The ascendant determines the behavior of a person, just like the zodiac sign under which they were born. The ascendant provokes the reactions of each person to the world around them.
Often, the ascendant is compared to a mask that we wear in order to hide our real self. At times we find ourselves wanting to behave a certain way but others may take it in a completely different way than what we intend.
From an astrological standpoint, a conflict arises between the Sun and the ascendant in this case. This occurs when the Sun and the ascendant are in different zodiac signs.
Sometimes the ascendant is in the same zodiac sign as the Sun, at which point the person is not bothered by others not understanding his behavior and sometimes even that which he is trying to communicate.
The ascendant is the sign that reflects the external expression of our personality. This is our image, that which people 1st see in us and that which they feel once they see us.
The ascendant is comparable to a door that a person must go through in order to have a look at a house. Every person is essentially a combination of their sun sign and ascendant.
The ascendant is the astrological sign that rises on the eastern horizon during the time of a person's birth. To understand this better, imagine the Earth as a small circle in the center of a large circle.
The large circle represents the sky. You are in the small circle and looking toward the sky during your birth. If you draw an imaginary line from the eastern horizon to the sky, this line will show the exact position of your ascendant.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the ascendant was considered more important than the Sun sign. That's why many astrologers believe that the ascendant is the key component in the astrological birth chart.
The ascendant seriously affects the way in which you behave in society. It is your subconscious guide, which can be confused with intuition.
No serious astrologer can analyze your present and future if they are not familiar with your ascendant. Only it can help paint a full picture of your personality.
