All About the 5th House in Astrology

Hot take: Every home should have some type of play space. When my younger brother and I were small children in our first home in Florida, my mom created a playroom for us. In it there were colorful foam mats for us to roll around on, a plastic play house, and other child-friendly items for us to occupy our time with. In the playroom, my youngest brother and I were allowed to be bored and idle. We’d play with dolls, trucks, and allow our imagination to soar beyond the walls that contained us.

Our sunny and minimalist play space was our sanctuary. It was a domain dedicated to experimentation, exploration, painting, drawing, and whatever else our young minds could imagine. I believe that all children and adults deserve to have a safe space dedicated to pleasure and creativity. In astrology, the 5th House of your birth chart is like that playroom.

After the intensity of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th houses, the 5th House is when astrologers start getting into the more pleasant aspects of the birth chart. The 5th House provides clues about how you play and enjoy pleasure, as well as how your imagination works.

Catch up on the Houses:

• Meet the houses of your birth chart
• The 1st House: Identity and first impressions
  
• The 2nd House: Finances and boundaries
  
• The 3rd House: Communication and community
  
• The 4th House: Home, heritage, and family
  

To find your 5th House, calculate your birth chart below. Look for the little 5 on the inner circle, and then see which zodiac sign it aligns with. The zodiac sign on the cusp—the left side of the lines marking the house—is the sign your 5th House is in.

This birth chart calculator was created by www.astro-seek.com in collaboration with astrologer Narayana Montúfar. Learn more about Narayana's work on her website www.naramon.com.

The 5th House is considered a succedent house. The word succedent comes from the Latin term succedens, which means subsequent or succeeding. Succedent houses reflect what is given from angular houses (the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th Houses). Angular houses are the ones you can refer to in order to get a sense of someone’s character and personality. Once a person makes their mark in the world, what’s left over gets expressed through the succedent houses.

The angular house prior to the 5th House is the 4th House of family and heritage, which astrologers refer to in order to get a sense of a person’s dependencies and family. Once a person’s loyalties and identities are well defined, then it is easier to interpret how they go about fun, pleasure, creativity, and raising children—all 5th House matters.

In short, the 5th House expresses how we use happiness to create states of joy. Studying the 5th House will provide clues as to what makes a person happy and what fills the "playroom" of their life.

The zodiac sign associated with the 5th House is the courageous and confidently bold Leo, and therefore the planet that characterizes the House of creativity is the Sun. Now, as you astro-hawties know, the Sun is actually not a planet, it is a star. The 5th House is a domain in which you can gather ideas of how to brighten your day and put on your best performances!

Having planets in your 5th House in your birth chart is like having toys in your playroom. Planets and luminaries (that's the Sun and Moon, FYI) represent the types of emotions and energetic forces we allow to drive us. For example, Venus is associated with happiness, pleasure, beauty, and finances. If you have Venus in your 5th House, you are inclined to fill your playroom with items that inspire sensual delight and flaunt your wealth. Venus in the 5th House could mean that you allow yourself to splurge, choosing to opt in on fancy excursions and luxury items, or treating hair and makeup as ways to let your inner child roam free.

Now if you have no planets in your 5th House, don’t worry! A lack of planets within your 5th House doesn’t mean that you’re a square; on the contrary, it likely means that you have no anchors or barriers keeping you from tapping into your pleasure centers. If you want to have fun, go out and do it. Treat all the planets as forms of inspiration and let your joy fly high!

Planets and luminaries transiting through your birth chart represent a need to bring attention to the energy associated with that cosmic body. When a planet or luminary is temporarily within your 5th House of play, then you are being challenged to experience temporary lessons that should help you develop a deeper appreciation for your creative process.

For example, when the stoic and stern planet Saturn moves your 5th House, it can feel like a bit of a damper, NGL. Saturn is all about responsibility and practicality, so if you’re into going to lifestyle retreats and play parties, you may find that you’re going to learn potentially harsh lessons—or on the other hand, you may receive extremely pleasant rewards for being responsible and risk-aware. Saturn can feel like an especially intimidating planet to have to work with, but within your 5th House of play and pleasure, it can help you grow. As Saturn moves through your 5th House, you might find yourself maturing in the ways you express joy and delight and approaching life’s risks with more wisdom and a deeper sense of care. Ultimately, Saturn moving through your 5th House can transform you into a careful and delightful adult.

Once planets leave your 5th House, you may feel a sense of relief. Or on the other hand, you might simply notice that certain patterns and themes come to an end. Remember, all transits are temporary; they occur to help you reflect and grow.