On December 21st we experienced the Winter Solstice, that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the day is at it's shortest and the night is at it's longest. It is natural this time of year, to want to hibernate. To withdraw from worldly activities and go even deeper within. To retreat into stillness.
Although Winter appears still: on the surface the ground may be frozen solid, covered in snow, yet deep within the Earth there is a great deal of activity. There is a gestation of sorts happening, as nuts, bulbs, seeds, roots and shoots experience a gathering and accumulation of life-force energy, ready to drive a new cycle of life when Spring comes.
Capricorn Season is a season of preparation for what is to come and this is one of the hallmarks of the Capricorn individual: the art of preparation and gathering resources.
According to The Tibetan, in Esoteric Astrology, the sign of Capricorn is one of the most mysterious and difficult to understand because it appears to represent both the best and the worst of human experience. Esoterically, with it's opposite sign Cancer, it is associated with the birth into form and worldly existence, yet it is also associated with initiation, discipleship, the monastic life, and birth into spiritual existence. It is definitely a sign of extremes. It is said that the highest purpose of a Capricorn Soul is the 'bring heaven to Earth'.
"Capricorn is connected with the birth of the spiritual microcosm
and with the death of the physical universe."
Capricorn and Worldly Success
Capricorn is a cardinal sign, which means there is a pioneering quality and a capacity for taking the initiative. Combined with the fact that Capricorn is an Earth sign, which tends towards the physical realm, material and worldly matters, this makes Capricorn the sign most associated with achievement, ambition, and worldly success.
"The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you"
So how can this materialist view also be spiritual? The answer lies in reality, and our true nature. In fact, we are spiritual beings, and sooner or later Capricorn turns our attention to what is real. The more we allow our attention to be drawn into the outer world, the more we lose sight of our inner reality, which includes our own physical body and our own physical energy field.
Incarnation into Form and Spirit
Remembering that The Tibetan was Abbot of a Buddhist monastery, this brings us back to what he may have been referring to when he talks about the deepest mysteries of Capricorn being associated with incarnation into form and incarnation into spirit. To understand this, we need to explore incarnation more deeply.
The Cycle of Death and Rebirth
Buddhist thought describes the wheel of death and rebirth as 'samsara'. This is where we are born, die, and reborn in repeating reincarnations, driven by karmic conditioning. In other words, it is the patterns in our own mind that determine where and how we will incarnate. We could also say, that our incarnation is determined by where we place our attention. If we continuously place our attention on worldly concerns, we will be reborn into form. When we develop the capacity to keep our attention on our inner world, the world of energy and consciousness, we can incarnate into the pure, formless realm of love and consciousness, that some would describe as the 'kingdom of heaven'.
I recommend you watch this 15-minute YouTube video, in which Eckhart Tolle talks about death and reincarnation.
In the video Eckhart Tolle points out that we are continuously 'reincarnating' into form, on a daily basis, by where we place our attention. We lose ourselves, in the outer world. Breaking this habit requires patience, application, and discipline - all very Capricornian qualities! (The word discipline has the same root as the word disciple).
As we continue moving forward through Capricorn Season, allow yourself to retreat from worldly activity if you feel to. Notice where your attention wants to go, and especially pay attention to what is 'real' in you - your energy field. By repeatedly bringing your awareness back to you in the present moment, you will eventually come to know 'heaven' while you are still very much living on Earth!
As you practice resting in your own 'heaven' within, your energy field becomes an oasis of peace, love, and joy that benefits yourself,
those closest to you, and ultimately our entire human family.
That is the true meaning of bringing heaven to Earth.
