12th House Extravaganza!
First, some housekeeping. I’ve started adding a brief weekly astrology overview to my Facebook page on Saturdays. So hop on over there each week if you want a quick and dirty lowdown on the week ahead, as well as occasional links to things that relate to what’s going on in the skies these days.
I’ve also started a weekly astrology radio show/podcast that will be up each Tuesday. The idea is to talk to people about not only astrology but related spiritual disciplines and how astrology and other healing modalities can be used for effective action in your everyday life. Topics are designed to be suitable for beginners and more advanced astrology students both. The first show is up now and so far it has been fascinating, at least to me.
By the synchronicity of the universe, this week’s radio podcast also happened to be a topic on one of the blogs I visit: Donna Cunningham’s Skywriter. Donna had a whole series on the 12th house. Take a look at this Q&A post and follow the links below it to related articles if you want a whole wealth of information on this maligned and mysterious area of your chart.
My podcast focused on only one portion of the 12th house’s many meanings: NEPTUNE, THE SUBCONSCIOUS, AND SELF-UNDOING. Specifically, we talk about the relationship between the 12th house and the subconscious ways that we shoot ourselves in the foot. We also talk about the relationship between Neptune and hypnosis and whether or not hypnotherapy can be a good remedy for 12th house problems. My guest was a hypnotherapist, Clare Taylor. You can find her on Facebook here. It was a really interesting discussion.
I also thought I’d add to the wealth of 12th house information by giving some information on how a 12th house influence can manifest in your life. I’ll take a look at Venus in the 12th house, Venus in Pisces, and Neptune in the 7th house–all of which can manifest in similar ways. (Because Neptune, the 12th house, and Pisces are all related energies and because Venus rules the 7th house of relationships.)
Of course, many of you don’t have any of these placements. But I’m including the list just to show you how one little natal placement can have such a large variety of meanings over the course of a lifetime. Think about your own Venus, 12th house, Pisces, and Neptune placements. What can you learn about your own nature from this list?
Venus in the 12th house, Venus in Pisces, and Neptune in the 7th house can manifest as:
- Difficulty feeling loved
- Hidden artistic and/or musical talents or interests
- Being too ‘nice’ as a form of self-undoing
- Placing a strong value on compassion and sympathy
- Problems with balance, hearing, or the throat (Venus rules balance and the throat)
- Attracting Piscean or Neptunian people into your life
- Hidden laziness
- Hidden sensuality
- Love of fantasy
- Love of solitude or nature
- Love of sleep as a Venus indulgence
- Lack of possessiveness
- Lack of interest in material goods or objects
- The desire for unusual or open relationships
- Dislike of relationship commitment (vague Neptune in the house of committed relationships)
- Romantic attraction to artists, alcoholics, or people with drug problems
- Romantic partners who keep secrets
- Partners with strong psychic or intuitive abilities
- Romantic attitude toward marriage
- A strong relationship with God or spirituality
- Projecting a ‘halo’ or saintly aura (12th house influences near the Ascendant)
- An empathetic or even empathic relationship toward everyone
- Hidden mystical experiences
- Difficulty relaxing unless one is alone
- Behind-the-scenes charitable acts
- Falling in love with a person in prison or with a chronic illness
- Satisfying and enjoyable work in a 12th house institution such as a hospital, hospice, mental health institution, etc.
- Feeling loved by God or the universe
- A love life or financial life that improves with time as one taps into the 12th house gifts
- A lifelong quest for love, money, or spiritual satisfaction
- Secret admirers
- A willingness to embrace a wide range of spiritual practices or beliefs
- Placing a strong value on a holistic approach to life’s problems
- Love of the ocean, sailing, or water sports
- An affinity for hypnosis and/or working with the subconscious mind
- Love of photography
- Preferring to play a ‘back-up’ or behind the scenes role rather than being front and center
- A soft voice
- Lack of discriminating taste
- Feeling one loves all things equally
- Addiction to shopping
- Spending money on spiritual or artistic pursuits
- Idealism about love or money
- Attracting a ‘soul mate’
- Money from working behind the scenes in film, dance, or an artistic field
- The desire to keep one’s relationships private
- Not being aware of who is attracted to you
- Attracting others as a downfall
- Being perceived by the public as spiritual, spacy, or artistic
- Being addicted to love
- The ability to express love through artistic means
- Associating love with sacrifice
- Becoming a victim of people who say they love you
- Saving someone you love
- Carelessness in relationships or the opposite, excessive caring
- Impracticality as a downfall
- Lack of greed
- Placing little value on common sense
- Idealizing ‘spiritual currency’ or spiritual values over worldly success
- Preferring contemplation to action
- Tendency to give in
- Desire to go with the flow
- Belief in universal values rather than individual differences
- Being ‘too flexible’ as a downfall
- Seen as being hard to define
- Glamorous image
- Deceptive image or feeling you are not seen accurately
- Being idealized by others
- Subconsciously seductive
- Having a relaxed appearance
- Appearing to be casual or relaxed about relationships
- Taking an ‘easy come, easy go’ attitude
- Immersive, all-consuming relationships
- Looking for a spiritual rather than sexual partner
- Detachment about possessions
- Spirituality as a resource
- Diffuse or muted emotions
- Carelessness with money
- Lack of concern with financial security
- Believing ‘God will provide’
- Denying oneself material comforts
- Refusal to play favorites
As it happens, I have all 3 of these placements! In keeping with the 12th house desire for privacy, I won’t tell which of these manifestations apply to me.
Hi, Victoria, this is a great and accurate summary of Venus’s 12th house and Neptunian placements. Love all the rich details. Donna Cunningham
1What a remarkable list!
2I have Venus in the 12th, and I have a majority of the list!
Some of the more adversarial qualities have happened through time, others are ingrained.
This is like seeing a print “photo” of my interior qualities! (I have a lot of natal action from the 12th)
I love this list! I have a Venus-Neptune conjunction in the 12th house (Libra) and I saw myself in quite a few of the manifestations.
Also, Saturn is in the beginning of the 12th (also in Libra), on the 11th-12th cusp. I like to think he adds structure to the murky waters of the 12th. And I just now realized as I was writing this that I can use the discipline of Saturn to counteract any disagreeable 12th house manifestations. And just as I finished the last sentence, I further realized that I’ve already been doing that, without realizing it. Writing them down is a great way to work out one’s thoughts.
I just discovered your blog today via Donna Cunningham’s “Skywriter.” I will certainly be looking at it further.
3What of Neptune retrograde in the 12th–opposite venus in 6th, square saturn retrograde, interceptrd, in 9th in Cancer, opposing moon in Capricorn, intercepted in 3rd, {mutual reception}??
4Nancy, thanks for such an insightful comment.
5Suzy, that’s a lot of stuff going on with your Neptune. At first glance, it sounds as though your chart is going to great lengths to try to convince you to balance the Saturn and Neptune functions, as well as self/others functions. All those placements agree on taking a cardinal approach to life, but all of them have to compete with the approaches the other planets prefer.
6Useful info. Fortunate me I discovered your website unintentionally, and I’m stunned why this accident did not came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
7I have a Stellium of Virgo planets in the 12th, including a retrograde Venus. I can relate to almost all of the descriptions in your list.
The big takeaway for me is that I am not alone in all of this. I sense that this placement is loving and beautiful in its own way.
Thanks for putting together the list. It helps me to connect to my Venus inner child with more confidence and sensitivity.
8What a eye opener. I have Neptune in Libra in the 7th several aspects. Also Neptune was stationing on my birthday. Now have Neptune transiting the 1st house. I can relate to many attibutes in the list. I’d love to learn more about Neptune in my chart.
9Adrienne
I have Venus in the 12th house and Neptune in 7th, it’s funny how a lot of these things apply to me
10