What Is Your Rising Sign and Why It Matters?

When you read horoscopes or seek astrology advice, typically you first start with your sun sign – your zodiac sign based on your date of birth. However, there are also other important elements that come to play in your character and destiny such as your moon sign and your rising sign, the Ascendant. Your Ascendant was rising on the eastern horizon at the time of your birth and takes an important place on your birth chart. Would you like to find out more about it? Read on!

Your zodiac sign, or your sun sign, represents your personality traits and can tell things about your destiny. Your rising sign, on the other hand, represents how you show yourself to others and how you motivate yourself in life. The Ascendant is most visible in your youth as your personality develops, you interact with more people, and gain more experience.

To determine your rising sign, you need to know your day and time of birth. The time of birth is important because the Ascendant changes about every two hours. While your rising sign can shape the way you present yourself, you modify it as you grow older. It weakens at around 30 years old, when you are already confident in yourself. And typically, by 40 years old, your personality should balance out with your Ascendant.

It is said that the Ascendant influences a person more when it is located closer to the beginning of the sign, but the same can happen if the Sun’s position in the birth chart is weak. The Ascendant reflects the first impression you make on others and the aspects of your personality you present to them. Sometimes, your rising sign can even determine some physical features of your appearance, your style, and your behavior.

Your rising sign is thought to be the mask you wear when you go out into the world. The Ascendant shows how you cope with the difficulties in your life and how you react to new situations and meeting new people. If you know your rising sign, you can see how you respond to the things happening in your life and know yourself better. Let’s look at how each Ascendant in the zodiac shapes your personality.

Aries is an impulsive zodiac sign, the person who wants to be ahead of everyone in his or her pursuits. You are spontaneous and you always make a good first impression on people. Some people might see you as slightly overwhelming, but others respect your straightforwardness and honesty.

With Taurus as your rising sign, you are quite stubborn, although to others you appear as a passive and gentle person. Your presence is strong and people generally respect you for your stability and loyalty. Ascendant Taurus shapes your attitude to change as relatively negative, although with good reasoning you can be swayed.

If your Ascendant is Gemini, you treat the world as a place to gain knowledge and experience. You are genuinely interested in people, and people are genuinely interested in you. You are charismatic and enjoy communicating with others. With your rising sign in Gemini, you have a youthful outlook on life and physical appearance.

People with the Ascendant in Cancer are very sensitive and empathic. They cherish their friendships and relationships deeply, but to others, they can also seem moody at times. If this is your rising sign, you are likely to have soft facial features and generally have a softness in your physical appearance.

People with Leo as their rising sign shine bright like the Sun, and their presence always lights up the room. If your Ascendant is Leo, it is likely that your hair is the feature that makes you stand out from the crowd. You have a magnetic personality that immediately attracts other people.

When your rising sign is Virgo, people often see you as an intelligent but reserved person. You have a strong aura surrounding you in public, but in private you are a shy person for whom it takes some time to warm up to others. You are likely to have a youthful appearance.

With Ascendant as Libra, you are a very charming person well-liked by others around you. You have a lot of admirers thanks to your friendly and fair nature, as well as your well-kept appearance. People with the rising sign Libra are active and they tend to look for the same in their partners.

People with Ascendant Scorpio have a strong presence which commands respect and sometimes even fear from others. If this is your rising sign, you are a determined and powerful person, very loyal to your friends and your partner. You also have a strong need for emotional security.

If your rising sign is Sagittarius, you are a person shining with positive energies and sharing your friendly nature with those around you. You are always looking for new things to experience, explore, and experiment, but you hate being tied down, so you prefer short-term relationships.

People with Ascendant Capricorn have a serious attitude. Sometimes, they may come across as too reserved or even boring, but in truth, they enjoy having fun and joking around with friends. With Capricorn as your rising sign, you are hardworking and take your responsibilities seriously.

Aquarius Ascendants come across as very active, original, and unique people. They are smart and witty, curious about science and the way the world works. If you are one of them, your charisma attracts people easily, but sometimes you do not devote enough attention to those close to you. You have a unique style and attitude.

People with the rising sign Pisces are sympathetic and sensitive to the emotions of others. You serve as a moderator in conflict because you hate confrontation. You are a dreamy person, and to others, it might seem like your head is always somewhere in the clouds.

Now that you know the characteristics of each rising sign, find out yours and see what it can tell you about your personality and destiny!