When visitors approach your front door is it typically open or closed? Is it painted a bright, welcoming color or is it subdued, mysterious? Is the walkway clear of debris and open or is it a challenging, rocky pathway? Just as the front door of our house reveals some things about our lifestyle, our rising sign (or ascendant) represents how others’ might experience us at first glance. It is the face we show to the world and it also reveals a bit about our physique and physical characteristics.
Your rising sign is determined by the zodiac sign that was on the eastern horizon at the moment of your birth. In a 24-hour period, the rising sign changes every 2 hours, so without an accurate birth time important details of the chart may be lost. The rising sign is located at the cusp (or beginning) of your first house and it sets the signs for the rest of the houses in your chart. Again, without the birth time those details regarding the houses and their interaction with the planets and the signs can be lost. If you do not have a birth time, there are ways to rectify the chart, however, accuracy of interpretations could be questionable.
Let’s look at a few celebrity charts for examples of how rising signs present themselves.
Can you guess what rising sign Evel Knievel, renegade stuntman had? Aquarius! This rising sign as well as all the other signs have many characteristics. For Evel, however, it really resonates with his rebellious, individualistic public persona. This quote speaks to that cool blooded rebel spirit: “The people don’t come to see me die. They come to see me defy death.”
Mick Jagger has a Gemini ascendant. Yep, you can see it in his lightning fast moves on stage (Jumping Jack Flash) as well as his sharp mind and his high level of creativity. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, known for its speed. Scorpio was rising when Keith Richards took his first independent breath at birth. It gives him that air of mystery and a bit of a glimpse into the dark side. There were rumors after Keith’s father died, that he mixed the ashes with cocaine and snorted them. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, named for the God of the Underworld.
Oprah Winfrey’s rising sign is Sagittarius and she shows the world her enthusiasm, love of learning and adventure through her productions. She is known for her philanthropic ventures and many people with a prominent Sag in their chart will work toward higher good in the world.
Rising signs are the front door to our charts and, together with our Sun and Moon can guide us as we grow deeper into our true selves.
Now, here are some astrological events to watch for in June:
June 5: Full Moon in Sagittarius Lunar eclipse, visible mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. Though we won’t be able to view it, the Moon in Sagittarius and Sun in Gemini bring the opportunity to go within, to take an inventory in our relationships with others and ourselves, to look at what our needs are, both from a mundane and a higher mind perspective. Venus will be in retrograde in Gemini as well, so this is definitely a time to focus on what we value most. What risks are we willing to take? Where are we stuck or stagnant? Look at 15 degrees Gemini and Sagittarius in your chart to see how this eclipse might impact you personally.
June 18: Mercury goes retrograde in Cancer, 1:46 pm. Slow down on all things dealing with communication. Recheck, review, revise.
June 21: Solar eclipse in Cancer will not be visible from the United States. Focus is on family, emotional security, relationships. Perhaps the introspection that began during the full Moon lunar eclipse will continue to deepen, maybe heralding beginnings or endings of relationships or ways of thinking about how we relate to the people in our lives. Mars in Pisces will be squaring the Sun during this time, so strong emotion could bring some confusion into the mix. Perhaps it is best to avoid impulsivity and wait for a few days before making any bold decisions.
June 23: Neptune goes retrograde at 2:06 pm. Mysterious, watery, deep. Neptune can bring confusion, bewilderment, illusion but also the opportunity to look deeply at meaning in our dreams and how these inform and awaken us to our daily lives.
June 25: Venus stations Direct at 2:14 pm.
For the entire month of June, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto will be in retrograde.
Dianne Bachman, LCSW 