A Deeper Look at the 4th House/Imum Coeli

The 4th house is commonly known to be associated with family, roots, upbringing and our home in both a physical and emotional sense. The 4th house cusp is called the Imum Coeli or IC. It’s the lowest part of the Natal Chart, it is the most private and personal to us, and it creates the foundation for the rest of our chart. The condition of the 4th house describes our childhood upbringing and the home environment we grew up in. This is the part of our lives in which we learn to satisfy our most basic needs regarding safety and comfort. What we learn during childhood (and our caregivers) has a deep influence over our psychological basis and how we form emotional responses throughout our lives.

What can be built on a weak foundation? Surely you could not have a successful career (10th house) without a bed to sleep in at night? How can you have a fulfilling relationship (7th house) if you don’t know what you need to feel nurtured and secure? The stronger our roots are, the more we can build onto our foundation. Arguably. the 4th house could be considered the most important house… if we have nowhere to call home, nowhere to feel safe, and no family to call for help, the other 11 houses become rather insignificant.

But what is “home”? I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying “home is where the heart is.” The concept of home goes beyond a physical sense. Home is a feeling. When we feel at home, we feel like we can be our most authentic selves. The 4th house is the base of our consciousness and our emotional center. It is your ability to feel at home with not only your physical surroundings but to feel at home with the SELF on a deep emotional level. The ability of our 4th house and the way it is able to function is dependent on our ability to retreat into our inner world and form a strong connection with the deepest parts of our psyche. Who are you when no one is watching? The 4th house is how we access that part of ourselves, that quiet space that exists within all of us and allows us to feel centered and grounded. That is what home is really all about, if you feel at home with yourself then you can create a home anywhere you go.

Take for example, someone with an Aquarius IC… their ability to feel the most at home and comfortable in their environment is going to be tied to their ability to feel independent and celebrate their individuality, maybe even having the space to rebel! They would not be able to feel deep emotional fulfillment if they were deprived of the space to function freely as an individual and to think/act outside of the box of what is considered normal. This would be an emotional need for them and without it they would not feel like they have access to their true selves. Freedom, change, and individuality could be the tools they use to “come home” and feel grounded and safe to express their true nature.

Or someone with Sun in the 4th house… Many tend to assume that someone with Sun/Moon in the 4th house is going to be someone with deep ties to their family and home, maybe even a homebody type. But this isn’t always true. Someone with Sun in the 4th house, the expression of their ego and identity is going to be reliant on their emotional foundation. If this person tries to neglect their emotions, is uncomfortable with the reality of their emotional needs, doesn’t have a safe and comfortable space to call home, their ability to shine is going to be greatly weakened. But when they have plenty of access to privacy, comfort, and stability, their self-expression will be energized and they can really shine for everyone to see! It doesn’t mean that they spend all their time at home, but they need the resources of the 4th house in order to be their radiant selves. This is true for any 4th house placement, the resources of the 4th house are going to be a crucial aspect in the planet’s expression. And it works vice versa, the planet in the 4th could also be considered a tool in which one may call upon this deeper understanding of the self. So with this placement, not only would the 4th house provide the resources the Sun needs to shine, but the Sun would in return shine that light onto the 4th house and lead to emotional fulfillment and comfort when is expressing their personality.

How are your 4th house planets functioning? If you have your Venus there, are you able to connect with others and do things that bring you pleasure? If you have your Mars there, are you able to initiate new things, do you have the willpower to achieve your goals and assert yourself when necessary? If not, your foundation may need some tending to. Spend some time alone, call upon your 4th house resources and tools to get closer to yourself! The 4th house is your safe space. This is where you can truly be yourself and access the deepest parts of your inner world. So use it! The rest of your chart will thank you for having that strong, stable, beautiful foundation to rest on.

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