The Ascendent in your Chart.
The Ascendent through the Signs
Planets which aspect the Ascendent.
The Ascendant, or 1st house cusp (ASC), is a personal point in the horoscope which has at least as much significance as the Sun and Moon. It reflects the degree of the zodiac sign which is rising on the Eastern horizon at the moment of birth. This degree changes on average every four minutes, with a new sign rising on the horizon every two hours on average. (There are 30 degrees in a sign). Certain signs rise faster than others depending on how close one is to the North or South Pole. In the Northern Hemisphere Aquarius, Pisces, Aries and Taurus rise fast, and in the Southern hemisphere the opposite signs, Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio rise fast, as a result of the angle at which the Earth revolves on its axis. The Ascendant degree varies depending on the actual place of birth - it is specifically dependant on the latitude of birth, whereas the Midheaven is dependant on longitude. Because the Ascendant is connected with the rotation of the Earth on its axis - and has nothing to do with the planets - it shows how character (planetary influence) is manifested in a practical way on Earth. It shows the life path, or the actual role of the personality on Earth. It is the physical manifestation of and personal fate through earthly matters. As such it is the most vital point in the horoscope, and is related to the actual birth experience and the health of the physical body. Whereas the Sun represents the conscious identity, and the Moon the unconscious mind, the Ascendant represents the cast of character or persona in the grand performance of life.
Ascendant in Aries with a key phrase of: Self-assertion. . You are young at heart and very enthusiastic in the way you handle life's challenges. You like to tackle things head-on, and impulsively cast yourself into the fray. You probably have to struggle with a considerable temperament, but basically you are innocent and naive with very few bad intentions. You have a direct and honest style. You do not like anyone tampering with your freedom or telling you what to do. This means that you are attracted to the kind of partner who is willing to go along with your point of view, and follow your lead in most matters. In a sense you are egocentric, because you give your own goals first priority. Nevertheless it is important for you to stand out amongst others as an individual, and to be a pioneer in one way or the other. Partnership will mellow you, and you may be able to learn the spirit of compromise as you get older.
Ascendant in Taurus with a key phrase of:Establishing self-worth. . You have a soft and gentle nature and tend to exude a natural calm and grace. You give the relaxed impression that you have things under control. As a peace-loving person you are not happy with disturbances or confrontations in your everyday life, and you often follow the path of least resistance for the sake of comfort and harmony. Nevertheless you can be of considerable support to others, precisely because you have so many personal resources and a relaxed view of life. If there is one thing that makes you unhappy, it is financial insecurity, so you are strongly motivated to have an economically comfortable existence. You are also very sensitive to anything which undermines your self-worth. During the course of your life you will slowly but surely develop a greater sense of inner security. In intimate relationships your placid manner and refusal to confront hidden problems may force your partner to confront you from time to time with unpleasant truths about yourself. You gain more balance in relationships when you develop greater psychological insight.
Ascendant in Gemini with a key phrase of: Developing the mind. . Your nature is infused with a youthful curiosity and a restless desire to be stimulated mentally and socially. Mental development is alpha and omega for you, and meetings, discussions, books and learning are the stuff of life. You are constantly active and spread yourself very thin, tending to have a superficial knowledge of a vast array of things, and a finger in many pies. Other people will challenge you to show greater depth and thoughtfulness in your attitude to things instead of just skating over the surface. Brothers and sisters may play an important role, both in your development as a child and later on in life. Your school years will have a profound effect on you, and set the trend for an interest in education later in life. Because you like to be on the move, transport is as essential to you as the air you breathe.
Ascendant in Cancer with a key phrase of: Emotional attachment. . Emotional development is the keyword in your evolution as a human being. You form powerful emotional attachments and tend to become rather dependant. There may be a particularly strong attachment to the mother or family. Learning to let go of old attachments will be an important challenge in your life. You have access to the whole spectrum of human emotions. You are very sensitive and easily hurt, yet at the same time you show a lot of concern for others. In intimate relationships you form strong bonds and tend to smother your partner, who may respond by demanding more maturity and independence in you. You force other people to create barriers against the tide of your emotions. It is important for you to learn to deal with rejection, as you are oversensitive in this area. Being a strongly emotional person, you also have access to the deep well of the unconscious, and this gives you considerable intuitive talent.
Ascendant in Leo with a key phrase of: Self-projection. . You are extremely aware of yourself and the impression you make on others. The spotlight is on you, and this is reflected in a sense of drama about your life. Basically you are a warm-hearted person, endowed with a sense of humour and fun and with a natural ability to liven up any gathering. Your appetite for life inclines you towards activities which give you a solid sense of who you are. Creative pursuits, romance, and involvement with children are all important areas of interest. You are the kind of person people notice, even to the point of seeming self-centred. Nevertheless, many people will seek your company. In intimate long-term relationships you tend to evoke a certain emotional distance in the partner, who knows you too well to fall for your charming manner. By cultivating a more detached view of yourself, you gain greater intimacy with those close to you.
Ascendant in Virgo with a key phrase of: Efficiency. . One of your better qualities is your self-deprecating nature. You are often willing to put others first and are generally quite content to take on a low-profile role, in which you concentrate on getting everyday life to function smoothly for all concerned. You are both critical and self-critical, and may often feel that life is hard work - a never-ending stream of tasks waiting to be done. In contrast your partners seem to let things just flow along in a disorganised, even lazy manner. This is of course a natural consequence of your own over-diligent manner, in which you tend to take on the duties of others. You can learn a lot from partners by being content with, and accepting, things as they are. It can be a great satisfaction for you to develop greater health consciousness during the course of your life, as you have natural abilities as regards nutrition and the influence of thoughts and emotions on physical health.
Ascendant in Libra with a key phrase of: Relating. . Basically you are a friendly type of person, and you have a genuine and natural interest in other people. You probably come across as a sociable and charming person, and you have a special talent for creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Partnerships are alpha and omega for you, and you will seldom be alone in your life. You are willing to make many compromises to ensure that a relationship functions smoothly. Using your ability to see matters from another person's point of view, you can defuse conflict before it begins. However this tendency may be construed by others as a reluctance to confront important matters when they arise, and this in turn evokes a confrontational attitude in those who are close to you. You have a fine discriminating judgement - use this to discern when you should compromise, and when you should make a stand.
Ascendant in Scorpio with a key phrase of:Penetration. . You are an intense and rather secretive person, who believes in deep emotional involvement. You are powerfully motivated by the need for emotional security and you expend a lot of energy trying to maintain calm in this area. Being unable to control the emotional reactions of others, you have a tendency to be jealous and to engage in emotional brinkmanship. You lack emotional flexibility, see issues as black or white and tend to come with ultimata. Erotic intimacy is extremely important, and the litmus test of a good relationship for you is a satisfying sex-life. You will attract a calm and stable partner, who reassures you by becoming dependant on you. As inertia builds up in a relationship you often provoke intense emotional crises. You need to feel and explore every facet of the emotional spectrum from love to hate. Having enormous reserves of emotional power, you emanate a powerful aura and people are mysteriously strengthened simply by being close to you.
Ascendant in Sagittarius with a key phrase of:Influence & understanding. . You are powerfully motivated to understand your place in the world and the meaning of your existence. Your curiosity and need to explore your boundaries will lead you to travel considerably during the course of your life. If or when you prefer the settled life, then you will read, study and discuss to gain further insight into the world. You are philosophically orientated, seeking depth and answers. In partnership matters you may often feel that your opinions are trivialised; conversely other people feel you take yourself to seriously. When you are bombastic and opinionated, other people compensate by being flippant or, in your eyes, superficial. An acceptance of the relativity and diversity of truth, and a certain self-deprecating humour, can make you easier to get on with.
Ascendant in Capricorn with a key phrase of: Progress. . You have a serious and reserved facade, and during your early years you developed the commitment and self-discipline to rise above many difficulties and obstacles in your family life. You carry a burden of high expectations and are often afflicted by gnawing doubts concerning your ability. You probably work too hard and give yourself too little time to express your emotions. Conversely you tend to attract the emotional type of partner who is looking for security and is attracted by your responsible and hardworking nature. Frustrated by your inhibited and formal nature, your partner will make many emotional demands. The more you soften up and trust your feelings, the more your partner will feel stabilised emotionally. The fewer burden you take on, the less dependant your partner will be.
Ascendant in Aquarius with a key phrase of: Future vision. . You may well have had an unusual upbringing which will have brought out the outsider in your nature. You are a friendly person, extremely curious about other people, yet you may often feel that you do not belong. You seek out groups to be with and are extremely loyal, but may be disappointed by your friends. It is difficult for you to understand that the bonds of friendship do not supersede those of family or marriage. In your own intimate relationships, partners find you friendly but cool and distant. You have very little personal ego, and have difficulty understanding what you see as other people's self-obsession. You are stubborn, particularly as regards your opinions. However you are an original and fascinating person. You can strike out on a unique course in life and pave a way into the future which can be an inspiring example for future generations.
Ascendant in Pisces with a key phrase of: Inner communion. You are something of a dreamer, and some unfortunate or unhappy experiences in your childhood will have evoked escapist tendencies in you. Conversely you are endowed with an extremely fertile imagination, and you manifest considerable empathy towards both those who are close to you, and complete strangers. You emanate a sensitive and vulnerable impression, but at the same time you display an understanding and acceptance which other people find very reassuring. If you can overcome your inner sense of loneliness and tendency to martyrdom you can truly help other people. You never dominate, and you have an uncanny ability to totally tune in to the feelings of other people. In relationships you often force your partner to take care of practical details, and friction can arise because you appear to let things slide. More effort and organisation on your part could reduce tension here.
Sun Aspecting the Ascendant You have a radiant personality, with a touch of self-importance. You take yourself - and the impression you make on others - very seriously indeed. Some people may consider you self-centred. You tend at least to be the centre of attention, and although you invest all of yourself when you relate to others, you give your own personal development needs priority. You have plenty of surplus energy, and your playful nature can make you a figurehead for young people.
Moon Aspecting the Ascendant You are a moody person and will often find yourself affected by fluctuating emotional states - especially through worrying about family matters or security issues. You have a deep appreciation of the power of the unconscious and instinctual behaviour. In your dealings with people unspoken feelings have far greater priority than rational concerns or argument. You are finely tuned to changes in atmosphere, and adjust accordingly.
Mercury Aspecting the Ascendant You are easy to make contact with, and always willing to exchange the time of day with anyone you meet. Easily distracted, you can find yourself getting involved in many things at the same time - but then you hate to be bored. You give the impression of being a person on the move. Being gregarious and talkative, you are an excellent catalyst for getting people together. You fascinate people with your ideas.
Venus Aspecting the Ascendant You exude an aura of grace and good taste, and this can win you many friends and admirers. Your dress, and taste in personal adornment, creates a very harmonious and pleasing atmosphere. You are easily seduced by beauty, and often led astray by affairs of the heart. Stable relationships can be threatened by your need for romance. Love is the spice if life. You have a weakness for sensory stimulation and luxury.
Mars Aspecting the Ascendant You create a forceful impression, and people have a tendency to be somewhat nervous when they are around you. Those who know you well will appreciate your forthrightness, but the meek and sensitive will avoid your company - not that you care. You are headstrong, reckless and therefore rather prone to accidents. You are basically frank and honest, so people know where they stand with you.
Jupiter Aspecting the Ascendant You are a larger than life character with strong views on most issues, and a deep interest in spiritual issues. You are open and willing to expand your philosophical horizons. Generally blessed with good fortune and an optimistic frame of mind, you have the ability to expect the best of the future. There may be a tendency to overindulge or be too extravagant. People value your ability to understand in depth the things that move them.
Saturn Aspecting the Ascendant You can be rather an inhibited person - at least in the early stages of your life. Experience has made you wary in your dealings with others, and rather taciturn in style. You may feel uncomfortable about your personal appearance, and you have low expectations as regards your potential in life. Nevertheless you can inspire trust in others because of your considered, serious nature. The older you get, the more you lighten up.
Chiron Aspecting the Ascendant This aspect will bring the Chironic influences of bridge builder, teacher/healer to the forefront of the personality making for a charismatic personality who tend to inspire others to overcome obstacles in their lives, usually through example so this placement may indicate some early difficulty. Even if this energy is blocked other people who know you tend to wait around expecting something to happen.
Uranus Aspecting the Ascendant You can feel that your role in life is connected to future visions and the necessity for change in society. You add a dash of originality to the world, and people are either inspired or provoked by your rather unusual personal style. You shake up your surroundings and often use shock tactics to make an impression. You thrive in an atmosphere of excitement and unpredictability.
Neptune Aspecting the Ascendant It is important for you to overcome a subtle feeling of dissatisfaction or sorrow in your life - both in connection with the direction your life takes, and in connection with partners. This involves finding a sense of meaning in your existence. Creative or spiritual interests, and the pursuit of inner purity, can bring much needed inner harmony. You are very impressionable and easily influenced by the vibrations of other people, so you need to indulge in periods of withdrawal.
Pluto Aspecting the Ascendant You have a magnetic personality and tend to exert a powerful influence on your environment. Secret efforts to feel secure in your personal relationships can be exhausting - both for you and for others. Though you have psychological talents and an ability to penetrate facades, you tend to allow an obsessive ideologies or opinions to poison your relationships. When you relinquish control you discover peace.