A question I’m often asked is: who feels what in a house overlay in synastry?
Meaning: if my Sun is in your 7th house, for example, who feels the energy most? Does the planet person feel the connection more, or is it the house person who feels it most? Keep reading to find out!
How does the house person feel?
Each of the 12 astrological houses represent different areas of your life, and how you approach these areas of our life. The way you approach each area of your life will take on a different tone, depending on the sign on the cusp.
For example, someone with Capricorn on the cusp of the 2nd house may have a responsible and mature attitude towards money; in other words, they spend money like a Capricorn. Someone with Sagittarius on the cusp of the 7th house may have more of a carefree attitude towards relationships; they approach relationships like a Sagittarius. Someone with Cancer on the cusp of the 3rd house may be defensive and emotional in their communication.
(Of course, your attitudes and approaches to the areas represented by these houses are influenced by planets falling in these houses, as well as house rulers.)
When someone’s planet falls in one of your houses, they bring the energy of that planet into the area of your life. It is as though you are going through a transit of your partner’s planet to your house when you are with them.
If someone’s planets fall into your:
- 1st house: the planet person impacts your personality, identity, and self-expression. 1st house overlays bring attraction, and you likely feel ‘seen’ by the planet person.
- 2nd house: the planet person influences your attitude towards money, self worth, and values. This overlay relates to security and possessiveness in the relationship.
- 3rd house: the planet person impacts intellectual interests, learning, and communication. 3rd house overlays generally suggest shared intellectual interests and mental connection.
- 4th house: the planet person influences your home, family and roots. This overlay can indicate deep emotional bonds, security, and nurturing.
- 5th house: the planet person influences your attitude towards fun, romance, dating, creativity and children. This overlay invokes feelings of joy and passion, as well as fun and creativity.
- 6th house: the planet person influences your health, work, and daily routines. This overlay suggests responsibility, support, and improvement within the partnership.
- 7th house: the planet person impacts partnership, sharing and cooperation. This overlay indicates a strong connection based on balance and collaboration.
- 8th house: the planet person impacts intimacy, transformation, and shared resources. 8th house overlays point to deep emotional and transformational bonds, intimacy, as well as power struggles.
- 9th house: the planet person impacts your beliefs, philosophy, and higher education. This overlay points to a sense of adventure and exploration.
- 10th house: the planet person impacts career, public image, and ambition. This overlay points to achieving success and public recognition together.
- 11th house: the planet person influences your friends, groups/clubs, and long-term goals. This overlay points to shared interests, groups and community.
- 12th house: the planet person influences your realm of dreams, spirituality and isolation. This overlay indicates a deep emotional and spiritual connection.
Here are a few examples:
If your Venus is in my 4th house, you bring beauty and peace (Venus) to my home and family life (4th house). You might help me redecorate my home to make my space more visually appealing. You might help me repair broken relationships with family members. I find myself wanting to spend more time at home because of the love you bring into this area of my life. The Venus person is comfortable being at home with you.
If your Mars is in my 8th house, you bring your energy and drive (Mars) to my realm of sex, intimacy and death (8th house). You bring out an intense side of me, and I may have strong feelings of attraction (or even repulsion) towards you. I can feel the heaviness of our interactions and cannot help but feel very curious about you. I may even feel a strong sexual attraction to you, and may feel out of control when we are together.
If your Saturn is in my 1st house, you bring structure (Saturn) to the way I present myself outwardly (1st house). I may feel repressed or self-conscious in your presence. Around you, I present myself in a more mature, austere and responsible manner. In some ways, I might feel that I cannot be fully ‘myself’ around you, for I fear your disapproval.
You might assume the house person is the one who feels the energy most of all. It makes sense, given that the house person’s house is being illuminated by the planet person’s energy, but I do not believe this is entirely true.
How does the planet person feel?
The energy of the planet will ‘play out’ in your partner’s house, either consciously or subconsciously. The planet person feels drawn to the qualities represented by their partner’s house. This is because their planet feels ‘at home’ in this part of your life.
Each planet expresses a different energy, as described below:
- The Sun illuminates the house is touches in another person’s chart. The Sun person feels they can ‘be themselves’ with the house person in the area represented by that house.
- The Moon represents emotions, family and home. It also points to where the couple may experience the most ups and downs in their relationship. The Moon person generally brings emotional support and nurturing to the house person in the area the house represents.
- Mercury represents communication, ideas, and short-term travel. The Mercury person will like to talk to the house person about subjects connected to that house
- Venus represents partnership, harmony, beauty and style. The Venus person expresses love, beauty and cooperation in the house it occupies in synastry
- Mars represents action, drive, and sexual energy. The Mars person brings energy, drive and conflict to the house it occupies in synastry
- Jupiter represents luck, abundance, and faith. The Jupiter person brings positivity and gifts to the house it occupies in synastry
- Saturn represents responsibility, stability, and maturity. The Saturn person brings a somber, ‘grown-up’, critical energy to the house it occupies in synastry
- Uranus represents revolution, rebellion and instability. The Uranus person brings an unpredictable, exciting energy to the house it occupies in synastry
- Neptune represents dreams, spirituality and illusions. The Neptune person brings a dreamy, impractical, and perhaps confusing energy to the house it occupies in synastry
- Pluto represents transformation, death and rebirth. The Pluto person brings intensity, control and power struggles to the house it represents in synastry
For example, if my Sun falls in your 2nd house, your attitudes towards finances(2nd house) jives with my core personality (Sun). I show my personality most brilliantly when we are talking about money or finances, and may even take an active interest in how you manage your money. I feel like I can ‘be myself’ with you when we are discussing financial matters.
If my Moon falls in your 7th house, your approach to partnership and relationships is in line with my emotional nature. In this relationship, I want to share my feelings with you. I feel safe to share my feelings about my family and past with you. I also highly admire the way you relate to others and your charm.
If my Venus is in your 4th house, I express my love for you by creating a beautiful and loving home for you. I want to help you create harmony in your home and family life. This is the area I feel most compelled to show my love to you. I admire the way you approach home and family life, and likely get along with your family. You provide me a safe and nurturing space to express my love and affection.
If my Saturn is in your 1st house, I find the way you express and present yourself (1st house) triggers my insecurities and fears. Regardless, I feel a strong bond and responsibility towards you.
How is the planet aspected in natal and synastry?
If the planet person’s planet is negatively aspected in their own natal chart or in synastry, these issues will ‘play out’ in the house it overlays in another person’s chart. This is why seemingly ‘good’ house overlays can play out negatively between the couple.
For example, my ex had his Moon is my 7th house. He was very sensitive to my feelings and moods, and liked sharing his feelings with me. However, his natal Moon is opposite his Saturn and Uranus, so my relationship with him was full of insecurity and unpredictability, which mostly came from his side.
How the planet is aspected in synastry is also very important. If your Venus is in my 5th house, you bring fun and pleasure into my life. However, if my Saturn is square your Venus, you might see me as a wet blanket; you want to have fun with me, but you may find me boring or stuffy.
In House Synastry, who feels it more?
Both people feel the impact of a house overlay, but in different ways. The house person feels the effects of the planet person illuminating the area of their life. The planet person, however, feels the effects they bring out of the house person. For example, if your Mercury is in my 8th house, you will like to talk to me about deep matters. In turn, when I want to talk about deep matters, I go to you.
The impact also largely depends on how the planet is aspected in synastry, so make sure to assess aspects thoroughly.
For this reason, when it comes to relationships and marriage, having 4th, 5th and 7th house overlays are known for being very positive and mutually beneficial. If your Venus is in my 7th house, your planet of love and affection is ‘at home’ in my house of partnerships and marriage. You identify with the way I relate to others and feel comfortable in a partnership with me. As the house person, I feel attracted to, and enjoy spending time with you.
Who do you think feels it more in a house overlay? Share your experiences below.
Click here to read Juno in Synastry
Looking for more information on love? Click here for: How to know if he or she is “the One”
Be sure to also check out The Synastry of Physical Attraction