Weekly Predictions... Taurus (Jan 21 - Jan 27,'13)

You begin the week feeling intensely practical — and that is exactly the right attitude for you! Do what needs to be done. Tuesday and Wednesday are tricky for you in serious parts of life, notably business and finance, so you may need to put off any fun activities or interludes until those matters are under control. The end of the week is perfect for asking out cute strangers or flirting with that one customer at work who seems interesting — if you’re single, take a risk! The weekend demands some conciliation from everyone, so expect to meet halfway.

Career & Finance

Your usual practicality and dependable decision-making skills are missing in action as the week gets under way — but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Leave signing on any dotted lines for later, and take advantage of your revved-up creativity and perception. After midweek, you’re extra personable and communicating with flair. Schedule working dinners and job-related socializing for Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. This weekend, you have an opportunity to build an important alliance — or you may be drawn into a power struggle. Choose carefully.

Love & Relationships

Monday and Tuesday may not seem like the sexiest days of the week, but with you around it’s absolutely the case. You’re feeling happy and affectionate, and the world’s reciprocating. From Wednesday through sometime Friday, your words flow like quicksilver, and they’re just as shiny and pretty — watch out, though, for getting ahead of yourself. You’re liable to say more than you really want to, or more than you mean. By the weekend, you’re more grounded, your instincts are telling you all you need to know, and you’ve still got that silver tongue, so why not take a romantic risk?

What is an Ascendant/Rising Sign?

The Ascendant (also known the "rising sign") is the sign on the cusp of the first house of the natal chart. It is the sign (and degree of that sign) that is rising on the Eastern horizon at the moment of birth, with respect to the place of birth.

The Ascendant is one of the four angles of the chart. The other three are the Descendant (directly opposite the Ascendant), the Imum Coeli (IC), and the Midheaven (MC).

The Ascendant defines, in part, the first impression we make on others in a personal rather than professional sense. It represents our physical appearance, our physical bodies and overall health, and the body ego. The Ascendant is often referred to as the mask we wear, although I don't consider it to be as superficial as this might suggest. What it does represent is our natural and personal defence mechanisms that we use to adapt to, and cope with, our environment.

The Ascendant also shows our first impressions of the world around us, and reveals our expectations of the world around us--whether we are naturally hesitant or enthusiastic, for example. How we begin new projects, and our attitude towards new experiences come under the rule of the Ascendant.