Rulers of the Third House

image: malith-d-karunarathne

The third house traditionally has to do with siblings and close relatives, with travel and short journeys, with letters, messages, and reports.  It is the house of the Goddess and the Moon has her joy there.

With the ruler of the first house in the third house, communication of the native’s thoughts becomes important, whether it is in the form of the written letter or any other means of communication or expression. Look to the planets involved for further detail on this.

With the ruler of the first in the third, the native might find themselves caught up in one way or the other in the affairs of their siblings and close relations. Travel is something that the native will either enjoy, or it will be a component of their life or career, for this is the house of short journeys.

The third house is also the house of the Goddess, the Moon has her joy there.  On a spiritual level, in the West this house rules alternative forms of the divine: the third house is also known as the house of the heretic. All to say that the native’s approach to life as well as how their persona is projected out into the world may very well be dictated or informed by their inner path and metaphysical beliefs.

As always, look to the planet involved for more information on this, for example, Wicca is a Moon-ruled religion. Various traditional authors (e.g. Al-Biruni, Lilly, etc.) give guidance on which planets rule which religions.

Ruler of the Third House in the First House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
First house: Life, vitality health; manner of expression, physical appearance.

  • Brothers and sisters will play an important role in the native’s life and impacts on their self-image.
  • Deep need to express themselves to others whether by pen or by voice and is an integral part of the definition of who they are.
  • Is talkative
  • Is direct in their communication.
  • Native will emulate their siblings.
  • Will express and communicate in the manner of the ruling planet.
  • Frequently involved in the affairs of close family members.
  • Strong need to express their thoughts and ideas.
  • Strong need to learn.
  • Talks about travel
  • Identifies as a Wiccan
  • Expresses ideas that are heretical in some way
  • Deep sense of spirituality and mother nature
  • Thinks about themselves a lot.

Ruler of the Third House in the Second House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Second house: The native’s finances and money, moveable possessions.  

  • In business with siblings or close family members.
  • Revenue will come to native through the communication sector or through ability to communicate.
  • Job involves many short business trips
  • Likes to talk about money and possessions
  • Is an economics professor
  • Works as a teacher
  • Revenue comes through alternative religion
  • Revenue comes through an alternative idea or ideas.
  • Money is often on their mind.

Ruler of the Third house in the Third House


Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys.
When the ruler of a house is in the house it rules it is able to directly attend to the activities and topics of that house, according to the nature of the ruling planet. 

  • Communication with siblings and other close relatives plays an important role in the native’s life.
  • Has a talent for writing and for communication in general.
  • Writing plays an important role in the native’s work.
  • Expressing opinion and ideas is important to the native.
  • Keeps track of their daily activities, through journal writing or electronic means.
  • Makes many short journeys.
  • Communicates well with neighbors.
  • Is a source of information for the neighbors or professional groups.
  • Gathering information is a source of satisfaction.
  • Likes to talk about what is going on in their daily life.
  • Has a facility with words, either spoken or written.
  • Communication in general plays an important part of the native’s work.
  • Has an interest in alternative religions, particularly “mother” or Moon related religions.
  • Is considered a heretic.

Ruler of the Third House in the Fourth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Fourth house: Parents, home, father, ancestors/roots, endings.

  • Lives with one or more of their siblings.
  • Talks a lot at home.
  • Conversation often revolves around family.
  • Works in the real estate business.
  • Finds it easy to talk about land and property.
  • Talent for matching client with a property.
  • Writes about family, their roots or their country.
  • Writing makes the native feel grounded.
  • Communication style is personal.
  • Is influenced by their parents in how they communicate.
  • An older sibling took the place of one or both of their parents.
  • The native became a parental figure for a sibling.
  • Depending on the planetary condition of the ruler, either good or bad communication with one or both parents.
  • Needs to be in a home environment in order to write.
  • Improves communication skill by practicing with close family members.
  • Often thinking about their siblings, aunts and uncles.

Ruler of the Third House In the Fifth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Fifth House: Children, amusements, sports, sex, creative activities, the arts

  • Is close with the children of their siblings and close family.
  • Enjoys and engages in activities with their neighbors children.
  • Reads Bible stories to their kids at lunch time.
  • Reads mythology to their kids at lunchtime.
  • Encourages kids to participate in their religious and spiritual activities
  • Writes regularly to their grown children.
  • Enjoys going on vacation with their kids.
  • Likes playing sports/board games with their siblings and close family and kids.
  • Enjoys having sex with their neighbors.
  • Engages in collaborative artistic projects with siblings.
  • Communicates with others by means of the arts.
  • Plays board games and practices sports with kids and folks from the ‘hood.
  • Likes to talk about sex
  • Thinks about sex all the time.

Ruler of the Third House in the Sixth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Sixth house: Illness, the native’s servants/employees, daily routines, small animals, pets

  • Thoughts often turn to possible health issues.
  • Siblings have health problems.
  • Neighbors are handicapped.
  • Neighbors make the native sick.
  • State of mind has an impact on health.
  • Is an HR manager
  • Siblings make the native sick.
  • Hires siblings and neighbors to work for the native.
  • Works in IT to make a living.
  • Level and quality of communication skill directly impacts on people who work for them.
  • Always reads the tiny print of what is in the ingredients.
  • A person identifying as an artist of some kind who makes their living as an elemenatary or secondary school teacher.
  • Siblings work in the health sector.
  • An artist who works as a tour guide.
  • Communication style directly affects their relation with employees.
  • Communicates well with domestic animals.
  • Interested in alternative forms of medicine.
  • PR person for an animal shelter.
  • Thoughts often turn to their daily routine and habits.

Ruler of the Third House in the Seventh House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Seventh house: Marriage/intimate relationships, business partnerships, open enemies.

  • Marries the boy/girl next door.
  • Is in business with their siblings.
  • For the native, the most important thing about marriage is to have someone to talk to and share with.
  • Their business partner lives nearby.
  • Enjoys travelling with partner.
  • Co-anchors a podcast.
  • Writes sharp letters to critics.
  • Has intense long-distance relationships.
  • Their partner fills their conscious thoughts.
  • The most important thing in a marriage partner is to share the same spiritual beliefs.

Ruler of the Third House in the Eighth House

  • Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
    Eighth house: death, permanent loss, decay, and the fear & anxiety attached to these. Inheritance. Partner or spouses money. Other people’s money. finacial obligations, debts, taxes, loans. 
  • Native is a medium who communicates with the dearly departed
  • Is the HR director of a hedge fund.
  • Native’s sibling works in financial services.
  • Native’s sibling is a mortician/runs a funeral parlour
  • Natives’ sibling work as a forensic pathologist.
  • Has worries and anxieties about siblings
  • Is in the will of neighbors and/or siblings
  • Writes an obituary column/blog
  • Communication manager of tax office
  • Lawyer specializing in writing wills
  • Is a psychologist/mental health professional
  • Writes about macabre subjects.
  • Issues surrounding death are never far from their mind.

Ruler of the Third house in the Ninth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Ninth house: Higher education/knowledge, philosophy, religion and clergy, particularly patriarcal religions, long distance voyages, foreign lands and foreigners, anything that takes us further, publishing.

  • Works in an institution of higher learning.
  • Sibling/neighbors work in higher education.
  • Siblings live abroad.
  • Works abroad in a communication field.
  • Thinks about getting published.
  • Works in the publishing industry.
  • Is a university professor in a foreign country.
  • Is conflicted between traditional and alternative religions.
  • Is a heretic.
  • Works in a religious institution.
  • Is a missionary.
  • Is a philosopher.
  • Works in the travel industry/thinks about travel all the time.

Ruler of the Third house in the Tenth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Tenth house: Career/profession, worldly position, reputation, mother/one of the parents, government/authority

  • Has a career in communication
  • Career involves many short trips.
  • Is a writer.
  • Is a priest/priestess
  • Is a communication manager.
  • Their mother (or whichever parent is the maternal figure) is often on their mind.
  • The profession of their siblings is important to them in some way.
  • Wants to receive recognition for their ideas.
  • Gets recognition as a teacher
  • Often thinks and talks about career.

Ruler of the Third house in the Eleventh House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Eleventh House: friends, benefactors, aspirations, positive hopes and ambitions.

  • Think about their friends a lot and their mutual interests.
  • Always sends their friends postcards when on holiday, or at least an email or two!
  • Their siblings are their best friends.
  • Receives support from friends and siblings.
  • Learn a lot from friends and/or  neighbors.
  • People they network with influence their spiritual views.
  • Visualize themselves going places and achieving new things and then make their dreams come true.
  • Friends help them network.
  • Takes lots of short trips with friends.

Ruler of the Third house in the Twelfth House

Third house: Siblings, close family (not parents), neighbors, letters, communications generally, short journeys, house of the goddess.
Twelfth house: imprisonment, affliction, self-undoing; hidden from public view, isolation, secret enemies, paranoia, worry attached to skeletons in the closet.

  • Thinks they know everything, but the problem is that they don’t.
  • Spends a lot of time in meditation and contemplation.
  • Teaches people how to meditate.
  • Fears being isolated.
  • Works best independently.
  • Works as a ghost writer.
  • Is secretive.
  • Siblings working behind the native’s back.
  • Is paranoid about telephoning.