All About Capricorn
Capricorn is known as the mountain goat because it likes to climb to great heights. Capricorn looks down from the mountain, and sees the bigger picture, looks ahead, makes goals. It likes to see ahead to be able to plan. As an earth sign, Capricorn is practical, grounded, and understands the logic of what works, what makes sense; not the idealistic but the realistic. Capricorn lives life with purpose, focused on their intent and what they want to accomplish. Like all Earth signs, Capricorn is most comfortable on this planet because it is comfortable with the material realm. It likes to see its accomplishments take form.
Capricorn wants to make a good impression. Not a false or flashy one, but one that portrays their integrity and best self. When Capricorn is expressing its highest self, there is no pretense or posturing. It is concerned with its reputation; it wants to be seen as a respectable person. Respect is of great importance to Capricorn, and they need to demand it and give it in return. They are always asking the question of what one should do, what is best. They carry a great sense of responsibility; sometimes they need to be careful not to bury themselves under the work they feel they need to do, all they feel they need to accomplish. Capricorn sometimes seems pessimistic, but it's likely that it doesn't find that as dreary sounding as some signs may.
Capricorn is simply not comfortable with frivolousness, it seeks control and discipline. Weight on the shoulders isn't as stressful for Capricorn as some signs may feel it is for them. Solitude can be Capricorn's friend. Spending time alone is a fabulous way to learn how to rely on yourself. But there is also a certain factor of recharge for Capricorn in spending time alone and depending on other factors in the chart, it's very beneficial and needed for Capricorn to escape the entanglements and complications of the social 'race' periodically.
Capricorn hones its ability to look within first, before looking outside of itself. It seeks to make its intentions dominant over the chaos of emotion and whim. It is learning self-sufficiency, and to do that, it must look to internal resources and needs. The point is not to be alone always, but to not be dependent on others, to enjoy others in their life, but not to need others. They always need to know that their greatest strength lies within.
To some, Capricorn may seem so restrained that one could feel they didn't feel anything at all. This is simply not the case. Capricorn is not a very demonstrative or dramatic sign, and it is not one that likes to get carried away in emotion. But the point is not that it doesn't feel it -- the point is that it wants to consider its emotions, their purpose, and what the best action would be to take in response to them. Capricorn knows better than any sign that sometimes what you simply feel like doing, without restraint or plan, is actually not good for you and won't help your situation. It may ask itself how it feels, but the follow up question is always -- what should be done about that? What best serves my aims? Sometimes it works best for Capricorn to put their own emotion on the back burner to accomplish what they need to for the moment.
Capricorn's shadow is taking that control too far. If it's squeezing itself so hard into 'shoulds', turns that control and discipline so far inward that it squelches its own heart, it can turn cold and dead. Capricorn gets in trouble when it forgets the first question -- how do I feel? And skips right to the 'this is what I should do.'
So give your favorite Capricorn a break, if they'll take it!