Why Don’t I Feel Like an Aries?

Did you know that you can under-express or over-express your Rising Sign (also known as the Ascendant), or actually any part of your birth chart (also called the natal chart)?

It’s a widely held misconception that the natal chart is simply a description of our personality. According to pop astrology, if someone “is an Aries”— which means their Sun sign is Aries — the assumption is that they will present and experience themselves as assertive, enthusiastic, and fiery.

But how many people read the description of their zodiac sign and don’t feel like it describes them very well at all? Lots. And this is because astrology is much more complex than prepackaged descriptions of zodiac signs.

Our Sun sign is only one part of our birth chart. We also have a Moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto. Not to mention Chiron, Eris, other asteroids, Lunar Nodes, and of course, our Rising Sign. That’s a lot of different energies, all interacting in a very specific way!

And on top of the fact that every birth chart is as unique as a fingerprint, no one can predict exactly how we—as the unique individuals we are—will respond to and express that complex mixture of energies and influences. The way our birth chart unfolds requires our active participation. In other words, we have free will, our lives are not fated.

Nature and Nurture

The birth chart is a map of the sky at the exact time of your birth. As an evolutionary astrologer, I believe the birth chart is also a blueprint of your soul’s evolutionary intentions for this lifetime. It reveals how to live in alignment with your highest self.

Portrait of a young woman with long, wavy, brown hair looking into the camera. This represents that in astrology, responding well to our rising sign, or ascendant, helps us feel comfortable in our own skin. — Photo by Leonie Zettl on Unsplash.

Both nature and nurture play a role in how we react to the energies that were present at the moment of our birth. Nature being the qualities we are born with (described by the birth chart), nurture being the environment we grow up in and the experiences that influence our development.

For example, say you are a Cancer rising. Cancer is an emotionally sensitive energy that often needs to hang back for a bit, getting to know its environment, before it puts itself out there. So, as a Cancer rising, you might come across as reserved when people first meet you. But what if you grew up in a family where being extroverted and outgoing was highly valued, so you learned to push past your need to hang back at first? Then you might be under-doing your rising sign. Essentially, you were taught to try to be someone you aren't.

It’s easy, with all the messages we receive from outside of us about how we "should" be, to manipulate our personalities to fit other people's expectations, instead of being true to ourselves. And when this happens we feel out of balance, awkward, and uncomfortable in our own skin.

What is the Rising Sign?

The Rising Sign is the zodiac sign that was coming over the horizon at the moment of our birth. It was becoming visible, revealing itself, while we were revealing ourselves to the world for the very first time.

And, fittingly, on the personality level the rising sign represents our most external layer of Self—what people see/feel/experience when they first meet us. It is our social personality. As astrologer Steven Forrest says, just as the Sun comes over the horizon at dawn, our rising sign is how we "dawn" on others.

The Ascendant also tells us about how we are meant to view and approach life. So, for instance, someone with Scorpio rising is meant to view life through a psychological lens and, if responding well to their Ascendant energy, will present as intense and perhaps a little guarded upon first impression. Whereas a Sagittarius rising will meet life with palpable enthusiasm and likely come across as upbeat and extroverted, if responding well to their Ascendant. Important note: Always keep in mind that how much these descriptions fit any individual person will be dependent on how these signs interact with the rest of their chart.

Why Do We Need to Respond Well to our Ascendant?

What do I mean when I say, "respond well"? I mean living in alignment with the energy represented by our Rising Sign. It is important to live in alignment with our Ascendant in order to draw to us the types of experiences we are meant to have in this lifetime. If you are a Libra rising, but you are presenting as an Aries, you aren't going to be drawing in the kinds of people or experiences your soul most needs in order to grow.

So, What Happens If We Have an Over or Under-Developed Ascendant?

Young woman with dark hair wearing a hat and looking into the camera. This illustrates that in astrology our rising sign, or ascendant represents how people first perceive us. — Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash.

If we over-do it we’ll have a harder time letting others in, and they might find it hard to trust us (because it can feel as if we are hiding something). When we are over-doing our Ascendant we are hiding behind the archetype of our Rising Sign. For example, let’s go back to the Cancer rising. Cancer is the archetype of the Great Mother. If you are overdoing your Cancer ascendant that means hiding behind caregiving, rescuing, or codependency in some way. When we hide behind these archetypal energies, there is usually a part of us that is scared of the vulnerability that comes along with true intimacy and authenticity.

If we under-do our ascendant we feel socially awkward and vulnerable, because we are throwing around lots of deep parts of ourselves with no ability to set protective boundaries and adhere to social norms. Remember, the Ascendant is the interface between our deep selves and the outside world, at its healthiest, it serves an important protective function.

Addressing an Imbalance in Rising Sign Energy

The key to addressing an imbalance is a thorough understanding of your Rising Sign, as well as how your Rising Sign interacts with the rest of your chart. Is it meant to temper and cool your fiery disposition? Is it meant to ground you? Understanding the purpose of your Rising Sign will help you know how to most effectively embody and utilize the energy in everyday life.

Interested in Understanding Your Rising Sign?

Maggie is a counseling astrologer whose approach is therapeutic and psychological. She views the natal chart as a map of the soul, and loves helping others understand the intelligent evolutionary processes at work behind their life experiences. In addition to astrology readings, Maggie also offers tarot readings.

If you would like more information, or would like to schedule a reading with Maggie, book a free 15 minute phone consultation today.

Your Rising Sign: The Role of the Ascendant in the Birth Chart