Welcome to the Astrology Food for Thought Blog

This blog presents my interpretation of astrological symbolism as it pertains to the unfolding of individual lives and the events occurring in our world. I welcome you to present your own views and to challenge my thinking. Although I attempt to rely on accurate sources of information, I encourage you to do your own fact-checking, since any resource may at times be flawed.



Sunday, December 29, 2013

CAPRICORN PURSUES SUCCESS


Preface

If your birthday does not fall during the Capricorn timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Capricorn, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others. The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy.

The Sun began its transit of the sign of Capricorn on December 21, 2013 at 2:12 p.m. PST.

Capricorn Energy at a Glance


Here are some terms used to describe Capricorn characteristics:

  • Ambitious
  • Self-disciplined
  • Patient
  • Respects Power
  • Seeks Security

  • A Builder
  • Realistic
  • Leader
  • Insular
  • Authoritarian
  • Hardworking
  • Cautious
  • Responsible
  • Stubborn
  • Serious
  • Economical

Capricorns Speak

Jeff Bezos
Capricorn Founder & Chairman/CEO of Amazon.com
Born January 12, 1964
















 “If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.”

“Work hard, have fun, make history”


Nigella Lawson
Capricorn Celebrity Chef and Journalist
Born January 6, 1960
















"I am fearful, so I do something. It's not that I'm a workaholic, it's rather that I like to tread the precarious line between boredom and fear. I need to be frightened of things. I hate it, but I must need it, because it's what I do."


Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Capricorn Attorney and Environmental Activist
Born January 17, 1954













"I have nothing against corporations. I own a corporation. Corporations are good things. They drive our economy. They encourage people to assemble wealth and to create jobs, but they should not be running our government."


Diane Keaton
Capricorn Film Actor and Real Estate Investor
Born January 5, 1946

















“I had a lot of failures, I didn’t get what I wanted and I kept going back for more. If I couldn’t get the lead, then I’d try the chorus and if I couldn’t get into the chorus, I’d try something else.”

“Going after dreams can be very dangerous. Dreams can turn on you. From now on, I want to look for reality.”


The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King
Capricorn Civil and Human Rights Activist 
Born January 15, 1929



















“Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”


Christine Legarde
Capricorn Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
Born January 1, 1956



















“Every day, you have to prove yourself and convince — move forward and challenge yourself. And doubt all the time”


What Astrologers Say About Capricorn

Capricorn  Symbolism And Rulerships



The glyph of Capricorn, shown above, resembles the angularity of a goat’s horn at the top and a curving tail at the bottom. The sign is represented by the mountain goat (as shown in the medieval painting preceding the article) or the sea goat. Astrologer Deborah Houlding explains that the sea goat symbolism may represent the “cross of matter,” where the psyche (equated with the impressionable ocean) is forced to meet the challenges of the material world (as in the earthy, concrete mountains) in a quest for individualization.[1] Astrologer Caroline Casey distinguishes between the domesticated goat and the wild goat, proposing that these two states of being reflect a dual nature in the Capricorn personality. The domesticated goat reflects the side of Capricorn that assumes a preordained role established by an external authority, resulting in living a life in accordance with duty. This type of Capricorn may feel responsible and law-abiding, but may feel a deep gloom. On the other hand, the wild goat lives in an environment of freedom, and it establishes its own path, leading to a more joyful existence.[2]

The name Capricorn, or Capricornus, derives from the Latin, with “caper” meaning goat, and “cornu” signifying horns. Horns are an ancient symbol of fertility, abundance, and prosperity. In ancient mythology, the goat Cornucopia nourished Jupiter as an infant. In ancient rituals, horned animals were sacrificed to draw power from the gods, leading later societies to misinterpret these “scapegoats” as representations of evil. In the Tarot deck, Capricorn is often associated with the horned Devil card. Astrologer Bruce Nevin says that the Devil is often referred to as the “Father of Lies,” meaning the lie of separateness. He says that the Capricornian lack of fulfillment in the pursuit of earthly manifestations and concentrated power can only be addressed when those born under this sign understand earthly limitations and overcome the illusion of separation and isolation.[3]

Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn, which represents the principle of contraction, the opposite of Jupiter, which symbolizes expansion. Saturn is the taskmaster, from whom we learn lessons after committing ourselves to a process or path. Saturn places boundaries on our activities and thinking, and represents the concept of time, thus the planet is often synonymous with “Father Time.” The terms commitment, effort, discipline, mastery, and authority are all key words associated with Capricorn.

Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign. As such, Capricorn represents the initiatory energy of a new season, emerging at the winter solstice. As an earth sign, Capricorn is concerned with manifestation, and with the creation and maintenance of structures.

Capricorn rules the 10th House of the zodiac, at the top of the astrological chart. The tenth house involves social participation. This house oversees activities such as one’s career, public standing, political power, and one’s relationships with authorities (including those within the family, such as the mother or the father).

Capricorn’s Purpose and Personality

Sagittarius completes the public relations and sales activities of the harvest season. Now winter emerges, and Capricorn maintains the harvest’s stockpile to be consumed during the severe season of winter. While autumn displayed the horn of plenty, winter requires conservation. The most difficult weather is yet to come, but the light of day will gradually increase as the season proceeds. Whereas Sagittarian energy is externalized, Capricorn energy withdraws inward, consistent with the season’s energy.

Sagittarius utilized its exuberant energy to set lofty goals and explore diverse experiences. Capricorn now chooses those elevated sights that are most likely to bear fruit. Capricorn says, “We’ve done enough exploring–it’s time now to establish some solid structures and activities that will move us forward.” Capricorn energy is responsible for the building of cities and their infrastructures.

Being of worth to society is important to those born under the sign of the goat. They are willing to work hard to accomplish their goals, and they exhibit the patience required to persist with a process that includes defeat as well as success. Capricorns can be the quintessential “come back kids.” Excellent examples of this Capricorn work ethic are72-year-old TV personality Charlie Rose and 92-year old actor Betty White. An early riser, Charlie Rose co-hosts the CBS This Morning Show and then he prepares for and records five weekly episodes of his PBS Charlie Rose Show, where he interviews prominent individuals from various industries. Then there is the energetic Betty White, who many of us have watched for generations, from her early days on game shows to her classic roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rose Nylund on Golden Girls. I have said to myself many a time, “Why are these people working at their age? Surely, they have enough resources to just kick back. However, these two perennial personalities are illustrations of individuals who clearly love their work and enjoy the ongoing commitment.

Sometimes descriptions of the sign of Capricorn seem rather grim. Some perceive Capricorn’s qualities of restraint and seriousness as reflecting an austere personality. However, every Capricorn is unique in terms of sign combinations in their chart and this will affect the degree to which the sign’s qualities will be expressed. Contrary to some profiles of Capricorn that emphasize the sign’s love of solitude, I myself observe that individuals with significant Capricorn energy are often quite sociable (remember, the sign rules the 10th house of social standing), but express reserve and maturity in their interactions.

Astrologer Steven Forrest (a Sun Sign Capricorn himself) posits that Capricorn's purpose is to fuse the essential character with a suitable public identity to serve society, whether through a job, volunteer work, or civic service. This societal role must match the Capricorn individual’s value system and interests. Forrest says that Capricorn utilizes patience and self-discipline in this arduous process of finding one's proper place in the community. Furthermore, this author contends that solitude is a strategy utilized by Capricorn to learn how to be content with his or her thoughts and projects so as not to rely on the praise and approval of others. In this way, observes Forrest, solitude transforms a burden into an opportunity. He says that Capricorn's practicality keeps it focused on its intention, allowing sign natives to overcome feelings of fear, frustration, and resistance. Capricorn's iron will is among its greatest resources. [4]

When Capricorn fails to find, or loses sight of, his or her true nature and goals, sign natives can become isolated and alone. They may turn to false pursuits, pursuing success for the sake of success, acquiring money as a sign of success, or hoarding tangible items as a validation of self-worth. Hence, as this sign's symbol suggests, the Goat must find the right mountain to climb, so that it is not duty-bound, but instead is free to climb heights in alignment with its nature.

Prime examples of Capricorn “gone wrong” can be seen in the how the late J. Edgar Hoover, long-time head of the FBI, and the late President Richard Nixon, conducted some of their professional activities. In my mind, J. Edgar Hoover represents the difficult side of Capricorn energy. For many years he reigned as a tyrannical authoritarian figure, feared by others in power, primarily because they knew that he collected information that could damage their careers. In one of her books, astrologer Caroline Casey says Capricorn behavior can become “weird” when these sign natives become too insular. Hoover exhibited the Saturnian tendency toward insecurity and corresponding overcompensation with overwork. As Casey theorizes, these outwardly successful people are often surrounded by “yes men” who are unable to offer this personality type the feedback necessary to curb their unhealthy idiosyncrasies.[5] Similarly, our nation’s 37th president, Richard Nixon, authorized Republican operatives to break in and wiretap the Watergate headquarters of the opposition party. His authoritarian drive and thirst for power overshadowed his Capricorn common sense. Like Hoover, Nixon lacked aides in his administration who could show him the folly of his ways.

Endnotes



[1] Houlding, Deborah (December/January 2008). Capricorn the Goatfish. The Mountain Astrologer. Issue #136, pp. 40-47.

[2] Casey, Caroline (1998). Making the Gods Work for You. New York: Harmony Books, p.48.

[3] Nevin, Bruce (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport, Massachusetts: Para Research, Inc., p.80.

[4] Forrest, Steven. (1988). The Inner Sky. San Diego: ACS Publications, pp.81-85.

[5] Casey, Caroline, Op.Cit., p.48

AN ASTROLOGICAL PROFILE OF CAPRICORN TV NEWS ANCHOR GAYLE KING (AND HER BFF OPRAH WINFREY)


















Gayle King
Capricorn & CBS This Morning Co-Anchor
Born December 28, 1954


Introduction

In the selection of a subject for this profile, I wanted to focus on a living personality who had significant placements in Capricorn. The young actor Zooey Deschanel certainly fit the bill, with her Sun, Moon, and Ascendant in Capricorn. Looking at clips from some of her interviews, she reflects the consummate Capricorn personality. She likes old songs, old movies, old fashion styles, etc. etc. Nevertheless, I chose instead to look at the chart of talk show host and news anchor Gayle King because she is Oprah Winfrey’s best friend. I thought it would be an interesting exertise to understand WHY the two are best friends, from an astrological perspective.

The natal chart of Gayle King appears at the end of the article. Additionally, there is a synastry biwheel chart showing King’s chart in the inner wheel and Oprah Winfrey’s chart in the outer wheel.

A Brief Biography

Although Gayle King is an early morning fixture on CBS, biographical information about her on the internet is rather paltry. She was born on December 28, 1954 to an electrical engineer father and a homemaker mother in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Because of her father’s work abroad, Gayle lived several years in Turkey, where she studied at an American school. When the King family returned to the U.S., they settled in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where Gail later attended the University of Maryland, graduating with a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology.

In 1976, Gayle King served as a production assistant at Baltimore’s WJZ-TV, where Oprah Winfrey was a news anchor. On a very stormy night, Winfrey extended an offer to King to stay at her place so that she would not have to commute in that precarious weather. According to the two, they stayed up all night talking, beginning a close friendship that would flourish through the subsequent decades.

King chose to continue in the field of journalism, joining the WDAF-TV team in Kansas City, Missouri for a five-year stint. In 1981, she joined the Hartford, Connecticut TV station, WFSB, as a news anchor. While maintaining this position, she also experimented with co-anchoring other programming, such as a daytime TV talk show, Cover to Cover, but the show was soon cancelled. In 1997, she had her own syndicated talk show, The Gayle King Show, but due to low viewership, it was eventually cancelled.

Gayle King terminated her 18-year career with WFSB in 1999 to begin working with Oprah Winfrey as a special correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show, and as an editor for O, the Oprah Winfrey Magazine. In September 2006, King began to host The Gayle King Show on XM Satellite Radio.
After Oprah created OWN, her cable TV network, King began hosting a new show, also called The Gayle King Show. Her OWN show ended in November 2011 securing a deal with CBS to co-anchor (with fellow Capricorn Charlie Rose and Aquarian Norah O’Donnell) its CBS This Morning Show, where she will mark her second year anniversary in January 2014.

Some Observations About the Natal Chart of Gayle King and Synastry Chart

Eight of the ten planets in Gayle King’s chart are found above the horizon, indicating that she seeks the perspectives of others and maintains an objective perspective. The majority of her planets are placed in the Eastern hemisphere of the chart, reflecting King’s tendency to be self-motivated, action-oriented, and initiatory.

The 12th house of Gayle King’s chart is particularly significant, with her Sun, Mercury, and the North Node as its occupants. This is a karmic house, where we deal with unconscious material that must be made conscious if we are to move forward. Planets in the 12th house may represent gifts to be uncovered in our lives, and in King’s case, this appears to be connected to discovering ways in which she can be her own authority (Capricorn). She can shine (Sun in Capricorn in the 12th) through her communication and networking talents (Mercury in Capricorn in the 12th). Astrologically speaking, her sense of self (Sun) and her spiritual growth (the North Node in Capricorn the 12th) will flourish when she applies her energy to organizing, strategizing, and deploying resources (Capricorn Sun) while fulfilling her emotional needs (Aquarius Moon) to be socially significant. Although King has been highly visible as an anchor or co-anchor, in her relationship with Oprah she has assisted her friend “behind the scenes,” which is very typical of persons with 12th house planets.

Why Are Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey drawn to one another? King explained to Newsline reporter Cynthia McFadden, “I don’t see myself standing in [Winfrey’s] shadows, ever. I really do see myself standing in her light.” Quite an appropriate statement for an astrological relationship where King’s Moon in Aquarius is conjunct Winfrey’s Sun in Aquarius (with an orb of 5 degrees). Astronomically speaking, the moon reflects the light of the Sun. The energies of these two luminaries complement each other, and when they conjunct in a synastry chart, there can be a powerful connection. Traditionally speaking, the Moon person often plays a supportive role (but not necessarily a dependent or submissive role) to the Sun person, who tends to be the more dominant one. Comparatively speaking, it is Winfrey who is in the limelight, while King has worked in the background. Each person in a Sun-Moon relationship relies on something important that the other contributes to the relationship.

It is quite uncanny, but another reflection of the quality of this relationship is the EXACT conjunction between Oprah Winfrey’s Mars and Gayle King’s Venus at 23 degrees of Scorpio. An intense sign, Scorpio wants to dig for the truth and wants to delve into the psyche. King and Winfrey share this orientation in the social sectors of their chart (10th and 11th houses). Oprah’s Mars would be the more aggressive energy, with Gayle’s Venus reflecting a more receptive energy. Both King and Winfrey, in their roles as journalists and talk show hosts, are interested in an array of human-interest stories, which they broadcast to the public. Although King and Winfrey have denied the rumors that they are lesbians, it is easy to see why individuals might suspect such a relationship when there is such a compatible energy. Oprah said this about these rumors: “I understand why people think we're gay. There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women. So I get why people have to label it—how can you be this close without it being sexual? How else can you explain a level of intimacy where someone always loves you, always respects you, admires you?”

Although not conjunct, both King and Winfrey share a Capricorn North Node. It appears to be a spiritual imperative that these women succeed in fulfilling their social ambitions and becoming their own authorities. They also serve as role models for female leadership. Sharing an African-American background, these two women understand each other at a very deep level and appear to be committed to helping each other succeed.






Sources:







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