Money, sex and ultimate domination! Oh, and a side of esoteric magic too. Welcome to the eighth house where relationships become permanent and often turn into power struggles.
We’re not trying to scare you, but we are trying to warn you. Word is bond in the 8th house of merged assets. And you’d better walk your talk…or else there will be consequences.
Those ‘til death do us part vows are put to the test in the 8th house, along with terms like “for better and for worse” and “for richer and for poorer.” This zone rules the business side of marriage, like joint bank accounts, shared investments (like the family home, for one), wills and divorces. Baller business relationships live here too, especially ones where duties are NOT split 50/50—like an investor and a creator or an agent and a writer. If you’re peeling off a commission or earning one, you’re working with the 8th house.
The meaning of the 8th house in astrology
As one of the two “money houses,” along with the 2nd house of income, the 8th house rules the money we tuck away for long-term growth such as our financial portfolios and real estate investments. Large lump sums are also 8th house-ruled, such as credit card debt, taxes, royalties, inheritances and commissions. It’s the stuff that takes people to court—or requires a legal team to draw up contracts and hammer out terms.
The 8th house rules death, which is why there can be a heart wrenching quality to this chart sector. But, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, rebirth and transformation also live in this regenerative zone. When it’s time to say goodbye, the 8th house rules all the tortured feelings of obsession, revenge fantasies and rage that rise up as part of the letting-go process.
The 8th house is the third of the four succedent houses, along with the 2nd, 5th and 11th houses. These sit in-between the initiating angular houses and the transitional cadent houses. Succedent houses are a lot like the fixed zodiac signs. Here is where we roll up our sleeves to turn the big ideas ignited in the angular houses into tangible realities—in this case through strategic long-term partnerships and investments.
8th House: Permanent bonding, sexuality, death and transformation
Our erotic nature steams up the windows of the 8th house, which is often referred to as the “sex house.” This isn’t about the erogenous, body-based attraction. Those are ruled by the earlier succedent houses—the sensual 2nd house and the flamboyant 5th house. The 8th house is the realm of unspoken, undeniable and engulfing chemistry, the kind that can send avoidant attachers scurrying to opposite corners because they are overpowered by its magnetic force. Eighth house unions cause us to obsess and ruminate, but also bring us to spiritual heights of ecstasy. Metaphysical forms of sex, such as tantra, live here.
Much like penetrating, seductive Scorpio, the eighth zodiac sign, feelings are heightened and intensified in the 8th house. As one of the three “water houses,” along with the 4th and 12th houses, this is a place for cultivating emotional intelligence, including the strategy required to navigate the highs AND the lows that are part of every long-term relationship. As complicated as the 8th house may be, there’s no stronger, truer love than the type that survives its tests!
What are the houses in astrology?
The zodiac wheel is a 360-degree circle, divided into 12 segments, or houses. Each house represents a different essential aspect of our lives. In the Movie of You, the houses are like the different sets or stages where the planets (actors) play out their roles (given by the zodiac signs).
You must know your time of birth to accurately determine the houses in your chart. If it wasn’t recorded on your birth certificate, you may have to work with an approximation, as in “My mom says it was sometime right around 4:30.” Or find an astrologer who does rectified charts. This intuitive, investigative reading can suss out what your closest birth time may be.
If you use the Placidus method (which we prefer and recommend), you may notice that the houses of your chart are different sizes. This takes into account the Earth’s tilt. The further from the equator you were born, the more unequal your houses will be in size.
How do you know which planets are in your eighth house?
Each house is like a movie set of your life where different types of action are taking place. When a planet is in that house, it’s like an actor on that set. To find out if you were born with planets in your 8th house, run a free birth chart here on our site. Then, look to see if there are any planet glyphs occupying that segment.
Here’s a handy guide to the planet glyphs for checking out your own chart:
Example using Taylor Swift’s birth chart
Taylor Swift has the moon and Jupiter in her 8th house
The meaning of the planets in the eighth house
Which planets do you have in the 8th house? Here’s what each planet means in that position.
With your piercing gaze, people feel your presence, even before you’ve said a word! But you’re so secretive and enigmatic, they won’t figure you out quickly…if ever. Overcoming this ain’t easy. Vulnerability is so not your jam. But it is so your healing salve.
Read more about the Sun in the 8th house
It’s true that your feelings come with a strong current, one that’s been known to pull you into an obsessive undertow. But thanks to this deep-diving lunar placement, you don’t mind going (way down) there. Anything too “surface,” light or superficial won’t hold your interest.
Read more about the Moon in the 8th house
You’re super-sensitive to the energy and unspoken power dynamics in a space. At times, you may feel like you’re “too much” or “too deep” for others. While many people consider you their close friend, you only REALLY trust a tiny handful of people.
Read more about Mercury in the 8th house
Casual dating is so NOT your jam. You prefer to plunge into the depths of intimacy and find out every one of your lover’s secrets. Sharing your own, however, may take years. Deeply private and mysterious, you hate to feel vulnerable or exposed.
Read more about Venus in the 8th house
The 8th house is home to that which is hidden. You may be attracted to people with “a past,” or brooding, simmering qualities. Goodbyes are especially hard for you since 8th house placements desire to merge completely.
Read more about Mars in the 8th house
This “all or nothing” placement can be as stormy as it is supremely spiritual. One minute you’re launching a charm offensive, the next, it’s a full-on war. This charged placement gives you obsessive focus, amplifying matters to a “life or death” intensity, whether they need to be or not.
Read more about Jupiter in the 8th house
From the boardroom to the bedroom, you view life through a lens of hierarchy. And whether this “game of thrones” plays out in your external world or lives rent free in your head, it can dominate your existence. Unchecked, it creates extreme friction in relationships.
Read more about Saturn in the 8th house
When you tap into “sexy rebel” energy, you could spearhead a movement. When you allow envy, rage, vengeance or other deadly sins to get the best of you, your powers can be destructive. Learning to wield your influence responsibly is a core lesson in your personal evolution.
Read more about Uranus in the 8th house
At times, you are guided by spirit as you strive to find the highest potential in any situation. In other moments, you can plunge into deep despair, carrying the pain for all your loved ones. Balancing these extremes (and the accompanying dark moods) is part of your healing journey.
Read more about Neptune in the 8th house
You’ve probably been labeled “intense,” “sexy” or “mysterious” more times than you can count…and you can’t deny that the 8-inch-heeled shoe fits. This deep-diving placement makes it hard for you to do anything by half-measure.
Read more about Pluto in the 8th house
What do the planets mean in the houses?
First and foremost, there is no “right answer” to this question. In fact, you could speculate on at least ten ways a planet is influencing a house at any given moment. This impact will also evolve over time.
To get you started on reflecting, below are some key words for each planet.
- Sun: Self-expression, ego, creativity, vitality, leadership, passion, what excites you
- Moon: Needs, desires, intuition, what comforts you
- Ascendant/Rising: The first impression you make, initial instincts, appearance, attractions
- Mercury: Communication, curiosity, thought processes, what you like to talk and learn about
- Venus: Romance, seduction, fashion sense, what brings you pleasure, what you’ll spend money on
- Mars: Instincts, turn-ons, lust, drive, motivation, pursuits, what you’ll fight for (and about)
- Jupiter: Luck, inspiration, adventure, risk-taking, travel style, expansion, what you like learning about
- Saturn: Time and karma, caution, challenges and struggles, boundaries, what you learn the hard way
- Uranus: Innovation, originality, idealism, where you’re a rebel and a revolutionary
- Neptune: Dreams, the subconscious, fantasy, glamor, addiction, healing, boundless imagination
- Pluto: Secrets, wealth transformation, evolution, the unconscious, power (struggles)
- North Node: Destiny, soul evolution, dharma, the new “language” you are learning to speak
How does each planet influence my eighth house?
If you were born with any planet in your 8th house, it will influence the following areas of life:
- Bonding style
- Permanent relationships
- Marriage and divorce
- Joint ventures
- Emotional intimacy
- Eroticism
- The spiritual side of sex
- Mystery and secrecy
- Privacy
- Obsession
- Revenge
- Power and power struggles
- Wealth and long-term investments
- Lump sums of money: taxes, inheritances, royalties, commissions
- Jealousy and possessiveness
When a planet is transiting (orbiting) through your 8th house, these subjects will likely arise.
These areas of life are thoroughly described in the 8th place planet links above.
Another example using Taylor Swift’s birth chart
Can you say, revenge anthems? With the emotional moon and no-filters Jupiter in her 8th house, Taylor Swift’s romantic encounters prove that hell hath no fury like a popstar scorned. She’s taken aim at exes John Mayer, Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal with angry chart-topping hits that have drawn appreciation and scornful distrust equally. She who sings last, laughs best?
Planets in the Zodiac Signs
There’s one more layer to this! The zodiac sign that the planet is in directs the role that it plays in your life. For example, if motivational Mars was Lady Gaga (the “actor”), Mars in dreamy, artistic Pisces would cast her— far from the shallow—as Ally in A Star Is Born. Mars in calculating, status-hungry Capricorn could turn her into Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci.
Or in the case of Taylor Swift, both the sensitive moon and lucky Jupiter are in sisterly Cancer, which may explain the legendary—and rotating—cast of her Girl Squad, including enduring Cancer bestie Selena Gomez. The line between “friend” and “frenemy” has been thin for the popstar, most notably through a years-long feud with Katy Perry. Swift has had drama with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Demi Lovato (to name a few), but they also informed the chart-topping BFF breakup anthem, Bad Blood. (How 8th house is that?)
Keywords for the zodiac signs that appear in your chart
- Aries: independence, assertiveness, gutsiness, self-direction, novelty, trailblazing
- Taurus: stability, tenacity, values and ethics, routines, material comfort, sensuality, luxury, tradition
- Gemini: communication, curiosity, dynamic duos, variety, mobility, ingenuity
- Cancer: nurturing, sensitivity, emotions, home, family, roots, children, security
- Leo: passion, romance, self-expression, courage, loyalty, charisma, childlike spirit
- Virgo: wellness, efficiency, service, systems, organization, common sense, innocence, cleanliness
- Libra: commitment, partnership, equality, balance, mutuality, fairness, give and take
- Scorpio: intimacy, sex, secrecy, power, control, intensity, depth, obsessiveness, wealth, joint ventures
- Sagittarius: adventure, travel, expansion, wisdom, entrepreneurship, cross-cultural relationships
- Capricorn: ambition, structure, goals, long-term plans, achievements, prestige, status, time
- Aquarius: teamwork, originality, social justice, the future, technology, community, society, ideals
- Pisces: healing, dreams, fantasy, intuition, artistic ability, mystery, psychic abilities, compassion
What if my 8th house is empty, has no planets in it?
Empty houses still play a role—and we think of them like blank canvases where you might even have a little more freedom to say what goes. In some ways, this might even be a relief!
But no house will ever stay empty for long. The moon transits (orbits) through all 12 houses in the span of a month. The Sun visits each throughout one year. When a planet transits through a house, it lights it up with its energy. That area of your life will feel the influence!
For example, if abundant Jupiter is in your 8th house, you could inherit the funds to purchase real estate or get a windfall from your published works. When Saturn tours your 8th house, you will clean up your debt and get your credit score soaring.
