The Resilient Eighth Astrological House

Copyright by Carmen Turner Schott, Author

For many years, I have helped many people who have planets in the eighth house. The one thing that they all had in common was that each of them had experienced some type of trauma and pain. I have listened to these stories over and over again, and know that they are survivors. Most people would never even know about the pain and sacrifices that they have made throughout their lives. The secrets that eighth house people keep are often dark and taboo, and often mysterious. Even those closest to them are often unaware of the hidden inner strength that people with planets in the eighth house have. Eighth house people often never share with anyone the painful experiences that they lived through. They often suffer in silence and try to take care of things on their own. I used to say that they are “survivors” that often suffer in secret, but now I know it’s much more than that.

Eighth house people rise from the ashes and heal from things that most normal people would never survive through. Many normal people would give up, retreat and often would if they experienced half of the life experiences that eighth house people have lived through. Eighth house people might get knocked down, but they always get back up and when they do they often come back even stronger. The energy of Scorpio and Pluto rule the eighth house and this energy can ignite great regenerative energy. This bestows eighth house people with survival skills. They often realize that they are in charge of their lives and they are the only one that can make sure they get back up. They learn to depend on themselves. They transform and take all of those memories, emotions and thoughts and morph into an entire new person. This ability to regenerate, transform inside creates healing and with time they are able to truly forgive although they never forget.

Imagine that someone close to you who you loved more than anyone betrays you and abandons you. What do you do? Imagine that your child dies in a tragic car accident. What do you do? Imagine that your closest friend ends their life by suicide. What do you do? Imagine that someone you trusted took advance of you and you felt used and traumatized because you trusted that person fully. How do you move forward? How do you heal from something so devastating? It’s called resiliency.

All eighth house people are resilient. Being resilient means you are capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture and tend to recover from or adjust easily from misfortune or change (Webster Dictionary). Eighth house people have the ability to bounce back into shape after being stretched to their limit, compressed beyond measure and when dented with severe damage. They might hit rock bottom, depressed and struggling to get out of bed each day. These feelings might last for months and then out of the blue, a voice inside tells them “get up”. That voice within is the voice of resiliency. It’s the voice telling them that they can overcome and that it’s time to rise. They have to rise because the world depends on them. They have to stand up, dust off all the pain and walk away from it. They are meant to experience everything and feel deeply, so they can move forward and help others heal. They are born to be true healers to the wounded and those that are lost. That’s why people with planets in the eighth house are often called the “wounded healer”.

Eighth house people are meant to rise like a Phoenix out of the ashes. Through emotional death, psychological death and symbolic death most eighth house people transform who they are. They are forced to let the past die, to release old hurts and trauma. They are meant to. They are meant to become beacons of hope for those who are hopeless. They are meant to be a listening ear for those who have sad stories to tell. They are meant to be there for someone who needs a good friend and a good hug in a moment of devastation. They are meant to be there for those who are in the dark knight of the soul because they are truly able to understand. They have extreme empathy for those who suffer because they know what it feels like and they have continued to live. They are the most resilient people in this world. The eighth house is not just the house of death and transformation. It’s the house of resiliency.

Planets in the Eighth House

Sun in Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s main identity

Moon in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s emotions

Mercury in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s thought and beliefs

Venus in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s need for peace, harmony and love

Mars in the Eighth House- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s drive, aggression and passion

Jupiter in the Eight House- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s luck, abundance and expansion of self

Saturn in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s past, karma, responsibilities and burdens

Uranus in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s ability to adapt to the unexpected, allow change and rebel from restrictions

Neptune in the Eighth-Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s ability to see things clearly, embrace suffering and enhance belief in a higher power

Pluto in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s ability to accept death, trauma and the realization that everything must die and be reborn so that they can heal

Chiron in the Eighth- Finds resilience from changing and transforming one’s traumatic emotional wounds by helping others who also have suffered the same wounds, becoming a “wounded healer”.