Anima mundi means the soul of the world, and in ancient thought it was believed that our souls enable us to dream. When we dream we enter another world, one that seems real to us at the time. This dream world has its own rules and regulations, and its own logic. We can go back in time, and flash-forward into the future. We have an unlimited ability to fly, swim, transform ourselves, and in essence we, and the people and objects in our dreams, can shape shift at a moment's notice.

Symbolism plays a big role in our dreams. Our dreams enable us to explore limitless facets about ourselves, as Sigmund Freud, a Taurus with a Scorpio Rising Sign, and Carl Jung, a Leo who also had a Scorpio Rising Sign, discovered long ago. Their groundbreaking work in psychoanalysis enabled generations of people to look at themselves and their contemporaries in a new way. Freud and Jung also inspired legions of artists, novelists, actors, and directors to rethink the way their creative work should be expressed.

Astrology can be understood in many ways, since it is a multifaceted subject. On a very deep level, we can learn what our spiritual, archetypal or mythical astrology path should be, once we better understand the symbolism and deep inner meaning of our Rising Sign. By taking a look at our Rising Sign and understanding the deep inner meaning attached, we may understand a bit better what our life path is.

Our Rising Sign is the zodiacal sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the moment we were birthed onto Planet Earth. In an esoteric concept it is the astrological portal through which we decide to enter this world, as we leave behind the realm our souls existed in before we took on earthly form.

Our Rising Sign not only details for us our physical characteristics, as it influences the size and shape our physical bodies take, but it gives us very deep insight into who we really are. Our inner soul, our inner spiritual nature, if you will, comes forth through our Rising Sign. Knowing something about our Rising Sign can help us better understand ourselves, and our chosen life path.

Rising Signs change in two-hour intervals, and the entire zodiac is represented in one 24-hour period. Therefore, your soul had the chance to break through to this world through any one of the 12 zodiac signs. The sign it chooses is the one you will embody physically, emotionally and spiritually in many ways.

If you know the time of your birth, you can find out your Rising Sign through an ephemeris, and many astrology books, magazines, and websites offer the means for you to determine it. If you don't know the precise moment of your birth, try to formulate a time as close to your birth as possible. Narrowing it down to a morning, afternoon, evening, or late night birth will help you to zero in on your Rising Sign, even if you can't judge the time down to the minute.

If you simply cannot come up with a time whatsoever, it can help to read the physical descriptions of each of the 12 Rising Signs, since your Rising Sign has a large impact on your physical appearance. By a combination of approximate time of birth, and physical and personality descriptions, you should be able to hone in on your correct Rising Sign.

Aries Rising: Your hair is relatively sparse, and your hairline is in a V-shape similar to that of a Ram's horn, your Aries Rising Sign symbol. There are touches of red in your complexion and in your hair coloring. Your soul's mission is to establish new pathways, and to be a trailblazer, for both yourself and those you associate with.

Taurus Rising: A prominent neck is your main characteristic, along with a stocky build and a very beautiful complexion. You have a melodic speaking voice, and possibly can sing. Your soul's undertaking is to extol the wonder and joy of love, especially sensuous physical love. You exert a calming presence in any situation you are in.

Gemini Rising: You are the most youthful looking sign in the zodiac, and possess a heart shaped face, pert nose, and long fingers. You are spiritually part of a dualistic team, that of the Twins. Your soul's agenda is to find your complimentary other half. Along the way of your journey, you help the people you encounter learn the importance of embracing change.

Cancer Rising: If you could have been born via a water birth, that would have been your soul's request. You know you want to mother people, and to make them feel loved, and that's your mission in life. You have a round face, eyes that are set far apart, and your chest is your most prominent feature. Your hands are small and square.

Leo Rising: The look of a feline is in the smooth and slinky way you move, and you have a mane of hair. Your eyes may be catlike in formation and shape, you have a wide grin, and a sunny disposition. Your soul truly wants to lead, and your path is to offer leadership and guidance to the people you come across in your life path.

Virgo Rising: Service to others is your guiding light and you enjoy helping others, and part of that aid involves your ability to analyze what ails your companions, since you are a firm believer that you can be of the most help when you show people how to help themselves. A wide and high forehead, a finely shaped nose, and long thin lips accentuate your slender body type. Your busy hands are always in flight, and you can talk with them, as well as type, knit, and use a pen, since you are the master of many crafts.

Libra Rising: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that's true, but with Libra as your Rising Sign you are no doubt very beautiful or handsome physically. Your inner beauty means as much to you as your outer one, and will become more so as you get older. You enjoy mediating disagreements between people, and carrying the olive branch of peace and harmony and tranquility into any life situation you are a part of.

Scorpio Rising: Hypnotic and piercing eyes are your trademark, and your gaze is direct and conveys the passion and intensity you feel and bring to all your activities and endeavors. Your soul wants to experience all of life, from the top to the bottom, and you don't shy away from any experience, emotion, or life situation. In your highest evolution, you are able to bring deep philosophical and psychology truth to the surface in your own life, and in the lives of those around you.

Sagittarius Rising: A long face and wide cheekbones compliment your equally wide grin, and similarly to your Rising Sign symbol of the Centaur, the half man and half horse, you are able to impart the sprit of playfulness into every activity you undertake. Your soul's mission is to show others that it's okay to be untamed at times, and that unless everyone gets in touch with their spirit of adventure, they are going to miss out on a lot of life's blessings and joys.

Capricorn Rising: Saturn is the planet of karma, and Saturn deals with heavy-duty issues. You believe that life is serious and has a purpose, and your soul's task is to share your deep knowledge of life and all that it can be with your fellow travelers on Planet Earth. Your body type is on the short, thin, and sturdy side, and your face has an air of gravity to it. Your hair may be quite dark, and curly.

Aquarius Rising: Friendship is your keyword when it comes to discovering your soul's purpose. You know that all of humanity is connected to you, one way or another, and the discovery physicists have made linking the human race to one molecule doesn't surprise you at all, since you completely understand how science and technology meld with metaphysics and spirituality. You have very unusual facial features, large hands, wild and unruly hair, and a faraway expression.

Pisces Rising: Giving love and understanding to people in need is the reason you desired to incarnate in the world via the dualistic Pisces Rising Sign. Your intuition is the best in the zodiac, and your eyes give you away, since the empathy you feel is instantly transmitted via your eyes, the portal to your soul. You have an oval face, small facial features, and small hands and feet.