Nessus in Astrology: Deviant Sexuality, Abuse and Obsession in the Astrological Chart

I'm a big fan of asteroids, and spend many late nights researching them. I'm obsessed, yes, there I said it. As someone who needs to learn on a continuous basis astrology is perfect for me. When studying Astrology one remains a student for a very long time. There is so much to learn that it really is a life study. 

I played around with asteroids briefly over the years, mainly the asteroid goddesses (Juno, Vesta, Ceres and Athena), but let's save that for another post. Depending on what Astrologer you talk to asteroids are either useful or useless. Asteroids travel through our solar system, just like the planets do, and I believe when used in readings they can add extra insight and information to a chart. 

Mythology of Nessus: A brief Introduction

I do not own this image. 

Nessus was one of the Centaurs in Greek Mythology. He was a ferry man at the river Eunos. During his time at this job he became obsessed with Hercules' wife Dejanira as she needed to cross the river. He offered his help, offering trust to help her along the way. Instead,  depending on what version of the myth you come across he either attempted to force himself of on her, abducted her or actually raped her. Hercules slew Nessus with arrows as revenge. As Nessus was dying he persuaded Dejanira to take some of his (poisonous) blood to use as a tincture to "keep Hercules faithful"...he was known for his adultery. Nessus successfully tricked her, as his poisonous blood killed Hercules. Dejanira, out of jealous rage over another woman, a few years later exposed Hercules to the blood. Realizing what it actually was then it was too late.  

Nessus in Astrology

I do not own this image. 

Nessus 7066 - Orbit connects to Saturn and Pluto

Nessus themes based on the mythology: Uncontrollable lust, sexual violence, trust thwarted, saving a life, revenge, taking life, victim/predator, deceit and temptation. 

So what does this mean in our own charts? 

First, wherever Nessus shows up does not have to scare us to death, please don't look it up and run away screaming. Just keep in mind that the area where it is placed can get really dark. Where Nessus falls we could face: trauma, deception, abuse of trust, poisonous situations, the darkest human passions...but there is also the theme of being saved, like Dejanira in the myth, you can save yourself, save others or someone else will save you in the area indicated. 

A person's Nessus placement does not immediately indicate that they possess the worst traits of this asteroid. Yes, there are extremes (Nessus can be prominent in the chart of abusers and people who don't have/ or don't honor sexual boundaries) but it is also prominent in the charts of those who fight against sexual abuse and stand up for those who have been sexually abused.There is a chance these humanitarians went though these dark experiences themselves as well, but this is not a fact that is written in stone. Just a possibility. 

Another big thing to know about Nessus is it can help us end patterns of helplessness and oppression. Are we attracting Nessus situations into our lives? Why? Where does it stem from? How do we end the vicious cycle? Nessus also helps us sever ties that bind us, ties that if we don't sever them they may just forever harm us ( at the worst maybe even kill us). Nessus will reveal the truth to us in a painful way, but it gives us a chance to get out before it gets worst. This is where Nessus in transits becomes really important, pay attention to Nessus transits at they can signify the end to something major. 

Nessus in the Astrological Houses

The descriptions below are a mix of information I have accumulated and my own theories. I'm still learning and searching for information on the not so popular asteroids. I will continue to add to this post as I gather more information. So please bare with me, as some houses may be a few words and others a whole paragraph. Also please do share insights, I love sharing information, and want to hear what you think. Positive sharing is always welcome. I must say, negativity for no reason ( this is the internet) will not be posted. I do monitor all comments. 

Remember: Greatly afflicted or negatively aspected charts will tend toward the extreme. Just because you have Nessus in a given house does not make you a sexual deviant automatically. The other chart elements give you fuller answers. 

1st house-
Sex obsessed, selfish, their needs come first, may watch themselves have sex or want to be watched. May be into photography and sex (documentation) or may present themselves/ or seem to others as extremely sexual. This house is related to self image as well, so it really asks you" what is your relationship with your sexuality? How comfortable are you? How do you feel in your body? This placement tends to make Nessus 1st house people (or Nessus conjunct the ascendant)  people sexy, mysterious and maybe even scary at the same time. They may also attract sexual attention early, or frequently without seeking it. Another possibility of this placement is attracting partners  who want to "own" them, or get obsessed with them, 

2nd house- 
Self worth related to sex, could be taken care of by others financially through sex (sugar daddy/mamma/ pimp etc), possible rejection issues, security found in sex, or may use money as form of abuse. This is the house of possessions, in terms of Nessus themes this could bring up some real power struggles with "possession" of another person. Whether someone wants to possess you or you are the one who want to possess. A person who submits money to a cause to help others, that form of charity is very Nessus in the 2nd house. 

3rd house- 
Possible experiences of abuse with siblings, communication used as form of sex or abuse.On a positive vibration those speaking for victims who cannot speak for themselves are Nessus in the 3rd types. They give a voice to those who do not have one, or are afraid to speak up. Also those who may have suffered abuse or sexual situations that choose to write about them to help others, they may be Nessus in the 3rd types, helping others through the spoken and written word. 

4th house- 
Possible family abuse, abuser or victim, violence in the home, incest themes, deep rooted psychological conditions from childhood related to Nessus themes.On the higher vibration Nessus here can indicate a person who is passionate about domestic abuse and may have been drawn to the work because of their early experiences with their own childhood. Or in a more general sense, they could be passionate about saving others from home/childhood related issues and working with children with no "roots" or "home."

5th house- 
Sexual deviance, sex addiction, self expression through sexual activity. May have many  relationships that border on abusive/sexual with many partners at once, or have/attract love affair situations. May take risks in sexuality and gamble with their sexual health. On a more positive note this placement could mean a person who uses sexual themes in their art or creative work. Strong themes of sex and creativity... or the possibility of healing any abuse they may have suffered through creative outlets. Are your sexual partners muses? Are you a muse to others? You may have this placement.A reminder: sex is not a band aid, or a heal all...you have to face things and really deal with them. A life of drinking, sex and fun won't solve all your problems. 

6th house- 
This is the house of healing, health and service..not much info on this one. But I would guess that an afflicted Nessus here could be pretty disturbing. The doctor who is inappropriate with clients when they are under, a person projecting themselves as a healer or a "helper" with more devious intentions underneath the helpings hands they extend to the unknown victims. Possibly Nessus' own placement in the myth? Or the other extreme could be a person who prefers abstinence due to fear of STD's, or sees sex as dirty. Possibly a person who needs a partner to bath or shave before they can engage in sexual activity. Nurses, gynecologists and sexual health counselors may have this placement. You know that sex ed class that used to be in school? Maybe that was Nessus in the 6th house. 

7th house- 
Strong themes of sex/abuse in 1 on 1 relationships.  Nessus themes prominent in marriage or with enemies. For example an abusive or taboo sex situation with a partner or sex with people one openly dislikes.  Possibility of enemies made after sexual encounters, or revenge themes and secrets kept in relationships. There is a good chance a divorce lawyer or marriage counselor would have Nessus here, helping couples dealing with less ideal Nessus aspects. 

8th house- 
Very strong possible placement of abuse, the abuser or the abused. Sex is intense and connected to "taboo" themes (sex, death, other peoples $ etc). Tantra falls here, so does the person who needs their partner to (or likes to themselves) "play dead" or lay still as they engage in sexual activity. Power play sexuality like: Dom/ Sub, BDSM, and Bondage all can be found here. This is also the house of transformation, a sign that one could have survived sexual abuse. Also a person who is helping victims heal and reclaim their lives after sexual abuse. Detectives who work in SVU and with sex crimes are good examples of people with 8th house Nessus. They want to get to the bottom of things (investigative Scorpio) and help others through uncovering and revealing the truth. 

9th house- 
Sexual themes connected to travel, things that seem foreign and higher education. (Example: sex crazy tourist, fetishes for specific races, a professor who sleep with students etc) Also connected to religion, in the extreme this is the placement of priests taking advantage of children and religious leaders who have sex cults. On a more positive vibration this can represent an individual who teaches others about abuse and sexual issues. In another extreme this could represent people whose religious ideas strongly dictate their views on sex and sex roles. 

10th house- 
Sex tied to career and social status. In the extreme, a possibility of forms of abuse used to attain success and sexual gain. (Ex: Sex workers, sex used to advance one's position, taking advantage of others in work place) On the more positive vibe this is a strong placement for people who work in careers dealing with Nessus issues to help others, and save them from their situations. 

11th house- 
Possibly abusive to friends and those around them. If heavily afflicted, a manipulative person, could also be a porn addict. Also the house of hopes, dreams and wishes this could be one of the most vulnerable houses to have susceptible to abuse. False hopes, dreams crushed..promises not fulfilled. Or the classic predatory "if you sleep with me I can make your dreams come true." On the good side this could be a person who joins a community/starts a movement/ or fights to stop abuse/ inappropriate sexual behavior in a community. The house of the humanitarian, at it's best Nessus here really wants and NEEDS to make a difference. This is the first person in the protest line, the first person to sign the petition...passionate and driven to defend the cause, this is the 11th house Nessus person. 

12th house- 
Traumatic abuse could have been suffered as a child, buried deep in the psychology of the person. Things are buried deep here, one may be attracted to dark fantasies and sex. The house of seclusion, fears, secrets and the occult we can only image how deviant Nessus can be here.  This could make for extreme sexual fears or fantasies, the kind of things they would keep to themselves because if it saw the light of day...this person could have some secrets to say the least. This is also an intuitive and healing house, so once trauma is faced and healed beautiful things happen. This could make for a healer/counselor/therpists who can really help heal others with buried, even past life sex/abuse issues. The risk of Nessus themes driving one to insanity or extreme disassociation is high here, as this is the house of institutions and hospitalization. 

I should know, I have Nessus here, and I've had some really awful things happen to me...things very few people know. I hope being open here I can give someone else with this placement some hope, if anything has happened to them Nessus related. Hopefully nothing has, and the placement is causing no issues. I'm a survivor and I came out of my horrific situations, once a victim I transformed into the strong survivor I am now. One more thing I will say about this placement, as it is the house of Neptune and Pisces, beware of deception. One of the things that happened to me was from a trusted friend, I really thought I knew him. I did not see the truth and I always felt safe around him. The veil is a real danger here, no matter how intuitive you naturally are. As a survivor and healer with this placement you can heal other survivors in a deep way, touch them in a way that no one else can. Nessus here has a lot of power in it's highest vibrations. 

...Coming soon "Nessus in the Signs" 

Wow, that was a lot. I hope you enjoyed this post...I will continue to refine it as I accumulate knowledge. And stay tuned for my next post "Personal experiences with Nessus" coming soon...


This blog is written by me, please do give credit and ask of you want to use this. This blog is copyright protected.  

Update: This will be referenced in an upcoming astrologers work, for that purpose it will be called: "Reflections on Nessus by Anais of Mystical Mandrake Root" 

The Rising Sign: What kind of frosting are you?

The Rising sign, also known as the Ascendant is the icing on top of our astro cake. It can be found sitting on the cusp of the first house in the birth chart. At it's most basic function the rising sign is the first impression we give. Have you ever heard someone say, "You are so funny, you seemed so serious when I met you" or "You're so quiet, that night we met you were super chatty." These are perfect examples of how the rising sign works. It's who we are to the world, the faces and roles we play or the way associates and strangers see us.  The rising sign isn't all superficial though, it can be a wonderful tool to use in conjunction with your sun sign.

A great spiritual description of the rising sign is found in the book Cosmic Navigator by Gahl Eden Sasson. He says that the rising sign represents the road you chose to reach your Sun signs destiny. For example, if you're an Aries one of your major life lessons is dealing with leadership. If you're an Aries with Capricorn rising you can successfully use your leadership skills in environments where you work hard for results, or climb the ladder so to speak. If you're an Aries with Pisces rising you can use your leadership skills in a mystical or out of the box way like creating a new form of healing, or being the voice of a spiritual/ healing movement. In social environments the Aries with Capricorn rising may seem less impulsive and fiery than an typical Aries. This Aries Cap rising may also prefer to be the coach of a sports team vs a team player. The Aries with Pisces rising would channel their Aries Ram energy by practicing Bikram Yoga or dancing the Samba instead of playing football or running track. The Aries intensity and need for action and movement would be channeled through a healing/creative outlet versus an action oriented quick fix or sport. 

Below is a fun and simple introduction to the traits of the 12 rising signs, good and bad. There is so much more information about each one, more than I can fit here, but this will get you started. 

The 12 types of icing and what they mean

Aries Rising:

You are independent, strong willed and a natural born leader. You have no problem going after what you want and are seen as the brave one by others. You can be stubborn, selfish and impatient. Your natural competitiveness and energy to burn must be channeled because you can become quite restless. Use this energy in your work, physical activity and achieving your goals. 

Taurus Rising:

You are steadfast, grounded, focused and love all things of beauty. You are intuitive, patient and have stamina to burn. Values are beyond important to you and you like to do things one way, your way! Comfort is one of your favorite words and because of that you must watch for overindulgence like a solar Taurus. Use your great gifts and intuitive mind to conquer your goals. 

Gemini Rising:

Your world is ruled by intellect and communication. You are the queen/king of words and do well in anything dealing with critical thinking and communicating ideas. The most natural profession for you includes trading information and you are always on the look out for meeting new people and opportunities to network. You are a natural chameleon and can seem like two people to others and even yourself. You can be jumpy, opinionated, gossipy and restless. Use your great mental energy and natural charm with the public to conquer the world.  

Cancer Rising:

Talk about doing everything with feeling! You are nurturing, giving, sensitive and security driven. You have intensely strong paternal and healing instincts. You can be overprotective, withdrawn and too attached to the past like a solar Cancer. Stay away from the wounded souls you seem to attract, it's not your job to fix them. Turn that need to nurture to yourself and use your ability to see beneath the surface to fully step into your power and become the best version of yourself. 

Leo Rising:

Hear me rawr! Leo risings are as obvious as a solar Leos, whether or not they are trying to hide it is the real issue. They are confident (or they SEEM that way and are working really hard on being confident), extroverted (outwardly or can be as quiet as a mouse with raging red hair and bracelets up to their elbows), spontaneous, and impulsive. They can be a special kind of stubborn, antsy, quick tempered and dramatic. They love deeply, attract attention (whether they want it or not) and have many interests. Their road is an interesting one, once they are doing what their hearts want they live happy and pleasant lives.   

Virgo Rising:

Virgo is that person you know who gets EVERYTHING done! They have quick minds, knowledge to share and the neatest planner ever. You love them, even if it's kind of annoying they make you use coasters every time you come over. They are methodical, practical , quiet and sometimes shy. On their worst days they can be picky, nervous, opinionated and anxious. Learning to let their hair down and lighten up makes a world of difference for Virgo rising and makes the world a more enjoyable place for them.

Libra Rising:

Looking good, I love your style! What a beautiful apartment! Oh you made that? All comments Libra rising is sure to be familiar with. They are creative, talented, serious DIY-ers, and social butterflies. They are more fixed than they seem and can be rigid, competitive, shrewd, unbalanced and people pleasers. At their best they are like an aromatic blossoming flower, beautiful inside and out and everyone wants to be around to see whats next. 

Scorpio rising:

Oh the magnetism of Scorpio rising. They are like that beautiful maybe antique... can't really tell, glass bowl that you really really want to touch but feel like you can't. They radiate an energy that either attracts like moths to a flame, intimidates or just leaves people down right confused. Shrouded in mystery, even if they are the calmest, most grounded person ever is the clutch of Scorpio rising. Used positively they can come to terms with the power they radiate and become amazing, deep and well rounded people or use it to keep others away like a "danger beware of dog" sign.

Sagittarius Rising:

Extroverted, outgoing, loads of fun, energetic and...I know I said it already but man are they fun! Sagittarius risings are freedom loving, adventure seeking life enthusiasts just like solar Sag. Having an outdoors adventure? Want to go out dancing? Bring a Sagittarius rising with you. On their worst days they can be restless, scattered and emotionally cold. And just like solar Sagittarius need to watch out for their words, they can really hurt someones feelings  They love to talk, attract people like flies and make it their mission to enjoy life no matter what. 

Capricorn Rising:

I don't know how she does it! Bachelors degree straight into a Masters and she works full time! Capricorn rising is ambitious, determined, quick minded, practical and reserved just like solar Capricorns. Depending on rest of chart these traits can be weakened and the Capricorn rising may have to work harder to embody them. They have high standards and may often set goals so high that they are forced to reexamine themselves and their goals. They are dependable, honest and stick to their values. On the unpleasant side they can be negative nancies, stressed out and suffer from anxiety attacks. The best way to harness their energy is to set realistic standards, goals and expectations of themselves and others. 

Aquarius Rising:

Everyone knows him, everywhere we go he knows someone!  Aquarius rising, like solar Aquarians don't need to do a thing to attract fans, they just come. Maybe it's the gleam in their eyes, the way they smile, how personable and friendly they are or if we want to be honest about it...that aloofness and air of unavailability is pretty damn sexy. Or irritating  depending on who you are talking too. Aquarius rising is fun, light hearted, intellectual and need stimulation. They have active minds, active imaginations and a never ending to do list. On a bad day they are detached, cold or just down right mean. 

Pisces Rising:

Just like solar Pisces these ascendant love all things metaphysical and other-worldly. That girl with the glitter in her hair, that guy who writes fantasy fiction about his favorite show, that person you know who even in a deep conversation seems to be somewhere else...all Pisces risings. Dreamers, lovers, artist...I JUST WANT TO DO WHAT I LOVE AND NOTHING ELSE. Like their solar Pisces cousins these ascendant on a bad day suffer deep depressions, disappointments and general disillusionment with the world around them. Keeping the faith, and doing what they love creates a happy existence.