Why Are Astrologers Always Talking About “Enemies” in the 12th House?

If you’ve ever had a chart reading and someone pointed at your 12th house and said, “That means you have enemies,” you might’ve left the conversation feeling anxious or misunderstood. It’s a line that shows up a lot in traditional astrology circles—and while it’s not baseless, it is often oversimplified or taken out of context.

So let’s take a step back. What does the 12th house actually represent? And why do astrologers keep bringing up this idea of enemies?

The 12th House Is Not the Enemy—It’s What You Don’t See

In classical astrology, the 12th house is referred to as the place of the Bad Daimon (kakos daimon). That title has led to a lot of spooky interpretations, but in practice, it’s much more about visibility and relationship to the Ascendant than about anything inherently ominous.

The 12th house is in aversion to the 1st—it doesn't make any of the major classical aspects (sextile, square, trine, or opposition) to the Ascendant, which represents the self, embodiment, and agency. So …