Exploring 9th house in a Horoscope

9th house signifies wisdom, guru, teacher, father. Luck, prosperity, dharma, worship, higher knowledge, higher education, fortune, long distance, publicity, philosophy, religious beliefs, intuition, temple, 9th house is one of the very important house in Vedic astrology. It is a part of a dharma trikona along with 1st and 5th houses. 9th house and 5th house deals with past lives. It is the past life samskaras or impressions, which will determine our present life situations. It is the blueprint dictated by the past karma or action. That is the reason this house is related to luck, prosperity, success, fortune etc. It is like getting fertile or barren land based on your karma. Now it is up to you, how you want to sow it. You may even get sowed field. 9th house deals with dharma. Dharma in Hinduism means upholding cosmic law and order, which includes duties, virtues, conduct, laws. It is the house of sustenance. Dharma enables one to be striving to do the right thing, be good, be virtuous, earn religions merit and helpful to others. Dharma is understanding higher wisdom. Chakra is the symbol of dharma. Chakra means wheel which represents moving forward. In astrology, it refers moving forward with births and death. Therefore while traveling, a soul perform many karmas or actions, which will create the destiny of the individual in the present birth. 9th house will show the path or direction, which guides us into the future. In general, 9th house represents father and guru. It is the father and teacher who guides. However, one can get the guidance from others too. That will be dependent on the planets placed in the 9th house. Like if 7th lord or Venus is placed in 9th house, then it means that the spouse who is guiding in critical matters. Similarly, based on the position of 9th lord in different houses, shows in which areas the person wants to fulfill his duties. For example, if 9th lord in moksha trikona, the native might be interested in fulfilling his duties towards the spiritual side. Why 9th house signify father? According to Bhagavatam, life is transferred through the semen of the father into the mother’s womb in order to produce a particular type of body. It is said in scripture that the soul first enters into Muladhara chakra of the father, and then it is transferred into mother’s womb. Ketu governs Muladhara chakra and its deity is Lord Ganapathi. Perhaps this is the reason, nakshatra system starts from Ketu nakshatra. Also, the natural significator of father, the Sun gets deep exaltation point in Ashwini nakshatra, whose lord is Ketu. Moreover, all the dharma houses of the kalapurusha chart start with Ketu nakshatras. There is a purpose in one’s birth and death. We have to pursue certain cosmic order. In Hinduism, there is a concept of Gotra or clan.You are born in particular gotra to extend that lineage. Father is representative of this past lineage. It is your dharma or responsibility now to extend this legacy and inculcate the samskaras given by father. It is the responsibility of the father to teach the discipline and ethics. And responsibility does not end here. Later you have to transfer this heritage to your children. Therefore, self, children and father, all comes under dharma trikona houses i.e., 1st, 5th and 9th houses. Having said that, marriage also has a connection with the 9th house, though indirectly. We have to look for the 9th harmonic division called Navamsa chart to study about the spouse because marriage is again associated with dharma. (Read: more about navamsa chart) Also, it is interesting to note, the house of father is in visible half (part of free will) and other people like mother, children, family houses are all in invisible half (or houses of fate). That is because we get to choose father based on karma. As we know, birth happens because of karma and desire. Maybe when a soul is performed good deeds in previous births, then he has the power to choose based on his desires. How is Guru or teacher is connected to the 9th house? In olden days, Guru had a big role in shaping one’s life. After father, it is the teacher, who instills value system, ethics and morality. One will inherit a sense of value or samskaras from the father and then guru. Then gradually these samskaras will be transformed and established as own values. In Guru-Shishya parampara, the teacher would nurture the child and helps in mastering the different vidyas (out of 64 vidyas or arts). For example, a kshatriya child would master the art of ruling, war, use of machinery etc. However, now the time has been changed. But still, teacher plays a big role in individual life. (Read: 64 kalas (arts)) Also, in natural kalapurusha chart, 9th house is ruled by Guru or Jupiter. Jupiter is the guru of devas. He takes everyone on the path of goodness. It is the fiery house and signify wisdom and enlightenment. So naturally, 9th house will represent one’s guru. 9th house is generally a house of exploration. It represents long distance journey. It relates to higher thinking, higher mind, higher knowledge etc. It also relates to higher travel. Generally, we travel to explore new places or broaden our perspective. Life is a journey and soul in the form of a body, has to fulfill all the desires in many births. Then only final liberation can happen. In that context, 9th house is made as significator of the long journey. It also signifies spiritual or religious travel. This house implants a sense of freedom and adventurous nature. It arouses the quest for finding something new. Relationship with 10th house 10th house is the 2nd from 9th house, hence we can say that dharma is the driving force and karma is the outcome of one’s dharma. Both these houses are interdependent. Karma is the food for dharma. Like based on the intake of food (2nd house), the body (1st house) will be sustained, similarly, the sustenance of dharma (9th house) will be dependent on the actions we perform(10th house). When lords of both the houses are placed together, then a strong rajayoga called Dharma Karmadhipati yoga is formed. Relationship with 3rd house 3rd house is the opposite of 9th house. It is the first kama house and last of dharma house. 3rd house is the seed of desire and 9th house will take it to the logical conclusion based on their lords and planets associated. 3rd house is the house of effort or doing something. The act may be good or bad to others. It is the 9th house of dharma and wisdom, which assist the 3rd house in acting in a particular way. Hence 3rd house is called as lower mind and 9th house is called as a higher mind. Lower mind works in physical reality with facts and logic. But the higher mind is able to perceive the larger story. Relationship with 8t house 8th house is 12th to 9th house. 9th house is like following certain belief system, traditions etc. 12th house is generally dissolving of self and ego of the first house. Here in 8th house, you will dissolve all the fixed patterns, duties and responsibilities and use the higher mind into freedom and transformation. When there is a good relationship between these houses, the transformation will turn into spirituality. However, if there is a conflict between these houses, the higher mind will be used into destruction. Mundane Astrology In Mundane astrology 9th house stands for Courts, judges, religious institutions, commercial powers, publications, higher educational institutions, shipping business, scholars etc. -SANGRAHA