The Ascendant (or rising sign) is often considered the mask one wears when meeting others. Perhaps it is most aptly thought of as the automatic responses to one’s environment. The Ascendant shows our natural defenses and how we cope with day-to-day issues. The energies of the sign and condition of the Ascendant are most overt and obvious to others. The Ascendant shows an individual’s first, natural reaction to new people and situations.
What follows are general interpretations of the sign position of the Ascendant. Remember that these characteristics are modified by planets conjunct the Ascendant, planets that aspect the Ascendant, and the position of the ruling planet of the sign on the Ascendant. For example, a person with an Aries Ascendant with its ruling planet, Mars, in Sagittarius will respond to the environment a little differently than another person, also with an Aries Ascendant, but whose Mars is in Scorpio. Similarly, a person with a Pisces Ascendant who also has Saturn conjunct it will “behave” differently than someone with a Pisces Ascendant who does not have that aspect.
ARIES
People with Aries Ascendants are direct and quick. Their first instinct is to do, rather than think. Planning ahead? Forget it. Aries rising simply charges forward without much ado. Some Aries rising people are competitive, but they generally put most of the pressure on themselves. These people love to come out ahead in all that they do. They get ready quickly, walk quickly, and have little patience for dilly-dallying. Aries rising loves action, and is often trying to stir up some activity. Their strengths lie in their enterprising ways. Probably early on in life, Aries rising people got typecast as the “independent” child. As adults, people with Aries Ascendants often stick to that role in life. People don’t run to help them out — they appear quite fine doing things on their own. These people have learned to be self-reliant, and this generally stems from their early experiences.
TAURUS
Slow, steady, and capable are adjectives that we can safely attach to individuals born with a Taurus Ascendant. These natives have tremendous stamina and staying power. They’re often quite loyal to those they care about. Taurus, by nature, is resistant to change. It can be difficult to sway Taurus rising natives–they’re often rather stubborn and fixed in their ways. Their first responses are to feel things out, not in the way a Pisces might attune to their environment, but in the realm of the five senses. Taurus rising natives are often quite cautious and careful. With a fixed sign on the Ascendant, they are not known for their flexibility. Rather, they possess determined single-mindedness. More than most, Taurus rising prefers the “good things” in life. Self-indulgence can be a weakness for many with this Ascendant. Often collectors in some way, Taurus rising natives place a lot of value on their material possessions.
GEMINI
Those born with Gemini rising see the world as a place to learn. They are curious about the people around them. These are people who love to ask questions, to move around freely, and to mingle. Definitely restless and often quick in physical expression, natives of the Gemini Ascendant exude an air of impatience even if they don’t mean it. In fact, there is a cleverness to Gemini Ascendants that can intimidate some, especially sensitive folk. Their facility with words can be a wonderful asset, although sometimes Gemini rising individuals identify too much with their mental agility and forget, in their personal interactions and communications, to nurture the people around them. In one-to-one relationships, Gemini rising people often seek a certain amount of personal freedom and space. They enjoy intellectual debates and exchanging ideas. Although they often demand a fair amount of freedom, they are often just as willing to give their partners room to breathe.
CANCER
These people come across as gentle creatures. There’s something familiar about them — they’re the guy or gal next door. When they enter a room, they don’t walk in with a splash. Instead, they move to the sides and weave their way inwards. Their first instinct, when threatened or on unfamiliar ground, is to protect themselves. When new situations present themselves, they can immediately withdraw or act shy. Generally, these people come across as caring people. They seem quite sweet — even innocent. Usually, these people appear unassuming enough to be quite approachable. Some Cancer Ascendants, however, have retreated into themselves so much as to be quite the opposite. Security is the basic need, and they are generally more than willing to give up some personal freedom in order to get it. In some cases, Cancer Ascendant people can surprise their partners.
LEO
Leo rising people cannot help but be noticed. They radiate a special energy and magnetism that gets others’ attention. Sometimes it’s because they are loud people who pay a lot of attention to their personal appearance (especially their hair!); other times it’s due to a regal manner that simply demands interest from others. Leo Ascendant people are very self-aware and body-conscious. They are acutely aware of others, and how they come across. In fact, these people are especially aware of their personal “backdrop”–they consider what the people they’re with, and the environments they are in, do to their own image. They are given to rash decisions, temper tantrums, and excesses. However, they have plenty of staying power, drive, and their idealism keeps them from getting into too much trouble. They have a natural flair for presentation, an eye for quality, and a hard-to-resist warmth of style. They want to make things happen, and create a stir.
VIRGO
People with Virgo rising are often a little understated in their personal mannerisms and appearance, although a lot depends on the position of Mercury (the ruling planet of Virgo) in the chart. Generally, there is an intelligent and reserved aura about Virgo rising individuals that is unmistakable. These are actually somewhat shy people who need time to analyze things around them before they warm up to both situations and people. This quality can be received exactly as that, or it can be received as a rather stand-offish, cool, and even critical manner (depending on the audience). Many people with this position have a tendency to attract (or be attracted to) people who need help. There’s a quiet charm to many Virgo rising people. Once they have the chance to warm up to new people and situations, you’ll find they have a lot to offer. They’ll help you out of a jam, go out on a limb for you, and surprise you with a natural modesty under a somewhat critical and standoffish manner.
LIBRA
Everybody seems to like Libra Ascendant natives. They just come across as nice, pleasant, and fair. Look a little closer at their lives, and these nice people may have had quite a few problems in their relationships. Libra rising generally appear to be smoothing everything over. They have charming smiles, a gentle approach with others, and an easygoing image. Even if they were not endowed with good looks, they are attractive. Libra rising people can be enormously persuasive, although they will almost always use a “soft sell” approach when they want to win others over, which is all of the time! Libra rising natives are usually attracted to competent, active partners. Their relationships are often characterized by bickering or competitiveness until they learn to drop their sweet image once in a while and to stop blaming their partners for everything that goes wrong.
SCORPIO
Scorpio Ascendant people have a lot of presence. There is something about them that tells the world that they are not to be pushed around. Their manner commands respect, and in some cases, fear. Scorpio rising people can be quiet or loud, but they always seem powerful and determined. You either love or hate Scorpio rising people— they are rarely people who go through life unnoticed. In fact, some of them are confused when faced with the fact that they get such strong reactions from others. They seem to look right through people, seeing through superficiality. This can be quite intimidating to some, and intriguing to others. Scorpio rising people, in their dealings with others, look for answers by reading between the lines. Surface details are discarded when they are getting a feel for people and situations around them.
SAGITTARIUS
There is an unmistakable faith and enthusiasm with Sagittarius rising people. Grand schemes, big promises, and a willingness to explore and experiment are themes, although follow-through is not a strong characteristic of Sagittarius. These individuals are somewhat restless and often active people. They always seem to be looking for something that is just out of grasp — and many do this their entire lives. They can be quite direct at times, yet they are likable enough to forgive for their faux-pas. Most have a lot to say and offer. Their insights and opinions are usually interesting and exciting, although sometimes lacking in details. Sagittarius rising people have opinions about everything, and they just love telling others exactly what they are. Not all people with this position are outgoing folk, but they all have a way of moving about that at least exudes a certain level of confidence.
CAPRICORN
Capricorn Ascendant people project competence. They simply ooze it. They’re generally very image-conscious people–the clothes they wear and their manner are a big deal to them. They want to appear successful, and they generally succeed! Often the Ascendant persona is the one that was forced upon us by family conditioning. For example, parents may label their Libra Ascendant child the “nice” one; their Aries Ascendant child the “independent” one; and their Pisces Ascendant child is generally the space cadet of the family. They know how to do away with the frivolous. Although they’re rarely showy, their quiet air of success is often a result of conscious effort. More often than not, Capricorn rising individuals are success stories.
AQUARIUS
How unique and original Aquarius rising natives come across! These individuals are just that — individuals, and they won’t let you forget that fact. Often turned to for advice, these natives possess intellectual poise and savvy. It’s hard to shock an Aquarius rising. They’ve seen it all, or at least want you to think they have. In fact, they often enjoy shocking others. Most people with this Ascendant are quite friendly and likable. Their personality quirks generally go over quite well with others. They generally give others quite a bit of freedom–accepting, as a rule, people from all walks of life as equals. Often labeled as independent and original children, Aquarius rising natives often feel a little “different” or “special” throughout life. They often feel like they are on the outside looking in, and their ability to observe and deduce is often uncanny. They are often attracted to partners who possess self-confidence and ardor.
PISCES
“Go with the flow” seems to be a Pisces rising motto. They move about the world in a vaguely directionless, gentle manner. They come across as artists and lovers of peace; but their open minds and hearts can give them a chameleon-like persona. Others are not always sure who they’ll meet from one day to the next with a Pisces rising person. People with Pisces rising resist any kind of labeling–their characters are changeable, and they don’t want to be pinned down or pegged in any way. Theirs is a restless, searching nature that cannot be happy with any one way of living or being. Pisces rising avoids cold, hard facts and harsh realities like the plague. They don’t have a decisive plan for tomorrow or even today, preferring to keep things open. Pisces rising people often possess an irresistible charm that comes on in a quiet way, with a soft aura about them. Both their appearance and mannerisms are usually quite intriguing to others.
