Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The Fourth House-House of Family and Home

The Fourth House is commonly referred to as the House of
Home. When we think of home, we think of that place where we
put down our roots. We lay our foundation and plant ourselves
firmly into the Earth, as it were. One day, we will return to that
very same Earth. The Fourth House brings things full circle by
also addressing old age, endings and our final resting place.

Much of the emphasis of the Fourth House, however, is on the
concept of home. By laying down roots, we make a home for
ourselves, or more specifically, the self. It's worth noting that in
addition to the external home (all the bricks and mortar around
us), we have really brought the essential self home. 'I'm home.'

The words themselves have a peaceful ring to them. The self is
now centered, grounded, one and at peace with the Earth. We
seek to come home both physically and psychically, for
ourselves and for those we love. By creating home, we create a
meeting place, a sanctuary, a sacred place for ourselves and for
others.

In our home, we integrate the self with all that has come before
us and helped to shape what we are today. We create a
domestic space which comforts and nurtures us and serves to
keep safe those we love. Also important here are family history,
cultural and societal norms, and ways of being. All of these are
ruled by the Fourth House, as are our ancestry, roots and
heritage. These qualities are brought 'home' through us and
integrated into the place we call home.

Helping to create the home we make are our parents, for it is
they who greatly nurture and shape our being. Therefore, the
Fourth House can also be thought of as the House of the
Mother, the Parent or the Nurturer.

Looking at things from a strictly tangible point of view, we can
see that the Fourth House also encompasses physical
structures (houses) and real estate. The Fourth House
represents family, history and traditions. All of these contribute
to the process of becoming a true, actualized and individualized
self. This is how we come home.
The Fourth House is ruled by the Sign Cancer and the Moon.

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