Keywords: Mature, Ambitious, Responsible, Designing, Patient, Goal-seeker, Traditional

As the tenth sign of the zodiac, Capricorn represents the tenth stage in the evolution of man

 and his place in the universe. Having gained power and

control through emotions and knowledge in Scorpio and Sagittarius,

Capricorn seeks control by virtue of authority.

All authority is given its control by rules and regulations which civilized society accepts

and with which they must comply in order to progress.

For all their concern with legality or the propriety of things,

Capricorns can be guilty of making or enforcing rules they themselves do not follow.

 Blinded by their own ambition, and obsessed with their goals,

 they adopt the philosophy that the end justifies the means.

      Capricorns are doers. They set out to accomplish things

and are determined to succeed one way or another.

 By nature they are executives and managers. Ambitious, pragmatic,

and goal-oriented, they learn how to get things done.

The mountain goat is an appropriate astrological symbol for this sign since a sure-footed,

methodical climb to the top is the main goal of Capricorn individuals.

They aspire to positions of power and authority,

and they admire others who attain such positions.

Initiative and willingness to accept responsibilities are keys to their success.

Wanting to be admired and respected, they do not want to appear weak or ineffective.

This false pride makes it hard for them to admit when they are wrong or to ask others for help.

Though they aggressively compete for what they want with apparent sureness,

they harbor inner lack of confidence which makes them defensive.

Viewing insecurity and fear as weaknesses,

they attempt to hide such feelings,

making it hard for others to get close to them.

As children they have unusual maturity.

They are in a hurry to participate in the adult world and

often get along better with older children and adults than with their peers.

Capricorns react to what they experience by assessing its possible worth.

Before they take physical action,

before they sort out their emotional involvement,

and before they reason it out intellectually,

they must ascertain what tangible advantages

are to be gained from the experience.

They gladly work long and hard if it means getting what or who they want.

They can be very lazy if they see no sense in working,

or if they can achieve the same goals in a less strenuous manner.

They have a good sense of humor

 but will not tolerate being ridiculed or teased on a personal level.

 Those who set out to so abuse a Capricorn, will soon learn the error of their ways.

Saturn, planet of structure and reality, is the ruler of Capricorn,

which means that Capricorns need to know and understand limits in all areas of life.

Early in life they should be taught traditional values,

rules and regulations, and proper thought and behavior.

Even if they reject these things later, it allows them to develop and focus on specific goals.

Without the structure of rules,

 restrictions, and values to guide them up the mountain toward their goals,

 they lose their way. Ambition and enthusiasm fade.

Knowing the rules and regulations and the way that society is structured

makes them feel they understand the reality of life.

 And for Capricorn, once the reality of something is understood,

it is much easier to handle and manipulate.

 This approach makes them good builders,

 engineers, politicians, lawyers, and business executives.

 Capricorns often look older or more mature when they are young.

However, when they reach middle age the reverse occurs.

They seem to defy the aging process,

 and retain a remarkably youthful appearance well into old age.

Capricorns usually do not have a predisposition to be fat.

Good dietary habits in their youth tend to stay with them as adults.

 Their innate spirit of competition makes them enthusiastic sportsmen.

They can be so aggressively determined to win,

 it is difficult for them to be gracious when they lose.

 They make good team players as well as good team managers.

Jogging, running (especially cross-country),

golf, skating, hunting, wrestling, boxing, martial arts,

and body-building are favorite activities.

They also favor gun collecting, perhaps because guns are undeniable symbols of authority.

Capricorn colors are chocolate brown,

 royal and navy blue, dark green, charcoal gray, and red.

Vulnerable parts of the body are the bones and joints (especially the knees),

teeth, and skin. Though sensitive skin, allergies,

 and broken bones are their most likely complaints,

worrying too much can also result in physical problems.

The garnet is Capricorn's birthstone.

This gemstone is believed to keep its wearers from accidents and falls.

In some ancient societies garnets were worn only by royalty.

Capricorn flowers include the camellia,

orange blossom, carnation (red), baby's breath, and magnolia.

Though the Western rat is reviled as little more than a bottom-dwelling disease carrier,

 this animal is viewed much differently in the East.

The Eastern rat is revered for its quick wits and its ability to accrue and hold on to items of value;

rats are considered a symbol of good luck and wealth in both China and Japan.

Clever and quick-witted, the Rat of the Chinese Zodiac is utterly disarming to boot.

Possessed of excellent taste, this

Sign flaunts its style at every turn. Its natural charm and sharp,

funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone.

The Rat likes to know who is on its side

and will treat its most loyal friends

with an extra measure of protection and generosity.

 

Behind that sweet smile, though,

 Rats are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas.

 This Sign is motivated by its own interests,

which often include money; greed can become a problem

if the Rat isn't careful to keep its priorities straight.

 This Sign's natural powers of charm and persuasion can definitely come in handy!

 Although they are often hoarders, Rats can be very generous to those in their "pack,"

 namely friends and family members who have proven their loyalty.

Others might perceive them as quick-tempered and sharp-tongued,

but never boorish. Verbal jousting is a great pleasure for the Rat,

a Sign that everyone around will quickly learn either to love or to hate.

Rats enjoy being on the outside looking in,

as the outside affords a view into the inner workings of a system or situation.

The Rat's keen mind always seeks out new knowledge, to be stored away for future use.

 This ever-curious Sign also welcomes challenges as a way to stay sharp.

 If boredom sets in the Rat is no fun at all, but that isn't likely;

this Sign knows how to keep itself entertained.

A valuable lesson for Rats is to learn to consider others above themselves,

 at least sometimes.

 If they can develop their sense of self

and realize it leaves room for others in their life as well,

Rats could find true happiness.