The Hidden Treasures of the 12th House. Example Chart – Selena Gomez

There’s a lot online (and in books) about the malefic side of the 12^th house in astrology so I’d like to shift my focus towards the positives. You know it’s typically associated with loneliness, isolation, betrayals, lies, deception and addictions. It can be all that at certain times, and depending on particular placements and aspects. But it’s also a lot more.

We need to talk about the fact that the 12^th house is the one rising right above the 1^st one where the ascendant is. It shows us our highest potential to manifest our dream lives, because it also symbolizes dreams and it’s our direct link to the beyond. It shows us how we can excel by creating. What art means to us. Who we are in the depths of our subconscious and what aspects of self we have suppressed. Being the last house, it’s the closest one to God, the Universe, the astral realm, our spirit guides, protectors and higher self. That’s why it’s also associated with spiritual development. Neptune can easily deceive and de-materialize. But he can just as easily manifest anything out of thin air with practically no effort. If we learn to master this energy, it opens many doors. The 12^th is also the 2^nd house from the 11^th so it usually shows us creative ways to make money related to our goals and dreams. It’s also the 4^th from the 9^th and it shows us how to find our home away from home.

I always emphasise on the disclaimer that individual evaluation of each particular natal chart is crucial. But if we have to talk in general, here are some key steps to take in understanding your 12^th house and changeling its energy positively:

• What’s the sign on the 12^th house cusp?
• Where is the ruler of that sign and what aspects does it have?
• What planets are situated in the 12^th house and what aspects do they have?
• Now the big question – what about people with such qualities do you find foreign, weird or different than who you perceive yourself to be? For example, I have Leo in my 12^th house and I find it hard to be on a stage. I used to find people who like performing or talking in front of people as quite different from myself. I also used to have a lot of issues with Leo people. Then life pushed me into doing trainings for large groups of people and I started diving into public speaking more and more, and it turned out one of the things I’m best at which tremendously helped my career. So this is what we’re looking for – the hidden potential.

Let’s look at the natal chart of Selena Gomez and evaluate her 12^th house placements as an example:

• The sign on the 12^th house cusp is Cancer. Without even looking at anything else, we can immediately say she might have had an unusual childhood, might have suppressed childhood trauma, might be subconsciously obsessed with the idea of having a family or being a mother without realizing it. Cancer is also one of the signs related to food, so it might also indicate a potential eating disorder. Cancer is the idea of home as well, and its ruler being in the 9^th house shows she might not feel at home anywhere in particular, but she loves to travel and feels comfortable when she is the center of attention (Aries) regardless of the location.
• The ruler is the Moon and it’s in Aries in the 9^th house. She was the leader (Aries) of her own life ever since childhood and she was an international star (9^th house). Going one step further, the ruler of Aries Mars is in the 10^th house (career) in Taurus (singing).
• The only planet in her 12^th house is the Sun in a critical degree of Cancer, which is squared by her Moon in Aries. There is a push and pull between her Sun, the ego that subconsciously (12^th house) desires harmony, closeness and family (Cancer) which is pressured by her emotions (Moon) which can be quite explosive and selfish in nature in Aries.
• The Sun which is in the 12^th house is quite important for her – it rules her Ascendant, Venus, Mercury and Chiron, so whatever happens in her 12^th house influences pretty much her entire life. This is a great example of huge potential hidden in a 12^th house placement.
• The Sun is also sextiling Mars in Taurus in the 10^th house – this supportive aspect helps her channel her ego through her career and singing so it’s very beneficial for her to keep creating and performing.

What would happen if she fully integrated the Cancer and Sun within her?

• Her entire 1^st house stellium and her chart would develop beautifully because the 12^th house Sun rules all her Leo placements.
• It would also strengthen those placements in relation to their Saturn opposition and positively influence her intimate relationships and partnerships (7^th house). 

What would we advise her to use as a 12^th house remedy considering her placements?

• Cooking (Cancer Sun) would fit great for her. As far as I know she recently had a cooking show on HBO and I’m sure this is very helpful for her due to the Mars aspect;  
• Performing, singing and creating art would also support her 12^th house;
• Acting or directing behind the scenes (12^th house Sun) of any projects related to family matters or children/teenagers (Cancer), addictions or disorders (12^th house). I believe she produced a Netflix show called 13 Reasons Why a couple of years ago.
• Being open and unapologetic about her struggles is also quite important for her due to the Sun-Moon square.
• Doing any charity work related to children, especially internationally, would be great for her.
• The main issue with the Sun-Moon square is that they’re both weak – the masculine Sun is in a feminine sign and house, and the feminine Moon is in a masculine sign and house. I would advise her to balance her energies through meditation, feminine practices and dances that combine both energies. I would also strongly advise her to keep a diary and write from both perspectives or do parts work/shadow work. She’ll find that enjoyable because her South Node is in Gemini – she was good at writing in her past lives. As for the parts work therapy – it’s crucial for her to acknowledge both the masculine and the feminine perspective within herself, the one that needs closeness, family and children, and the one focused on career and achievements.
• Re the Sun-Moon square, I would also suggest she get involved with a charity or otherwise work specifically with sexual abuse victims (Sun is in its Scorpio decan in the 12^th) internationally (Moon is in the Sag decan, in the 9^th). Unfortunately, due to these placements I suspect she might have been a victim of abuse herself in her childhood by someone involved with her career (Mars in 10^th) or her image (Chiron on the Ascendant).

As you can see, she’s already gravitated towards most of those remedies and while working on those placements she achieved a lot in her life. I’m glad to see she’s working on all those already and best of luck to her 😊 Just an unrelated side note – the ruler of her MC Venus is in the 1^st which usually suggests such people start their own business before the age of 30. In addition, Jupiter, the ruler of her 5^th (business) where her North node is, is in the 2^nd (beauty) trining Uranus and Neptune in the 6^th, so whoever advised her to start a beauty line knew what would work for her.