Creating a Supportive Space for Rest Using Your Birth Chart: Looking to the 12th House for Clues
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you deserve a good night’s sleep
There are plenty of reasons people may have a hard time getting restful sleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, they suggest sticking to a sleep schedule, watching what you eat /drink throughout the day, managing your stress levels, not taking daytime naps, getting ample physical activity during the day, and, of course, creating a restful sleeping environment.
These are great starting points and should absolutely be considered and experimented with. If you are looking to get to the root of why you might have a hard time getting restful sleep, you can get individualized feedback from not just your trial-and-error experience but also from your birth chart.
“Sleep cleans your brain of toxins”
Of course, this post is NOT in any way a form of medical advice and is only for personal exploration and educational purposes. If you have any complex issues, first, consider seeing a sleep specialist and your primary care doctor.
When we are looking at the 12th House of the birth chart, we have to keep in mind that it is a House of hidden aspects of our lives usually pertaining to the subconscious mind. With this in mind, it requires some time and experimenting to figure out what we are dealing with and then start to remediate it. In this post, we’re focusing on the aspects of dreams, disturbances in sleep patterns, and the quality of our sleep, but I’d like to share with you the other keywords for the 12th House as they can help you in other aspects of your life.
The 12th House covers many other topics such as:
Self-undoing / self-sabotage
Our subconscious mind
The collective unconscious
The astral/ancestral realm
Spirituality, in general
Volunteering / Donations/ Charity
Isolation/ Solitude/ retreat
Places of confinement like psych wards and prisons
Hospitals
Meditation
Monasteries
Far away places
The 12th House is also said to represent our mother’s experience while she was pregnant with us so this can even show some aspects of our time in the womb and right before birth. It’s all leading up to the actual birth which is represented by our 1st House— our entrance into the world.
Also on the Blog…
There’s actually a part of Human Design that shows this kind of 12th House energy: the Unconscious or the “Design” part of us. It’s said that our unconscious self is formed roughly 88 days/degrees or about three months before we are born. I’m not sure if the same is true for those who are born prematurely.
Taking a look at the hidden parts of ourselves will help us unlock and untangle some of the patterns that may cause disruptions in our waking lives and in the astral realm.
How to Break it Down
When you are figuring out how your 12th House functions, you’ll take one or two of the keywords of the 12th House and keywords from the Sign you have ruling the 12th House in your chart.
Then, you’ll see if there are any planets in the 12th House.
If no planets are in the 12th House, look for where in your chart the ruling planet is (Sign & House).
So, when you are considering what has been causing you to have sleep disruptions or how to make your experience more pleasant, you’ll want to take note of:
- the sign your 12th House is in
- the ruler of the sign (ie: Mercury rules Gemini & Virgo)
- any planets in the House
Here’s how it can look with the chart above as an example:
12th House: Subconscious/ Dreams + Cancer: Emotions + Jupiter: Expansion
From this breakdown, this person may have trouble sleeping if they don’t have a big enough bed or a big enough bedroom. Jupiter needs space and Cancer is a very receptive sign so they’d do well making sure they have space to decompress before bed. Having a bedtime routine that allows them to release energy maybe with yoga to get into the body for a nice release of tension and stretch the body. Cancer placements tend to hold onto things, hoarding emotions and/or items because they feel “familiar” and “safe”, but it’s important to reflect on if it’s really bringing them joy or if they are just afraid to let go of what’s always been around. Also, this part is a bit more advanced, but this person’s Jupiter in the 12th House aspects nicely with their Mercury, the planet of communication, in Taurus so they could find singing or humming or chanting helpful since Taurus represents the vocal cords.
Plus, Mercury is right next to their Moon, the ruler of their 12th House. Another aspect they have is Uranus and Neptune in Capricorn in the 6th House, the House of Service & Physical Health/Wellness, opposing Jupiter in the 12th House. They really need to exercise proper boundaries at their place of work or if they are self-employed, they need to have a dedicated space and time for work. They may experience fluctuations in their physical health as well. Uranus deals with sudden shake-ups & the circulatory system and Neptune deals with illusions, confusion, and loose boundaries.
Of course, the whole chart has to be considered along with the person’s lived experience.
Everyone’s chart is expressed differently, even twins.
the signs in the 12th House
Aries: Mars-ruled house— shadow work (repressed anger), slowing down, meditating, vigorous exercise like HITT (quick movements, short bursts of energy), breath work, stretching, inner warrior, prioritize alone time, active dreamscape— calm the mind, need to discharge excess energy, sexual release. Look for Mars in your chart.
Taurus: Venus-ruled house— subconscious work (self-worth & self-love), activating the senses— smell, taste, touch, sight, sound, and the third eye, use a diffuser with Earthy scents like patchouli, singing, mirror work, ground in nature during the day, make a simple and practical bedtime routine, add a plant to the bedroom, and make sure your bedroom is calm and quiet. Look for Venus in your chart.
Gemini: Mercury-ruled house— subconscious work (intelligence/communication), busy mind, guided meditation, repeat affirmations, sound healing, EFT (Emotional Freedom Tapping), reading or journaling before bed. Keep a dream journal— May receive insights/ideas via the dreamscape. Eliminate distractions. Look for Mercury in your chart.
Cancer: Moon-ruled house— emotional release, cry, repeat affirmations, subconscious work (safety & intuition), take salt baths, weighted blanket, nurture yourself before bed, get soft and comfortable pajamas, need to feel safe and secure. Add elements from your childhood bedroom (if that feels right for you). If you are a parent, maybe you co-sleep? Look for the moon in your chart (the moon is the fastest-moving planet so your sleep fluctuates, may have bouts of insomnia). Look for the Moon in your chart.
Leo: Sun-ruled house— your shine is dimmed… be creative before bed, warm tones and elements in the bedroom, visualization practices, exploring the Akasha, video entries/diary, play a game before bed, mirror work/ subconscious work (self-empowerment & self-love), chanting, repeat affirmations/mantras. Look for the Sun in your chart.
Virgo: Mercury-ruled house— subconscious work (health & wellness of the mind & body)critical about how your space presents, keep a dream journal, create a practical and easeful bedtime routine, explore your spirituality with the natural elements, meditation, oracle or tarot cards, crystals, organized and minimalist style bedroom (but not lifeless), stretch, eat well. Look for Mercury in your chart.
Libra: Venus-ruled house— subconscious work (law of attraction & partnership), beautify your bed, wear luxurious bed wear, skincare routine, diffuser with essential oils or incense, sleep alone from time to time, tranquil & peaceful space, balance & harmony in the elements. Look for Venus in your chart.
Scorpio: Mars ruled house— dive deep into the subconscious and shadow work (power & control), keep a dream journal (the dreamscape can reveal premonitions), hydrate throughout the day, take a salt bath, submerge yourself in the tub, sensory deprivation, sauna detox, explore your psychic abilities, blackout curtains, erotic & sensual touch/movement. Look for Mars in your chart.
Sagittarius: Jupiter-ruled house— large bed, travel memorabilia, wanderlust, large bedroom, movement before bed, change up your bedroom layout, deep stretch, visualization, listen to foreign music, meditation, explore yoga poses, dance, bedroom on a top floor, bedtime routine you religiously follow. Look for Jupiter in your chart.
Capricorn: Saturn-ruled house— double whammy with Saturn ruling the subconscious and the personality. Subconscious work (self-worth & accountability), deep stretches and/or rolling out the muscles before bed, do not work before bed, visualization, getting comfortable, having a durable structured bed frame and quality mattress, uniformity in the bedroom, bedroom on a top floor. Look for Saturn in your chart.
Aquarius: Saturn-ruled house— subconscious work (self-acceptance) strange dreams, erratic sleep schedule (be flexible), rest in bed before you are tired, unique decor in the bedroom, specific/innovative solutions for sleeping, meditation, High tech furniture. Look for Saturn in your chart.
Pisces: Jupiter-ruled house— natural house, seclusion, retreat, energetic boundaries, dance to music (like drumming or lofi), foot soak detox, eliminate drugs, visualization, meditation, sound healing, soft & fluid materials, subconscious work (escapism). Look for Jupiter in your chart.
putting it all together
You may feel tempted to try to put all the elements together at once, but it’s best to take it piece by piece. Look to the 12th House description, then the sign and the description associated with it. If you have planets in the 12th House, look at what that planet represents.
Analyze the 12th House Keywords
Look to the Sign ruling the 12th House
Are there any planets in the 12th House (go through them one by one with the 12th House keyword and sign)
If no planets in the 12th House, look for where the planetary ruler of that sign is in the chart. In the above example, the ruler of the 12th would be the Moon (Cancer) and the Moon is in Taurus. You would then look at the Taurus keywords to see how it flows.
Want to dive deeper into your birth chart to understand your energetic blueprint and start being intentional with how you move in your life?
I’m offering Astrology & Human Design consultations
Right now, we have readings as a bundle with the workbook I created to accompany our course. The workbook is honestly an invaluable resource that you can continue to refer back to as a guide and a place to keep your notes organized. While I was creating the workbook, I thought of the different elements that could’ve made the process more smooth.
In the workbook you’ll find:
foundational information about both Astrology and Human Design
fillable boxes to record your placements and notes
a blank birth chart wheel and Bodygraph you can print out, write, draw, and color in your planetary placements, and defined centers (Human Design Bodygraph).
I wanted the process to be fun and to keep you curious as you explore YOU.
Most times we just need the right support to reach the next level. I’d love to guide and support you in your level-up!
If you are interested in receiving a reading from me, you can schedule your reading below:
If you are just interested in purchasing the workbook, you can do that here: