🌕 Full Moon in Capricorn ♑️
🐐🌊🌍 Capricorn: the determined goat of the waters. The 10th sign of the zodiac, marked by the constellation Capricornus. A cardinal Earth sign ruled by Saturn, the planet of focus, ethics, authority, structure, justice, boundaries, and reality. The cardinal signs are known to be visionary leaders, as their dates mark the beginnings of the four seasons. Earth signs are considered stable, practical, and persistent.
The Origin of Capricorn: What’s a Sea Goat?
The symbol of the sea-goat goes back much further than Greek astrology; understanding the origins of this symbol helps us to understand the characteristics attributed to Capricorn.
Greek astrology was influenced by Babylonian astrology, which was influenced by the earlier Sumerian culture. Sumer is the earliest known civilization. Sumer and Babylon were located within the Tigris-Euphrates river system of the Middle East, in what was later called Mesopotamia, Greek for “Land Between the Rivers”.
Sumerians are responsible for the first system of writing, the first codes of law, early agriculture, the structure of a city-state, and the development of art forms that influenced all of eastern civilizations. Like all ancient peoples, the Sumerians looked to the heavens as a way to understand creation and their existence on Earth.
Later on, the Babylonians rose to power and created the first known organized system of astronomy and astrology by measuring the movement of celestial bodies with math and time. When the Greeks conquered Babylon, they adapted Babylonian astrology for their own culture. They incorporated Enki, the god of wisdom and waters, as Capricorn.
Enki, God of Wisdom and Waters
Enki was the keeper of divine powers called Me, the gifts of civilization. He wore a horned hat and was depicted with streams of water full of fish flowing from his shoulders, representing the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The Sumerians invented the earliest systems of agriculture in this region. They grew fruits, vegetables, and grains, and raised domesticated animals including goats and cows. The mating season of goats signified the beginning of winter, the rainy season. Rain and snow melt from the mountains filled the rivers through the winter, and the rivers were completely full by the time baby goats were born in spring.
And so, we have Capricorn: a reimagining of Enki, horned god of wisdom and waters, bestower of the gifts of civilization. Lover of discipline, ambition, and achievement. These are great qualities to embody, regardless of your astrological sign.
Opposing Forces - the Sun in Cancer
Full moons happen when the sun and the moon are opposite each other; the sun’s light illuminates the rocky surface of the moon. That means the sun in moon are on opposite sides of the astrological calendar. So when the moon is in Capricorn, the sun is shining in Cancer.
Cancer, the sensitive crab with a strong intuition, is the 4th sign in the zodiac. It is a cardinal water sign. Cancer is loyal, defensive, and dreamy. They can seem almost psychic at times, and live in a world of their own imagination. Cancer finds balance by learning to express themselves in the physical world, rather than becoming consumed by their own emotions.
Day and night, sun and moon, balance each other. So the ambitious, external Capricorn energy of this full moon is balanced by the sensitive, intuitive Cancer energy of the Sun.
The Power of the Full Moon
Full moons bring your subconscious to the surface— metaphorically and literally pulling on the waters of our bodies just as it pulls on the water of the ocean and rivers. This rise of emotion and expression can feel in conflict with Capricorn energy. Capricorn avoids emotional displays, hiding what’s happening inside so everything looks under control on the outside. Capricorn’s business-like approach and need to prove themselves can come across as defensive and stubborn.
This is wear watery, emotional, psychic Cancer energy brings balance. Instead of bottling up our feelings and eventually blowing up, we can use this time to move inward and face the difficult feelings head on, like two goats butting heads to show who’s in charge. Cultivate inner strength and determination. Take responsibility for your emotions. Find ways to pick yourself up when you’re feeling down. Get to the root of how you feel and start asking, “Where are these feelings really coming from?”
Each full moon is an invitation to become clear about what we want and release what no longer serves us. Use Capricorn’s energy of discipline and hard work to get clear on which responsibilities are really yours, which goals you actually care about, and what your true mission is at this point in your life… not what your parents wanted, not what the old you wanted, and not what society says you should want. Release those ideas and see what’s left.
Be the Leader You Needed
Take charge, stand firm in your beliefs, and self regulate. Be the strong leader you could have learned from as a child. Our inner child lives in all of us. Be a role model for the younger you. Learn to cultivate security, confidence, and determination from within. Take care of your internal state of being, instead of working so hard to convince the external world that you have it all figured out.
Examining our younger selves and who we thought we were “supposed” to be, can bring up a lot of tough emotions. It might mean processing old memories in new ways, with a new perspective. This can be both uncomfortable and exciting. Understanding our past helps us to understand our motives and habits in the present. We can take full responsibility for our actions without sugar coating anything. We can face hard truths about ourselves and uncover parts of us that are ready to shine again.
When we release the ideas of “should” and “should not” that don’t belong to us, we get closer to the truest expression of ourselves. We give up coping mechanisms in favor of systems, boundaries, goals, and ambitions that support our true fulfillment. We make space for transformation.