Why Your Ascendant Is That Much More Important Than Your Sun

I have a bone to pick with the general population in regards to their understanding (or lack thereof) of astrology and astrological concepts. It isn’t their fault. I do not blame them. It is all that popular media has ever shown them, between horoscopes in local newspapers or quips like, “Gay boy,” as the ever-eloquent and not-for-lack-of-words Amy Winehouse commented in finding out that the person she was speaking to was a Pisces.

The grievance I have to air is this: the importance we place on the Sun (or Star - though if you use this term with me, I may roll my eyes) sign, and that sign alone. I place such weight on learning about more than simple Sun sign astrology solely because it opens the door to a greater understanding of Self if you choose to - you need not be reduced to one of 12 archetypal personalities. If it were as easy as one of those personality tests you can find online, we wouldn’t have thousands of years of history in studying this craft backing up what modern astrologers know and teach today.

So what else should we place more emphasis on, then, if not the Sun - the centre of the Universe - that which we all revolve around? What can beginner astrologers or enthusiasts look to for more?

The Ascendant.

If you know the time and location of your birth as well as the date, then you will have what is called the Ascendant (or Rising) sign of your natal chart. The Ascendant is what’s considered one’s social personality. It is how you ‘come off’ to others; how others perceive you. It also represents the physical body and outward expression of Self.

Think of your Ascendant as your instinctual behaviour: when you walk into a room full of strangers and perhaps experience some anxiety that goes with that, your immediate reaction is that of your Ascendant. A Leo Ascendant, for example, will step into a more active role; we may see them shine as the Sun so demands of them and become the life of the party before our very eyes, whereas a Cancer Ascendant will likely go into their ‘shell’ and hide parts of themselves away, much like the Moon they are ruled by.

So, where one’s Ego is in the Sun, the Ascendant is the filter through which this is expressed or recognized by the outside world. It is arguably the most important aspect of any chart, as it is You in the most natural form. Despite the two opposite examples I spoke of above perhaps bearing more traditionally introverted or extroverted Suns, how they express their individual identities and the ways in which they move about the world are very much what their Ascendants present. It is who they are when they are alone as much as it is who they are when confronted by the unknown or unfamiliar: instinct.

In knowing your Ascendant, you know your Self. It is the literal snapshot of which Houses all of the planets were in at the time of your birth - the guide through which we understand life events, focus points, and aspects (communications) between the planets within the natal chart. Do not make the mistake of underestimating its importance.

And know, too, that when you read your next newspaper or online Astrologer horoscope: read for your Ascendant first. I promise you the accuracy will greatly improve once you do.

CALCULATING YOUR ASCENDANT

You’ll need your birth date, time, and place. You can use astro.com a free service to make the calculation - and here’s a YouTube video that will walk you through it -

https://youtu.be/UVXKbdDGoRg

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Rylen Moore is a queer freelance writer, LGBTQ+ advocate, and Child & Youth Care graduate. An Albertan-turned-Vancouverite, they use their astrological studies as a framework to better understand and work with at-risk youth as well as run their own chart-reading business. You can find them on Facebook for Moon horoscopes, weekly astrological content, and personal services @ It's Just A Phase (facebook.com/readingsbyrylen) .