When winter comes around, I am always filled with a minor sense of dread. Somehow without fail, winter becomes one of the most productive seasons of mine, but not always in a good way. Loads of work pile up, projects nearing deadlines, it seems that almost everything ends in winter and the deadline looms. The energy moves towards the relief of a vacation, or the relief that the winter break gives because of the holidays. The finish line is almost there, and we can almost catch our breath.

The days seem to just get shorter and shorter, with the sun hiding so early on. Somehow during fall and nearing the solstice, I feel more aware of the world around me, because of the ever increasing darkness. My mind just gets caught off guard since I am caught in the whirlwind of everything, everything, everything.

I am born a Cancer Sun with various other Cancer positions in my chart. To say that I am a dedicated Cancer is an understatement. The reason I mention this is because of my other half: Capricorn. In a chart, Cancer and Capricorn are across from each other, essentially becoming each other's polarity or detriment. I wouldn't exactly say it's negative but rather it feels more like seeing an alternate version of yourself. It is seeing a half that could accomplish what you struggle with: a Cancer admiring a Capricorns work-ethic and focus on resourcefulness, a Capricorn admiring the Cancer's depth of emotional awareness and instinctual nature.

For me, I just have always loved earth signs and how absolutely material they are. The signs are grounded, based in the current standing reality. They take the present and treat it as so. And for Capricorn, I have such specific admiration for them too. They are about details and precision and most of all, work. The dedication of work, the force of work. Work, but not just in the way that we know it now, where it is neccessary to live and survive, but a kind of work that requires mastery, that is honed through years, that is a direct product of yourself.

What is the most admirable of all, though, is their long-term goals. Nothing is short lived. A slow build that gradually works towards a single point is something that I wish to hone myself. I struggle so much with keeping projects, often having so many ideas and starting many of them but never ever seeing them come to their true fruition. It isn't the worst thing in the world for me, as I am often jumping from project to project because of the joy it is to have even a sliver of your work done. But the idea of tinkering at something, not selling yourself or your work short, is what I see on the other side of the mirror.

It is no funny coincidence that as a Cancer, I can admire a lot of the work ethic that a Capricorn has. Cancer and Capricorn both have the absolute pleasure of being cardinal signs alongside Libra and Aries. Cardinal signs are action signs. They initiate, they provoke. They are the first to stand up and the first to act. They are the flag bearers in their respective elements, sounding the horn. So I do feel a kinship to Capricorn, even if we do not see eye to eye. I am a Summer Solstice baby, and Capricorn is born from the longest night.

The Winter Solstice, though it marks the longest night, it also marks the beginning of the sun coming back. Night after night, it slowly creeps away until the Spring Equinox greets us. What I find interesting is that if you think about it, it makes complete sense why Capricorn, the Earth sign who values mastery and long-term commiments and hard work, would begin on the longest night. The little daylight hours makes us all feel a little less inclined to stay outside and to instead retreat inside. It is Capricorn reminding us to prepare ourselves, to steady our pace, towards the eventual Spring Equinox. So be sure to chop that wood and keep an eye on the fire, to be thoughtful of your resources and even spend time polishing a craft with all this dark hour.

Winter Solstice Ritual

Capricorn isn't all work and seriousness. Capricorn, I find, is very wistful. Considering that winter is such a melancholic time, since with the day basically null and the cold creeping in and the trees all barren and the animals all hibernating, waiting. Everything seems to be waiting in winter, and it gives us pause. This pause suring the Winter Solstice is where I feel very pursuaded to do a small ritual in honor of the Solstice and to invoke Capricorn.

This ritual is quite simple, only involving one green candle (ideally scented with spruce or pine because it is my personal connotation for Capricorn), a pen and paper and a small jar that I was gifted by my fiance that contains a couple years worth of notes. I light the candle, taking time to breathe in and out, and I often use the candle's flame to help ground myself, as my mind tends to go rampant if I close my eyes. I focus on the candle for however long I like and take note of how it moves and dances.

After this period, I open the small jar and read through my previous notes from previous years. I find this helps further ground myself and further get into a mindset of reflection. As a Cancer, I tend to do this reflecting bit a lot if it's not obvious already.

Once finished reading, I begin to write on my piece of paper. What I write is spur of mind, but the material is often very concrete examples of the past year, times where I want to give thanks and times where I struggled. It is a reflection of the passing year. Then, nearing the end of this reflection, I then write for Capricorn. This portion I write with intent, thinking about Capricorn and their solid plans, their hard work and their ethic. I ask Capricorn for their help with my future plans and to help solidify the ground I am on. I focus on Capricorn and give thanks for what I had gotten thanks to the work of others as well as what I've done myself. I acknowledge the work that is yet to come, but I also take this time to appreciate how much I had, how much work others have done, and how many hands were there when I needed help.

After writing, I fold the paper up and insert it into my jar alongside the other notes. I then close the lid with intention ("Thank you, Capricorn.") and take a little bit more time for myself to slowly bring myself back to the present. I blow out the candle once I feel prepared to be fully present again.