Ascendants | 5 Min. Reading duration
the ascendants
Ascendant – What is that?
Over the centuries, there have been different views of what the Ascendant (Latin “the ascending”) says about a person. Scholars agree on some points, for example, all agree that it takes one of the twelve signs of the zodiac and shapes both the appearance and demeanor of a person.
You can see the Ascendant
The Ascendant (AC) influences our character, our appearance and how we affect the outside world to a large extent. When we meet a person, we form an opinion about them within a few minutes. What others perceive of us is our Ascendant.
Over the course of our lives, we develop habits and put on autopilot for routine tasks. We can be of the zodiac sign Cancer, but outwardly appear like a Leo if this is our AC. In this example, people perceive us as proud and unshakable, although we just cover up our insecurity.
The AC does not exclusively determine our appearance, but gives us potentials and life tasks on the way. Over time, the AC presents us with challenges that we have to overcome. Only the mastery of these leads us to growth and inner maturity.
How is the AC calculated?
For the calculation of the AC, we need the birthday as well as the exact time and place of birth. The reason is that the Ascendant is measured by which sign of the zodiac rises on the eastern horizon. Because the earth rotates around its axis every day, a different one rises on the eastern horizon every two hours.
It depends on where you look to the east from. Two people born on the same day but in different places have different Ascendants.
The Ascendant and the Descendant
While the AC explains the effect we have on others, the Descendant (DC) does the opposite. The DC is the opposite sign of the AC and is on the western horizon. The Descendant describes what we expect from our fellow people. It communicates the desires and aspirations that we have in others. Astrologers consider the Descendant to be the perfect counterpart to the AC because it combines the qualities it lacks.
The Ascendants with their Descendants
Ascendant | Descendant |
---|---|
Ascendant Aries | Descendant Libra |
Ascendant Taurus | Descendant Scorpio |
Ascendant Gemini | Descendant Sagittarius |
Ascendant Cancer | Descendant Capricorn |
Ascendant Leo | Descendant Aquarius |
Ascendant Virgo | Descendant Pisces |
Ascendant Libra | Descendant Aries |
Ascendant Scorpio | Descendant Taurus |
Ascendant Sagittarius | Descendant Gemini |
Ascendant Capricorn | Descendant Cancer |
Ascendant Aquarius | Descendant Leo |
Ascendant Pisces | Descendant Virgo |