MOTTO: I Act Responsibly. Live life independently and effectively! Control Self!
With Capricorn rising, you present a capable, emotionally mature type of identity to others. When you are feeling supported, you are responsible, industrious, and patient. You want to live independently and effectively. You are serious, ambitious, and dutiful. When you are feeling unsupported, you worry more about life, tend to isolate yourself, and become intolerant of the behavior of others. Saturn, the planet representing self-discipline, caution, and restraint, is the planet that rules Capricorn. Capricorn is a sign composed of cardinal, yin, and earth energies.
With the cardinal energy of this sign on your ascendant, you assume responsibility with the desire to get things done. Your instinctive approach to meeting the demands of the outside world is to take decisive action, organizing what needs organizing without waiting to be asked. (Do it Yourself Relationship Astrology, p. 273.)
The earth energy of this sign influences the style with which you get things done. You instinctively take a practical and realistic approach to everyday problems and concerns. You are not one to pursue “pie in the sky” kind of solutions. You are hard-working, productive, and dependable.
The course of action you take is based on the yin energy of the Capricorn sign. Yin energy is emotionally centered vs. logically centered. It is receptive, quiet, and reserved. You take yourself and your responsibilities seriously. Although the emotional yin energy of your rising sign is what influences your instinctive mode of behavior, you do not “wear your emotions on your sleeve.” Instead, you work hard to manage your emotional responses to others in a way that is controlled and respectful. Emotional maturity and personal responsibility are highly valued by you. You do not allow yourself to exhibit emotional neediness nor to have emotional outbursts. It is not in you to placate this kind of behavior in others, either.
With this combo of energies making up your Authentic Self’s personality expression, the image you present to others is that of a no-nonsense, reserved, and determined individual. “You instinctively feel your life is being observed” and “fear rejection” for your failures. (The Ascendant, Your Karmic Doorway, p.81-82) Consequently, it is important to you that others have a high opinion of you, that they recognize and respect you and your achievements.
Figuratively speaking, the energetic cloak you put on to interact with and meet the demands of the day is unfussy, unpretentious, sturdy and sophisticated. It is telling others that you are aware of your responsibilities and can be counted on.
Your instinctive urge is to be useful in a way that is effective and productive. In your practical, self-disciplined way, you go about your day solving problems and tackling new situations with resourcefulness, efficiency, and patience. Results oriented, you want to be able to see at the end of each day that you have accomplished something useful. You gain personal satisfaction from being able to show concrete results of your efforts and to have others appreciate your hard work. You feel not only a sense of accomplishment, but also energized. If, at the end of the day, you have not been productive, you feel frustrated and unfulfilled. In fact, you find it hard to give yourself permission to relax and enjoy yourself when the tasks you have set out for yourself have not been completed.
Hand in hand with this desire to be of use is the desire to be recognized and appreciated as your own authority. With Capricorn rising, you are ambitious, structuring your life around building a career that is based on your desire to advance by your own achievements. It is important to your self-image and personal development “to become your own authority through hard work, self-responsibility and self-determination”. (Introduction to Evolutionary Astrology notes on Capricorn) Your self-image is further strengthened when your hard work and accomplishments are recognized and respected by others.
Feng Shui Enhancements to Support Your Desired Self-Image:
The first place to activate with feng shui enhancements is the energy of the Career/Life’s Journey area of your home. It is located in the front center (Western) or north (Classical) side of your home. In feng shui, this area is used to promote not only your career and work, but also you and your life’s purpose. Energetically enhancing this area will provide you “the opportunity to enhance your chosen path or occupation”. (feng shui your life, p.129) With Capricorn rising, the image you want others to have of you aligns with your life purpose, which is to be your own authority as a responsible, self-determining individual.
To welcome and support opportunities for a career and life path you desire, activate the water element in the Career/Life’s Journey area. In feng shui, one of the most powerful things you can do to bring positive, strong energy to your life purpose and career is to put a representation of flowing water in the north. (Feng Shui Demystified, p. 78). This can be done with pictures, an indoor fountain or an aquarium. Water symbolizes going with the flow instead against it. It symbolizes moving around or over obstacles instead of being stopped by them. Also representing water energy are shapes that are curvy, free form, flowing or that suggest movement. Using black and dark blue colors in this area will activate its energetic benefits as well. Water’s supporting element is metal and its destructive element is earth. (Decorating with the Five Elements of Feng Shui, p.140) Therefore, add décor items made of metal and avoid placing items or colors representing the earth element to the Career/Life’s Journey area. Items made of glass or other reflective material such as mirrors are also appropriate for energizing this area. Making these enhancements will support the direction you want to go and to keep you on track with your life’s purpose and goals.
The positive characteristics of the Capricorn sign are ambition, responsibility, practicality, efficiency, and patience. (A Spiritual Approach to Astrology, p. 135) With Capricorn rising, these are your instinctive behavior characteristics when you are feeling energetically supported. You use your sense of order constructively and the spirit of responsibility is strong within you. You are ambitious, independent, and sure-footed as you go about your day. You are self-disciplined and cautious, preferring to not only follow the rules, but to also set them. Because you are instinctively able to grasp the way things can be ordered and done in an efficient, practical way, you like to run things. You prefer to be the one in control not necessarily because you are autocratic, but because you feel responsible for the success of the outcome, and because you are certain your way is the most efficient and practical way. Aware of your innate integrity, your organizing abilities and that you rarely make mistakes, others usually go along with your plans. If there are any grumblings by those affected by your plans, you are impervious to them. This is because, in your mind, you have carefully planned everything and do not see anything wrong with the plans.
Your vulnerability is your need for respect and public recognition. It is when your capabilities and expertise are questioned or not accepted by others that feelings of inadequacy seep in. Worry and anxiety become “your dark passengers” (saying is from the TV series: Dexter). They affect your can-do attitude and you either isolate yourself from the group or respond by being critical and resentful. Your negative attitude affects the group dynamics in much the same way a wet blanket affects a fire. Any enthusiasm for the project or activity is dampened or silenced completely.
In addition to worry and anxiety, the other negative traits common to the Capricorn sign that you may succumb to when you are not feeling energetically supported are: feeling suspicious of the motives of others, wanting to seek retaliation for perceived wrongs, being stubborn about wanting to be in control (otherwise known as being bossy), and/or being intolerant of those who don’t follow the rules. When you are inwardly questioning your own capabilities and feeling inadequate to the expectations of others, you can be gloomy and humorless, with a tendency towards feeling depressed.
With the help of Feng Shui enhancements and adjustments, you can develop an energetically supportive environment that fortifies your rising sign’s strengths while at the same time addresses the triggers that result in negative and unproductive behavior.
Feng Shui Enhancements for an Energetically Supportive Environment:
There are two areas in your home to concentrate your Feng Shui efforts on to promote an energetically supportive environment for your earth, yin, cardinal Capricorn rising sign. These two areas are the Helpers/Travel area and the Creativity/Children area of your home. For both of these areas, the element is metal and the supporting element is earth. Metal energizes cardinal energy and earth supports earth and yin energies.
The Helpers/Travel area is located in the front right (Western) or northwest (Classical) side of your home. The energy of this area brings synchronicity into your life. When you enhance this area, you are inviting beneficial synchronistic timing (where everything seems to fall into place) into your life. This is very advantageous to your instinctive desire to get things done. The energy of this area also represents the helpful people in your life as well as your helpfulness to others. This corresponds with your desire to be of use, not to mention that things always seem to work out when you have people helping and working with you rather than against you. Energizing this area will boost and fortify the areas of your life where “you take your strength and power from” and “how you give strength and power to others.” (Journey to Mastery: Feng Shui for Life, p. 89)
Boost the energy of this area with anything made of metal. This will help to brighten your networking prospects. Also, add earth elements such as stones, shells, ceramics, and terra cotta pottery to strengthen the energies of constancy, reliability, and practicality that are inherent to your nature. Adding the neutral colors white, black, and gray is appropriate to the energetic nature of this area. White is for motivation and sharpness. Gray is for responsibility, self-control, and being organized. Black is for stability, practicality, and realism. (Practical Feng Shui Solutions, p. 115)
Another way to enhance the Helpers/Travel area is to display images and inspiring artwork of deities, spiritual guides, or other symbols and people that have meaning to you and that you believe can provide the necessary assistance and guidance you need in life.
The next area to enhance is the Creative/Children sector. It is located in the middle right (Western) or west (Classical) side of your home. The energy of this area serves to “invite your own inner child to run free and to create.” (feng shui your life, p.139). With such a serious, hard-working nature as yours, it is difficult for you to let out your inner child and play. It is important to nurture your inner child because it will help to ward off bouts of blues brought on by the dark outlook on life to which Capricorns are prone.
As with the Helpers/Travel area, the element is metal, and the supporting element is earth. These two elements support your cardinal, yin, earth energetic signature. Stimulate the energy of this area by adding items made of copper, silver, gold, brass, and other metals and by incorporating artful earthen features such as stone sculptures and pottery. The colors used to boost this sector’s energy are white, pastels, metallic, and yellow. Yellow conveys optimism, inspiration, and focus. (feng shui your life, p.30) Round objects and creative projects further enhance the energy here. Adding décor items that are whimsical and playful to this area will invite a sense of fun into your life. Anything of a serious nature should be removed from this area and placed somewhere else.
Of all the signs, Capricorn is the sign that most values its reputation for being responsible, sensible, and productive. You want to be known for having the ability to achieve tangible results. With Capricorn rising, you want others to respect and recognize your achievements in the world. The downside to this is seeing your worth through the eyes of others. Unintentionally, you put them in an authority position of how you should live your life. To counteract this downside, work on fortifying your inner authority. According to the book, Feng Shui: Journey to Mastery, the Fame area of the bagua represents becoming your own authority. The Fame area is also known as the Recognition/Reputation area.
Feng Shui Support for Becoming Your Own Authority as well as for Recognition and Respect:
Enhance the Recognition/Reputation area of your home. It is located in the rear middle (Western) or south (Classical) side of your home. This area is used to support becoming your own authority and being recognized and received in the world as the person you want to be. It is associated with how you “shine your light and become a master.” (Journey to Mastery: Feng Shui for Life, p. 138) In other words, how you become your own authority.
The colors to use to enhance the energy of this area are red, orange, and yellow. The element is fire and the supporting element is wood. A fireplace in this area of your home is very beneficial for creating strong energy to support being recognized and received in the world as someone you want to be. Candles and lights, natural and artificial, energize this area. Pointed shapes and sharply angled shapes like triangles and pyramids are representative of fire energy and are therefore appropriate for strengthening the purpose this area.
To further reinforce your mastery and becoming your own authority, add anything here that acknowledges who you are. It is also appropriate to have in this area awards for or articles on something you have done.
Understanding Capricorn as your rising sign and creating a home environment that energetically supports it will help you take your place in the world as your own personal authority. At the same time, it will help to prevent you from succumbing to the shadow side of your Capricorn nature as you go about your daily life.
You are learning about yourself through the reactions of and responses from others to your behavior as you go about your daily life. Their feedback to you regarding your actions will be either positive or negative. You will experience positive feedback when you operate from a responsible, practical, industrious, and patient approach in your everyday activities. Negative feedback will occur when you are pessimistic, bossy, intolerant, stubborn, or suspicious of others. Regardless of the type of feedback you receive, you will continue to grow, and your authentic self will continue to discover something new about itself (Introduction to Evolutionary Astrology, discussion on the archetype of the 1st house/ascendant/rising sign).
Feng Shui for your Rising Sign 