Underworld Astrology

Understanding Essence, Personality, and Persona: How Astrology Illuminates Your True Self

When we are born, we come into the world with inborn traits, qualities, and an essence that makes us uniquely ourselves. If you spend any time around babies, you can observe these traits early on. Some babies are naturally fussy, joyful, or pensive. Some are extroverted from the start, while others are more introverted, hesitant to engage until they feel comfortable. A healthy caregiver takes note of these traits, often recognizing the differences between babies and supporting each child’s essential self. Of course, no child’s needs can be fully met all the time, and no caregiver is expected to give 100% of themselves constantly. As we grow and learn to live in society, we must adopt a persona and develop an independent personality. This process is a natural and essential part of life for each of us.

Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash

According to Merriam-Webster, essence is “the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person.” For some, defining their essence is easy, while for others—especially those who grew up in circumstances that didn’t nurture their true self—it may be harder to pinpoint.

In astrology, essence is often revealed through a combination of factors. In my practice, I find that you can uncover core qualities of your essential self by looking at the placement of your sun, ascendant, rising planets, and ruling planet. Steven Forrest explains that the ascendant represents “the way we dawn on others.” As the most individual point in the chart, the ascendant is the sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of your first breath. The ascendant sign shifts every couple of hours, while the sun sign changes about once a month. The ascendant and rising planets—like Gemini rising conjunct Mars or the Moon—help describe how you “dawn” on others and adapt to your environment. The sun, though, is more enduring. For example, someone with a Taurus Sun in the 5th house will express themselves differently from someone with a Taurus Sun in the 10th or 2nd house. Additionally, the aspects to the Sun will influence how it’s expressed. Astrology is a complex system, and while your life may unfold in various ways, these astrological indicators can offer insight into your essential self.

The American Medical Association defines personality as “the enduring characteristics and behaviors that comprise a person’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns.” Astrology is an invaluable tool for understanding personality because one chart can provide many insights. While an astrological chart won’t definitively tell you someone’s precise personality, it can offer clues.

Even people with similar charts may behave differently due to life circumstances and free will. For instance, a person with a strong Gemini emphasis may express themselves as curious, outgoing, and engaged, while another might be introverted, less social, and more mercurial (moody). To understand someone’s personality in astrology, I recommend examining the individual planets—the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. The way these planets interact with their signs, houses, and aspects to one another and the outer planets reveals much about a person’s personality.

While personality encompasses the inner world, the persona represents the outward traits and qualities we show to the world. We all need a persona (or several) to protect ourselves in the outside world. When aligned with your personality and essence, the persona can act as a servant to your true self. In other words, by understanding your core essence and personality, you can create a persona that feels authentic without leaving you vulnerable. Some people’s personas closely align with their personality, while others’ personas are quite different. For example, someone who seems reserved at first may later reveal themselves to be extroverted, or vice versa.

Astrologically, a well-developed persona combines the strengths of your rising sign and midheaven (the cusp of the 10th house). By developing these two areas, you can create a healthy, protective persona that helps you achieve goals important to both your personality and your essential self.

It’s important to note that no aspect of your essence, personality, or persona is more important or authentic than the others. Ideally, we grow up in environments that nurture our essence, allowing us to develop personalities and personas that aren’t clouded by self-hatred, shame, or guilt. Unfortunately, life often presents challenges that hinder our full expression. Healing comes from embracing our wholeness—not seeing ourselves as broken, but as multifaceted and complete.

Through my work, I help guide individuals in reconnecting with their essence. I believe that a combination of family astrology, shadow work, and essence work is essential for healing and transformation. The journey of a lifetime is to embrace and honor the qualities bestowed by your Sun sign. When we step away from who we’ve been told we are, the person we were always meant to be can finally emerge.