(This is a synastry lesson. If you prefer, see Synastry Interpretations instead.)
House Overlays say a great deal about how you see each other, what you expect out of each other, and in which areas of life you affect each other. The planets overlaid in the Houses of another person reveal how the planet person (person who’s planets are in your houses) perceives the house person (person who’s birthchart houses the other’s planets are overlayed upon). The planet person will then have expectations according to their perceptions of the house person. The planet person will act accordingly. This, in turn, evokes a response from the house person. Here begin the dynamics of the relationship. Then we flip the whole thing to see the 2nd person’s planets in the 1st person’s houses.
House overlays are the secret to knowing how that special guy or girl really sees you. House overlays don’t necessarily describe how compatible you are based on your personalities. They reveal how you see each other. How we perceive each other largely determines how we treat each other, and whether or not we’ll even approach each other. Are they intimidated by you? Are they mesmerized? Are they disgusted?
In effect, House Overlays reveal the areas of life of the house person that will be affected by the other’s presence (planets). But it begins with the perception of the planet person. It’s similar to entering someone’s actual home. When you enter someone’s home for the first time, you immediately perceive and form expectations based on the surrounding environment. Similarly, the planet person enters a birth chart house, and perceives you according to the environment of that specific house.
Since House Overlays reveal perceptions and expectations regarding the partner, they can be used to pinpoint problems. Many relationship problems, separations, and divorces come about because of wrong perceptions about the partner, or lofty expectations. Partners should discuss what the House Overlays reveal, as it would bring them to a common understanding about each other’s expectations.
In addition, House Overlays can reveal why certain relationships never get off the ground. Some house-planet overlays denote negative perceptions from the beginning.