It’s a Hard Knock Life
When the moon is in Capricorn themes of rejection and obstacles are in the air. Oh my.
I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but the Moon and Capricorn don’t jibe all that well. The moon is about our feelings, intuition, and femininity – long summer nights and cups of tea – while Capricorn is about responsibility, commitment and authority figures – career paths and corporate ladders.
As we approach Independence Day in the U.S., the Moon makes her way into stoic Capricorn, while the Sun resides in it’s opposite sign, sensitive and caring Cancer.
The Moon blooms into her fullness on Monday July 3rd at 7:39 am EST (4:39 am PST).
It’s difficult to express emotions when Capricorn visits the moon. Although we may, in fact, feel emotions strongly, we don’t have an outlet for them and they can get “stuck” in our bodies and psyches. It’s important to have an outlet for our emotions and since Capricorn is a cardinal sign, a “do-er” by nature, that is how individuals with this natal placement (Moon in Capricorn) usually handle emotions. They get to work. They may work through and complete tasks, which gives them a sense of achievement and fulfillment.
The Opposite of Rejection is Acceptance
If you feel stuck or rejected in some way, try doing something that gives you a sense of accomplishment, no matter how seemingly minor. Capricorn thrives on achievement. I don’t mean to say that we should bury our feelings and “do” when we need to “feel” – there is always a balance to be struck – but during the Cappy Full Moon it can be more challenging to get in touch with what we feel, and the “doing” can be a means to the “feeling.” A yoga practice, a hike, a writing or business project, for example, can be healthy outlets.
My mother had her moon in Capricorn and while she rarely expressed emotion, or let on to how she was feeling, she had a home full of thriving and beloved plants 🪴 (also represented by her Cancer Sun) that she nourished daily, which may have been a way for her to nourish herself. When the moon is in Capricorn, we are not as inclined toward self-care; we may feel, deep down, that we don’t deserve it somehow, but in fact this is when we need it most.
Capricorns (sun, moon, rising, or anywhere prominently placed in the natal chart) can feel like the odd one out, especially in their formative years, and this usually stems from something within the family of origin – for example, an absent father or a mother who was not affectionate or emotionally present.
So, how do we stop the cycle of rejection?
The feeling of rejection in our adult years stems from self-abandonment, which can be an odd thing to wrap your mind around. How do I reject myself? Aren’t I simply reacting to the rejection I feel from a friend or experience?
We reject ourselves in all sorts of ways: not speaking the truth or expressing what we need, shopping/seeking for things we don’t need or want, binge-eating, drinking, reaching out to unavailable people … and any other of the myriad ways that we cause ourselves pain or dis-ease. It boils down to “checking out” when what we need most is to “check in.” We desire presence and commitment from others, but we need to first give it to ourselves. Look at the details of your days; are you committing to yourself? If not, focus on committing to your own needs and wellbeing (eating well, exercising, taking a walk, listening to music, working on a hobby – whatever it is, commit to it for 40 days) and see if the outer world begins to slowly change as well.
What does it feel like to accept yourself fully? Rather than having it be a thought we can embody the feeling. Take three slow full breaths. On each inhale envision the fullness of the moon, hold your breath for a moment or two, and release it out when you’re ready, emptying your body and mind of rejection and shame. Pause at the bottom of the exhale, before the next breath, and continue like that for several more rounds. Next, add the the mantra I accept who I am. As each breath blossoms feel the sense of acceptance and fullness at the top, and as you let go of the breath imagine the feeling of rejection leaving your body. It may sound hokey -especially if you are a Capricorn. That’s ok. Do it anyway. Breathe into it. Notice if anything shifts. Feel the ground under your body. Accept this moment as it is. Return to your natural breath rhythm and sit for a few minutes with whatever you feel.
This is the first step to accepting yourself, and the way we can transform rejection, which is a deep-rooted and destructive feeling if we let it fester. The opposite of rejection is acceptance. When we don’t do the work (Capricorn symbolizes work) we can, inadvertently, reject the people closest to us in the same way it was once done to us (especially in terms of parenting). If you aren’t so keen on the self-acceptance exercise, do it for the people you care about.
You can also try a breath-centered yoga or pilates practice that focuses on acceptance in your body. Breathe into each movement, becoming more situated in the present moment, and feeling into each motion and transition.
Who Could Have Asked For More?
Capricorn energy is a hard nut to crack. Believe me, I know (Capricorn Sun, Mercury, and Venus gal, here). But Capricorn energy can also lead us to great success and fulfillment — in the face of rejection, failure, and disappointment we keep going, even when we feel there is nowhere to go because, for the mountain/sea goat (Capricorn’s animal spirit), stopping or quitting is simply not an option. When I think of Capricorn, I think of the great Stephen Hawking. When asked about the challenges of a life with an incurable degenerative disease, he answered: Who could have asked for more? He said although he could not move his body, he was free in his mind.
Hawking also famously said, “Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.” For a Capricorn, purposeful work is truly the most important aspect of life.
When we eventually reach the mountain top, we will relish that grand view, but you know what we will relish even more? The ‘getting there’ – all the failures and hard knocks – because that is what makes the view so magnificent and fulfilling.
When the Moon is in the sign of the mountain goat and the sun rests in the opposite sign of Cancer, nourish your weary bones (or emotions, as it were) in whatever way you can manage – watering plants, tending to your garden, relaxing with a good book, enjoying a home-cooked meal or time with family or friends. If the holidays are difficult for you, as they are for many people (and with the moon in Capricorn it does point to a more somber or sober time), remember that the way out of rejection is acceptance, which starts with simply accepting this moment as it is. As my mother used to say, “this too shall pass” – with the Sun in Cancer moods change quickly and feelings come and go like the weather – do your best to honor what you feel and then to accept and let go.
And if you need inspiration, think of Stephen’s Hawking’s generous words about a life that could have been viewed as tragic: “Who could have asked for more.” I choke up a little when I read his words. They are a powerful reminder to focus on what we can “do” and to humbly accept the things we cannot control. And this, my friends, just may be the key to our happiness and wellbeing under this Capricorn moon.
