Glyph:
Symbol: The Goat
Gender: Feminine
Element: Earth
Quality: Cardinal
Capricorns tend to look old when young, but they make up for this in later life because they don't seem to change very much as time goes by. These subjects are usually around average or slightly less than average height. Some are fairly plump throughout life, and if so, they have a larger top half than bottom half. Those who start out slim, remain that way, which can make them bony and gawky when young but stunning when they get older. Capricorn faces have strong features and good bones, which also helps their looks in later life. Some have wonderful hair, which they often wear quite long; others have fine hair that clings to their small neat heads.
Capricorns are ambitious, and if they don't have much in the way of personal ambition, they push their loved ones and their children to succeed. These people are family minded and they can't cope if a relationship breaks up, often because they rely upon their spouse to give their self-confidence a boost. Capricorns are highly intelligent and extremely sensitive. They sometimes hide their light under a bushel.
Capricorns seem to come in fairly distinct types. Some are quiet, shy, retiring and lacking in social skills and self-confidence. These start out as gentle, watchful children who keep their heads down at school, avoid the bullies, confide in nobody and work their way up and out of whatever circumstances surround them. A difficult start in life makes these Capricorns strive to overcome the handicaps of an introverted personality and an unprepossessing family background, but they do as well as possible under whatever circumstances they find themselves in. These studious subjects usually choose a profession where they can progress slowly upward and a soul mate to share their lives with.
The second Capricorn types are so outgoing that it is hard to believe that they belong to this sign at all. These subjects can be talking machines who are quite exhausting to be with. They have an impressive aura of competence and business success, which doesn't always live up to expectations, although they usually keep on trying. The success that they appear to achieve in the wider world is not always reflected in their personal lives, where their over-sensitivity can be a problem for them and for those around them. Fortunately, there is a third type, which is much more reasonable. These Capricorns are just as ambitious as the other two, but within far more normal boundaries, and their manner and behavior is more easygoing.
Whatever the outer package, Capricorns tend to tread two diametrically opposed paths at the same time. They feel a huge sense of responsibility toward their families, especially their parents, and they are dutiful toward in-laws, step or half relatives and others who they feel they must be close with. However, they have a huge inner independence that takes them on paths that don't necessarily meet with the approval of those who are around them, or indeed of the world they inhabit. One such example is an acquaintance of mine who came from a family of upper-middle class achievers, who rejected their values in order to become a herbalist, aromatherapist and clairvoyant. Needless to say, being a Capricorn, she made a good job of this and is now the head of various societies in her fields of work.
Capricorns are often old when young and young when old. They retain their looks well into old age, and with luck they eventually grow out of whatever held them back as youngsters and are far happier compared to the first half of their lives. The main thing to bear in mind is that these people never give up. Whatever setbacks life hands them, they dust themselves off and start again and they usually end up making good in the long run. Whether introverted or apparently outgoing, Capricorns tend to keep their problems to themselves or only share them with a trusted family member. They don't wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Some are far too serious and even dour; others become far too materialistic, while some seem unable to understand that the needs and feelings of others count for anything. Some of these subjects eventually learn to trust others and to love someone other than their parents, but others never really do so.
The astrology of the twentieth century tells us that Capricorns are drawn to banking and to big business, while the astrology of earlier eras tells us that this is the sign of the scientist. The fact is that Capricorns are extremely practical, they can handle details and they can keep an amazing amount of minutiae in their heads. This does take many of them into accounting or publishing with its emphasis on getting the details right. These subjects will obtain as good an education as they can and then fill in any gaps by attending evening classes. Typical Capricorns start out by taking a fairly lowly position in a large organization and steadily work their way up. Restructuring seems to wash over them and they eventually reach quite high positions.
Some Capricorns pick up on the energies of the eccentric signs of Sagittarius and Aquarius that border their own sign, and find themselves drawn to religion or spirituality, and there are a surprising number in the mind, body and spirit fields. Even here, their innate business sense leads them to make more of a success out of this than others who do the same thing. It seems that their practicality, tenacity, organizational ability and their habit of working hard when others slack off, makes them ultimately successful in anything that they decide to take on. Some are serious, silent and dour, clerkish types who don't make an impression. Others are extremely outgoing folk who gravitate to sales or even to the world of show business. Most find a skill, a technique or perhaps some kind of medical job like dentistry, chiropody, working in a vet's office or a pharmacy and stick with this. They perfect their skills and make a living using them.
Oddly enough, some Capricorns opt for a career in show business, and once again it is their professionalism that makes them successful. Some love to sing, play music, compose music or dance.
Capricorns have much common sense and practicality where money is concerned. They often go through fairly lengthy periods of low income and hard times before they reach the level where their income improves. They rarely grumble, but manage on what they have and still put a little aside for a rainy day, and when the money starts coming in they put a good deal of it aside. These hard workers will always find a way of earning themselves and their families out of trouble if the need arises. They fear poverty and this can make them unnecessarily tight-fisted.
Oddly enough for such a sensible and materialistic sign (and despite their natural tendency to save and invest), they don't always buy property, possibly due to a peculiar need for these subjects to keep their options open. This can take them into renting property, or even taking space in homes that belong to other people. Some Capricorns are late developers who stay at home with their parents until they themselves are middle aged. Indeed, some never leave and only become property owners once their parents die. When they buy a home, they keep it in reasonable order and they buy whatever is needed for reasonable comfort. They don't necessarily feel the need to update or improve on things that still have some years of life left in them, but when they do buy something they don't buy flashy gimmicky stuff but things that will last. The one thing that Capricorns don't stint on is warmth. Despite the chilly nature of some Capricorns, they cannot stand being cold, so their homes are far from chilly. They tend to be good cooks, so neither they nor their families are likely to go short of a good meal or two.
This is a total win-or-lose situation for Capricorns, and there are many scenarios in which they can find themselves. Some are so attached to their parents that they never really venture out into the world of love and marriage, or they feel free to do so only when their parents have gone and they themselves are getting old. Others go to the other extreme and marry when very young with varying rates of success. Those who are lucky enough to get it right are the most loyal and loving of partners, who would never dream of straying from the marital nest. If they are lucky enough to find the right partner, they eventually relax, blossom and learn to do things that please them, to socialize and to enjoy life.
Some Capricorns are far too controlling or fussy, and they can take offense over every little thing. This doesn't make it easy for others to stay in love with them or even to want to hang around for very long. Others are perfectly reasonable and happy to be part of the rough and tumble of family life. Yet others form immensely strong attachments to their partners and to their children and they strive to make everyone around them as happy as possible. As I said at the start, it is either win or lose in the partnership stakes. They certainly love their children, but they may work so much that they miss out on the fun aspects of parenting.
Some Capricorns are quite sick when young, but they eventually grow out of whatever ails them and go on to live healthy lives. Indeed, they belong to the longest-lived of all the sun signs. The weak spots are the skin and bones. Many are hard of hearing and nowadays some have operations to clear up weaknesses in the inner ear. Some suffer from asthma or eczema in childhood, but they manage to live with or overcome these setbacks later in life.
This is the least athletic sign of the zodiac, but many Capricorns take up some form of sport or game later in life. I know one who took swimming lessons in his fifties, and another who took up golf upon retirement. Some enjoy singing or dancing.
Capricorns don't wear their feelings on their sleeves, so it can be hard to know where one stands with them.
Wonderful with animals, they sometimes find them easier to love than humans.
Capricorns are best left to do things in their own time. They get through everything that they need to do, but they become agitated and lose track of themselves if they are rushed.
These people can be shortsighted over money matters, and in some cases they can even be surprisingly crooked, especially when ambition or the need to hang on to power gets into their bloodstream. Tricky-dick President Nixon was a Capricorn!
If they are encouraged to relax and enjoy life, they love to travel. They tend to opt for cruises where they can see many different places but do the actual moving from place to place in comfort.
The first decan is also Capricorn, but the second is Taurus and the third is Virgo. Read through the brief descriptions below and then turn to the chapters on Taurus and Virgo.
Pure Capricorn. These subjects are either very outgoing or very shy. They are highly intelligent, very sensitive and sometimes apt to push others away in an effort to avoid being hurt. They are sensible, thorough, capable and hard working and they can also be surprisingly ambitious. When they give their hearts they are extremely loyal and they appreciate loyalty in others. These Capricorns are studious and serious.
This is probably the easiest of all the decans, as the Taurean influence adds sociability, creativity, a touch of artistry and makes for a more relaxed and easier-going personality. These people can make a nice home and create a lovely garden because they enjoy large projects of this kind. This influence brings pleasure from music and often a good sense of rhythm and a love of dancing.
These Capricorns are highly intelligent and they can be extremely studious. They are likely to become experts in their chosen fields. Their lack of self-confidence can hold them back when they are young, but they grow into themselves and become more comfortable to be with as they get older. These subjects must guard against miserliness and fussiness.
The first dwaad is also Capricorn, so no change here. For all other dwaads, read the chapter on the sign in question and also the brief descriptions given below to see what adjustments are made to the original sign.