Your Rising Sign, also known as your ascendant, is the sign that is on your first house cusp in your natal chart. This is the sign that was "rising" on the eastern horizon at the moment and place you were born. To get a visual of what this means, pretend that the zodiac is visible in the sky surrounding you. You are standing in a huge field, no trees or anything to block your vision of the horizon in any direction. Now, you look to the east, and there is a sign rising, like the sun does in the morning due to the earth’s rotation. If you were born at that exact place and time where you are standing in that field, the sign coming up on the eastern horizon would be your Rising Sign, or ascendant.
So, what does this mean? The first house says something about your physical body, personality, and self. So, the sign there will describe these things about you. Your Rising sign is the part of you that other people see, your outward personality, and your façade. This is the side of you that you allow the world to see. Alternatively, we often do not even know this side of ourselves consciously. Having insight to the ascendant in the chart can tell us how other people view us, how we come off to the world, and outside mannerisms we have that usually have nothing to do with the REAL us. If you want to know why people react to you the way they do, you would be better able to understand with the insight the ascendant holds for you. Remember, this is not a reflection of character, but of your wall or façade you show the world and your defense system. Always keep in mind that descriptions such as these are general. Planets in the first house, aspects to the ascendant, and placement and aspects to the planet that rules your rising sign will all be modifiers to the general description.
How can you find your Rising Sign?
You need to know the exact time of your birth, and then have a natal chart calculated by an authentic astrologer or astrology computer software to get an accurate result! That’s it!
Aries Rising
You will seem like a dynamic person, with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Aries rising folks are usually strong people physically. Actually, you would be wise to exercise, as without some form or release for your physical energy, you can become stressed and frustrated. You will have a presence wherever you go, and will seem action oriented. You may show a tendency to be brash or childish, possibly showing stress or temper to people when you don’t even realize you are doing it. You may, at times, come off as selfish when not meaning to. Otherwise, your adventurous personality is quite charming and fun. You will be seen as someone with competitive spirit, and creative ideas. You tend to exude a sexual, romantic presence as well.
Men with Aries Rising tend to seem very masculine and even intimidating to folks who don’t know them. They can, however, be extraordinarily romantic and sexy. Women who have this placement will have a very strong personality and act in a straightforward manner. In any case, Aries is the natural sign for the first house, so this will often be prominent in your personality if this is your rising sign. Be careful of head injuries, as they are more common with this placement.
Taurus Rising
You show a side of you to the public that is earthy and sensual. It may seem to others that you are patient and thoughtful, persistent but quiet. You will have a personality that says, "I’m reliable.” You will have an air of being value oriented and steady. You can, at times, act possessively over something or be mistaken as materialistic. You have great strength and endurance to complete whatever you or someone else has begun, even the most tedious of tasks can be handled by you with dignity and purpose. You feel a strong connection to nature. You will usually be at your best when connecting with the earth in some way, and you look like you are right at home. You will seem artsy even if you aren’t very artistic, and this will show through your acquisition of fine aesthetics.
Men with this placement are sometimes overweight, at very least adorned with a sturdy build. Women with this placement tend to like to look good and smell good before leaving the house. Both genders tend to like making themselves look good.
Gemini Rising
Your quality that is seen first by folks around you is your ability to communicate. You have a flair for words, and seem very bright. As much as you like to talk and entertain to chase away the doldrums, others sincerely like being entertained by your wit and ways of expression. No one would ever say that life with you is dull. You will probably act in a way that is referred to as a non-conformist attitude, and don’t seem to mind much what other think or say about you. Your hands always seem to be busy, and there is never a moment where you are caught without several things going on at once. You unconsciously don’t like to let other see you when you are not in a busy state. If you cannot find something to do, then someone to talk to will work just fine! Some folks might see you as a chatterbox, or think you quite flippant or fickle upon meeting you. Depending on other placements, it may take a while for someone to crack your shell and get to know the real you.
While Gemini is traditionally a masculine/assertive air sign, both sexes generally manifest this placement in the same spirit. A great sense of humor is usually seen, and if you are sensitive to the placement and resist the tendency to be overbearing with your chatter, both genders will show a high degree of self-confidence to the world.
Cancer Rising
People who do not know you will easily talk and share their problems with you. You seem like a caring, emotional person who will nurture their feelings. Some people with Cancer rising who really feel this way inside enjoy this, others who might be more of a practical or loner type on the inside can find it quite distracting and bothersome. You speak from your heart, holding your world of emotions on your sleeve for others to see. This is one ascendant that can be quite transparent in that your inner self will show through. You are known to be quite the sentimental type. If folks are looking to rehash over old times with someone, chances are they know they have an interested listener in you. You love to talk about the past, your childhood, and parents whether it is a positive or negative light.
In women, this will show through as the woman who has asked if you have eaten enough, takes care of you, and nurtured you with an emotional grace. Though at times moody and cranky, if you treat the Cancer rising woman well, she will likely take even better care of you. If a Cancer rising woman feels that you have betrayed her, however, you can be sure that she will most likely never let the hurt feelings go. In a man, this can manifest as it does in the woman, as a nurturing and emotional personality. Alternatively, it can also manifest as the other side of Cancer. This can at times show a man who puts up a wall around him to attempt to hide his emotions and does not want to face issues in a straightforward manner.
Leo Rising
People see you as regal, dynamic, and warm. You have an outward flare for drama, and folks are usually not bored in your presence. You have great leadership qualities and people will follow your example. You will look to advance your lifestyle and that of your family. You have a lot of creative energy, you need to make sure that you notice and capture this energy so that you do not let it go to waste. You are seen as always looking to improve yourself in all ways. Be careful, however, not to use this placement to come off as "better than everyone,” as this is the downfall to this particular placement. Because of your vitality, your outward enthusiasm, and your charisma, you may be greatly loved by those around you. If you can balance your air of royalty and have it show simply as confidence and self-assurance, you will be poised to have a rich life with many friends. If you show your dramatic side too frequently, you may alienate others around you, through either jealousy on their part, or because they find you overbearing or dogmatic.
A man with a Leo ascendant tends to be romantic, charismatic, and has a strong personality. You like to have creative, intelligent friends, and when you enter a room, you make an impression. Be careful to not take a blow to your self-esteem from every slight or opposition from others. A woman with this placement tends to have a glow. Some women, if they are self-aware of this aspect to their personality can literally turn their glow on and off as they please. Women with this placement usually like to dress well and keep up appearances, even when financially strained. Be careful not to break the bank or end up in debt from trying to keep up with the neighbors.
Virgo Rising
You are the person any employer would love to have working for them. When there is a job that requires detailed, critical work that others do not want to do, you are happy to take on the task. In many cases, Virgo ascendant will have a very neat and clean appearance, dressing smartly and pleasantly. There are some cases, however, when the Virgo Ascendant’s self-esteem is hurt, or they are so involved with a project that they allow themselves and their areas to become messy, cluttered, and the complete opposite of the normal "neat" association of Virgo. In any case, you will usually present yourself in one of the two extremes. You will seem to be the type that is concerned with the facts, and really do not have time for ignorance or idealism. What goes on beneath that outer appearance can be something completely different. This is what makes Virgo Rising so interesting, as people often find that they have underestimated you. A person with strong self-esteem with this placement will be a wonderful conversationalist and debater. With lower esteem, you may find yourself being highly critical of others and issues. With this placement, high stress that is not worked through can cause physical problems like none other, usually resulting in headaches, and especially stomach and digestive disorders.
Both genders will usually express this placement in a similar way. In many cases, however, the woman with this placement may have a higher esteem than the male. This is because it is often more socially acceptable for a female to be a neatnic—quiet and studious. In the case of the male, if you can find other placements to boost your esteem, you can be a joy to work and talk with.
Libra Rising
Many beautiful people are born as Libra Rising. Libra is ruled by Venus, and Venus rules beauty. You may have a subtle glow to your skin and hair. Other people see your sense of justice through your personality, and you can be a good moderator or politician. You are a people person if your ascendant is nicely aspected, and people generally enjoy your company. You are gracious and friendly, putting off an air of harmony. This is usually the hardest placement in which to step back from yourself to see your actions and personality with a critical eye. This is a trait to work on and practice, as it is important to see yourself from an outside perspective. You may overlook the harder things in life that happen outside of you to keep the peace or to stay in a state of harmony. Be careful not to rush into committed relationships, you need to take your time, or you can become easily heartbroken or misled by your partners if they were not right for you to begin with.
A man with this placement tends to be attractive, romantic, and charming. You will generally have good taste and great social skills. Make sure that you find an outlet for your creative and artistic expression, as bottling this up can result in a weak personality. In the case of a woman, this placement can show a love for perfumes and cosmetics, beautiful feminine clothing, and other aesthetics. As mentioned above, be careful of heartbreak or rushing into relationships too quickly.
Scorpio Rising
You have an intense personality. You are magnetic and mysterious. You probably spend a great deal of time being misunderstood. You take nothing lightly, and this shows. Usually, your personality is double-faceted. While some folks can see the gray area of life, you often take things as black or white, and react accordingly. You can make a powerful, charismatic friend to those who take the time to get to know you. You also can make enemies of those who cannot deal with the intensity that you exude. You have an incredible ability to analyze yourself and others. This is the one ascendant placement that is powerful enough to go deeper than the façade the ascendant normally represents. Your outward intensity reflects an inner intensity as well. If you refrain from having a power-hungry streak, you have great potential to be emotional and sensitive to the feelings of those around you. When happy, you can be quite kind and idealistic. If you care for someone and allow yourself to trust, you can be an amazing partner, willing to share and to help as much as you are able. If hurt, you can become possessive and jealous, and this will show outwardly to an extreme degree. If you have a strong or afflicted Mars or Pluto, your temper can result in intense anger with those who hurt you. You might have the ability to hurt someone terribly with your words alone, as you are consciously aware of the exact way to strike someone where it hurts the most. However, in many cases, there is a very tender streak to you under that intensity. No one can keep a secret better than you can. If treated well, you are extremely trustworthy. Sometimes, you may find yourself being so introspective that you pick yourself apart. You may find that you do not like yourself very much. It is very important to remember your wonderful and powerful positive traits when looking at yourself!
In a male, this will usually show as intense sensuality and drive. You may bowl people over accidentally with your personality, yet are loyal to the people who take the time to get to know you on the inside. In the case of a woman, while the sensuality is still present, there usually comes a striking appearance, with sharp features and intense eyes. The Scorpio rising body type is usually short in stature, which is why it is such a surprise when the woman shows her power and intense personality. Women are often even more misunderstood than the men, due to social expectations. In many studies, it has come up that both genders with this placement often have a scar somewhere on their faces.
Sagittarius Rising
You appear to be educated and philosophical or spiritual. You have a great need for gaining wisdom and education and knowledge so that you may share it with others. You also like to have knowledge of yourself, your mind, soul, and body. You are usually fun to have around, enjoying social interaction and friends. While optimistic, you seek a new challenge to intrigue you. Without something new to explore, you can become quite bored. "Carpe Diem" is probably your motto. You can be a great student and teacher, provided you resist the tendency to preach and force your views on others. You like to surround yourself with intellectual people, and usually they like your company as well. The downfall with this placement is a lack of tact. While you do not mean to be thoughtless, you can sometimes be moving so fast through life that you won’t think something through before speaking. While incredibly introspective, you will sometimes lack in your thought of others, completely missing how your words could hurt.
In a male, Sagittarius ascendant can bring a tendency to appear like a restless person. You want to be busy learning and experiencing. You need to find intellectual conversation in a partner, because someone who is simply attractive cannot give you what you need. In a woman, this placement makes for an excellent teacher or philosophical/religious leader if the woman does not resort to attempting to push her beliefs on others. In both genders, this placement can show the ability to understand life.
Capricorn Rising
You show the world that you are responsible. Children with this placement seem to have been born grown-ups. You will often find that you lack self-confidence and underplay your own achievement. You keep up the façade of conviction and aloof determination in an attempt to hide any lack of confidence you may feel. You need to be able to step back and appreciate yourself for what you are able to accomplish with your resolve, and learn to take credit for what you do. With self-confidence, you can be very humorous in a sarcastic, observant way, so much that you can have friends and mates rolling on the floor in peals of laughter. You can accomplish anything you set your eyes on. With wavering confidence, you may not be able to accept a compliment, and if extreme, you may belittle others for their efforts. There is a tendency with Capricorn Rising to lack self-security and to become a dictator to others in an attempt to remove the focus from yourself.
In a man, this placement can lead to the ability to place long-term goals and to be recognized for efforts. The man must simply be willing to take credit where credit is due. In a woman, this can show up as a feeling of purpose. Many women with this placement feel that they were born for a reason, and try to react to life on a grand scale. Both genders should be very cautious about bombarding themselves with too much negative energy.
Aquarius Rising
You are seen as unique and freedom loving. You often do not "fit in,” but you generally don’t feel the need to. People who take the time to get to know you appreciate you for your qualities. Usually, the only people who can resist liking you are ones who are threatened by your ability to be you due to their own self-confidence problems. You put off an air of needing freedom, and as a result, you gravitate more to large groups than small ones. You are never considered to be predictable. Sometimes, the Aquarius Rising personality has a hard time in personal partnerships, as while you do desire love like everyone else, your need for personal freedom, new experience, and intellectual "food" reigns supreme. If you can find a mate who shares your interests and needs, you are then able to work out a good partnership, even if that partnership is not considered traditional or normal by society’s standards. That’s OK, because you don’t want things that are normal or boring anyway. You are geared towards offering help to those in need, and show a great caring for humanity. While you want the world to have a more open mind, you sometimes suffer from getting too stuck in your ways. Be careful to remember that what is good for you isn’t always going to be acceptable for everyone. Sometimes, you may overlook the needs of one person to care for a larger picture.
This is generally manifested the same in either gender, though it is still unfortunately more socially acceptable for a man to display these traits. Women have to keep in mind that they need to be true to themselves and their nature to be happy, and to not worry so much about how they will be viewed by others in their need for individuality. Keep a hold of your self-esteem, and those who are worth it will appreciate you for your individuality and drive!
Pisces Rising
You are seen as a dreamer and an intuitive. You are always very aware of your surroundings. You can usually mold your personality to fit any occasion or group. You are easily able to blend in with everything around you. You are usually kind and generous, doing a great many things for people and other creatures in your area, and often do not receive the recognition you deserve. You seem to operate from the background, taking care of things without a spotlight on your actions. You often don’t even know yourself, as it is hard for anyone, even you, to get a grip on what your personality is all about. Because of your ability to change and morph from one thing to another, you must be very careful to not lie to yourself and others. You can get caught in a trap of confusing your fantasies with reality.
For a male, be careful when assuming a role of leadership, as you know you are more comfortable working from the sidelines and having your projects manifest though your own work. You have a hard time finding ways to inspire others. While this is true for women as well, the woman with this placement has to find a little more drive from other placements in her chart so not to appear mousy or ineffective. Anyone with this placement is highly intuitive to what is expected of them in a social or professional situation.
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