The Ascendant
Your Ascendant or Rising Sign (same thing) is the sign of the Zodiac that was rising on the horizon at the second you were born. Prior to birth, the unborn infant carries all the energies of the planets within, but it is only at birth that the lifelong imprint of the Ascendant is received. At birth, the qualities symbolized by your Ascendant permeate your entire being; much like a drop of paint dye colors a whole container of water.
Have you ever read about your Sun Sign and thought to yourself, “That is so NOT me.” This is because of your Ascendant. Your Ascendant is so powerful that people usually think you are that sign. The Rising Sign characterizes how your respond and react, and who you represent yourself to be. It describes how you first react in social situations and indicates how others will perceive your behavior. The Ascendant even determines your looks.
The Ascendant begins the chart because it is located on the cusp of your first house. It is known as the “ruler of the chart” because it is the lens through which you see the world. The extent to which you embrace the qualities of your Ascendant determines the ease of the expression of all other planets in the chart.
The Ascendant personalizes your chart and makes you unique. It functions as your coping mechanism for dealing with the outside world, and can even behave as a shield to keep others from accessing the rest of your chart.
The three most powerful elements in your chart are your Sun, which governs who you are, the Moon, how you feel, and the Ascendant, what you do.
Aries the Ram ♈ Party of One
“I Am Me—You’re Not!”
Element – Fire
Quality – Cardinal
Ruler – Mars
Chord – 1st House
Symbol – The Ram
Mode – Intuition
Motto – “I am”
Archetypes: Warrior, Pioneer, Leader, Hero, Innovator, Athlete, Daredevil, Survivor, Fool, the Loner, The Tool User, The Entrepreneur
Light: leadership, strength, courage, action, energy, independence, innovation, honesty, enthusiasm, survival, heroism
Shadow: belligerence, impatience, bravado, selfishness, judgment, self-absorption, antagonism, bulldozer
Anatomy: head, brain, eyes, muscles, upper teeth
Taurus the Bull ♉ The Comfort Zone
“I Seek Myself Through What I Own”
Element – Earth
Quality – Fixed
Ruler – Venus
Chord – 2nd House
Symbol – The Bull
Mode – Sensation
Motto – “I Have”
Archetypes: Earth Goddess, Steward, Builder, Farmer, Conservationist, Naturalist, Gardener, Musician, Hoarder, Slowpoke, Peacemaker, “salt of the earth”
Light: sensual, earthy, easy going, simple, stable, constant, loving, grounding, endurance, pleasure, tranquility, reverence, abundance, security, pragmatism, contented, trustworthy, loyal, faithful, peaceful, placid, serene, compassionate, goodnatured, warmhearted, likeable, kind, composed, unruffled, calm, quiet, steady, reliable, careful, steadfast, grounded
Shadow: gluttony, stubbornness, materialism, possessiveness, laziness, greed, stagnation, inflexibility
Anatomy: neck, throat, jaw, thyroid, shoulders
Gemini the Twins ♊ Two For the Road
“I’m interested, so let’s talk about it some more!”
Element – Air
Quality – Mutable
Ruler – Mercury
Chord – 3rd House
Symbol – The Twins
Mode – Thought
Motto – “I Communicate”
Archetypes: Witness, Storyteller, Trickster, Journalist, Student, Magician, Messenger, Salesperson
Light: perception, intelligence, communication, open-mindedness, multi-tasking, curiosity, adaptability, versatility, quick wit
Shadow: over-extension, nervousness, restlessness, fickle, talk without substance, lying, unreliability, indecision, distraction, superficiality
Anatomy: lungs, shoulders, arms, hands, nervous system
Cancer the Crab ♋ Call Me Mama
“It hurts to say goodbye—so don’t go!”
Element – Water
Quality – Cardinal
Ruler – The Moon
Chord – 4th House
Symbol – The Crab
Mode – Feeling
Motto – “I Feel”
Archetypes: Mother, Great Mother Goddess, Healer, Caretaker, the Cook, Nurturer
Light: nurturing, resourcefulness, domesticity, creativity, rootedness, sensitivity, intuition, imagination, receptivity, protectiveness, gregarious
Shadow: moodiness, over-attachment to the past, hyper-sensitivity, stagnation, tribalism, hoarding, smothering, codependence, clingy, jealous, insecure, over-possessive, whiny
Anatomy: breasts, stomach, womb
Leo the Lion ♌ Hear Me Roar
“The show must go on—starring me!”
Element – Fire
Quality – Fixed
Ruler – The Sun
Chord – 5th House
Symbol – The Lion
Mode – Intuition
Motto – “I Create”
Archetypes: Artist, Child, Performer, Diva, King/Queen, Rock Star, Leader, Monarch
Light: self-expression, leadership, generosity, spontaneity, joy, celebration, courage, uniqueness, innocence, charisma, loyalty, theatrical, creative, passionate, vibrant, luminous, peripatetic, romantic, youthful, playful, sunny disposition, enthusiastic, self-sufficient, sex for pleasure
Shadow: melodrama, willfulness, ego-inflation, pride, self-aggrandizement, superiority, arrogance, entitlement
Anatomy: heart, spine, back, spinal cord
Virgo “The Maiden” ♍
“I’m making a list—and checking it twice!”
Element – Earth
Quality – Mutable
Ruler – Ceres & Mercury
Chord – 6th House
Symbol – The Maiden, The Analyzer
Mode – Sensation, Thought
Motto – “I Heal”
Archetypes: Doctor/Healer, Priestess, Crafter, Witch, Critic, Analyst, Editor, Servant, Representation of female youth
Light: skillfulness, sincerity, quality, refinement, self-discipline, service, discrimination, efficiency, pragmatism, clarity, high-quality standards, humility, intellect, synthesis, class, sophistication, mistress of the fashion and textile arts, purification, cleansing, dignity, integrity, loyalty, genuineness, humanitarian
Shadow: perfectionism, judgment, over-analysis, pettiness, workaholism, martyrdom, self-doubt, hyper-criticism, nick-picking tendencies, fear (nervousness), crisis
Anatomy: intestines, Sacral and Solar Plexus, the nervous system
Libra the Scales ♎ Taking Turns
“We’re in this together—so let’s share!”
Element – Air
Quality – Cardinal
Ruler – Venus
Chord – 7th House
Symbol – The Scales
Mode – Thought, Sensation
Motto – “I Weigh”
Archetypes: Diplomat, Peacemaker, Lover, Artist, Socialite
Light: collaboration, cooperation, peace, beauty, compassionate detachment, equilibrium, diplomacy, justice, graciousness, social skills
Shadow: indecision, laziness, insincerity, co-dependence, passivity, insecurity, lack of self-awareness, superficiality, manipulation
Anatomy: kidneys, low back
Scorpio the Scorpion ♏ All or Nothing At All
“Trust me—you don’t really want to know my secrets!”
Element – Water
Quality – Fixed
Ruler – Pluto
Chord – 8th House
Symbol – The Scorpion
Mode – Feeling
Motto – “I Control”
Archetypes: Magician, Sorceress, Wizard, Detective, Dark Goddess, Psychologist, Shaman, Priestess, Edge-Walker, Eagle
Light: emotional depth, healing, passion, survival, erotic, transformation, compassion, intimacy, the orgasm, alchemy, power, rechanneling, healer (removal of poison from the blood…), regenerative forces, no fear of death (perhaps attraction to it), supernatural, joining forces, instinct, magnetic, compelling, rebirth, attraction
Shadow: abuse of power, secrecy, judgment, jealousy, violence, selfishness, emotional repression, compulsion, destruction, paranoia, the dead, perversion, obsession, control, vulgarity, revenge, “one truth” belief system, receives pleasure in disturbing others, uninvited mental probing/channeling, manipulation, over-intensity, crisis
Anatomy: Reproductive and eliminative organs; auto-immune and antibody systems
Sagittarius the Archer ♐ Big World Out There
“I Believe We’re All Here to Do Some Good!”
Element – Fire
Quality – Mutable
Ruler – Jupiter
Chord – 9th House
Symbol – The Archer
Mode – Intuition
Motto – “I Philosophize”
Archetypes: Philosopher, Gypsy, Teacher, Globetrotter, Adventurer, Guru, Vagabond, Preacher
Light: expansion, exploration, enthusiasm, resilience, abundance, adventure, intuition, faith, understanding, wisdom, freedom, optimism
Shadow: self-righteousness, intolerance, over-extension, over preaching, imprudence, fear of commitment, over-indulgence, fanaticism, tactlessness
Anatomy: thighs, buttocks, hips, upper leg, solar plexus chakra; seat of locomotion in the body
Capricorn the Sea Goat ♑ Slow, Steady Climb
“Life makes me wait—But I’m worth it!”
Element – Earth
Quality – Cardinal
Ruler – Saturn
Chord – 10th House
Symbol – The Goat
Mode – Sensation
Motto – “I Master”
Archetypes: Father, Hermit, Boss, Manager, Dictator, CEO, Authority
Light: introspection, wisdom, self-discipline, reliable, pragmatism, patience, integrity, humor, perseverance, consistent, power, high standards, long-term perspective, achiever of long term goals, focus, calm, sturdy
Shadow: fear, coldness, materialism, workaholism, authoritarianism, isolation, opportunism, rigidity, control, micromanaging, cynicism, over structuring, lack of spontaneity, excessive ambition, status seeking, emotional suffocation, conditional love, compulsively demanding “proper” respect from subordinates (“Yes Sir!” factor)
Anatomy: Knees, bones, teeth, skin, joints
Aquarius the Water Bearer ♒ Breaking the Rules
“I’m a round peg in a square hole in a curved universe!”
Element – Air
Quality – Fixed
Ruler – Uranus
Chord – 11th House
Symbol – The Water Bearer
Mode – Thought
Motto – “I Universalize”
Archetypes: Revolutionary, Innovator, Scientist, Genius, Networker, Activist, Outsider, Truth-Teller
Light: creativity, freedom, individuality, humanitarianism, community, team player, objectivity, future vision, idealism, truth, friendship, rebel with a cause, inventor of new ways
Shadow: stubbornness, “rebel without a cause,” alienation, emotional detachment, living in the future, undependable
Anatomy: ankles, lower legs, circulatory system, electrical system
Pisces the Fish ♓ The Art of Dreaming
“With an open heart, I swim the deepest cosmic waters!”
Element – Water
Quality – Mutable
Ruler – Neptune
Chord – 12th House
Symbol – The Fish
Mode – Feeling
Motto – “I Believe”
Archetypes: Dreamer, Mystic, Visionary, Artist, Poet, Musician, Psychic, Healer, Martyr
Light: intuition, creativity, healing, peace, oneness, sensitivity, cosmic, compassion, consciousness, higher vision, service, imagination, synthesizing
Shadow: aimlessness, depression, addiction, escapism, lack of boundaries, victimization, martyrdom
Anatomy: feet, lymphatic system
Leo Rising Astrology ☼ 