Lost am I in light supernal, yet on that light I turn my back
The peak experience: material depth offering maximum spiritual opportunity
| Cardinal complement: | Cancer |
|---|---|
| Rays: | Ray 7, Ray 1, Ray 3 |
| Othodox ruler: | Saturn |
| Esoteric ruler: | Saturn |
| Hierarchical ruler: | Venus |
| Esoteric decanates: | 1st: Saturn, 2nd: Venus, 3rd: Vulcan |
| Retrogressive motto: | Let ambition rule and the door stand wide |
| Capricorn triangles: |
Capricorn: esoteric meaning
Details to follow.
Capricorn: rulers
Orthodox: Saturn ⇧
Details to follow for Saturn as orthodox ruler.
Esoteric: Saturn ⇧
Details to follow of Saturn as esoteric ruler.
Hierarchical: Venus ⇧
Details to follow of Venus as hierarchical ruler.
Decanates
See the notes about the inconsistency of decanates as given in Esoteric Astrology. For comparison, Stephen Pugh’s decanate rulers are listed alongside the current orthodox rulers and those given in the book.
- Esoteric/developmental: conscious development (annual signs from Aries via Taurus to Pisces)
- 0-9°: Saturn G: Capricorn, “Saturn reveals the nature of the third aspect of divinity, the nature of intelligent substance”
- 10-19°: Venus D: Taurus, “Venus reveals the nature of the second aspect, which is consciousness or intelligent love” (also note that Venus is Hierarchical ruler of Capricorn)
- 20-29°: Vulcan Z: Virgo, “the Sun—the physical Sun and the heart of the Sun [in this case possibly Vulcan, also as the Will/life aspect] together—reveals the synthesis of [the above] two”
- Exoteric/experiential: humanity in general (precession from Aries via Pisces to Taurus)
- 29-20°: Mercury C: Virgo, “the Sun stands exoterically for Mercury” which only enables “the vision [to] be intuitively perceived” once Saturn has done its work. Otherwise, the fluid mind in the service of individual ambition
- 19-10°: Venus D: Taurus, “material stability, pleasure and comfort”
- 9-0°: Saturn G: Capricorn, “breaks up existing conditions by the force of its energy impact”
- Orthodox: Saturn, Venus, Mercury (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo)
- EAst e/o: Saturn, Venus, Sun (Vulcan?) / Mercury, Venus, Saturn
- Pugh e/o: Mercury, Venus, Saturn / Mercury, Venus, Saturn (no reversal?)
There is contradiction in Esoteric Astrology about Capricorn’s decanates. On p173 they are given as “Saturn, Venus and the Sun” but on p442 we read that “Saturn, through which energy flows from Leo, via Shamballa, to Humanity, governs two decanates in Capricorn”, which may be a transcription error or conflation, as Saturn is both the orthodox and esoteric ruler of Capricorn. (See Saturn: Overview tab as this planet has multiple connected roles in esoteric astrology).
Further, the Sun is stated as standing “exoterically for Mercury and esoterically for a hidden planet” (a familiar role seen throughout esoteric astrology), but in this case the decanate in question is ruled by Virgo whose esoteric ruler is Vulcan—a likely candidate here for “the heart of the Sun” (EA 393) although generally Neptune represents the “heart of the Sun” (e.g. in Leo). However, it is Vulcan’s influence that supersedes all “lunar control” of the personality, which is then “lost to sight in the radiance of the Sun, the soul” at which point the “light of Vulcan and… the Sun are one” (EA 132).
Finally, of the three veiled planets, Vulcan represents the third aspect or “the nature of intelligent substance” for which Saturn opens the door in Capricorn. So Vulcan appears to be the most fitting candidate for the “hidden and deeply significant planet” veiled by the Sun in the third decanate.
Two sets of rulers for the three decanates are available. According to Alan Leo, we have Saturn, Venus and Mercury. According to Sepharial we have Jupiter, Mars and the Sun. Of these two, the first is the more correct and the more esoteric. The true rulers are Saturn, Venus and the Sun. I would remind you that Mercury and the Sun are interchangeable but that in this case the Sun stands exoterically for Mercury and esoterically for a hidden planet.
Saturn relates Capricorn to the previous sign Aquarius, upon the ordinary wheel, and Jupiter, exoterically understood, relates Capricorn to Sagittarius upon the reversing wheel. It will be obvious to all esotericists that the Sun is the obvious ruler of the third decanate, veiling as it does a hidden and deeply significant planet and being that which reveals divinity at the time of the third initiation. You will note how, in this great sign of initiation, Saturn reveals the nature of the third aspect of divinity, the nature of intelligent substance; Venus reveals the nature of the second aspect, which is consciousness or intelligent love, whilst the Sun—the physical Sun and the heart of the Sun together—reveals the synthesis of these two. (EA 172-3)
Vulcan— …reveals that which is deeply hidden and brings it up into the light. Esoterically—the heart of the Sun (EA 393, under Taurus)
Saturn, through which energy flows from Leo, via Shamballa, to Humanity, governs two decanates in Capricorn [see above about this inconsistency]. Hence its extreme potency today in the triangle of Humanity. Saturn breaks up existing conditions by the force of its energy impact, thus enabling the influence of Mercury to be more fully expressed. The vision can then be intuitively perceived when obstructions have been removed. (EA 442)