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

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Were you a mad scientist in a past life? Let’s find out!

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Table of contents:
What Is the First House is Astrology?
The Typical Pisces Rising Personality
The Pisces Ascendant Woman
The Typical Pisces Rising Man
The Typical Pisces Ascendant Appearance
The 1st House in Pisces Compatibility
The Pisces Ascendant in Karmic Astrology
1st House in Pisces Celebrities
Additional Information

What Is the First House is Astrology?

I am really happy that the knowledge of Astrology which is accessible to the public is getting more and more advanced. More and more people can get a better understanding of the intricate, complex, and intriguing nature of this ancient system. Now we know that we are far more than our Sun sign, and lots of folks start to pay more attention to their Ascendants as well – even more than their zodiac sign. However, I do want to demystify this subject a little more and get you to have a better understanding of this important aspect of the natal chart. Because the rising sign is something far more than our personality and identity – it represents a whole astrological house, and as such it governs multiple areas of our lives. Let’s see what they are!

The first house in Astrology is often called the Ascendant (ASC) or the rising sign. This is the zodiac sign which was on the horizon at the time of our birth. This cusp changes rather quickly, and that is why you need to have your accurate birth time when calculating your horoscope. It will determine the exact cusp of the Ascendant and all the other 11 house cusps as well. Keep in mind that they will often have sizes smaller or bigger than 30 degrees. OK, so what does the 1^st house cusp signify and which areas it governs?

• The Ascendant is our face in front of the world – how we want other people to see us. In this case, others will perceive you as a Pisces regardless of your Sun sign (that is why the ASC is far easier to recognize);
• The rising sign governs our worldview – this is how you perceive the outer world and the belief system through which you filter reality;
• The first house is the house of new beginnings – the sign on the cusp of the 1^st house will determine how you prefer to start new projects. Having your first house in Pisces could manifest as you staring anything new from a hunch, using your powerful built-in intuition. Moreover, it can also give you some information about your childhood because our childhood is the beginning of our life;
• The 1^st house is the house of the physical body – this is one of the places in the natal chart where we can make some assessments on the possible physical traits, body language, and dressing styles. Since the Ascendant shows how we present ourselves into the world, we literally do this with our physical bodies – how they look and how they are dressed. This will be covered in more details in the section on appearance.

The Typical Pisces Rising Personality

To fully understand what characteristics the Pisces Ascendant people often exhibit in their personality, first we need to take a closer look at the typical traits of the Fish. These will influence how the area of the first house might manifest in 3D reality. Let’s begin!

Pisces is the third watery sign (after Cancer and Scorpio) and the fourth mutable one (after Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius). The Fish is the natural ruler of the twelfth house – the house of our unconscious mind, everything we want to “sweep under the rug”, our deep fears and traumas, our secrets, secret enemies, but also our inner strength, empathy, compassion, and intuition. The main ruling planet of the sign and the house is Neptune – the planet governing the sea, mysticism, and illusions. However, keep in mind that the first lord of the Fish has been Jupiter up until the discovery of Neptune in 1846. Now both planets are co-ruling the last astrological sign and house. This information is extremely important because the placements and the aspects of the lords are essential when analyzing the typical Pisces rising personality. Moreover, we also need to always look at the position and the aspects of Mars since this is the natural ruling planet of the first house. These details can completely change the picture, and that is why we can often see two individuals with the same Ascendant who express themselves in very different manners! As I always like to say – we need to constantly keep the whole chart in mind!

OK, now that we got this out of the way, let’s see what the typical Fish characteristics are!

The main keyword we can attribute to the twelfth zodiac sign is “intuition”. So, we can safely say that the archetypal person with their 1^st house in Pisces will consider themselves and show up into the world as quite intuitive.

The other typical positive characteristics of the Fish Ascendant are: talented and artistic (especially in the area of music), compassionate, empathic, emotional, altruistic, introspective (often introverted as well), self-sacrificial, and merciful.

On the negative side the Pisces rising people may come off as pessimistic, painfully shy, impractical, melancholic, emotionally suppressed and depressed, misunderstood, sluggish, unmotivated, illusive (and delusive), manipulative, and prone to addictions.

A while back one of my high school teachers born under the sign of Pisces once said that you cannot really know the Fish people because there are countless piscine species in the ocean and rivers! And the more I think about this statement, the truer it seems! One of the signature traits of the Pisces sign is their illusiveness – just like the fish slips from your hands, the Pisces personality looks like it is covered under a veil. Many astrologers argue that to be an excellent actor you need a strong Neptune and/or Pisces in your chart. And we usually attribute the stage with Leo, but there is a clear distinction between looking for attention, and actually getting into the shoes of a different personality altogether. And that’s what the Fish Ascendant is all about – exuding a peculiar mystical and je ne sais quoi type of vibe. After all, this is the sign of secrets and illusions, and you may often find that there is something about the Fish rising person that you never knew about them. They may often seem like the meek, sensitive, shy, and compassionate buddies on the outside, but you may be quite shocked to find that they secretly operate a successful hedge fund or a million-dollar company! They are indeed full of surprises!

And since we are on the topic of money, regardless of their often impractical nature (being forgetful, absent-minded, disorganized), people with their first house in Pisces might really have a knack for making money. All watery signs actually do have this potential since money is considered to be associated with the water element. (That is why we have the term “currency”.) But in the case of the Fish, this talent of theirs might be an unconscious one they find later on in life (or after someone else points in out to them). After all, this is the sign of intuition and any talented business person needs to have at least some intuitive skills to navigate them into the right direction. Pure analytical logic is often not enough. Take a look at Steve Jobs, for instance!

However, not everything is sunshine and unicorns! Every zodiac sign has a dark side and the potential for getting to the unhealthy extremes of any character trait. In this case with the Fish Ascendant, these people might come off as misleading and untrustworthy sometimes. Keep in mind that this is the ruling sign of the last astrological house which deals with illusions, secrets (including affairs), and prisons. These might be extremely skillful con artists or talented illusionists. They might be compassionate and altruistic or they might get their hands dirty with some unhealthy mind-altering substances. Although their birth times are not 100% reliable, Al Capone and Pablo Escobar are considered to have been Pisces Ascendants! Not so meek and shy, huh!

Actually, there is something extremely important about the last zodiac sign I wish to point out that is rarely talked about. Yes, you probably heard all these descriptions (including in this article) how soft, gentle and emotional Pisces people can be. But the thing that we often forget is that they can be some of the most resilient MoFos of the whole zodiac! And I have seen this with my own eyes. Remember that this is the sign of our inner strength and the unconsciousness. This is the inner power they don’t even know they possess until they get into a dire situation, and they get instant access to this internal stamina and resilience! The fish are not afraid of rain and storms, right?

And the last thing I want to mention here regarding the Fish Ascendant personality is their innate spirituality which often leans towards religiousness. Pisces is the sign associated with religion and it is very common for people with their first house in Pisces to show up into the world as quite spiritual. This tendency may range between being downright dogmatic (especially if Saturn is strong and well-placed in the chart) or to have a strong pull towards all kinds of spiritual practices and mysticism. They may also try to convey the message that they are the embodiment of the Christian virtues – altruism, unconditional love, compassion, volunteering, even ascetics. Remember that the first house is all about how we want to be perceived as. Since this is the sign of illusions, the Fish Ascendant’s virtuous and compassionate nature might be real or not. I want to get back to the example of Pablo Escobar. He was indeed doing a lot of philanthropic work in his area, building schools, hospitals, housing for the poor citizens of Medellin, etc. We may never know whether this was the expression of his compassion towards the less fortunate, but one thing we know for sure – he was not the saint he portrayed himself to be!

The Pisces Ascendant Woman

This is probably one of the most gentle, sensitive, and feminine gals you can meet! She is the perfect example of the female archetype – a woman who is extremely romantic, with a deep emotionality, and a strong idealism. And when I say “idealism” I don’t mean it in the Sagittarius sense of having some general idealistic views on ethics, moral standards, and the world in general.  I mean idealism in love and relationships. This might be the type of gal who waits for her Prince Charming in shining armor to sweep her off her feet and take care of her, to protect her from any danger, to shower her with affection, to write her poems, etc. – someone coming straight from a romantic fairy tale. The typical 1^st house in Pisces female might have real troubles seeing her partner (and reality in general) as he is, and she often may have a completely different picture of him in her mind. As you can see, the clash with reality is inevitable, and this may be the single biggest source of emotional pain for these gentle and sensitive creatures.

They might really rely on their powerful in-born intuition, and you might be quite surprised how often she can actually sense what’s coming. Although the archetypal Fish Ascendant woman is not very practical, she may have strong inclinations, interests, and even a career in all kinds of areas related medicine and health care. Even if her professional path does not include any of these aspects, she will likely channel her inner compassion and sensitivity in her personal life by taking good care of all the meaningful people in her life. We can safely say that the Pisces sign is the archetype of the nurse, and this tendency may be more pronounced in the female representatives of this rising sign.

But don’t be fooled by her gentle and soft demeanor! As I mentioned before in this article, the Fish is quite the resilient sign – they possess enormous levels of inner strength which is often hidden in their unconsciousness – something they don’t even know they have. And one of the interesting ways this manifests in women with a strong Pisces (or 12^th house) in their chart is the capacity for manipulation. But what is manipulation? It is working behind the scenes – which is the main realm of the twelfth house. Since the Fish is a deeply emotional and sensitive sign, most representatives are extremely anxious about all kinds of conflicts, and they may have real troubles standing up for themselves and getting their needs met. That is why they often resort to some forms of manipulations to get what they want “through the back door”. Of course, this may manifest in a positive or a negative way, depending on the situation or the manipulative tactics they use. If you are a Pisces rising and you recognize this tendency, you can take some steps in cultivating more confidence and assertiveness to help you be more open about your needs and goals. Fingers crossed!

The Typical Pisces Rising Man

When we talk about the archetype of the Fish we often have associations with emotionality, intuition, illusions, meekness, shyness, sensitivity, etc. And for the most part people with their first house in Pisces definitely present themselves as such. However, there is something about the Fish Ascendant man that might come as a surprise – they can be extremely talented entrepreneurs and money managers. As I mentioned before, money is considered to be under the influence of the water element. And for these powerful males the world of finances might be like swimming in their own territorial waters.  Just think about it – what do most successful businessmen have in common – a powerful intuition. Here’s what the experts from Forbes Magazine say about this: “The true spirit of entrepreneurship is about intuition.” And we can see this tendency in examples like Steve Jobs (Sun in Pisces, and Pluto in the 12^th house in conjunction with the 12^th house cusp), and Richard Branson (Sun and Mercury in the 12^th house). All of these successful businessmen credit their intuition as a huge part of their success. After all, if you have a hunch what may be in demand in the future, you can start putting the effort in this direction right now. And that’s what these folks have been doing.

However, the Pisces rising man is not immune to the natural ups and downs of the emotional wave of all watery signs. He is still much more sensitive and gentle compared to his brothers from the other 11 zodiac signs. On top of that we need to add one important aspect of our societal norms and culture – boys don’t cry and they need to be tough at all the time. This often leads to the Fish Ascendant males bottling their emotions, and being far too susceptible to depressive states, and frequent lack of motivation. Unfortunately, this is where the tendency to turn to unhealthy substances to sooth the pain is quite pronounced. If this rings true for you, please, please, please reach out for help ASAP! It is extremely important for people with a strong Pisces and/or 12^th house to have some form of emotional support at all times!

The Typical Pisces Ascendant Appearance

As usual, before we get to the typical components of the Fish Ascendant appearance, I need to make an important disclaimer! The natal chart has to always be analyzed in its entirety and making assumptions on specific sections of the horoscope (such as the looks) has to be done by taking into account all the pieces of this puzzle. The first house is definitely one of the main aspects of this analysis but it is far from the only place to look at. For example, the placements and aspects of the house rulers (in this case these are Neptune, Jupiter and Mars) can completely change the whole picture. Other important parts are the meridians, stelliums, dominant signs, houses, and planets, etc. We will talk a lot more about these intriguing parts of the horoscope later on on the blog, so stay tuned by signing up to our newsletter to be notified!

OK, now that we got this out of the way, let’s see what the archetypal traits of the Pisces rising are in terms of appearance!

The first and the most obvious thing is the gaze. People with their 1^st house in Pisces often have peculiar eyes with their eyelids partially covering the pupil. They may seem like they are on the verge of falling asleep or daydreaming. Moreover, the outer corners of the eyes may often be pointing down. Lourdes Ciccone-Leon is a great example of the typical Fish Ascendant eyes! However, do not let this trait fool you! These elusive creatures are constantly scanning their environment and not a single detail will be missed. As all other watery signs, the Fish Ascendant folks might have a really seductive gaze, the so called “bedroom eyes”. Elizabeth Tailor who has her Sun, Mercury, and Mars (one of the first house rulers) in Pisces also has the signature Fish look.

Another similarity between Pisces and another watery sign – Cancer – is the tendency to have more rounded shapes in the body – a round face, round shoulders, round hips, etc. This may sometimes be related to having a few extra pounds or not. The defining factor will be the height. The 12^th astrological sign is considered a short one, but this will largely depend on other aspects of the chart (like the number of planets above or below the horizon and the placements of the lords). If the stature is rather short, this may create the optical illusion of having some extra weight.

One contributing factor to this tendency may be the slow gait of this Ascendant. The typical Pisces may walk very slowly even to the point of looking a bit sluggish. This inclination may also be seen in their general demeanor and speech patterns. But then again – the whole chart has to be taken into account.

Another interesting feature of the Pisces rising physique is their natural plasticity. They may move like liquids and have exceptionally flexible bodies. One close friend of mine with her first house ruler in Pisces even has very low levels of collagen and elastin – her skin and her body in general are so flexible she could have become an excellent contortionist. Speaking of contorting, it may be quite common for these people to choose a line of work which employs this body feature, like gymnastics or dancing (well, they adore music!).

However, keep in mind that the soft spot for the Fish Ascendant are the feet. They may have relatively small and short legs and thin ankles, but it would be advisable to keep a close eye on the feet. It is not uncommon for people with a strong Pisces and/or 12^th house to have issues like pes planus or plantar fasciitis. If this is the case with you, make sure you consult with your doctor for the best course of action and a treatment or prevention plan.

The 1^st House in Pisces Compatibility

Before we dive into this topic I want to mention something extremely important here. The subject of compatibility is a very intricate and complex topic, and there are a lot of details in the so called composite chart to be analyzed. What I see often in popular Astrology is making general assumptions on the potential compatibility solely based on one aspect of the horoscope, such as the Sun signs. While these interpretations might be correct in and of themselves, this information is far from enough to see the full picture. The same applies to the Ascendant. The rising sign can actually be much more helpful in the area of compatibility but keep in mind that the analysis below is a just a small fraction of the whole interpretation process! That is why we have a whole branch of Astrology which deals with relationships and partnerships called Synastry.

OK, now that we got this disclaimer out of the way, let’s see what the 1^st house in Pisces can show us in terms of potential beneficial partnerships! So, as I mentioned before, the Ascendant can be a much more valuable interpretation point in terms of compatibility for two main reasons. First, well, this is roughly half of our personality, and how we show up into the world and our worldview. This alone will definitely have a strong impact on the types of people we might be interested in. Second, at the opposite side of the rising sign, at exactly 180 degrees from the first house cusp we have another vital point in the natal chart – the Descendant. The Descendant represents the cusp of the seventh house which is the domain of marriage and all relationships – both personal and business ones (So, keep in mind that the following analysis might also be helpful when looking for a potential compatible business partner!).

Right! So, having your 1^st house cusp in Pisces means that the Descendant will be in the opposite sign of Virgo. What does that entail in terms of relationships? Well, if we take the age-old principle that “opposites attract” we can assume that the Fish Ascendant person might be more compatible with people who exhibit the typical traits of the Virgin sign – practical, organized, disciplines, hard-working, detail-oriented, health and wellbeing conscious, etc. And if you think about it, it is quite logical! The archetypal Pisces who is often absent-minded, moody, and disorganized can greatly benefit from having people around them who can give them a lot more structure and balance in their life. A person with a strong Virgo is definitely capable of achieving this since this is the sign of service, and a lot of people with plenty of Virgin qualities love being the loyal assistants to their partners!

What does having a strong Virgo mean in purely astrological terms? One option is the potential partner to have many planets and luminaries in the sign of Virgo, especially the personal ones – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. However, keep in mind that the sizes of the houses vary, so it is also possible for some placements in Libra to be also located in your 7^th house of relationships. Moreover, if your partner has planets in your 6^th house which are very close to the 7^th house cusp (within 7 degrees), these might also have a beneficial impact on the partnership (especially if these are beneficial planets like Jupiter or Venus).

The second option that you may need to entertain is whether your partner has lots of planets in their 6^th house. This may also manifest as them possessing the desirable traits of the Virgo.

OK, now let me share with you another approach to compatibility that might be extremely helpful – synastry based on similarities. The previous and the traditional one, as you could see, is based on opposite traits that balance your natural Pisces nature. Here in this method we do the contrary – we look for potential partners who have similar character traits and viewpoints. Many astrologers argue that this may be an even better way to forge relationships, and they might be far more long-lasting and harmonic. And the simple reason for this is that the partners may have a strong sense of mutual understanding and respect for each other!

What this means is bonding with people who have a strong Pisces and/or 12^th house in their birth chart. This will likely manifest as possessing similar traits as your Fish Ascendant. However, there are a few important details to consider! First, if the placements are in Pisces, you need to precisely locate them whether they are placed in your 1^st or your 12^th house. If they are in your first house, this may have a really strong positive impact on your confidence by basically reinforcing your sense of identity. You may feel way better in your own skin around these folks.

On the flip side, if the majority of these planets are in your 12^th house, this might be a bit more challenging. Since this is the house of fears, secrets, trauma, and suffering, this partner may bring to light some painful parts of your life and your personality that you don’t even want to see. Logically, this may create quite the discomfort on your part and you might have the tendency to blame the other person for causing you this emotional suffering. However, there is a huge opportunity for personal growth and healing in this situation. The positive variation of this synastry aspect is this partner being the catalyst for you to overcome lots of these unconscious fears and traumas which then become your stepping stones for success and happiness. Remember that the twelfth house is the house of our inner strength – the personal power we don’t even know we possess. This potential partnership may help you bring forth this strength tremendously! But it takes a great deal of self-awareness, courage, and emotional support. We will talk about the potential of the 12^th house later on the blog, so make sure you reserve your seat to get notifications!

And while we are still on the topic of the last astrological house, I want to close this section with one more piece of advice regarding synastry. Make sure you check the positions of your 10th house cusps. These are often called the Medium Coeli or the Midheaven point. These represent your egos, and it might be beneficial to see whether one (or both) of them is located in the other person’s 12^th house. If that’s the case, be mindful and vigilant how this placement plays out in your life. That person with their 10^th house cusp in the partner’s twelfth house might feel overshadowed by their partner and their ego might suffer in this situation. The most severe situations are that the bond or that partner might be kept a secret or treated like a side chick/dude. Observe carefully how this manifests!

The Pisces Ascendant in Karmic Astrology

Speaking of the 12^th house, let’s talk a little bit about karma and past lives! Did you know that the last astrological house is one of the main pillars of the so called Karmic Astrology branch? Well, actually all water houses are believed to be connected to your past lives! But this article was about the Pisces Ascendant, right? What does that have to do with the twelfth house? Here’s what!

When we analyze the rising sign and its potential, we can often see that the person does exhibit the typical traits of this astrological sign. In this case, the majority of people with the Fish Ascendant do present themselves and behave like true Pisces. However, sometimes that’s not the case. There are many instances where the person actually expresses themselves and portrays a completely different image – an image which is much more in tune with the characteristics of the sign on the cusp of the 12^th house. In the book “L’astrologie karmique”, the Karmic Astrology expert Dorothée Koechlin de Bizemont shares that these situations are quite frequent. This means that in this case here, we might have plenty of Pisces rising people who actually look a lot more like Aquarius – inventive, open-minded, humanistic, friendly, rebellious, etc.  According to her, this is a clear sign that the person is still under the influence of the numerous past lives spent cultivating the traits of the Water Bearer. De Bizemont also shares that it is very common for Fish Ascendant people to even choose a line of work or a career in the typical Aquarian fields like technology, electricity, and science. And when we take a look at a prominent example like Alexander Graham Bell, she might be right after all! However, I remind you to always keep in mind the whole chart! Someone who has multiple planets in Aquarius and/or the 11^th house might naturally exhibit the characteristics of the Water Bearer. And as we can see in the case with Alexander Graham Bell, his Neptune (the ruler of the 1^st house) is exactly placed in the Aquarius sign, while Mars (the natural lord of the first house) is in his 11^th house. So, we can say that he does have some traits of the 11^th sign and we might also assume that this incarnation served as a culmination point for his karmic path of inventions in service of humanity (which is the ultimate mission of everyone with a strong Aquarius in their chart).

1^st House in Pisces Celebrities

Actors – George Clooney, Demi Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Redford, Andrew Garfield, Antonio Banderas, Kaley Cuoco, Peter Dinklage, and more.

Musicians – Whitney Houston, Johnny Cash, Notorious B.I.G, Ringo Starr, Brandy Norwood, Mark Knopfler, Alan Wilder, and more.

Other popular Fish Ascendant people

Kourtney Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Pope Benedict XVI, Deepak Chopra, Lourdes Ciccone-Leon, John McCain, Didier Deschamps, Wayne Dyer, Alexander Graham Bell, and more.

Additional Information

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The Only Way to Learn Astrology volume 2

I hope you got a better understand how intricate the natal chart analysis can be! Just one aspect of the horoscope can be an entire universe of information, possibilities, potentials, and variations! This is the main reason why it may be such a challenge to interpret another person’s chart – we may not know exactly how each aspect of the horoscope manifested based on the cultural norms the individual was born into, how they were parented, the belief system of the parents, traumatic events in childhood, etc. That is why the best course of action for tapping into your immense potential and using Astrology as a powerful tool for self-awareness and personal growth is to learn how to analyze your own chart! As one of my most beloved Astrology teachers used to say: “Chart interpretation should be an intimate practice of getting to know yourself!” Hence my usual recommendation to people is to learn more about the mystical art of horoscope analysis. And this book series by Marion March and Joan McEvers is my absolute favorite compilation of textbooks for this purpose! It can give you the framework and the algorithm for you to realize your enormous potential, how to access it, and how to expand your awareness beyond the natal chart. Because that’s the ultimate goal – using our birth chart and the challenges and limitations it imposes so that we grow by overcoming them using our abilities to become aware of the unconscious tendencies and willingness to change! If some of the more advanced terms and details in this article confused you and if you feel a bit overwhelmed by the information, I would recommend you start with volume 1 of the series.  This is the absolute necessary foundation into the vast world of Astrology – the planets, the signs, the houses, the lords of these houses, and the planetary aspects and their interpretations! If you feel confident you are fluent in these waters, then you can continue with volume 2 that will give you the nitty gritty of the horoscope analysis! Happy reading and have fun!

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RELATED: Most people with a Sagittarius Ascendant usually have their Medium Coeli in Sagittarius 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!