Looking for love in cosmic places? You might want to learn more about your descendant sign in astrology. Located on the opposite side of the zodiac wheel to your rising sign, your descendant is the point in your natal chart that indicates partnership compatibility—including major soul mate energy. Beyond the moon and Venus (which are great points to weigh compatibility), “[The descendant is] arguably the most important point in the chart for understanding our relationship dynamics,” explains numerologist and astrologer, Erin River Sunday.
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Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the descendant, a little primer on its opposite point, the ascendant aka your rising sign. This is the point that colors how you express or portray your energy. On the other hand, your descendant is what you draw in in terms of relationships.
Both the descendant and ascendant work together as they discern a self/others dynamic. “That sign may fundamentally value the same principles as you do, but goes about it completely differently,” says astrologer and tarot card reader Maria Sofia Marmanides. “And that’s another reason the descendant rules over the house of partnerships, committed relationships, and marriage—the people we pull in or desire as partners.”
Note that your descendant isn’t the only thing you should consider when it comes to compatibility. If you want to understand how marriage and partnerships appear on your birth chart, first pop over to a birth chart generator like this one. Then, Marmanides recommends you look to the sign that rules your descendant, and any planets in the 7th house, as well as where the ruler of the sign of the descendant resides in your natal chart. With compatibility readings, you can also see if your partner has planets that are in your descendant sign.
Learn all about the descendant in astrology, including how it works together with your ascendant, and how to use it to improve your love life.
What is the descendant in astrology?
When you look at your birth chart as a whole, you essentially see a pie-shaped chart with designated astrological houses and points. The point in your birth chart called the descendant is located on the cusp of your 7th house (or 3 o’clock on your chart). “Rather than a planet, it’s a mathematical point in the sky that marks the horizon line and the sunset of the birth chart,” Sunday explains.
“It’s indicative of the types of partnership energy we bring to the table, as well as, often, the types of people we attract.”—Erin River Sunday, astrologer
Astrologically, your descendant illustrates relationships as a whole. “It’s indicative of the types of partnership energy we bring to the table, as well as, often, the types of people we attract,” says Sunday. In other words, your descendant discerns your relationship needs and the traits that balance you both out.
Okay, so how do the descendant and ascendant signs work together?
What’s the difference between the descendant and ascendant?
Think about the descendant as being the relational part of your chart while your ascendant is how you show up in the world. If you want to delve deeper than your sun sign, your ascendant is where you’ll notice qualities that you exert and want to show others—it’s even revered as your “social mask” (but it’s so much deeper than that).
Meanwhile, the opposite end, where the descendant lies, is all about your relationship with other people and represents qualities that you long for or even admire in someone else. “The descendant can hold projections that you place on other people, and the ascendant can hold projections that people place on you,” says Sunday.
“The descendant can hold projections that you place on other people, and the ascendant can hold projections that people place on you.”—Erin River Sunday, astrologer
The ascendant/descendant axis is essentially a yin and yang energy as it seamlessly blends both how you express yourself and how you work well with others. “They are two sides of the same coin and while the descendant is often described as being ‘the other,’” explains Sunday. “It’s also just the opposite side of yourself that comes out specifically within your one-on-one partnerships.”
Because of their distance from each other in your chart, Sunday says that it can feel like these desires and needs are at odds with each other. “This fact also makes it irresistible to pursue, as we often chase the things that feel furthest away,” she adds. “While opposites, they’re inherently connected and are both about relating with the world—one does it internally (the ascendant), while the other does it externally (descendant).”
How to use your descendant sign to improve your love life
When it comes to astrological compatibility, Sunday says it’s difficult to gloss over the descendant placement. After all, this is the place that colors the qualities you’re drawn to and the ideal relationship dynamic that best suits your needs.
You can use this to better understand how you relate to other people, along with understanding what allows you to thrive on an individual level. Likewise, improving your love life using the descendant works similarly by identifying the way your partner or prospects shine, as well as their needs in a relationship.
But discerning compatibility is more than comparing the descendant points between you and another person. “It’s a highly sensitive area and if the person you’re in a relationship with (platonic or otherwise) has any planets that sit on it, or near it, you will feel it in your life,” Sunday explains.
For example, if someone’s sun sign is sitting on top of your descendant, “They might embody and shine like the exact person you hope to be within a partnership,” explains Sunday. It matters, though, which planets in someone’s chart are in conjunction with your descendant. Per Sunday, someone’s Venus sign, aka the planet of beauty and romance, on top of your descendant may indicate an instant attraction to them. “If your Saturn is sitting on someone else’s descendant, however, it could bring a lot of karmic learning lessons between you,” adds Sunday.
How to find your descendant sign
To find your descendant sign, you can book a session with an astrologer, who’ll use your birth information, such as the date, birth time, and birthplace, to discern your chart. If that’s not available to you, you can always plug in the same details in a birth chart calculator. Look to the point in your chart located at 3 o’clock, which is also your 7th house.
Aries Rising/Libra Descendant
Aries siding is a sign that’s all about the self, and they’re going to look for someone who is all about people other than themselves and can easily mediate conflict (something they’re personally good at confronting, BTW).
“For an independent and freedom-loving rising sign like Aries, you value ideals like bravery,” says Marmanides. “Having Libra on the Descendant means that you seek a partner who is brave enough to desire partnership, despite knowing how vulnerable emotional commitment can make you. It’s wanting someone unafraid to love love.”
Taurus Rising/Scorpio Descendant
Oh, Taurus rising. You’re a comfort-seeking sign who’s going to be led to the water with some kind illusive, alluring—a real leans-the-wall-looking-so-jaded-because-the-world-makes-them-weary type.
“As a Taurus rising, you naturally embody steadiness and stability, appearing to others as calm and reserved, but with Scorpio as your descendant, you may find that you’re attracted to someone who exudes tons of mystery and intrigue,” says Marmanides. “While their surface seems intensely impenetrable, you will want to see what depths are underneath.”
Gemini Rising/Sagittarius Descendant
A communicative Gemini rising wants a big-hearted, big-picture thinker, and with Sagittarius as the descendant ruler, they’ll find someone who doesn’t just think big—but lives even bigger.
“Gemini rising can question themselves a lot, and there will be an allure to someone who embodies the principle of not thinking and analyzing so much and actually going out there and doing it,” says Marmanides.
Cancer Rising/Capricorn Descendant
Cancer risings are empathetic and internally motivated, so they’re attracted to Capricorn, who possesses extrinsic motivation, melding together like a little housewife/husband and businessman/wife couple.
“Cancer risings are creatures of comfort and stability,” Marmanides says. “They crave a stable home unit, and as a cardinal sign, will value status. Having the descendant in Capricorn means they will seek partners who can bring that sense of ambition and protection into securing a loving and loyal home and family unit.”
Leo Rising/Aquarius Descendant
A courageous Leo rising will be super into theatrics: drama and creativity, so they’ll appreciate that Aquarian flair, which is all about rebellion and loud acts of progress—and flourish.
“Naturally, you will seek out partners who are unconventional in their approach, whether that’s how they express their love language or whether they present as quirky or unique,” says Marmanides. “For someone who lives their life straight from the heart, it will be intriguing for a Leo rising to be with someone who plays their emotions closer to the chest.”
Virgo Rising/Pisces Descendant
According to Marmanides, Virgo risings are helpers and the doers of the zodiac, so when they look across the way, they see Pisces’ big heart right on their sleeve. They’ll instantly want to rescue them, even if that person doesn’t need rescuing.
“Virgos spend a lot of time in their heads and can get into minutiae, so someone who embodies Piscean qualities of spirituality and idealism will serve as an attractive counterbalance to their potential for cynicism or pragmatism,” Marmanides says.
Libra Rising/Aries Descendant
Remember, relationship-oriented Libra is constantly seeking out an S.O., and they’ll find someone who embodies Aries’ independent and action-forward qualities VERY sexy.
“Libra is known for their charm and grace, keeping the peace, and always considering the other’s viewpoint,” says Marmanides. “Which is what will make Aries so attractive, because it will make Libra fantasize about the kind of person who could live life completely on their own terms.”
Scorpio Rising/Taurus Descendant
Scorpio risings seek deep connections and will find Taurus effortlessly attractive. With this match-up, you have someone who keeps things hidden from the world and they’ll be magnetically attracted to their up-front opposite.
“Scorpios are often a mystery, even to themselves, which is what will make a Taurus so alluring to them, because Taurus embodies authenticity,” says Marmanides. “What you see is what you get, and they are unabashed about saying what they value, what they want, and when. It will intrigue Scorpio for someone to be that direct.”
Sagittarius Rising/Gemini Descendant
Adventure-seeking Sagittarius is drawn to the insatiably curious Gemini, who knows what it takes to keep the flames of passion sparking and alive.
“A Sagittarius rising is someone who is always craving an adventure—whether it’s a literal traveling expedition or an intellectually stimulating sparring match,” says Marmanides. “With Gemini as the descendant ruler, they will seek out partners who know a lot about a lot—someone who will keep them on their toes and they’ll never grow bored by.”
Capricorn Rising/Cancer Descendant
Again, Capricorn and Cancer are a traditional-type of relationship, with Cap finding a natural comfort in Cancer after coming home from a hard day at work.
“Known for climbing corporate ladders, Capricorn risings embody material success and ambition,” says Marmanides. “What will make Cancer alluring to Capricorn is that they will see how much richer their lives can be when they shift to focusing on emotional wealth and investments.”
Aquarius Rising/Leo Descendant
While romance isn’t exactly an Aquarius rising’s forte, they’ll find a constant spark in Leo’s bravery and warmth, which can melt the icy sign’s aloofness away effortlessly.
“Aquarius will be drawn to Leo traits because they see someone who is unafraid of putting themselves out there, being authentically themselves, and is game for building a utopian kingdom with them,” says Marmanides.
Pisces Rising/Virgo Descendant
A Pisces rising knows no limits when it comes to love, which will complement its Virgo descendant because they balance out each other’s romantic needs.
“Pisces risings are known as the dreamers and they can embody traits that are more ephemeral, esoteric, or spiritual,” says Marmanides. “They’ll gravitate towards partners that are more practical, dependable and committed, but who still live their life trying to help make the world a better place, through acts of dedicated service.”
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