House 6 is the house of illness, accidents and bad things that life throws at us. It is the house of things that oppose health.
The Psychological Dimension
When examining chart testimonies, we often discover that psychological traits can exacerbate the effects of House 6. These psychological factors belong to House 12, representing our patterns of self-undoing. The interaction between these houses creates a complex dynamic that demands careful consideration in both natal and horary interpretation.
House 12’s influence manifests through various self-inflicted transgressions against our natural mental and physical health. These manifestations include choices about diet, exercise and treatments but extend deeper into our patterns of ignorance about our actions, our inability to learn from past mistakes, and our tendency to become addicted to negative emotional states. Perhaps most insidiously, House 12 often leads us to justify and even glorify these harmful behaviors.
The cherry on this devilish cake is the rejection of House 12 on the occasion of any hint that it could be exposed. Thus, what could be the doorway to liberation from unnecessary suffering becomes shut by House 12 itself.
House 12 Patterns
It is important to know that House 12 does not manifest in some abstract way. Putting House 12 in the “unconscious bag” without further differentiations or sub-categories suits House 12 tremendously. That generalization keeps its study fuzzy and black-and-white.
House 12 manifests through seven known and documented patterns of self-undoing. Astrologers should not be surprised, right? Seven! It is beyond the scope of this article to address this in detail. The article “The Seven Fears” is devoted to an overview of this psychological tool.
The House 12 Challenge
The relationship between Houses 6 and 12 creates a particularly challenging dynamic that persists until one of two outcomes occurs: either we achieve awareness and make necessary changes, or we succumb to illness or diminished capacity. Often, this decline is accelerated by the effects of medications prescribed by well-meaning doctors who treat symptoms without addressing underlying causes.
The Path to Healing
Interestingly, House 12 comes closest to representing the concept of healing itself. This apparent paradox exists because genuine healing often requires us to cease the self-destructive behaviors that complicate our lives and health. The effectiveness of any treatment (shown by House 10) correlates directly with House 12’s inactivity.
This understanding leads to an important principle in medical astrology: before any significant healing of serious or chronic conditions can occur, we must become conscious of our House 12 activities and fully accept their presence and impact. No medication alone can truly heal self-undoing patterns – only consciousness opens the door to freedom from House 12’s influence.
The Role of Knowledge and Awareness
House 12 also represents ignorance that limits our lives – when we don’t know, we act out of that lack of knowledge and make mistakes. However, once we gain knowledge, we can begin acting from understanding. This process takes power away from Lord 12 and gives it to the Lord of the Geniture, facilitating true healing through awareness and wiser conscious choice.
The connection between awareness and healing is beautifully reflected in the Arabic Part of Captivity, also known as the Part of Escape from Captivity. This dual meaning perfectly captures how Saturn, while showing what imprisons or limits us, can also liberate us through discipline, wisdom, and control. Through this process, we can overcome House 12 by systematically minimizing and, in some cases, eliminating harmful qualities in our minds and bodies.
Understanding the relationship between Houses 6 and 12 provides crucial insights for both natal and horary astrology practitioners. This knowledge enables more accurate diagnosis and more effective guidance for those seeking healing on both physical and psychological levels.
For practitioners and students interested in deepening their understanding of medical astrology, I offer various resources, including specialized medical and psychological astrology courses, webinars, and consultation services. These educational opportunities provide practical training in applying these ancient insights to modern healing practices.
