The 1st House in Aquarius Personality (All About the Aquarius Ascendant, Aquarius Rising, and Kumbha Lagna)

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Table of contents:
What Does the First House Cusp Signify?
The Typical Aquarius Rising Personality
The Aquarius Ascendant Woman
The Typical Aquarius Rising Man
The Typical Aquarius Ascendant Appearance
The 1st House in Aquarius Compatibility
The Aquarius Ascendant in Karmic Astrology
1st House in Aquarius Celebrities
Additional Reading

What Does the First House Cusp Signify?

The first house in Astrology is mostly known as the Ascendant or the rising sign. This is the zodiac sign which was on the horizon during the time of our birth. As any other astrological house, the 1^st one represents a couple of areas of our lives. And these will be influenced by the typical characteristics of the Ascendant sign (in this case this is the Water Bearer). I know that many people now have a good understanding of the rising sign as being a huge part of our personality. However, there is so much more to this house cusp that is not so widely known and talked about. So, here I will do my best to point out some of the life areas this house governs, so you get a better understanding of its significance!

• Our face in front of the world – the Ascendant is basically how we “market” ourselves to others. This is the part of our personality that we want to show to the world and we want to be perceived as. In this case, the Water Bearer Ascendant people want to be seen as possessing the typical Aquarian characteristics – being altruistic, open-minded, intellectual, unique, inventive, etc.;
• Our physical appearance – this is not the only place in the natal chart to look for the most likely appearance of any individual, but it is definitely one of the main ones. Judging solely by the astrological sign on the cusp of the 1^st house we can make a few assumptions about the body, behavior, gait, mannerisms, and clothing style of the person. In this case, people with their first house in Aquarius typically like to express their uniqueness and out-of-the-box personality using their attire and fashion accessories. (David Bowie was a great example of this tendency.) However, we will pay some extra attention to this topic, later on in the article;
• Our worldview – how the world sees you and how you see the world is all in the realm of the Ascendant! This means that the Water Bearer rising person might see reality through the glasses of humanism, but also rebellion. They might be extremely focused on making the world a better place by constantly noticing what needs to be torn to the ground and re-built in a new way. They might also not be that present in today’s reality but their gaze might be somewhere on the horizon of what’s coming in the future;
• How we begin anything new – this is also the house of new beginnings and it can show us how we like to start any new project. With an Aquarius Ascendant you may want to start your new projects abruptly and unexpectedly in a unique and unconventional way.
• Our childhood – well, our first years are the ultimate starting point in our lives and this is the house of beginnings. Children with their 1st house in Aquarius may have somewhat unconventional childhood, and they may have an extremely powerful imagination, and quite interesting and out-of-the-box dreams and interests.

The Typical Aquarius Rising Personality

As usual, before we get to the meaning of the 1^st house in Aquarius, we need to get a better understanding of the typical traits of the 11^th sign in Astrology. These characteristics will influence the areas the house governs – in this case, the areas of the first house. In other words, people with an Aquarius Ascendant will be perceived as Water Bearers by others regardless of their Sun sign.

Let’s begin!

Aquarius is the third airy sign (after Gemini and Libra), and it is the fourth fixed sign (after Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio). The Water Bearer is the natural ruler of the eleventh house – the house of friendships, our goals and dreams, the circumstances which are out of our control, and the love we receive from others. Here we have two planetary rulers, and this is important to be taken into account when analyzing the potential personality traits of the Water Bearer rising – Uranus and Saturn. (Saturn is the first ruler of Aquarius and the 11^th house up until the discovery of Uranus in 1781. Now they co-rule the sign and the house.) Uranus is the planet associated with science, technology, futurism, humanism, inventions, unexpected events, etc.

Why do we pay such attention to the lords? We are led to believe that only the Ascendant sign is what has any influence on the potential of our character and how we present ourselves into the world. This is not true. The personality we are most likely to have according to Astrology depends on multiple elements we can see in the natal chart, such as the positions and aspects of the personal planets and luminaries (the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mercury, and Mars), the rising sign, and the planetary aspects to the first house cusp (these will be covered later on on the blog, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the articles will be published!). However, that’s not all! The placements and the aspects of the first house rulers also play a huge role in the interpretation process. In this case, these are Uranus and Saturn. But we will also have to take into account Mars as the natural lord of the Ascendant house. These activations in the birth chart can completely change how the Water Bearer Ascendant person expresses their unique personality.

Here is a quick example! If Uranus is placed well (for instance, it is on a throne by house with positive aspects), the individual may be extremely innovative and inclined to rebel against the status quo. If Saturn is better placed (for instance, it is exalted in Libra), the Aquarius rising person may be much more old-fashioned and conservative in their worldviews.

OK, I got a little ahead of myself. Well, we are indeed talking about the sign associated with the future and it is often said that people with a strong Aquarius (or 11^th house) in their chart may have a better understanding of what’s coming for the human species. A general consensus is that the Water Bearer may be 50 years ahead of their time.

Now, let’s get to the archetypal traits of the eleventh zodiac sign!

The main keyword we can attribute to Aquarius is “imagination”. Just take a look at the chart of Jules Verne! His Sun, Mercury, and MC were in Aquarius and he imagined some amazing stuff that actually came true in the future (like the submarine)!

Other potential positive characteristics of the Aquarius Ascendant are: humanistic, intelligent, logical, inventive, tolerant, independent, progressive, skilled, altruistic, etc.

On the negative side of the spectrum, the Water Bearer rising folks might be a bit too emotionally cold and distant, eccentric, rebellious just for the sake of constantly rebelling against everything, radical, unpredictable, circumstantial, impersonal, cynical, timid, anarchic, conceited, etc.

So, how do people with their 1^st house in Aquarius want to be perceived as?

The eleventh sign in Astrology is the sign of individualism. Moreover, one of the signature traits of the Water Bearer usually include being tolerant. So, a good motto for these open-minded creatures might be “Let me be me and I will let you be you.” One of the most important things for these people is to be their authentic self and to be accepted as they are. However, on the outside they may seem confident, but on the inside the Aquarius Ascendant person might be extremely sensitive to the disproval of others. To be a natural born contrarian is a really tough life path the Water Bearer rising to undertake. But they do have the personal strength of character to take the paths less travelled.

The first house in Aquarius people are usually very rebellious. They are the types of folks who want to change the world for the better. The 11^th sign in Astrology signifies humanism, and the ultimate life mission of these guys and gals is to help humanity in any shape or form. That is why this is also the sign of technology. The main purpose of technology is to make our lives easier and better – to take away from the heavy toll of intensive and unhealthy types of labor.

It is always beneficial for the Water Bearer Ascendant to often remind themselves that there is something far bigger and far more important than their singular selves. The eleventh zodiac sign is also the sign of groups, organizations, clubs, brotherhoods, and sisterhoods. This is where they shine the brightest – helping their fellow humans.

However, there is always a dark side to any characteristic, and the Aquarian traits are no exception! The typical Water Bearer rising may not make a good distinction between the causes that are worth pursuing and fighting for, and those which are just for the sake of being rebellious and anarchic. Not everything in the current status quo has to be changed necessary. Some people with this rising sign just want to see the world burn, and believe it or not the Aquarius Ascendant may even go to severe extremes like misanthropy and cynicism (this usually happens after their first Saturn return when they realize that their humanistic ideas might be too utopian, and that clash with reality may be extremely hard to take). Be mindful if you catch yourself say things like “The goal justifies the means.”, and bear in mind that Heinrich Himmler had his first house cusp in Aquarius!

If I can give people with a strong Aquarius or 11^th house just one recommendation for life, it would be this: frequently ask yourself how you, your talents and gifts can be of service to humanity. You may feel greatly dissatisfied with your life, and your line of work might not seem that glorious to you (well, let’s be honest, Aquarius is a bit of a haughty sign!), but if you look it from the perspective of helping others, you may start to feel much better and with a stronger sense of purpose and accomplishment!

The Aquarius Ascendant Woman

This is without a doubt one of the most unconventional and unorthodox women in the zodiac. And as I mentioned earlier in this article, if the natural weirdness of the Water Bearer Sun sign may not be that obvious at first, the first house in Aquarius really does attract the attention. The Aquarius rising woman might have peculiar interests and hobbies, and they usually include something in the realms of New Age, Spirituality, Astrology, science, astronomy, etc. But be also prepared for some even more out-of-the-box stuff. For example, all of a sudden she may start studying ornithology, and you can see her making crow sounds in the backyard in attempts to befriend some local corvids.

The eleventh sign in Astrology is a male one, and most typical female representatives of this sign usually tend to exhibit some masculine traits. This is the type of girl who may try to be one of the boys – having more male friends than women with whom she watches football or goes fishing. This may be the cool gal who is not that interested in the usual girly things like make-up and going to the mall for acquiring some fashionable clothes. What she wants more than anything is to stand out and be different. Well, if this tendency gets out of hand, it may become a form of arrogance and haughtiness – looking down upon femininity as something inferior compared to possessing more masculine traits.

What she often doesn’t want to admit to herself is that even though she wants to play it cool and as if she is perfectly OK with her unique personality and quirks, deep down she wants to be liked and accepted as she is. Well, we all want that – that’s wired into our brains from day 1 on Earth. But in the case of the Water Bearer female – she may have the tendency to unconsciously test if people actually love and accept her unique individuality by doing all kinds of strange things. The 11^th sign in Astrology is the sign of anything unexpected, surprising, and provocative. So, the typical Aquarius rising females might constantly try their best to “poke the bear”.

However, don’t you even think you can do the same to her! One thing we need to always keep in mind with the Aquarius sign is its paradoxical nature which may often be perceived as hypocrisy. The Water Bearer Ascendant gal might often exhibit tendencies to be dreamy, absent-minded, and emotionally distant. But if you give her a taste of her own medicine, she may not like it that much. I don’t want to sound mean (well, I have an Aquarius stellium! 😀 ), but this is something I think should be kept in mind and observed. If you have your 1^st house in Aquarius and these words caused you some intense negative sensations, then this is definitely something worth exploring. As Carl Jung says – having strong negative reactions to a certain personality characteristic may be a sign of actually having that same trait which is buried deep into your unconscious mind (the shadow). Also, never forget that the whole chart has to be taken into account. The positions and aspects of Uranus, Saturn, and Mars can completely change the picture!

The Typical Aquarius Rising Man

To be fully honest, I don’t think there are that big of differences between males and females of any zodiac sign with regards to their typical archetypal traits. What usually differentiates us is society and societal norms. So, we can say that some of the Aquarius rising characteristics may be more likely to be expressed by males, while others – by females. For example, since the 11^th zodiac sign is related to quirkiness and unconventionality, many women with this Ascendant express this by being interested in topics like crystals, Astrology, Tarot, etc. Now, would men be inclined to have these same interests? Maybe. But I would argue that they may not even want to admit it to themselves. Because deep down we are wired to be cautious of what others think of us. Being socially rejected is a painful experience and from an evolutionary standpoint it is experienced as potential death. But that’s a whole different topic of discussion which is quite vast and intricate. Let’s take Axl Rose as an example. Although we don’t know his time of birth, he does have a stellium in Aquarius which means that he does exhibit lots of the typical traits of the Water Bearer. And, oh boy, how he is ridiculed for believing in and using homeopathy!

What I am leaning towards is that the 1st house in Aquarius males will most likely show a slightly different side of the quirky Water Bearer nature. For instance, these might be the guys who are deeply interested in science and politics, democratic and liberal ideas, science fiction, comic books with superhero tropes, Astronomy and aliens, conspiracy theories, etc. Just think about some of the most popular David Bowie songs: “Space Oddity”, “Life on Mars?”, “Starman”, “Ziggy Satrdust”, “Rebel Rebel”, etc. These males might be the crazy doomsday prophets or modern-day visionaries whose dreams may quickly start becoming true (like Jules Verne and his submarine).

What’s challenging for these males (even more than the female representatives) is emotionally connecting to people, especially their partners. They may be excellent friends and companions for an intellectual chat, but as far as deep connections go, they might tend to shut down. As all typical airy signs, the 1^st house in Aquarius folks are more inclined to be sapiosexual. What they expect from others is to respect and fully accept their individuality which makes them very difficult to make compromises in personal relationships. That is why their ruling planet Uranus is often called “the planet of divorce”. But we will touch on this in the section on compatibility.

The Typical Aquarius Ascendant Appearance

In terms of physical appearance Aquarius probably hit the jackpot in many ways. However, I remind you to look at the whole chart. The potential looks of any individual is a complex matter, and there are lots of pieces to the puzzle to consider. We can make a few assumptions solely based on the Ascendant (because it is the house associated with our appearance), but it is far from the only factor. For example, the placements of the house rulers can make a lot of difference. So, here we will talk only about the typical traits that most astrologers have a consensus on, and the rest will be the focus of future blog posts, so stay tuned!

Right! Let’s dive in! The Water Bearer is considered to be among the tallest signs (actually the tallest one of them all). This means that people with a strong Aquarius and/or eleventh house will usually have quite the large stature. Interestingly enough, Robert Wadlow holds the Guinness World Records title of “the tallest person in medical history”. He not only had his first house in Aquarius, but he also had 3 planets in the sign of the Water Bearer, and one of them is the lord of the house Uranus (making an accurate conjunction with the 1^st house cusp)!

Since the 11^th house in Astrology is related to electricity and magnetic fields, people with this rising sign tend to have a peculiar personal magnetism. Their aura may be extremely attractive to both men and women even if the person is not necessary pretty according to the beauty standards.

Another archetypal trait of the Aquarius rising appearance is the tendency to have a square shape, especially the face. Women often may have square shoulders which are a bit wider than usual. Men with this Ascendant often have extremely attractive chiseled jawlines. Henry Cavill and Ian Somerhalder are excellent examples. Actually, we may consider Ian a wonderful poster child of the typical Water Bearer features. He not only has an Aquarius Ascendant, but he also has 3 planets in his 11^th house (the native house of the Water Bearer) and one planet in close conjunction with the eleventh house cusp. As you can see even though he is a Sagittarius, he definitely exhibits a lot of Aquarian energy. And looking at Mr. Vampire here I also want to point out that the archetypal Water Bearer often has blue eyes. However, when we do this type of astrological analysis, we need to also take into account the genetic makeup of the individual. This means that an Aquarius rising person from a specific ethnic background that predominantly has dark eyes, may have justly slightly brighter color of the iris.

Another telltale sign of a strong Aquarius in the chart, especially if it’s the Ascendant is the ankles. The eleventh zodiac sign governs the talus area and lots of people with this sign may have a soft spot there. In most cases they may have thin ankles regardless how large the body may be.

As far as the clothing style goes there may be a wide range of possibilities depending on the environment and societal norms.  The typical manifestation would be to have somewhat unusual clothing style that attracts the attention. The Water Bearer Ascendant wants to use their attire to express their unique personality. What they like to often do is combine clothes that usually do not match or dress with garments from a completely different era. Aquarius is the sign of avant-garde fashion, and they may be excellent trend-setters, even if it’s just in their close circle of friends and acquaintances. They are also more likely to choose a completely different dress code than that of their family. Remember that the placements of the house rulers are extremely important. If, let’s say Saturn is better placed than Uranus, these might be unusually conservatively-clothed people. Paradoxically, this is just another way for them to stand out. What I am trying to say is that someone with their 1^st house in Aquarius will not necessarily dress like a hippy from the movie “Hair”.  

One last thing regarding the Water Bearer rising bodies which is very important. If you have this Ascendant or a strong Aquarius influence in your chart, it is advisable to have some form of physical exercise routine – whatever is suitable to you, your lifestyle, and your physical condition. It is vital for you to move your body on a regular basis and get the blood circulation in a good shape!

The 1^st House in Aquarius Compatibility

Compatibility according to Astrology is an intricate and complex subject which involves analyzing a ton of details. That is why we have a completely separate branch of this ancient knowledge which is entirely dedicated to relationships called Synastry.

I am saying this as a form of a disclaimer to keep in mind when reading all kinds of information regarding compatibility which only take into account just a few aspects of the composite chart, such as the Sun signs or the Ascendants. That is why here I will share some foundational stuff but be aware that this is just a small fragment of the Synastry analysis.

Solely based on the rising sign we can make a few assumptions as to what types of personality traits the Aquarius Ascendant person might be looking for. The simple reason for this is that at the opposite side of the rising sign we have one extremely important cusp – the cusp of the seventh house of relationships called the Descendant. This house can give us some valuable information about the potential for creating meaningful bonds with other people – both business and personal partnerships. Let’s begin!

So, having your 1st house in Aquarius entails having your 7^th house in the sign of the Lion. This might manifest as being more compatible with people who exhibit the typical traits of Leo – proud, courageous, entertaining, generous, caring, creative, romantic, etc. (Keep in mind that the house rulers should always be taken into account and interpreted as well. In this case these are your Sun and Venus. The Sun is the lord of Leo while Venus is the natural ruler of the seventh house which is under the government of Libra.). In astrological terms the ideal situation is to have a relationship with someone who has multiple planets in the sign of Leo (especially the personal ones – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Venus). This way these cosmic bodies will most likely be located in your Descendant house. However, the houses and the signs often do not match in sizes. This means that some planets in the beginning of Virgo might also be located in your seventh house. Moreover, if some of the partner’s planets and luminaries are in your 6^th house within 7 degrees of the 7^th house cusp, these positions might also be extremely helpful and beneficial for your partnership.

Also, keep in mind that people who have multiple planets in their 5^th house might also exhibit these typical Leo characteristics. This might also make them attractive to you!

On the flip side of the coin, many astrologers argue that the compatibility analysis based on similarities is far better and it can be a wonderful foundation for long-lasting happy relationships. This means forging a relationship with someone who has a similar personality and worldview as yours. In astrological terms these might be people with a strong Aquarius and/or 11^th house in their chart. This might manifest as operating at similar wavelengths and having a deep feeling of understanding and mutual respect. However, as usual, there are some nuances that need to be taken into account.

First off, it is important to note whether the Aquarius placements are located in your 1^st or your 12th house. In the first scenario, this person might further reinforce your sense of individuality and have a positive supporting influence in your life. On the other hand, if their planets and luminaries are predominantly in your 12^th house, this might be a bit more challenging situation. The last astrological house is the house of our unconscious mind, our fears, traumas, secrets, and suffering. This is the place where we tend to hide everything which is too painful to see – the stuff that we don’t even want to admit to ourselves. Logically, this partner may illuminate these pains and fears which might cause quite a bit of discomfort on your part. Be extremely mindful how this connection plays out and use this opportunity to integrate your shadow and use it as a stepping stone for personal growth. The 12th house is also the house of our hidden inner strength and it usually comes from facing and processing our fears. Your partner may play a pivotal role in this process.

As far as the twelfth house goes, there is another vital parameter to check – the placements of the Medium Coelis (the cusps of the 10^th house). They represent our ego and they also play a huge role in the Synastry analysis. If, let’s say, your partner has their MC in Aquarius in your 12^th house, this might be an extremely uncomfortable situation for them. They might feel completely invisible or being constantly overshadowed by your personality. This is one of these placements to be extremely vigilant about and mindful how they play out in real life. Keep in mind that the intriguing and mystical side of the 12^th house will be covered later on the blog, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be notified!

Another thing you can look at is whether your (potential) partner has planets in their 11^th house. This often manifests as exhibiting the typical traits of the Water Bearer. So, it might be a wonderful foundation for a loving and happy relationship based on friendship and intellectual stimulation.

The Aquarius Ascendant in Karmic Astrology

Who knew that the rising sign had something to do with our past lives? I was definitely surprised when I found this out but the more I observe people’s behavior through these lenses, the more I find it to be truthful. When we talk about Karmic Astrology we often look at the water houses (the 4^th, the 8^th, and the 12^th), the Lunar Nodes, the Part of Fortune, retrograde planets, etc. But as it turns out the Ascendant may also give us a huge clue about our life lessons from the past and the present.

Let’s me show you what I found out!

According to one of the esteemed authors in this field Dorothée Koechlin de Bizemont, there are many people who actually do not exhibit the majority of the typical traits of their rising sign. On the contrary, they may often behave like the sign at the cusp of the 12^th house (which is logical since the last astrological house is a huge part of the karmic analysis). What does that mean in our particular case here? In her book “L’astrologie karmique”, de Bizemont points out that the Aquarius rising people might actually behave more like Capricorns. In other words, instead of being humanistic, open-minded, inventive, and rebellious against the status quo, they might be extremely pessimistic, conservative, and placing too much emphasis on their career pursuits instead of having a work-life balance. If that’s the case, de Bizemont explains that these tendencies might be the remnants of multiple past lives spent under the influence of the Goat cultivating these traits and characteristics. So now, in this lifetime, it may be time to move more towards the Water Bearer archetype and think about how your enormous talents and skills can be utilized for the benefit of humanity! However, I do remind you to take these interpretations with a grain of salt! As I always say, the whole chart has to be kept in mind at all times. If the Aquarius rising person has multiple planets (especially the personal ones) in Capricorn and/or the 10^th house, this in-born ambition and drive for a better social status might be part of the present incarnation path and life lessons!

1^st House in Aquarius Celebrities

Musicians – David Bowie, Christina Aguilera, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Meghan Trainor, and more.

Actors – Zendaya, Audrey Hepburn, Orlando Bloom, Matt Damon, Ian Somerhalder, Shia Labeouf, Adam Driver, Whoopi Goldberg, Alicia Silverstone, Willem Dafoe, and more.

Other Aquarius rising celebrities:

Khloe Kardashian, Lionel Messi, Karl Marx, Sylvia Plath, Ayrton Senna, Robert Wadlow, Yves Saint Laurent, Ronaldinho, Barack Obama, Jacques Chirac, and more.

Additional Reading

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If you carefully read though this whole article (thank you!), you might have been quite surprised to find that the natal chart interpretation process is not that simple and straightforward. There are lots of details to be analyzed and it often looks like putting together a complex puzzle. Even something as simple as the rising sign can manifest in a wide variety of ways depending on multiple factors. So, as you can see there is almost no way of getting over all the different possible variations, and the best course of action, in my opinion, is to get acquainted with your own birth chart and interpretation process yourself! That is why I would like to offer you this extremely valuable guide into the mystical world of horoscope analysis. However, if you felt overwhelmed by the information and the terminology in this post, I would recommend you start with volume 1 of the series. It will give you the necessary foundation which is indispensable for any Astrology beginner – the planets, the signs, the ruling planets, the planetary aspects, etc. This is the ABC of Astrology you need to know before you proceed to the next steps in the analysis. And that’s what volume 2 excels in – getting deeper into the chart interpretation and giving us all the advanced details that make the whole difference! Here you will learn how to put together this intricate puzzle and get answers to specific questions like “What is my potential for acquiring assets?”, “What would the most probable characteristics of my children be?”, “What is my best career field?”, and many more!

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RELATED: Most people with a Sagittarius Ascendant usually have their Medium Coeli in Scorpio which can give you some awesome ideas about your career potential, best achievements in life, and improved social status! Check it out! If that’s not your MC sign, feel free to take a look at the other 11 positions of the Midheaven point!