The 12th house of a natal chart is sometimes called “the mysterious and misunderstood house,” and this house does, in fact, suffer from a fog of nebulousness since it is haunted by a long forgotten past of suffering and is obliged to carry the hopes and aspirations of the collective (heavy load of laundry). A perfect angel would be required to triumph over such hardships, bear such emotional burdens, and acquire the ability to “suffer” in this world. This is a sanctuary of healing, illumination, and regeneration after going through the “dark night of the soul,” according to a number of astrologers. However, the fact that the 12th house also rules places like mental institutions, prisons, and hospitals hasn’t made it any easier for us to understand this area. Let’s face it: these aren’t the first things that come to mind when we consider how to find time alone and stillness or how to get away from the distractions and cacophony of daily life.

People with planets in the 12th house of their horoscopes are often seen as compassionate, kind, and devoted. However, they surely can’t handle anything that gets dumped on this part of the horoscope, which has been nicknamed a “dumpsite” in the past. Having a fragile, broken spirit that’s holding onto pain that may or may not have an external source is associated with those who have planets in the 12th house. Many traditional astrologers saw the 12th house as cursed because of its connection with emotional wounds. More recently, though, it has come to be seen as the mystical and unconscious part of life. Older viewpoints have been exceedingly gloomy and frightening, and as a result, individuals who have planets that inhabit this realm have been overwhelmed with fear.

The 12th house, like the 6th and the 8th, has had a hard press…Traditionally known as the house of imprisonment, confinement and self-undoing, it is a source of anxiety to astrological students who discover natal planets placed there and, having availed themselves of older textbooks, draw dire conclusions. The Astrological Neptune and the Quest for Redemption

According to Charles Carter:

The twelfth house as we have remarked, offers a sharp contrast between the two views of the house which we have put forward. For, as corresponding with Pisces, it has a traditionally gloomy reputation, and was the Evil Angel of the Greeks. That this is true enough, up to a point seems undeniable. It has an aspect of confinement and limitation, as is evident by the horoscopes of prisoners of war, which usually shows bodies afflicted int he 12th…Afflicted bodies in the 12th show disappointment and frustration, not only on one’s behalf, but very frequently for others. They draw sorrowful conditions around the native like magnets….the 12th house afflicts through sickness, either one’s own or that of others, or general misfortunes. Essays on the Foundations of Astrology

People with planets in the 12th house are also described by C.E.O. Carter as being poor and reluctant socializers. Given that the 12th house is linked to retiring, spending time alone, and isolating oneself, this is something that may be partly expected. This domain also represents “before the beginning of consciousness,” which is defined as “an umbilical cord like thread to our source” floating through space and time as our basic needs are met. The descriptions of what is happening have an almost always negative connotation, such as a loss, a fall from grace, or a slide from a “higher estate.” We are violently thrust into this world. Due to the fact that 12th house is a sensitive radio station that transmits data from this “other realm,” its listeners (12th housers) encounter some trouble. People with that kind of vision of the world have an exasperatingly sharp perception, but they sometimes take in too much. In closing, it’s worth noting that people whose birth charts feature planets in the 12th house are more likely than average to be very imaginative, creative, and blessed with an abundance of ideas. In particular, the reflective and even meditative stages of the creative processes of writing, art, and music increase the flow of energy.

Locked away within our treasury of hidden potencies are also (not so) hidden weaknesses and addictive vulnerabilities. We could say that right next to our guardian angels live our worst enemies, and all of those entities comprise parts of ourselves. Rulers of the Horoscope: Finding Your Way Through the Labyrinth