12th House

The final house of the zodiac is the most transformative, yet its energy is also the most challenging to understand. After humanity completes its journey through the first eleven houses, experiencing a fully human state with great scientific and social achievements, the next stage remains unknown—a gateway to a different state of being. The twelfth house represents spirituality, mysticism, dreams, dimensions beyond our understanding, and where we go when we leave these bodies behind. Mastering its energies requires knowledge beyond what our individual lives can fully handle. This is why individuals with strong twelfth houses may seem like they are not fully present in this realm.

Dealing with the energies of the twelfth house becomes extremely challenging when celestial bodies within its realm are afflicted in a natal chart. Having the Sun or Moon within the twelfth and in opposition or square to Saturn, or Pluto in particular, can sometimes lead to mental health challenges, a tendency to turn to drugs and alcohol as a form of escape, or a general refusal to live in reality. Transits through this house, even without possessing the major luminaries within, can create generally challenging, confusing, and bizarre experiences. The only way to handle the energies of this house is to release the ego's desire to control and to ride the wave, trusting that there is a higher purpose for what is happening.

Indulging in mind-altering substances and letting go of reality is the worst thing one can do when the twelfth house is involved, as it will only exacerbate the situation. While it might be more tempting than usual, it would be a big mistake to escape in this manner.

Despite the challenging reputation of this house, some of the greatest experiences and most profound realizations come from its influence if one can stop to listen rather than try to control. The twelfth house offers great understanding about life, the nature of humanity, psychology, spirituality, and creativity. To access these wonderful qualities, one needs to sit and listen to the messages it sends rather than force one's will upon its teachings, which would be a losing proposition. Meditation, keeping a dream journal, and spending time in nature are great ways to connect to this energy in a healthy way.

If you are going through a challenging transit to your twelfth house, now is a great time to recognize and understand that only so much rain can fall at the same time. Your suffering is temporary and part of your evolutionary process, as hard as it may be to see. You will emerge from the storm eroded, softer, more perceptive, less willful, and far wiser.