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

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Having troubles in the romantic department? Find out why – down below! (Psst! It may be karmic.)
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Table of contents:
The Significance of the Rising Sign
The Typical Scorpio Rising Personality
The Scorpio Ascendant Woman
The Typical Scorpion Rising Man
The Typical Scorpio Ascendant Appearance
The 1st House in Scorpio Compatibility
The Scorpio Ascendant in Karmic Astrology
1st House in Scorpio Celebrities
Additional Books and Must-Reads
The Significance of the Rising Sign
Let’s quickly clarify why the cusp of the first house is so important and which areas of our life it governs!
The 1st house in Astrology is an extremely vital point in the chart. It is often called the Ascendant (ASC) or the rising sign. This was the zodiac sign which was on the horizon when you were born, and it signifies the following:
- How you present yourself – how people see you and how you want to be seen. In other words, if you are a Scorpio Ascendant, you wish people to perceive you as possessing the qualities of the Scorpion. This is quite visible in cases where the rising sign is different from the Sun sign. People can usually identify the Ascendant first (if they can even recognize your Sun sign at all!).
- How you dress, walk, and your general mannerisms;
- How you like to start new projects and endeavors. For example, someone with their 1st house in Scorpio might prefer to do a thorough research of the area they wish to commence something new – all the steps which need to be taken, all the necessary resources, tools, information, etc.
- Your early childhood years;
- Your general wellbeing and appearance;
- How you view the world.
Which are the Scorpio rising dates?
I get this question a lot and here’s my quick answer, since the subject is important, and there are no stupid questions! The rising sign changes approximately every two hours. So, the birth date is not enough to determine the Ascendant. You need to have your accurate birth time and place. Then you can simply use any reliable natal chart calculator, and you are good to go! Keep in mind that the cusp of the first house is on the very left-hand side of the horoscope, and it is usually marked as ASC.
If Vrischika Lagna (this is the Scorpio in 1st house Vedic astrology term) is not your rising sign, and yours is not covered yet, do not worry! You can sign up for our newsletter and you will be notified when the article on your Ascendant is published!
The Typical Scorpio Rising Personality
To understand how the Scorpio Ascendant may manifest, first we need to take a closer look at the typical characteristics of the 8th astrological sign. Then we can take these traits and apply them to the areas of the first house – how the individual presents themselves in front of other people, how they want to be seen, how they dress, how they start new projects, etc.
So, let’s see what the archetypal traits of the Scorpion are!
Scorpio is the second water sign (after Cancer) and the third fixed sign (after Taurus and Leo). The Scorpion is the natural ruler of the eighth astrological house – the house of our intimate partners and soul mates, other people’s assets, esoteric knowledge, transformation, etc. The Scorpion has two planetary co-rulers – the primary one today is Pluto, while the first lord was Mars. This means that the placements and the aspects of these cosmic bodies should be taken into account when analyzing the 1st house in Scorpio personality! Their positions may completely change the whole picture and how the Scorpio Ascendant person presents themselves.
Alrighty! Now that we got this important intro out of the way let’s see what the typical traits of this rising sign are!
The main keyword we can use when it comes to the 8th zodiac sign is “intensity”.
Here are some of the typical positive Scorpio rising characteristics: skillful, investigative and thorough, resourceful, decisive and determined, excellent at overcoming obstacles, passionate, possessing higher level of awareness and self-awareness, motivated, a person who can get things done, etc.
On the not so bright side, the Scorpion Ascendant can be quite haughty and arrogant, sarcastic, vengeful, jealous, secretive, brutal, intolerant, distrustful, temperamental, unforgiving, etc.
No wonder why this astrological sign has quite the notoriety in the zodiac! Actually, if I have to pick the closest word that describes how usually people see the Scorpion rising folks, it would be “veneration”. Not in the sense of worshiping, but more in the lines of the mixture of respect and fear. That’s the feeling that the 8th sign in Astrology often instills in people’s hearts. You feel and see their enormous potential, skills, deeper understanding of the world and the human nature, but you also can be quite uneasy about the possible dark side of their personality. We know what they are capable of, in both meanings of this expression – negative and positive.
Let’s start with the positives! Every person with a strong Scorpion and/or the eighth house has the unparalleled potential for personal transformation and spiritual growth! So, even if they had quite a rough start in their childhood (the first house governs our early childhood years), they can always end up on the brighter side of the character spectrum. These are the types of people who possess enormous personal power and emotional strength. They are capable of enduring and going through so many tough challenges in their life which seem impossible to us the mere mortals! Scorpio is the sign of resurrection, redemption, and radical transformation. These guys and gals are (almost) indestructible! Just when you think they had been fatally wounded (metaphorically speaking, of course), they rise from the ashes stronger than ever!
However, this inner power and endurance does come with a price and a huge challenge. As the wise Uncle Ben told Peter Parker: “With great power comes great responsibility”. The soft spot of the people with their first house in Scorpio is their potential for vengefulness. The emotional (and God forbid physical) pain someone caused them will never be forgotten, and there is a huge temptation for these folks to take justice into their own hands. After all, the Scorpion is a watery sign and as such it does possess a great deal of emotional depth. If you are a Scorpio Ascendant person and you feel these kinds of dark thoughts in yourself, I feel you! I know from the bottom of my heart that there are no truly any bad people in the world – there are wounded, traumatized, and deeply hurt people. I know that many folks may see (or fear) your dark side, and that one emotion may be a life-long companion to you – feeling misunderstood. The rage, the anger, the unpleasant emotions are just your ways of expressing your pain and emotional suffering. So, if you are in such situation, I would encourage you to allow yourself the “weakness” of seeking professional help in therapy, if you need to. I know, I know, there is one thing a Scorpion rising would hate the most – to look weak and fragile! You can do it in secret, and please know that healing your inner child is one of the toughest and bravest things you can do for your own benefit, and the benefit of your children! This is how you can truly transform and become the full-fledged phoenix you came here to be! Some astrologers call it “The Eagle” – the bright, spiritual, and awakened form of the Scorpion.
Thankfully, the stars have your back! There is one of the traits of the 1st house in Scorpio people that really helps them out in their quest for personal transformation – their investigative nature. The eighth sign in Astrology is the sign of deep and thorough research. Digging down into any subject matter comes naturally to you, and you might excel in any area where surface level knowledge will not suffice! The irony about this rising sign is that you may know everything about everyone (and even be quite cranky if people don’t share information with you), while you remain a total mystery. Being secretive and keeping your cards close to your chest is the trademark of the Scorpion. Trusting others and letting someone close to your heart might be a real challenge – hence why many people with a strong Scorpio in their chart might have serious difficulties in their personal relationships. But we will talk a lot more on this topic in the sections on compatibility and Karmic Astrology!
Of course, I do remind you that the whole horoscope should be kept in mind when making such interpretations. For instance, the positions and the aspects of Mars and Pluto might completely change the whole picture. The hemispheres are also extremely important. For example, someone with lots of planets below the surface may take the secretive tendency to the extreme. At the same time, an individual with multiple planets above the horizon (I would exclude the 12th house here) might be a bit more open and sociable. Do not worry though, these topics will be covered later on the blog, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be notified when new articles are published!
The Scorpio Ascendant Woman
This is one of the most attractive and seductive females in the whole zodiac! Well, we can say this with regards to any woman with a strong Scorpion in her chart, but this may apply in full force to the Scorpio rising woman! And that’s because, as you might remember from the first chapter, the first house governs our looks. However, we will pay some extra attention to the typical Scorpio Ascendant appearance later down the article. For the time being be sure that this enigmatic female can draw the attention of the opposite gender like a powerful magnet! These are the sirens of the zodiac, and as such not everyone can withstand their charm and their iron-willed character! Yes, no matter how feminine they look on the outside, they do possess all the character strength any self-respected Scorpion has – resourcefulness, decisiveness, intrinsic motivation, and unparalleled passion. Speaking of passion, we cannot simply glaze over one of the signature Scorpio rising female characteristics – her all-consuming zest and emotionality. You will never get bored with this gal, but be warned, though – the Scorpion Ascendant female is not for the faint of heart! You may have some unforgettable experiences with her, but be sure that you may also get stung from time to time. The eighth astrological sign is a fixed one, and they need security in every area of their lives, especially relationships. (Every case may be different, but we will talk a lot more about this in the section on compatibility.) So, these hot gals may need some extra reassurance about the stability of your bond and your feelings towards her. She is definitely not wasting time with womanizers and man-children. If this tendency gets out of hand, this “iron lady” (oh, did you know that Margaret Thatcher was a Scorpio rising?) may “sting” you from time to time with a great deal of possessiveness and jealousy.
On the bright side, these powerful females may be some of the most self-aware and spiritual creatures who are truly on the path of transformation, self-development, and emotional healing. This will soften the edges of the Scorpion rising traits to a great extend!
The Typical Scorpion Rising Man
In my opinion, the typical 1st house in Scorpio man may be one of the best examples of the archetypal role of the macho! The Scorpion rising guy is an attractive male who seems self-collected and contained on the outside, but boiling with passion on the inside. A real lady’s man who draws women like moths to a flame, while remaining mysterious and rarely really fully opening his soul. An ambitious and assertive person who works tirelessly to make a name for himself with a strong aversion against letting others close to his heart (most of the folks with this Ascendant have their Medium Coeli in Leo which amplifies their natural-born drive for success and recognition). Just look at some of the celebrities with this rising sign – the musician Prince, Julio Iglesias (his son Enrique is also believed to be born with a Scorpio Ascendant)… Don’t they all have some similarities in how they act and express themselves? Well, I still want to remind you that the whole chart has to always be taken into account!
I also wish to point out that the first house in the Scorpion man may be a real powerhouse and an over-achiever in the world of business and finance. They do possess all the necessary traits to succeed in any cut-throat professional field! But that’s not all! The eighth sign in astrology is connected to the area other people’s assets (since it is the natural ruler of the 8th house). This makes them extremely skillful in their ability to gather and manage funds, money, and all kinds of resources. I also won’t be surprised if we find a great deal of surgeons with this Ascendant! This tough profession requires a lot of focus, in-depth knowledge and experience, as well as unmatched ability to contain your emotions – everything the Scorpion is a master of! However, if you wish to choose your career according to Astrology, you need to go way beyond the Ascendant! There are a lot of moving pieces to this puzzle, and I will do my best to give you some pointers in a more structured way in my upcoming FREE career report. It will be available only to my email subscribers, so make sure you reserve your seat!
Lastly, there is something important I wish to remind you of – the Scorpio’s enormous ability to recover and regenerate. No matter what physical, mental, and emotional challenges they face, they get back on their feet like no one else! Well, that implies to both males and females, but I want to reiterate this here since men tend to take things into the extremes more frequently. Well, just look at the case of Keith Richards! I think his Scorpio rising has a lot to do with all the jokes he gets for being immortal despite… you know… his love for certain substances during the 60s and 70s! 😀 However, I wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to test these abilities! Everything has its limits in 3D reality, and this also includes the first house in Scorpio body! Well, that was nice segue into our next section! :- )
The Typical Scorpio Ascendant Appearance
We already touched on one of the most essential telltale signs of the 1st house in the Scorpion appearance – their mysterious, hypnotizing, and attractive looks. Even if they do not check all the boxes of the standards of beauty, they do possess this ability to draw people in like a magnet, especially the representatives of the opposite gender.
However, that’s not all we can say about them! The very next thing which is a Scorpio trademark is their gaze! There is nothing like the intense stare of the Scorpion rising. Remember that this is the sign of deep and thorough knowledge! These are the natural-born investigators and researchers. Their piercing eyes allow them to inspect, analyze, and measure everything and everyone in their surroundings. These powerful creatures are often hyper-vigilant – constantly scanning for threats.
Women with this rising sign may not have that much of intensity in their eyes, but they certainly have a great deal seduction in their gaze. Lana Del Ray, in my opinion, is one of the best examples. On top of her Scorpion rising, she has 3 personal planets in her 8th house, one of which is Mars – the ruler of the first house as well as the co-ruler of Scorpio.
OK, the next trait is something many people may think is not so desirable in today’s world, but I think it is something any 1st house in Scorpio male is truly proud of – their body hair. Yup, men with this rising sign may often have plenty of it, and it may be their ultimate proof of their undeniable masculinity! Robin Williams (may his soul rest in peace!) was a great example of this physical trait. And, of course, we cannot have a discussion on this particular Ascendant without mentioning one of the most prominent celebrities with this rising sign – Prince.
Speaking of Prince, another aspect of the Scorpio rising physical appearance is the short stature. Well, again, this is the general consensus when it comes to the zodiac sign’s archetypal traits. All of this can differ depending on many other factors in the chart, such as the position of the co-rulers, especially Mars. So, I encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the topic of physical appearance will be covered in detail.
The Scorpion rising people often don’t show their emotions, and seeing them smiling may be a rare sight. However, when you get the chance to see their teeth, you may see that they might seem a bit larger. I often get the feeling as if they are trying to eat you alive! 😀 Jim Carrey is a wonderful example, but keep in mind that his goofy persona partially stems from his strong 3rd house, as well as the natural Scorpio sarcasm and the tendency to keep their true emotions a secret. Robin Williams is another great example of how a sensitive and emotional Scorpio rising may hide their intense pain and suffering behind the mask of a clown. If you are in this situation, do not hesitate to seek professional help, and do not regard this as a sign of weakness! Even the strongest heroes need their side-kicks.
The 1st House in Scorpio Compatibility
I know that you may have heard or read a lot of information on compatibility – usually based on the Sun signs. And while this data is not entirely false, you should know that the realm of relationships in Astrology is extremely vast and intricate. There are a ton of details to be taken into account and analyzed. That is why we have a whole separate branch of this ancient system called Synastry. So, while the Sun signs are important in this interpretation, there are some a bit more important areas in the natal charts to look at. And one of these areas is the Ascendant. Here’s why!
The rising sign is essential since it represents a large part of our personality, but also for another major reason. The cusp of the 1st house will also determine the cusp of the 7th house – the house of relationships (both personal and business ones) and marriage. This fact makes the Ascendant an extremely vital point to take into account when trying to see the potential in any bond we have or want to have.
So, what the 1st house in Scorpio means when it comes to Synastry! This rising sign means that when we look at the very opposite side, the cusp of the house of relationships is in Taurus. This implies that people with a strong Bull in their chart may be quite suitable for the Scorpion rising. The base for this bond is the principle of opposites attract – the calm and down-to-earth nature of Taurus may have a soothing effect on the volcanic personality of the Scorpion Ascendant. These passionate folks may indeed look for people who exhibit the typical traits of the Bull – industrious, artistic, stable, calm, etc. However, I do wish to offer a bit of a wider perspective of this tendency. Folks who have lots of planets (especially the personal ones – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars) in their second house may also exhibit these desirable traits! But the general consensus is that those who have placements in Taurus may be the best matches. Keep in mind that some of the partner’s planets may be in Gemini and still be located in your 7th house. Moreover, some of your partner’s cosmic bodies located in your 6th house may conjunct with your 7th house cusp. These are also quite beneficial for a potential relationship.
Now, let’s step away from the “opposites attract” principle and look at Synastry from a different point of view – based on similarities. According to some of the most esteemed Astrology teachers March and McEvers, this is a far more beneficial perspective on relationships. What does that mean? To put it simply, this is having a bond with someone who exhibits similar character traits and has a similar worldview as yours. This may be the perfect foundation of a long-lasting connection based on mutual understanding and respect. Let’s see how that may play out in Astrology terms!
This simply means to have a partner with a strong Scorpio and/or 8th house in their chart (especially the personal planets). Such people may have a better understanding and empathy for your volcanic temperament! However, I do wish to point out an important detail. If your partner has multiple planets in Scorpio, some (or all) of them may be actually located in your 12th house. Since this is the house of our unconscious fears and trauma, this may be a bit of a challenging situation. Your significant other may unwillingly bring to light everything you are afraid to see and you keep “sweeping under the rug”. Be mindful of such situations and do not be quick to blame the other person for the cause of this emotional pain. On the bright side, the last astrological house is also the source of our greatest inner strength we don’t even know we possess. All it takes is becoming self-aware of our unconscious behavioral patterns and working on healing our emotional wounds! In this case, your partner may be the source of the most profound personal growth you can dream of! But it takes work. That is why earlier in this article I mentioned inner child healing. If this piqued your interest, make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you will be notified when we will be focusing on the analysis of the 12th house in Astrology. It will be super interesting!
OK, back to compatibility! As usual, one last warning on my part with regards to the 12th house. I would encourage you to take a look at the placements of your Midheaven points (these are the cusps of the 10th house). If one of these is located in the partner’s 12th house, be extremely mindful and observe how this plays out. For example, if your significant other has their MC in Scorpio (or in Libra) in your twelfth house, their ego might not be very comfortable in this relationship. The 10th house governs our egos and in this position this person might feel overshadowed or as if their partner is keeping their bond a secret. All of this can be processed and healed with willingness, awareness, empathy, and conscious mutual efforts for making this relationship work!
The Scorpio Ascendant in Karmic Astrology
Well, to be fully honest, our whole chart is the manifestation of our past life experiences, lessons, and baggage. If we assume that we choose our paths and incarnations beforehand, we need to also choose the appropriate “astrological suit” (our natal chart) to fulfil these aims – to have the necessary experiences and learn certain life lessons using this toolkit – the character traits and the potential we possess in this incarnation. However, according to this mysterious branch of Astrology (Karmic Astrology) there are specific aspects of our birth charts that are much more associated with our possible past lives that may give us some clues as to what we should focus on in this life path. And one of these important points is the Ascendant. As one of the esteemed Karmic Astrology authors Martin Schulman calls it: this is “the doorway to our potential”.
So, what does your Scorpion rising may indicate according this esoteric system? According to another astrologer in this field Dorothée Koechlin de Bizemont this Ascendant may indicate having spent lots of incarnations under the influence of Libra. And this could be especially true if the cusp of the twelfth house is in the sign of the Scales. If you didn’t recognize yourself in the Scorpion-related descriptions above, this may be the case with you. De Bizemont shares that if the person with this rising sign exhibits strong traits of Libra, this may be a clear sign that these are the remnants of their past lives building these character traits. This may manifest as being too diplomatic, not being able to assert yourself, intense fear of confrontation and conflict-aversion, etc. Some of these folks might even be employed in Libra-related professional fields like art, beauty, fashion, the judicial system, conflict mediation, anything related to marriage and relationships (such as matchmaking), etc. If this rings true for you, it may be time to start moving towards cultivating more Scorpio traits in your personality. (However, keep in mind that we always have to look at the entire natal chart! If you have a strong Libra, Venus, and/or 7th house in your natal chart, it may be completely normal for you to exhibit these traits.)
Sadly, according to de Bizemont one of the telltale signs that Libra is still running your life is the inability to forge happy relationships (despite probably the obsession you may have on this topic). If you feel you have zero luck in the romantic arena, you may want to check out the family constellations system. This may help you untangle some dysfunctional dynamics that prevent you from having success in this area! Wish you lots of luck and love!
1st House in Scorpio Celebrities
Musicians – Katy Perry, Prince, Björk, Jessica Simpson, Edith Piaf, Keith Richards, Kendji Girac, Julio Iglesias, Diana Ross, Lana Del Rey, and more.
Actors – Nicole Kidman, Chris Evans, Grace Kelly, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Vanessa Paradis, James Franco, Shahrukh Khan, andmore.
Other Scorpio rising popular people:
Sigmund Freud, Rafael Nadal, Margaret Thatcher, Caitlyn Jenner, Liz Greene (an astrologer), and more.
Additional 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
As I mentioned previously in this post I really like Marion March and Joan McEvers! These are among my favorite Astrology teachers I learned a great deal from! That is why I often recommend their masterpiece book series on the art of natal chart interpretation. So, if you wish to learn more on this topic, and actually start interpreting your own chart, this is the one of the best ways to do it! This time I didn’t include the first installment, but if you need the complete basics, this is a must-read! As far as the Ascendant goes, the second volume is much more interesting. It will help you with understanding how your 1st house in Scorpio works and what the other house cusps mean (including the seventh one in Taurus!). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! This book is perfect for anyone who wants to take a deep dive into the realm of natal chart analysis, and wants to see how the magic happens! For instance, you can find what retrograde planets in the horoscope mean.
The Only Way to Learn Astrology volume 3
Remember when I said that the placements and the aspects of Mars and Pluto can change the whole picture? Well, that’s because these are the co-rulers of your first house. Moreover, Mars is also the natural ruling planet of the Ascendant and it should always be taken into account when analyzing the potential traits of the individual. But what does it means when these planets are located in a different house? How does that influence your personality? You will find out in this third volume of the series! It is largely focused on the positions of the house rulers in all the 12 houses of the natal chart. And that’s not all either! At the end of the book you will see how you can make interpretations on specific areas, such as physical appearance, wellbeing, professional fields and best jobs based on your skills and character, meaningful relationships (as a form of introduction to Synastry), etc. By the way, if compatibility is your passion, make sure you grab volume 5 as well!
Linda Goodman’s Relationship Signs
Speaking of Synastry, here’s where you can also start your journey! Well, it may not be that scholastic, but it is definitely worth reading! This is where you can learn more about the meaning of the mutual aspects in the so called composite chart (the chart we use in analyzing relationships and compatibility). And these are explained in quite positive, optimistic, and practical manner. What Linda Goodman is really good at (in my opinion) is adding two major ingredients into the interpretation mix – our free will and unconditional love. I would only add two more “spices” to the dish – being self-aware and mutual desire to work on the relationship. These can indeed truly transform any kind of bond, even the most challenging one! And that directly opposes the traditional approach to Astrology, which is heavily deterministic and fatalistic. I am not a fan of these viewpoints since they don’t give us much room for personal growth, expansion, and progress. However, I do have a major disclaimer to make regarding this book. The calculations are not very accurate and may lead to confusion and errors. So, I would encourage you to use reliable software or an application to calculate your composite chart, and then you can come back and read the descriptions of the aspects!
And my final recommendation is another great classic by the same author! I chose this one for one major reason – Linda Goodman is excellent in her descriptions of the 12 zodiac signs and their typical character traits! Sadly, my favorites March and McEvers glazed over this part in their series, and we need to really dig deep into these 12 archetypes. Here’s where Goodman shines bright, in my opinion. Yes, her narrating style may be a bit too optimistic and sugar-coated, but it does a great job at giving us a better understanding of the signs. How does that play out in our Ascendant? Well, all you need to do is read the description of the Scorpio sign and apply these characteristics to the area of the first house. For example, people will perceive you as a Scorpion and that’s how you want to be perceived as. You may dress like a Scorpio, see the world like a Scorpio, and you start your projects like a Scorpio! You get the idea! :- )
RELATED: Most Leo rising people usually have their Midheaven in Leo 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!
