The Ascendant Sign in the Birth Chart
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The Ascendant Sign in the Birth Chart (also known as your “rising” sign) is determined by the sign that was rising over the horizon at the exact moment of your birth. Each of the planetary bodies in our solar system reflects a specific natural urge, so when combined with the energy of the zodiac sign it was in at birth, we gain insight into our true essence in this lifetime. Get to know more about the ascendant.
Planetary Energies and Zodiac Energies
The Ascendant Sign in the Birth Chart is the third most significant calculation of your birth chart, just behind your Sun and Moon signs.
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As we discussed in the “Everything You Need to Know: Natal Birth Charts” article, our birth chart is a mathematical chart. It calculates the positions of the planets and what zodiac sign they were in at the exact time of our birth.
In this article we will give a very brief description of each Ascendant (or Rising) Sign.
The Energy of the Ascendant
The Ascendant, or “rising” sign rules our direct experience of the world. It is our astrological filter, filtering how our inner self is projected to the outside world, and how we personally experience the outside world. Some people call it the “mask” we wear, since it does not always represent our true identity or emotions.
It reflects:
- How our personality is displayed to the world
- How others perceive us
- Our relationships
- Our natural qualities that have been strongly developed in past lives
-
General Sign Characteristics
Strong presence, independent,
pioneer, confident, opinionated,
impulsive, bossy,
action-oriented, takes charge,
hot-tempered, powerful,
courageous, energetic, dynamic,
does as they please, fearless,
the “leader of the pack,”
spontaneous, rebellious, loyal -
Ascendant/ Rising Sign
CharacteristicsInteracts with the outside
world with a sense of:
independence
Expresses the inner self: from
a position of self-sufficiency
Views other people with a
sense of: whether or not the
other is self-sufficient
Translates the behavior of
others toward themself with a
sense of: how well the other -
Strong presence, independent,
pioneer, confident, opinionated,
impulsive, bossy,
action-oriented, takes charge,
hot-tempered, powerful,
courageous, energetic, dynamic,
does as they please, fearless,
the “leader of the pack,”
spontaneous, rebellious, loyal -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
being comfortable in their own body
and feeling good about themself
Expresses the inner self: in a consistent, slow
and deliberate manner that exudes
strength and dependability
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
they they feel comfortable with the other
Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of:
how well their inner worth is understood, and whether or not
they are valued and appreciated by the other
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
practicality, stability, authenticity, and dependability -
Fiercely loyal, changes mind frequently,
flirty, a “talker” and gossiper, independent, superficial,
ruled by lower mind, quick-witted, mind is constantly racing,
logical, flexible, observant, supportive, expressive,
friendly, dual personalities, ruled by communication,
adaptable, avoids conflict -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
natural excitement for keeping things moving and sharing ideas
Expresses the inner self: through their ideas about
what they are currently learning
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
the other is mentally stimulating
Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of:
how well their ideas and thoughts are accepted
and listened to by others
Ascendant Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
logic, intelligence, an open mind, acceptance
and understanding -
Mysterious, nurturing, generous, shy at times,
emotional, self-centered, intense, overly-maternal,
sensitive, self-protective, moody, intimate, vulnerable,
passionate, emotionally demanding, loves affection,
caring, intuitive, perceptive, sentimental -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
sensitivity to personal feelings, and emotions
tied to those they care about
Expresses the inner self: through utilizing their innate
gifts to nurture others
Views other people with a sense of:
whether or not the other provides a foundation
that is sensitive to their needs
Translates the behavior of others toward themself
with a sense of: how well the other acknowledges and cares
about their feelings
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
sensitivity to others, attentiveness, protection, and care -
Compassionate, bold, tenacious, an “entertainer,”
expressive, loyal, natural born leader, enjoys admiration,
attention-seeking, dramatic, hypersensitive,
unable to take criticism, dependable, creative,
influential, egotistical, spontaneous,
energetic, likeable -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
happiness, playing, having fun, and spreading joy
Expresses the inner self: through their natural
knack for enthusiasm and drama
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
the other is lively, stimulating, open to play,
and capable of having an enjoyable time
Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of: how well the other keeps
their energy vital and energetically positive
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
enthusiasm, high vibrational energy, strength, and approval -
Humanitarian, analytical, righteous, sensitive,
justice-seeking, critical of self and others,
perfectionist, pure, frustrated by incompetence,
detail-oriented, obsessive compulsive, hidden wild side,
judging, rigid, good intentions, wavering self-confidence,
skeptical -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
how they are able to assist humanity and
the world around them
Expresses the inner self: through their strong
awareness and consideration for others
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
the other is as supportive and helpful as themself,
and whether the other will utilize their strong analytical skills
Ascendant Translates the behavior of others toward themself
with a sense of: how well their strong sense of consideration
and helpfulness is reciprocated by others
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
willingness to help others, heighted exteneral awareness for all -
Balanced, aims to please others, harmony-seeking,
balanced, flirty, clever, fair, compromising, manipulative,
naive, cooperative, negotiator, controlling, uplifting,
spontaneous, independent point of view, observant,
obsessively finds justice and equality important -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
being happiest when experiences are shared with others
Expresses the inner self: through their strong awareness
of the natural beauty in the world and innate sense of fairness
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not the other
shows potential for a meaningful and equal
partnership of some kind
Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of:
how well the other treats them with fairness,
according to their ideas of what equality and balance mean
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
social etiquette, getting along with others,
compromise, harmony, and diplomacyl -
Scorpio
Quadruplicity:
FixedElement:
Water -
Intense, investigative, psychic, controlling, passionate,
possessive, secretive, darker interests
such as mysticism and the occult studies,
dominating, impatient, insecure,
attention-seeking, clever, unpredictable,
emotional, antagonist, blunt, mysterious,
transformative, intuitive, suspicious -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
natural intuition and perception of how to gain,
blend, and maintain power
Expresses the inner self: through their instinctual
awareness of and acting on the potential for change and
transformation
Views other people with a
sense of: whether or not the other is equally perceptive
and whether the other makes them feel powerful
Translates the behavior of others toward themself with a sense of:
how well their deep perception and depth of character is acknowledged
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
personal power, sexual and financial bonding,
self-containment, and being a valuable partner -
Optimistic, freedom-seeking, hot-tempered,
intellectual, spiritual, witty, blunt, cultural, intuitive,
knowledge-seeking, dreams big, open-minded,
candid, enthusiastic, great sense of humor, curious,
spontaneous, impatient, reckless, superior, hard to fool,
impulsive, adventurous, ruthless, procrastinator,
idealistic, creative, independent, honest, broad viewpoints,
freedom-seeking, ruled by the higher mind,
restless, risk-taker -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
inspiration, expanding their horizons, and freedom
Expresses the inner self: through their innate heightened
optimistic nature and being inspirational to others
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not the other
inspires them and shows potential for expansion and adventure
Ascendant Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of:
how well their naturally good intentions are taken in good faith
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
strong ethics, optimism, faith, trust, good luck,
spiritual strength, and positive outcomes -
Resourceful, authoritative, responsible, practical,
strives for achievement, controlling, dominating,
has common sense, sense of order, patient, approval-seeking,
ambitious, critical, organized, watchful, disciplined,
managing, full of integrity, grounded, dependable,
have a need to feel useful, uninterested in frivolous things,
need for recognition in the world,
strong love of framework, plan for the future,
steady, sure-footed -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
accomplishment, respect, status, protocol,
and self-respect
Expresses the inner self: through their silent integrity,
willingness to take responsibility, and common sense
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
the other displays a character and behavior that is
worthy of their respect
Translates the behavior of others toward themself
with a sense of: how well they are given the appropriate
amount of respect that they expect from others
Personality will reflect the traits they feel
demonstrate: authority, respect, status, and prestige -
Aquarius
Quadruplicity:
FixedElement:
Air -
Unique, curious, progressive, intellectual, lover of music,
impersonal, scrutinous, refusing of outdated tactics,
idealist, witty, clever, defensive, self-identifying,
alienating, erratic, objective, pushy with knowledge,
inspirational, sarcastic, inventive, independent, insightful,
dominating, unwilling to conform or follow the typical path,
stubborn, prefer to be free of societal conditioning
and expectations, overthinking -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
friendship and equality
Expresses the inner self: through their appreciation for fairness,
non-attachment, open-mindedness, and impartiality
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not
the other is capable of helping them achieve
their deepest desires and loftiest dreams
Translates the behavior of others toward themself
with a sense of: how well their love of equality, understanding,
supportiveness, and partnerships is matched by the other
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
open-mindedness, curiosity, unity, lack of intimidation,
and fair-mindedness -
Idealist, indulgent, artistic, out of touch with reality,
intuitive, impractical, psychic, irresponsible,
spiritual, escapist, directionless, lives in a dream world,
big heart, compassionate, creative, relatable to everyone,
adaptable, open-minded, emotional,
successful in expression-based careers (arts),
imaginative, self-insightful, tuned into a higher purpose,
lover of romance. -
Interacts with the outside world with a sense of:
a desire to heal others and with deep sensitivity
Expresses the inner self: through their appreciation
for and awareness of the higher realms of subtlety,
and a desire to never cause harm
Views other people with a sense of: whether or not the
other is respectful of their need for support and privacy
in order to recharge
Translates the behavior of others toward
themself with a sense of:
how well their high sensitivity is appreciated
Personality will reflect the traits they feel demonstrate:
gentleness, trust, introversion, and accommodation,
and sensitivity
You may also like:
- Natal Birth Chart: everything you need to know
- The 12 houses in a Birth Chart
- Birthstone Charts: Modern, Mystical, Ayurvedic and Zodiac
- Aspects of the Birth Chart
- Quadruplicities of the Astrological Zodiac Signs
- Spring equinox: an astrological New Year’s Day
- Autumn equinox: effect on the 12 zodiac signs
