So You're A Taurus Rising — Here's What That Means For Life & Love (+ How To Thrive)

Your rising sign, also known as your "ascendant," is the zodiac sign that was rising over the eastern horizon the moment you were born. Where your sun sign relates to the position of the sun relative to the astrological year (i.e., you were born during Leo season or Libra season), your rising sign relates to the position of the sun relative to the time of day. (The sun spends about two hours traveling through each sign every day.)

Your rising sign reveals how you interact with the world, from your appearance to your attitude to the first impressions you make on others. For example, an Aquarius sun with a Taurus rising will likely exhibit Taurus-like traits you wouldn't expect from typical Aquarius energy, or will even physically look more like a Taurus.

Your rising sign also determines where your first house of identity falls in your chart (your ascendant is always your first house), which sets the stage for the rest of the houses in your chart.

If you're a Taurus rising, you're naturally going to give off the earthy, grounded, laid-back energy of Taurus. This fixed earth sign, ruled by the planet Venus, is known for being sensual, strong, potentially stubborn, and is symbolized by the bull.

With the planet of beauty as their chart ruler, it's likely Taurus rising may be very attractive to others, often having dark features and thick and/or curly hair. And that beauty translates to the things they like as well, whether it's interior design, food, clothing, or anything earthly and material. Overall, Taurus risings come off as solid and dependable.

And according to Christopher Renstrom, astrology expert and author of Rise and Shine: An Astrological Guide to How You Show Up in the World, "What you see is really what you get with Taurus risings." In other words, this is a rising sign that's straightforward, to the point, and focused on practical results.

"They're very comfortable in their own skin, and they project reliability, consistency, and calm under pressure," Renstrom explains, adding that these are people who don't have to "fight" their way to the top—they get there steadily through hard work. "Their manner is usually very gentle and kind," he notes.

When it comes to their love lives, Taurus risings aren't one for games or drama. In fact, Renstrom tells mindbodygreen, "Nothing turns a Taurus rising off faster than drama," and while they're not typically a skeptical bunch, they will have no problem cutting you off if you encroach on their comfort.

These people also tend to be very attractive, but they don't know it. (Or if they do know it, they're humble about it.) Again, Taurus risings have a gentle and comforting nature that makes them feel very safe to be around, Renstrom explains.

In terms of how they show love, he notes the instinct to provide and to shelter is very strong for these folks. "And they want to be recognized and appreciated for that," he adds.

Further, they will likely show they care by doing something like cooking for you, buying tickets to a concert, covering the tab at dinner, or of course, physical touch. (That's their earthy energy for you.)

If you want to woo them, it certainly won't hurt if you put yourself together—being Venus-ruled means Taurus risings love pretty things. They're also culture vultures and will always be down to check out the new, hip spot in town, whether a new restaurant or gallery opening.

For most Taurus risings, their fifth house of romance will be ruled by Virgo, a sign of service, dedication, and organization. Their seventh house of long-term partnerships, on the other hand, is ruled by Scorpio, a fixed sign that's all about transformation, mystery, and emotional depth.

When it comes to friendships, many of the same principles for their romantic relationships will still apply. Namely, they're not into drama and would much rather take a peaceful stroll through the woods and catch up on life with you.

Or, remembering that they're culture vultures, they're a good person to hit up if you want to check out the latest new spot in town, see a play, or need help picking out an outfit or going shopping.

Generally speaking, these folks make great friends because they're dependable and consistent. Again, what you see is what you get, and this isn't a friend who's going to flake or talk about you behind your back. They are steadfast and loyal, aren't quick to anger, and expect the same from their friends.

At work, a Taurus rising will produce results in a slow, steady, and reliable way. As aforementioned, this isn't a sign that has to elbow people on their way to the top—they simply impress their superiors with their work ethic until they make it to a more powerful position over time.

Fixed-earth is a great quality to have when it comes to practical work matters, and this sign will likely thrive in any career path they go for. Namely though, Renstrom says any job that involves building, beautifying, or culture at large is well suited for these folks.

Think things like architecture, city planning, food and wine, art and music, gardening, landscaping, singing, or even a radio broadcaster. (These people tend to have great voices.)

"What's kind of unexpected is that there's that gentility and kindness of Taurus risings combined with this regular heavy lifting that they do—they're as strong as an ox," Renstrom explains.

Every sign has room for growth, and Taurus is no exception. While they are reliable, they can be pretty stubborn, and Renstrom notes they can do well to learn to listen a bit more.

"Listening is a really good thing for them to do, because they will anticipate other people's wants and needs, maybe even take care of them—but they don't always listen to what someone's saying. They have a very set way of what life should be," he explains.

Further, Taurus risings can get a bit stuck in patterns of laziness or bad habits. Being a fixed-earth sign, think of them like a rock. Solid, yes, but often unmoving. It's important they are mindful not to let laziness and/or stagnation hold them back.