Earth Series Part Three: Capricorn

Earth Series

Part Three: Capricorn

February 26, 2023

In my previous Virgo blog, I shared Steven Forrest’s claim that Virgo is the most exciting sign in the Zodiac. This, I believe is open for interpretation and debate. But, if Virgo is the most exciting sign then that implies there would be a “most mundane” sign. Every sign and planet have their purpose in the human psyche, so can any one of these archetypes really be boring? Again, that would be open for interpretation, but read a few “pop” type astrology blogs on Capricorn and it wouldn’t be a far stretch to say that Capricorn is often viewed as the most boring or mundane sign of the Zodiac. Personally, I disagree with this wholeheartedly.

The Capricorn clan deals with great work, staying power, character of will, and challenge. Perhaps this belief is a product of my conditioning, but most things worth having require some degree of hard work and determination (I sure sound like an old timer). That is Capricorn. If things come too easily, we tend not to value or appreciate them as much as something we worked on for years. This is also Capricorn energy. There are not many feels that compare to the satisfaction of working your ass off for something and then finally achieving it. I have felt the feeling of working hard and then achieving. For that, I give the Capricorn clan the utmost respect and love. I also have some amazing Capricornian people in my life and they are anything but boring or mundane. You know who you are and this one is for you!

Staying Power

This is not a blog about mythology, but I do want to point out the symbolism of Capricorn the Sea Goat. A creature who is half fish, half goat. The impression I get is a creature who can swim any ocean and climb any mountain. There is no length or depth that Capricorn can’t cross. It is also no surprise that Capricorn aligns with the winter season (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). Winter represents a time when we all must utilize our staying power. If you live somewhere where temperatures dip below freezing, then you have experienced the Capricorn will that it can take just to climb out of bed on those frigid mornings (for months on end).

Steven Forrest says it best in his “Book of Earth” when he describes Capricorn as an archetype which represents survival of the fittest. But, in the essence of Capricorn this is not referring to survival by being the biggest, strongest, or loudest. Remember, Capricorn is an Earth sign, and as we have explored, the Earth signs are very instinctual. When we navigate our Earth energy well, we build on from Taurus and start incorporating that instinctual wisdom into our lives with more and more ease and grace. Capricorn is the last Earth sign and can be very wise to the call of instinct. This wise instinct is what Capricorn uses for survival. By the time this instinctual energy makes its way to Capricorn, it has been refined. The energy has ripened, and it is very wise.  

The Wise One

Wise brings me to another great word for the Capricorn archetype. Astrologers often refer to Capricorn as “the elder”. In this case, elder has nothing to do with numerical age. When we are talking about Capricorn elder energy, we quickly see that not all numerically “old” people would be considered an elder. Surely you have encountered this Capricorn elder type of person. Someone who you were drawn to because of their profound wisdom. They seemed to just know things. Maybe this person was a boss, a teacher, or a friend. You may be the same age as this person, but somehow, they are wise beyond their actual years. Maybe you refer to them as the “old soul”. The elder seems to be able to make calculated choices with ease, grace, and perhaps not much real cognitive thought. Call it instinct, the heart, the gut… whatever you name it, that thing is what separates the elder from the old. The elder will not stew in their brains for too long on any major choice in life. They let their hearts be the guide.

Capricorn Climbing the Wrong Mountain

There is nothing that Capricorn can’t do. Reflect on this thought for a moment. That is a lot of pressure for the Sea Goat. What happens to this energy under stress? Capricorn, as with every other sign and archetype can reveal its shadow side under stress. Remember that Capricorn can cross any depth or climb any mountain, but does that mean Capricorn should? What if Capricorn spends its entire life climbing mountains just because they can? There may not be anything at the top of said mountain, but there is that Sea Goat climbing on anyway. Capricorn gets lost climbing just because he can. Like the saying goes, just because you can do something doesn’t always mean that you should. Capricorn can get so lost in their own will that they spend a lifetime climbing the wrong mountains and sailing the wrong seas.

Scan your life for those people who seem resentful, worn out, bitter, jaded. Those people around you who should have “retired” a long time ago. Even if they aren’t retirement age, they should have left the thing long ago. It is fairly evident that they don’t feel a spark, passion, or flame for whatever it is they are doing. This could be people in a work environment, but really this can show up in any arena of life including relationships. I know you have seen the type. The person just seems so devoid of any spark or purpose. Or maybe it looks like constantly choosing the “hard” road. With much conditioning around hard work always being the correct path, it is no wonder why it is so easy to get caught up in this side of Capricorn. But if you have ever been the victim of burn out of any kind then you know all too well that going full speed up the mountain all the time is not sustainable and eventually the Sea Goat will get tired of climbing the wrong mountain.

Saturn

We can’t dive into the medicine of Capricorn’s shadow without first exploring the planetary energy behind this Capricorn archetype. Saturn delivers some strong energy and can represent several different pieces in your natal chart. First, Saturn can represent father time, or a (stern) father figure in general. Father Time makes a lot of sense to me as we know that Capricorn has the capacity to remain in the game for the long haul. Saturn can also look like a place where we need Solitude. This also makes sense. Anyone focused on climbing the tallest mountain does not have time for the proverbial dinner parties every night.

Many astrologers also read Saturn as a blockage. Where this shows up in your chart indicates where you have the potential for some great work or path if you can get past whatever is blocking you. Sounds like work! But, fear not… Saturn loves work, even when it looks like day to day routine and structure. Saturn is what flavors Capricorn and is the reason that the Sea Goat can become so blocked on their journey.

The Good Life?

Let’s look at a not so real-life example of what happens when Saturn’s need for work and structure are not met. Imagine for a moment that you come into some large sum of money- maybe you won the lottery or won a lawsuit. You now have the kind of money where it would be possible to never lift a finger again. You could have housekeepers, a chef, a chauffeur, a nanny, a private jet. You’ve got it all! You spend your days being catered to and never having to work in any sense of the word. Fast forward a few years. Are you happy doing life this way?  

For most people the answer is NO! Laying around doing nothing seems great in theory and sometimes a few weeks’ vacation is just what our soul needs! But eventually the pull of Saturn will kick in. Ever gone on vacation and had such a great time, but felt so ready to return to your day to day work? Maybe that shows up as that voice in your head saying you are getting a little too off track with your diet and exercise routine and it’s time to get back to real life. Saturn is also our inner critic, and you better believe that voice will start talking if you are not fueling the need to work, grow, and evolve! Although no one particularly enjoys hearing that inner critic speak, sometimes a little constructive criticism is what we need to navigate our blockages so we can move on to figuring out the right mountains that we are supposed to climb.

10th House and the Right Mountain

The 10th house rounds out our Capricorn clan. This house represents all things Capricorn including authority, tradition, government. Many traditional astrologers consider the 10th house to be that of career. Career, of course, implies that you are paid to do some work. There are many great works that we are not paid to do- just ask the person in recovery working their ass off every day for sobriety. The concept of sobriety is a very Capricorn in nature, but unfortunately you aren’t being compensated monetarily for your hard work there. The point is that not all great works are career related. It may be more helpful to think about the 10th house as our field of aspirations, mission or goals. The 10th house also relates to how we show up in the world. The cusp of the 10th house is the Midheaven or our most public arena and reputation in the community. The 10th house can really point the way to the “right mountain” that we are here to climb.

If you have a busy 10th house, then chances are you have some outward public mission waiting for you to discover. If you have a blank 10th house certainly that doesn’t mean that you have no purpose in the community! Great work can be found in many different arenas. Just ask the stay-at-home mom who is raising the next Eckhart Tolle. This mother is nurturing the next great spiritual leader of this generation and her tenth house is empty. The 10th house simply outlines one possibility of where our life’s mission could reside.

Wait What About the Medicine?

Ahh yes, the medicine. I wouldn’t forget to offer you some assistance in balancing out the Capricorn energy. The beauty of Evolutionary Astrology is that you are never left to fade away into the shadow side of any architype. If you choose awareness then the medicine can always be found in the balance of opposing signs. In this case, we are looking at the Capricorn/Cancer Axis. As we explored, the shadow side of Capricorn can look like the rigid, resentful, tired, burnt-out person who has been climbing the wrong mountain. Perhaps they have been chasing the wrong dreams and are starting to feel depressed and unfulfilled. How do we know what mountains we are supposed to climb anyway?

The answer lies largely in Cancer which is ruled by the moon. Cancer is the intuitive mother. We know what mountains we are supposed to climb by listening to our intuition. We have the ability to tap into this wise mother energy as often as we like. Yes, it takes work (Capricorn) but we all have the universal right to “tap in” to something softer. When given the proper “nutrition”, tapping in can flourish into a great sense of knowing. If we are constantly in our Capricorn mode of chasing and climbing, we won’t be open to the intuitive messages. Ever been offered a job or opportunity but knew on some deeper level that it wasn’t aligned with your highest good? I bet you have!

Mother Yourself

Cancer invites us to soften up and mother (nurture) ourselves more. As an adult you have the invitation to “re-mother” yourself. What didn’t you receive as a child that you needed for your growth? As an adult what does your soul need to grow and evolve? Surely the answer is not purely Capricorn mountain climbing all the time. Cancer and momma Luna invite you to appreciate the cycles of life, nurture yourself and question on an intuitive level the objectives you are chasing. Is this path I am on really the one of my souls highest mission? Remember, it can be easy to feel like we are on the correct path if we are doing the “hard work”. Remember all that conditioning around hard work being great! But, sometimes the best things in life come much more easily than we might expect.

What Now?

Great works, mission, soul growth, blockage. I encourage you to reflect for a while on these topics. Get that journal out and start reflecting on ways these things show up for you (or don’t show up!) These are such interesting and important topics especially when we think about Evolutionary Astrology! The archetype of Capricorn/Saturn/10th house can really point the way towards evolution if we heed the messages that lie in the natal chart. As always, I encourage you to get a copy of your natal chart. There are several websites where you can generate a free copy. Look to where Capricorn and Saturn show up for you. Also look at your 10th house! Even if you know very little about astrology you can get a good idea of how you deal with these Capricorn/Saturn issues by looking at these placements. But it’s complicated and here we have only scratched the surface. A natal chart reading by a trusted evolutionary astrologer would be helpful for a deeper understanding of how this energy shows up for you! Stay tuned for next time as we continue our elements journey. Next up is Air!