While reading a birth chart, it’s important to know a few basic and key factors.
Knowing the Ascendant is one of them.
In this article, we will discuss in-depth what is the Ascendant and how to find Ascendants in Vedic astrology.
Also, why your Ascendant according to Vedic Astrology is different from modern astrology charts.
What is the Ascendant and how to find your Ascendant in your Birth Chart?
As we are keeping everything simple, so in simple words, we know that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
We divide the birth chart into 12 Houses.
At the time of your birth, the Sun itself was in a particular sign which we call our Sun sign.
But what was at the horizon?
The sign which lies at the rising point (horizon) at the time of your birth is your Ascendant.
So technically the Ascendant makes your First House.
The importance of the Ascendant
The Ascendant decides many important aspects of one’s life.
From a person’s appearance to their health and how their life is going to be is reflected through their Ascendant.
As the Ascendant is in the 1st House and the 1st House tells about a person in general so it focuses on the individual persona – how the person is in their life, how he sees life and what he looks like.
If the Ascendant has a sign that is well placed and with a benefic planet in it, the person will achieve great benefits and long life.
Here is another fact that most people don’t know.:
Each House is divided into 30 degrees.
If the Ascendant lies in the First 10 degrees of the sign, the effect will be weak and the Sun sign will dominate over the Ascendant in terms of appearance or other traits.
Similarly, if it’s in the last 10 degrees, the ruling planet of the next House will also have an impact on matters related to the Ascendant.
How to calculate the Ascendant without birth time?
The Ascendant changes every two hours. So a person must know the approximate time of birth within this span.
Many astrologers claim that they can “predict” the Ascendant by analyzing a person but this requires great precision and mastery – it is very difficult.
How to find your Ascendant in Vedic astrology?
If you have a 360° chart, finding an Ascendant is easy.
The First House where the line crosses on the horizon in your birth chart is your Ascendant.
Usually, Vedic astrology charts are square or diamond-shaped.
In Vedic astrology, the Ascendant is in the 1st House and mentioned as Asc.
You can use our free birth chart calculator to get your Ascendant.
Why are Ascendant Signs Different between Vedic and Western astrology
As we have discussed in our article Vedic astrology signs, Vedic astrology uses the sidereal system.
This system is based on a fixed initial point on the ecliptic where it starts as 0° of Aries and finishes 360° later at the end of Pisces.
So all the signs always stay at a fixed position from there no matter how much time has passed.
This means the prediction will stay the same through the entire course of time no matter which century or era.
In the Western, or tropical system, the initial reference point is the intersection of the equator and ecliptic.
This intersection point conincides with the equinox on March 21.
It is not fixed and recedes annually.
Western Astrology takes 0° of Aries to be March 21.
However, the point slides back a little every year, relative to the constellations.
It takes 26,000 years until the starting point of Aries according to Western Astrology is at the same point as the starting point of Aries according to Vedic Astrology..
So the position of signs doesn’t remain the same as a reference to fixed stars and signs shift to a different area.
This changes the whole properties and meaning of signs.
That is why when taking a Vedic reading, sometimes the entire prediction for a planet comes out different.
Impact of different planets on the Ascendant
The Ascendant is in the 1st House and it could be in any sign.
Whatever House is in the Ascendant, the ruling planet of the House and its placement will affect the native’s life, and its 1st House matters.
How to find your Ascendant planet?
The ruling planet of the 1st House holds primary importance and is called a chart ruler.
As the Ascendant lies in the 1st House, so the position of the planet on your chart is important.
For example in my birth chart below, my Ascendant is Capricorn so Saturn holds a key position in my chart.
We will discuss step by step how different ruling planets affect a native’s life.
Saturn and its aspects on Ascendant
Overall, Saturn is in joy when in the First House.
When Saturn is in trine or sextile aspect with the Ascendant, the native will have a long life and a good body build.
They will find treasures and have riches.
Saturn in good aspect with Ascendant brings advantage to one’s life. The person will achieve things that will be beneficial for them.
The native will gain from building and repairing matters.
When Saturn is in square or in opposition with the Ascendant, usually the native has a weak body build.
They may fall sick often in life.
Common diseases could be cough, flu, and hallucination. Also, other psychological diseases will take more control in one’s life.
The conjunction of another planet with Saturn blocks energies from other planets.
So benefic planets may not have that much effect as they should have.
If the aspect from Saturn is unfavorable, the native will be little-minded and dull in his actions.
He will be full of envy and carelessness.
Jupiter and its aspects on the Ascendant
Jupiter in the Ascendant makes a person cheerful, liberal, and likable.
He will have a pleasant personality and courageous nature.
Jupiter in sextile or trine aspect makes the person friends with kings and higher authorities.
The person himself will excel in judicial ranks like lawyer, magistrate, advocates, or judges. It gives the native honor and fortune.
Jupiter is related to youth so it gives natives a youthful body that will be ageless and the person will be healthy.
When Jupiter is in square or opposition to the Ascendant, it makes the individual susceptible to diseases of the liver and things like smallpox.
It makes a person impatient and aggressive.
If the aspect from Jupiter is unfavorable it brings hatred, enemies, and betrayal.
Mars and its aspect to the Ascendant
When Mars is in trine or sextile aspect to Ascendant it brings fortunate journeys for natives.
They will flourish in trade and military affairs.
The native will befriend kings and will have good money.
Mars in its ill aspect to the Ascendant brings danger and disease to natives.
With conjunction or square to Ascendant, the native will face controversy and lawsuits.
In diseases, it brings falls, migraines, and inflammation.
Native may get injured from iron, gunshot, stabbing, or fire will indulge in quarrels, and may face imprisonment.
A person will lose money on ill affairs and will be involved in scandals.
Sun and its aspects to Ascendant
Sun in Ascendant brings honor, dignity, and authority to natives.
It gives natives the companionship of kings and people in higher ranks. Sun in Ascendant also makes a person confident and proud.
Sun in sextile or trine to Ascendant makes a person happy and lucky.
He will have successful foreign journeys and will benefit from his deeds.
Sun in square or opposition of Ascendant is considered bad luck.
The native will face the wrath of the king or person in power and may also face imprisonment.
It is also an omen of bad health.
The native can have accidents or injuries to the head and face.
Venus and its aspects to Ascendant
Venus in trine, sextile, or conjunction to Ascendant brings good health and happiness in the native’s life.
They will have a happy marriage and children.
Also, they will own things of beauty like fine apparel and makeup. Venus makes a person cheerful and social.
Venus in square or opposition to Ascendant encourages the native to indulge in adultery.
They will be involved in drinking and will have bad reputation. This will also cause quarrels in marriage.
A person will lose their status and may face molestation in life.
Mercury and its aspect to the Ascendant
Mercury is related to all things intellectual and literary.
When it is in conjunction, sextile or trine to Ascendant it makes the native a highly qualified person.
He will travel for happiness and will have an interest in books and literature. It makes a person witty, with a sharp intellect.
When Mercury is square or in opposition to the Ascendant, the native will face a lawsuit because of bookkeeping matters.
He will face the betrayal of close ones and will gain money from ill deeds.
Mainly by writing some foolish literature or lying as a false witness.
In diseases, natives will face sickness in the lungs.
Moon and its aspect to the Ascendant
When the Moon is in sextile or trine to the Ascendant, the native will have good health and peace of mind.
He will have successful voyages and earn riches. Moon here grants servants the native.
He will have a good marriage.
Moon in opposition or square to Ascendant is not a good omen.
It brings accidents near water, quarrels with mother or wife.
The native can face theft or be dishonored by lowly men.
In sickness, it brings pain to the eyes and tumors in the body.
Note: Rahu and Ketu don’t cast any aspect but their presence can increase or decrease the affairs of the House.
My Ascendant and how it affects my life
Knowing how your life is affected by heavenly bodies is magical.
A man surely thinks he is on his own.
But when he sees how things are connected, he has no choice other than than to admit that there are greater forces at work.
Here is a glimpse of my birth chart and how it affects my life:
In my chart, the Ascendant is in the House of Capricorn which is ruled by Saturn.
People who have Ascendant in Capricorn are confident and bold and so am I.
They make out-of-the-way decisions in their life and trust me, I am one hell of the idol breaker in my family.
The placement of Saturn itself is in the 11th House which means its sextile to the Ascendant.
So the role of Ascendant is quite strong in my life.
But Saturn is not alone here.
Sun and Mercury both are in conjunction with Saturn.
Saturn and Mercury are allies.
They become productive when together. Mercury being in a sextile position gave me a profession of writing.
As 11th House tells income from profession.
I have observed that every year when Saturn turns retrograde, it brings hurdles in my income from writing like delays or pending amounts.
Thank God this is only 4 months and will pass soon.
Retrograde Saturn is known to slow the affect and block energies of other planets too.
Sun and Saturn however make an odd combination.
It brings native secret enemies who will plot against him and will be hated.
At this point in my life, I have learned that there will always be haters.
Our goal should be to focus on positivity. I have a lot of people who genuinely love and care for me.
Thanks to Sun and Mercury combo which gave me some genuine friends and wisdom to accept things.
Jupiter And Mars are a wealth-wise good combination.
And aha! my luck, they are in my 2nd House. The House that gives you possessions and assets.
You might think what Is the role of Ascendant here.?
Well, the ruling star of the House of Ascendant is in trine with Jupiter and Mars.
See how things are connected as I have mentioned earlier.
Venus is in trine with Ascendant so matters of Venus like marriage, children, and aesthetics in my life are in a good place.
Since we are only discussing Ascendant, we will not discuss the chart further and leave it to some other related topic.
I hope my article has helped you.
You can also find your Ascendant by entering your data on IdealHoroscope.com
Wish you guys an abundance of success and joy.
Fatima.