Your Seventh House In Astrology Can Explain How You Develop Partnerships

Even if you aren't an astrology expert, understanding the concept of the 12 houses can give you the foundation to dive into the study. In a basic sense, everything goes back to our birth charts (or natal charts), which mark where the stars and planets were located when we were born. A natal chart can be divided into 12 segments, which are referred to by astrologists as the 12 houses. Each house is believed to represent a different aspect of our lives — the first house, for example, is thought to reflect how you present yourself to the world. The seventh house is assumed to be symbolic of the relationships we have with others, and knowing what it looks like in your chart may benefit your personal bonds.

Some astrologers simply refer to the seventh house as the "house of partnership," but it isn't exclusively representative of our romantic relationships. Instead, this house shows us all the different types of partnerships we may form to complete our own sense of being. For instance, a romantic relationship may provide us with the love we seek, while a business relationship might serve to give us mental stimulation. However, some of the partnerships we enter are only designed to teach us life lessons. By examining the seventh house in your natal chart, you can better understand how you interact with others — for better or for worse.

The seventh house in astrology is thought to be ruled by the planet Venus and the sign Libra. Venus is often associated with beauty and love, so it's only natural to assume that the partnerships in this house have a romantic aura to them. However, some of its characteristics go beyond this association. For instance, Venus represents pleasure in a general sense — our deepest desires, instincts, and preferences are believed to stem from this planet.

As the sign associated with the seventh house, Libra is symbolic of our ability to recognize beauty and whatever may be aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. However, Libra is represented with a symbol consisting of scales for a reason — this zodiac sign is all about striking a balance. That said, it's easy to see how it fits into the seventh house of partnerships.

In a natal chart, it's also worth noting that the seventh house falls opposite of the first house, which is the house of self and identity. As such, we may be able to gain a better understanding of our own personalities by seeing how our partnerships play out according to this house. Just don't forget that it can be equally insightful for identifying why we feel friction with certain people in our lives as well.

It's true that the seventh house is indicative of romantic relationships, but it goes beyond surface-level feelings and pleasure. "Unlike the [fifth] house, where sex, pleasure, and what we desire in another person lives, the [seventh] house is known as the house of marriage and committed or contractual partnering," astrologer Corina Crysler explained to Well+Good. "It can also show us what we need in our relationships or the patterns we continue to have in our relationships."

By knowing which planets and signs fall into this house in our natal chart, we can understand the most intimate relationships in our lives. If you have Gemini in your seventh house, for instance, you might excel in communication. This might put you in a better position to develop partnerships in the workplace. If you have Sagittarius in your seventh house, you may strive to feel free in your personal life. In turn, you might thrive when you have distance in your partnerships.

If you struggle with relationships across the board, you can also gain valuable insight by looking at the seventh house in your chart. In a situation where Scorpio is dominant in this house, for example, you might be more inclined to put up walls instead of being vulnerable with others. Ultimately, this can create friction between you and another person in a relationship. Knowing this information, however, can put you in a better position to overcome conflict in certain partnerships.