2011-09-26

The Ascendant - The dominant view

The Ascendant is the intersection point between the eastern horizon and the ecliptic when a person is born at a certain time and at a certain place. It is a very important point in the birth chart because the zodiac sign the Ascendant is in shows how a person approaches the external world.

It is the filtering lenses through which he or she sees the world and so it also defines how the world looks to him or her. If the lenses are “blue”, then the entire world will seem “blue” too.


The 12 zodiac signs can be divided into four types - earth, air, water and fire - each indicating a different approach.

The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. These are the solid, conservative and pragmatic kind. The air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, characterized by an objective, analytical, “thinking” approach.

The water signs, the “feeling” type, are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. These are subjective and instinctual. The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. These are the “intuitive” type, characterized by high spirits, warmth and self-expressiveness.

It is exactly because of how we look at the world that creates what options SEEM to be available to us, for another set of options could seem very feasible to another person who adopts an entirely different outlook on life.

If your Ascendant is in an earth sign, this shows you tend to be very pragmatic. Practical considerations will also seem to be more pressing and therefore often take precedence. For example, in choosing your major in university, you may pick something, say, that will help you get a good job after graduation, even if you are not terribly interested in the subject. However, this would be rather inconceivable for the fiery type who takes interests and self-actualization more to heart.

In close relationships there are often arguments like “why are you always like this?” or “why can’t you be more (an adjective)?”. The source of the conflicts often lies in a fundamental difference in the outlook on life, but the worst part is, often we do not even know (at least, not to the extent that it can be articulated) what our outlook is like! We just feel bothered by the other person’s views or behaviour.

But if we understand more about our and the other person’s Ascendant signs, we could find it easier to develop a greater acceptance, rather than trying to change him or her. After all, everyone can only live his or her own chart and cannot swap certain parts of it with somebody else!

Note: The above is just a simplification for illustration’s purpose because people’s birth charts are always complex. Their whole personality and behavioural patterns cannot be determined from the Ascendant sign alone.

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