Lots of folks talk about their sun sign. Don’t get me wrong: It matters. But as an astrologer? It’s rarely the first planet I talk to clients about.

If we want to get personal, it’s your rising sign, also called the ascendant I look at first. Even more important? Which planet rules it.

1. What is the ascendant?

First off, let’s explain the ascendant. The ascendant is the sign that was on the eastern horizon the moment you were born. The ascendant ruler is the planet that rules that sign. Each zodiac sign has a traditional ruler.

For example:

* Aries Ascendant? Mars is your ruler.

* Taurus Ascendant? Venus is your ruler.

* Gemini Ascendant? Mercury is your ruler.

You can find your ascendant by going to astro-seek.com and creating a birth chart. You need an exact time of birth because rising signs change about every 2 hours.

2. How do you analyze the ascendant ruler?

Once you know your rising sign, you want to look at where the ascendant ruler is in your chart. Some things I consider include:

a. What sign is the planet in?

Let’s say you’re a Taurus rising. It will look really different if you have Venus exalted in Pisces or a Venus in detriment in Scorpio. Why? A lot of this goes back to essential dignity or how much ease a planet has in a zodiac sign.

Some ways this can show up include:

* Is the planet in its own sign? Then you may find yourself more able to do what you want. Like a homeowner, a planet in domicile doesn’t have to ask anyone for permission to do things. 

* Is it is exalted? Then you may find more elevated status, or ease.  

* Is it in detriment or fall? You may feel more like an outsider, who challenges the status quo or has a unique perspective on things. 

* Is it in a neutral sign? It’s neither especially strong or weak.

Is the planet not in its own sign? Then it depends on the sign’s ruler for resourcing.

For example, let’s say two folks have Venus in Pisces. Pisces is ruled traditionally by Jupiter. Person A has Jupiter in Pisces. But, person B has it in Capricorn. Person A will have a more positive Venus because Jupiter is there and has a lot of resources to support Venus. Person B may struggle because Jupiter is in exile in Capricorn, so has a harder time supporting Venus.  

b. What house is your ascendant ruler in?

Not everyone values or focuses on the same thing. The house placement house shows what area of life you tend to focus on or are drawn towards.

For instance, both Julia Roberts and Ben Affleck are Cancer risings. The Moon rules Cancer, so where was the Moon when they were born? Julia has the Moon in Leo in the 2nd whole sign house. Julia Roberts will have more of an emphasis on money and possessions. She was also one of the top paid actresses of the 90’s.

Meanwhile, Ben has the Moon in Scorpio in the 5th whole sign house. This is the place of creativity, games, pleasure, and children. Ben actually started acting as a child. He’s continued to focus on his creativity not just acting but focused on directing.

c. What aspects does your ascendant ruler make?

Aspects are the angles a planet makes to other planets or important angles in the chart like the MC or IC. They tell us all about the planets relationships and how much ease or difficulty it may have.

Is your ascendant ruler aspecting Jupiter or Venus? There may be more ease, abundance, or support for you. Is it aspecting Mars or Saturn? There may be more irritation, challenges, or struggle involved.

3. So what do we do with this information?

I get it, this is a lot of information to take in. The first few times it made my head spin! But there’s a point to it all: how to better support yourself navigating this messy world.

a. Embrace how you do things

Astrology is potent not just because it describes us, but also gives us a language beyond social norms. If you happen to have your ascendant ruler in the 12th house, embrace your need for rest and alone time. It doesn’t make you weird. If your ascendant ruler is in the 5th, it would make complete sense to prioritize your hobbies. It just highlights your natural temperament.

In fact, the more you work with your chart’s natural set up, the easier things will probably get.

b. Better personal forecasts

It can feel like a million transits are happening at any one time. The best way to start following transits is focusing on one planet or zodiac sign at a time.

Personally, I love focusing on either your ascendant ruler or your rising sign. What sign is your ruling planet in now? What aspects is it making? That can highlight things you’re more likely to notice or experience personally.

If your ascendant ruler is Jupiter or Saturn, focus on transits aspecting your ascendant ruler. For example, what does it feel like when the moon is conjunct your ascendant ruler? Do things shift when Mercury is nearby?

c. Support your ascendant ruler, support yourself

For thousands of years astrologers have found ways to support struggling planets. This can look like many different things: from donating time or money to a planet’s pet causes, to wearing its colors on its planetary day.

For instance, let’s say you’re a Capricorn rising with Saturn in Aries. You might want to focus on wearing dark blacks or browns on Saturday. You could also spend time or money on causes like homelessness, prison or immigration reform.

Final thoughts

Your ascendant ruler acts kind of like your personal GPS. It helps you navigate life. When you have a better handle on it, you can more easily navigate life in a way your way.

Want some help understanding your ascendant? Get a birth chart reading with me and I’ll help it make sense for your life today.

Discover Your Unique Strengths

You know your rising sign. But do you know its ruler?