We tend to live blissfully unaware of the energies, fears, and beliefs that reside in our 12th house. However, when we have planets transiting the 12th house of our natal chart, we start to take notice. Major changes begin to brew when a planet enters your 12th house, so it’s time to start paying attention!
To set the stage, the 12th house is like having a spare room in your physical home. Perhaps you use the room as extra storage, but rarely enter. You walk in once in a while to place a box in there, then close the door after you. You do not spend enough time there to need to turn the lights. And do you really need to clean or dust a room you don’t use? Yet, this dusty environment can be equated to your mind in a 12th house transit. It’s a space where unfinished projects and fragmented beliefs now demand to be addressed.
In this article, we’ll walk through 12th house transits featuring the personal planets in Astrology. (i.e. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars). As well, we’ll cover the social planets and the transpersonal planets. (Jupiter and Saturn; Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, respectively).
The vibe of the 12th house and themes are further described in this Transits to the 12th House post. You will want to take a read especially if you have longer-term transits happening. Also, keep in mind that the following transits are simply broken down by each planet in the 12th house. You should look to the ruling sign for the house for additional nuance. Lastly, for anyone experiencing transits to natal 12th house planets, this post can provide some clarity, as well.
Personal Planets Transiting the 12th House
Sun
This is the time of year that may feel like a brand new you is on the horizon. With the Sun transiting your 12th house, you may feel changes happening underneath the surface. It’s as though you are recognizing and integrating parts of yourself in a fresh way. There is a tendency to turn inward, rest, and feel a bit more protective of your energy. After all, with a 12th house transit, there is simply less energy at your disposal. You want to make sure it’s getting used in ways valuable to you.
During a transit here, the Sun illuminates qualities that you may not realize you have. It can feel like putting on a t-shirt you haven’t worn in so long that it seems unfamiliar. Some deep fears can surface when the Sun shines its rays in the dark of your subconscious mind. Give yourself grace through the sensitivities and treat this transit like an opportunity to try something new. A benefit of this transit is to help you feel deserving of taking center stage. You don’t have to play small or be afraid anymore. Embrace your insecurities and use your shortcomings as fuel to empower you forward. Use the Sun in the 12th house to make peace with the parts of yourself that deserve love and attention.
Moon
Each month you will experience the transit of the Moon in your 12th house. If the 12th house holds some fears and feelings we aren’t so comfortable with, the Moon’s twirl through this arena will give a taste of these hidden energies. Consider how you can use this Moon transit as a way to “try on” a different way of being. Given that the 1st house is how you feel about yourself and how you present yourself, the 12th house can illuminate qualities you hold less awareness around. These qualities coming forward will largely be dependent on the sign ruling the 12th house.
At times, there is an unfamiliar and sometimes sneaky side to this transit. You cannot quite tell what is coming because you can’t see it coming. Yet, given the Moon’s intuitive abilities, you will surely feel that something is stirring. Give yourself moments of pause to pay attention to your behaviors and your surrounding environments to be alert of what the Moon may be bringing to the surface.
Mercury
Mercury in the 12th house can create a case of: how do you know what you don’t know? It’s ability to understand things in the outside world suffers here but, in turn, it attunes you toward self-reflection. The transit is such a fleeting one that the gifts of Mercury in the 12th could be missed if you don’t stop to notice what’s going on inside. Your inner world is communicating something to you but you need to slow down enough to listen. It could very well be a time to talk about these ideas with a therapist, coach, or close friend.
Despite some of the fearful tones the 12th house can hold, Mercury just wants you to recognize how you get in your own way and ask you to think more seriously about the reality of your choices and possibilities, in ways you could have previously been ignoring. Given that the 12th house gives respite from the day-to-day, it could also be a good time for reflecting, writing a book, constructing a proposal, formulating the basis for a business plan, channeling the clarity you’ve been seeking, or committing to any communicative matters of a private nature that need development or finalization.
Venus
If the planet of love and beauty is in your 12th house, it’s time to reevaluate how you see yourself. The self-love and self-value aspect of Venus really comes into play during this transit. There is an increased desire to reprioritize yourself, take care of yourself, and improve who you are for you. In what ways have you neglected yourself? Have you ignored what truly makes you happy? Are you giving yourself enough credit for the value you offer? These are just some of the questions that you may ask yourself. Venus also drives you toward finding security and pleasure in material items or money.
Sometimes this transit is a wake-up call that you’ve been overworking yourself, trying to achieve a certain type of feeling. The real pleasure for Venus in the 12th house comes from a deeper spiritual connection. Connect to your sense of purpose and consider how you can bring your values into personal, home, or work life. Use this time to shape your wider view of life, starting from within. The 12th house Venus transit wants to encourage reconciliation with any relationships of importance. Grudges, resentments, or imbalanced relationships need come to an end here. As well, any self-criticism, or self-harming behaviors will demand loving attention. Venus wants to set you up on better terms so that you can walk away with more joy and self-empowerment.
Mars
When the planet of action, assertion, and combat is in your 12th house, things can go a couple of different ways. Mars represents anger, yes, but it isn’t here to be angry just for the sake of being angry. It wants to physically create change that ameliorates the feelings of frustration or discomfort that it experiences. The expression of Mars in the 12th house can lean towards rest if that’s something you’ve deprived yourself of. It can drive you to pay attention to your health and take on more healthful activities for yourself. Maybe you seek out practitioners, make plans to begin therapy, or take some mental health days from work.
If not leaning toward rest, you may instead be over-exerting yourself. Certain ruling signs of the 12th may make this more likely. Nevertheless, watch out for energy leaks and be cautious of pushing yourself to burn out. Seek to apply your energy constructively toward what will serve you in the next steps of your life. It’s a good time to utilize your energy on personal matters you may not often have time for. Mars in the 12th asks you to take a look at your energy and how you can better use it.
Social Planets Transiting the 12th House
Jupiter
The phrase commonly associated with Jupiter is that: whatever Jupiter touches, it expands. Consider the 12th house ruler to narrow in on what themes you will need to spend time reflecting on, developing, revisiting, or constructing. It can be a time for developing your sense of spirituality and thinking about what is really meaningful for your life going forward. You may have gotten off track with your goals and dreams and this could be a time to reconstruct your plans–or create entirely new goals and dreams. As well, the formation of personal dreams can require more space and energy in the 12th house so you may find yourself cutting down on work on pulling away from obligations wearing on you day-to-day.
The 12th house can serve as a bit of a back-end, maintenance station before returning to all of the action of the 1st house. So, consider the areas you need to grow to become the person you want to be. Sometimes Jupiter’s presence here invites you to seek out spiritual retreats, pursue individualized study, travel somewhere for personal healing and reflection, or simply prioritize intentional isolation as a regular part of your daily practice. For long transits such as Jupiter, consider some integrations from the Transits to the 12th House tips list.
Saturn
The weight of the world may seem to sit heavily upon your shoulders when Saturn enters your 12th house. The planet of rules and restriction, can actually be quite supportive. It encourages you to create environments or structures beneficial for your personal growth. Although Saturn has a reputation for being rough-handed with its lessons, this only happens when you’ve ignored the subtle signs. After many subtle signs, Saturn says, “Enough!” and gives you a proper shove in the right direction. Its long transit spews out guidance slowly and steadily over a period of about 2 ½ years. Through hard lessons, it will teach you to be self-sufficient and improve yourself through building sustainable habits.
There can be an inclination to set up retirement or life insurance policies, sort through personal belongings no longer needed and give them away, or even possibly help settle end-of-life affairs for someone close to you. In addition, Saturn can be wearing on your mental health or health overall. Grief and depression surface in trying times, so do give yourself grace during this time. Focus on tackling things one step at a time. Give priority to your foundations–sleep, healthy food and movement, and surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting influences. For long transits such as Saturn, consider some integrations from the Transits to the 12th House tips list.
Transpersonal Planets Transiting the 12th House
Uranus
Finally, we arrive at Uranus! This transpersonal planet has a genius-freak energy to it that allows for breakthroughs, glorious insight, and revolutionary ways of thinking. It has an electrifying feel to it that brings energy to all that it touches. As touched on in Transits in the 12th House, mental health is of major importance for the 12th house. With Uranus hanging out here for a few years, it can force you to realize things that you hadn’t before. There may be situations in your current life that you’re now able to see differently. Spontaneous recollections of memories and trauma, alike, seem to randomly be brought forward, begging to be addressed. This self-analysis is essential to clarify who you are.
Naturally, you may find your beliefs shifting in a private way. Do you want to take better care of yourself? Change your way of behaving? Perhaps you simply want to make space for something new. Revolutionary Uranus in the 12th house asks you to heal your past so you can move forward. Now is the time to look at how you have kept your individuality in the shadows. Consider the subconscious beliefs you hold about standing out or expressing your ideas. Own the unique ways your mind is changing and your deeper craving for freedom. The empowerment that you give yourself is what shapes you most in this transit. These changes happening inside will pave the way for even wilder self-acceptance once Uranus ingresses to your first house. For long transits such as Uranus, consider some integrations from the Transits to the 12th House tips list.
Neptune
Prepare for a glittering dust of of mystery and illusion to sprinkle over 12th house matters. Given the themes of resolution present in the 12th house, there could simultaneously be an unfolding and solving of some major mysteries with a Neptune transit. When Neptune enters a house, you can be sure it is staying for a while. Thus, it befuddles both new and existing opportunities, problems, situations, and relationship dynamics. You may vacillate between experiencing hits of Neptune’s psychic insight and waves of Neptune’s classic fog. Sometimes you’ll have no evidence to prove something but you’ll have a strong feeling nonetheless.
With Neptune in your 12th house, feeling is knowing. Let’s not downplay that this is a confusing time. There is a tendency to hold a very flowery, idealistic, and romantic view of the world and have that reality crushed time and time again. For this transit, you will benefit from frequent check-ins with a trusted friend, therapist, or coach to keep you on track. Are you deluding yourself into thinking everything is peachy when it’s not? What are you viewing through rose-colored glasses and hoping will turn out for the best? Maybe you have “friends” who are secretly trying to sabotage you, or health conditions you’re ignoring seeking medical advice on. Essentially, when you choose to delude yourself, you could be the cause of your own self-undoing.
If there’s one thing Neptune loves it is spinning life into an escapist fairytale. The living dream can easily turn dark if you involve substances or engage in unhealthy and risqué behaviors. Your best bet is to remain sober so that your mind is clear and your senses sharp. There is an inclination towards spirituality and creative arts, which can be a wonderful assistance in moving through the transit. Neptune’s flow-based approach encourages you to stop fighting the problems in your life and instead seek to transcend them. You will benefit from spiritual guidance at this time and that will help you get more in touch with your own psychic powers. For long transits such as Neptune, consider some integrations from the Transits to the 12th House tips list.
Pluto
At last, the great destroyer and transformer comes to reside in your 12th house. What Pluto strives to do is show you where you are holding yourself back. Where do you have walls ready to be broken down to unleash a greater version of yourself? Pluto will try your patience with its psychological approach. Its energies work in a much more subtle manner than any of the previous personal, social, and transpersonal planets. It will spend its time in your 12th house slowly uncovering your thoughts and pushing you to confront your fears. Although many people bury their worries, doubts, traumas, and vulnerabilities, Pluto wants you to address them. If you can look within, you can grow and overcome anything you have been through.
The themes of the 12th house, described more here, will become exponentially more important to you during this transit. When making end of life plans for yourself or dealing with death of those close to you, Pluto is felt. Mortality is on the mind, so you feel the need to rid yourself of all that no longer serves you. Preferring to start anew, this can mean letting go of things or people you’ve known for a while.
Your essence, soul, and spirit is continuously being tested during a 12th house transit. After going through this transit, you will be enlivened with a strength that far exceeds anything you have felt before. You now know yourself, your soul, and your spirit are invincible. For long transits such as Pluto, consider some integrations from the Transits to the 12th House tips list.
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