What does it mean if you have planets in the 12 love houses? And what if you don’t?
Love and the 12 houses reveals romance in your chart. Three specific houses are associated with love in the astrological chart: Houses 5, 7 and 8. Cue the B-52s: Love Shack!
Each one of these “little love places” informs a different aspect of the romantic journey. Understanding the placement of your houses—and the combination of any planets that may be located in them—provides another helpful navigation system for your heart.
The meaning of love houses in astrology
5th House
Your romance and dating style, courtship rituals, where to go on dates, where you may find true love, how you express passion and reveal your feelings
7th House
Romantic relationships, how you “do” commitments, your approach to and attitude towards engagement and marriage, wedding planning, how you celebrate relationship milestones (anniversaries, etc.)
8th House
Sexual turn-ons (where to go and how to get yourself “in the mood”), what makes you jealous/possessive or riles up your trust issues, how you merge with another and join resources such as finances and property
Planets in the love houses: Who’s in the house?
Looking at your chart, you may notice that you were born with planets positioned in your love houses (5th, 7th, and 8th). Or maybe those houses are totally empty. Relax! Neither configuration is inherently “better” or “worse.” And no, you are not doomed to a solitary life if you have an empty love house! That can be a blessing in its own right.
When a planet lands in a house, it’s like having a permanent resident or a heavy piece of furniture in a room. The planet fills the house with its energy and decorates with its specific tastes—for better or for worse. In this metaphor, Pluto might style a love house to look like a louche bordello with dim lights, red walls and a king-size waterbed. Venus would create a well-appointed goddess palace, complete with luxe scented candles, Moroccan wedding pillows and rose petals scattered everywhere. As you come to understand the “factory settings” of your natal chart, you might realize the need for some serious renovations to bring that house into balance.
An empty love house, on the other hand, is like a freshly painted, furniture-free room that you can adorn however you wish. The only catch is that you have to remember to spend time in these quarters to give that area of your life the attention it needs to flourish.
Do you have planets in your love houses (5, 7, 8)?
To determine this, you will need to cast a birth chart, which you can do for free on Astrostyle. It’s essential that you know your birth time in order to correctly calculate the houses. Not sure? Call your mom, check your birth certificate or order one from the Department of Vital Records if you don’t have a copy.
While there are countless ways to interpret a chart, here’s what can happen when each of the planets lands in one of the three main love houses, AKA the 5th, 7th and 8th houses.
The meaning of each planet in a love house
Bring on the PDA! When you’re falling for a (potentially) special someone, you want to be seen together, turning heads and stirring up attention as a powerful and sexy pair. Your courtship style can be flamboyant and over-the-top.
You want marathon dates, curated gifts and flower deliveries sent to your office so all your coworkers know just how lucky you are. Make a budget, because romance is an expensive affair for you. But it’s worth every penny since you are someone who lives for love and identifies yourself through your romantic life. You tend to fall hard and fast, counting down the minutes until you can shout “I love you” from every rooftop and change your social media status from single to “in a relationship.”
Read more about the Sun
Dating and relationships are highly emotional activities for you—and they can stir up everything from excitement to anxiety. You are highly intuitive, especially during face-to-face encounters. Tune in, because you will likely have “a feeling” about your date’s potential from the moment you lay eyes on each other, or exchange a few sentences. By the same token, your sensitive nature can make you quite guarded, so you may have to nudge yourself to be a bit more inviting and open.
As time goes on, you’ll enjoy creating sentimental memories together like “our songs” and “our favorite restaurant.” You can get pretty sentimental about relationships and want to create a love story that’s worth telling to the grandkids. Anniversaries, holidays and other special occasions are always a big deal. You like to nurture your partner, create a comfortable home together, connect families—and maybe create your own one day. You need lots of privacy, both for yourself and for the two of you.
Read more about the moon
Lingering over coffee and gazing into each other’s eyes? No thanks! While you love to exchange witty banter, you need to move around. Activity dates are your jam, especially if they give you something to talk about. Fill up to-go mugs and wander through a gallery district. Pop into vinyl shops, try on vintage, then go check out a lecture or film.
It’s all about variety and curiosity for you! You’re a natural flirt and may enjoy dating a few people simultaneously until you find someone who can keep up with your multidimensional interests. (Just check the impulse to message a new Tinder prospect while you’re on a date with someone else!)
In relationships, you run hot and cold. While you love having a partner to be your playmate and sounding board, you get restless (and a little claustrophobic) about the notion of spending all your time with just one person. You need permission to have outside friendships and to be your flirty self. With enough autonomy, you won’t stray. You need your partner to be open-minded and able to communicate about anything and everything.
Read more about Mercury
Sorry, no spontaneous meetups at the corner dive bar for you! Romance is an art form that you’re here to master—whether you prefer to create a fantasy that’s as blurry as Monet’s Water Lilies or craft a relationship that’s as gorgeously glorified as Kehinde Wiley’s celebrity portraits.
For you, every date should be a curated experience, with reservations made or tickets purchased in advance. You’ll take the time to research the best restaurant, wine bar or live entertainment in the area. You don’t want the fairy tale to fade away over time. You’ll do everything in your power to keep the embers stoked, like planning magical dates and vacations, taking great care of your body, and keeping a peaceful atmosphere at home. You need your partner to be well-groomed and keep up with their self-care too. Physical attraction is an essential part of the equation!
Read more about Venus
Passionate playdates are the way to your heart—the more active and physical the better. You’d rather meet for a bike ride or salsa dancing than sit through a chef’s tasting menu at a candlelit restaurant. (Unless, of course, there is a cooking lesson involved.) Attractions heat up quickly for you and you have little patience for old-fashioned courtship rituals. Less than an hour into a good date, you might be holding hands, kissing or a whole lot more. Research shows that shared adrenaline rushes can help couples bond, and this is completely the case for you.
High-octane experiences will keep the embers stroked: sex on the first date, skydiving on the second…well, why not? As an “excitement junkie” you may struggle with some of the mundane aspects of dating. Keep your expectations reasonable. Your love interest can’t be fiery, energetic and turned on 24/7.
You’ve been known to race into relationships when you think you’ve found The One. Sometimes it works out, other times it’s just temporary, but you never regret taking a chance. How will you know if you never try, right? Your friends warn you to slow down, but that advice rarely sticks. When you’re attracted to people, you start dreaming about the happily ever after, and it’s game on!
Read more about Mars
You love the thrill of a challenge! Anyone too easy to woo won’t feel like enough of a “prize.” With your worldly sensibilities, you’re attracted to those from different cultures—and your mojo may be the strongest (and most immediate) while traveling. Taking weekend trips and long vacations is the ultimate romantic high.
Since Jupiter rules higher education, you could meet your soulmate on the university quad or in a self-development workshop. Every date should feel like an adventure and a new experience, whether you’re sampling the mimosas at a new brunch venue or going on a 10-mile bike ride to a private beach. Still, you’re not interested in becoming some amorphous “us.” Highly individual, you like your partner to have their own full life and interests—the differences are what keep things dynamic!
Read more about Jupiter
Slow and steady wins the romantic race. You like to take your time to really get to know people. You’re a cautious dater who may be fearful about getting involved with the “wrong” person—or becoming sidetracked from your personal ambitions by romantic drama. Emotionally, you can be reserved about sharing your feelings, but this can make it hard for interested parties to gauge your level of attraction. Try giving a clear signal of interest with physical affection or words. (It can help to simply let people know, ” I’m into you.”)
While you’d never rush into a relationship, be careful not to move at such a glacial pace that the object of your affections loses interest. You enjoy dates that have a purpose or “process” to them, like cooking an elaborate dinner, going on a long day trip/hike/bike ride, or shopping for a specific item like a Midcentury sofa or rare vinyl.
When you’re in a relationship, you want to build with your partner and leave a legacy behind, like a family or something the two of you co-create. You understand that relationships are “hard work” and your attitude is mature. You know there will be seasons for romance and other times that might be boring. The point is to stand by each other through them all.
Read more about Saturn
When it comes to love, you tend to leap before you look! You’re a spontaneous romantic who follows the moment—and can develop selective amnesia when an attraction overtakes you. The line between love and friendship often blurs; in fact, you often meet lovers via the introduction of mutual friends. Freedom and individuality are things you hold dear. You won’t rush to put a label on a relationship—or even commit to monogamy! Since Uranus rules the Internet, you may be luckier than most at online and app-based hookups. Just make sure you don’t get stuck behind screen names forever.
Bottom line: You’re not interested in playing by anyone else’s rules. You believe every couple has their own dynamic and gets to write the script to fit the energy that they create together as a pair. You don’t necessarily need labels, but you do believe couples need clear agreements to make their partnerships work. You’ll give your partner lots of autonomy because you need room to cultivate your own independent life path. You don’t like the idea of being pinned down. You’d rather soar and explore together.
Read more about Uranus
Rose-colored glasses? Check! You’re a hopeless romantic who loves to be swept off your glass slippers. Dates should feel like a fantasy escape, luring you away from everyday life. Music always gets you in the mood and since Neptune rules dance, you may find love near (or in!) the DJ booth. You can be passive during the courtship process, waiting for a love interest to text you…and privately obsessing. Or you seduce with coy hints or esoteric gestures, building up major sexual tension in the process.
Ultimately, you want relationships to feel like a relaxing bliss bubble. You’re looking for a soulmate, a true love and a happily ever after scenario. Sometimes you flow so quickly into partnerships that you’re not even sure how you got that involved. Should you realize someone can’t live up to your ideal vision, you will drift away—or disappear like an enigma. You love to give your heart and soul to your “other half,” even veering into codependent terrain. Ideally, you’re a powerful fantasy-spinner and an amazing caretaker. The one thing you hate, however, is when relationships become dull and predictable!
Read more about Neptune
You’re an undercover lover who prefers to woo in a private setting. From the very beginning, you set a vibe that’s intense and intimate. You want sexual chemistry so strong that it’s like no one exists except the two of you. Having a date’s undivided attention is a must—wandering eyes are deal breakers for you. Since the fun happens behind closed doors (and often in the bedroom), once you get comfortable with someone, you may simply plan more “just the two of us” dates at home. Getting out for nightlife is one major exception! Your relationships are intense and all-encompassing.
Once you commit, you give your all and expect the same in return. Loyal to the core, you are protective and yes, a bit possessive, needing lots of private, twosome time to feel the strength of your bond. Sexual attraction is also a must and you’ll work hard to keep that fire burning. Fighting against a common enemy can bring you closer to your mate! Just be careful not to fall into an “us against the world” mindset.
Read more about Pluto
When it comes to dating, you’re as versatile as they come—the type who could write in your profile, “I’m as comfortable in sweatpants as I am in a ballgown or tux.” (But please…don’t.) When it comes to romance, you may even feel like you can’t be bothered to try and that you’d rather just leave it up to fate. But being that laid back would be a shame, since you’ll find that with little effort, you are actually quite fortunate at attracting dates and mates.
You might not necessarily have a “type,” which can make the process of getting to know people exciting and overwhelming. Let go of the idea that there is one “right” way to do love…or even only one right person. You may be compatible with a soul group instead of just one soul mate. You enjoy how every relationship draws out a different side of your personality.
