As usual for me, my opinion both agrees and at the same time is at variance with, the excellent material presented above by Kannon: I fully accept the descriptions given (and related descriptions in the books on this subject) but it is my belief that they do not apply unconditionally to everyone born with that sign rising, but do apply if that zodiacal influence "takes" in the particular case; also, that the "taking on" of the zodiacal influence, with resultant characteristic appearance, is not relative only to the 1st house (ascendant) but MIGHT apply from anywhere in the wheel of the chart, where that zodiacal influence has "taken"; I have been led, over the years, to these rather unusual ideas, from consideration of the "3 sealings" (pre-natal) concept I have described in another thread, and also the ramifications of the "swara" (breath) susceptibility at birth, which I have also described (somewhat) in another thread.