These 7 Capricorn Season Rituals Help You Ski Into The New Year

Try one of these Capricorn season rituals to make the most of the Sun’s four-week journey through this ambitious earth sign.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like winter solstice! The Sun enters Capricorn on December 21, marking the shortest day of the year for those living in the northern hemisphere. Under the cover of darkness, turn inwards and scan the landscape of your subconscious mind.

Carve out space to meditate, reflect and find gratitude for the high points of your year. Then, clarify what you’d like to leave behind as you enter the new year—and what evolution you’re most proud to bring with you into the New Year. Try one of our Capricorn season rituals to make the most of this solar cycle.

Capricorn Season Rituals

1. Focus on one goal at a time

Capricorn is ruled by steady and structured Saturn, which governs linear time. Fun fact: In Greek mythology, Saturn is called Chronos; it literally means “time.” During Capricorn season, you’ll thrive by doing things in—yup—chrono-logical order.

For this Capricorn season ritual, break every big goal into individual steps and consider how long you’ll need to finish them. Reverse engineer your dreams: Start by picturing your ultimate destination, then work backward. How many days, weeks or months do you require to pull this off? Write out any big milestones you’ll reach (and celebrate) along the way, then set them to a timeframe. Identify what kind of budget and people-power you might need.

You don’t have to prioritize 10 things at once!

Too much pressure is a recipe for Capricorn’s shadow side of melancholy. Instead, draw inspiration from Capricorn Stan Lee. His modest comic book business grew slowly over many years into the Marvel Universe (and changed popular culture along the way!)

A word to all you adrenaline junkies: Capricorn season’s plodding methodology can seem pedantic or straight-up boring at times. But think of this sign as the zodiac’s architect, drafting the blueprints for a solid structure. You’ll decorate later—first, get the basics in place. Plus, the success this sign brings is the kind that lasts. Persist, but be patient, and you’ll win the long game.

2. But don’t take away all the spontaneity

During Capricorn season, it’s important to get things done. But don’t get SO serious that you zap all the joy out of your mission. This cycle can easily veer into “all work, no play,” so notice when you’re starting to get tunnel vision. In those moments, stop and go do something active. Try a fitness class or bundle up for a walk in the crisp air (something this earth sign loves). Remember that Capricorn is a magical creature—a goat with the tail of a mermaid. This hardworking sign knows how to cut loose and enjoy the enchanted side of life, too.

Consider putting together a playlist of music by legendary Capricorn artists like Patti Smith, Dolly Parton, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, David Bowie, Mac Miller, David Grohl—and legends in the making, like Zayn Malik and Blue Ivy Carter!—to keep you energized while you get down to biz. Don’t forget that hard work deserves to be rewarded. Otherwise, what’s the point? Set up milestones along your mission and give yourself a truly epic prize as you crush each goal.

3. Align your spine during Capricorn season

Since Capricorn rules the spine and bone structure, for this Capricorn season ritual, make an effort to stand up proud and tall! Start by closing your eyes and envision your grandest plans coming to fruition. After all, good posture cultivates the confidence needed to go after what we really want in life. You can harness the earthy energy of Capricorn season by rooting yourself in a grounded yoga pose like Tadasana (Mountain Pose) to align your structure.

Try this move from our friend, astrology and asana teacher Andrea Rice, who instructs:

Stand up nice and tall, with your feet hips-width apart.
Draw your shoulder blades together behind you as you spread your collarbones wide and lift your heart.
Extend through the top of your head and feel one long line of energy running from your crown chakra all the way down through your feet.
Engage your quadriceps and stand with a neutral spine by inviting a gentle C-shape curve into your lower back.
Bring your hands to your heart and bow your chin to your chest as you set powerful intentions for your dreams.
Bonus points if you live somewhere warm where you can dig your bare feet into the earth!

4. Be your own guide

Capricorn is the sign of mastery, so mentors and experts fall under the Sea Goat’s domain. This is a favorable time to seek the counsel of wise and experienced people. Just be careful not to elevate them to superhuman status. Whether it’s your boss, your doctor or your yoga teacher, nobody is all-knowing—not even famous Capricorn prognosticator Nostradamus.

For this Capricorn season ritual, be careful about falling under the spell of authority figures or getting too starry-eyed over status. Just because someone occupies a leadership role doesn’t mean you should hand them all your power. Sure, people deserve respect for paying their dues and honing their craft. But remember, we are all only human.

5. Honor thy father figures

Capricorn rules the zodiac’s tenth house of masculine energy, fathers and anyone who identifies with the pronouns he/him. This can be an important time to connect to the male-identified folks in your life. However, there could also be a few Beyoncé-style “daddy lessons” in store for us, since Saturn’s karmic energy is at the helm.

Capricorn season can help us sort out the valuable guidance we’ve learned from the father figures in our lives, and what we want to do differently. (Fascinating fact: Both of Bey’s parents Tina and Matthew Knowles, were born with Sun in Capricorn, making them the ultimate momager-and-popager to shepherd her from child star to top entertainer.)

It’s also a time to get in touch with the “Divine Masculine” energy that exists within all of us, regardless of gender. Check out The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine, by Capricorn theologian and author Matthew Fox.

6. …but continue to challenge the patriarchy

Capricorn is the sign of the patriarchy. It rules governments, big businesses, old-school masculinity and hierarchies. This is especially palpable as neoconservative forces continue to polarize populations, a return to a law-and-order world governed by xenophobia and fear-mongering. Capricorns Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Richard Nixon, and Kim Jong Un all model the imbalanced use of this star sign’s power. The need to question age-old rules and structures is more resonant than ever.

7. Conserve natural resources during Capricorn season

Capricorn is an earth sign, and a conservationist by nature. For this Capricorn season ritual, look for ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Walk to local errands, use less water, turn off the lights when you leave a room. Shop local (BYO bags!) instead of having everything delivered (those trucks and planes emit fossil fuels). For a year-end tax write-off, donate to an environmental cause or an organization that combats the disastrous effects of climate change. Check out CharityNavigator.org for a list of ideas, organized by issue.

Take in natural wonders

Since Capricorn is associated with mountains and the desert, take advantage if you’re near either. Go take in a view of some natural wonders, for this Capricorn season ritual idea. Bask in the privilege of enjoying Mother Earth during the season ruled by Father Time. And take heed to the warning of Capricorn Stephen Hawking: “We are at the most dangerous moment in the development of humanity. We now have the technology to destroy the planet on which we live, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it…we only have one planet, and we need to work together to protect it.“

Maybe that’s even more reason to keep following in the solar-powered wake of Swedish Capricorn Greta Thunberg. Born January 3, 2003, she became the valiant leader of the Youth Climate Change movement as a teen and her advocacy seems indefatigable into adulthood.

In addition to rebuking world leaders for ignoring the alarming evidence of the crisis, the young Capricorn mobilized the largest climate strike to date with more than 4 million people participating on 7 continents and in 163 countries. On her unwavering activism she said: “Sometimes we just simply have to find a way. The moment we decide to fulfill something, we can do anything.“