The 1st House in Leo Personality (All About the Leo Ascendant, a.k.a. Leo Rising)

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Are you the next Donald Trump? Find out – down below!

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Table of contents:
The Meaning of the Rising Sign
The Leo Rising Meaning
The Typical Leo Rising Woman Personality
The 1st House in Leo Man
The Typical Leo in First House Physical Appearance
The Best Leo Rising Compatibility
The 1st House in Leo in Karmic Astrology
Popular Leo Rising Celebrities
Recommended Books and Must-Reads

The Meaning of the Rising Sign

For the sake of clarity I will quickly recap what the significance of the Ascendant is, and what areas of our lives it governs. The cusp of the first house is often called the Ascendant (ASC for short) or the rising sign. This is the zodiac sign which was at the horizon at the time of our birth and it can give us some important information on:

• The part of our personality we show to the world – that is why it is usually easier to guess someone’s Ascendant rather than their Sun sign (if they are different);
• How we “market” ourselves – how we want to be seen as by other people;
• How we dress and how we express ourselves;
• How our bodies look and their general wellbeing – there are a lot more details in this analysis, but the ASC plays a huge role in this process;
• Our early years and childhood;
• How we start any new process and venture.

How to know if you are a Leo rising?

Sometimes I get questions like “Which are the Leo rising dates?”, so I think this is important to be clarified. The rising sign changes very quickly – approximately every 2 hours. So, we can’t say that there are particular dates that would yield a certain Ascendant. We need to have the exact birth date and birth time to calculate the cusp of the 1^st house precisely. This also applies to all the remaining 11 house cusps. In other words, if you wish to be sure about your rising sign, it is best to use reliable astrology software or an app where you can input this data and receive an accurate birth chart. Your Ascendant will be seen at the very left of the natal chart, usually marked as ASC.

If Leo is not your rising sign, do not worry! All the cusps of the first house will be covered, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be notified for all new fresh updates and articles!

The Leo Rising Meaning

Now, to fully analyze the Leo in 1^st house meaning we need to take a closer look at the characteristics of the fifth sign in astrology. These traits will “color” the area of the first house and give us some valuable information of the personality of the individual.

Let’ go!

Leo (also known as the Lion) is the second fixed (after Taurus) and the second fiery sign (after Aries). This is the natural ruler of the fifth house – the house which is associated with creativity, children, hobbies, the love that we give to others, etc. The ruling celestial body of the Lion is none other than the Sun – the source of all light and warmth that makes life on Earth possible!

The main keyword that we can attribute to the Leo sign is “magnetizing”.

Now, let’s see what archetypal characteristics the Lion possesses and can express from both sides of the spectrum.

Some of the most positive Leo rising traits are: proud, idealistic, caring, loving, generous, optimistic, ambitious, creative, reliable, dignified, romantic, noble, big-hearted, etc.

On the not so favorable side, the Lion can be a bit too dramatic, emotionally immature, arrogant, haughty, attention seeking, having too fragile and sensitive ego, braggy (or braggadocious, as one of the most prominent Leo Ascending celebrities Donald Trump calls it 😀 ), despotic, and even cruel.

So, how do these characteristics apply to the Leo Ascendant?

Well, we can safely say that this is how Leo rising people may express themselves in front of others. In other words, the outer world may see you or perceive you as a Lion personality. And that’s how you want to be seen as.

The folks with their 1st house in Leo can truly be some of the most loving, caring, warm, and generous people in the whole world! After all, their ruling “planet” is the Sun itself – the star that makes life here on Earth possible by shining upon us indiscriminately. Moreover, the Lion is the natural ruler of the fifth house in astrology. This is the house that shows the love we are capable of giving to our loved ones and the whole world in general. This is also the house of our children. And aren’t our children what we love absolutely unconditionally? As one of my most favorite astrology teachers once said: “If you wish to learn whether someone is capable of loving others, check if they have planets in Leo or the fifth house!”. And that applies in full force to the Leo rising! These might be the people that “shine” wherever they go and whoever they meet – showering them with love, care, and gifts.

However, everything in this world comes with a price. The Lion’s generosity is not for free. You just need to do one small thing in return – well, just don’t hurt their ego. Sounds easy and simple, right? Wrong! Sadly, Leo is the sign in astrology that can truly make you feel like you are constantly walking on eggshells. That’s especially true if their healthy self-esteem wasn’t well-nourished as children. I am pretty sure that everyone knows at least one Leo or Leo Ascendant who has that extremely sensitive ego and gets offended and hurt way too easily. If you recognize yourself in this situation, please know that other people are not always trying to hurt you or ridicule you. You probably weren’t appreciated and praised enough as a child and that created a huge wound in your soul – always being vigilant for threats to your identity and sense of accomplishment.

It is quite tempting to call the people with their 1^st house in Leo drama queens – people who are being emotionally immature who often storm out of the room whenever they do not receive the attention, praise, and recognition they believe they deserve. However, I think that this manifestation of the Lion energy is very often the result of neglect to the natural need of every child to receive positive reinforcement from their parents and authority figures. Remember that the 1st house governs our childhood years, so it is quite possible for people with this rising sign who exhibit the negative tendencies of the sign to be deeply wounded and traumatized in their childhood, especially, if the Sun is not well placed and has multiple challenging aspects.

If you are a Leo Ascendant and you feel this applies to you, I would offer you something practical you can try right here and now. Start noticing how you talk to yourself in your mind. The voice in our head is the voice of our parents, and we usually start treating ourselves how we were treated by them. So, do you pat yourself on the back for a job well done? Do you feel compassion and understanding towards yourself or do you demand it from others? Do you recognize your own achievements or do you seek validation from the outer world? Try talking to yourself how you wish your parents talked to you when you were a kid, and see how you feel as a result. If this little trick piqued your interest, you can dive deep into the so called Transactional analysis. This might be the healing that you were looking for!

Finally, as you may have noticed previously, the placement of the Sun will also greatly influence how the Leo rising personality might manifest. For example, if the ruling star is placed in a more introverted sign (like Pisces, Capricorn, and Cancer) the person might have that inner feeling of tug of war – exhibiting both tendencies of being social and the center of attention, and retreating in their shell away from the limelight. I also see this quite often in people who have a lot of planets below the horizon and a strong Lion or fifth house in their natal chart. If you wish to learn more about these aspects on the horoscope and their meaning (the placement of 1^st house ruler and the hemispheres of the birth chart), make sure you sign up for our newsletter to get fresh updates when these articles will be published!

The Typical Leo Rising Woman Personality

Oh, my goodness! The woman with the Leo rising sign can truly be a powerful force of nature! I am 100% sure that no one can really remain indifferent to her presence! She may be admired, respected, feared or envied! Regardless, she will certainly be at the center of attention in every social event (unless the Sun is not well-placed or it is in a “shy” sign). If you wish to have any kind of relationship with this gorgeous Lioness, remember the golden rule – do not step on her proud ego and do not try to steal her shine! And the rewards will be enormous! The Leo Ascendant woman can truly be one of the most loving and generous creatures on Earth, especially towards her children. Well, to be honest, I must also make an important warming for the ladies of this rising sign – be aware that your natural caring and loving nature can sometimes turn into despotism and smothering. Love also involves freedom and personal space. Fortunately, people with their 1^st house in the Lion have a much better understanding of this principle because of their 7^th house of relationships in the individualistic sign of Aquarius. But more about that – in the section on compatibility! OK, back to these goddesses of the zodiac! The Leo rising woman is one of those creative females who have a natural knack for making something out of nothing. Regardless of her social and material status, she will always do her best to look stunning with the resources she has available. These are the ladies who can look and behave like true royalties even when they are shopping at the local supermarket – with their hair fixed and impeccable spotless clothes. 

If you are a man with a Leo rising female partner, be prepared to step back a little and let her be the leader of your powerful pack! The Leo Ascendant female is definitely not for the faint of heart! And with time, if her proud ego is healthily nurtured, you will notice how her inner softness and gentle nature emerges to warm your soul. You will be rewarded with a loyal, warm, and caring companion for life.

The 1^st House in Leo Man

The King has arrived! If you have any close encounters with this proud Lion, you know what I mean! His Majesty may be calm and confident or entertaining and the real center of attention in any social gathering. This, of course, will largely depend on the whole natal chart, and especially the position of the Sun. If the Sun is placed in a more reserved and self-possessed sign (like one of the Earth signs, for instance), you may be a bit fooled at first. This Leo Ascendant man may seem quiet or even meek (if, let’s say, the Sun is in Pisces), but don’t think even for a minute that his proud ego can be walked all over! This may be the typical macho male who might be extremely sensitive to any king of disrespect. They can truly be some of the most loving, protective, and caring friends and partners, but they will always demand something in return. And that’s respect and recognition for their enormous efforts. This is the type of man who will not tolerate to be taken for granted, and you will quickly notice how every little detail in your attitude may be put to the test. And I can tell you first-hand what it’s like to live with a Leo Ascendant male. But I better illustrate it with a simple example. Let’s say that your beloved Lion rising man is coming back from work. You think you can just sit there and just wave “Hi!”. Oh, no! Remember, people – the King himself has arrived and he deserves a proper reception! I am not kidding, nor saying this with sarcasm. If you can place this macho at the center of your universe and make him the star of your life, you will be greatly rewarded with the most loyal and caring partner for life! And, yes, with a strong Leo energy in the chart, there is always the possibility for despotism, smothering, and patronizing.

The Typical Leo in First House Physical Appearance

I just want to take the opportunity to remind you, dear reader, that the whole chart has to always be taken into account when analyzing any area of our lives. And the physical appearance is no exception. There are a lot of moving pieces to this part of the natal chart interpretation that need to be taken into account. Nevertheless, here I will do my best to point out some key features of the archetype of the Leo sign. These may apply to some extent to you or your beloved Leo Ascendant people to a large or smaller degree. For example, some of the other elements of the appearance of a person include not just the Ascendant, but also the 5^th house cusp, stelliums, dominants (dominant planets, signs, elements, and houses), planets below and above the horizon, etc. I will take the opportunity again to invite you to sign up for our newsletter to get updates and reminders when these topics are covered in the blog!

OK, now that we got this out of the way, let’s move forward to some of the possible characteristics of the Leo rising appearance!

The first obvious thing about this Ascendant sign is of course the hair. Or should I call it “the mane”? Many people with a strong Leo influence in their chart have gorgeous thick hair which may often be wavy or even curly. Moreover, the way they fix their hair and the hair-dos that they prefer may also contribute to this attention-grabbing effect. Tina Turner is one of the best examples. However, I do remind you to always keep in mind the genetic makeup of the physical body when making such assumptions! The Leo’s hair very often makes a really strong impression on people, and it can certainly be compared as the luscious mane of the eponymous wild cat! With only one important detail – in men the Leo Ascendant may often lead to baldness. A strong fire element in the chart is considered a predisposition to baldness, especially in men. The fire may “burn” the hair early on in their life. However, very often these proud machos had really stunning mane in their younger days!

Another interesting fact about the Leo rising appearance is the short stature. The fifth zodiac sign is considered as one of the shortest astrological signs in the zodiac. But again, I remind you that the whole chart should be taken into account, as well as the typical height of the particular genetic background of the individual, and the position of the Sun.

Also, something quite peculiar in the typical Leo rising look is their hands. They may often have massive hands with relatively short fingers that really remind you of the paws of a large cat! I have seen this first hand, and I can tell that many people (especially men) with this rising sign have so much power in their hands that they might not even realize how hard they can pat you on the back! Or they can squeeze the breath out of your lungs with a tight hug!

Now, I can’t skip one major part of the rising Lion’s body – the eyes. There is something really warm and childlike playfulness in their cheerful gaze. If you pay extra attention to their irises, you may notice that the light reflects in a peculiar way that may truly resemble the eyes of a wild cat. I have seen this first-hand, especially in people with brown and hazel eye color.

And finally, something important to note about their dress code. No matter what type of clothes they prefer, the typical Leo rising folks would make sure their look is impeccable, neat, tidy, and clean. They make sure that their closest people also look presentable and up to par! Remember, that the ego of the Lion is proud, and they are extremely sensitive to other people’s opinions of them, and their family. If you guard their reputation as you would do with your own, they will cherish you for life! Another thing that may be applicable to the looks of this Ascendant is that they may try to grab people’s attention through their clothes, make-up, and hair styles. I think Merilyn Manson is a wonderful example of the extreme manifestation of this tendency!

The Best Leo Rising Compatibility

As usual, if you are a loyal reader of this blog, you may already know my stance on compatibility. There is a whole branch of this ancient knowledge which deals with relationships called Synastry. Needless to say, we cannot make a complete compatibility analysis solely based on the Sun signs and the Ascendant. There are multiple factors in the so called composite chart that need to be addressed.

However, the cusp of the 1^st house can still give us some practical clues that may be useful when dealing will all kinds of relationships – intimate, business, family, etc. And here I will do my best to unpack this intricate topic with the little information we have available (namely, the Leo rising sign).

OK, now that we got this disclaimer out of the way, let’s see what the Simha Lagna marriage life might be (Simha Lagna is the Vedic term for Leo Ascendant. I am using it here simply as a synonym.). Having your 1^st house in the sign of the Lion means that the cusp of the 7^th house is in Aquarius. This is the point known as the Descendant, and it is the astrological house that governs the area of relationships in our life – both personal and business ones. What does that mean? A person with a Leo Ascendant might look for partners who exhibit the typical traits of the Water Bearer – free-spirited, democratic, and with a strong individuality and personal independence. According to many astrologers this position of the Descendant is considered to be a bit problematic for one main reason – one of the ruling planets of Aquarius is Uranus. Uranus is informally notoriously known in the astrological community as the “planet of divorce”.

However, before you freak out, let me explain! Aquarius is the sign associated with individuality, and many people with a strong Aquarian energy in their chart may not be that willing to make compromises. And as we all know, any type of relationship requires some form of concession on both parties. So, the cusp of the 7^th house in the Water Bearer might make the Leo Ascendant person a little less inclined to take a step back and reach an agreement with their partner. Given that the rising Lion may be quite despotic with their closest people, these proud wild cats might build their relationships based on the motto of “My way or the high way!”. It is extremely important for the Leo ASC person to be fully accepted as they are by their partners and loved ones. I know, I know, finding such people might be a real challenge.

I remind you that the 7th house and the placements of Uranus will be the focus of future blog posts, so keep your eyes peeled by becoming a member of our email list.

Consequently, people with a lot of planets (especially the personal ones – the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mars, and Mercury) in the sign of the Water Bearer and the 11^th house might be a great fit for the Leo rising individual. These potential partners might exhibit these traits that the Lion Ascendant looks for. Also, keep in mind that in some cases planets in Pisces might also be placed in the 7^th house of the Leo Ascendant. Moreover, personal planets in the 6^th house which make a conjunction with the Descendant cusp might also be quite beneficial (planets within 7 degrees of the cusp).

Another approach in Synastry which can be extremely beneficial is similarities in the characteristics of the partners. This can be a real blessing and true nurturing ground for long-lasting relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. What this means is that people with a strong Leo as well as 5^th house might be great fits for the Simha Lagna person. The only challenge here is that both parties must learn to share the spotlight and express mutual admiration and respect towards each other. In that regard, I think that the position of the MCs in the composite chart will play a crucial role here.

The Medium Coeli (the cusp of the 10^th house) governs our ego, and for the Leo rising person this will be quite a sensitive point. My personal recommendation here is to be mindful with relationships where the MC is placed in the partner’s 12^th house. This position may create quite the discomfort for it might make the Lion rising person feel overshadowed by their partner. Or even worse – this relationship might make them feel like their partner is keeping them a secret. Thankfully, the 12th house is also the area where we can find our greatest inner strength – the strength we don’t even know we possess. But I will leave this topic for another time when I am going to pay extra attention to this house. So, stay tuned!

The 1^st House in Leo in Karmic Astrology

Karmic Astrology is an extremely intriguing part of this ancient knowledge that many people are still baffled by. There are many aspects of our birth chart that we can analyze through the lenses of our past life experiences, and some of these are the Lunar Nodes, the water houses (the 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th), the retrograde planets, the Part of Fortune, etc. Do not worry, these will probably be covered later on in the blog, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be notified! Actually, in a way, we can actually say that our whole chart is karmic – our current lifetime and our current challenges and potentials are the results of the karmic debt (positive and negative) we have accumulated in previous physical incarnations.

However, for the sake of today’s topic I will simply take a brief look at the Ascendant as part of the Karmic Astrology analysis. According to one of the esteemed astrologers in this area Martin Schulman, the cusp of the 1^st house is the gateway to the potential of our whole natal chart – the bridge between what’s possible and what actually manifested in our physical world. So, the more we understand our Ascendant and the more we work on the challenges it presents, the more we can unlock our inner potential encoded in our birth horoscope!

Let’s get to it! Here I will share with you what another prominent name in the Karmic Astrology world says about the Leo Ascendant – Dorothée Koechlin de Bizemont. In her best-selling book “L’astrologie karmique”, she points out that the cusp of the 12^th house can greatly influence how we express our rising sign as a result of previous lifetimes. If the karmic baggage is so strong and unavoidable, it can actually completely change how we manifest into this world and we present ourselves in society. What does that mean? According to Bizemont people with the Leo rising sign can actually look and behave nothing like the dominant wild cats they are expected to. Quite the opposite – they may be gentle, sensitive, moody, clingy, and strongly attached to their mothers and family in general. You probably guessed it – they may behave and present themselves as a typical Cancer Ascendant. This is especially true if the 12^th house cup is in the cardinal watery sign of the Crab. This behavior, in her opinion, is a powerful telltale sign that these are the remnants of the individual having spent many lives under the influence of Cancer. In some cases this can also be visible in folks with their sun sign in Leo or Leo stelliums. Becoming aware of these tendencies can help you realize that maybe in this lifetime, by choosing to be born with this natal chart, with this particular rising sign, it is time to cultivate in yourself some of the positive traits of the Lion – confidence, self-reliance, self-esteem, prestige, and receiving more well-deserved recognition and praise for your abilities and accomplishments.  

Popular Leo Rising Celebrities

It is no surprise that we can see quite a few popular folks with this rising sign! The typical Leo Ascendant loves being at the center of attention. Even those who were born under a more introverted and shy zodiac signs can have strong inclinations towards some form of performances and creativity!

Actors – Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Depp, Jake Gyllenhaal, Al Pacino, Robert Downey Jr., Meryl Streep, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, Betty White, and more.

Musicians – Drake, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Céline Dion, Marilyn Manson, Tina Turner, Adam Levine, Vanessa Hudgens, Sting, and more.

Royalties – Catherine, Princess of Wales, Charles III, Philip Mountbatten, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, and more.

Painters – Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo.

Politicians – George W. Bush and Indira Gandhi.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is without a doubt one of the most popular and quite colorful representatives of this rising sign. We may love him or hate him, but we cannot deny him his great talents in the world of business and entertainment. As I mentioned previously in this article, he is quite the archetypal example of the rising Leo sign. He often used the word “braggadocious” which ironically perfectly matches the behavior and self-expression of his Lion Ascendant. If you listen carefully, you will notice how he describes his personality, his business ventures, his personal relationships, his buildings, etc. All of these are perfect and the greatest, the most beautiful, the most successful, etc. 

What’s interesting in his chart is the MC in Taurus which is ideal for a career in real estate, and anything related to land, aesthetics, and Earth itself.  The Sun (which in this case is the ruler of his birth chart) is extremely well-placed in Gemini in 10^th house. Now that’s a great predisposition to a successful professional development in business and trade.

Moreover, the majority of his planets are located in the North-Eastern part of the natal chart which is the perfect composition for entrepreneurship. This means that the individual will most likely be an extremely proactive dynamo! And given that the “great benefactor” Jupiter (regardless of his retrograde movement during the time of birth) is placed in the second house of material gains, it is no wonder that Donald Trump is one of the most affluent businessmen on Earth.

Tina Turner

Anna Mae Bullock is one of my most favorite Leo rising female celebrities, and I am deeply saddened by her recent demise. So, I would like to pay my respect by taking a quick look at her natal chart. I hope that would be interesting and valuable to you as well, dear reader.

The first thing that strikes me about her chart is the large number of retrograde planets. Retrograde planets are often analyzed in the area of Karmic Astrology, and we can assume that Tina’s incarnation was powerfully marked by destiny. However, stay tuned, because the analysis of retrogrades in the natal chart will be covered later on in the blog! 

Another important part of her chart is the Medium Coeli in Taurus. This is a wonderful predisposition to have a successful and fulfilling career in music and art. The second astrological sign governs the area of the neck as well as the vocal cords, and we can see quite a few immensely talented singers with this Midheaven! Moreover, the ruler of the 10^th house Venus is placed in the 5^th house – the house of the Lion related to creativity, performing, arts, and hobbies!

Finally, I wish to point out one last thing about her international success and becoming a household name. Her Moon is placed in the 10^th house, and that’s a powerful predisposition for a career which involves large amounts of people. The Moon is the significator of the masses, and lots of powerful and influential people have this placement in their charts.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson is another great example how the whole chart has to be kept in mind when doing our interpretations. If I have to describe him in two words, I would pick “intuitive entrepreneur”. What’s striking about his natal chart is the composition – almost all of his planets are located in the Eastern hemisphere which is a powerful indicator for being extremely proactive, dynamic, and headstrong! We can see this tendency in a lot of business people and adventurers. Moreover, we can also see that his Medium Coeli cusp is in the cardinal sign of Aries which is also a great marker for reaching success in large-scale business ventures. Being born under another cardinal sign (Cancer) further adds more of these characteristics necessary for the cut-throat world of entrepreneurship. And adding this explosive influence of Pluto in the first house in conjunction with the Ascendant – now that’s a dynamo you cannot stop once it decides to pursue a goal!

However, sir Branson certainly has a different side that he may not necessarily show to the world – his undeniable ability to use his powerful intuition and be guided by it even in the harsh business areas where analytics and calculations are musts. His Sun is in the deeply emotional and sensitive Crab as well as in the 12^th house (the native house of Pisces). He also has his Mercury in the 12^th house, and his Moon in the 1^st. All of these are excellent markers of possessing strong intuitive abilities that can serve as his GPS towards his destiny and success. And I think he had already realized that potential a long time ago: “I rely far more on gut instinct than researching huge amounts of statistics.” is one of his most famous quotes.

On top of that Richard Branson has a natal chart in the shape of the so called “bucket”. In this case it is extremely important to note the “handle” of the bucket which here it is represented by Jupiter retrograde in Pisces in the 8^th house. Jupiter is known as “the great benefactor” and it is placed in a watery sign (the element of money) and in another watery house which governs the area of dealing with other people’s assets. In other words, even though Jupiter is in retrograde motion, sir Branson has the rare potential of being lucky when gathering capital for his business ventures. Since Jupiter is considered an extremely beneficial planet, its retrograde motions are not as challenging as those of the other celestial bodies. But more about this topic – later on in the blog! Stay tuned!

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is without a doubt one of the greatest representatives of this powerful Ascendant! You think it’s a coincidence that his nickname was (and still is) “The Greatest”?! Now that’s a title for a true king. He was probably one of the first high profile celebrities who acknowledges to using affirmations and bold statements in his aid on his path to success: “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”, “It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.” If these are not Leo rising quotes, I don’t know what are!

But don’t think that it wasn’t earned with sweat, blood, and tears! One of the biggest misconceptions about success, in my opinion, is that we often think that it is all written in the stars. “If I am destined to be successful, I don’t need to work hard to get there.” I will probably talk in great lengths about this myth in my upcoming FREE tutorial on reaching success by unlocking the potential of your natal chart. This will be available only to my email subscribers, so make sure you sign up ASAP to be in the loop!

OK, back to the great Ali! One of the most prominent aspects of his chart is the heavy influence of the earth signs and houses. Ali not only had his Sun in Capricorn, but also three planets in the 10th house of the Goat (this is the house of success and achievements). Moreover, he had 3 planets (including the Sun) in the 6^th house – the native house of Virgo. So, what does that tell us? Well, he was a hardcore work-hard badass! Work, work hard, and then work hard some more. That would be a good motto for people with such placements. Please note that here I am not saying anything related to work-life balance or happiness. Exceptional success and becoming a household name often may require exceptional amounts of dedication and hustle.

Recommended Books and Must-Reads

Affiliate disclosure: the following links to the Amazon store are affiliate links and commissions are earned.

The Only Way to Learn Astrology volume 2

To me this is an indispensable textbook on Astrology, especially when it comes to the more in-depth analysis of the chart. While the first volume deals with the absolute basics (the signs, the planets, and the aspects), here in the second installment of the series you can learn the intricate art of birth chart interpretation. As far as the meaning of the Ascendant goes, here in this volume you will learn more about its interpretation and significance. Moreover, you can actually learn about all the 12 house cusps in all the 12 zodiac signs. These include the 7^th house cusp, if you wish to find out more about your compatibility potential. And that’s not all! The book contains some invaluable information on the more detailed analysis of the horoscope, such as the exceptions (missing elements, planets without aspects, etc.), large significant aspects (like Yods, T-squares, etc.), the meaning of the retrograde planets in the birth chart, intercepted signs and houses, mutual receptions, chart configurations (like bucket, locomotive, etc.), decans and duads, Lunar Nodes, aspects to the Ascendant and Midheaven cusps, Arabic parts, fixed stars, critical degrees, etc. You don’t want to miss this astrology guide!

GET THE BOOK

The Only Way to Learn Astrology volume 3

Volume 3 of this Astrology series is the last installment which deals with the natal chart analysis. However, this book must not be skipped by anyone interested in this ancient knowledge! So far we have covered the cusps of the 12 houses, but that’s just one part of the analysis of these areas. As you may have noticed, the placement of the house ruler (or rulers) is just as important and vital for the correct natal chart interpretation. The position of these celestial bodies and their aspects can completely change the analysis and give us a different picture of the potential of the individual. In this case, the position and the aspects of the Sun should always be added and kept in mind when analyzing the 1^st house cusp in Leo. That is why I always recommend this third volume which deals with the exact positions of the 12 house rulers in the respective houses of the birth chart. For example, let’s say that you have a Leo Ascendant but your Sun is in the 6^th house – this will give you a strong potential to exhibit some of the typical traits of the sixth zodiac sign of Virgo. 

Moreover, this volume will also show you how a complete natal chart interpretation is done with some powerful examples of prominent celebrities like Princess Diana, Barbra Streisand, Ernest Hemingway, and General George S. Patton. Lastly, at the end of this textbook you can also find an extremely nifty guide into some interesting areas of the analysis, such as physical appearance, wellbeing, relationships, and professional development.

GRAB THE VOLUME

Linda Goodman’s Relationship Signs

If you are interested in the vast area of Synastry – the branch of Astrology which deals with relationships – this might be your very first encounter with this intriguing topic! Yes, I must say that this may not be the best book to use as a textbook to learn compatibility but it definitely deserves the attention! Let me get to the disclaimer first! The major flaw of this work is that Linda Goodman did not do a very good job at the calculating process. So, I would suggest you don’t rely on this section of the book. You can safely skip it, make an accurate composite chart with reliable software, and get back to the book for the interpretation process. Yes, this is where Goodman shines bright! I think her analysis of the compatibility aspects are excellent and focused on one important part of any personal bond – the level of awareness of the individuals, their willingness to work on their relationship, and the karmic forces which may be stronger than we think. As far as the Ascendants go, there is a special section in the book focused solely on the rising signs and their typical manifestations according to the gender of the individual. Definitely deserves the read!

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Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs

Linda Goodman may be considered a bit of a surface level popular Astrology author, but I think she deserves a lot more credit for her work. What I mean to say is that her works are not exactly textbooks from which you can learn this intricate ancient system. However, I still do think that her books are must-reads for any Astrology fanatic for a couple of reasons. First of all, Goodman is definitely not a fatalist. She often analyzes the placements and aspects through the lenses of our free will and the powerful karmic forces that influence our lives. In her words which I will be paraphrasing – love can overcome any challenging aspect. Second of all, I think she did a great job at perfectly describing the archetypal traits of all the 12 zodiac signs. That is why I highly recommend this volume. This is one of the best beginner Astrology books for anyone who wants learn how a particular sign may behave and express itself depending on the gender and age. This is also a wonderful guide into the realms of Ascendants since this is the “mask” that we wear into the world and it is the part of our personality which is easier to recognize. Simply read the description of the sign and apply it to the area of the 1^st house – how others see us and we want to be seen by others. Happy reading!

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RELATED: Most Leo rising people usually have their Midheaven in Taurus which can give you some practical ideas about your career, achievements, and social status! Check it out! If that’s not your Medium Coeli, take a look at the other 11 positions of the MC point!