Intercepted Planets, Signs, and Houses - How Do They Work, and What Do They Mean?

by Robert Wilkinson

While going through the archives, I stumbled on a comment about intercepted signs and planets and realized I had never done an article about this common but little understood phenomenon. Almost everyone born above a certain latitude has intercepted signs, while those born closer to the equator almost never have them. So let's have a look into what these can indicate in a chart.

To keep this intelligible, I'm not going to go into the astro-physics of the phenomenon, as it could prove sleep-inducing and I wouldn't want to precipitate that! Generally speaking, the concept of interception involves two houses having the same sign on the cusp, the two opposite houses also having the opposite sign on two houses, while denying two other signs occupancy of a house cusp.

Whether this occurs or not depends entirely on what house system we use. It can never happen when we use Equal Houses, since that puts the natural sequence of signs on successive houses beginning with the Ascendant. As an aside, my old friend and Master Astrologer Carl Payne Tobey held the opinion we should also examine charts using Equal Houses starting from the Midheaven degree, since that doesn't change according to latitude. This would certainly produce different results from an Ascendant based system (except near the equator, when the houses are pretty much equal house anyway, regardless of what system we use).

If you want to read more about house systems and what they're about, please check out Astrology House Systems - Placidus, Porphyry, Campanus, Koch and many more - Which One To Use? after you're done with this article. I have a somewhat different approach to multiple house systems than most astrologers, and you may find a resolution to some dilemmas in that article.

Back to interceptions. Using my own chart as an example, when calculated using the Placidus House system, I have 11 Leo on the Ascendant, 2 Virgo on the 2nd and 28 Virgo on the 3rd, 30 Libra on the Nadir (IC), 6 Sag on the 5th and 11 Capricorn on the 6th cusp. Obviously the signs opposite to these go on the opposite house cusps. So where are Taurus and Scorpio?

They are "intercepted" in the 10th and 4th houses respectively. The cusp of my MC is 30 Aries, while the cusp of my 11th is 6 Gemini making my 10th house 36 degrees wide. That means I begin the house at the end of Aries, and it's wide enough to encompass all of Taurus and a fifth of Gemini. The same with the 4th, but with opposite signs.

My 2nd house, on the other hand, is only 26 degrees wide, as is my 8th. Planets move through my 2nd and 8th houses quickly, but stay longer in my 4th and 10th, since those houses are wider. Again, this is all about how space or time are "bent" by which house system you use to calculate charts.

In another example, when using the Porphyry House division system (my favorite) my cusps change significantly. I'll always have 11 Leo as an Ascendant and 30 Aries as a Midheaven (MC), but using Porphyry I have 7 Virgo on the 2nd, 4 Libra on the 3rd, 4 Sag on the 5th, and 7 Cap on the 6th, with opposite signs on opposite houses. Thus you can see the rulers of my 3rd and 9th houses change when I change house division systems, also moving my Saturn from the 3rd (Placidus) to the 2nd (Porphyry). However, Taurus and Scorpio remain intercepted in both these systems.

The Koch system is closer to the Porphyry cusps, though it expands my 4th and 10th while narrowing my 6th and 12th houses. Campanus also is close to the Porphyry cusps, and expands my 1st and 7th while narrowing my 4th and 10th. Regiomontanus, on the other hand, is closer to the Placidus cusps (Virgo on the 3rd) and widens my 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 10th houses while it narrows my 2nd, 6th, 8th, and 12th houses. In all systems other than the Equal House system, Taurus and Scorpio remain intercepted. Again, if this has you confused, reading the above linked article on houses will help some of this make sense.

So what does all this mean? When two houses share the same sign, they are both ruled by the same planet. When a sign is intercepted, it means the previous sign is the cusp ruler, but the intercepted sign exerts a very powerful influence, since all signs get their due in our life experience. We all have all the signs somewhere, and exactly where is why some of us have similar or different approaches to our life arenas (the houses).

As you can see, whatever houses share a ruler is determined by which system we use. As you will learn by consulting the other article, my personal approach is that each cusp is actually a zone created by using any three systems, creating a degree span where the two houses in question meet and overlap each other. In our example, using Equal, Placidus, and Porphyry together, we see that the cusp between my 2nd and 3rd houses is anywhere from 28 Virgo to 11 Libra. This is the "commons" where my values meet my atitudes, where my resources and how I use them contacts my environment and close relations.

There are other correlations as well, such as the border between my 8th and 9th being between 28 Pisces and 11 Aries. This is where my desires meet my truth and future, or where my shared values and resources meet my ethics and philosophy. Any time a planet moves through these zones that planetary principle activates the shared "zone of influence" and I get new insights and activities about what is common to those different houses through that planetary lens.

Just because a sign is on 2 houses doesn't make it "more powerful," and the intercepted sign "less powerful." More obvious and less obvious might be a better way to approach this phenomenon, or tuning it inside out, "narrower" and "wider" spans of experience. Two signs on the same house shows a harmonic linkage, but also shows a narrow range of influence, since the same sign on two houses always indicates a house that's less than 30 degree wide. If anything, an intercepted sign makes a house wider, thus opening that span within us to a wider range of experience. Not necessarily stronger, but more diverse.

That would also go for any planet in an intercepted sign. The fact that we don't have a sign on a cusp does not make a planet in that sign "weak." Intercepted is not weak - no planet is "weak." It shows that the influence works independent of the general inclination to approach the house affairs through the sign of the cusp and whatever planet rules that sign. As I've noted, it shows a very wide house, encompassing three sign energies, which would mean when any planet transits through that house it would have a long stay and a wide range of experience.

Remember, the planets always express themselves. While the signs on our cusps show our general inclination of approach in those life areas, those areas only express when a planet occupies that sign, or when a hot spot is set off by a progression, transit, eclipse point, a major planet conjunction point, a Solar Return emphasis, or other such indicators.

An intercepted planet is still very strong, and will show its influence every time something makes an aspect to it. It may work as a background influence, or a non-obvious influence, but it will still show itself. My Venus in Taurus in the 10th is intercepted, but no one would ever think it was not a powerful influence in my life! And I can assure you that Scorpio transits to my 4th are very powerful, since they aspect quite a few of my planets.

When two cusps share the same ruler, obviously we look to that ruler to see what "governs" the affairs of those houses, and we will often see similar movement in both areas as its ruler moves through its yearly dance with itself and all the other planets in our charts. Just remember that the outer Invisible Triad of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto work out transpersonally and collectively, and if we want to see what's going on in our personal and interpersonal affairs we must reference the traditional rulers of the signs.

Unless you're a global force majure, you'll usually understand more about your life affairs by looking at Saturn as ruler of Cap and Aquarius, Jupiter as ruler of Sag and Pisces, and Mars as ruler of Aries and Scorpio. And even world rulers and major players are under the traditional rulers, though their decisions may work out as Uranian, Neptunian, or Plutonian energies in the world.

So please take a new look at how interceptions work if they apply in your chart, since it's a very powerful influence even though those signs aren't on a cusp. And of course, they might be if you approach cusps as zones of influence rather than hard lines fixed in space-time.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Jane]

This article was especially interesting for me since my Placidus ascendant and house cusps are only about 30 seconds different from yours! Fun little synchronicity of the day.

[Robert]

Hi Jane - You mean you have the same confusions as me? ;-)

[Melika]

Hi Robert - I know a big transit is coming up for me and I'm hoping you can give me some insight into what is coming. The transit: Saturn in Virgo conjunct my natal Uranus. If I'm not mistaken, that's happening on the day of the solar eclipse -- and Virgo and Pisces are the intercepted signs in my chart. My birth info is 4/22/1963 at 12:55 a.m. in Denver, Colorado. How would you interpret all of this? Also, some astrologers have told me my natal Uranus in Virgo is in the 8th house and some have told me it's in the 7th house. What's your take on this?

Thanks so much. I love your site and appreciate all your insight!!

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

Interesting article--In my natal chart I have no intercepted houses, but in every Solar Return chart I do for the same location I have intercepted houses. Go figure!

Again as your wisdom proves, there is no "Bad" aspect in a chart unlike some other astrologers I know.

On another matter, have you done an article on void of course moon?

Peace,

Helen

[Melody]

Hi Robert,

I really love your site and your articles.
This particular one caught my attention because I too have a Leo ascendant 11 degrees and also Venus in Taurus in the 10th. But I have my second and third house intercepted in Virgo ( meaning Libra is intercepted) and Pisces rules my eighth and ninth house with 4 planets in Aries intercepted in the ninth ?? I have found the last saturn neptune opposition incredibly difficult in my life with spiritual persecution being a theme. I am wondering if you wouldn't mind telling me what would be the most healing and productive use of 4 planets in Aries in the ninth ? Birth info 1:12 PM 3/31/64
Milford, Ct.

Hope you keep writing I'm a novice astrologer and
can't get enough about it from really good insightful sources. Thanks again Melody

[Robert]

Hi Melika - That transit affects an entire generation, and will be in effect for many months. The eclipse falling in intercepted houses doesn't give it any particular importance, since a house is a house with its particular influence. As for a planet said to be in two different houses, I suspect it's due to different house systems used by different astrologers. Again, as I've already mentioned, it shows that Uranus in your chart is in the "bridge zone" between the 7th and 8th houses. And you're welcome.

Hi Helen - Yes, interception has to do with location. Of course, there are "bad" aspects if one doesn't know how to use the energies appropriately. Even a trine can produce unfortunate effects if one doesn't know how to use it. And yes, here's The Void of Course Moon.

Hi Melody - The Saturn opposed Neptune hammered your Moon-Venus opposition, forcing you to assert yourself on your terms without worrying about whether others approved or not. You had to rewrite your rules of relationship and stop enduring stifling or leaden people and rules about "making love work." You are somewhat of an "astro-twin" with me (and at least one or two others in our community at this site!), given I also have Sun-Mars in Aries in the 9th, with Mercury exactly conjunct the MC in Aries. Cultivate a fearless pioneering vision, and because you're always going to be a tip of the spear, so to speak, remember you're out front of everyone else in many ways. Often those who are first at something are not understood or accepted by those who follow the herd.

You bring the fire to the party, and when you show up somewhere you jump start whatever is happening there. Just be careful your Moon in Scorpio doesn't push past safe boundaries through sheer discontent. Remember that just because something is good, more and more may or may not be better. Learn to be more thoughtful and studied in your responses, don't shoot from the hip when discretion is called for, and cultivate patience, since everything in your map is geared to action for its own sake. Learn how to stop unproductive behavior in self or others, turn on a dime, and go in more productive directions.

Be yourself, but make sure it's your best self, and not your worst. Learn which battles are not worth fighting. Travel does you well, opening many doors. You are a natural teacher with aptitude in law and spiritual studies. Your life will move fairly quickly, but again, don't let intensity and discontent for their own sake be your defaults. You're here to live wholeheartedly, but that doesn't mean to go over the edge! Just keep living your pioneering vision, open to distant possibilities in spiritual awareness, remember that eagles don't mate with chickens, and learn how to enjoy your life.

[Melika]

Hi Robert - Thanks for the explanation. If Uranus is in the "bridge zone" between the 7th and 8th houses and Saturn will conjunct Uranus this coming week, and then again in the spring when Saturn is retrograde, and then again later next year in its direct motion, what would you expect may be coming my way? I think you said in an article something about MAJOR RESTRUCTURING for people with that transit. I understand the 7th house pretty well but don't understand the 8th house much at all, so how do you think that will play out? What are the best things to keep in mind or to try to learn during those transits, and what is the best way to use the energy of these tranists productively?

I was completely unprepared for how difficult Neptune conjunct my Saturn for the first time this spring ended up being (feeling all out of sorts and ungrounded -- and I'm still in the middle of that one!), so I'm just trying to get a little more insight and guidance to better prepare myself for this one.

[Robert]

Hi Melika - Go do some research on the 8th house and check back with your inferences. Neptune has been and is dissolving the Saturn of everyone born around your time, and will for some time to come, so get used to it. It can manifest in many ways, and two antidotes are to get beyond fear and the need to control. When your Saturn has been purified by collective transpersonal forces beyond its control, you'll see clearly what necessary effect the transit produced.

[Melika]

Thanks, Robert. That information on the Neptune transit is very, very helpful to me.

[Micheline Cloutier]

okay I got a few if at least one question, okay I have leo at 23 degrees so that means it is intercepted by virgo???and then if you look at my whole house system it is intercepted by many following sign next to it... is there a rule of thumb so to speak when we are talking about intercepted signs?????
I am new at this stuff and am just beginning to grasp the more complicated stuff. thanks any input is well appreciated

[Robert]

Hi Melika - Yes, it's happening to everyone your age, and posits tremendous challenges and rewards. This can help you remake your sense of purpose into your highest ideal.

Hi Micheline - I'm not sure what you're trying to explain. An intercepted sign happens in a house that starts with the previous sign and ends two signs later. Like having Libra on my 4th and Sag on my 5th makes Scorpio intercepted in the 4th.

[Melody]

Hi Robert,

I really just want to say thank you SO MUCH for
your response ( Astro Twin ;) LOL ). You have indeed helped me out alot. Thank you again for taking the time from your busy schedule. You'll be hearing from me again. :)
Cheers to everyone ~ Melody

[Melody]

P.S.
So sorry I also forgot to ask one small question - though its not part of this article of intercepted houses. You mention and quote in articles on your site I am assuming from a ' book ' ? called Magic of Space. Is this a book you've written and if so where can I find it please ? :) Thanks again
Melody
Wishing everyone the best

[Robert]

Hi Melody - Sure. Got the email. I didn't write "The Magic of Space." It's an out of print masterpiece written by a Master of the Wisdom, and costs many hundreds of dollars a copy if/when you can get it. That's why I reprint parts here when I can. Go through the recent MOS articles and the internal links and you'll get dozens of pages of material.

[Popplagid]

I took a different approach.
Instead of choosing a house system, I have closely followed when moon, mars, sun and other planets have crossed from one house into another and marked the time where events seemed to get bigger.
It something between the koch and placidus systems, but different. And there seem to be even more fascinating things. Sometimes even in plain seventh house, I get persistently eight house events. And my rising seems to have three different degrees that I came with events during transits, such as 25ºAqu, 28ºAqu, 0ºPis.
Anyway, I seem to be with the aquarius influence, but always seeking to be pisces as an ideal. So, its a rather curious and intuitive issue this of considering exact or not limits of houses.
I do not see exact limits but regions of limits quite markedly. But specially in cases where I have planets in border, a curious thing happen. Example: I have sun-neptune-mercury conjunction in 10/11th houses cusp. Before that seems clearly a 10th house effect and after a 11th house. It seems they even help to mark the division between the two themes, as they would be part of the virtual wall, part of the virtual cusp, a mix of both, if you understand me.

[Robert]

Hi Popplagid - There is a system whereby we evaluate whole quadrants rather than a 12 fold division of reality, but it is somewhat obscure. The 7th prepares for the 8th. You may also be seeing the rulers of certain houses manifest in other houses, which is normal. Your Ascendant, being determined by Sidereal time combined with local time, acceleration factors, and what latitude you were born, cannot vary. The MC and Asc are always fixed in time. It's the rest that vary according to what systems we use. Any seeming multiple degree influence is probably due to aspects being made to your planets. And you're right, in that the approach to cuspal planets will always be of the previous influence, while after the contact it will seem of the next. It's not so much a virtual wall, as much as approaching experience, having the experience, and remembering the experience.

[Layli]

Greetings, Robert! In doing a chart for a friend born in one of the higher latitudes on planet Earth, I have come across something I have never seen before: Houses (1st & 7th) containing two intercepted signs! Given that I am still educating myself about the meaning of one intercepted sign in a house, I am wondering if there is something special I need to understand about two intercepted signs. Of course, this means my friend's 3rd-5th and 10th-12th houses are tiny -- only about 42 degrees per quadrant. What interpretive guidance can you give??
P.S. Much appreciation for your site!!

[Aaron]

Hi Robert, i was wondering when do we feel the effects of a planet transiting a new house? Thanks

[Robert]

Hi Layli - Yes, you've stumbled upon one of the stranger elements of astrology! The closer to the poles, the more space bends, and certain sectors expand while others shrink, at least in our view of them. And yes, it does indicate some sectors are extremely narrow, while others are extremely wide. Without laboring over nuances, it would mean that they are very complex in some ways, even contradictory regarding certain segments of life. And of course, it would indicate that the transits in some areas would drag on and on and on, while other areas when transited would be breathtakingly short. That's why in those cases it's often more helpful to use an equal house system. My old friend Carl Payne Tobey felt that was the only way to get a remotely accurate take on their experience, but he also felt it should be measured from the MC rather than the Asc, even though it could put the Asc in the 11th, 12th, 1st, or 2nd house, depending. I'd probably use equal houses from the Asc, which puts the MC in the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th house, depending on how close to the Arctic circle they were born.

Hi Aaron - We should feel the effects when they enter the shared "zone of control" between the two houses in question. The shared zone is found in whatever area the planet could be in either one or the other depending on what system(s) we're using. I've spoken of this shared zone in several articles, so by all means site google "house systems" and you'll be taken to at least one of them.

[Pam]

Hello Robert,
This was a very informative article thanks. I was very interested in the concept put forward by your friend Carl Payne Tobey and tried it out with my own chart. Having had a 12th house sun for many many years it would put my sun directly on the ascendant +.22mins which I would find hard to understand having been a "backroom" gal most of my life. Interesting though. Kind regards.

[Layli]

Thank you, Robert!

[Robert]

Hi Pam - Well, Carl was fairly revolutionary for a Taurus! He merely wanted us to consider the possibility of other references than the usual. I believe the totality of it to be a combination of many approaches.

Hi Layli - Sure. You're welcome.

[diego p. maling, jr.]

hi! this is such a nice discovery for me i had to necro post. :-)

my current significant other has intercepted pisces in the 2nd and duplicated gemini in the 5th. complicating things (especially for a dabbler like me) are Jupiter and Mercury in Pisces and Neptune in Sagittarius in the 11th. Mercury, her leading planet, is also the focus of a T square with Neptune opposing Mars.

any insights and/or comments would be very much appreciated.

cheers,
jegs

[Robert]

Hi diego - Your SO has Aquarius on the 2nd, making that sign the ruler of the 2nd, but with Jupiter in Pisces in the 2nd, it would be considered "the lord of the 2nd." It would seem that scattering energies is an issues, as is the need to find multiple means of creative self expression. She must be very intuitive once she gets clear about the roles she wants to play, and is an expert on knowing phases and stages of how things develop. She has the power to become fairly wealthy if she doesn't procrastinate or give up too easily when she should be acting along multiple lines simultaneously. She's learning disciplined use of energies right now, along with not going into pessimistic or unnecessarily narrow interpretations or views. This should be a great time for her to express hidden talents and patiently regenerate whatever she needs to fulfill her self image. She'll be discovering newer, deeper truths over the next few years.

[Jenna]

Hi Robert,

Fantastic article and great work on this site! Keep it up!

So, I have intercepted Cap/Can in the 4th and 10th houses, respectively, and they are covered by Sag/Gem. The inaction thing is SO TRUE, and there is nothing I want to do but stop with the indecisiveness.

I'm wondering if there is a good way for me to unlock this pent-up energy? I may also be unsure of the best way to access this energy because I'm unsure what my duplicated signs are. One chart says it is Virgo/Pisces ruling the 12th/6th and 1st/7th but I feel that following the energies of these signs gives me no release, and instead entrap me WAY more (Mercury Rx in the 12th House gives me difficulty communicating and leads me to think in circles (and in solitude) and Neptune in Cap is trapped in the 4th).

Oh right, and since Saturn and Moon are both in Capricorn in the 4th house (with Neptune and Uranus) the keys to those energies are somewhat locked.

Another possible double-duty placement that is right on target and seems to ring true for me is Libra/Aries across the 1st/7th and 2nd/8th. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people tell me that I "just need to be more assertive," and the house placements of these planet rulers (Venus in 11th, Mars in 9th) are definitely my keys and have shown me the way to happiness (friends and associations, spirituality). I've read that the 2nd/8th axis, or comparatively "higher" axis is a way to growth. If that's the case, does it mean being more fair and just (Lib energy) in trusting myself, building my own resources and standing on my own two feet while being active and assertive (Aries energy) in trusting others is the way to go?

Oh right, birth info (duh!): 8/30/1990, 8:05, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Thank you so much! You're doing an absolutely incredible job, and I'm a big fan!!! Keep up the great energy.
Best wishes!

Take care,
Jenna

[Vivienne]

Hello!
What an interesting and informative article! I stumbled accross 'intercepted' signs whilst trying to figure out my 'yod' where the apex is the sun in my tenth of Taurus. It was pointed out to me that the my 10th/4th Taurus/Scorpio repectively, are intercepted, making things even more challenging. (Wish me luck in this life time!!) I also have Leo asc at 11 degrees. I have the sun, venus, mars and chiron in the tenth, sun and venus opposite uranus in the 4th, with pluto at 22 libra which is exactly conjunct my IC...... trying to figure all this out is such an interesting minefield. :) I look forward to reading more of your articles.
Kind regards,
Vivienne.

[Robert]

Hi Vivienne - Glad you enjoyed the feast! Interceptions are not more challenging. Just somewhat overshadowed by the sign on the cusp! (As I also have Taurus/Scorpio intercepted in the 4/10 sectors, I know whereof I speak!) It seems we also have almost identical Ascendants. Enjoy perusing the archives for more that may help you understand what's up with you and many others. Welcome to the community!!

[Sue Lewis]

This is a very interesting article and I fully share your view that intercepted planets are strong even though they may not be obvious much of the time.
Sue

[Lizzie Bodenham]

Hey Robert,regarding the different house systems, I personally found the Placidus system to accurately reflect the "differences" between my twin sister and I! I was taught to use Placidus from the astrologer who gave my sister and I our first astrology reading and he defined the differences between us based on the way different planets fell in different houses...through my own study I then saw how we have signs that are intercepted differently and this further highlights differences between us- even though there's only 25 minutes between us! For this reason I have stuck with this house system although I see that maybe I need to be open to exploring others...