The First house starts with the point that is known as the Ascendant. This is the Eastern Horizon of the chart. If you are looking at a circular astrology chart it is the middle point of the arc on the left hand side. At the time of a persons birth there will be a certain set of stars on this Eastern Horizon , this is therefore also commonly referred to as the Rising Sign. Our web site is called RisingPisces as this was the sign on the Eastern Horizon when this author was born. Of course sometimes the stars are not visible but nevertheless each of us has our set of stars somewhere out there to the East just at the time we were born. Astrology says that as the child looks towards these stars or sign so literally this is his or her way of looking at the world. It is his perception or filter on the world out there that colours everything he sees. It is his way of relating to his environment and the way he gets feedback from that environment. As you can imagine this is a fundamental and essential part of a human being and indeed a major part of the astrological picture of a person. Some would say the Rising Sign is the most major day to day attribute we exhibit in the world although of course the Sun and the Moon and the other planets are also of fundamental importance.
If a person would have a Scorpio ascendant or Rising Sign they may see a world that is filled potentially with danger. They may be fairly slow to show their feelings however their intensity and sexuality would be quite evident for all to see. Someone with a Sagittarian Ascendant on the other hand may see the world as a big adventure with lots to be done and challenges to be overcome. They would come across generally as positive and bright people.
The Ascendant is very much the seed and essence of the First House. Who am I and how do I relate to the world out there. The First House is a Fire House. Fire is concerned with inspiration and emergence of a new desire or idea. It is naturally ruled by the sign of Aries and has many of the same characteristics. It is the child of the zodiac opening his eyes to a big world out there. It is the start of the journey. The first house is very much me me me. It's about a person establishing their own nature and their needs. A child when he is first born has to have his needs met and there is no time for thought of another. Literally a child grasps his hands together in an effort to grab what is out there. A person cannot go out into the world and achieve things until fundamentally he has his own needs met and his own self established. Later on we will see the opposite position, the Descendant, which starts the Seventh House and which is about one person relating to another.
A Person with many planets in the First house tends to come across quite up front , what you see is generally what you get. Their focus in life will tend to be around establishing their identity in the world. The Ascendant and the First House are also about new beginnings so the person will focus much of their energy on new projects and new adventures and will have a strong initiating quality about them.
Planets close to the Ascendant and in the First House strongly colour a persons character.
With Venus in the First House, a persons love or desire will be for discovering who they are and they may be quite self absorbed. There may also be a lot of charm and beauty and grace about the person. With Mars in the First House the person will come across fairly forcefully, they will be blessed with a lot of energy to go out and achieve new things.