The Ascendant, The Self and Love

The Ascendant is the mask that you wear and show to the outside world. It is a portrayal or representation of yourself that others see around you. The Ascendant is the image of yourself that you project to the external world.  It is everything from the way you walk, talk, laugh, eat, sit, breathe, etc. However, the significance of the Ascendant goes beyond that of a mere mask. The Ascendant rules your physical self. It is literally your body. A short or tall, fat or thin person can be seen from their Ascendant and planetary aspects to it. In short, it is your bodily rhythm, breathing pattern, skin temperature, etc. Because the Ascendant is your physical body, it is extremely powerful in medical astrology. Sickness or health can be diagnosed from aspects afflicting the ruler of the Ascendant. 

The Ascendant (AC) begins at the cusp of the First House in your natal chart. It is also called the Rising Sign. Since it is a material manifestation of yourself, it represents your first contact with the world as a baby. When a newborn baby first takes a breath outside his mother's womb, the AC energies are absorbed by the child's body. The AC governs your looks, habits, self-expressions, etc. This is a natural process, and a person will express himself in such a way that matches his AC sign without realizing that they are doing it. Most people are not aware of their AC. As such, the give off wrong messages to the outside world. For example, a woman with Aries AC may come off as a tough, aggressive tomboy to strangers she meet. However, only her close friends and relatives will know that she is in fact, a soft lady at heart (Moon in Pisces) and a talented artist (Sun in Taurus). The AC mask, in short, creates a protective shell which often misrepresents the individual to the rest of society. 

Another notorious aspect of the AC is that it governs sexual attraction. Surprised? Sexuality, after all, is something very physical and has to do with your body. The AC is the strongest factor determining attraction, instant chemistry or love at first sight since it gravitates towards individuals that matches the biological rhythms of your body. However, I must say this is a purely sexual and superficial aspect of love. Although the AC controls the "animal" attraction, it is the Moon, ultimately, that determines compatibility in a couple.  

Ascendant in Fire 

The AC in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag) have an active, energetic and extroverted image. They are instantly attracted to fiery type of partners. The example above shows a Leo AC woman who goes for the active, "showy", sporty type of man who probably likes children and animals. Alternatively, a Leo AC may also go after rich partners. The whole idea is to get a partner that she can be proud of so she can shine in his glory. If your partner's Venus falls into your First House, you can call it a love-at-first-sight scenario. Or lust-at-first-sight, whichever is more applicable. The chemistry is usually instantaneous.  

Ascendant in Water 

The AC in water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) have an emotional, sensitive and introverted image. They can go after the "soft", nurturing type of partners who embodies certain artistic notions. The exception is of course, Scorpio, who is really the fiercest sign in the entire universe. The example shown is that of a Scorp AC man who is attracted towards strong, domineering, even manipulative ladies. He is magnetized by sexually-aggressive women. Of course, the opposite example would be a Pisces AC man who is drawn towards gentle, artistic and dreamy women with a sad past. Water AC folks tend to like spiritual partners.

Ascendant in Earth 

The AC in earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) have a very sensible, practical and reliable image. They are attracted to partners with earthy qualities like good management skills, level-headedness and money-making abilities. Let's face it, earth signs are all about the $$$. The example above show a Taurus AC man who gravitates towards domestic, motherly women who can cook delicious meals for him. He is looking for the ultimate Martha Steward who can spoil him with good food and great sex while decorating the home beautifully and taking care of the kids. Additionally, Venus is placed inside his First House, making him a very handsome man indeed. 

Ascendant in Air

The AC in air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are very talkative dammit. They have a friendly image, and are seen as sociable diplomats. They get invited to parties all the time. They can be attracted to witty, intellectual partners. The above example shows a Gemini AC woman who goes after charming men who can engage her with funny conversations at parties. She falls for guys who are fast in words, and enjoy traveling like her. In short, air AC folks admire intellect and wit in a partner.        

Moon-Neptune: Jesus Complex

Moon aspecting Neptune (conjunction, square or opposition) will produce a soft-hearted individual. This person has a need to be Jesus in their relationships. They are forever rescuing or saving other people from problems. They wanna feel noble and self-sacrificing. They wanna feel like matyrs so they always go for loser-type of partners - drunks, addicts, abuse victims, the poor or the unfortunate. The more victimized that man or woman is, the more attractive they are in the eyes of this Jesus wannabe. 

At its best, Moon-Neptune gives you beautiful dreams. It blesses you with artistic gifts, musical or literary talent and superb imagination. Like Moon in Pisces, this watery moon is very kind and giving in a relationship. They associate love with suffering, so they feel they need to suffer in order to love someone. At its worst, they are most likely to be conned and taken for a ride. It makes them indiscriminate when choosing partner and negative characters are drawn to this Jesus wannabe. When a Pisces Moon feels hurt, they always cry. They shed buckets of tears.

Astrologer Liz Greene talked about how watery moon people actually having mothers who invaded their boundaries when they were young. This is the root cause: boundaries. Pisces Moon folks fail to set clear boundaries in their relationships, and let others ill-treat them when they do not deserve it. They just cannot say "No" to others. In a man, he is attracted to domineering, forceful type of women. He will have a strong wife - stronger than him. People with Moon-Neptune (or Pisces Moon) struggle with self-esteem issues and feelings of self-worth.

If Pisces or Neptune is too strong in your chart, you might be dealing with issues of abandonment. You probably felt neglected during childhood. You may turn to drinks, drugs, charity or some form of escapism. You wanna escape from this cruel world by all means. Take a lesson from Capricorn Moon folks and learn to draw the boundaries - control your emotions - say "No"to others.

Fire, Earth, Air & Water.

Astrology is based on the 4 elements - fire, earth, air, & water. The qualities of each element greatly influence the individual's character. It is a strong predictor and determining factor in his natal chart. Depending on which element that is dominant in the chart, the person will display the strengths and weaknesses of that particular element. Novice astrologers often underestimate the importance of the elements, and that is the reason why readings are not deep or insightful enough. Veteran astrologers, meanwhile, tend to place a heavy emphasis on elemental qualities, which enable them to pick up subtle hints and meanings about a person.  

FIRE

FIRE TRIAD - Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.

FIRE PLANETS - Sun, Mars, Jupiter.

FIRE HOUSES - House I, V & IX

Fire symbolizes force, energy and will power. It burns and crackles and sizzles. When fire is strong in a natal chart, that person will have high vitality and self-confidence in life. He will be physically robust, confident, and extroverted. That is why Aries, Leo & Sagi are energetic signs. They can't sit still. They represent masculinity, the "Yang" energy which is forceful and assertive. When fire gets channeled in the right direction, it conveys the gift of great optimism and leadership in life. A person can always bounce back in times of down and has an inner light of joy and hope which cannot be extinguished. Sir Winston Churchill famously had a fire trine in his natal chart. It allows him to inspire a nation with hope during a time of great gloom and depression. Fire lights up the dark, and he lifted Britain out of darkness. A fiery leader can be very brave and inspirational in the face of challenge, despite all odds. There is a need for competition, and a need to push themselves. Fiery people are very competitive and thirsty for challenges. They are also frank, straightforward and rather blunt in their expression. They see what they want, they take it. Action speaks louder than words.

GIFT: Energy, Vitality, Assertiveness, Confidence, Leadership, Athleticism, Optimism, Joy, Hope, Inspiration.   

CURSE: Aggression, Violence, Impatience, Arrogance, Selfishness, Egoism, Destructiveness, Promiscuity.

EARTH

EARTH TRIAD - Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

EARTH PLANETS - Venus, Mercury, Saturn

EARTH HOUSES - House II, VI & X.

Ever heard of the expression "down-to-earth?" That describes earth, which is pragmatic by nature. They are practical, sensible people with a rational head. They think clearly in times of emergency and can be relied on to solve problems. Earthy people are managers and troubleshooters. They are indispensable to an organization. They work with structure and effectiveness. These are people born with their eyes open, as they are realistic about the world. They do not waste time dreaming or do useless things which will benefit nobody. They can work very hard to achieve their ambition. Gifted with managing skills, earthy folks plan things ahead and execute their plans with patience. Their planning skills are quite legendary. So are their ability to do business. The greatest businessmen in the world - Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet - all have strong earth elements in their chart. You can't do business without a good deal of earth. Reputation and status in society is something very important to earthy people, and they will always want to leave an impact in society; to be acknowledged for their success and achievement. As such, they climb the ladder slowly and steadily. They plant the seeds, water the plant and reap the fruits. They don't believe in shortcuts. Their stamina is amazing, and they can endure setbacks in life - because they persist.

GIFT: Common Sense, Practicality, Realism, Responsibility, Reliability, Loyalty, Endurance, Productivity, Resourcefulness, Diligence.

CURSE: Materialism, Greed, Ruthlessness, Coldness, Manipulativeness, Boring, Rigid, Stubborn, Pessimism.

WATER

WATER TRIAD - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

WATER PLANETS - Moon, Neptune, Pluto.

WATER HOUSES - House IV, VIII & XII.

Still water runs deep, or so goes the saying. Water people are deep and emotional. They are incredibly passionate, ruled by instincts. They represent femininity,  the "Ying" energy which is nurturing and life-giving, like a mother. They are capable of deep, lasting relationships and unconditional love. Bonds forged in water can never be broken. Water people have an unparallelled capacity for love and intimacy. They love so deeply they are willing to die or sacrifice themselves for their closed ones. Perhaps because they have such strong feelings, they become introverted and guard their feelings closely. They put on masks so they don't get hurt. Emotional security and intimacy are the most precious things to a Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Uncontrolled passion can be their undoing. So channel the passion wisely, into the right direction. Water folks are gifted with fertile imagination, which makes them excellent artists, musicians, writers, actors and actresses. Since they are sensitive souls, they tend to have faith in God. Faith comes to them easily. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and many religious leaders have strong water emphasis in their natal charts.

GIFT: Altruism, Love, Faith, Imagination, Creativity, Spirituality, Passion, Compassion, Instincts, Intimacy, Sincerity.    

CURSE: Too Emotional, Fragile, Oversensitivity, Insecurity, Defensiveness, Gullibility, Low Self-Esteem, Dreaminess.

AIR 

AIR TRIAD - Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.

AIR PLANETS - Mercury, Venus, Uranus.

AIR HOUSES - House III, VII & XI.

Air is a symbol of the mind. Intelligence is the hallmark of airy people. They live in their minds, in the world of ideas. Imagination is their strong point. They are gifted with articulate, sharp tongues and can express themselves well. Witty and humorous, they love to communicate and excel in delivering charming, persuasive speech. The world's best lawyers, politicians and public speakers have heavy air element in their chart. If you don't have air, you have no soft skills. You can't speak or write persuasively. In other words, you need air to communicate, to build bridges with others. The more air a person has, the more charming that person is. They can charm the birds off the tree. Too much air, however, can lead to impracticality and escapism in the form of wild fantasies. As a rule of thumb, airy people are not practical. They are satisfied by gaining knowledge, through reading, writing, chatting, socializing, etc. In other words, they are nurtured by "building castles in the air." If Mars is weak in their chart, they may not be able to put their thoughts into action, and so become unproductive. Therefore, a strong Mars is needed to ensure these airy folks take action. Many scientists, like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton, have lots of air in their charts. Air tends towards a progressive, scientific outlook.

GIFT: Intelligence, Logic, Wit, Charm, Sociability, Humour, Ideas, Originality, Innovativity, Refinement, Culture.  

CURSE: Impracticality, Superficiality, Fickleness, Vanity, Indecisiveness, Restlessness, Unproductivity, Laziness, Escapism.

    

Sex According to Pisces

PISCES, THE FISH (February 19 - March 20)

Ruler: Neptune & Jupiter

Element: Water

Character: Emotional, Sensitive, Escapist, Dreamy, Artistic, Gullible.

Energy: Medium

Libido: Medium

Sex style: Pisces makes obedient little sex slaves who will please you unconditionally. Pisces is easily seduced and offers little resistance to temptation. They can be led astray into promiscuity and all sorts of perversions. As a rule of thumb, they are good in bed.  This is because they can read instinctively what their partner wants (like a psychic) and projects these fantasies on themselves. They will let you dominate them in bed. Scorpios make the best sex partners for Pisces. Escapists by nature, the Pisces may enhance their erotic experience with drugs and booze. Alcoholism is a bad habit of Pisces, and needs to be watched out for. They may fall into drinking and narcotics in order to escape from the drudgery of life. Reality is often a disappointment for Pisces. They live in their own worlds. As such, they are especially good at role-playing in bed, especially exploitative roles like a rape victim. Pisces is a born actor / actress. Many legendary sex sirens (Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, etc) have strong Pisces or Neptunian emphasis in their natal charts and they can easily project other people’s sex fantasies onto themselves.  

Sexual fantasy: Masochism. Role-play. To be exploited shamelessly.

Romance: Pisces is the most romantic sign of all. The Fish eats, sleeps, breathes romance. They leave lipstick love notes on the mirror and scatter rose petals on the bed. They love to give surprise gifts to their beloved. They buy cuddly soft toys for their partners and prepare candlelight dinners. The Pisces boyfriend is an overgrown teddy bear, while the Pisces girlfriend is a lovely angel. Romance is a form of escapism. So caught up in romance they are that they forgot reality and life. However, do not be fooled by the seemingly gentle, thoughtful Fish. Many Pisces are prone to promiscuity, and are weak to temptations. Hence, they can be unfaithful lovers because they just cannot say “no”. For example, a woman who throws herself naked to a Pisces man has a good chance of sleeping with him. Despite this weakness, Pisces is a sign that loves unconditionally. They sacrifice everything of themselves at the altar of love. As a result, they are often taken advantage of, and bullied into doing favours.

Marriage: Pisces is often married to a strong-willed, domineering sign like Scorpio, Leo, Taurus, Aries or Capricorn. They tend to attract a powerful spouse who is a bit of a dictator. The spouse will also need to balance the account book, fix the lightbulb and buy groceries as Pisces is really bad at practical stuffs. The Pisces wife dotes on her husband lovingly, although she may dissolve into tears if hurt. Crying is a hobby of Pisces. Having no weapon to defend themselves, the Fish often resorts to manipulating feelings of guilt and sympathy. The Pisces husband, while handsome and artistic, may resort to passive-aggression and emotional blackmail. Tears come readily to their eyes and the Pisces man is more in tune with his feminine side than the average guy, regardless of how macho he may appear outside. Periodically, he will need to withdraw from reality and go into hiding. When this happens, he may cut contacts with his wife and family. Do not be upset with his withdrawal, because the Pisces man just need time to chill off. He will always bounce back stronger and happier. As a parent, the Fish will beguile their children with storytelling sessions. They will instil a love for the arts and literature into the hearts of their offspring and teach them the power of the imagination.

Sex According to Scorpio

SCORPIO, THE SCORPION (October 24- November 22)

Ruler: Mars & Pluto

Element: Water

Character: Intense, Passionate, Jealous, Secretive, Magnetic, Possessive.

Energy: Medium

Libido: Extremely high

Sex style:  Scorpio is the ruler of sex. They are insatiable but not promiscuous. In fact, they are the most faithful sign and the least likely to stray in a relationship. However, they expect the same loyalty from their lovers. They crave dominance in the bedroom and will most likely overwhelm their partners with their intensity in lovemaking. Once in bed, Scorpios let their true colours show and their passion overflows like there’s no tomorrow. They will f*** you so hard that you will never forget it. Scorpio is all about the f***ing. They don’t even make love. They just f*** your brains out. And then claim possession over you. That’s right, you are their territory now. So don’t mess around behind their backs. Once betrayed, Scorpio will unleash their vengeance upon you. And hell hath no fury as a Scorpio scorned. They guard their lovers jealously and constantly suspect betrayal. Scorpios are obsessed in a true “Fatal Attraction” type of way. Till death do us part, indeed. Sex is a spiritual, almost cathartic experience for Scorpios. It is an outlet that brings them closer to divinity.

Sex fantasy: Sadism, Rape, Rough Sex, Taboo Sex, Prostitution.

Romance: Scorpios live for intensity, and there is nothing light or easy about their romance. They don’t flirt. They don’t cocktease. They don’t fool around. They go straight for the jugular. Romantic relationships tend to be traumatic, leaving deep wounds and has an extreme “all or nothing at all” quality to it. Love or hate can last for eternity and goes beyond death. Scorpio is a very magnetic sign and potential mates tend to find them irresistibly sexy, in a mysterious type of way. Scorpio radiates a vibe that pulls and sucks people in, like a vortex. They are predators who set the trap, let the prey bite the bait, then reel it in. In other words, they are intelligent hunters and plan ahead. They operate in secretive ways and their thought processes are unknown. They hide their secrets well, but can easily pry open their partners’ deepest, darkest secrets. 

Marriage: Scorpios often seek marriages that will benefit them, financially and socially. Due to their proud nature, marriages will often increase their social standings. However, they are fiercely protective of their family, and Scorpios make some of the best parents around, albeit the smothering type. Living with a Scorpio spouse is often an emotionally naked experience – you get to see really explosive shit from them.  They will strip your masks away and demand that you bare your soul to them. Be prepared to be dominated for all Scorpios enjoy power. They take their marriage vows very seriously, especially the “Till death do us part” section. Marriage has a chance to be either extremely happy or extremely tragic, with no in between.

Sex According to Cancer

CANCER, THE CRAB (June 22- July 22)

 

Ruler: Moon

Element: Water

Character: Sensitive, Emotional, Caring, Protective, Insecure, Defensive.

Energy: Medium

Libido: Medium

Sex style: Cancers seek emotional intimacy, first and foremost. Extensive foreplay, kissing deeply and snuggling at the fireplace are important. So are sharing your innermost thoughts. Cancers will take care of your sexual needs and make you feel nurtured. Their caring instincts will be taken to bed. Since they desperately want to be loved, they are sensitive to all your needs. Cancer men are sweethearts by nature and are good-looking in general. In fact, Cancer guys are among the most physically attractive in the zodiac. Cancer women are quite defensive and cautious at first. Once they let loose, they can be very slutty behind closed doors. Sex equals to commitment and due to their insecurity, Cancers cannot let go easily. Once you get them in bed, they become very vulnerable.

Sex fantasy: Breast play, lactation, MILF or younger man, older woman. Mother-child roleplay.

Romance: Dinner together is a must. Cancers are eaters because food is associated with motherly love and care. They are quite romantic and will find ways to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Little acts of love like holding hands and cuddling are to be expected. Cancer woman will try to feed you. A Cancer man, however, tends to blow hot and cold towards his partner. He enjoys irritating her and watching her explode in rage. He is insecure and may test his girlfriends’ emotional limitations by annoying her on purpose. Cancers are unpredictable due to their insecurity in love. 

Marriage: Cancers fit right at home. They strive for domestic bliss and harmony. The women make good mothers in general, and develop special bonds with their children. They keep the house tidy and cozy and feed you well. However, money can become an issue as Cancer women want financial security. Money can safeguard their well-being, hence Cancers cling to anything that feels secure. They are also moody and can irritate their husbands with constant nagging. They can keep nagging forever. Cancer men have unique relationships with their mothers, which can be positive or negative. Due to this strange connection to his mother, the Cancer husband looks at his wife as a “mother substitute”. They want a strong woman who can nurture them and put up with their shit.