When it comes to astrology, we tend to put most focus on the day we were born. We tend to believe that this is the defining element of our personality. The passionate Leo rules over the month of August, December belongs to Sagittarius, and so on. We are able to easily identify ourselves by the month and day of our zodiac sign, also known as your Sun sign.
However, there’s more to astrology than just our zodiac sign. In fact, there are other factors that go into determining who we are. And along with our Sun and Moon signs, we also have our Rising (or Ascendant) sign.
What is my Rising sign?
Also known as an Ascendant sign, your Rising sign is known as the mask you present to other people and your social personality when first meeting others. A Rising sign also shows how you deal with everyday problems and your natural reactions to situations.
For comparison, your Sun sign influences your dominant personality traits and is the core of who you are, while your Moon sign represents your deepest emotions and inner mood as well as how you regulate your responses to circumstances. Your Rising sign, on the other hand, represents how you present yourself to the world and the personality traits people pick up on when first meeting you. This includes everything from your physical appearance to the way those who don’t know you perceive you.
How to find your Rising sign
Your Rising sign has to do specifically with the time you were born, rather than the date you were born. A Rising sign can only be determined once you know your exact time of birth. Fortunately, using a calculator allows you to determine your Rising sign. Remember: since the Ascendant sign changes every two hours, being off by just a few minutes in your time of birth can affect what your Rising sign actually is!
According to astrological beliefs, if the Ascendant is closer to the beginning of the sign, you will be impacted more by its effects, but if you were born at night or at the end of the sign’s Ascendancy (right before a new sign takes its place), the effects will be weaker.
What does my Rising sign mean?
Now that you have an understanding of what a Rising sign is and how to find it, read on to determine what your Ascendant sign reveals about you.
Aries Rising
If you have an Aries Rising, you are independent, straightforward, irritable, and self-reliant. Aries Rising is action-oriented, meaning they are quick to act in any situation life throws their way. They strive to achieve and succeed but tend to stress themselves out with their expectations. These individuals are quick to aggravate and prefer to handle situations on their own.
Taurus Rising
If you have a Taurus Rising, you are loyal, stable, stubborn, and practical. Taurus Rising is all about having a solid foundation, but as a fixed sign, those with this placement aren’t adaptable to certain situations; it takes a lot for them to change, as they are set in their ways. Rather than jumping into something new, they prefer to examine their choices. These individuals are also prone to indulging in the finer things in life and tend to value material objects.
Gemini Rising
If you have a Gemini Rising, you are curious, adaptable, communicative, and analytical. Gemini Rising seeks to gain knowledge and is known to be talkative and clever with those they interact with. They are outgoing and find joy in new situations. These individuals fully express their clever nature, but may turn some people off with their abrupt personality.
Cancer Rising
If you have a Cancer Rising, you are sensitive, introspective, guarded, and strong. Cancer Rising may not at first appear sociable, but they are slowly trying to immerse themselves in their environment before making any rash decisions. They are quite sensitive, meaning it takes time to get them to open up. These individuals crave stability and have high emotional intelligence, but sometimes struggle to cope with their constantly changing moods.
Leo Rising
If you have a Leo Rising, you are magnetic, bold, courageous, and impulsive. Leo Rising demands the attention of others around them and goes out of their way to maintain power in a room. They are quite hasty in making decisions and tend to be quite bossy in their everyday lives. But these individuals are, overall, positive and enthusiastic about trying new things, and are generous and vivacious.
Virgo Rising
If you have a Virgo Rising, you are reserved, critical, worrisome, and loyal. Virgo Rising doesn’t just jump into a situation; they must first analyze everything around them and slowly adjust. They are often plagued with worry, especially when thrust into unfamiliar circumstances. These individuals are detail-oriented, and once they get to know people, they will give you the shirt off their back in times of trouble.
Libra Rising
If you have a Libra Rising, you are charming, accommodating, influential, and restless. Libra Rising is naturally curious and wants to explore all that life has to offer. They remain unbiased in most situations, making them fair and just. These individuals are easy-going but tend to (usually unintentionally) manipulate those around them with their persuasive nature.
Scorpio Rising
If you have a Scorpio Rising, you are determined, mysterious, seductive, and paranoid. Scorpio Rising is loyal to those closest to them, but tend to keep their emotions hidden deep under the surface. They are both peculiar and intimidating for this reason, yet are compelling. These individuals quickly see through insincerity, are calculated in their decisions, and put up emotional walls.
Sagittarius Rising
If you have a Sagittarius Rising, you are optimistic, energetic, and outspoken. Sagittarius Rising thinks big and is constantly seeking new adventures to explore and observe. They are always looking on the bright side and have no tolerance for those with a negative attitude. These individuals are confident to the core and always have an opinion to offer but tend to turn others off with their impatience.
Capricorn Rising
If you have a Capricorn Rising, you are serious, ambitious, focused, and successful. Capricorn Rising is responsible and structured and rarely falters from their responsibilities. They are hard-working, of course, but never seem to meet their own expectations. These individuals strive for success but need to find balance by making time for fun and lightheartedness.
Aquarius Rising
If you have an Aquarius Rising, you are unique, curious, vexing, and friendly. Aquarius Rising is intellectual and strives to expand their knowledge, all while emphasizing their humanitarian ways. They are very accepting of all lifestyles and tend to think of themselves as exceptional people who don’t always fit in. These individuals get along well with others, but their off-beat approach may not be appealing to everyone.
Pisces Rising
If you are a Pisces Rising, you are gentle, kind, dreamy, and indecisive. Pisces Rising may at first appear withdrawn and shy, but are actually very passionate and enjoy conversing with others. They are frequently in a dream-like state, overpowered by their idealistic views of the world. These individuals don’t want to be held back, as they are restless by nature, and use their emotions to guide them through life.
Sloane Solomon is a professional writer and editor. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelors in English Writing.
