Making Characters Human – Part 4

Making Characters Human – Part 4 ~ Rise and Shine
Up to now we’ve gone over the basics of character building and using a Sun Sign to develop inner personality and potential. In this article and the next we’re going to delve deeper and focus on more astrological factors concerning one’s personality, motivation and behavior. For this you will need the character’s ‘birth certificate’ and a way of attaining the Rising Sign for this article and Moon Sign for the last article. There are plenty of places on the internet where you can plug in the date, place and time of birth to learn this information, just type astrology charts in your search engine and voila. Should you not want to go that route, feel free to choose a sign from the lists provided and work from there.
“Rise and shine”
What’s a Rising Sign, also known as an Ascendant, you ask? It’s the zodiac sign that was coming over the eastern horizon – rising – at the exact time of your birth. Most experts in the field will say Ascendants indicate how you will express yourself, how you cope with daily issues, and that Ascendants reveal your physical self – the mask you wear for the world. They can also disclose how you will react to new people and situations. In addition, Ascendants are said to hide some aspects of your inner self. Then there are those who say Rising Signs indicate your inner self. No matter how you look at it, Rising Signs influence who you are almost as much as your Sun Sign and Moon Sign do. Please note, planet and house placements also play a part in how the natal chart works in developing a person, but for the sake of ease these last two articles will only focus on the basic parameters. Again, these lists are not comprehensive and should only be used for sparking your creative juices.
Key words/phrases for ~
~ Aries Rising: direct and quick; doers rather than thinkers; forthright and fair; youthful, direct manner; rarely hold grudges; do everything quickly; loves action; independent; attached to the people they hold dear; self-reliant; decision makers; may appear pushy or rude; has natural vigor; adaptable; tendency to oversimplify problems; strongly need a permanent relationship; can be assertive, energetic, selfish
~ Taurus Rising: capable, slow and steady; seem placid and easygoing; tremendous stamina and staying power; loyal; have personal presence/charm; resistant to change; stubborn and fixed in ways; takes practical approach to life; cautious and careful; single-minded; likes security and routine; can be self-indulgent; possessive in love; highly sensual people; seek identity through substance/possessions; likes to always be right; can be patient
~ Gemini Rising: curious; like to learn; like to mingle; can exude an air of impatience; clever; can be bubbly, changeable, talkative, and a little quirky or cool and intellectual; well developed powers of observation; tend to seek freedom and personal space; enjoy intellectual debates; prone to self-examination; make good partners; are encouraging; like using hands and are dexterous; often the life of the party; can appear excitable; can be versatile, restless
~ Cancer Rising: gentle, caring, sweet, compassionate; sensitive to/protective of environment; tend to act shy, withdraw and protect themselves in a new situation or in public; need structure and security in a relationship; likes well-defined rules in a relationship; family-oriented; can be talkative and moody; can be indirect and take things too personally; can be emotional, loving
~ Leo Rising: radiate energy and magnetism; loud; into personal appearance; self-aware; body conscious; can be rash; have temper tantrums; have plenty of staying power and drive; idealistic; can be bossy; demonstrative; have need to be admired; kid at heart; confident; can be generous, creative; organized; has great inner strength; needs partner with strong, independent mind
~ Virgo Rising: understated; shy; analytical; can be cool, critical, stand-offish; aware of body; concerned with physical health and diet; tend to worry; particular about tiny details; have charm; have lack of self-confidence; can be tender and loving when warm up to people; can easily give in; avoids conflict; can be modest, fussy, refined, soft spoken, witty
~ Libra Rising: refined, delicate features; beauty and charm; strong sense of style; attractive; personable; can be easygoing, gullible, nice, pleasant, fair, persuasive; need a partner to lean on; can be self-satisfied; tend to take a line of least resistance; attracted to competent, active partners; can bicker and be competitive in relationships
~ Scorpio Rising: keen sense of purpose; private, secretive; can be possessive, jealous; can be passionate, intense, magnetic, ;need to control; have a lot of presence; seem to look right through people; expert at strategy; drawn to down-to-earth, natural partners; reliability is important; can use manipulation or deception; prone to powerful, intense feelings
~ Sagittarius Rising: somewhat restless, active people; adventurous, explorers; enthusiastic, positive; hopeful; lacks follow through; can be direct, jovial, happy go lucky, philosophical, intellectual; insights are interesting and exciting; love telling others opinions; overly optimistic; great sense of humor; truth seekers; need challenges; naturally self-confident; level headed; need friendship as well as physical intimacy in a relationship
~ Capricorn Rising: can be over or under-confident, positive or negative, depending upon the circumstance; warm and caring; can be prudent, disciplined, calculating, quiet, reserved, responsible, hard-working, dependable ; may be a worrier; need order; project competence; very image-conscious; has strong sense of tradition, family; has driven personality; want to appear successful
~ Aquarius Rising: forward-thinking; progressive; friendly; open; can be sarcastic, full of contradictions, magnetic, independent, humane, distant, private, kind, loving, provocative, irreverent; tends to worry about health or have disdain for medical care; unique and original; tends to dress in off-beat manner; can be resistant to change and stubborn; adept at getting things to work
~ Pisces Rising: sentimental; practice good-will, love peace; intuitive, sensitive to others; tendency for moods to change; can be imaginative, vague, artistic, quiet, shy, dreamy; tends to take on color of surroundings; not a natural leader; can be critical of partners; impressionable; doesn’t have strong decision making skills; need practical, realistic partner; have sensitivity to drugs, irresistible charm


Sources:
http://www.astrology.com/
http://www.cafeastrology.com
Gerwick-Brodeur, M and L. Lenard. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Astrology, 2nd ed. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2000.
Parker, Julia and Derek. KISS Guide to Astrology. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.