The fourth house is the life arena of home, and those that dwell there with you. It shows the influences of early family, and a sense of roots that go way back in time. It’s the base of the Deep Self, the one that emerged from a long line of ancestors, whether they’re known consciously or not. This house is how we integrate all we know about where we’ve come from, to create a sense of where Home is.
It’s the house of earliest nurturing, going back to the womb. Planets here influence how that care was perceived, and whether there was a sense of shelter or not. It’s the house of emotional retreat, and the private comfort given by those we consider family. This house is often associated with Mother, but if your primary caretaker was Dad, that mothering experience in your memory would have a male face.
Later in life, this house guides the particular way we seek retreat. It’s about the sanctuary of home as a place to coax out, and soothe the innermost part of the Self. Being the house of Cancer, it’s how we create a shell to protect us from the elements. In the real world, that means the buying and selling of home, and things like renovation.
This house is about how we react to, and reflect (Moon) what’s totally beyond our control. That’s our family of origin, and the cultural heritage we emerge from. It guides what we do with that heritage. Creativity in this house might inspire story or visual art that comes from that sense of personal roots. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to resolve those given family factors, with who we sense we really are as an entity apart. That’s why the fourth house is full of gifts and challenges that lead to the deepest kind of questioning and soul growth.
