Capricorn Season & Saturn: The Horizon, Boundaries & Integrity

Light Returning From The Darkness

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

In order to understand Capricorn better, we want to look at its ruler, Saturn. We also want to look at its exaltation ruler, Mars. Capricorn is a cardinal, nocturnal, earth sign associated with the sea goat. Capricorn likes to initiate new things (cardinal), go inward and reflect (nocturnal) and create tangible things that sustain the test of time (Saturn).

Mars is exalted in Capricorn because it’s able to drive forward with its mission in a focused, consistent, long-lasting way and get things done. The combination of Saturn/Mars is why Capricorns are known for being driven, ambitious hard workers. Capricorns want to get things done, and they don’t let things get in the way of what they’re trying to accomplish.

Saturn represents the horizon

The heavens and the earth. Ancient astrologers weren’t aware of Uranus, Neptune or Pluto, thus Saturn was seen as the last planet. It is the last planet in the sky that’s visible to the naked eye, thus signifying the horizon, what’s beyond the horizon, the boundary and boundaries. Saturnian people I know (including myself) tend to especially appreciate sunrises and sunsets. The horizon. Saturn is also the mystical. While some Capricorns can be skeptical, many are mystical too.

The mystical and horizon associated with Saturn explains why most of the Capricorns I’ve known have been artists and really creative people (even though you don’t typically hear astrologers mention that). Straddling the horizon connects a Cap to the creativity of the cosmos.

While Mercury has been the planet associated with astrology, you could argue that Saturn is also the planet of astrology as Saturn represents time, and astrology is essentially the study of time. People with strong Saturn in their chart are usually time-oriented and good at showing up on time.

Saturn represents karma, law and order, reliability, the mystic, the cosmic order, the laws of the cosmos, discipline, ethics, integrity, boundaries, restriction, delays, consequences of actions, critical, the soil, death, mortality, sorrow, depression, loneliness, misery, aloneness, tradition, the past, the establishment, the outsider, old things, and time.

Saturn can be harsh, but it can also be constructive. We need Saturn; it gives us structure in life. Without Saturn, there would be utter chaos.

Saturn restricts, contracts and says no. It creates boundaries. Without boundaries, again, we have chaos and misbehavior. Saturn keeps us in check.

Capricorn is practical, useful, reliable, punctual, logical (earth signs want the facts), a planner, strategizer, organizer, driven, ambitious, goal-oriented, focused, with a dry sense of humor. If you’re flakey and can’t back up your claims, you won’t win over a Cap.

Things need to have some kind of order, integrity and make sense. If they don’t and there’s chaos, mess, or murky ethics, then Capricorn will remain skeptical and distrusting. (This isn’t to say that all Capricorns are ethical though, make no mistake. People can embody more of the darker sides of a sign than its better qualities).

Capricorn season coincides with the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere - a day to celebrate as this marks the time when the days begin to grow lighter. The Winter Solstice celebrates light in the time of darkness. Saturn represents both light and darkness. Heaven and earth. The establishment and the outsider. The land and the sea (which is why it’s given the sea goat).

Capricorn, as the sign in the middle of dark winter, is not afraid to go within and face its own darkness. Capricorn is also the devil card in tarot. Saturn is the original goth planet (not Pluto). Thus, we can say that Capricorn is the original goth sign (not Scorpio). Capricorn is in the middle of winter or darkness, and it’s also the beginning of when the light returns.

Saturn also signifies ethics and accountability. This is why Saturn is exalted in Libra, the sign of the scales representing balance and justice. Saturn in Libra gets to bring about justice and balance to the world.

If we’ve acted with integrity and according to the laws of the cosmos, then Saturn will work with us, but if we haven’t then we will feel quite challenged by Saturn.

We can also understand Saturn more deeply by how it contrasts with Jupiter. Saturn represents fate while Jupiter represents free will. Jupiter says, we have all the time in the world, Saturn says, don’t waste my time and we must use our time wisely. Jupiter says you can do anything and everything. Saturn says, no. Saturn knows discipline and moderation. Saturn says, take your time. Saturn contracts, Jupiter expands.

These are the blessings of Saturn (and Jupiter). Everything in astrology is all about balance.

Everyone’s first Saturn return happens around 28-30 years old. This is a time when Saturn asks us whether we’re satisfied with how our life has been and where we want to go from here. Saturn asks us how we might want to improve our lives.

Capricorns are generally good at helping folks improve their lives. They have high standards and know what needs to be done in order to take care of things, ourselves, and each other. And they will work hard at making things useful, sustainable and high quality.

Capricorn season asks us, what needs improvement? Are we acting in integrity? How are we treating ourselves and each other?

Where do you have Capricorn in your chart? Where do you have Saturn in your chart? This is where you take things more seriously and apply more discipline.