Astronomically speaking, your first house is that one-twelfth sector of the local sky just below the eastern horizon occupied by planets two hours before they rise. Astrologically it symbolizes early childhood conditioning, and describes self-awareness and the experiences most necessary for its development. The first house is the mask you wear in relating to and projecting yourself into the world. It rules physical appearance, body type, conscious self-image, and how others see and experience you. It’s the window through which you view the world, and through which others receive their first impressions of you.

Whereas your first house is the window through which you view the world and through which others receive their first impressions of you, the sign on the cusp of your first house (your Rising sign) is the particular tint on the glass of that window, coloring and modifying all energy that passes into and out of your being. In fact, all of your personality functions (planetary energies) must eventually emerge through and be colored by your first house cusp if they are to emerge at all. Planets in the first house are parts of your self-expression. The more planets here (except Saturn and Neptune), the more you are involved with putting out your own energy rather than experiencing that of others, hence the greater your subjectivity. Thus the sign on your first house cusp conditions the way you look and how you express yourself.

Uranus in your first house indicates that you have to be your own individual at all costs. If you're unwilling to cooperate or compromise with others, however, one of those costs will be your intimate relationships. Your self-will and need to have your own way is so strong that you may feel isolated from others until you let some of it go. You're often seized by sudden impulses, which neither you nor others understand, but which you feel you need to follow. In general, you and your life are full of surprises. Somewhat nervous and restless, you may find your way through a group or organization. You can be tactless unless there's a fair amount of water or a strong Neptune in your chart. Very intuitive, you tend to be eccentric, unconventional, and spontaneous in appearance and mannerisms. The spirit, not the form of things is significant to you, so you have your own standards of right and wrong.

If Uranus is within 10° of the ascendant it is conjunct the ascendant, and much of the foregoing is even more strongly emphasized. If Uranus is in the twelfth house AND within 4° or 5° of the ascendant, then it is said to be on the "dark side" of the first house, and it influence will be felt in the first as well as in the twelfth house. The closer a twelfth house Uranus is to the ascendant, the more it will be interpreted as though it were in the first house; when less than 3° from the ascendant, a twelfth house Uranus expresses itself primarily -- and eventually entirely -- in the first house.