“…If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you…”
– Rudyard Kipling Sun ☉ in Capricorn ♑
With just 10 days left of 2012, I am naturally reflective upon my phenomenal experiences this year. I scored two amazing paid internships, an all expense paid trip to Chicago, and ended up on a University of Houston billboard campaign! Believe me, things were not always this way, just as recently as 2011, but I’m proud to know that I’ve kept every single one of my resolutions this year through perseverance and tough but consistent work. What can I say? I was born with 6 of the 10 planets placed in earth signs into a lifetime of transformational experiences that now seem to be working to forcefully propel me towards my goals. Oftentimes our natal charts possess a semblance of whom we might grow into as we age, and what a wise and phenomenal individual the evolved Capricorn often is.
The winter solstice began yesterday, at 5:12 CDT which begins the yearly period of when the Sun enters the pragmatic, resourceful, disciplined, and ambitious sign of Capricorn ♑. Goals are the ultimate theme for the sign of the sea goat and as you might have guessed, it is one of my favorite signs as it vibes well with the abundance of planets in earth and water signs in my chart.
Previous sign, Sagittarius, and ruling planet Jupiter are associated with expansion and optimism. Capricorn is where we become a bit more realistic, maybe even a bit pessimistic. Yet, imagine the power that this fantastically grounded outlook upon might have! The sea goat is the last of the realistic and enduring earth signs, which also include Taurus ♉ and Virgo ♍. Depicted by the keywords “I Use”, Capricorns are often driven by a desire to be useful and productive while excelling in the realms of career, management and organization.
“All of the cardinal signs [Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn] indicate seats of power and in a creature with the forelimbs of a goat attached to the tail of a fish, the abyss of the ocean is combined with mountainous terrain. This represents a ‘cross of matter’ between the psyche and its manifestation in the material, drawing the soul out of its collective stupor to confront the challenges of reality and individualism. The ocean, besides symbolising primordial roots, relates to instinctive wisdom, secrets, and knowledge that lies buried within the depths of consciousness. Capricorn, bearing only the tail of an aquatic creature, keeps a head that is free from impressionable thought – at a rational level Capricorns are affected only by what they can define through logic and reasoned assessment, but unconsciously, spiritually and emotionally they draw from the deep” [1].
Capricornus ♑ – The Sea Goat
There’s something about winter that tends to makes me a bit bluesy each year, albeit the most inspired. By now, many of us have encountered shortened days, the loss of daylight, and the biting chill of the upcoming winter season. The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year. Sometimes, this frigid season can reflect our own state of isolation and loneliness. For some, winter can even be a bit melancholic. Nature’s beauty becomes seemingly barren and sparse as some animals begin to withdraw into their dens and hibernate. These events are indicative of the naturally introverted and self-contained nature of Capricorn. Some astrology books will tell you of the infamous loner of the zodiac. While it is often true that Capricorns are known for their reserved nature just as winter begins a phase of conservation, almost no one remains more committed when entering into a relationship. As a sensual earth sign, Capricorn is certainly no less sexual and beneath it’s cool exterior lies the great depth and warmth of a winter den.
The Capricorn temperament often tends towards seriousness and conservatism. However, looking to just that one factor would omit the lighter, often sarcastic and deadpan sense of humor that many Cappys possess. In my eyes, winter is a period of tremendous beauty as well. Yes, the trees begin to loose their vibrant appearance but as the New Year approaches we often recollect our experiences of the past year and set goals for our future. This is the magic of Capricorn. We become more organized so that we can maneuver the liveliness of the ensuing spring with a greater sense of ease.
Saturn ♄ – The Celestial Taskmaster
Saturn, the ruling planet of Capricorn provides further understanding of this enigmatic sign. Traditional astrology deemed Saturn as The Greater Malefic due to its association with obstacles, limitation, and hardship. I’m not going to lie, Saturn can suck hard because it is equivalent to the hardest and most realistic lessons that we face in our lives. Not everyone navigates the blocks of Saturn with gracefulness, but when we truly embody its lessons the result is formidable mastery and power. If you really pay attention to your hardships, Saturn can also be your greatest ally.
The rigid, steely, and sometimes melancholy structure associated with Saturn is synonymous with the feelings that the winter season sometimes inspires in people. The 10th sign of the zodiac is associated with the bones, biological elements that remain long after the rest of one’s physical body. Some astrology books speak of the notion that Capricorns age well, reaching their prime as they become older and often have attractive bone structure.
“Saturn is a planet of realism with a controlled release of energy which does mark the Capricorn as apparently lacking in creative sparkle and exuberant vivacity. As the Sun enters the sign associated with mid-winter, its power is low and the solar qualities of light, warmth, enthusiasm and brilliance struggle to emerge in recognisable ego traits and personality features. Yet the qualities exist, submerged deep within the character. The fire that animates the Capricorn’s spirits is gestating and self-contained, but not to be taken lightly” [1]
The serious, calculating and sobering influence of Saturn in a natal chart is often found in the charts of great businessmen or those that work in the field medicine. There is also the notion that Capricorns often possess a sense of maturity even at a young age. One of my very close friends throughout middle school was a Capricorn. Even in 6th grade, he always intensely spoke of his future and the things he needed to accomplish. Hayley Williams, vocalist of Paramore, was signed at just 16 years of age.
“You often see Capricorn’s entering a kind of voluntary bondage in the early part of life, as though they actually wanted to experience this term of frustration. It might be taking care of ill or ageing parents, or working at a job they dislike intensely, or embroiling themselves in a restrictive marriage. Whatever the nature is of the restriction, there is a curious kind of psychological hair shirt which Capricorn dons for a time. In medieval mysticism, the hair shirt symbolized the individual’s way of purifying himself of his carnal sins in order to prepare him for the experience of God. Capricorn’s symbolic hair shirt is a kind of perpetual self-punishment or self-imposed labour. Try to get him to enjoy himself and he’ll give you a thousand excuses why his responsibilities won’t permit it” [3].
I’ve also examined a certain affinity for structure that is held by several of my Capricorn friends. This is indicative of a sign associated with governmental institutions, career, and even the military. Whatever responsibility or belief Capricorn takes on, you’d best believe that they take it very seriously.
A few nights ago, I met a Capricorn friend of a friend. The three of us were huddled around a table in a bar late at night as the conversation turned toward the military. Long story short, the Capricorn confessed that she’d thought about joining the military. There it was again, that fascination with rules and structure! There is something about this long lasting earth sign that relishes structure, responsibility, and being a pretty damn valid source of strength in society. Of course not all Cappy’s are emotionally concealed authoritarians made for the military, but it is a very solid expression of the sign’s energy that I have continually noticed. The influence of Saturn creates hard working, competent and mature individuals with fascinating powers of productivity. A Capricorn without goals and achievement is oftentimes truly unfulfilled! Then, the innate urge to manage situations and people can spill over into other unwanted areas of life.
“Capricorn’s real place is out on the world’s stage, moving things in the environment – little or small – so that he leaves the place a little more organized than it was when he found it. His gifts lie in the realm of organization and control, discipline and initiation of changes within already existing structures. He’s often more of an idealist than you’d expect, in that he may have a vision of how to improve the world, or the small corner of the world he inhabits” [3].
House X – The Natal Summit
In addition, the 10th house in a natal chart is linked to the sign of Capricorn. Another name for the 10th house is known as the Midheaven. It is the last of the four Angles that I discussed in my blog posts this year that includes the 1st (Ascendant-Aries-Sunrise), 4th (Nadir-Cancer-Midnight), and 7th (Descendant-Libra-Sunset) houses. The Midheaven represents the highest point of a planet and the point of noon. In this house, the Sun is at its highest position and was archaically thought to be at a point of prominence and glory. Despite the older interpretations, it can be said that the 10th house is certainly what an individual makes of it.
“Planets in (or ruling) the natal 10th don’t assure us of anything. They will be prominent, but for what reason, and how widely they’ll be seen, is much less clear. The Moon in the 10th could make you famous. Or notorious. Your face could be on the cover of People magazine. Or the neighbors could discover you sleeping in the hedges as they drive off to work.” [2]
The Midheaven represents themes of career, public reputation, and societal status. As the northern point of the birth chart when a planet is directly overhead, it is often reflective of the potential rise of an individual in society or the public realm. This house also in indicative of how the general public might perceive a person. People with powerhouse planets placed in their Midheaven often find themselves in the limelight at some point whether they like it or not. If you’ve been close to a lot of Capricorns, you may have noticed their fierce protectiveness of their public persona. While they often possess a tremendous sense of ambition and desire for worldly status, these are still very private people.
“Every astrological house has its secret anguish. In the 10th house it’s failure, the discovery that we didn’t make good on our dreams. I’ll never forget the chilling confession of one of my high school English teachers, the one with the impressive Jesuit education and the faint smell of alcohol always on his breath. He stared at his folded hands one day and quietly told me that his life was second rate: “I settled for a second rate job, a second rate wife, a second rate home, and second rate kids” [2].
“Even when it’s happening at a deep, unconscious level, Capricorn is planning his ultimate destiny. He may be a nobody, someone who has to take orders from others, or work at things he detests which offer no challenge to his real capabilities. But watch him when that term has passed and he’s released from his self-imposed prison. All the while a powerful determination and ambition have been breeding in him, and an immense strength of will. It might be a worldly goal of envisions – to run his own business, to make enough money to buy a piece of land, or whatever. It might be ambition in a creative sense – to develop a formidable skill as a painter, a writer, a musician. It might be an inner ambition – self-understanding, or something more occult” [3].
Furthermore, the 10th house is linked to the influence of one or both parents. Traditional astrology saw the 10th as the house of the father and the sign of Capricorn in many ways is strongly linked to the paternal archetype. Of course, not all Capricorn women are automatically masculine but the typical ambitious and authoritative qualities can be found within them as well.
“She’s also smart enough to know that you don’t confront power directly; therefore, if she wants something from you, you usually end up thinking that you came up with the idea yourself, and she’s managed to twist you around with such finesse that you’re convinced she’s fragile and helpless and you begin to feel such a hero that your biceps begin to visibly swell. Ah, poor soul. No Capricorn is fragile or helpless. All Capricorn women are born with stainless steel spines” [3].
Also in certain charts, Saturn provides insights into an individual’s relationship with their father as well as other authority figures.The Midheaven is a powerful house, profoundly linked with some of the most common and pressing questions that people face concerning their place in the world. Here is where a person can learn to claim his or her own unique sense of authority in life.
Capricorn ♑ vs. Cancer ♋
The self-contained nature of both Capricorn and Cancer is very evident. However, where Cancer is associated with family life and emotional hearth, Capricorn is linked to one’s public status and professional life. Since the 4th house lies opposite the 10th in a birth chart, it is indicated by midnight and the sign of Cancer which lies opposite of Capricorn. The 4th house or Nadir represents the foundation we establish for ourselves to fall back on in contrast to our endeavors into the public world.
“Opposite the 10th is the 4th house, that midnight place which whispers to us in the dark, echoing with old, remembered voices that tell us who we really are. It’s these voices we need to examine and confront on the way to claiming our authority” [2].
Oftentimes, Cancer/Capricorn relationships result in a sort of parent-child dynamic. Being Moon-ruled, Cancer represents maternal, nurturing energy, memories and childhood. As we have visited, Capricorn is generally not comfortable with open displays of emotion and tends to embody the role of the stern and structured father or adulthood. In extreme cases, Capricorn can withdraw from emotionally charged situations while Cancer can tend to become increasingly emotional.
Saturn ♑, Uranus ♅, Neptune ♆, and Descendant in Capricorn ♑
I’ve always strongly identified with the traditional melancholic temperament (I don’t exactly mean this in a depressive sort of way). My Sun is in Taurus, Moon in Virgo, and Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in Capricorn. These planets form an aspect known as a Grand Trine as I have planets tightly placed in all three earth signs. Although it is not always evident (because people meet jovial Jupiter in my first house upon first impression) I take realistic matters such as responsibility and material security very seriously. With my descendant (point of relationship) in Capricorn, I possess an affinity for people with placements in Capricorn that are often older and more mature.
As the last of the earth signs, Capricorn’s reputation is centered upon it’s preference for caution, material worth, and sustainability. Yet, the sea goat is far from a sign with a one track mind. People often mistakenly view the trio of earth signs as unimaginative, but this would neglect the creative gifts of many of history’s most constructive individuals. While it is sometimes easy for this group of innate realists to become caught in the routines of tangible existence, some of the most transpersonal, spiritual, and universally enlightened people have been born under the signs of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.
“But in his heart he’s a builder, and often a selfless one, building for others with his immense skills and power of will. It may take you a while to get to know him. But beneath the often overly conventional garb he’s seen a lot of life, and hopefully a lot of the funnier side of it too. In kabbalistic thought the symbol of Saturn was equated with understanding – profound, rich wisdom based on real experience rather than theories and philosophies. It’s worth a little time and effort to be able to tap that vein of gold” [3]
Famous Capricorns ♑ via CafeAstrology
Dido Armstrong (Sun in Capricorn), David Bowie (Sun, Mercury, and Mars in Capricorn), Nicolas Cage (Sun, Mercury, and Mars in Capricorn), Jim Carrey (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn), Kevin Costner, Marlene Dietrich (Sun, Mercury, and Mars in Capricorn), Mel Gibson (Sun and Mercury in Capricorn), James Earl Jones (Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Capricorn), Annie Lennox (Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Capricorn), Moliere (Sun and Mercury in Capricorn), Michelle Obama (Sun and Mercury in Capricorn), Jimmy Page (Sun and Mercury in Capricorn), Howard Stern (Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Capricorn), Tiger Woods (Sun and Mercury in Capricorn), Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams of Paramore was born on December 27 1988 under the Cardinal Earth sign of Capricorn ♑
Notes
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