(c)2009 by Donna Cunningham, MSW
I heard from a number of people who had a strong 12th house after yesterday’s post. (7 Secrets You May not Know about the 12th House) Being fairly private sorts, some of the best comments weren’t on the blog but came by email. Folks, if you’re that doggone funny and wise, why hide your light under a bushel basket? But then, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be true 12th house types, would you?
Oh, and while I’m at it, if you leave a comment that’s going to interest and enlighten the readers or even just brighten their day
with a laugh, and if you have a blog or website yourself, fill in the URL on the comment box, for goodness sake. That creates a link so people can get to know you and just maybe visit your site. I don’t care if you’re a regular, do it–this site gets a ton of first time visitors. Sheesh!
Many 12th house natives have soaked up negative ideas about this position from things they read or were told by astrologers. But just so you know, having a 12th house Sun does not doom you to obscurity or forever shooting yourself in the foot. You might assume that people with their Sun there would remain hidden from the world throughout much of their lives, either by choice—being somewhat reclusive—or because of some life-long physical or emotional problem. Not so! Here are 12 well-known people who have 12th house Suns, with links to their charts and biographies online in AstroDataBank’s Birthdata Collection of Notables:
- Blair, Tony, former British Prime Minister;
- Bush, George W., former US president;
- Copperfield, David, magician;
- Foster, Jodie, actress;
- Lagasse, Emeril, celebrity chef;
- Latifah, Queen singer, actress;
- Limbaugh, Rush, radio host;
- Myss, Caroline, spiritual teacher;
- O’Neal, Shaquille, basketball star;
- Pfeiffer, Michelle, actress; and
- Travis, Randy, country singer.
There were many more than 12, of course, but 12 in the 12th had a nice numerological ring, so I selected only those most immediately recogizeable. If you’re a 12th house type, it’s not a curse, it’s your birthright. I’ve been a 12th house person these past 67 years–Sun and Jupiter in Cancer in that house, and I love it, have (almost) always loved it, and wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s my comfort zone.
What do I LIKE about being a 12th house Sun? I had hoped you wouldn’t ask that, because it’s so hard to describe. It’s a long story—a lifelong story. If you’re interested, you can read bits of it in the category My Memoirs on this blog. Much of it has been about my ever-winding path to spiritual growth. (See Fitting onto a Blank.) Most of it has been about growth, period. The other day, I decided to attempt AARP’s challenge to write Six-Word Memoirs. Here’s mine: “Steep learning curve—my whole life.”
No matter what it looks like on the outside—even for the 12 notables in the list above—the 12th is more about your inner life than your outer life. Tend to that, and you can count yourself a success, no matter what our status-fixated, results-oriented society thinks. The 12th house path diligently pursued leads to the kinds of accomplishments that don’t fit neatly onto a resume, but they’re no less worthy of pride. I won’t go on with this today—it’s way past time to go contemplate my navel—but you get the picture. My best regards to you, my 12th house family.
More Posts in the “Things You May not Know” Series:
- 10 Things You May not Know about Uranus
- 6 Things You May Not Know about Pluto
- 7 Secrets You May not Know about the 12th House
The Complete Miniseries on the 12th house:
- Readers Ask: Q & A about the 12th House
- New Insights into the 12th House from our Q&A Session
- 7 Secrets You May not Know about the 12th House
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the 12th House—but Were Afraid to Ask
- 80 Qualities of Venus in the 12th or other Venus-Neptune Combinations
- Daybreak and the 12th House Sun
- Jupiter in the 12th—When Does Good Luck Turn Bad?
- Transits from the 12th House to the 1st–Like Night and Day
- The 12th House—Comparing Ancient and Modern Views
See More Posts about the 12 houses of the chart in the category Houses of the Horoscope :
FREE EBOOKLET FOR SKYWRITER SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: a 50-page excerpt from my out-of-print book, The Moon in your Life, also known as Being a Lunar Type in a Solar World. Read more about it here: NEW: FREE BOOKLET FOR SKYWRITER SUBSCRIBERS! If you’re already a subscriber and want a copy, forward the most recent email post to me at moonmave@spiritone.com. To sign up for a subscription, go to the top right hand corner of the blog and click on “Subscribe.” Then send me an email with your subscription confirmation or an email post.
12th house jupiter? maybe people think I am stingy but I am not? I for sure don’t have a secret addiction problem or grandiosity.
Not as important a planet as 12th house sun!
By: mimi on September 30, 2009
at 12:17 pm
I have a stellium in the 12th, and although an Aries, being in the spotlight is uncomfortable. I don’t even like to do book signings for my books in a public place. I love writing my monthly newsletter (subscribe on my website: http://www.devineadvantage.com) and writing alone anytime. Heaven to me would be a remote cabin in the woods.
By: Carole Devine on September 30, 2009
at 12:36 pm
we’re very much alike in that regard, being strongly 12th house, Carole. I live such a quiet life, away from the world, that when I go to a conference or lecture, it’s always a surprise and rather overwhelming when people know who I am. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on September 30, 2009
at 3:41 pm
12th house remains a mystery. In some cases the people with loaded 12th houses are aware and highly evolved spiritually. However….I cannot assume that a client is (that way . ) When I see planets in the 12th, I wait to see what develops from our session together. Because, if a client is really unconscious, they are unaware of these 12th house aspects. And they will be defensive and self-righteous about anything you may throw their way. (How about a client with Saturn in the first in Leo, and Pluto, Sun, Moon and Mercury in the 12th – all in Leo. This person has been a world-class hypochondriac all of her life. She likes this as it sets her up on center stage and drains the world around her as she goes around and around the hamster wheel). How do you really KNOW what someone will do with their stuff? ( any of their stuff not just 12th house)
By: molly on September 30, 2009
at 4:40 pm
These are all really good points, Molly, and a lifetime gives 12th house types a great many years and stages of life in which to evolve into the higher meanings of the 12th. In the consultation, we listen intently to the client and try to determine where they are in expressing all the planets. As you note, there is absolutely no way to know just from looking at the chart at what level of evolution they’re espressing the chart features. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on September 30, 2009
at 4:48 pm
I just came across this article today. Very interesting. I have a 12th house Sun(Sag), along with a triple conjunction (Mercury(Sag), Venus(Sag), Neptune(Sag) in the 12th. I would definitely say that I place a VERY high premiun on exploring my inner life. Meditation is a necessity for me as well as just spending time alone. Others seem to find it a bit odd(they get fooled by all that Sag !!), but I enjoy my own company more than most. I seem to alternate between times of intense social interaction and seclusion. Also, I’ve found creative visualization to be one of my most enjoyable activities. I think there’s great potential in this placement for dealing in the metaphysical world and becoming a “bridge” between the invisible and the visible.
By: Jason Fleming El on January 4, 2010
at 12:57 pm
Hello, Jason, I have been well impressed with the people I’ve met who were born with that multiple conjunction in Sag…wise beyond their years!! Not just Sag “know it all” wise, which tends to come from a cerebral, book-learning place, but much, much deeper than that, the Neptune/Old soul wise. I had a dear young woman who lived next door for several years with that combination, and she was an editor, so she became my private editor when I updated my first book (An Astrological Guide to Self-Awareness) for the new millenium. Being a 12th house Sun myself, I can envision you in your 60s, having spent a lifetime happily engaged in contemplation. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on January 4, 2010
at 5:40 pm
One of my personal favorites is Mohandas Gandhi, a 12th house Libra sun.
By: Nikki on March 29, 2010
at 12:47 pm
I wonder if many of their Suns would move into the 1st house using whole signs.
By: Michelle on June 24, 2010
at 6:24 am
Wrong blog for that, but try them out and let us know. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on June 24, 2010
at 7:28 am
Ι have sun and neptune in 12th house..
all in scorpio…
with regards to my experience, it is really tough to compromise with the practical side of life…
i found my self be interested in occult, meditation, but difficult to approach them, greece community is very narrow-minded…
christina
By: christina on July 1, 2010
at 1:27 pm
Is it the church there (Greek Orthodox?) that frowns on it? What little I know about that religion seems that it’s very different from what we know here in the US. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on July 1, 2010
at 2:05 pm
surely i am not talking about church , difficult to concetrate on God in churches..
many old people and the priest singing….
this is the atmosphere…..
in Greece you must survive alone ….
most of people are affected by economic crisis and the others, who are not, dont care…
it is a consuming community
By: christina on July 1, 2010
at 9:47 pm
Hi Donna
Wish you a Happy Birthday and a year of happiness, good health, and prosperity.
Adrienne
By: Adrienne on July 5, 2010
at 7:48 am
I have Sun in Gemini (Gemini cusp).
By: VJ on December 14, 2010
at 2:37 pm
i have a cancer sun conjunct mercury in the 12th and then venus and uranus at 5 leo with my ASC at 6 leo. I would like to know if you think the venus/uranus conjuction is ‘technically’ in the 12th house?
i never know how to read this? I am a Leo Rising (tall, long, thick blonde hair people comment on), have nice manners & am very independently minded. I love working behind the scenes and toggle between loving some attention and hiding… very confusing for people who are close to me…
By: paloma on December 14, 2010
at 6:12 pm
Hi, Paloma, when a planet is in the 12th but only a degree off the Ascendant, it would depend on how accurate the birth time is. It would only take a 4 minute error in birth time for it to shift houses, and many birth times are at least that far off. The staff in the delivery room doesn’t stand there with a stopwatch–they are focused on the mother and the baby. The important thing is that Venus and Uranus are conjunct the Ascendant and thus very apparent and striking to the person who meets you. Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on December 14, 2010
at 8:13 pm
Now I am going to kill myself!
gwbush? tony blair? rush limbaugh………………..
( lack of capitalization shows my disrespect!)
I knew I didn’t like being a 12th house sun.now I really don’t like it!
except for the Caroline Myss with whom I am not familiar………….the entire list leaves me stone cold.country singer, basket ball player ? mehh!
By: PAT on February 21, 2011
at 4:35 am
Hello, I have my virgo sun in the 12 house, and also mercury in virgo in the 12 house, and jupiter in virgo in the 12 house, but I also have a pisces moon. I have a lot of virgo and pisces in my chart… I often feel that i’m trying to go in two different directions… and I’m trying to learn how to balance that.
By: Malia on March 18, 2011
at 11:50 pm
Hi, Malia, welcome to Skywriter. You might want to look into the writings of psychologist/astrologer Dr. Zipporah Dobyns, another Virgo/Pisces combination who wrote a great deal about what she called “the mutable dilemma.” Donna
By: Donna Cunningham on March 19, 2011
at 5:51 am
Thanks so much, I will look into that. What’s funny is my moon is also in the 6th house, lol. I have venus in cancer in the 10 house, so it seems everything I have is in the polar house. Well a lot of it anyways, I have mercury conjunct my sun, and some other aspects… I have been into astrology since I was a teenager, and am very spiritual, and I’ve had a lot spiritual experiences with the other side. I was wondering if you think that has something to do with my 12 house…=)
By: Malia on March 19, 2011
at 8:51 pm
Absolutely. The higher side of the 12th is spirituality. There is a whole miniseries of articles about the 12th house on Skywriter. Use the search engine on the top right hand side of the blog, and type in “12th house” and you’ll find the links to them. Donna Cunningham
By: Donna Cunningham on March 19, 2011
at 9:01 pm
Thank you for this article and reassurance that a 12th house sun is not a curse! My daughter’s 12th house sun is in Scorpio so i always felt sorry for her because my 10th house sun in Aquarius wished for her to be more outgoing and assertive!
I must have burst a dozen blood vessels in my brain trying to raise her grow up with more courage in public and with personal relationships! After 24 years, I finally learned to appreciate her reserved way of living her gentle and loving life. I stopped doing for her what she could do for herself (but she chose not to do the those things I wanted her to do!).
Five months ago my daughter had a beautiful baby girl. I love my granddaughter with ALL my heart and soul. She has revitalized my life and our family. She is a precious – You guessed it – 12th house sun in Sagittarius!
Those two have not left their cozy apartment for 5 months! Thank God my daughter doesn’t have to go back to work because all they do all day is eat and sleep and grow! Two happy little snug-as-two-bugs-in-a-rug!
Some day I’m gonna have to quit my job and move over there to teach my granddaughter how to be more assertive and outgoing! If only I could let go of the obsession I have with my own career!
By: JuliaAloha on April 22, 2011
at 1:04 pm
I have Gemini sun in the 12th house and the Mid-heaven on Pisces Cusp.
I am very indecisive and moody. I enjoy being with my friends (Venus in the first house), but I need my seclusion almost everyday. I like astrology, symbolism, tarot cards and visual arts (specially renaissance and romanticism art).
I am studying Art History and I enjoy it a lot but I want something else like police, traveler even artist.
I enjoy to re-invent myself, listen to music a lot (specially old tracks) and trick people.
Almost every night I stay awake while everyone sleeps. =D
By: rasv-sanz on May 25, 2011
at 1:11 am
Hi rasv-sanz,
I am also Gemini Sun in the 12th. And I am also very indecisive and moody. My moon is in libra which I think also contributes to my indecisiveness. My venus is in Leo in the 1st house. I love being with friends as long as I feel a soul connection with them– which these days I have to admit are very few people
So I spend most of my time alone, sometimes to recharge and refocus and center myself, although I feel like I need to be alone sometimes I am still lonely. There is no one I can trust with my inner life(12th house secrets? I like art and tricking people too Ha ha!
By: bec on August 14, 2011
at 11:39 pm
I haven’t read all of these comments, but have had my chart done numerous times and all but one astrologer comments on all of the negative aspects of being in the 12th. Houses have negative and positive aspects, it is our choice as to which one we go with. I had one astrologist say it was evil to be in the 12th. I had to google Hitler and Dahmer to see if they were in the 12th. Guess what, no and no, but that evil M. Ghandi is!! (sarcasm) I have my sun and mercury in Libra in the 12th and agree that it is about spiritual awakening and enlightenment, and feel very blessed to be in the 12th house!!
By: kaye on October 6, 2011
at 5:15 pm
Hi,
All really interesting. The mystery of the 12th! Leo sun in the 12th house, Leo rising, Libra moon in the 3rd and Venus in Virgo. Love painting, teaching but not the spotlight on me..especially unexpected!
Also, have a simian left and a sydney right. Oh, some days I just do know what direction to take???
By: kimcris on November 3, 2011
at 10:30 am