DECAN DELINEATIONS
The Sun Through the 1st Decan of Capricorn
Solstice is the bi-annual marking of time—summer solstice and winter solstice; quarterly when including the equinoxes—each occurring within a point of cardinality within the elemental calendar, motivating initiations (spring equinox, into Aries) and change (summer solstice, into Cancer), transition (autumnal equinox, into Libra), and conclusion (winter solstice, into Capricorn).
As the sun moves through the final degree of Sagittarius, into the first degree of Capricorn—this year on December 21st—the winter season, through solstice, is introduced, and opens us into the first decan of Capricorn, through which the sun will move through the first ten degrees of Capricorn, at which point will conclude the 31st.
The 2 of pentacles within the tarot represents the first decan of Capricorn—a card associated with instability, uncertainty, ‘a time when you have to do whatever it takes to make ends meet…’
This decan/card also associates itself to the calendrical reality of the seasonal realities within the northern hemisphere—this card/decan introduces itself through what we know as ‘the longest night of the year’.
Tarot writer Theresa Reed adds, also, that this card can “indicate changing values… what was important to you at one time is now in flux—an ethical dilemma—if you’re trying to make a decision… weigh options carefully.”
Astrologer Austin Coppock writes of this decan, “its details become clear, the advantages and disadvantages of its many realms obvious… the figures which roam this decan can root deeply into what soil they find themselves in, yet for this very reason location is critical.”
Continued, Coppock comments that the very notion of change is indicative… “it denotes a change of location or circumstance—the change in location here is analogous to an animal choosing where to build its nest, or a seed taking root in one place or another—it is ultimately a matter of spirit, floating free, selecting the section of the world in which the drama of its incarnation will take place, and then taking root according to the law of the soil chosen.”
In many ways it is interesting that Jupiter governs this decan—as abundances are ripe here, for better or worse—though, in Capricorn, Jupiter is considered in its fall… so, is Jupiter potent here, or not?
The third decan of Sagittarius was governed by Saturn—and Jupiter rules Sagittarius.
This decan of Capricorn is governed by Jupiter—and Saturn rules Capricorn.
This Jupiter/Saturn handoff only occurs four times… and this one, in particular, represents change being the only constant—it symbolizes the rotation of all things…
This suggests much in the way of transitioning.
Tarot writer TS Chang writes of this card/decan combination, that this combination “kicks off Yule season—Yule is the season of the Wild Hunt, when Odin at his most demonic leads a host of spectres through the darkness, and only the strong-spirited travel abroad…”
Chang reminds us of the Death that permeates the 2 of pentacles, particularly in sequence to the third decan of Sagittarius… “so death is integral to the solstice, and lurks in the subtext… during this lore-filled season, haunted by hunts, frenzy, dances of death, sun-god sacrifices, I like to think that mysteries of reincarnation are happening—it calls up a dense nexus of ritual and belief, questions of incarnation, the multiple selves we bear within us… we invoke the reconciliation that invites life back from death, the turn toward light and life in the midst of the darkest hour.”
Chang notes that ‘the death of the ego’ is very much an energetic impulse here…
Through the darkest night of the year, this decan embodies something of a heaviness—a heaviness that we are obligated to… a heaviness we must find a way through—a heaviness we must learn to carry.
Chang advises one to “consider that much is in play… nothing can stay the same, but within that formula of change there are opportunities—now is a time to tender up your old selves and redeem them for something new.”
Tarot writer Jessica Dore writes of the 2 of pentacles, upon concepts of fun and feedback loops…
Dore and her friends claim to wonder about fun, and whether they’re having it or not, and what exactly it is… and “how challenging it can be to actually have it, and why fun seems to come easily to some, while others—for example, us—find it hard to detach long enough from the more troubled dimensions of life to enjoy…”
Dore writes of reading writings authored by Shimi Kang, and how Kang explains “how our brains have feedback loops that give us information about how to create balance in our lives—when we get hungry, we eat; when we’re tired, we sleep; when we feel lonely, we call a friend—but in modern life, we’ve become so disconnected from these feedback loops that a lot of us don't even realize we feel bad because we haven’t slept, or because we’re not eating enough, or because we’re not doing the things that nourish our minds and bodies… we’ve gotten so good at analyzing and psychologizing that we’ve forgotten how to listen to the simple sounds of what our bodies are saying—a lot of the time we don’t even know we’re supposed to be listening…”
The balance, then, becomes the implementing of fun and play within the sleeping and eating—particularly for those of us who deal with and navigate through heavier, edgier things within their day-to-day.
Dore quotes Kang, “that play activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex and helps us learn to settle into spaces of unpredictability…”
Here it is integral to understand the imagery of the 2 of pentacles—that a man is shown somewhat juggling two coins within a loop that resembles an infinity symbol—and Dore writes that the coins are “airborne but could fall at any time; they exist in a constant state of movement as represented by the infinity sign that wraps around and holds them together… this is a genus visual representation of what happens when we play…”
The never-knowing-ness of play, balanced within the never-knowing-ness of reality.
The Jupiter-ness, balanced within the Saturn-ness.
Through these ten days within this first decan of Capricorn the sun squares Jupiter at 0*08’ on the 21st…
This degree speaks of confrontation.
This degree challenges self-assertion.
This degree may inspire you to speak out or up…
This degree connects the sun to a square with Jupiter—suggesting that whatever you need to do, or say, you’ll need to do or say in a very big way… it will be un-ignorable.
The square between the sun and Jupiter suggests a struggle with one’s authority… which, in turn, implies a striving to gain a control over one’s authority.
There could also be a hint of needing or wanting to take something on—specifically something much larger than yourself… taking this one alone.
And, as this solar aspect occurs through the first decan of Capricorn, this new stance of defiance or assertion may very well mark the ending of one way of behaving, introducing an entirely new way of behaving—or what have you… or describe the initial struggle within the balancing between the two personas.
There is definitely a change—and it’s up to you what you’re willing to change…
An additional perspective of this degree is that it is associated with the “Jesus story—Jesus’ karmic lesson was to rise above the crowd, to claim power in situations, places and with people; to accept any consequences that such a claim could lead to…”
To conclude, allow me to share with you yet another several perspectives of this degree—to be inspired toward a “realistic appraisal of the situation and its needs; addressing the needs of the public; leading people in new directions; devising a practical game plan to reach one’s goals; persevering despite ongoing obstacles in one’s path; sincere and honest communications of one’s feelings and needs; developing personal strengths; and navigating integrity and backbone…”
On the 23rd of December the sun will be reunited with the moon for the new moon—and you can read that here or here…
Finally, the sun will begin applying a square to Chiron—though this will not exact itself until the sun moves into the second decan of Capricorn, on January 2nd at 11*59’ Capricorn, and so I will delineate this in the next post.
Chang, T. ‘36 Secrets.’ Anima Mundi Press; 2021.
Coppock, A. ‘36 Faces.’ Three Hands Press; 2014.
Dore, J. 'Tarot for Change.’ VIKING; 2021.
Goldsmith, M. ‘The Zodiac by Degrees.’ Weiser Books; 2004.
Hill, L. ‘360 Degrees of Wisdom.’ A Plume Book; 2004.
Reed, T. ‘Tarot: No Questions Asked.’ Desire Books; 2020.
Roche, D. ‘Sabian Symbols.’ Astrology Classics; 1998, 2010.