Posted by: Donna Cunningham | May 23, 2010

Readers Ask: Q & A about the 7th House

©5-23-2010 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

I recently did a post that invited readers to use the comment section to ask me anything they wanted about the 2nd house, as part of a series about the astrology of money.  They had plenty of them, and we had such a great time with the open forum that I decided to do it again. This time I’m open to answering questions about the 7th house—the house that describes a variety of kinds of enduring partnerships, from traditional marriage to gay unions to business partnerships. 

Fair warning:  I will not answer specific questions about your own relationships, as I do not comment extensively on individual charts on this blog.  I’m retired from chart consultations, except for my Dell Horoscope advice column. Feel free to write to me via  jsherbow@dellmagazines.net with specific personal questions, including full birth data.

Instead, I am happy to entertain more general questions like these:

  • If the 7th house is empty, does that mean I’ll never marry?
  • If Pluto is in the 7th house, is that good or bad?
  • If the ruler of the 7th house is in the 11th, will the mates be BFF?
  • How long does a Saturn transit to the 7th house last?

That sort of thing, phrased in 25 words or less.

There are, however, a number of general questions that are likely to show up no matter which house we discuss, so I wrote an article with questions and answers about houses in general. I may refer you to the answers in this post: Readers Ask: Basic Questions about the 12 Houses.  Thus, if you do leave a question, you may want to go and read that article so what I say in reply is clearer.

UPDATE:  Questions and answers about 7th house flew for several days before the window for asking them closed.  To view the exchanges and maybe find answers to your own questions on the 7th house, scroll down below this post to the comment section.

Readers Ask Series:  (Readers’ questions and my Answers are in the Comment Sections)

Relevant Articles on Relationships on Skywriter:

A sampler of Articles about Houses on Skywriter:

 (free astrology booklet by Donna CunninghamSee more articles on the 12 houses in the category Houses of the Horoscope.)

If this post was helpful, sign up for a subscription, and get a FREE EBOOKLET for Skywriter Subscribers Only: Mothers, Daughters, and the Moon, a 50-page excerpt from The Moon in your Life. Read more about it here: New: Free Booklet For Skywriter Subscribers!

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Posted in Houses of the Horoscope, RELATIONSHIP ASTROLOGY | Tags: , , , , , , ,

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Responses

  1. How would you interpret the ruler of the 7th being in the first? What if the ruler of the 7th is Venus (Taurus on the 7th) and is in the first, opposite Saturn in the 7th? Thanks!

    By: Daleth on May 23, 2010
    at 7:14 am

    • Hi, Daleth. Once again, I have to say I’m not answering questions about people’s personal charts, as it’s not fair to me or to other readers who would want to have their charts commented on.

      But I will answer the question about the ruler of the 7th being in the 1st. The 1st shows our facade or outer appearance that we present to the world, how we try to convince new acquaintances and people who aren’t close to us to like us.

      Thus, if the ruler of the 7th is there, we might take on a facade much influenced by our lovers or other partners and designed to please the partner. If we changed partnerships, our facade might shift to mesh with the new one better. Or we might present ourselves as super-agreeable and relationship-oriented, whether we really are or not.

      Details about how we presented ourselves, however, would depend on what planet ruled the 7th. It would be very different if it were Mercury than if it were Pluto. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 7:52 am

      • A good topic here might be going around the twelve houses and noting how their rulers being in certain houses behave. I know this is a major issue with me. Some I get easily (like Cancer’s influence), while others are a real struggle.

        By: Pat on May 24, 2010
        at 1:20 pm

      • Hi, Pat, it would be a good topic for someone, but not for me. I don’t do cookbook, too boring to write.

        There’s a site called, I think, astrofix.com, where she has a series that already has several articles tracing rulers like that. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
        at 3:17 pm

  2. I’ll bite.

    What if the ruler of the 7th is in the 12th conjunct Neptune? What would be a high and low expression of this placement?

    By: Katie on May 23, 2010
    at 7:25 am

    • A high use of the ruler of the 7th in the 12th house would be to be a counselor to people who suffer from chronic health or emotional problems or addictions.

      A low use of the combination would be to be addicted to cheating on a mate or to having secret affairs. (It’s the high of keeping it secret that adds to the excitement here and can make it an addiction.)

      Or, to be masochistic enough to stick with a partner who is chronically unfaithful…and maybe doesn’t practice safe sex.
      Unless you were the type to be cool with an open marriage. And unless the agreement with the partner included your right to have affairs of your own.

      The lowest of all uses would be for counselors to prey on their patients by having affairs with them.

      The ruler of the 7th in the 12th is much like having Venus there. Neptune, the 12th house, and Pisces are all related, and so having Neptune conjunct the 7th ruler in the 12th is like a double dose of it. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 7:59 am

      • Food for thought. Thanks!!

        By: Katie on May 23, 2010
        at 8:49 am

  3. Does Saturn in the 7th reflect constriction around relationships, or trouble? Would it make one more prone to form partnerships with someone older? Or a Capricorn? And does whatever planet that inhabits the 7th influence the type of person one would likely form partnerships with (Saturn: Capricorn, Pluto: Scorpio, Mars: Aries etc.)?

    By: Gracebound on May 23, 2010
    at 8:42 am

    • Gracebound, all of the above….the partner might be older, a serious or even somber Saturnian or Capricornian type. It’s possible the person might marry later, as in after the Saturn return. It’s a bit like a Venus-Saturn connection.

      Yes, the planet or planets placed in the 7th has a great deal to do with the type of person and even describe the kind of relationship it would be. A planet in the 7th is more powerful and descriptive than the sign on the cusp or its ruler. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:48 pm

      • Another thing about Saturn in the 7th is that it could result in a stable, long-lasting relationship. I have a Venus-Saturn aspect in my chart (an opposition) and didn’t marry until I was in my 30s, but my husband and I are still together.

        By: Margaret on May 24, 2010
        at 10:23 am

  4. Hi Donna, I noticed on your response on a question above you mentioned “It would be very different if it were Mercury than if it were Pluto.” and I was wondering if you could elaborate on Mercury in the 7th a little with the house in Gemini.

    By: cathie on May 23, 2010
    at 8:43 am

    • I don’t quite get what you’re asking, Cathie…Mercury in the 7th with Gemini. Mercury and Gemini are similar in influence. The partnership would be based on communication and most likely a shared sense of humor. The partner is likely to be smart and possibly younger. It’s possible there would be more than one marriage. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:44 pm

  5. Hi Donna,
    I’ve seen lots of commentary on outer planet aspects with Venus- and I’m wondering how multiple contacts might differ –

    My (empty) 7th house ruler is Venus, which is in the 9th. It squares Saturn, sextiles Uranus/Pluto, and trines Neptune. Is it really as simple as adding up all the individual descriptions, or is there a more delicate teasing of all these layers (?) of energy? – obviously the strength of the contact – square versus sextile – would come into play?

    Thanks,
    Kerrie

    PS – the article on cutting past life cords is so interesting. I stumbled onto this concept last year – never considered the possibility before, but, boy, did it resonate!

    By: Kerrie on May 23, 2010
    at 9:37 am

    • Kerrie, yes,with an empty 7th, you’d have to add up all the aspects to the ruler to get a full picture of the partnership potentials. It would make for a person with complex relationships that serve more than one purpose. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:50 pm

  6. How does the ruler of the second within 3 degrees of the 7th-house cusp work?

    By: Vivienne Grainger on May 23, 2010
    at 10:00 am

    • Vivienne, Read the article about general questions on the houses in general, a detailed explanation about what happens when a planet is near the cusp. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:53 pm

  7. What if the ruler av 7th is unaspected? (House ruler is Venus). Perhaps a nunnery?

    By: Natalie on May 23, 2010
    at 10:08 am

    • It would depend on whether there were planets IN the 7th, which would take precedence, and also you’d look at Venus and its aspects. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:54 pm

      • Empty 7th and ruler (in 11th) has no aspects at all. Bit of a limbo situation, I guess.
        Thanks Donna. Always such fascinating discussions after your articles!

        By: Natalie on May 23, 2010
        at 10:48 pm

  8. hi.
    how do these influence rel, if at all? I have a few guesses myself, but I’d better check 🙂

    -ruler of the 7th combust? (self-sufficient, nobody is “good enough” ever; so this person never even considers marriage; the ego overshadows the need for a relationship)

    -ruler of the 7th in the 11th and ruler of the 11th in the 7th (mutual reception by sign)? (being friends, but also marrying someone with similar interests or someone they work with or who’s… ok, I don’t know how to say it. I’m thinking that the 11th is the 2nd from the 10th)

    – ruler of the 7th conj or square heavy so called “afflicted” planets like Saturn or Pluto? (delayed/some sort of power game involved) or nice Venus? (easy, happy, etc)

    – what if the ruler of the 7th is the Sun and by being conj nice Venus, it means that Venus, ruler of relationships, is combust. which interpretation prevails?

    – ruler of the 7th conj SN? marriage is NOT the right path for this life?

    thank you in advance.

    cris

    By: Cris on May 23, 2010
    at 11:17 am

    • Chris, as I explained in the article itself, I don’t do individual charts any more, and that I will only answer one question at a time. That’s 4 complex ones, and I imagine they are about your own chart. Did anybody read the rules for this post? Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 12:56 pm

      • no, they’re not about my chart. they are however about other charts – different things that I find challenging to interpret (like the Mutual Reception between rulers or the combust of the ruler). I mixed them up a bit to get as much info as I could. I’m sorry I didn’t fully understand the rules.

        if I must choose just one – when the house ruler is combust, does that make any difference? does it even matter? nobody uses ‘combustion’ anymore so I’m not sure if they figured out it doesn’t “work” or it got lost along the way.
        my 7th ruler is not combust 😉

        By: Cris on May 23, 2010
        at 11:11 pm

      • I don’t work with combustion either, Chris. At least in astrology! In real life, though, I sometimes do. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
        at 3:11 am

  9. Donna, What about transits from the outer planets through the 7th? How would the Cardinal Grand Cross affect the 7th?

    By: MEL810 on May 23, 2010
    at 11:18 am

    • Hmm. Meloh, that’s not a question, it’s an article!!! Help!! I have scratches and scribbles for an article about how the 3 slow-moving planets might work together transiting the angles, but it’s an extremely complex situation we’ve got going here, with planets in several different houses at once.

      It would be a situation where there are conflicting demands from several areas of life in approximately the same time frame, so the person is pulled in several directions at once.

      The fact that one’s energy is diverted from the marriage or partnership by outside concerns, may well put a strain on the relationship. AND/OR the partner may be having some difficulties or exhibiting some behavior that drains the person’s capacity to handle the simultaneous demands in other areas of life.

      A question this complex can’t be handled in a written article or advice column, it needs a session with an experienced astrologer. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 1:03 pm

  10. Aloha Donna My question re the 7th House is would you please elaborate on why this house refers to partnerships and those we make agreements with, and also those who may become open enemies or people we have to compete with, or actively participate with in some way. Many thanks Meleanna

    By: Meleanna on May 23, 2010
    at 12:10 pm

    • Good question, Meleanna. The assignment of various areas of life to certain houses came about in very ancient times. No one knows who came up with them or how, but the longer I work with the houses, the more I have come to appreciate the wisdom that underlies these connections.

      I could track the various layers of meaning of the 9th for you quite ably, as that’s an important house for me, but my 7th, alas is empty and mysterious.

      To take a stab at it, an enemy…let’s say a sworn enemy for life….is as committed to being your enemy and as engaged in the relationship in a negative exchange of energy as a positive partner is in the positive exchange of energy.

      Likewise a competitor/rival is engaged deeply with you and wants not just to win the competition, but to beat YOU personally. A worthy adversary is admired and respected. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 1:15 pm

      • Great answer, Donna. It occurs to me that some married couples are quite strongly committed to being enemies!

        By: Margaret on May 24, 2010
        at 10:27 am

  11. Hi Donna, I liked your example of a question on your site. What does happen if the ruler of the 7th house is in the 11th? Are partners friends, or are friends seen more as partners?

    And to horn in on the 12th house question above, what if Neptune was conjunct the seventh house ruler in the 11th house? Would the low end of the chart predict that all partnerships would have a deceptive, or delusional quality? Or would the high end of this be more spiritual?
    Thank you, this is interesting 🙂

    By: Toni on May 23, 2010
    at 12:31 pm

    • HI, Toni, with the ruler of the 7th in the 11th (or vice versa, the ruler of the 11th in the 7th), the partner is often very much a best friend as well as a love. To give an example, Bruce Willis (whose chart is elsewhere on this site) has connections between the 7th and 11th, and he is still very good friends with his ex-wife Demi and her current husband.

      As for the other question, the whole point of understanding Neptune through the study of astrology is to become aware of the places we are using Neptune’s lower expressions and being destructive and deceptive of ourselves and others. Once aware, we can have a spiritual awakening and move toward the higher expressions. It’s not fixed in stone for all time.

      And, yes, we are fully capable of using both the lower and higher frequencies of a planet like Neptune in different areas of our lives (or, here, in different partnerships) at one and the same time. Neptune so easily morphs and shape-shifts from one to the other. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 1:20 pm

      • OMG, I’m so happy with this answer! By total coincidence the ruler of my 7th is in the 11th and this is the first and only positive love aspect I have in my natal chart. My Venus is very afflicted and it’s been very hard and painful. Thank you so much!

        By: Eme Kah on May 24, 2010
        at 5:08 pm

  12. Hi Donna,

    How would you interpret the ruler of the 7th being in the 9th house?

    Thanks!
    Lark

    By: Lark on May 23, 2010
    at 12:35 pm

    • The ruler of the 7th in the 9th can mean several things, all related to the many but inter-related meanings of the 9th:

      The partner might come from a foreign country.
      The partner is likely to be well-educated or be encountered while taking higher education courses.
      The partner may be a minister or spiritual teacher. Or the partnership teaches and uplifts.
      There may be a partnership based on jointly teaching, leading workshops or spiritual/religious teachings.
      And probably any number of other meanings related to the 9th house. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 1:51 pm

  13. Hey Donna:

    My question concerns the ruler of the 7th in the 4th house – would one have to feel “at home” with one’s partner? As the 4th is the house of endings – does having the 7th house ruler there predict the way 7th house relationships end?

    As always – thanks for your great work.

    Cheers

    By: temperance on May 23, 2010
    at 1:20 pm

    • Hi, Temperance. The ruler of the 4th in the 7th seems like a good thing (always depending, of course, on what that planet is and how it’s aspected.) It’s an instant and natural sense of family in the partnership, like feeling that the person you are looking at as a potential partner fits right into the family of origin. (Of course, that could be either a good or a bad thing, depending on whether the family of origin was relatively happy and stable or not.)

      As for the 2nd question, I don’t think so, not in the birth chart. But it might predict the ending in a horary or wedding chart. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 2:00 pm

      • Hi Donna, the asker asked about the ruler of the 7th in the 4th house, but you answered the ruler of the 4th in the 7th house, is there a difference?
        You mentioned that it depends on the planet and what aspects it makes, if Virgo is in the 7th house for example and its ruler Mercury (or Chiron?) has only negative aspects to malefics (mars, saturn, uranus) does it mean bad things too?

        How about an empty 7th house but the South node is inside?

        By: Heidi on May 23, 2010
        at 10:05 pm

      • One question to a customer. Let’s do the south node. The South Node/North Node axis involves a pair of houses that are intrinsically related to one another, polar opposites.

        To me, the North Node is a new pattern that you are setting by concentrated efforts in this lifetime. The South node, on the other hand, is the path of least resistance, something much emphasized in past lives, and so it’s easy to keep doing and overdoing that house at the expense of self-development. Worst case, it can lead you down a slippery slope of self-destructive behavior.

        Thus, the person with the North Node in the 1st, South Node in the 7th, needs to focus on developing initiative and self-reliance, looking out for their own needs and best interests, rather than always putting the partner first or relying on the partnership rather than doing it themselves.

        The opposite placement (South Node in the first, North in 7th) means the person is challenged to learn how to be in partnership rather than placing their own needs first. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
        at 3:02 am

  14. Hi Donna! Having the ruler of the 12th house in the 7th means that the person will need to hide his partner and too, she will know her enemies?
    Tks! 🙂

    By: Rosario on May 23, 2010
    at 1:31 pm

    • Not sure about that, Rosario, but if the ruler of the 12th is a difficult planet–Pluto, Neptune, or Saturn, for instance–and is badly aspected, then it might mean that the partner could become an enemy….nasty divorce scenario, for instance, or an unfortunate choice of a business partner. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 2:02 pm

  15. What effect does Uranus have when placed in the 7th house? I have often read it means commitment phobia, but that seems too general. Thanks!

    By: MTH on May 23, 2010
    at 2:13 pm

    • Too general, indeed, MTH!! It’s a very complex matter, similar to a Venus-Uranus aspect (see some articles on Venus-Uranus aspects under the category “Relationship Astrology” along the right hand side of the blog.)

      Where Uranus is placed in our charts, we seek to discover our own unique identity, freedom, and individuality, so we have difficulty in conforming to the traditional patterns. Thus we tend in that area of life to go through a series of experiences in which we test out possibilities to see what circumstances allow us to keep growing into being truly ourselves.

      To traditional people that can look like a fear of commitment or even a certain instability in which we cannot settle down. If it were the 10th, for instance, we might go through many career changes.

      In the 7th, it CAN mean a series of broken relationships, UNLESS we are so fortunate to hook up with a partner who shares our commitment to developing our uniqueness and special abilities to the fullest and who allows us freedom to come and go in our quest for who we are without feeling threatened by it. It works best with a partner who is a strongly Uranian type as well. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 2:42 pm

  16. I’m interested in your thoughts on Chiron in 7th and apparent attraction to wounded healers (and vice versa) …

    By: Sara on May 23, 2010
    at 2:15 pm

  17. Hi Donna
    I have Chiron at 16 degrees sagittarius on my descendant and Jupiter in the 9th in Pisces. Ive been through my chiron return. Is a committed and healthy relationship a possibility? Ever?

    By: Kate on May 23, 2010
    at 2:40 pm

    • Hi, Sara & Kate. I’ve never been big on Chiron. Someone who writes extensively about Chiron is my long-time friend and now blogging buddy, Joyce Mason. See her site, The Radical Virgo, listed on the blogroll.

      Despite my reluctance to take on a study of asteroids, I am embarassed to say that when transiting Chiron crossed my Descendant and into the 7th, there was a very literal Chironic episode in my love life.

      I joined an online dating service for people over 60. (I thought, what the hell, let me give it another shot before I croak.) Anyway, I met a local fellow that way who seemed quite nice, and when we got to the place of going to see each other in person for the first time, he said, “Did I mention that I have post-polio syndrome and am on crutches?” So he was quite literally lame.

      We saw each other for a while, while Chiron was doing its thing, but eventually concluded that though we liked each other well enough, there wasn’t any particular chemistry between us and not a darned thing in common. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 2:52 pm

    • Thanks Donna, I get what you are saying…very true.
      Kate

      By: Kate on May 23, 2010
      at 3:46 pm

  18. Stelliums in the 7th- what does this say about a person’s approach to relationships and the sort of person they form long-term partnerships with? How about if most of the planets are outer planets, or if most of them are personal, inner planets?

    By: Dizzy on May 23, 2010
    at 2:43 pm

    • A stellium in the 7th makes for very complex relationships, and it’s hard to get all one’s needs met in one relationship. In some cases, it signifies multiple marriages with very different kinds of partners.

      The more the stellium incudes the outer planets, the more necessary it is to find partners who are exceptional, not plain old ordinary folks, and to realize that the partner’s life agenda goes far beyond a one-on-one relationship and most likely shows a commitment to making a difference to the collective.

      There is a series of articles about stelliums on this blog that you might find informative. The first article is something like “The Incredible Vulnerability a Stellium Creates.” I think this article has a link to it. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 2:58 pm

  19. I have always heard that Mars in the 7th is one of the worst possible planets to be in that house (that is the traditional reading, I have also read more contemporary charitable interpretations). What do you think?

    Oh, sorry to ask two questions, but I have also wondered about Sun in the 7th, would that mean that your identify would be very wrapped in a partnership?

    (Sidenote: I love you Donna, your book on moon signs I have held onto forever, it is falling apart with use. I just discovered your blog, and you are better than ever, really, the best of the best astrologers out there).

    By: Christine on May 23, 2010
    at 3:16 pm

    • I would rather have Mars in the 7th–a nice feisty Mars/Aries person–than some of the outer planets. That must have been from back in the day when the tiny telescope lenses couldn’t see past Saturn.

      And, yes, the Sun in the 7th would have much of their identity and self-worth wrapped up in their partner or in the success or failure of their marriage. And maybe not ” find” themselves until they were solidly partnered. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 23, 2010
      at 6:10 pm

  20. How about the ruler of the 1st in the 7th with a stellium in the 7th?

    By: Dianne on May 23, 2010
    at 4:19 pm

  21. what effect do the transits of saturn have on the 7th house relationships? if saturn is in the 7th house this would coincide with saturn returns and would that give a different flavor to the return?

    By: maryjane on May 23, 2010
    at 7:28 pm

    • In general, Saturn transits of the 7th or to Venus challenge you to grow up and be responsible in your relationships, set and respect boundaries, and so on. Partners of one sort or another may be having personal difficulties such that they now need you to step up and take a greater share of the joint responsibilities. It is also not uncommon for people to settle down and make a commitment during this transit.

      In the list of links, there is one about an interview with Saturn as it transits the 7th. There are a variety of articles on Skywriter about Saturn in Libra and about boundaries, so use the search engine and read them for more details.

      Keep in mind that Saturn will be transiting Libra, the sign of relationships, so to have a Saturn return in the house AND sign of relationships is like a double dose. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 2:25 am

  22. Ah the 7th house! I have a 7th house stelium in Virgo (Venus, Sun, Uranus and Pluto) squared my moon in Sagittarius (10th). It has been a puzzle to me, one that I am still trying to figure out. Any thoughts?

    By: Caroline on May 23, 2010
    at 7:32 pm

    • You are one of a generation born in the 1960s with stelliums in Virgo. When Venus OR the 7th is involved with both Uranus and Pluto, these are conflicting urges where love and commitment are concerned, a push-pull between remaining free and being possessively or obsessively joined at the hip. Then throw in the Venus in Virgo insistance on monogamy as a non-negociable condition for relationships, just to make the picture more thorny.

      How do you resolve a thing like that?? Thankfully, it’s not something I’ve ever had to sort out personally, but you might see what an astrologer of your generation has to offer in the way of wisdom!

      See the series on stelliums linked in the article, and also my response to Dizzy earlier about outer planets as part of a 7th house stellium. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 2:32 am

  23. I’m interested in how the 7th and 8th (and to some degree, 5th house) relate to love, sex and marriage/partnership. In my 35+ years hobby of astrology I’ve gotten to think of the 7th as the more legalistic, structural parts of marriage, and the 8th as the deeper, emotional bond. If that is so, what does the ruler of the 7th IN the 8th say to you? (as an aside – the 8th is sometimes referred to as the house ruling sex, but that feels like it could also live in the 5th house).

    By: dianescholten on May 23, 2010
    at 7:47 pm

    • The 5th, 7th, and 8th are different elements or stages of a relationship.

      The 5th is the romance or courtship phase. If the 5th house is emphasized by planets, then the person tends to be a perpetual romantic and continues to need to be wooed and courted or they feel deprived. Depending on the planets, signs, and aspects, they may seek to fulfill their need for romance (and feeling special) in a variety of ways, such as a platonic romance or flirtation.

      The 7th is the settling down and committing phase, whatever that may look like for the pair, and if that is the house that is emphasized and there is a breech of the agreement, this can be a very serious problem for the person who has that emphasis. What they do about the breech depends on the planets, signs, and aspects.

      The 8th is the passion part of a relationship, and if it is emphasized, the person can feel very deprived and unfulfilled when the passion goes out of the relationship. What they do about the deprivation–e.g. whether they might look elsewhere–depends on the planets, signs, and aspects. The 8th is also the joint resources and financial arrangements, which you can read about in my recent series on money. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 2:50 am

  24. What effect does a 7th house sun-mars conjunction squaring a 4th house pluto have on relationships? I’ve heard it’s all Fight Club and no love from other books.

    By: Shakti on May 23, 2010
    at 8:11 pm

    • That’s too much from a personal chart. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 2:57 am

  25. what would you say, if Venus is unaspected in Scorpio?

    By: irina on May 23, 2010
    at 10:29 pm

    • Irina, an unaspected planet is left on its own a good bit, as it doesn’t get much help from aspects to other planets. Thus it has to work harder for fulfillment. However, since Venus can be quite passionate and intense in Scorpio, perhaps the very intensity of the desire for connection can overcome any obstacles. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 3:16 am

  26. What happens when the unaspected ruler of the 7th house gets hit by transits from outer planets or important progressions? Can the horoscope owner expect any radical change in their relationships?

    By: tatiana.larina on May 24, 2010
    at 12:55 am

    • Not as much so as if there were similar transits to the 7th itself, or to planets in the 7th or to Venus. Those are much more potent and eventful. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 2:56 am

      • I’ve seen SU to VE and VE to SU by secondary progression bring in the “love of one’s life” on several occasions. Of course, it helps if other transits and progressions support this.

        By: Pat on May 24, 2010
        at 1:44 pm

  27. Following up on the Mars in the seventh house, you say you’d rather that than one of the outer planets. What does Pluto is in the seventh house look like?

    By: Toni on May 24, 2010
    at 1:29 am

    • Toni and others who wrote about Pluto in the 7th. As I wrote a whole book about Pluto (Healing Pluto Problems), it’s so very hard for me to summarize it.

      Many times, especially if it’s near the Descendant, Pluto in the 7th can mean a mate who has big trust issues and has a hard time letting people in. When there is a finally a relationship, it then assumes a huge importance,because the mate no longer feels alone in the world. Thus jealousy, suspicion, possessiveness, and control issues can enter in.

      I wish I could write wonderfully glowing positive interpretations about how transformative and healing the relationship can be, but if so, they haven’t made their way to my consultation room.

      Some difficult Scorpio placements in the 7th are similar, let’s say Saturn, Mars, or Neptune in that sign, but possibly not so much the inner planets like Venus, Jupiter, or mercury. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 6:35 pm

  28. Does the 7th house carry issues unresolved from parental relationships?

    By: Jenny Bowler on May 24, 2010
    at 3:55 am

    • Hi, Jenny, what a good question! You’re making me think. The holdover from parental relationships seems like a nearly universal part of our psyches, doesn’t it? I mean, how many times have you seen a man marry someone like his mother, or a woman marry someone like her dad?

      And yet, working with astro-logic, the parents aren’t clearly related to the 7th unless the ruler of the 10th or 4th is placed in the 7th. I think perhaps it has to do with our concepts about the roles of men and women as they relate to home, marriage, and family and how our parents were as role models. The Moon would be the female role model here (not Venus, as that’s more related to the courtship and attraction) and the Sun and perhaps Saturn would be the father. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 7:43 am

  29. I’m curious at to what we can expect with Uranus and Jupiter transits to those of us with Venus in the 7th (Aries).

    By: Terri on May 24, 2010
    at 5:08 am

  30. Donna thankyou for your work, it’s always marvellously thought stirring. Can I ask you a kinda similar question about Pluto on desc. Your thoughts on how one might work best with that one?

    By: Lynne on May 24, 2010
    at 5:46 am

    • Pluto on the Descendant is a powerful position. See the interpretation earlier in the comment section. There are also some articles on Pluto and relationships or the similar Venus-Pluto aspects on this blog in the category “Relationship Astrology”. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 8:10 am

  31. Dear Donna,

    I was told that the 7th rules the 1st marriages but that the 2nd would be a matter belonging to the 9th.
    How do you see this ?

    By: Syd on May 24, 2010
    at 6:26 am

    • HI, Syd, you’re talking about a system based on what are called derived houses. They come up with all sorts of relationships and events by spinning the natal wheel in various direction…not just a series of mates, but mother in laws, your husband’s ex-wife, grandchildren, and you name it. I don’t work with it, as I find the natal chart still describes all our mates and marriages just fine, especially when you bring in the transting planets. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 7:46 am

      • Glad to hear you say that Donna as trying to do derivited houses can make my head spin.
        I can clearly see what lead up to my second marriage from a Uranus transit. And looking at my chart everything fits my marriage as my chart is.

        By: Susie on May 24, 2010
        at 10:25 am

      • My head is spinning as I am not sure derivited is actually a word. 🙂 Should have looked that one up before sending.

        By: Susie on May 24, 2010
        at 5:30 pm

  32. My comment is that the sign on the cusp of the 7th might show how we think marriage should be. We will see marriage from the standpoint of that sign.

    By: Susie on May 24, 2010
    at 7:31 am

    • Yes, I agree, and thus we tend to behave in such a way that we shape and experience our relationships to fit that model and our expectations. Power of manifestation. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 7:47 am

  33. It seems that much of what I have read about planets in the 7th house describes the expression of these planets as dependent or projected upon the partner. This seems particularly the case with the Sun, Moon, and Mars.

    How do you think the 7th house placement affects these planets’ expression?

    By: Mari on May 24, 2010
    at 9:49 am

    • As I see it, the house placement of a planet consumes the greatest part of a planet’s focus and energy, though the energy is also pulled in the direction of other planets it aspects. When it’s placed in the 7th, then yes, relatedness is a major focus of energy. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 10:37 am

  34. In reference to the previous answer, does this mean sun moon mercury in the 7th ( gemini stellium)would seek relationships in which communication is all important?

    By: maryjane on May 24, 2010
    at 11:26 am

  35. Hi Donna,

    Is the 7th house a blind spot we have for assets of our own personality? And is it possible to own it’s planets/ruler without partnering up with someone?

    By: Maaike on May 24, 2010
    at 1:51 pm

    • No doubt it is possible, Maaike, but it would take conscious and consistent self-monitoring. It might be similar to a missing element or missing mode (cardinal, fixed, mutable) where the person may overcompensate but by consistent awareness. (I have that sort of thing with earth, where the only planet in that element is Neptune. I manage to stay grounded, but only through hard work.)

      The other thing I would say is that I have always believed our charts are perfect, just the way they are. They contain all the features we need for our development in this lifetime, and if something is missing in one place and there’s a strong emphasis in another, it’s because we’ve chosen a chart with what we need. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 3:22 pm

  36. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this (and the comments!). I say you could write a book just on the 7th house (you could call it, “Seventh Heaven and/or Hell.”)

    From reading all the comments, I see a trend in the same confusion I have regarding the ruler of a particular house being present in one of the other houses. It might be fun to just look at the ruler of the seventh house through the other houses.

    By: Pat on May 24, 2010
    at 1:52 pm

    • Fun for you, maybe, but not for me. I have a whole notebook full of much more interesting article ideas waiting to be written. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 6:51 pm

  37. Donna, what are your thoughts or comments about the 7th House having a significant place in the chart from another perspective:

    Transiting planets, especially slower moving ones, can spend quite a bit of time in the 1st through 6th houses, the houses below our horizon (Asc-Dsc axis). The theory I’ve come across before is that when a transiting planet first crosses and rises above the horizon, which would be the Descendant and the 7th house, we’re finally going to be noticed or “visible” in the world (in a manner described by the transiting planet and the house it rules, aspects, etc.). Yet also, the 7th sometimes indicates where others especially have more “control”, or where we need to work with others more than ourselves.

    To some extent this would apply to all of the houses above the horizon, but the Descendant and the 7th seem to be emphasized. This seems a bit confusing to me, so I was wondering if you had any light to shed on that.

    Thank you.

    By: VirgoRising on May 24, 2010
    at 1:55 pm

    • Interesting theory, but I don’t resonate with it. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 3:24 pm

  38. Donna – I wanted to thank you for all your comments – as a reader via email I’m starting to realize how much I’m missing!

    By: Caroline on May 24, 2010
    at 5:20 pm

    • Hi, Caroline, I love the discussions we often get into in the comment section. We often get several excellent real-life examples of the chart feature we’re discussing.

      One way for email subscribers to not miss out on that sort of comment exchange is to go to the front page of the blog and scroll down the various articles. The number at the end of the 1st paragraph tells you how many comments there are. The more comments, the more lively the discussion tends to be. Donna

      By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
      at 6:57 pm

      • Hi, Folks, thanks for all your comments and questions. I’ve enjoyed sharing what I know about the 7th house, but I’m going to close off the questions on this post so I can go on to the next topic. Rest assured there wil be another Q & A post on another house soon. Donna

        By: Donna Cunningham on May 24, 2010
        at 6:59 pm


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