The first house is known as the house of the self, our appearance, and our personality.
I am not going to lie, I have put a lot of thought into the material I am bringing to you in this article. It took me a little time and a lot of thinking to come up with my approach to writing about a part of us that can be a little sensitive to some.
Astrology Basics
The first house is in the area of the chart that represents where the sun rises in the east at the time of your birth. This is why when you have an astrology reading, it helps to have your birth time to accurately calculate your ascendant or rising sign (rising as in the rising sun). This is the point of the chart that represents your identity.
No matter what zodiacal sign is in your first house, the first house is traditionally the house of Aries and its ruling planet Mars. Aries is the cardinal fire sign known for its confidence and actively getting things done attitude, and Mars is the planet of initiative, physical energy, and the ego that propels itself into the future. This means that within your ascendant you will have both the energy of Aries and Mars combined with the energy of your ascendant. You could also be affected by other planets in your first house, but that's a chat for another day!
For example, if your ascendant is in Cancer and the ruling planet (even though it’s not a planet) is the moon, you will experience the energies of Cancer—loving and nurturing, the Moon--intuition, as well as the energies of Aries, and Mars in your personality. What does this mean? Everyone has the intention and the drive (Aries/Mars) to be seen in a particular way (Ascendant). To add to the example, someone with a Cancer rising want to be seen as a caring and nurturing person or wants to be valued as such.
The ascendant is part of what we call the big three. The Sun--your astrological sign--who you show to the world; the Moon—who you truly are on the inside; and the Ascendant—how people see you.
Suggestions for Energy Healing & Self-Care
We all care about our appearance and how the world sees us to some degree. Are there some areas of life where you put too little or too much emphasis on your appearance or how the world perceives you? In a perfect world, how do you want to be seen? Are you accepting of yourself? In this age of social media and selfies, are you projecting an image of yourself that if you were someone else looking at your feed or story, would you want to get to know yourself? Lots to unpack there!
Healing Journal Prompts
Chakra Work
The chakra that I recommend we work with in this house cycle is the Solar Plexus chakra. This is the chakra of the self, the ego, the self-esteem, and our personal power.
In my Reiki training courses, I teach that the Solar Plexus chakra is where our motivation lies. It is where our power is located and the seat of our vitality.
This chakra can become affected by internal thoughts and beliefs but also by the outside world because of its ability to receive and interpret information from the outside world. This is the internal feeling or reaction we get when our Solar Plexus perceives and interprets the energy of a room we just walked into. This is where the term “gut instincts” comes from.
Negative self-talk affects our self-esteem which will hinder the flow of vital life force energy through this chakra. This is another reason why I promote the healthy practice of journaling because if we can see our negative self-talk on paper, it helps us to see ourselves more clearly. Remember that the cells in your body respond to your thoughts, and continuous negative self-talk ultimately has an effect your overall health.
Crystals for Healing
Crystal Descriptions Quoted from Love is in the Earth – A Kaleidoscope of Crystals Update by Melody, Twenty-Second Printing 2008
Fire Agate
“This stone is known to encourage one to be the “best” possible.”And isn’t that an attribute of Aries—the desire to be the best? “Its energy provides an impetus to actions and stimulates both progression and advancement. It also provides the energy for initiating introspection and inspiration.”
Aventurine
“Aventurine provides for balancing of the male/female energies, enhancing ones creativity, supplementing motivation in activities, and augmenting the ‘pioneering’ spirit.”Pioneering, another Aries trait. “It also reinforces ones decisiveness, amplifies ones leadership qualities, and is a willing participant in instinctive action.”All Aries traits.
Hematite
“Although this stone enhances mental capability, it provides for a calming atmosphere concurrently, and, in addition, encourages one to ‘reach for the sun’. It helps one to realize that the only limitations which exist are those self-limiting concepts within the mind.”
This is an excellent stone to use during meditative practice at the feet or Root chakra because of its balancing abilities and its ability to maintain the meditator grounded to the earth while going within.
Another Crystal Suggestion for the Solar Plexus chakra:
Yellow, Honey, and Orange Calcite
“Placing calcite, of the appropriate chakra color, upon the chakra, has not only cleared and activated that chakra, but has provided a “sweeping” action which cleared the remaining centers.”
I love using yellow, honey, and orange calcite on the Solar Plexus chakra. We receive and filter so much information from the outside world through our Solar Plexus Chakra, and because this is where our gut brain is located, I find that many of my clients suffer from digestive issues. This prompted me to create and use a special Reiki technique for all of my clients.
This technique helps my client to eliminate toxins by promoting movement in the intestines so that they may purge energies through their daily process of elimination. These energies can otherwise slow the digestive process.