What to Expect During a 12th House Transit
This is my first astrological blog post and it explores concepts that are a bit beyond beginner level, however they truly are applicable to everyone. If you are not familiar with the concept of houses in astrology, I recommend this article. I think astrology is a remarkable tool for examining the inner workings of the psyche and as a psychology major I suspect that’s the reason it fascinates me so much. Since mid September I have been experiencing a plethora of planetary activity in my 12th house and I’d like to share with you what this has looked like for me. Much of this will consist of frankensteined excerpts from my daily journal so prepare for the nascent vulnerability.
When personal planets transit your 12th house or the realm of the hidden self, you can expect to spend a lot of time in solitude and personal reflection. I associate this energy with the hermit archetype. The deep soul diver. It is a time of intense introspection where you withdraw from the world and consult your inner oracle, the wisdom that lies within. Your subconscious is working overtime to integrate the psychic materials of this year-long cycle that is drawing to a close. There is a lot of inner work to be done as the shadow self comes out to play once more and must be confronted. You may be faced with old patterns and behaviors, the silt swirling around at the bottom of the unconscious mind. Have you outgrown these behaviors? Learned these lessons? Or are you ready for another round on the carousel of personal growth?
The House of Karmic Repercussions
During 12th house transits you will have to do a lot of sitting with yourself and acknowledging the good, the bad and the ugly. There’s no use trying to resist. This is the house of karmic repercussions and spirituality after all. You may experience an uncomfortable itch, the unsettling feeling that everything you thought you knew was wrong. Your identity, beliefs, actions, lifestyle- all of it is put under the scrutiny of your personal microscope. This deep inner questioning will enable you to discern what is worth keeping, what needs to be replaced and what should be discarded altogether. What new insights or additions can you bring to your existing value system?
I equate this period with personal transformation, a snake shedding its skin. Biding its time before the new cycle starts and we enter the 1st house, born again. Ready to share the full expression of our newly-realized self with the world. Here’s what you might expect: spending more time alone than usual, less social engagements and interactions, uncomfortable feelings, potential [past] addictions rising to the surface, relationship patterns examined, questioning of your identity & purpose, decreased energy and need for more sleep, a weakened immune system.
How Do I Survive a 12th House Transit?
The best advice I can give for a 12th house transit? Surrender and slow down. The more you try to fight it, the more difficult your experience will be. We will learn our lessons, one way or the other. The Universe might as well be saying- you’ll be undergoing a transformation, do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way? Be gentle on yourself and focus on self-care during this time. Journaling is key. Try to aim for three pages a day and chronicle the breakthroughs, insights and rollercoaster of emotions you may be encountering. It is likely that you will have more dreams than usual and they may be more vivid and meaningful. Recording them regularly and interpreting their messages would be especially auspicious. Bloodstone and rose quartz are excellent crystal allies to keep by your side to guide you through the turbulence.
Here are some examples of activity that occurred during this transit [for me]:
- I took a week hiatus from social media and was very tempted to delete my Instagram account altogether [still considering it]
- I wrote a very 12th house-y blog post about creating a DIY wellness retreat at home
- My husband’s windshield cracked and he had to use my car to drive to work for a week so I was literally confined to our apartment (I was so frustrated at first)
- I had three uncharacteristic emotional meltdowns
- Increase in self-care: a preference for yoga almost every day, daily showers/baths for energy cleansing, self-reiki, eating healthier foods & cooking more, greater need for relaxation time, etc.
- Crazy vivid dreams and my body will accept nothing less than 8 1/2 hours of sleep
- A desire to read even more than usual (escapism is classic 12th house)
- Questioning whether I am on the right path or if I need to redirect. Is what I am currently offering enough/serving others to the best of my ability? Thoughts about my identity- am I who I thought I was?
- Reverting to destructive [outdated] behaviors to distract myself & cover up feeling down/low
- A breakthrough about my self-worth and becoming more comfortable in my own skin, self love. Also re-evaluating what it means to live a life of integrity >> do you walk the talk? are your actions in alignment with your truth + values?
- Contracting the worst sore throat I’ve ever had (I commonly get sick in October and now I realize it is probably due to 12th house transits)
Spring Awakening
The 12th house is our personal winter, where things are quieter, our energy is lower and parts of us are dying off. Remember that this is a temporary if necessary season in our journey and it will soon make way for rebirth and a spectacular blossoming during the spring awakening that is our 1st house transit. I hope my personal experiences and interpretations may help you navigate through yours.
Much love,
Avalon
