Psychology and the 4th House Cusp
By Hank Friedman
(Note: this article is focused on Western astrology, using the Equal House System and the Tropical Zodiac)
In assessing a person's psychodynamics, a myriad of astrological factors need to be taken into account including focal planets, the strongest aspects, the signs of the most important points (Ascendant, Sun, Moon and focal planets), and more.
However, the Ascendant is the fastest moving point in a chart and therefore is the best indicator of individual differences, (and the only one for twins).
For those using the Equal House System, the 4th house cusp is always square to the Ascendant and three signs forward from the Ascendant, and indicates a great deal about a person's makeup.
The 4th house cusp signifies how a person acts habitually, instinctively, and defensively, and the how that they seek and create emotional security and succor.
Ignoring the 4th house cusp, therefore, is a mistake, as the Ascendant only reveals some attributes about the person, and the 4th house cusp shows other important ones.
Since the Ascendant and Equal 4th cusp are in square aspect to each other, their relationship also reveals a fundamental tension and cross-dynamic within each person's psyche.
The Ascendant reveals who the person thinks they are, but the 4th house cusp uncovers how they act under stress and reflexively.
Snce the Ascendant represents both how a person meets the world and the core aspects of their identity, using the Rising sign plus the 4th house cusp gives us a very clear understanding of who the person is at a very basic level.
The Four General Polarities
Fire Rising, Water 4th Earth Rising, Air 4th Air Rising, Earth 4th Water Rising, Fire 4th
Notice that two of the above pairs (Fire and Water) are both emotional elements, and as such the person is at their core an emotional being, and the other two pairs (Earth and Air) are rational elements, and so the person is fundamentally dispassionate.
(Of course other chart factors, like the Sun sign and Ascendant ruler, also contribute to the nature of the person.)
The Fire Rising, Water 4th cusp person presents as extroverted, direct, open, and warm, but has (due to the 4th house water) deep needs for solitude, tenderness, and safety, and respite from interacting. In other words, they need much gentler handling than one might initially guess, and take things much more personally than might be expected from a Fire sign rising.
As one might imagine, the more social emotional signs (Leo/Scorpio and Sagittarius/Pisces) will be more affected by others than the more self-referent signs (Aries/Cancer). (One must always take everything in a chart into account, as much as possible.)
The Earth Rising, Air 4th cusp people identify as solid, reliable, hard-working, present, and responsible, but their Air core makes them inclined to detach, retreat into observation, and at times talk more than act. They frequently will think of more alternatives than someone with, for example, the Sun in Earth.
Air Rising, Earth 4th cusp is the opposite of the previous section. The presentation and identity is open, communicative, flexible, interactive, and receptive, but the core is solid, at times difficult to influence, rigorous, pragmatic, and usually conservative.
Folks with these Air Ascendants are evaluative and make decisions carefully, so for all of their engaging style, they size things up very perceptively and at their own pace.
Water Rising, Fire 4th cusp is also an emotional pairing, but this time the person appears and acts sensitive, empathic, very receptive, and intimate, but there's an underlying (Fire) independent, self-oriented, dominant, and at times intrusive nature that can especially appear in private or under stress.
It is easy, then, to see the benefit of always paying attention to the sign on the 4th house cusp. And then to integrate these understanding with those of the nature of the person's Ascendant.
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