Capricorn 2008 – Ambitious Practical Earth Spirits

by Robert Wilkinson

January features the Sun in Capricorn, and during January 2008 we also have Jupiter in this Cardinal Earth sign as well as Mercury the first week of the month and Venus in Capricorn the last week of the month. This shows a Capricorn emphasis in our Sag and Pisces areas, as well as Gemini and Virgo areas the first part of the month, and Taurus and Libra areas the last part of the month. Looks like it’s time to get to work!

Capricorn puts the focus on our claim to power in the public realm and our ability to assert our personal authority within a social structure. This self-starting practical sign represents the power of organizing energies into forms of personal fulfillment, and the ability to use time productively to achieve our intention. Capricorn is the ultimate plodder, patiently persevering with an eye to the long-term payoff. Wherever it falls in a chart is where you may find and claim your power, authorship, mature experience and responsibility.

Capricorn inaugurates Winter, which began at the Solstice on December 21 2007, 10:08 pm PST (December 22 in EST and points east). The light force was at its yearly minimum, teaching us how to conserve energy and concentrate on what we need to learn.

According to Rudhyar, the power of the collective grows in strength until the Winter Solstice, after which it begins to wane. Now individuality and free will begin to become stronger, and the days will gradually get longer, until the Summer Solstice on June 20, 2008, at 4:59 pm PDT (June 21 for UK, Europe and points east), the longest day of the year.

Capricorn is the dutiful mature executive. It is one of the "parent" signs, and very practical and pragmatic. Mythologically, this sign of the Sea-Goat is the Wisdom-Innocence of the Elder as they are instinctive, child-like, and self-interested, yet without thought of ulterior reward.

Capricorn, when freed of the chains of socialized expectations, limited value judgments, perceptual blocks, the desire to over-control things, and fear of being thought improper, show their world how to accept responsibility easily and naturally, being the administrator of some form of Divine service to their society. When their mighty determination and perseverance are leashed by their Higher Self, great works are created.

Think Rod Serling, whose compelling voice and profound writing abilities created the legendary “Twilight Zone.” Arguably the most famous Capricorn of all, Elvis Presley, electrified the world and opened a door that changed us all for all time. Other Capricorn superstars of their times were Isaac Newton, the mathematician-astrologer and one of the greatest scientists of the past 500 years along with Dr. Benjamin Franklin, the scientist, statesman, inventor, and genius whose features still grace our $100 dollar bill.

In the political realm where they most naturally rise to the top (and often have spectacular falls!), we have Chairman Mao Tse-tung, the founder of Red China, and Richard Nixon, the felonious “unindicted co-conspirator” who resigned the Presidency in disgrace. Josef Stalin, the Soviet primier who murdered 30 million of his people, was a Capricorn, as was J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI chief with absolute power who violated the civil and human rights of tens of millions of American citizens.

Other notable political figures include Nobel Prize Laureate and martyred Middle East leader Anwar Sadat, banker and would-be kingmaker Alexander Hamilton, Presidents Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson, and such diverse figures as Benedict Arnold, Joan of Arc, George Marshall, Walter Mondale, Konrad Adenauer, and Barry Goldwater.

Others who made their mark in the political history of our world were Woodrow Wilson, who created the League of Nations only to have his Congress reject it, Robert E. Lee, the man who saved the United States from endless guerilla warfare, Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time who chose the path of nonviolence and spirituality rather than war, Lady Bird Johnson, beautifier of America, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Prophet who showed us how to “keep our eyes on the prize.”

Three great spiritual Capricorns who made a difference in their world were the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation; Vivekananda, the 19th century Indian force majure of the Counsel of World Religions and disciple of Ramakrishna, a spiritually realized being beyond our comprehension; and Paramahansa Yogananda, the Indian sage who gave the world a blend of the best of East and West, a master of Kriya Yoga (Yoga of Light) and author of many spiritual works including his famous “Autobiography of A Yogi,” a story for the ages of levitating masters, living saints, and the power of Yogic self-realization.

Legendary Capricorn musicial lights feature Cab Calloway, Little Richard, Marlena Dietrich, Bo Diddley, Odetta, Johnny Otis, Xavier Cugat, Phil Spector, Victor Borge, Oscar Levant, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Ray Price, Sophie Tucker, Gene Kruppa, Ethel Merman, Eartha Kitt, Frank Zappa, Janis Joplin, Phil Everly, Syd Barrett, Del Shannon, Glenn Yarborough, John Denver, Roger Miller, Jack Jones, and Robert Palmer.

In modern times we have an array of true talent: Sir George Martin, Jimmy Page, Edgar Winter, Pat Benatar, Donald Fagan, Robbie Krieger, Joan Baez, Rod Stewart, twins Maurice and Robin Gibb, Steven Stills, Annie Lenox, David Bowie, Dave Matthews, Anthony Glise, Dolly Parton, Chris Jefferson, Marianne Faithfull, Patti Smith, Michael Nesmith, Kenny Loggins, George Thorogood, Van Dyke Parks, Donna Summer, Shirley Bassey, Andy Summers, John Paul Jones, Mick Jones, Trevor Rabin, Bryan “Dexter” Holland, John Legend, Michael Stipe, Eddie Vedder, Jimmy Buffett, Paul Revere, Ron Foos, Jonathan Davis, A.J. McLean, Melanie Jayne Chisholm, Marilyn Manson, Barbara Mandrell, Crystal Gayle, Kid Rock, and Paul Stanley.

In the world of film Capricorn has given us such legends as Cary Grant, Ava Gardner, Hal Roach, Mack Sennett, Oliver Hardy, Lew Ayers, Sydney Greenstreet, Ray Bolger, Paul Henreid, Tex Ritter, Tom Mix, Gwen Virdon, William Bendix, Jane Wyman, Sterling Holloway, George Dolenz, Luise Rainer, Danny Kaye, Richard Widmark, Jose Ferrer, Ray Milland, Jose Greco, Butterfly McQueen, Sal Mineo, Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Patricia Neal, Russ Tamblyn, Susannah York, Alan King, Yvette Mimieux, and Federico Fellini.

Newer film luminaries of this tribe include Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway, Ben Kingsley, Sarah Miles, Anthony Hopkins, James Earl Jones, Diane Keaton, Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Voight, Dyan Cannon, Sissy Spacek, Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Jude Law, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jim Carrey, Kevin Costner, Patrick Dempsey, Orlando Bloom, Debbie Allen, Barbara Carrera, Joan Chen, Tim Matheson, Verne Troyer, Kate Bosworth, Maggie Smith, Joey Lauren Adams, Kristin Kreuk, Tia Carrere, and David Lynch.

Legendary televison Capricorns include George Burns, Steve Allen, Bob Denver, Barbara Billingsley, Mary Tyler Moore, Shari Lewis, Robert Stack, Loretta Young, Danny Thomas, Cliff Arquette, Jesse White, Lloyd Bridges, Dorothy Provine, Shelley Fabares, original Star Trekkers DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols, Bert Parks, Betty White, Jack Lord, Guy Madison, Andy Kaufman, and George Reeves.

More contemporary stars feature Jean Stapleton, Ted Danson, Tracey Ullman, Dabney Coleman, Vic Tayback, Harry Shearer, John Amos, Matt Frewer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Susan Lucci, Pamela Sue Martin, Larry Storch, Arte Johnson, Richard Moll, Victoria Principal, Shawn Wayans, Bill Maher, David Caruso, Alan Beckwith, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Paul McCrane, Taye Diggs, Gabrielle Carteris, Danica McKellar, and Mason Gamble.

A special nod goes out to three female television journalists of this tribe, Diane Sawyer, Cokie Roberts, and Katie Couric, along with one of the all time legends, Andy Rooney.

In the literary world we find Daniel Webster, Charles Perrault, Rudyard Kipling, Carl Sandburg, Jack London, Edgar Allen Poe, Carlos Castaneda, Kahlil Gibran, JRR Tolkien, AA Milne, Anne Bronte, Henry Miller, JD Salinger, Horatio Alger, Maurice Sendak, Mary Higgins Clark, Sam Levenson, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen Hawking, while in the art world we find Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, and legendary illustrators Johnny Gruelle and Charles Addams.

Other famous Capricorns who rose to the top of their game were pioneering astronomer Johannes Kepler, Louis Pasteur, Albert Schweitzer, Louis Braille, inventors Charles Babbage and Charles Goodyear, Howard Hughes, Ari Onassis, Simon Wiesenthal, Betsy Ross, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Madame C.J. Walker, Vidal Sassoon, Clara Barton, Robert Ripley, Kit Carson, Paul Revere, Jeff Bezos, and Conrad Hilton. We also find two of the most infamous figures in history, Al Capone and Rasputin.

Notable sports figures include Connie Mack, Tiger Woods, Sandy Koufax, Dizzy Dean, Rickey Henderson, Ozzie Smith, A.J. Foyt, Andre Michelin, and George Foreman, as well as stage entertainers Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, Galina Ulanova, Alvin Alley, the Amazing Kreskin, and radio personality Howard Stern.

Finally, happy birthday to the states of Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, and the nations of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, India, Thrace, the Vatican, and the Orkney Islands.

Happy B as well to the cities of Huntsville and Mobile, Prescott, New London, Tallahassee, Key West, Atlanta, Savannah, most cities in Iowa, Detroit, New York City, Fargo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, Tulsa, Chatanooga, Austin, Arlington, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Seattle, along with Brandenburg, Brussels, Port Said, and the areas of Punjab, Saxony, and Hesse.

© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Donna]

Hats off to my all time favorite Capricorn, Dolly Parton! I just love Dolly!

[Damien]

Omg, i'm feeling so ambitious all of a sudden. As a 17 degree Capricorn i'm really feeling all of this energy pushing me forward this year. Making it happen. Finally.

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

I am reading a biography of Janis Joplin. What was in her chart that made her so self-destructive? The biography gives a vivid description of the Austin music scene in the sixties.

One of my all time favorite songs is her "Ball and Chain." The first time I heard it, it just gave me chills. It was like hearing an animal being beaten.

I remember my time in the Bay Area and walking back from the Golden Gate bridge. Under my feet, her friends had purchased a brick with the inscription: "To Pearl, things aren't the same since your have been gone."

Peace,

Helen

[Robert]

Hi Donna - Dolly's really into angels. A friend of mine wrote the screenplay for "Unlikely Angel" and that's how I found out this great talent is into our invisible helpers.

Hi Damien - This year should be great for Capricorns, with the ruler of their solar 3rd and 12th come to visit their Sun. Blessings on the adventure, all you Cappies!

Hi Helen - Having been there, Austin in the 60s was a wide open dream! Almost zero violent crime, never had to lock our doors, could get by on a song and a smile, and almost everyone was laid back. Janis' life is a classic example of why we really don't want to get too attached to making our childhood friends like or respect or approve of us once we hit adulthood. Since we "can't go home again," why try? She had Moon in Cancer square Neptune quincunx Mercury, Mercury and Venus opposition Pluto, Mercury semisquare Mars, and Venus septile Mars, triseptile Jupiter in Cancer, and Mars triseptile Jupiter. We don't know what her Asc was. All this adds up to an overly sensitive person prone to going to extremes in some very interactively compulsive ways. I knew a good friend of hers a long time ago and they were still very sad that she never seemed to love herself as much as others loved her, and she never knew how much we all wished her happiness despite her inability to find it. I suppose it's somewhat related to the feeling-disconnect between Moon in Cancer and Venus in Aquarius. Another young tragedy, like Jimi, Jim, Brian, and all the other musical talents who never lived to see 30. Senseless, but that's the privilege of the young and self-absorbed.

[Helen]

Robert,

On a much lighter note, as you know my parents were both Capricorns. My father's birthday was 12-29-16 (and he and I are Dragons to boot!) and my mother's birthday was 12-25-19. My mother was a little more laid back than my father. (I recently found out that my father's Uranus was opposed my Sun along with his Saturn being right on my Moon.)

I use to tell my mother, "It's hard being a Leo being raised by two Capricorns." My mother would tell me, "It's hard being two Capricorns parents raising a Leo!"

LOL!

Peace,

Helen

[Donna]

Dolly's into angels? Really? How cool is that? I never knew! I've had a thing for Dolly since I was in high school. I guess I saw the Goddess in her then, which is how it went for me before I discovered the Divine Mother. I saw the Goddess everywhere, I guess. But Dolly just seems to shine brighter than many others. And her latest single, "Better Get To Livin'" is truly an anthem for all of us! And ironically it synchronizes with what you wrote about "using time wisely". Thanks again for the tidbit, and again, I just love your articles. SHE is speaking through you every time your fingers alight on the keyboard, Robert.

[Micheline]

is this good for sag's with both moon in cap at 18 d and mercury in cap at 4 d and all these planets fall into my fifth house
and my vertex tooooooo
is at 17 d cap
i am feeling good about this year, last year was a bit rough on me emotionaly

[Stevo]

Hi Robert,

In absolute honor of Capricorn and Saturn, I just wanted to acknowledge a couple of teachers of my musical generation. TREVOR RABIN-former Yes member turned film composer whose musical prowess is nothing but "scary". And a man who took us from being Cold As Ice to Hot Blooded to the struggle with separation and daring to ask the sometimes needed question..."I Want To Know What Love Is". MICK JONES-founding member of the band Foreigner, music industry veteran and business genius. These two 8th house legacies will live a long, long time......

[Robert]

Hi Helen - Your Capricorn parents had their idea of what was right and proper, while your Majesty KNEW what was right and proper, so no doubt your independence of view confounded them from time to time!

Hi Donna - Yes, she's very much into angels. Check out "Unlikely Angel" and you'll see what I'm talking about. And she is a genuinely sweet person and a class act.

Hi Micheline - This year should be fairly good for you, with renewed confidence and the ability to capture what you want and need.

Hi Stevo - Will add them to the list now that I have a little time to devote to such things. Thanks for the references.

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

You're one smart Arian that knows that the best way around me is to call me Your Majesty!!!

:)

Peace,

Helen

[Robert]

Hi Helen - Well, as a Leo rising, I understand these things. Now if only all the other signs would just submit to the glory of Leo-ness.... ;-)

[mumu]

hey dont put all Debbiie Allen bussnies up there.