The House of Wisdom is the domain ruled by the philosophical sign Sagittarius and the exalted planet Jupiter. Known alternatively as the House of Philosophy, it naturally concerns itself with the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and higher learning. This house is best embodied by the etymology of the word “philosophy” itself. The result of the fusion between “philos” and “sophia,” it effectively means the “love of wisdom.” This alone highlights the fervent desire of humanity to find depth and truth in their lives, embodied by that one elusive concept wrapped around the word “wisdom.”
Given this, it naturally implies that there is ignorance in the world, and that there is always a need for one to conquer their own worst impulses. This is why the love of wisdom is also tempered by a need for personal discipline, and that the way to start expressing this love is by first addressing the multiple aspects of oneself that could lead to ignorance.
Take, for example, laziness. In an era where one is increasingly susceptible to misinformation, not taking the time to properly read a news article can genuinely result in one having warped views about the world, which could end up damaging instead of helping it. Ignorance, as we know, damages the world in various ways. As such, the House of Wisdom gives people extensive tips on how to actually deal with one’s tendency to go for the easy way.
Aside from this, the Ninth House also puts a premium on the pursuit of education and reminds us that there are multiple ways to try to gain wisdom in one’s life. Contrary to what it may seem on the surface, however, it’s not just about finding one’s meaning by constantly cogitating about it. The pursuit of wisdom can exist through the seemingly-unrelated skills that you could start learning, such as cooking, for wisdom does not exist in reading alone, but also experience.
Given all this, it shows that wisdom is a multi-faceted, holistic concept, and that while it is ultimately difficult to achieve, we can always take on the journey to a philosophical understanding together. The beautiful thing about this House is that it reminds us that life isn’t a race to find new knowledge but an exchange of ideas that allows us to explore our full potential with openness and dignity.
