The Role of Descendant in Self-improvement

In astrology, ascendant (or lagna) is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon when a person was born. Descendant, on the other hand, refers to the opposite sign on the western horizon. In a birth chart, the former roughly corresponds to the first house, while the latter is related to the seventh house. The ascendant is the most important factor in determining a person’s personality, primary self-expression, and physical constitution. As the opposite point, the descendant shows how we relate to others and what kind of friendships and romantic relationships we are likely to form.

From the perspective of self-improvement, the descendant can provide us with information about what opposite traits and attitudes we need to develop to grow as human beings. As these qualities may not always be fully present in our lives (or we may deny, repress, or refuse to acknowledge their existence), it is important to step out of our comfort zone and broaden our inner horizons. The following is a list of all twelve signs with the corresponding opposites and their specific qualities.

• If your ascendant is Aries, then the opposite sign is Libra. Aries individuals tend to be strong-willed, spontaneous, independent, direct, impulsive, and fond of taking initiative. Friendships and relationships with individuals who are more balanced, diplomatic, polite, compromising, and soft-spoken will help you develop a sense of tact, self-control, and subtlety, as well as make you more considerate of other people’s feelings.

• If your ascendant is Taurus, then the opposite sign is Scorpio. Taurus individuals tend to be stable, enduring, grounded, loyal, reliable, consistent, and oriented towards outer security. Friendships and relationships with individuals who are more mysterious, passionate, magnetic, vulnerable, possessive, and intense will awaken in you a need for inner security.

• If your ascendant is Gemini, then the opposite sign is Sagittarius. Gemini individuals tend to be curious, multi-talented, experimental, restless, playful, changeable, impatient, communicative, and friendly. Friendships and relationships with people who are more philosophical, idealistic, and well-educated will help you develop a deeper sense of faith and direction in your life.

• If your ascendant is Cancer, then the opposite sign is Capricorn. Cancer individuals tend to be emotional, sensitive, adaptable, intuitive, gentle, and nurturing. Friendships and relationships with people who are more responsible, dutiful, hard-working, ambitious, conservative, hardened, rational, and detached will help you develop outer security, control your moods better, and make you more achievement-oriented.

• If your ascendant is Leo, then the opposite sign is Aquarius. Leo individuals tend to be secure, confident, warm, dynamic, friendly, ambitious, charismatic, aristocratic, and dramatic. Friendships and relationships with people who are more innovative, intellectual, reserved, self-critical, eccentric, and democratic will help you become detached from your self-centred tendencies and work more for the benefit of others.

• If your ascendant is Virgo, then the opposite sign is Pisces. Virgo individuals tend to be practical, perfectionist, detail-oriented, analytical, organised, and orderly. Friendships and relationships with people who are more idealistic, compassionate, devotional, carefree, nonchalant, intuitive, flexible, and imaginative will help you be less uptight about the practical and mundane value of your actions.

• If your ascendant is Libra, then the opposite sign is Aries. Libra individuals tend to be diplomatic, balanced, polite, compromising, and tactful. Friendships and relationships with people who are more impulsive, wilful, assertive, independent, and direct will help you become less indecisive and more independent or courageous in your actions.

• If your ascendant is Scorpio, then the opposite sign is Taurus. Scorpio individuals tend to be mysterious, vulnerable, passionate, magnetic, possessive, and intense. Friendships and relationships with people who are more stable, down-to-earth, consistent, enduring, and loyal will help you control your passionate energy, develop outer security, and find more stability in life.

• If your ascendant is Sagittarius, then the opposite sign is Gemini. Sagittarius individuals tend to be idealistic, philosophical, and well-educated. Friendships and relationships with people who are more curious, multi-talented, experimental, restless, playful, changeable, impatient, communicative, and friendly will help you develop a sense of fun and play, put your ideals to a practical use, and fulfil your need for intellectual stimulation.

• If your ascendant is Capricorn, then the opposite sign is Cancer. Capricorn individuals tend to be responsible, dutiful, hard-working, ambitious, conservative, hardened, rational, and detached. Friendships and relationships with people who are more emotional, sensitive, intuitive, gentle, adaptable, and nurturing will help you become less uptight about your emotional self-expression and make you more aware of your inner needs.

• If your ascendant is Aquarius, then the opposite sign is Leo. Aquarius individuals tend to be innovative, intellectual, self-critical, reserved, detached, eccentric, and democratic. Friendships and relationships with people who are more secure, confident, warm, dynamic, friendly, ambitious, charismatic, aristocratic, and dramatic will help you recognise your own individuality and uniqueness.

• If your ascendant is Pisces, then the opposite sign is Virgo. Pisces individuals tend to be idealistic, compassionate, devotional, carefree, nonchalant, intuitive, flexible, and imaginative. Friendships and relationships with people who are more practical, perfectionist, detail-oriented, analytical, organised, and orderly will help you focus your energy, put realistic frames into your boundless ideals, develop proper work ethic, and become more aware of your duties.