Annual Profections: An Archetypical Primer
What are annual profections?
Annual profections are a symbolic timing technique that dates back to some of the earliest recorded astrological writings. Essentially, for each year of your life, starting at the first house when you are born, one house of your chart is activated and especially prominent, shining a spotlight on the topics of the house, the planets in it, and the domicile ruler of that house’s sign. On the day you are born, you enter your “first house year”, activating the topics of life, the body, and the soul’s entrance into the physical world. When you reach your first birthday, you enter your second house year, and this cycle repeats itself year after year. Eventually, you will come all the way back to the first house at age 12, when you have made it around the full circle of the zodiacal wheel and your natal chart for the first time. These cycles create patterns throughout our lifetime, and it can be especially helpful to investigate what occurred in your life twelve years prior to understand what a particular profection year might have in store for you.
Think about the profected house like an alternate ascendant, or rising sign, for the year of your life during which that house is activated. The planet that rules the profected house is known as your Time Lord, and its location in your natal chart and transiting positions will take on extra importance for you. The condition of a profection year, for better or worse, will be colored by the natal planet that rules the sign of the profected house. For example, if you’re in an Aries year, your natal Mars placement will be emphasized.
Profection years do not happen in a vacuum.
Each house is flanked by two others that carry the narrative of any particular house along, weaving threads through time to highlight patterns and longer story arcs. In particular, the twelfth-first-second house years, the third-fourth-fifth house years, the sixth-seventh-eighth house years, and the ninth-tenth-eleventh house years often take form around a particular arc or narrative that evolves during these time periods. Keep in mind these patterns as you explore your own profection years to build a lasting narrative.
The following descriptions describe archetypical patterns that each profection year takes on. Keep in mind any planets in the house in question, as well as the condition of the ruler of the house, when applying this technique to your own chart.
First House - Angular
The focus of the first house year is a return to self. You have just completed another 12 year cycle and are undergoing the process of reconnecting to your core self. Last year, you began a three-year journey in pursuit of self-discovery and self-sufficiency. You may have recently had to let parts of yourself and your life go, as they no longer aligned with the reality you found yourself in. Now is a time of discovery - what is it that you want, and who are you at your core? You may discover new aspects of your personality and desires, change up your appearance, or even reevaluate the relationships in your life during this time. Whatever it is that you’re searching for, you can find within yourself. This is your chance at a fresh start - new profection cycle, new you! It is time to connect to your core identity, the person that you are underneath all the conditioning and old narratives that no longer fit the person you are becoming. These discoveries and changes will be driven by the planet that rules your ascendant, and its location in your natal chart and movements through the transiting skies will take on extra importance for you in this time.
First house profection year ages: 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72
Second House - Succedent
The focus of the second house year is on resources. Now that you have reconnected with your core self, it’s time to build the systems and structures that support that identity. The second house is succedent to, or supportive of, the first house of identity and self. In the second house, we find our resources of all kinds - material, emotional, and spiritual. With the pivotal changes of the first house year behind you, it’s time to put these revelations into action. What can you do, materially, to support the life that you want to live? What needs can you meet on your own, and what support do you need from others? These are the questions of the second house. There may be a financial emphasis in this year, as money is one of our primary resources in the modern world. However, keep in mind that it is not the only resource, and certainly not the answer to every problem. Look to the planet that rules your second house to find from where you can derive your resources, values, and self-sufficiency.
Second house profection year ages: 1, 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73
Third House - Cadent
The focus of the third house year is on learning, communicating, and connecting to your community. The third house also represents siblings, and is the beginning of a three-year arc where the focus shifts to your community, your family, and your creations. For the last three years, the primary focus has been on yourself and your own identity. In the third house year, priorities begin to shift towards those around you and your relationships with them. You may find yourself more involved with your community, whether in person or online. This may be a deepening of ties to a community that you’ve already established, or involvement in a new one altogether. This emphasis on community entails more communication and learning from your surroundings and peers, as you are no longer in your self-contained bubble. The third house also pertains to routines, so if you’re looking to start a new one or adjust parts of your current routine, this is a great time to start!
Third house profection year ages: 2, 14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74
Fourth House - Angular
The focus of the fourth house year falls on your home, family, and living situation. The fourth house is our roots and foundations - the things that hold us up and keep us strong and stable. This is a pivotal year, similar to the first house year experienced three years ago, and activity and action may feel more tangible and possible. This is a time of settling into routines, structures, and patterns, and becoming more connected with your roots, wherever you’ve chosen to plant them. Often, this root connection leads us to our families and our relationships with them, for better or worse. Conversely, if you’ve been thinking of uprooting and starting fresh, this year will push you in the direction of the changes that need to be made. This is a time of endings and new beginnings within yourself, your relationships, and your environment. It is also a time where rest, privacy, and the opportunity to recharge may take priority, rather than outward-directed activity. Allow yourself time to settle down and get comfortable with where you are, or make the necessary changes to find your way there.
Fourth house profection year ages: 3, 15, 27, 39, 51, 63, 75
Fifth House - Succedent
The focus of the fifth house year is on creativity and pleasure. This is a time of connecting to passion, in whatever form that may take. The fifth house is the joy of Venus, the place that holds her significations of desire, pleasure, and creation to their highest ideals. This is where joy is born, and the capacity for action after deep rest returns. If you haven’t had a chance to follow passion rather than responsibility, you may begin to feel called in that direction and pursue what brings you joy. The fifth house connects to the first house of self and body through a supportive trine, bringing us into closer awareness of what feels good. You may find yourself with a new or renewed interest in your hobbies, a desire to create and play, or spend more time with passion projects. This is also a time to connect to your inner child, as the fifth house also relates to children and the child-like sense of wonder that is so often lost in adulthood.
Fifth house profection years: 4, 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, 76
Sixth House - Cadent
The focus of the sixth house year is on health, work, and routine. After the joy and pleasure of the fifth house year, it’s time to put in the work to integrate that into your life in healthy, safe, and effective ways. The sixth house is the comedown from the fifth house party, where we now turn our attention towards the body and how well -or poorly - we take care of it. This is a time of enforcement of structure, whether you like it or not. As you become attuned to your physical needs, you may feel compelled to change your diet and exercise habits, perhaps cutting out certain foods or substances that don’t support your physical wellness. It is time to integrate the creative or entertaining ventures you committed to last year into your regular routine. Though it’s time to prioritize work and structure, it’s important not to lose yourself and your passions to the mundanity of everyday life.
Sixth house profection years: 5, 17, 29, 41, 53, 65, 77
Seventh House - Angular
The focus of the seventh house year is relational. This is a pivotal turning point, as an angular year, and is the focal point of a three-year story that began last year during your sixth house activation. You spent the last year getting your proverbial shit together, and now it’s time to investigate the relationships you have to the other people in your life. Are they helping or harming the relationship you have to yourself and your core identity? The seventh house is the mirror to the first - if the first house is you, the seventh is “not you” and represents the people to whom you are in relationship. Typically, this year coincides with other major transits that relate to growth and change, such as the first nodal return at 18, the first Saturn return at 30, and the Uranus opposition at 42. Often, these changes affect our core selves as much as they do the relationships we have with other people in our spheres. If you’ve noticed much of your life has been focused either entirely on other people or, conversely, on yourself, this is a time to find balance and learn healthy interdependence.
Seventh house profection years: 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66, 78
Eighth House - Succedent
The focus of the eighth house year is on debts and change. The eighth house is traditionally known as the house of death, which may understandably sound scary! However, this signification does not mean that you or your loved ones are in danger. Remember that death does not have to be literal, but it is a process that we each have to grapple with throughout our life. This is a year of checks and balances, and of growing pains. You might find yourself involved more in existential thought and dreams than everyday life, which can help you answer some of the deep-seated questions that have been brewing inside you for some time. The eighth house is where we store our grief - if you’ve been ignoring yours, it may be time to allow it to bubble to the surface before it catches you by surprise. Give yourself the grace to retreat into yourself and reflect on the changes of the past few years. You might be surprised at what you find once you’ve given yourself the space to grieve what you’ve lost.
Eighth house profection years: 7, 19, 31, 43, 55, 67, 79
Ninth House - Cadent
The focus of the ninth house year is on exploration and learning. The ninth house pertains to travel, spirituality, and your worldview and beliefs. This is a time to broaden your mind, and open up to new possibilities and ways of being. This may include the desire to travel and experience foreign cultures, a renewal or change in faith, and shifts in your understanding of the world and your place in it. If you’ve been considering pursuing further education or studying something new, this is a great time to get started. Astrology and divination also fall in the ninth house, and both can be a great tool in the pursuit of something greater than yourself. The quest for knowledge is on, and the direction that you take that journey is all up to you.
Ninth house profection years: 8, 20, 32, 44, 56, 68, 80
Tenth House - Angular
The focus of the tenth house year is on the creation and continuation of your life’s work. The tenth house relates to career and vocation, as well as public status and vocation. This is a pivotal year, as the tenth house is angular and the most visible part of the chart when looking to the skies. This is the focal point of a three-year story arc of learning, creating, and sharing this creation with the world. You are putting the knowledge you’ve acquired to use, pushing out your own experiences into the world. There may be major shifts and changes in your career and general life direction in this time. The first tenth house year in adulthood is at age 21, when society begins to see you as a full person and adult, and you get the chance for the first time to establish yourself within your chosen path and community. If you’ve been following the path someone else has set out for you, you may begin to feel compelled to make changes and set your own course. This, of course, can be difficult, but it is always worth it to pursue what you want, rather than what you’ve been told that you should do.
Tenth house profection years: 9, 21, 33, 45, 57, 69, 81
Eleventh House - Succedent
The focus of the eleventh house year is on community and networks. The eleventh house year wraps up a three-year cycle of learning, doing, and now, sharing. The work that you’ve put in and the knowledge you’ve accumulated is ready to be shared with the rest of the world. You may find yourself involved in new groups or communities, or with a desire to collaborate on the passions you’ve established for yourself. Finding like-minded people will help you understand more about yourself and your path. The eleventh house is the house of hopes, dreams, and alliances - what shape do you want to see your journey take, if you could mold it yourself, and who would be there on this journey with you? As the eleventh is a relational house, you may see your friends and group associations changing and taking shape this year. Typically, this year may be one where you’re willing to go out and have fun, experiencing all life has to offer with the people you love, when the chance arises. Take these opportunities to live a little more where you can find them.
Eleventh house profection years: 10, 22, 34, 46, 58, 70, 82
Twelfth House - Cadent
The focus of the twelfth house year is on isolation, shedding, and rest. You are completing a twelve-year cycle and initiating a new one, and this can come with some heavy burdens. The twelfth house year is often feared due to some of the more difficult significations of the house, such as loss, isolation, and hidden things. Essentially, you are entering the unknown for a period of time, and need to retreat into yourself. After completing a set of very public, very visible years, the twelfth house is the place we must retreat into to determine what parts of ourselves are actually core to our identity, and what parts are conditioning and patterns that we’ve been operating under for an extended period of time. The twelfth house year can come with confusion and upheaval as you navigate the world seemingly on your own. This is a time of stripping down the parts of your life and yourself that no longer align with who you are, so that you can step into the world refreshed and renewed after this time of rest and solitude. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get to take a break from “real life”, you might see less outward-directed activity happening around you and have a chance to take a step back from the minutiae of day-to-day life. Let go of what other people have to say, and trust yourself to look inward and face yourself and reality as they are.
Twelfth house profection years: 11, 23, 35, 47, 59, 71, 83
