The descendant is a key component in interpreting an astrological chart. By providing your date, time, and place of birth, you can discover your descendant and its significance. Note: When entering your place of birth, be sure to include hyphens where applicable (e.g., "Saint-Germain-en-Laye").
The ascendant or 1st house in a natal chart indicates:
- Your behavior,
- Your appearance,
- Your motivations.
Unlike the astrological sign, which symbolizes our raw, innate personality at birth, the Ascendant represents the "clothing" we put on our personality to present ourselves to the world, find motivation, and interact with others. The Ascendant develops throughout childhood and youth, shaped by experiences, encounters, and upbringing. We do not become our Ascendant; rather, we refine it. Generally, around the age of 30, we reach a certain maturity if we have found a balance between our personality and our Ascendant—otherwise, the midlife crisis steps in to set us back on track.
How is your ascendant calculated?
Determining your ascendant is complex because it takes into account not only your birth date but also the time and place of birth. The birth time is particularly important, as your ascendant sign can change in less than four minutes (at the beginning or end of a sign). Thus, two people born on the same day will share the same sun sign but will be influenced differently by the planets depending on their birth time and location. For example, a Leo with a Leo ascendant will have a very different personality from a Leo with a Cancer ascendant.
Here is a brief overview of the ascendants:
Aries Rising makes you energetic and enthusiastic. You are active, independent, and ambitious, projecting yourself into the future without much thought and with great boldness. Impulsiveness dominates your decisions. You are not patient and have difficulty obeying. Your boldness sometimes turns into recklessness.
Taurus Rising gives you a persevering nature, and your stubbornness often pays off. You are drawn to the simple and wholesome things in life—nature, comfort, and good food. At times, you can be calculating or individualistic, occasionally selfish, envious, or even unkind when angered.
Gemini Rising endows you with an alert and adaptable mindset. Intelligent and curious, your flexible nature allows you to adapt easily to any situation. You struggle to sustain your efforts to achieve success and tend to be overly critical, sometimes hurting others.
Cancer Rising gives you an imaginative and receptive mind, as well as a sympathetic, hospitable, and kind temperament. Your imagination and sensitivity make you a valued confidant. You are impressionable and become unhappy in a gloomy atmosphere. You can also be moody, and your mood swings may unsettle those around you.
Leo Rising gives you a strong will, a proud and generous nature. You are creative and instinctively distinguish between what is genuine and what is fake, detesting mediocrity. You like to stand out, are sensitive to criticism, rarely admit your mistakes, and dislike being contradicted. It is not easy to change your mind.
Virgo Rising provides you with a critical and inventive mind. With great human qualities, you have a strong sense of duty, honesty, and kindness. Often too modest, you underestimate your abilities, get lost in details, and your frankness can sometimes come across as a lack of diplomacy.
Libra Rising graces you with a accommodating, kind, and friendly nature. You seek the approval of your friends and, in return, show total devotion, ready to make any compromise. You hesitate too much when faced with important choices, as your need for balance significantly holds you back—you hate living with tension.
Scorpio Rising gives you a thoughtful, discreet mind inclined toward high ideals, accompanied by a proud and dignified way of conducting yourself. You have perfect self-control. You can be cunning, secretive, resentful, jealous, or passionate. Your words can be sharp, and you love or hate without nuance.
Sagittarius Rising gives you an energetic and generous spirit, an affectionate and demonstrative nature. You are loyal and sincere in your feelings. You are drawn to travel or are self-taught. Too idealistic and dismissive of details, you sometimes lack the means to bring your lofty aspirations to life. Beware of building castles in the air!
Capricorn Rising gives you a tactful and diplomatic mind, a deep and thoughtful spirit. You are clear-headed, tenacious, logical, and reasonable, building your life slowly but surely. You easily fall into the trap of routine and could become narrow-minded. You may hold grudges for a very long time.
Aquarius Rising grants you a kind and compassionate mentality, with a strong belief in freedom. You can create, invent, and have no fear of new technologies. Sometimes, you act against your own logic just to assert your independence. Despite your calm and reflective appearance, you are impulsive.
Pisces Rising gives you a highly sensitive nature and a sentimental spirit. You often seek to help others, listen to them, and show solidarity. You frequently worry over nothing and create a world for yourself that makes it hard to face reality. When cornered, you may become aggressive.
