Hemisphere Emphasis
The Hemispheres of the Houses
There are four hemispheric divisions of the chart—Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western. They’re slightly tricky to remember because their positions are counter-intuitive!
When we look for hemispheric emphasis, astrologers generally consider only the planets and luminaries, not the Nodes and other points.
Eastern and Western Hemispheres of a Chart, from the article, Hemisphere Emphasis
The Eastern Hemisphere is comprised of the first 3 and the last 3 houses—in other words, Houses 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12. It is the half of the chart that is on the left.
When the majority of planets are found in the Eastern hemisphere, the native is generally self-motivated, initiating, action-oriented, and self-assertive. He or she tends to believe strongly in free will.
The Western Hemisphere is comprised of Houses 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9—the right half of the chart.
People with the majority of planets in the Western hemisphere tend to be other-oriented and receptive rather than self-motivated. The needs of others are considered before taking action. It is in this sense that the lives of people born with this emphasis are thought to be more in the hands of fate.
However, this is not actually the case, as people with either Eastern or Western hemispheric emphasis (and those with balanced charts in this sense) essentially have the same free will potential.
Southern and Northern Hemispheres of a Chart, from the article, Hemisphere Emphasis
The Northern Hemisphere is comprised of Houses 1 through 6—the lower half of the chart (below the horizon). This is the personal and subjective portion of the chart. These houses rule areas of life that directly impact the development of our personalities and help shape our individual identities. People with a preponderance of planets in the Northern hemisphere tend to be private and more subjective.
The Southern Hemisphere is comprised of Houses 7 through 12—the upper half of the chart (above the horizon). This is the social, objective, and collective portion of the chart. People with the majority of planets found in the Southern hemisphere tend to be more objective, sociable, and concerned with “outside” events, whether they affect them on a personal level or not.
Quadrants I, II, III, and IV of a Chart, from the article, Hemisphere Emphasis
Quadrant I (Houses 1, 2, 3): Personal Identity
Quadrant II (Houses 4, 5, 6): Personal Expression
Quadrant III (Houses 7, 8, 9): Social Identity
Quadrant IV (Houses 10, 11, 12): Social Expression
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