9th House Astrology: The Complete Guide

The liberated ninth house rolls out an irresistible runway that will send you soaring off into all kinds of adventures

Help…air! When the couple bubble of the 8th house starts to feel claustrophobic, we need to fly free. The globally expansive 9th house rules travel, higher education and cross-cultural connections. 

The meaning of the 9th house in astrology

As one of the three “fire houses,” along with the 1st and 5th houses, ideas catch on and spread like, well, wildfire here. Teaching, publishing and entrepreneurship are the domain 9th house. If you’ve synthesized enough data, it’s time to share it with the world and inspire others to grow as you have. Higher education is also ruled by the 9th house of truth and wisdom. This house directs you toward enlightening books, classes and teachers who can help you grown into your higher Self (with a capital S). Whether that involves a university degree or the blessing of an elder priestess of a deep ancestral lineage it up to your specific chart.

Feeling lucky? Look to the 9th house for reasons why you might be more fortunate in certain areas of life. Like the 9th house shares similar qualities to Sagittarius, the ninth sign, which is known for throwing caution to the wind and taking impulsive gambles. While the 9th house shows where you’ll have unflagging faith and optimism, it’s easy to overshoot the mark here. 

Speak your truth! The 9th house shows where you’ll be most candid and ready to call it like you see it, confusing your opinion with facts. Here’s where the filters come off and the truth serum can knock people on their a$$es…if you don’t get canceled first! 

Hips don’t lie—nor do the thighs, the body parts rules by this groovy zodiac sector. The 9th house shows where you’ll have restless energy and a need to gallop around and discover new spaces and places. Here’s where you’ll be a maximizer, which can also lead to chronic dissatisfaction if you don’t figure out when enough is enough.

The 9th house house is the third of the four cadent houses, along with the 3rd, 6th and 12th houses. These sit in-between the results-driven succedent houses and the trailblazing angular houses. Cadent houses are a lot like the mutable zodiac signs. They help us synthesize reliable data with novel concepts—in this case through exploring world philosophies and studying global techniques. And not without humor! Laughter is the best medicine and the 9th house delivers mega doses. 

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 ninth 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 9th 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 Kylie Jenner’s birth chart

Kylie Jenner has Mars in her 9th house

The meaning of the planets in the ninth house

Which planets do you have in the 9th house? Here’s what each planet means in that position.

Which planets do you have in the 8th house? Here’s what each planet means in that position.

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 ninth house?

If you were born with any planet in your 9th house, it will influence the following areas of life:

• Travel
• Adventure
• Expansion/broader horizons
• Wisdom
• Truth-seeking
• Candor
• Tactlessness
• Publishing and media making
• Cross-cultural connections
• Self-development
• Higher education
• Inclusivity
• New horizons
• Teaching
• Spiritual beliefs

When a planet is transiting (orbiting) through your 9th house, these subjects will likely arise.

These areas of life are thoroughly described in the 9th place planet links above.

Another example using Kylie Jenner’s birth chart

Kylie Jenner has driven Mars in her 9th house of independence and entrepreneurship. Although born into wealth, she is arguably the most enterprising of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, becoming the youngest self-made billionaire in 2018 on the success of her Kylie Cosmetics brand which began with her legendary Kylie Lip Kit when Jenner was only 18. 

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 Kylie Jenner, Mars is in Libra, the sign that rules fashion and beauty, the industry that made her a billionaire through her entrepreneurial efforts. In addition to becoming a beauty product mogul, the youngest Kar-Jen sister has unapologetically modified her own look through cosmetic surgery (Mars rules knives and metal surgical instruments). 

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 9th 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 the moon is in your 9th house, you may be inspired to reach out to family that lives out of town or to have a candid conversation with a close friend. Saturn transiting the 9th house may give you the discipline to write a book, start a business venture or plan a major trip that’s been on your bucket list for years.