Descendant

The Descendant is the point on the western horizon at the moment of birth, sitting directly opposite the Ascendant on the horizon axis. It marks the cusp of the seventh house and describes partnership, close relationship, and the qualities a person seeks and meets in others. If the Ascendant is the self, the Descendant is the other. The Descendant often shows traits a person has not fully claimed and therefore encounters through partners, in love, in business, or even in open rivalry. These qualities can feel magnetic because they complete something a person senses is missing. The sign on the Descendant describes the kind of person and connection they tend to be drawn toward, and the style of relating that suits them. Because it sits opposite the Ascendant, the Descendant is always the complementary sign, and the two act as a pair. Since the angles move about one degree every four minutes, a precise birth time is needed to place it. The work is to recognize the Descendant's qualities as part of oneself rather than only seeking them in others.