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The Capricorn Journey - Master of Our Own Life

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #155, December 21, 2008
Planetary Alignments
Capricorn New Moon - December 27th

The Capricorn New Moon closes 2008 and opens the doorway to 2009. This is a heavy duty Capricorn new moon. Mars, Pluto, the Moon, the Sun, asteroid Juno, Mercury and Jupiter are all in Capricorn. Mars and Pluto in Capricorn conjunct the day after the New Moon. Capricorn tells us in no uncertain terms to get busy and take our role in the world seriously. It is definitely time to transform our relationship with the physical world. The North Node, Chiron, Venus and Neptune, all in Aquarius, remind us that selfish financial gain must be replaced with a heart-centered social/economic order that serves everyone.

Pluto exposes the abuses of power in relationship to wealth, authority, fear and our unconscious. Domination, exploitation and destruction are the dark side of the patriarchy. It is time for the higher octave of masculinity to come forth - protection, preservation, and honoring the value of each individual.

At this new moon, Venus and Neptune conjunct (meet at 22° Aquarius). Venus and Neptune represent the sacred feminine. In Aquarius they awaken us to both our interdependence and our interconnectedness.

Cancer Full Moon - January 11th

The Cancer Full Moon shines light into our emotional dark side, illuminating how our unconscious choices determine what we manifest and experience. The major themes of this full moon are limits, resources, options, choices, consequences, responsibility, accountability, and cause and effect. Add your personal reality to these concepts and you can fit together the pieces of your past, current and future life puzzle. What doesn't fit is what needs to change, and where our inner Capricorn needs to take charge.

This full moon coincides with a very interesting planetary configuration called a mystic rectangle. This includes:

  1. two oppositions, which are activate both action and awareness,
  2. two trines, which offer smooth sailing and open our creative channels, and
  3. two sextiles, which spark "ah ha" insights.

These forces, acting together, facilitate our ability to perceive changes that must be made to move forward.(1)

Mercury goes retrograde January 11th at 8:44am PST at 8° Aquarius, just after the Full Moon peaks. Until January 31st at 11:11pm PST (February 1st at 7:11am GMT), we have time to thoughtfully clarify our goals, define our priorities, and align our lives with our mission.

Jupiter enters Aquarius January 5th and remains in Aquarius until January 17th, 2010. The Aquarian Age is upon us. Expansive Jupiter in Aquarius awakens us to new perspectives and possibilities in relationship, and to social and technological innovation and reform. We are at choice to move forward in the spirit of collaboration, equality, diversity and community.

Pluto in Capricorn

Pluto shakes up the territory of the sign that it transits. Pluto re-entered Capricorn November 26th, where it will reside until 2023. Pluto will excavate (and eventually renew) everything that falls into the territory of Capricorn - the establishment, economic/political/social structures, corporations, business, government, leadership AND our personal role in the world.

Pluto in expansive, optimistic, fiery, and risk-taking Sagittarius, offered a field day for greedy profiteers and speculators, and for fear-mongering fundamentalist types espousing the righteousness of their cause. When Capricorn takes command, the time of excess is over. Pluto in Capricorn reveals the true façade of our illusionary and perverted reality show.

Some of Capricorn's key phrases include:

Capricorn key concepts include: dependable, practical, realistic, disciplined, ambitious, acts with integrity, and respectful. These virtues have a glowing ring. Just imagine the renewal of our political and economic institutions with these key words as the touchstones for leadership, devoted to revitalizing and reforming our collective structures.

Our Personal Leadership Role

Our current collective predicament is the result of the mismanagement, incompetency, greed, and lack of integrity (I limit the list) of a whole bunch of individuals who were (are) in positions of power, but failed (dismally) to act according to the highest Capricorn values. Our global, national and local institutional crises are the sum of many, many personal crises. Power and greed has commanded the psyche of way too many individuals. Now that Pluto in Capricorn is sitting on the judge's bench, the karmic wheel has turned to revelation of the truth and karmic payback.

Pluto in Capricorn has personal relevance to each of our lives. Capricorn is also about the institution of the manifested Self - the human experience of our Soul. What is up for each of us is to look at the business of MY LIFE. For the next fifteen years, Pluto in Capricorn is going to oblige us to investigate:

The collective transforms only if individuals transform and offer their contribution. Pluto in Capricorn is reminding each of us that we have a mission. If this mission is to be accomplished, we have to become the commanding officer of our own life. To bring our visions into reality, we are well advised to follow the wise counsel of Capricorn.

Capricorn's Wise Council

Capricorn's guidebook for success includes the following:

  1. Patiently take one realistic step at a time. Progress happens incrementally.
  2. Don't waste your time on illusions and fears. Do your inner work, so that you can liberate yourself from the role of being your own worst enemy.
  3. Prepare yourself by creating a foundation of knowledge and know-how in your field. You may be an innovator, but you have to know what you are talking about, in order to command the respect of those in your field who will scrutinize your work. If you can stand up to the experts, you can become one yourself.
  4. Keep your focus on your project. Don't waste time with those who do not support your vision. Don't be diverted and distracted. Time and resources are limited. Use both wisely.
  5. Be strategic. Don't fight trivial battles. Use your energy to overcome obstacles that are critical to your success.
  6. Make every step doable and enjoyable. If something seems too hard or stressful, chunk it down into smaller more manageable tasks.

    Someone told me once that he could never get past the first paragraph in the book he wanted to write. I asked him to explain his process. He said he sat down at the computer with the intention of writing, but always experienced writer's block. He had no notes or outline. He thought he could just start with the first chapter of the book.

    I explained to him a method that works for me. First I take notes - just as they come to me. Then I am all pleased that I have a couple of pages of notes. I have accomplished something. I am ready for step two - I type these notes into the computer, adding more material as I write. Wow. I am again all pleased because I have something written. I read those notes and add to them when I am ready. My 'masterpiece' evolves incrementally. The most important thing is that I enjoy each phase of the creative process. I don't try to jump into a finished product. I let the product build itself, one step at a time.
  7. Whatever your project, define your life work in terms of service. What benefit are you offering? How can what you do help others? Ambition can get us into trouble, if we are the only ones who are going to benefit. If we always keep the greater good in mind, we can circumvent Capricorn's domineering and ruthless dark side, that seeks power for selfish gain. Our current global crisis is a result of the self-serving, exploitative behavior of those in positions of power.
  8. Respect power. Power and authority come in many forms. Dealing with all the forces that confront us is tricky business. Universal energies cannot be manipulated by our ego or affirmations. The study of astrology helps us understand the energies that we are dealing with.

    The 'secret' is NOT to try to pretend we are God. What we do have to do is to uncover our hidden beasts that dictate our reality. Our own subconscious fear, manifested as perfectionism, inertia, depression and egotistical status-seeking, can be such a burden that it prevents us from climbing up our mountain. This power must be transformed. It is our internal enemies that overwhelm and sabotage us. That's why we have Pluto to expose what is keeping us from achieving our good intentions.
  9. Don't get overwhelmed. Just keep going. Keep up. Patience pays. Just do something. Waiting is wasting. I love what Yogi Bhajan used to tell us - "The Universe is set up for us to win".
Self-Mastery - Responsibility and Maturity

Self-mastery is Capricorn's main goal. To pass the tests of the Initiate, we must learn how to deal with the challenges of the physical world. The following describe some of our tests:

  1. Capricorn teaches us to be responsible for how we manage our personal resources. Because of the finite nature of the world and ourselves, we must learn how to deal with limits and respect boundaries.
  2. Capricorn, and its ruler Saturn, remind us that every choice has a consequence, and we are responsible for both our choices and their consequences. Captain Karma rules with the stick of the law of cause and effect
  3. Personal integrity and accountability lead us on the path to maturity and autonomy. Growing up is about becoming our own authority, and the director of our own lives.
  4. Learn from your mistakes. If you enjoy the liberating results of learning your lessons, you won't feel like you are being 'punished for being bad'. Karma isn't all bad. We can also benefit from the result of our actions. Try an attitude of gratitude instead of an attitude of victimhood, and monitor the results of the principle of the law of cause and effect.
  5. We have to be in touch with our inner authority and follow it to command respect in the external world. Who we are in the world is a reflection of who we are inside. Our ability to listen to our higher Self gives us the ability to speak, and act, for transcendent truths.
Time and Space

The main goal of the Sagittarius archetype is to lead us on our spiritual path. Our inner Archer shoots our arrow toward God/Divine/Infinite consciousness. We engage in spiritual and yogic practices to wake ourselves up from our asleep mode of being.

Capricorn reminds us that we are firstly in a human body, secondly in the physical world, and thirdly, subject to the laws of time and space. The Capricorn archetype is about self-initiation as a spiritual adept. This means that we have to learn how to hold our consciousness on Spirit, and our Soul, while we live in the world. We can only climb up the mountain as far as we can hold our connection. When we lose our connection, we slide back down to its foot. No wonder the valleys are so populated and the mountain peaks are uninhabited.

We not only have to maintain a conscious connection with Sprit and our Soul, we have to live in the world by spiritual principles - integrity, service, authenticity, patience, perseverance, responsibility and courage.

Our ultimate test, and daily challenge, is to hold our consciousness on the Infinite in time and space. The most rigorous spiritual path requires us to be active in the world. Staying connected is comparatively easy when isolated in a small self-sufficient community on a mountain top. We have done that during many previous lifetimes. This time around, escapism is not our assignment. We are here to undergo the real Capricorn test - can we live spiritual lives in an urban environment, and make our contribution in the hectic world of job, family and relationships?

Kundalini Yoga - Sadhana is Our Insurance Policy
Yogi Bhajan

Yogi Bhajan was unequivocal about the necessity of Sadhana - daily spiritual practice. Sadhana is required to survive and thrive in this chaotic time during transition from the Piscean to the Aquarian Age.

Our Kundalini Yoga practice connects us with Spirit and our Soul. The more we practice and train ourselves to pay attention, the more we remember the Infinite. Of course, we sometimes forget, and that is why Sadhana is so important. Sadhana is our insurance policy. The practice of Kundalini Yoga and the chanting of Divine mantras imprint the higher frequencies in our energy field. We are protected by this higher frequency during the day.

When we vibrate with the Infinite, we automatically operate from our truth. When things happen (which they always do), we can get over the emotional drama sooner, and we are less attached to victim stories. We see the truth. We accept what happens. We can act in integrity, and we can move on. We are in time and space, but because we are connected above time and space, we can lead spiritual lives while being active in the world.

Years ago I remember Yogi Bhajan telling us that he conducted a survey of the people who came to him for advice. He said that over 90% did NOT do Sadhana.

So the moral of the story is - do Sadhana. Don't overwhelm yourself with 'I have to do 2½ hours at 4:00am or none at all'. Do something before you leave the house in the morning or before you begin your daily activities.

Do something - even five minutes!

When I was living in Palo Alto I tried to encourage all my students to do some Sadhana, even if it was just for 5 minutes. One lady came back the following week all pleased with herself, and said that her life had shifted dramatically. I asked her what she did. She said she did 5 minutes of some Kundalini exercises every day. She set her kitchen timer to 5 minutes, ran into the bedroom, did some yoga or chanting and when the alarm when off, she was done. What amazed me was the fact that even that quick routine made a big difference in her life.

Awake in Your Body - Time and Space Exercise

While the Sun, and all those other planets, are in Capricorn, is a perfect time to slow down and deepen your Kundalini Yoga practice. Pick any set that you like and do each exercise consciously. Stay present to each movement and breath in time and space, i.e. with awareness of how your body is moving and responding.

Between each exercise follow each breath as your breathing adjusts. Be with the sensations in your body as your body integrates the effects of the exercise. The exercises, and the rest in between, will become a meditation. You are training yourself to be consciously awake in your body in time and space.

Keep in mind the touchstones - How I am in my body is how I am in the world. Patience pays.

We train ourselves in Sadhana so that we can take our expanded awareness into the world. During the day, check in with your body, your breath, and your feeling awareness. Periodically slow your breath down to 4 or less per minute. Deep, conscious breathing will pull you into an active/meditative state.

Seriously practice the above. Don't just think it is a good idea. Do this every day for 40 days. You will experience a profound inner shift. You have something very special to look forward to. You may wish to keep a journal, look back, and analyze your experiences.

Have a Happy, Healthy, Harmonious New Year!!

Guru Rattana Online

For Kundalini Yoga and meditation classes on the Capricorn Archetype subscribe to Guru Rattana Online

Capricorn Lesson #1 - 'The Duality of Darkness - The Shadow and the Light'

Capricorn Lesson #2 - 'Saturn and the Alchemy of Crystallization'

However, you choose to participate in bringing in the Aquarian Age, your participation is requested and required. Let's take charge of our own lives and enthusiastically offer our contribution to the world.

Sat Nam!

References and Footnotes

"Capricorn New Moon, Cancer Full Moon", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, Dec 2008/Jan 2009, Issue #142, pages 102-3.

"Capricorn's Labor", Gerhardt, Dana, The Mountain Astrologer, Dec 2008/Jan 2009, Issue #142, pages 11-15.

1. Austin, p. 103.

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