the Eighth House in astrology

Welcome to the house where many astrologers fear to tread. The Eighth. Much misunderstood, the eighth house rules transformations, relationships where sex is important, death, rebirth, fears, taboos, power, legacies and shared assets and resources (money your partner has or money and assets you share with others). The eighth house is associated with Scorpio and is ruled by Pluto and it is because of this association with very deep and often difficult topics that Scorpios attract much unjustified flack. Understanding the power of the eighth house however enables us to make huge progress in our soul growth as it holds the key to transforming ourselves.

Many people with planets in the eighth house or with a well-aspected Pluto (the ruler of the eighth) will have the innate ability to not only transform their own lives but those of others. Today’s astrologers understand that the eighth house can convey deep empathic abilities – people with strong eighth house planets can be extremely sensitive to energy fields around others to the point they can experience their emotions and pain. The eighth house can therefore convey strong psychic ability.

Because the eighth house rules fears and taboos, eighth house people may be drawn to professions where they are required to delve deep into areas that would unsettle many of us. Criminal profilers, CSI, detectives, psychiatrists, undertakers and even doctors are all 8th house professionals and a strong 8th house allows them to enter the ‘underworld’ if you like without being fearful or overwhelmed by it.

Many people with a well-aspected 8th will benefit from the resources of others. The 8th rules legacies and also the resources of others you may have at your disposal. Tied up with this is another 8th house issue – power. How you use your power or the power others may have over you – especially when tied to resources, all come under the eighth house. An example of this would be someone who marries a rich partner (the 8th rules our partner’s assets), only to discover that the partner uses his or her money to control and manipulate – a situation known as the ‘golden handcuffs’. And yes, the 8th rules those as well (even the fluffy ones!) as it rules relationships where sex is important and all the variations therein. This is distinct from the 5th house which rules love affairs and attraction and the 7th house which rules marriage and partnerships.

The 8th rules endings and death (the ultimate transformation) and it is usually because of this association that many people find the 8th house so confronting.  But learning to accept that all things must end or die eventually is the key message behind the 8th.

The magic of the 8th house for all of us lies in its message of transformation. It’s the house of alchemy. Through the experiences of the 8th we come to understand ourselves and how we act when confronted with the deep side of life which in turn leads to a better understanding of others. The original symbol for Scorpio was the phoenix – the mythical golden bird reborn from the ashes. It is a far better symbol for Scorpio and indeed for the 8th house as it carries the promise of rebirth and transformation. When we share a deep experience with another we are transformed and we rise from it like the phoenix. Growing spiritually and gaining a deeper insight into the soul-workings of others are the true gifts of the 8th house.

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