The ascendant, or rising sign, most strongly affects how you outwardly display your personality, so if you have a Taurus ascendant, then you are most likely to display personality traits of a Taurus to others. While your deepest core traits will likely reflect your sun sign, when you have Taurus as your ascendent, your persona and outward display of personality will most likely be Taurus.
Taurus Ascendant Is Your Public Persona
Your ascendant is the sign that was rising in the eastern sky at the moment of your birth, so in order to calculate it, you must know your time and location of birth. People with a Taurus ascendent had Taurus rising on the eastern horizon when they were born. Having Taurus in your natal chart as your rising sign affects your public persona. That is, it affects how you outwardly display yourself to the world and the image you project. Therefore, when you have Taurus rising, your demeanor and outward behavior will most closely reflect the Taurus personality traits, but your inner world and true personality will adhere more closely to your sun sign. The first impression you give to others will include mostly Taurus personality traits or a blend of your sun sign traits and Taurus aspects.
Traits Associated With Taurus Rising
Taurus is fixed earth, which is the most inherently grounded and stable of all of the zodiac signs. So if you have Taurus as your rising sign, chances are at least outwardly, you appear to be extremely grounded, steady, stable, and at times even intractable. The steadying, stable, earthy influence on Taurus rising will result in a number of displayed personality traits.
Steady
Taurus in your ascendant makes you appear to be "steady as she goes." And while your sun sign may fill your personality with inner turmoil, the influence of Taurus keeps your outer demeanor as calm as a placid lake on a windless day, and others appreciate your cool head in a crisis and the sense of calmness you can bring to any situation.
Stubborn
Of course, steadiness can quickly turned to outward stubbornness as the fixed earth aspect of Taurus exerts its influence on you. When you believe in something, you dig in and are seldom swayed by others. Since Taurus is your ascendant, others may perceive you as obstinate and unyielding when you stand up for what you believe in.
Creature of Habit
The same influence that makes Taurus rising steady and stubborn can also make you a creature of habit. You may have a number of habits you've cultivated over years such as always drinking the same cocktail or ordering the same entrée at a restaurant, picking out the same colors of clothes to wear every day, or never changing your hairstyle.
Aesthetic
Taurus is ruled by Venus, which is the planet of aesthetics. Therefore, people with Taurus in their rising sign often have a keen eye and a love of all things beautiful. Others may praise your impeccable taste in fashion, décor, music, and cuisine. You enjoy the finer things in life, and you like to share them with others (or display them for others). Regardless, you have great taste and a love of all things beautiful. Chances are, when you leave the house, you're always well turned out, and others appreciate how well put together you appear to be.
Vain
That love for aesthetics can also slip out of balance and become vanity. Taurus rising may make you the queen (or king) of selfies, and that's perfectly okay to a point. Just don't become so obsessed with how you appear to others that you lose what's truly important and beautiful about you. Even if that outward appearance of vanity may hide insecurities underneath driven by your sun and moon signs, others may not recognize that's what's happening.
Materialistic
Outsiders may see Taurus rising as materialistic when to you, it's simply that you appreciate the finer things in life. This love for things that look, feel, smell, sound, and taste beautiful causes you to seek the best of the best so you can experience true sensory luxury. Of course, there's a secondary aspect to what appears to others to be materialistic traits: you also accumulate possessions because it makes you feel secure, and the drive for security is extremely important for Taurus rising.
Prosperous
Fortunately, as Taurus ascendant matures, he also becomes more financially secure and prosperous. In early days, young Taurus rising may struggle for money because he spends so much time worrying about having enough to feel secure. As he ages and matures, however, Taurus parlays this worry about financial security into the accumulation of goods and monies that he sets aside for a rainy day. This bodes well financially for Taurus, although he may never feel as if he has enough to be completely secure.
Pack Rat
The problem with never feeling totally financially secure, however, is that you tend to accumulate stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. And while to you, you're hanging onto your possessions because they have value and purpose for a possible rainy day, others may see this propensity to collect and hold on to stuff as being just a little bit pack-rattish. Out of balance, Taurus rising has the highest potential of any ascendant for achieving hoarder status, so a good clean out every year or so to toss out things that truly serve no purpose for you is a great idea to keep your pack rat tendencies in check.
Patient
Taurus rising is very good at the waiting game. Her earthy steadiness renders her extremely patient. She'll wait as long as it takes to achieve or receive what she truly desires.
Persistent
Taurus ascendants are also quite persistent. This combines with his patience and makes him a force to be reckoned with when he goes after something he wants. Because of the combination of patience, persistence, and prosperity, Taurus is often successful in the endeavors he takes on - he'll see a project through to the end no matter how long or how much effort it takes, and the outcome will usually be quite successful.
Physical Traits of Taurus Ascendant
Because the ascendant affects outward appearance, your physical appearance will most likely reflect the Taurus in your chart.
Attractive
Taurus rising tends to have an attractive face with even features and great skin.
Short Stature
Many people with Taurus rising have short stature or, at most, they achieve average height.
Stout
Taurus ascendants may also be somewhat stout - although often this is due to strong musculature versus being overfat. They also have a strong appearing neck.
Square
Think of a bull, and you'll get the idea of why Taurus rising has such a strong outer appearance. The stamina, work ethic, and body type of Taurus ascendant makes the overall appearance look a little square - steady, sturdy, solid, and strong.
Taurus Ascendant Compatibility
People with Taurus in the ascendant will likely be compatible with sun signs and rising signs that are similar to those compatible with Taurus sun sign. Therefore, Taurus rising will pair well with other earth and water sun or rising signs, including Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, Pisces, and Cancer, and Scorpio.
Celebrities With Taurus Rising
You can get an idea of how Taurus affects outward appearance by looking at a few celebs with Taurus in the ascendant.
- Model Gigi Hadid
- Fashion designer Donatella Versace
- Civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Everyone's favorite sparkly vampire (and actor) Robert Pattinson
- Late night talk show host David Letterman
Making the Most of the Taurus Ascendant
At its most positive expression, having the Taurus ascendant in your chart makes you steady, reliable, attractive, and often quite successful. Seeking balance in all things by engaging in activities such as trying new things and throwing away items past their used-by date can help bring balance to Taurus rising to allow the most positive expression of this aspect of your natal chart.
