Everybody knows their Sun sign. Ask anyone, and they will say I’m this sign or that sign. This frequently asked question is the start of the most common and serious misunderstanding people have about Astrology. People believe that they identify most intimately with their Sun sign. While the Sun sign does play a part in a person’s life, the most important part of the chart is not the Sun sign, but something called the Ascendant.

With our introductory discussion on the Ascendant, we come to the single most important topic in astrology. The Ascendant, (that part of a chart that corresponds to the 9:00 o’clock position on a clock face), signifies the life, the physical body of a person. It governs the character, temperament, and health of the human being. Through the Ascendant we can see how the native will receive and respond to the forces of nature. So how important is the Ascendant when compared to other considerations in the chart?


We discuss the critical role of the planet that rules the Ascendant, the so-called Ruler of the Ascendant and its relationship to its dispositor, the planet that rules the sign in which we find the ruler of the Ascendant. Its role cannot be overstated.

"When judging the things signified by the Ascendant (life, physical, mental and moral constitution, etc.), it is necessary to take into account not only the Ruler of the Ascendant but also, if it is in another Sign, to consider the Ruler of that Sign, which I call the "Secondary Ruler"¹ of the Ascendant. This "Secondary Ruler" most often exerts the principal influence on the effects produced or to be produced. It is necessary to give the greatest importance to this "Secondary Ruler" in judgments, a practice I have seen justified in many Natal Charts". Morin, Book 21, Part II, Chapter IV

If we would use a scale from zero to 100%, the Ascendant is eighty (80) percent of the horoscope… If you accept this premise, then it's easy to appreciate that a thorough understanding based on creating a clear image of it is mandatory for a successful interpretation of a chart. This is why we say that its importance is pivotal. Without this awareness and appreciation, the astrologer will be led to make glaring errors about their client that may not only harm the client but also discredit the astrologer and this most magnificent discipline.

My teacher, the late Zoltan S. Mason ofNew York was asked once, “When a client comes for a one hour interpretation, how much time do you spend on the Ascendant?” His answer was 60 minutes… Everything must be judged through the Ascendant. This lesson reveals the pivotal importance of the Ascendant and delves deeply into the nature of the Ascendant and the factors that constitute it. By way of an introduction to elementary interpretation, we demonstrate our comments by analyzing a number of sample horoscopes, all with the same Ascendant.  

1. What we call the dispositor

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