The Twelfth House: Enlightenment

What is the 12th House? In the House 11 Makeover, we covered your fulfillment of desires and profits from life. Now House 12 covers primarily your Enlightenment, and other 12th house indicators such as expenditures, confinements and journeys to foreign lands. The astrological signs are filters that color how the houses and planets behave. This newsletter will cover the sign of Pisces, which is considered the natural 12th House of the Zodiac. That means that the sign of Pisces naturally colors things in line with the qualities of the 12th House. Let us begin week one by covering the general significators of the 12th house and what they influence in your life. Then in the 2nd week, we show you how to examine your own chart (and others) and find which planets are influencing your 12th house. As we progress through the final 2 weeks, you will be guided through a powerful meditation and transformation workshop that will enable you to improve your capacity for attaining enlightenment and propitiating all good effects of your 12th house. Your own personal 12th House is the subject of the next newsletter. General Characteristics of the 12th House The Twelfth House is known as the house of Enlightenment. It is the last moksha, or enlightenment house. The 4th house is the first moksha house, indicating the subject of liberation (the inner life, heart, feelings). The 8th house of Transformation, Obstacles & Longevity indicates what must be transformed and purified for liberation to occur, culminating in the 12th house as the end of the journey. It is the house of loss and death, representing what is taken or destroyed for the cycle of death and rebirth to be broken. As a house of release, it is also the house of confinement, including ashram life or visits, hospital stays and imprisonment. As a house of loss, it represents expenditures, financially, physically and of consciousness (the loss of finances, physical and material consciousness?). As such, it is a house of sleep, bed pleasures, and life after death. It is also expenditure on charities and luxury items. It is the house of long-distance travel to foreign lands. As a house of the past, it shows our past karmas we are bound to and where they ultimately bring us, as the 12th house is the culmination of our earth journey. As a house of renunciation, it is a house of yoga and meditation, processes which support the abnegation of ego self. It is also the house of dispensation karmic and financial debts. It is the death of

hubris and the birth of humility. It is arousal of the Serpent Fire and its merging with the Infinite. It is secret chambers of our life and release of all individuality back to the cosmic ocean. As the place of the subconscious, it can contain fantasies, illusions and mental disorders; as well as astral experiences and work on subtle planes of existence. Of all the 12 houses, it is arguably the house most benefiting from conscious spiritual practice. Its affects on strictly a material life can be harsh. It is the last call to discovery of the Self before the close of life. Characteristics of Pisces, the Natural 12th House Pisces, Meena, is the 12th sign in the zodiac, a water sign, and the natural 12th house. Jupiter is the ruler of Pisces, giving its qualities to the 12th house as well. The symbol for Pisces is two fishes swimming in opposite directions, representing the quest for integration of duality and opposing forces. Pisceans are emotional, sensitive, easily influenced, creating vulnerability. They are friendly, sympathetic and changeable in their feelings and beliefs, often to please others. Pisceans are warm, communicative and relate to a diverse array of people. Pisceans can favor professions involving teaching, hospitals, medicine, promotion and water. A Pisces lagna, rising sign, is good for children and relationships with children. Pisceans can win over their adversaries with a benign and gentle way, though they must also watch for others taking advantage of them. They dislike conflict and will often bend to dispel it. This arises from the water signs capacity for preservation. Pisceans favor intuition over logic, sensitivity over analysis. They can be dreamy and very imaginative. Piscean influence can bring a love for poetry and wisdom; as well as a proclivity for meditation and reflection. They may be susceptible to nervous and emotional disorders, and sensitive digestion. They may have susceptibility to sugar or alcohol addictions. Their quest is for discrimination and integration. Though Venus becomes exalted in Pisces, Venus is an unfavorable planet for Pisces rising. Jupiter as Ruler of the Natural 12th house Jupiter, Guru is the bestowed of grace, that which is most desired at the close of life. He is associated with knowledge, especially higher or spiritual knowledge, which can be realized through a strong 12th house, culminating in knowledge of the Self, the guru within. He is the spiritual preceptor, whose home is found in the 12th (i.e. the ashram or monastery). Jupiter is minister to kings, granting final comfort. He illuminates Truth, that which is seen or given to be seen upon the last breath of life. He is the Law and Lawgiver, upholding the final Law of subjective existence, the return to Source. Jupiter is formless intelligence, invoking the eternal nature of existence. He calls us to our highest and to do good works, the fruits of which are born through the destiny of the 12th house, life after death. He is the container and bestowed of sacred wisdom, tools for renunciation and liberation. The most benefic of planets, Jupiter is very expansive and gracious, the great Teacher, desiring to lead all to the paths of righteousness for the purpose of liberation, moksha. Jupiter

represents our inner vocation, which is our universal destiny of Enlightenment. Saturn as the Indicator of the 12th House In his role as significator for loss, Saturn becomes the karaka (i.e. that which produces or creates) for the 12th house. Saturn is the great purifier, associated with Yama, the god of death. He is the great denier for dissolution of the illusion of the material world. He is the initiator of spiritual purification and illumination, abnegating worldly identifications and attachments. Saturn deprives the mind of lifes usual joys. He creates obstacles, blocks initiatives and is the force behind personal drive. He is the great contractor, dampening efforts and drawing inward to the truth of the Self. Saturn casts a shadow over the created world and activates karma for retribution, good or difficult. He cultivates persistence, asceticism, concentration and acalling for surrender of the ego self. Planets Placed in Venus becomes exalted in Pisces and Mercury becomes debilitated in Pisces. Pisces

Remember that when assessing a chart, multiple factors must be taken into consideration. No one effect, such as planetary position in a sign or house, will be the sole indicator of fortunes and influences. In general, one must assess the strength of the house, its indicator, and its lord and occupants, as well as other planetary influences and the Dasha and Bukti you are running. The following are general indications for when a particular planet is posited in the sign of Pisces. Sun in Pisces Emotional, receptive, blessed with good friends, occupations related to water or water and land items, interest in metaphysics. Moon in Pisces Very talented, devoted to wife and children, enjoys variety, changeable, romantic, enjoys emotional music and poetry, possibility for intemperance, favors ability in medium ship and psychic abilities, good natured and charitable. Mercury in Pisces Loved by friends, magnanimous, can work behind the scenes or in investigative type work, good-natured, pious, multi-tasking. Enjoys speaking, writing, music, and analytical work. Venus in Pisces Venus is exalted here in Pisces, intensifying emotional nature and a love of beauty. Very prosperous and charitable; easily overcomes adversaries. May be fickle-hearted; is softspoken and likely to pursue more than one occupation or change occupations. Mars in Pisces May reside abroad, changeable vocational life, talented in undercover type work. If afflicted, self-sabotage, unethical. Jupiter in Pisces

Jupiter is in its own sign. Charitable, kind, devotional, love of sacred scriptures, loveable, emotional, imaginative. Saturn in Well-respected, prosperous, religiously inclined, charitable nature, mild-mannered. Pisces