Hey friends,
I first posted this about 6 years ago. In a trip down blog-memory-lane, I unearthed it. It's good stuff. I want to share it again with you now. Dive in. Let me know what you think. Does it resonate? Read about your own Rising Sign of course, but also check out the Rising Signs of those you love. May it help inspire us all to move ever more deeply into the energies of our Rising Sign! (Also - you can experiment reading your Sun Sign as well. We do a version of this with the energies of the Sun too).
Do you know your Rising Sign? This is the sign that was at the horizon the moment you were born. It happens to be a very important position in Esoteric Astrology. The sign at the horizon holds your soul’s purpose. It’s why you are here. So, if you don’t know it yet, find out! (You can have a reading with me OR enter your birth data on any site that offers free charts!)
But here’s what I’d like to suggest today: The Rising Sign is a touch stone. We spend a great deal of time getting ready to fully embrace that energy. In fact, I would say most of us get a taste or an inkling of what we’re here to do very early on, but then run like crazy in the opposite direction.
I’ve heard a story of an amazing bull fighter who spent his first 10 years hiding in his mother’s skirts. Winston Churchill barely said a word for many years because of a terrible stutter. Perhaps what happens is we sense our GIFT and reel at the enormity of it so we mask our true gift with its opposite.
At a certain point in our evolution, we want to be able to blend the gifts of the opposite signs. But I think there is also a moment when we must distinctly separate and discriminate. We must say to ourselves, “No, I am here to do THIS.” I do not need to hide my particular light any longer.
Astrologically speaking, we are choosing to live in the polar opposite sign.
For example:
Aries Rising ---> acts like Libra
Taurus Rising ---> acts like Scorpio
Gemini Rising --> acts like Sagittarius
Cancer Rising --> acts like Capricorn
Leo Rising --> acts like Aquarius
Virgo Rising --> acts like Pisces
For Libra through Pisces, simply reverse the opposition.
Let’s explore this a bit further.
ARIES-LIBRA: (Aries Rising) If I am here to pioneer (Aries) and initiate something bold and new that may require me stand strong and alone-- a warrior at the edge of my frontier--I might swing in the opposite direction (Libra) and invest in other people’s dreams or try to accommodate the needs of others. I might choose to do everything I can IN RELATIONSHIP so I don’t have to face my pioneering self and do what I know I can and must do.
The growth point for an Aries Rising is to remember your true aspirations and the potency of the fresh, new ideas you have to offer. You must risk rocking the boat and risk feelings of separation to come forth in the world in the way you know you must!
Remember: It’s impossible to please everyone. Try starting with yourself so you are full and can blaze the path you are meant to blaze.
But the gift of hanging out in Libra for awhile is that you now know how to take considerate action and any tendency to act too impulsively is quieted by the careful weighing of Libra. You’ll gain the great gift of creating right relationship in your apprenticeship with Libra.
TAURUS-SCORPIO: (Taurus Rising) If I am here to manifest beauty (Taurus) and furthermore, it I am here to use my Will for the good and light the way with my intuition and quiet strength, I may swing in the opposite direction (Scorpio) and focus on the dark. That is, I may get derailed with power games and distrust. I may look at life as a battle that is ongoing and I may feel easily riled by the emotional currents present everyday.
The growth point for a Taurus Rising is to remember the power of attraction and magnetism that is possible when you align with the Will to manifest. You must trust the beauty of daily rhythms and rituals and move slowly but with great strength towards your goals.
Remember: Trust what you see. Trust what you come to know. Act deliberately and wisely as you follow the greatest light. Do not allow the battle to pull you away from your truest sources of nourishment.
But the gift of hanging out in Scorpio for awhile is that you are no longer afraid of the dark and you’re willing to dive into the muck to wrestle it free into the light. You’ve been given the gift of inner fortitude and tenacity through your apprenticeship with Scorpio
GEMINI-SAGITTARIUS: (Gemini Rising) If I am here to connect and fuse all apparent opposites (Gemini) and reveal the love that emerges when polarity is merged, I may swing towards wild abandon and freedom at all costs. I may travel and risk and gamble and follow desire --albeit with great joy -- and forget that I love to connect my experiences and friends and ideas. I may run so far, so fast that I ignore what it is I have to say here and now. I may also get militant about certain ideas and forget my innate and delightful curiosity.
The growth point for a Gemini Rising is to remember the power of love and the desire to connect. It’s to stay brightly connected to many ideas and people so that when the time is right, you can weave the fabric around you revealing LOVE. And then you can sound your note, your message into the world you’ve helped to unite.
Remember: Your intelligence is a gift. Your ability to connect and communicate and stay curious is a gift. There is no need to run or to choose one path with all your ferocity. Stay flexible, light and open to possibility and remember, “One small voice can teach the world a song.”
But the gift of hanging out in Sagittarius is the bodily knowing that anything is possible and that it’s worth aiming for the bulls eye. You will have apprenticed with the most generous and visionary of signs making all the connecting you have to do make sense in the largest context.
CANCER-CAPRICORN: (Cancer Rising) If I am here to nourish something deeply (Cancer) and to build a lighted house and if I am here to feel deeply the emotional tides of men, then I might swing in the opposite direction (Capricorn) and meet the world with a great deal of control. I may avoid the feelings of vulnerability that come when I think about truly wrapping my arms around something or someone and tending to its care. I may get very achievement oriented and try not to have much affect me.
The growth point for a Cancer Rising is to remember the great capacity you have TO care and to know deeply that your profound sensitivity is your strength. Then when you build whatever you choose to build -- your house, family or business-- you are bringing your whole self to the task. You are not trying to hide the most vulnerable bits so that you can stride forward.
Remember: You are here to build, to create a foundation for yourself and all you choose to welcome. Ultimately you are here to hold the WHOLE of humanity in your heart.
But the gift of hanging out in Capricorn is that the depth of feeling as a Cancer Rising won’t derail you. You’ll have enough structure and determination to hold what you need to hold. As the great mama, you will have apprenticed with the great father. And he brings his gifts of purpose, order and authority.
LEO-AQUARIUS: (Leo Rising) If I am here to express (Leo), to shine forth, to lead with my heart and to create courageously, then I might swing to a more detached (Aquarius) position where I look at my life from a bird’s eye view. I might also try to blend in with the group and not stand out or offer my individual gift. I might decide I am a rebel or a lone wolf and no one will understand what I have to give.
The growth point for a Leo Rising is to courageously express all that is in you. It is to celebrate a particular quality of being and lead the way with the full expression of that quality. It is to practice being a Sun in your own solar system. The growth point is to shine and let your light lead the way.
Remember: We as humanity are MORE together if we are each giving our unique gift with utter conviction and joy. You are here to express the Self --with a Capital S. Let what ever you touch, see, speak or create be a full radiant expression of that Self.
But the gift of hanging out in Aquarius is that you recognize you are but one shining self amidst millions. And Aquarius teaches us to serve selflessly as we offer up our true radiant selves. It reminds us that just as food and water need to be distributed amongst mankind, so too each of us needs to give our gift for the nourishment of humanity.
VIRGO-PISCES: (Virgo Rising) If I am here to discriminate and refine, to clean up the physical world (our bodies and our environment) in such a way that great love and strength and beauty can pour through, I might swing towards total escape because the task feels so daunting. If I feel my gift is to organize and systematize and purify, I may feel like I’m not up to the task and ‘space out’ or ‘lose track of time’ or get lost in fantasy. If I know I’m here to work incredibly hard at what needs fixing, I may choose to fix nothing. If I know I’m here to apply myself to the health and well-being of our planet, I might choose instead to enter a realm of addiction and distraction.
The growth point for a Virgo Rising is to use your intelligence to determine your real work and then apply yourself --one careful step at a time -- to the service you know is yours. It is to counter overwhelm with concrete, specific action. But to always stay aligned with the deepest reason for the action. (i.e. Health, Beauty, Harmony) A Virgo Rising must take care of the material world but not lose sight of the spiritual.
Remember: As you pay attention to physical, emotional and mental health, you open the doorway to unconditional love. Obsessively cleaning or organizing your house leads no where if there is not a more sacred intention behind the action.
But the gift of hanging out in Pisces is that Pisces reminds us of why we do everything --so that we can stand, unabashed, with our hearts open, loving and receiving love. The gift of Pisces is the awareness of the vastness from which we all come and to which we all return. It whispers to us to not lose our mind if there’s a messy closet in the house. It reminds us to breathe and love in spite of imperfection.
Libra-Aries: (Libra Rising) If I am here to create right relationship (Libra) and insist on the true, the good and the beautiful, and if I am here to embody fairness and equality and the graceful ability to relate to others, I may swing in the opposite direction (Aries) and go it completely alone. Or I might pick a fight with the very people with whom I most want to create harmony. I might think to myself, ‘life is much easier lived SOLO.’
The growth point for a Libra rising is to practice offering your hand in peace even when you’d rather inwardly punch a few people along the way. The growth point is to breathe deeply before impulsive action and to ask for help even when you know you are fully capable of doing it all alone.
Remember: You are here to create beauty by being authentically connected with those you meet. You are here to take lawful, strong, just action for the good of others-- and to do so WITH others so the act of relating builds LOVE and right use of power.
But the gift of hanging out in Aries is that you learn about ACTION. The danger of Libra is indecision and living eternally in a pause. Aries teaches you to leap, while Libra teaches you the right moment to do so. You’ll gain the great gift of daring in your apprenticeship with Aries.
Scorpio- Taurus: (Scorpio rising) If I am here to penetrate to the depths of things (Scorpio) and to reach the heart of the matter at all costs, and if I am here to tenaciously persevere amidst great struggle and strife, then I might run in opposite direction (Taurus) and seek comfort and calm whenever possible. I might choose NOT to face the darkness and instead sit in a pool of sunlight for as long as possible. Change might terrify me and once I establish a rhythm, I might cling to that rhythm at all costs.
The growth point for a Scorpio rising is to welcome the unknown and to consistently wrestle with fear. It is to say yes to the thing that makes your body shake. It is to welcome any modality that allows you to deepen your understanding of the Self.
Remember: You are here to be a warrior, not a sitting bull. You are here to emerge triumphant not sit in comfort. You are here to die and be reborn and not hold fast to the past.
But the gift of hanging out in Taurus is that you develop an ability to be steadfast in all things. You begin to taste the power of the will and understand that with a deep intention to move towards the light, facing the darkness is possible and exhilarating. Your apprenticeship with Taurus offers light, intuition and the power to manifest.
Sagittarius-Gemini: (Sagittarius Rising) If you are here to explore and take risks (Sagittarius) and if you are here to broaden your horizons and follow your greatest vision, you might find yourself running in the opposite direction (Gemini) where you can lose yourself in careless talk or thought. You might find yourself interested in so many varied things that it will be impossible to determine your true focus. You might scatter when you most want to walk a one-pointed path.
The growth point for a Sagittarius Rising is to think bigger, to trust yourself as a potent source of inspiration for yourself and others. The growth point is to expand as far as the eye can reach and breathe into your greatest dreams.
Remember: You are here to inspire, not to get caught up in reciting all the facts you have gathered. You are here to reach your greatest goal, not get continually (if delightfully) distracted along the way.
But the gift of hanging out in Gemini is intelligent action and the forging and bridging of relationships that are necessary for our greatest dreams. Gemini offers apprenticeship in curiosity, language as a medium for revealing love-- and writing, speaking, brainstorming your biggest dream.
Capricorn-Cancer: (Capricorn rising) If you are here to achieve (Capricorn), to climb every mountain (or even just one big one), if you are here to accomplish, plan, live with purpose regardless of the emotional cost, then you might just run like crazy to the opposite sign (Cancer) and choose safety and isolation. You might gravitate more towards your home and your feelings may dictate your actions. You might try to take care of everyone in ‘base camp’ instead of hike towards the summit.
The growth point for a Capricorn rising is to breathe in your own authority, to KNOW that you have what it takes to climb. It is to be responsible, determined and purposeful even in the face of fear and the desire to stay safe.
Remember: The summit of the mountain is your most gorgeous territory. You are here to reach the summit and to lead others in the climb as well. Be the one in charge of your life. Assume responsibility for what you want!
But the gift of hanging out in Cancer is that you apprentice in the world of nurturing and care. After living in a space of inclusion and sensitivity, it’s harder to simply let ambition rule, knocking others off en route. You will climb with greater attention to your own needs and feelings as well as those of others. You have the capacity to climb with compassion.
Aquarius- Leo: (Aquarius Rising) If you are here to build community (Aquarius) and to be radically authentic in all your relationships, and if you are here to be of great service to humanity by offering your specific gift within the group, you might run in the opposite direction (Leo) and want to rule the kingdom. You might fear that the group will devour you or not understand you or not accept you so you might choose to create in your own spotlight. Or you may find yourself proud or aloof and alone outside the very groups that make your heart sing.
The growth point for Aquarius rising is to choose community whenever possible, to welcome the group fully into your life. It’s to experiment and innovate, create the new WAY, improvise. It’s to disrupt the norm and bushwhack through uncharted territory....with your pals.
Remember: You are ‘water of life.’ You are here pour that water forth for all those in your community that need a deep drink of the REAL. You are here to offer your gift but also to celebrate the gorgeous gifts of each member of your tribe.
But the gift of hanging out in Leo is a profound generosity of heart, a willingness to shine forth with everything you’ve got. Aquarius risings might at first wish to hide a bit within their group, but an apprenticeship with Leo dares them to offer up their radiance for the good of the circle.
Pisces-Virgo: (Pisces Rising) If you are here to uplift others, to offer your compassionate heart to those less fortunate, and if you are here to feel with exquisite sensitivity the suffering and pain of others, then you might run in the opposite direction (Virgo) and organize, systematize and clarify anything that feels overwhelming. You might bring your profound intelligence to all that is unknown (and therefore perhaps terrifying) and try to make sense of humanity’s suffering. You might clean up, purify, perfect perfect perfect until you exhaust yourself. And only then, might you start to taste what it is to surrender to something vaster and only then will you find yourself in the territory of Pisces.
The growth point for a Pisces rising is to keep the heart open in the face of pain and to breathe through the desire to clean it up and judge it. It is to allow music and poetry to wash over you while you feel whatever it is you feel. It is to release, let go, surrender and breathe and connect with the vastness however is best for you.
Remember: You are here with a great potency to end old cycles. You are able to release what has died in the winter and welcome the spring. Pisces takes from all the signs and synthesizes their gifts into ONE. You are here to save through your sensitivity.
But the gift of hanging out in Virgo is that you learn about boundaries and how it takes a great deal of intelligence and meticulous attention to detail to truly help another. Virgo is the apprentice of attention to the form so that spirit and beauty and love and all things sacred can pour through. Under Virgo, you prepare yourself to birth and offer your beauty to the world.