to Makara.us home

Compilation on Ascendant,
Rising Sign, or First House
From Esoteric Astrology, by Alice A. Bailey

See Michael Robbins' Tapestry of the Gods, Volume III

1.       Rising sign conceals hastening of evolution of inner life:

2 The second stage wherein there is increasing response to the energies, concealed by the rising sign. They evoke the unexpected and produce the hastening of the evolutionary process and the unfoldment of the inner life. The rising sign is termed in the language of esotericism "the Sun of Possibility." (EA 51)

2.       Relate Sun Sign to Rising Sign:

It is necessary for him, therefore, to relate his Sun sign to his rising sign and his soul to his personality, viewing both as aspects and integral parts of the human family. This will be increasingly the case. (EA 518)

3.       Rising Sign as one of 5 Energies

Not only has he to isolate his five ray energies, but he has to allow for the energy of his sun sign as it conditions his personality, and of his rising sign as it seeks to stimulate that personality into soul responsiveness, thus working out soul purpose through personality cooperation. There are, therefore, seven factors which condition the quality of the forces which seek expression through the etheric body:

  1. The ray of the soul.
  2. The ray of the personality.
  3. The ray of the mind.
  4. The ray of the emotional nature.
  5. The ray of the physical vehicle.
  6. The energy of the sun sign.

      7. The influence of the rising sign.    (GWP 249)

4.       Soul and Ascendant:

Forget not that the soul of the people is represented by those who react to the influence of the soul ray and of the sign which is affecting it (its ascendant, one might say), whilst the masses are conditioned by the personality ray and therefore by the sun sign of the specified nation.  (DN 68)

5.      Soul Purpose, the rising sign and Sattvic aspect:

The ascendant or rising sign indicates the intended life or immediate soul purpose for this incarnation. It holds the secret of the future and presents the force which, rightly used, will lead the man to success. It represents the sattvic or harmony aspect of life and can produce right relationship between soul and personality in any one incarnation. It thus points the way to the recognition of the force of the soul.  (EA 18-19)

6.       Indicative of Energy for Purpose of Incarnation:

The ascendant or rising sign indicates the line along which his energy as a whole can flow if he is to fulfill the purpose of any incarnation.  This, of course, if rightly handled.  It holds the secret of his future, and in its symbolism and understanding he can find the clue to his life problem and an indication of what he can be and achieve.  It presents to him the type of force which will enable him to succeed.  This, when duly consummated, might be regarded as producing the sattvic, or harmony aspect of his life, for when it plays its part and is utilised, it produces harmony with the will of the soul during any particular incarnation. (TWM 435)

7.      Importance to emphasise the Rising Sign:

Modern interpretations fail to emphasise the importance of the rising sign (the ascendant) and this has been due to the fact that few have been as yet ready to function as souls; small allowance has been made for the energies which play upon our planet all the time from other constellations or from the many "hidden" planets. (EA 6)

8.       First House:

Physical body or form.—The causal body of the soul.

Appearance or manifestation.—The emergence of the soul.

The head. Brain.—The head centre.

Personal activity.—Soul expression.

Mannerisms, etc.—Ray types and qualities.  (EA 511)

9.      First house and 6th Ray Force:

I might again point out that Mars is the transmitter of sixth ray force and it is this which makes the first house of action in the physical body that of the devotee who fights for that which he desires or for that to which he aspires. The warrior, devoted to a cause, comes into being upon the field of action, the Earth, which is itself an expression of the third Ray of Intelligent Activity. Aries, the first house, and Mars and the Earth initiate conflict, focussed in a form. (EA 508)