The Seventh House

The Signs

Sep 23

Seventh House Astrology Meaning Symbolism — **I relate**

**Keywords:** The Other, Partnerships, Projections, Marriage, One-to-One, Attractions, Repulsions, Relationships, Business Relations, Mirror, Enemies, Negotiation, Shadow Work, Union

sign affinity: libra

Element affinity: air

Mode affinity: cardinal

Me + You = Relationship

The seventh house is defined by the sign on our Descendant and encourages us to reconnect and relate, reminding us of our universal commonality. This is where we meet ‘the other’ and shift from ‘me’ to ‘you’. Nothing is as demanding, challenging and provocative as relationships, and nothing reveals our true self as much as intimately relating with others. This house hence serves as a mirror: who are we really?

The seventh house describes our one-to-one encounters and spans the whole spectrum of transaction, connection and relationship. Whether spouse, business partner, long-term relationship or those we would consider our ‘enemy’, the manner in which we balance compromise and the push and pull dynamic of negotiation reflects who we are as individuals. Not only is our behaviour towards others important, but how others treat us has the power to impact how we see and value ourselves.

Projections and Shadow Work

While the seventh house contains qualities and experiences that we would categorise as ‘not me’, the two polarities of self/other are equal and lie at the opposite ends of the same axis. The characteristics we admire in a partner are essentially the traits and skills that we feel we do not possess or exhibit ourselves, and thus ‘give away’ or ascribe to others rather than owning them ourselves. Falling in love, in translation, is a process of falling in love with the Self through the eyes of another. While this seems deeply egotistical, the process of stripping ourselves of all illusions allows us to deepen knowledge of the Self, helping our relationships to grow and endure. The beginning phases and initial stages of looking at another as an ideal, perfect being — our better half — forge a deep and intimate bond that prepares us to face the inevitable difficulties and woundings of true relationship later on.

Beyond relationships, this house highlights the area where we can perform the greatest shadow work. It shows which characteristics we deny, reject or avoid and would rather not see them as a part of ourselves. Yet rest assured that escape from even the most undesirable characteristics is impossible — those we deeply engage with will possess these qualities and import them into our lives, as if reflected back by a mirror. Projections can have a negative or positive aspect, and this differentiation essentially isn’t important: at their core, they reveal to us what we are through others, and thus broaden and deepen our self-awareness and self-understanding.

Planets In The Seventh House

The sign on the cusp of our seventh house is the same as our Descendant and describes our point of greatest attraction. Planets residing in the seventh, particularly outer planets, indicate that we have seminal lessons to learn surrounding relating, giving and taking, equal relationships, and power dynamics in you/me interactions and transactions of any kind. Transformative business partnerships may play a prominent role in our lives, and marriage or one-on-one relationships are often intense and metamorphic, where connections are particularly deep or difficult experiences encourage us to rise like a phoenix from the ashes.

Higher Wisdom Of The Seventh House

The seventh house and our unique projections comprised therein remind us to continuously and consciously integrate personality aspects we consider triggering or incompatible. The more rounded we become and the more we embody what we seek, the more likely it is that we attract a healthy relationship. We cannot have the perfect relationship by seeking the ‘ideal partner’ — rather we need to deepen our own capacity to relate and become more ‘rounded’ by learning our craft first. Seeking equilibrium through compromise, cooperation, and mutual respect, we cultivate authentic relating and instil harmony in our union of ‘Self’ and ‘Other’.