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For 50 years, Alan Oken has practiced the art of \u201creading\u201d the energy of the cosmos through the lens of astrological charts. A chart depicts the placement and relationships of planets and other heavenly bodies at a particular moment in time, stopping them in place. From that picture of a frozen slice of time, astrologers apply the ancient Law of Correspondences \u2013 As above, so below – to look at how the dance of the planets affects events and relationships here on Earth. As Oken says in the introduction to this excellent book, \u201cAstrology is a very complex system of interweaving energies. It takes time and dedication for the student of this ancient science to be able to unravel astrology\u2019s symbolic codes and to comprehend its very special language.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Having only 3 years of astrological study under my belt, I was delighted to have the opportunity to dig into this book from the author of \u201cComplete Astrology.\u201d \u201cHouses of the Horoscope\u201d focuses on one of the essential elements of chart structure; without an understanding of what the houses represent and an ability to look at the relationships of the houses to planets and signs, it is difficult, if not impossible, to approach the fundamentals of the chart. In astrological parlance, the houses are the most concrete part of a chart, with each planet moving through them according to its particular orbital cycle. The astrological signs also move through each house daily according to the Earth\u2019s rotation around the Sun. The houses themselves don\u2019t move. But their function in the chart is important nonetheless. So when we freeze a moment, for example, a date time and place of a person\u2019s birth, the planets and signs drop down into the chart from their position in the heavens and take up residence in particular houses. The planets are the \u201cactors\u201d \u2013 defining the style or manner in which that person will approach life. Mars, for example, is active and forceful, maybe aggressive. Neptune is traditionally thought to be dreamy and less able to focus than Mars. Oken says that the planets tell us what type of energy is at work \u2013 an excellent way to describe the expression of the planets. The signs, he says are adverbs to the planets\u2019 verbs \u2013 the signs describe how the planet\u2019s energy is being modified. So Mars in Aries expresses boldly, Mars in Cancer timidly, for example. The houses define the area of life where this action is taking place – – the family and home (4th<\/sup> house); daily work (6th<\/sup> house) or values and resources (2nd<\/sup> house). So it is easy to appreciate how important an understanding of this very basic factor is!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oken gives a brief but thorough description of the traditional associations and rulerships for each house \u2013 the people, places and things that \u201clive\u201d in each house. Even better, he provides a view of each house and its inhabitants through the lens of each sign \u2013 what the family will look like if Taurus \u201clives\u201d there instead of Gemini, for example. This makes the book an invaluable reference for those who are getting started in their practice as well as for those who read charts for fun. There is an introductory chapter that outlines the quadrants, hemispheres and other basics of a house\u2019s \u201caddress.\u201d This basic and helpful information creates a good grounding in understanding the bones of a chart that underlie the planets and signs\u2019 placements once they drop in.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I found this book to be a real resource \u2013 basic, clear, quick and easy to digest, with a good reference list for digging deeper. There are also some quizzes, with good explanations for the answers \u2013 I was able to see where I went wrong! I recommend it for those who want a basic understanding of how the key role that houses play in chart reading. I will refer to it often!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n