Getting under the Skin of Capricorn

images on this post from Wikipedia

When I get an idea scratching at my brain, I usually try to ignore it. Yesterday, this post on Capricorn nagged me throughout the day.Write about Capricorn individuals and energy because it will help others to understand the real story behind Pluto transiting in Capricorn. Since I have a Capricorn Ascendant, come from a family with half of my relatives with Capricorn Suns, and because I'm an astrologer, here you go.

First let's look at the planetary ruler of Capricorn, otherwise known as Saturn. We know Saturn as a hard-luck planet and that any child with a Capricorn Moon, Sun, or Ascendant who survives childhood will most likely thrive as an adult. Saturn rules integrity, responsibility, discipline, and walking the path alone, as well as, climbing the proverbial, or even actual mountain. Most Capricorns know about the value of hard work and most Capricorns will sacrifice temporary well-being for the bigger picture. Think of the Vietnamese immigrant sleeping on the floor of a restaurant to save money to buy his own restaurant.

Saturn and Capricorn rule the skin and other connective tissue along with the knees and lower spine. Many Capricorns have health issues with the skin, knees, back, and connective tissues. Capricorns also forgo nurturing themselves even though their polar opposite, Cancer rules nurturing and mothering. Capricorn and Saturn remind me of the stern father who leaves for work every morning while the wife takes care of all the touchy-feeling stuff. He's the breadwinner in the Zodiac and also the social climber. This is a stereotype but it works in describing the Capricorn energy.

The Capricorn paradox is that he or she believes that they must go it alone on the road to success, but at the same time, look for powerful mentors to attached to like barnacles on a rock. Don't believe that the Capricorn is a self-made man or woman and that they achieved success through only hard work and sacrifice. While that's true on the surface, Capricorns know who is useful to their career and aren't afraid to pursue those leaders of industry or powerful community members. They might even worship leaders in their respective industry and emulate the leaders' behavior. Capricorn also loves attending business tycoon and motivational seminars. Anything with "leadership" in the title appeals to these folks.

Now like every Zodiac Sign, Capricorns possess a higher and a lower vibration. The Capricorns who only think of their career and what's in it for them obviously float along at a lower vibration. Capricorns who give back to their community, share their wisdom, mentor younger generations, as well as, build solid structure that sustains humanity, soar at a higher vibration. Now, we all have Capricorn somewhere in our Natal charts and the 10th House is always ruled naturally by Capricorn even if we have Leo on the cusps of the 10th. Having Capricorn on the cusps of an angular House (1, 4, 7 and 10) holds emphasis in a chart even if none of your planets fall in Capricorn. Having planets land in especially the 1st and 10th Houses (Ascendant and Midheaven) presents strong Capricorn tendencies, especially with the Ascendant.  For instance, many people think that I'm a Capricorn because of my Ascendant in Capricorn, but I have no planets in my First House and no planets in Capricorn. I do have my South Node in Capricorn so I know this energy well.

Houses with Capricorn on the cusps carry the themes of integrity, taking responsibility verses shirking responsibility, a karmic vibe (law of cause and effect), and a sense of punishment verses righteousness. Capricorn falls under the Earth element and this is a grounded, structured, and even religious sign. Now, when I talk religion, the Capricorn could be a member of any major religion or committed spiritual group. A solid Capricorn doesn't flirt with a different spiritual practice every week and they cast a jaundice eye at new age spirituality practices. Capricorn grounds itself in "reality" and this reality comes from the general consensus of reality, and not a reality dreamed up by hazy Neptune or off-the-chart Uranus.

I remember astrologers telling Capricorns that they didn't need to fear their Saturn Returns since they already embodied those energies and lessons from growing up Capricorn. Many Capricorns take on responsibilities at an early age and often feel like they are parenting their parents and thus robbed of a childhood. They tend to work hard in school and take several small jobs on the side because they enjoy earning their own way in the world. They also value money, even the Capricorns who say that they don't (they are lying to themselves). Capricorns respect people who work hard and climb their way to the top, especially seem heroic if they fought off addictions and other dragons along the way. Similar to Leo, they enjoy status symbols, but for different reasons than Leo. Capricorns love the comfort and security of status, not the spotlight. Recognition means little to them if money doesn't come with the package.

Since Saturn is the ruler of time and 3-dimensional reality along with the structures that go along with 3-D reality, I imagine Capricorns have the most difficult time entering the Quantum Age. They exist in the here and now, not some far off dimension with unfamiliar structure. Then along comes Pluto in 2008 entering Capricorn and knocking down old structure. To further emphasize this transformation process, Saturn spent two and a half years in Scorpio (until last December and again this summer). Capricorn might be the most grounded of Zodiac Signs (though Taurus is a strong contender for this title), but when the Earth starts shaking and slime oozes up from the underground caverns, Capricorn starts to feel a bit nervous if not outright anxious.

Pluto delivered its first blow to Capricorns and other front line Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer and Libra), with the collapse of the banking system and stock market in 2008-09. Now, we can look at the glossed over surface and say, "Yeah, but the big banks are still around and so is the stock market." But this is illusion because below and even above the surface, we see a rise in solo entrepreneurs, people leaving the cubicle world in droves, people building and living in houses under 300 square feet (which represents another side of Capricorn which revolves around conserving resources and condensing resources). Experiments in renewable energy technology, new healing modalities that bring instance healing in some cases, and new monetary systems have also missed the radar known as mass media. Pluto in Capricorn also brings up debates and issues around fossil fuels with the combination of Scorpio/Pluto and Capricorn/Saturn. Conserving resources and conserving the earth verses cashing in on what remains, foster contention among different groups.

Besides contending with Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn types have also contended with Mars in Libra for over 8 months in 2013-14, the North Node in Libra which squared Pluto January through April of 2015, and of course the squares with Uranus in Aries. Then when the faster moving planets move into the Cardinal Signs, Pluto in Capricorn experiences conjunctions, squares and oppositions, all of which are challenging transits when Pluto is involved. Even when Pluto goes retrograde, we have the task of integrating the lessons learned and wisdom gained from the six months Pluto traveled direct. Let's also not forget the numerous eclipses that pulled in Pluto in Capricorn.

Now, we have some good news as far as Cardinal Energy goes with the North Node moving into Virgo this November, but Uranus stays in Aries for another four years and Pluto remains in Capricorn until 2024. I believe that this Pluto transit in Capricorn awakens those Capricorn Sun, Moon, and Ascendant people who still vibrate at a lower frequency (the what's in it for me crowd). Transformation through Capricorn also works on us less grounded types (people with strong Neptune in their charts), in that Capricorn forces us to face reality and take responsibility for ourselves and to share our wisdom with others. However, at the same time with Uranus in Aries, we are finding that it's not just the elderly who hold the keys to wisdom because children have their own wisdom which revolves around innovations that promises to save life on the planet. Capricorn rules time--both the beginning and the endpoint. Also have you ever noticed the wisdom that Capricorn children in particular possess? Often times we refer to Capricorn children as little old men and women.

We have moved past the most challenging Cardinal transits with Pluto in Capricorn. The monster eclipses, the long Mars transit in Libra, the North Node in Libra, and the Uranus-Pluto exact squares are falling into the background. However, Capricorn and Saturn are slow movers and while they initiate changes and in the case of Pluto, transformation, these changes only appear urgent on the surface. As we produce new monetary systems, change the real estate market with alternative homes, build businesses on ethics and integrity, return to communities instead of living the motto, "Every man for himself," we slowly enter a way of being on the Earth. And just as we would expect, these changes come from the younger generations then ripple outward. It will be interesting to watch how the Pluto in Capricorn generation handles Climate Change, and other "realities" we currently face. The oldest child from this generation is a mere seven years old at this point, going through the first major Saturn transit.

However, with Pluto in Capricorn we can expect big ideas and solutions to come from small packages, meaning younger folks. Uranus in Aries also speaks of revolutionary and innovative children or at least our innovative inner children if only we would allow ourselves to step out of the box (Saturn built), and enjoy playtime where we engage our imagination. With Neptune transiting in Pisces until 2025, daydreaming could reap solutions too. Pluto doesn't just transform Capricorn types, but transforms the world so that each of us honors ethics and integrity as well as, taking responsibility for our own happiness as we climb the mountain to a higher way of being on Planet Earth.

I strongly recommend anyone with Cardinal and Mutable Sign Natal planets to get either a Natal chart or Solar Return reading in 2015. While the Cardinal energy is waning a bit, the Mutable energies are picking up momentum. Think of an astrology reading as realigning your compass to point to your North.  I also give intuitive coaching sessions for entrepreneurs and artists.  Check out my offerings at Metaphysics for Everyday Living. Also if fees are an issue look for a friend or family member to gift you with a reading.