Mercury in retrograde 2022 warned us about communication blips over the coming days, and if you're an astrology amateur, there's another important zodiac theory you need to know about that is considered more important than your star sign itself. Yep, finding out your rising sign will totally change how you think about your horoscope.
What is a rising sign?
A rising sign is the planetary influence which was rising - for example on the Eastern horizon - when you were born. It has an important role because it can reflect how others see you in real-life, predict your gut instincts and spontaneous reactions to things.
The rising sign is what people are more likely to see you than your actual star sign, that's why it's more important to read up about your own to see exactly how you're coming across to others. For example, the Taurus star sign might represent stubbornness, but a rising sign could reveal the total opposite - a gentle creature - and therefore you shouldn't give yourself such a hard time!
Dalila Salgueiro, Certified Evolutionary Astrologer and founder of the Manifesting App, a platform to encourage users to live intentional and possible using Astro Manifesting techniques, tells GoodTo, "The Rising star can give you a lot of clues and insights into how you perceive the world and how others perceive you. It is part of our personality and what others are able to see about yourself, especially those who know you well. The Rising star is like the shell of the egg that contains the white and the yolk (Sun and Moon) and is important for you to know it as it can give you guidance about your purpose and how to achieve a sense of meaning in this life.
"Although the ascendant is not a planet, but a point in the sky, it is an extremely dynamic energy, since it will be activated in the face of each new situation that we are experiencing, because it is the first thing that others see in us."
What does your rising sign mean?
A rising sign means Ascendant and along with house cusps, points derived from these points are the most time-dependent factors in the birth chart. The Ascendant sign changes, on average, every two hours, but this is quite variable depending on how close the birth place is to the equator. It is not uncommon for a sign to ascend for only half an hour and another close to three hours, for example, and you see this happening the further you get from the equator.
It's different to your star sign but once you have calculated your rising sign, you can use the explanations on Cafe Astrology discover what your sign really means for you.
Dalila explains, "For example, in your Manifesting journey, in order to live more intentional, I recommend my clients to integrate the energy of their Ascendant and become more aware of its functioning and the type of situations they need to face. For example, a person with their ascendant in Virgo, might tend to be a perfectionist and repel the opportunities the universe has for them as they feel their work is never enough, so during my consultations I make them aware of this trait and help them to grow their trust. Or for example, a person with their ascendant in Scorpio, but with sun in Cancer, might have a very passionate way of approaching life and their relationships, rather than embracing their full Sun Cancer energy.
"Also, by knowing your Ascendant and your partner’s one you can also identify traits on their personality that can be compatible or if there is future in the relationship," she added.
What is my rising sign?
To calculate your rising sign, you need to find the time of day or night that you were born on the chart below and trace along for your star sign and the two linked together will tell you what your rising star sign is. Note that if you were born between mid-April and late October then you need to deduct an hour from your birth time.
For instance, if you were born at 10.30 am on 16th of May (Taurus) then your rising sign would be number 4 which is Cancer.
Here is the grid you can use to calculate your fate...
Related video
