January, Capricorn and the Father Figure

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January is often a dark, depressing month. It doesn’t have the anticipation of December or the hope of February. January is also when we’re deep in Capricorn’s territory. Just remember that the old Sea Goat enjoys both the high snowy mountains -- and the cold, dark depths of the ocean.

The sign of Capricorn symbolizes worldly power and our collective structures: government, finance, law, education, the environment and corporations. The list is extensive when it comes to Capricorn’s shadow side: ambitious, materialist, power hungry, calculating, manipulative. Just look at what’s going on in our society today and all the corruption in our social system since Pluto entered Capricorn in late 2008.

The deeper truth of Capricorn is that it represents our inner freedom to act according to our own nature and contribute that nature to our society. In the East, it’s called Dharma. “Dharma is to cultivate the knowledge and practice of laws and principles that hold together the fabric of reality, natural phenomena and personality of human beings in dynamic interdependence and harmony. “ (Wikipedia)

When our inner life and our personal values shine through in our public life, we achieve Capricorn’s goal. Capricorn is where our destiny can shine. But for us to accomplish our destiny, we need good role models. And the most important role models are our parents. So let’s look at another aspect of Capricorn that’s often neglected. Just as Cancer symbolizes the archetypal Mother, Capricorn is the sign of the archetypal Father.

Like the tarot card of the Emperor, the Father archetype stands for law, order, authority and the world beyond the home. The Father stands for the rules of our society, the structures that support our community. He is responsible for teaching his children to respect and obey the rules of his society so that they can take their place in the world. Under patriarchy, the Father rules supreme. In many societies, it’s “his way or the highway”. The rules are what’s important, not the individual emotional body (the Mother, feminine consciousness).

At his best, the father serves as the bridge between home and society, and the self and our life purpose. Instead of telling his children what they can’t do, a great father finds out what his child needs to do and helps him or her to do it. A father can help his child follow her vision and her bliss.

As more and more fathers take a bigger role in raising their children, we can only hope that they remember that their job is not only to protect and provide for their families, but also to guide their children as they make their way in the world.