What About the Ascendant?
It is one of astrology's most elusive components of the natal chart. In the new Rage of Aquarius update, we dig deeper into its mysteries.
“Our ascendant is our individual expression of the primary thrust of the cosmos. It thus imparts a certain style to everything we do.” —Dennis Elwell, Cosmic Loom
I’D SAY IT TOOK ME about 15 years, working actively with the horoscopes of friends, family, and clients to unravel the enigma of the horoscope’s Ascendant (also referred to as the Rising Sign).
Because the Ascendant’s power isn’t running through the circuitry of a light or planet, we have a pure, unfettered expression of whatever sign is rising at our birth. And we become designated ambassadors for the particulars of that sign’s ‘style,’ as Elwell puts it.
Borrowing from Jungian psychology, the Ascendant is often pegged as being associated with the ‘persona.’ The mask someone wears to portray themselves to the world. But I haven’t found this to be a fitting analogy.
The Ascendant indicates something essential about our nature — and doesn’t relate much to what’s conditioned by — or feigned — to fit in with consensus reality.
Rather than elaborate more on the subject in print, listen to the dialectic between the Rage of Astrology’s hosts, myself, and astrologers Andrei Burke and Rachel Capurso from Aeolian Heart. It’s our latest episode, The Ascendant Unmasked: A New Angle of Astrology’s Most Misunderstood Player.
Comments and questions? Leave them below.
Love,
Opening Rage of Aquarius graphics by FW, ©2023 Nightcharm, Inc.
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Really enjoyed this! very informative and of course, I loved hearing Frederick's voice...
I was only able to listen to about half of it. Well done. I’ve been reading my ascendant off and on for a number of years now as my Sun 28 degrees Leo combined with Moon in Gemini ♊️ and Ascendant also Gemini, leaves me a little confused at times. And there are times when reading Gemini just makes more sense.
I did learn a bit about Capricorn. My most difficult sign to read. They can be very intriguing and also to understand what’s going on. You could say it’s partly because I’m usually an open book. I blab about everything. Caps, that’s another story. Someone should write a book titled everything you wanted to know about Capricorns but were afraid to ask them. Thanks 🙏