The signs of the zodiac are operating on multiple levels at once.  In evolutionary astrology, we often discuss the symbols in terms of what I call the intersection of archetypes: Taking each planetary placement as a meeting place of multiple archetypes.  Venus in Pisces in the 1st house, for example, is the meeting of Venus, Neptune (ruler of Pisces) and Mars (natural ruler of the 1st house).  It is always true that the planet is the what, the sign the how or why, and the house the where in the life the energy will be most readily found, but working on this level during part of an analysis can enable the intuitive mind to see relationships more facilely.

This is for showing the fluid progression the houses are in terms of their relation to the signs, but also to illustrate the relationships between the archetypes in signs adjacent to each other.  Following Aries, each sign is a reaction to the expression of the previous sign (and Aries is actually a reaction to the surrendering energy of Pisces, so it is one continuous cycle after all).

1^st/Aries

In the 1^st house and Aries, existence is established.

2^nd/Taurus

In the 2^nd and Taurus, having understood that we exist, we see that we need resources in order to continue existing, to survive.

3^rd/Gemini

In the 3^rd and Gemini, now that we understand what we have to do to survive, we set out to explore our immediate environment.

4^th/Cancer

In the 4^th and Cancer, having gathered an amount of information about where we are, we see the need to establish roots, to have a place from which to come.

5^th/Leo

In the 5^th and Leo, having developed of sense of rootedness, of place, we explore the variety of personal expression available to us.

6^th/Virgo

In the 6^th and Virgo, after finding that we have a lot of possible ways in which to express ourselves, we focus on which of those ways we understand that by perfecting, we can benefit others.

7^th/Libra

In the 7^th and Libra, we take what we developed into a useful skill in the 6^th and Virgo to another for the first time.

8^th/Scorpio

In the 8^th and Scorpio, after presenting our developed skills to another, we find out what skills and resources we have that we can share with another – we see how far we go as individuals.

9^th/Sagittarius

In the 9^th and Sagittarius, having explored what it is to work with another, in Sagittarius we understand that work and sharing with others isn’t important if we don’t know what we think is true – Sagittarius and the 9^th represent the search for truth.

10^th/Capricorn

In the 10^th and Capricorn, we take what we know is true out into the world, recognizing that knowing that something is true is silly if we don’t do anything about it.

11^th/Aquarius

In the 11^th and Aquarius, having taken what we know is true out into the world, we understand that we can’t create the kind of future we want alone; if we don’t ally ourselves with others who believe what we believe.

12^th/Pisces

In the 12^th and Pisces, after aligning ourselves with others who help us to create the kind of future we desire to see realized, we look for or open to a higher meaning than we’ve known to date.