earth.

The Twelfth House in Libra

With the twelfth >house >in Libra, >it >seems >unavoidable >to >lie >or be >lied >to, >and >usually, >both. However, >if >we >put >that >aside, >we >can >see >a >charming >story >of >Libra >in >this >mysterious >house >and >realize >that >someone >we >once >left >behind >is >close >by >for >us >to >find >again >in this >life. Things >that >were >lost >in >our >twelfth >house >tend >to&>show&>themselves&>someday. >This&>is&>especially&>true&>for&>great&>loves, >and&>with&>a&>strongly&>tuned&>Venus, >even&>stronger&>love&>affairs. If&>Venus&>ain't&>so&>strong&>in&>this&>horoscope, >an&>obvious&>debt&>is&>to&>be&>paid&>through&>some&>emotional&>sacrifice. In&>most&>cases, >this&>will&>play&>out&>through&>romantic&>relationships&>where&>trust&>was&>broken, >finally&>freein' >the&>person&>from&>unrealistic&>expectations. This&>is&>always&>someone&>talented&>at&>recognizin' >beauty, often&>artistic&>and&>with&>a&>flair&>for&>drawin' >or&>music. However, >they&>gotta&>be&>real&>careful&>not&>to&>disrespect&>the&>folks&>around&>them&>in&>any&>way&>so&>their&>personality&>has&>room&>to&>grow.

The Twelfth House in Scorpio

The twelfth >house >in Scorpio >is >an >interestin' >spot. Somethin' >as >taboo >and >hid >as Scorpio >rarely >finds >a >proper >secret >hideaway, >but >this >placement >lets >it&>do&>just&>that. The&>most&>unsettlin' >thing&>here&>is&>a&>person's&>ability&>to&>hide&>their&>own&>feelings, >actions, >or&>desires, >eventually&>bein' >left&>with&>no&>awareness&>of&>their&>true&>inner&>light. This&>is&>the&>sign&>that&>speaks&>of&>our&>shadows&>and&>everything&>we&>wanna&>bury&>and&>toss&>aside&>along&>the&>way, >and&>when&>it's&>in&>such&>a&>secretive&>house, >hidin' >stuff&>under&>the&>rug&>becomes&>a&>routine. This&>can&>lead&>to&>these&>folks&>blowin' >up&>in&>different&>ways, >gettin' >into&>weird&>circumstances, >strange&>talks, interventions, >institutions, or&>even&>jail. To&>see&>the&>magic&>in&>Scorpio, >this&>person&>must&>be&>truly&>and&>deeply&>open, >fully&>ready&>to&>embrace&>the&>most&>destructive, darkest, and&>most&>dangerous&>emotions&>they&>carry&>inside.

The Twelfth House in Sagittarius

When the twelfth >house >is sittin' in Sagittarius, >we >usually see >someone >who's >got >no clue >where >they're >goin'. Lostness >seems >to&>be&>an&>inborn&>ailment&>for&>these&>folks, >and&>they&>can't&>seem&>to&>know&>where&>they&>wanna&>end&>up. Chains&>have&>been&>made&>with&>the&>most&>distant&>places, >and&>past-life&>regression&>can&>help&>them&>find&>out&>where&>they&>lived&>and&>what&>makes&>them&>lose&>their&>place&>and&>their&>hopes. Their&>beliefs&>need&>a&>relook, >as&>do&>their&>religious&>views. Blessings&>will&>come&>from&>the&>most&>unexpected&>people&>and&>places, >and&>while&>a&>lotta&>secrets&>can&>be&>expected&>in&>the&>lives&>of&>others, >these&>folks&>are&>able&>to&>sense&>the&>kindness&>of&>anyone's&>heart&>from&>miles&>away. It's&>a&>mighty&>strong&>spot&>for&>spiritual&>work&>and&>meditation, but&>if&>they&>don't&>get&>their&>sleep, >they&>risk&>their&>whole&>life&>passin' >them&>by.

The Twelfth House in Capricorn

With the twelfth >house >in Capricorn, >it's >unknown >whose >jurisdiction >responsibility >falls >under. The >tough >part&>about&>this&>setup&>is&>the&>inability&>to&>see&>that&>a&>solid&>foundation&>does&>all&>the&>work, >and&>while&>good&>ideas&>can&>have&>great&>success, >they&>ain't&>easy&>to&>make&>real&>without&>some&>hard&>grind. Even&>if&>it&>might&>not&>seem&>like&>it, >this&>is&>one&>of&>the&>most&>demanding&>spots&>in&>the&>twelfth&>house, >cause&>it&>talks&>about&>karmic&>ties&>and&>our&>strong&>physical&>connection&>to&>past-life&>experiences. Strange&>things&>will&>show&>up&>as&>circumstances&>that&>are&>hard&>to&>avoid&>or&>get&>over, >with&>many&>roadblocks&>on&>the&>path&>to&>freedom. If&>Saturn&>is&>strong&>in&>a&>person's&>chart, >there&>will&>be&>a&>sense&>of&>safety, >wisdom, and&>unconscious&>strength&>in&>the&>right&>attitude, and&>this&>will&>be&>the&>wind&>in&>their&>sails&>and&>open&>them&>to&>the&>true&>inner&>experience&>of&>faith.

The Twelfth House in Aquarius

The twelfth >house >in Aquarius >speaks >of >a >stressful >death >that >happened >in our past life. It's a >place >of&>stress&>and&>a&>weird&>mental&>bent, >pullin' >hard&>with&>its&>humanitarian&>gravity&>and&>the&>unconscious&>need&>to&>break&>free, >separate&>from&>everyone&>else, >and&>dive&>into&>all&>natural&>opposites&>like&>there's&>no&>other&>way. Fixin' >differences&>and&>findin' >the&>middle&>ground&>seems&>distant&>and&>impossible&>to&>these&>folks, >like&>they&>got&>a&>talent&>for&>true&>friendship&>but&>lack&>awareness&>for&>those&>who&>don't&>fall&>into&>that&>category. They&>need&>to&>learn&>to&>be&>human, >so&>charity&>work&>will&>come&>in&>handy, >especially&>if&>they're&>a&>secret&>benefactor&>no&>one&>knows&>about. Their&>eccentricity&>will&>make&>them&>happy, >but&>secretly&>and&>quietly, >with&>as&>few&>words&>as&>possible. Even&>if&>they&>might&>be&>on&>a&>mission&>of&>solitude, >they're&>often&>calmed&>by&>the&>peace&>of&>their&>marriage&>and&>relationships&>that&>are&>a&>good&>foundation&>for&>their&>personality, >rather&>than&>makin' >them&>feel&>at&>home.

The Twelfth House in Pisces

If the twelfth house >is sittin' in Pisces, >all >secrets >will >be >buried >even >deeper >than in other cases. This >pretty >much >means >all&>diggin' >into&>subconscious&>stuff&>has&>to&>be&>thorough, >and&>the&>results&>will&>seem&>more&>distant&>than&>what&>others&>dig&>up. Usually, >these&>folks&>tend&>to&>look&>forward, >absolutely&>unaware&>of&>their&>dependence&>and&>connection&>to&>the&>mysteries&>of&>their&>distant&>past. They'll&>live&>their&>lives&>without&>realizin' >their&>own&>inner&>faith, >needin' >a&>healthy&>sleep&>routine&>to&>stay&>in&>a&>calm&>and&>peaceful&>state. In&>many&>cases, >these&>folks&>sleep&>eight&>hours&>every&>day, >avoidin' >late-night&>strolls&>or&>losin' sleep&>over&>any&>burnin' >problems. They&>get&>that&>the&>night&>can't&>be&>ruined&>and&>hide&>from&>their&>own&>family&>in&>broad&>daylight. With&>true&>faith&>in&>the&>background, >it'd&>be&>good&>to&>raise&>awareness&>of&>their&>talents&>and&>their&>true&>inner&>life, >no&>matter&>how&>scary&>it&>might&>seem.