tension between the ascendant and midheaven; part two
this is a continuation of part one.
many people will have their ascendant and midheaven signs square one another in their charts, meaning the signs will be of the same quality (cardinal, fixed, mutable). the struggle presents itself due to the ascendant’s presentation of identity and approach to life, vs. the midheaven’s presentation of the person’s desired public image, i.e. the person they wish to become, or wish to be viewed as.
this post applies to charts that don’t necessarily have the ascendant and midheaven aspecting one another (as we’re looking more so at how the signs present themselves in these positions), however the tension will present more strongly should they aspect.
libra ascendant – cancer midheaven
libra risings tend to come off as charming, able to meld into different social groups with fair ease. they care about how others see them, generally preoccupied with making sure others like them and enjoy their presence. in this sense, they’re rather persuasive. however, there tends to be a detachment involved, and they can become more aloof when others get too close. they don’t want to roil the waters, so they tend to be overly agreeable. thanks to their venus influence, they tend to be romantics, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses (much like cancer risings).
the cancer midheaven struggles with libra’s elusiveness and wishes to be more in tune with their emotions. while they are similar in that others want to be around both signs, others go to cancer because of it’s nurturing, comforting presence – traits that libra can struggle with expressing outwardly to others. this is not to say that libras are unemotional, but they don’t want to be seen as disagreeable or “other”; for them, closing off their emotions and opinions, and instead mirroring those of others, is an easy solution. being a fairly emotional sign, cancer wishes to ease down the walls that libra has built around her emotions. growing into this midheaven will require becoming more expressive of their emotions around others, and learning that they can stand to be divisive sometimes.
how they work together: both signs enjoy being nurtured, and find a common ground in seeking peace and comfort. libra is able to bring on the charm, generally accepted by many, which is beneficial to the cancer midheaven’s desire to be helpful to others. others may see this person as not only pleasant to be around, but someone who is deeply caring; a good fit for public services.
people with these placements: venus williams, britney spears, denzel washington, leonardo dicaprio, paula abdul, jennifer aniston, stevie wonder, ewan mcgregor, kendrick lamar
scorpio ascendant – leo midheaven
scorpio risings tend to come off as reserved and private, which can manifest as being quiet and mysterious or upfront, but not altogether open. they tend to be intense observers of their environment, preferring to be on the outskirts of the party rather than in the center of it. there’s an air of intensity that can intrigue or intimidate others. not fans of surface-level interactions; they would rather be able to read and know others deeply before, if ever, letting others know them the same way.
the leo midheaven wishes to be more open and upfront with themselves, particularly their needs and desires. leo struggles with scorpio’s private nature, and wants to challenge them to let go of their need for control of how others view them. scorpio may struggle with owning or tapping into their intense nature, while leo may see this as an opportunity to use that passion to get to the top. that’s what leo wants, after all – they strive for leadership positions, a spot where they’re respected and, they hope, adored. growing into this midheaven will require scorpio to move more towards the center of attention, owning their passionate nature and letting the world see them as they are – in essence, owning that transformative quality pluto provides.
how they work together: this combination can bring about powerful leaders, with leo’s charm and scorpio’s presence, a mix of being behind the scenes and on the stage. their fixed quality, alongside scorpio’s observational trait, also ensures that their goals will be well-planned and worked towards to the end, making these leaders trustworthy and dependable. these tend to be the executives of the all the duos. others may see this person as mysterious and strategic, yet fun, never settling for less than they deserve in work.
people with these placements: ryan coogler, robin williams, katharine hepburn, james franco, nicole kidman, aretha franklin, chris pratt, chaka khan, grace kelly
sagittarius ascendant – virgo midheaven
sagittarius risings tend to be friendly types, attracted to interesting people and attracting others to their optimistic personality. they have a curious nature that keeps them open to new people and places, however can also make them somewhat flighty; feeling trapped in their situation or surroundings can agitate them. this flightiness can lead to a lack of stability, and they’re usually on the move if they can help it. typically not the type to be tied down.
the virgo midheaven wishes to feel more grounded, particularly in daily routines. this stability is critical for virgo, a sign that generally wants control over themselves and their surroundings, but can make sagittarius run the other way. this isn’t to say that sagittarians don’t want stability ever, however their nature is that doing the same routines day in and day out runs them down. virgo can also get particularly invested in a few select things, while sagittarius wants to explore it all. growing into this midheaven will mean finding a routine that fits their lifestyle and offers them stability, without sacrificing their curiosity and need to be on the move.
how they work together: sagittarius’ curious and friendly nature can open a number of opportunities for them, whether it be in meeting people, finding new professions, or being in new places. paired with virgo’s drive to help others, this duo can be seen in the world of activism, or even comedy, serving as a channel to ease others’ struggles. others may see this person as friendly and intelligent, with a grounded work ethic that focuses on helping others.
people with these placements: margaret cho, bo burnham, mark ruffalo, erykah badu, brad pitt, sarah silverman, shel silverstein, jessica biel, patti page
capricorn ascendant – libra midheaven
capricorn risings tend to be seen as rather serious types, and they’re usually somewhat, if very, reclusive. they’re realistic and responsible, which can make them seem like “all work and no play” types. this isn’t entirely true, but they do believe in having high work ethics in order to reach their goals; they don’t mind sacrificing some things in order to get the job done. they’re very independent, and will often find difficulty in reaching out for help, believing they can accomplish things themselves.
the libra midheaven wishes to be a bit more social, dependent, and self-nurturing. libra is the sign of balance and others, and is frequently associated with partnership – something that independent capricorn can struggle to accept. libra is also ruled by venus and seeks out the pleasurable things in life, like beauty and aesthetics, and wants to enjoy a life of peace. meanwhile, capricorn believes in hard work, and his saturn influence brings forth a mindset of “there is no reward without struggle.” growing into this midheaven will require easing some of those burdens placed on the ascendant through accepting help and indulging in more pleasurable parts of life.
how they work together: both of these signs tend towards the theme of fairness, with capricorn’s innate knowledge of the hard work that must be put in to receive, and libra’s wish for equality and balance. libra introduces a social quality that draws people to them due to their charm, balancing capricorn’s more reserved and serious nature. meanwhile, goal-oriented capricorn can give clear direction to otherwise airy libra. others may see this person as stern and hardworking, while being able to band people together and be a charming mediator in their work.
people with these placements: tiffany haddish, billie joe armstrong, jamie brewer, willie mays, mark hamill, leslie uggams, john belushi,
aquarius ascendant – scorpio midheaven
aquarius risings tend to be somewhat eccentric, with a curious, questioning nature that encourages them to communicate and explore. they’re all about making connections, and enjoy being with others, especially involving groups; however, they’re also highly independent, and can seem detached at times. their individuality is very important to their sense of self. ruled by uranus, they look to rebel against the status quo, and easily move with the fast-changing world.
the scorpio midheaven wishes to be more private and more selective about its emotional passions – or, get emotionally involved in general. while aquarius certainly enjoys being with others, that doesn’t equate to being emotionally invested; scorpio, on the other hand, tends to hold off on getting close until that emotional investment is secured. aquarius tends to be an open book, quite literally wearing their rebellious nature on their sleeve, while scorpio is more mysterious and hard to read. growing into this midheaven will require being more selective about what is revealed, and who is to be trusted; not losing those connections with others, but bringing a stronger emotional investment into close relationships.
how they work together: there’s a level of being misunderstood present with both of these signs, as well as a level of transformation – aquarius on the societal level, and scorpio on the personal level. together, they want to look deep into the functions of society and figure out its workings, uncovering secrets and looking where others don’t want to. others may see this person as unique with a different viewpoint on life, while being deeply invested in the world’s darker subjects on some level – possibly transformative – in their work.
people with these placements: billie holiday, amy poehler, matt damon, jim morrison, barack obama, adam goldberg, john coltrane, leann rimes, anthony rapp
pisces ascendant – sagittarius midheaven
pisces risings tend to have a dreamy, not-altogether-there aura to them, but others are drawn to them because of their compassionate and intuitive nature. they’re shy and very emotional, with a tendency to either wear their heart on their sleeve or ride out the waves internally. one of the more passive risings signs, they can be easily swayed, tending to be a follower rather than a leader. they are gentle souls, romantics and dreamers to the core.
the sagittarius midheaven wants to introduce more independence and be more direct. pisces is an others-driven sign, dependent on how others and their surroundings “feel” and morphing themselves accordingly. sagittarius is not as emotionally connected, which encourages their flightiness; they are driven by their curiosities and personal wants. sagittarius is also more direct and optimistic in communicating his emotions, while pisces can be indirect, bordering on pessimistic. growing into this midheaven will mean finding a sturdier sense of self, which can then manifest independence and easier communications.
how they work together: mutable and both ruled by jupiter, these signs are especially flexible and seem to function on a different plane of existence. this can be a difficult duo in the traditional workplace, as there’s nothing grounded about either of them. they’re both rather spiritual in nature, guided by their whims and not particularly materialistic. pisces’ creative and artistic nature, combined with sagittarius’ need for movement and action, can lead to working on their own terms, such as in art or freelance. others may see this person as gentle and compassionate, while searching endlessly to feed their curiosities in their work.
people with these placements: whitney houston, adam driver, morgan freeman, rosemary clooney, krysten ritter, tony hawk, peter dinklage, demi moore, kajol
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