What is a Rising Sign and why is it important?
The Rising Sign or Ascendant is the sign that is on the eastern horizon at the exact time of birth. It is also the sign that rules the first house of a person’s chart. The houses are relative divisions of the heavens, depending on the birthplace and birth time of the individual, and each house represents a basic field of activity. The meanings of the houses are modified when they are occupied by a planet. The rotation of the Earth causes the signs and the planets to pass through all twelve houses each day, one approximately every two hours. The houses relate to conditions, while the signs tell us about character traits. If we were to compare Astrology to acting, we would say that the planets are the actors, the signs are the roles that they play, and the houses are the settings or situations in which the cast portrays its roles. The first house, and in particular the Ascendant or Rising Sign, shows an individual’s personality, natural disposition and tendencies, individuality, and the
