Sun and Ascendant: aspect cards

Sun conjunct the Ascendant makes your inner self and the image people see one and the same. People tend to recognise you at once and feel your confidence from the first meeting. What you are and what you show are almost identical, so you come across as direct. The thing to watch is that when you stand out all the time, other people's space may shrink without your noticing.

• Your identity and the personality people see agree with each other
• You draw attention from the first meeting

• You hold the stage until others have no room
• You forget to notice how listeners feel about your confident manner

You walk into a new meeting room and everyone turns to look, and you start speaking before you have read the situation. Next time you sit and listen for the first five minutes, then ask a quiet colleague, "What do you think?" She raises a point you had not seen. People in the room begin to feel that you leave space for everyone.

Make room for others to shine, and your confidence will draw people in.

When the Sun is on good terms with the Ascendant, your true self and the personality you show others support each other naturally. You are yourself without strain, and people find you sincere and easy to approach. Social openings and leadership roles tend to arrive smoothly. The point to watch is that when everything fits, you may never try the challenging side or an unfamiliar role.

• You can be yourself without playing a part
• People trust you because your manner matches what you say

• You stay in familiar roles and do not develop new sides
• You do not notice your social advantage

Your club asks you to speak for it to new members. You do it well without rehearsing, and ten newcomers join. It feels too easy, so you volunteer to coordinate with another club where you know no one. This time you have to prepare properly, and you pick up a new skill.

Step out of the familiar now and then, and your natural confidence will widen.

When the Sun challenges the Ascendant, what you are inside and what people see do not match. You may feel misunderstood, forced to play a role that is not you, or met with reactions that differ from what you meant. Adjusting to others causes friction. You are very aware of your own image, so say what you need clearly from the start, so the image people see moves closer to who you really are.

• You are aware of how your manner affects people around you
• You are driven to bring your image closer to your true self

• You feel misunderstood because of the manner others see
• You force yourself into a role that is not you to fit in with the group

A new colleague thinks you are cold because you spoke little in the first week, when you were really observing. You are annoyed at being judged, so over lunch you tell her plainly, "I like to watch first and then talk." She laughs and says she understands now. The relationship starts to flow more easily.

Say what you need clearly at the start, and the image people see gets closer to the real you.