About the Descendant
by Dr. Palōmi Rānī Sheth
We first begin exploring birth charts with the Primal Triad, or Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. We begin uncovering the conscious (Sun sign) and ego (rising sign) identities that we carry. We also explore the emotional territory (Moon sign) and its constitution. The Ascendant is named as such because it is on the eastern horizon where the Sun ascends into the sky at dawn. The Descendant, where the Sun descends under the horizon at dusk, is less commonly explored. Although they appear on opposite spectrums and hold polarity, they are deeply connected and carry vital tension worth examining in the psyche.
The Ascendant, as the cusp of our 1st house of Self and Identity, reveals the mask or costume we create for ourselves: the ego body we like to share with the world, and the identity we inhabit and shine through. Not all masks or costumes are false or artificial; however, it is notable that the “mask” is something we create so we can be perceived or seen in a particular way by others, an identity of sorts. It is also something we grow into as we age and become more confident in ourselves. The Descendant, on the other side of the horizon, indicates everything we don’t experience ourselves to be. However, whether we realize and actualize this or not, we are just as deeply informed by our 7th house qualities and archetypes as we are by those of our 1st house.
The Descendant, the cusp of our 7th house, is where we live out our unconscious or repressed desires, needs, fears, beliefs, expressions. Everything that we carry under the surface (unconscious or otherwise) lives in the 7th house of Other: partnership, intimate relations, chosen family, business partnerships, and open enemies. The Descendant can be explored through shadow work, uncovering, investigating, and finding the right relationship to the aspects we seemingly disavow, disconnect from, reject, and even don’t believe to be true about ourselves. This psychic dissociation can be profound.
Imagine moving through this Earth Walk believing that everything we are is connected to our outward expressions and emanations of Self, the ego body, or our conscious identifications — when truly, what we are also holding deeply within our subconscious is the metaphorical Other. We are carrying the complete polarities of characteristics and urges, and yet only feel connected to, or aware of one side of them (the Ascendant side). This can be a great cosmic illusion if we are unwilling to delve more deeply into these shadow expressions and commit to deeper reclamation of our entire Self.
Our 7th house reveals a fascinating, deeper resonance in our desires for partnership, others, and authentic intimacy. The qualities expressed through the 7th house are the ones we are attracted to and attracting from others, or furthermore, the qualities that we tend to project upon others when we want to carry those characteristics in ourselves.
Astrology provides the powerful medicine of uncovering all of ourselves: mapping the subconscious and unconscious aspects of our Selves, where we carry some form of disconnect, dissociation, or perhaps even the parts we project upon others to feel whole. Through the context of the Ascendant and Descendant axis of the chart, we realize how important it is for us to explore the edges of our consciousness, so that we can step into our own wholeness before forging ahead to create healthy partnerships and relationships. The more deeply we uncover our unconscious projections and urges through the lens of the Descendant, the more integrated we can become with what we are creating in designing our relationship with another.
Our healing and wholeness are in our own cosmic hands, with the support of community, healers, therapists, and guides. With more capacity to explore the qualities that we don’t believe we carry, or that we possibly reject in ourselves, the closer we come to encompassing our divine perfection to attract and magnify the relationships of our (literal, subconscious) dreams. In fact, we so profoundly crave these qualities of the 7th house, both in ourselves and in others, that we become aware of the inherent desire for wholeness in union in ourselves.
The Ascendant and Descendant, as opposite sides of the horizon, urge us to unite in our personal sky — an actual matrimony of the Self and Other. Oftentimes, though we may perceive ourselves through the lens of the Ascendant or 1st house, partners and others ironically perceive us through the lens of the Descendent or 7th house. Imagine that — those we relate to most closely often see us through our unconscious or repressed Self.
Ultimately, the greater journey towards personal awakening and empowerment stems from the potent, alchemical integration of our projected Self and our unconscious Self. Through the evolutionary astrology perspective, when we come into Union with ourselves (Ascendant and Descendant), we lay the blueprints for our greatest Soul’s work in this lifetime. Through our wholeness, we become magnificently creative, powerful, expressed, and authentically true. Raising our starry gaze to the meeting point of eastern and western horizons, we can be infinitely, ultimately, and radiantly complete within ourselves.
Published in: The Mountain Astrologer, Cancer Sol 2022.
Author:
Dr. Palōmi Rānī Sheth is an alchemist: both of eastern and western, artistic and scientific, embodiment and spirit. She is a professional astrologer, depth psychologist in-training, and early education as a medical doctor. Palōmi is practiced in diverse wisdom traditions, occult sciences, psychology, mysticism and Tibetan buddhist meditation. She is committed to human evolution, healing and transformation. With a profound ability to witness and deconstruct the human experience--her Soulprint astrology transmissions are an activation for your Soul.
Find her at: palomisheth.com
Follow her: @palomispiritmedicine
Email her: drpalomi@gmail.com
© 2022 - Dr. Palōmi Rānī Sheth
Taken from this issue:
This article was published in The Mountain Astrologer, Cancer Sol 2022 and can be purchased here.
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