The 1st House in Capricorn Personality (All About the Capricorn Ascendant, Capricorn Rising, and Makara Lagna)

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Table of contents:
What is the Rising Sign?
The Typical Capricorn Rising Personality
The Capricorn Ascendant Woman
The Typical Capricorn Rising Man
The Typical Capricorn Ascendant Appearance
The 1st House in Capricorn Compatibility
The Capricorn Ascendant in Karmic Astrology
1st House in Capricorn Celebrities
Additional Reading

What is the Rising Sign?

The term Ascendant (or the rising sign) is beginning to gain traction over the last years, and that’s something extremely good for the purpose of understanding what Astrology really is. More and more folks start to realize that the Sun sign is just the tip of the iceberg, and the natal chart is something rather complex and intricate to be analyzed in a few sentences. So, let’s take a closer look at what this important aspect of the horoscope is and what it represents. Because there are still some misconceptions about the ASC we need to dispel. And one of the main ones is that the rising sign is just part of our personality. I was quite surprised when a friend of mine a while back said to me: “Yeah, I know, I know – people have more characteristics from their Ascendant, rather than their Sun sign! The rising sign is so much more important now!”. Statements like these give me the motivation to continue to try to explain these terms better and in simpler ways. So, yes, the Ascendant is part of our personality, but it is far from the only element that shows our potential traits and inclinations. It sure is one of the main places to look at, but it is far from the only one. And here’s what else needs to be taken into account when we assess the personality traits that are most likely to manifest in the individual – the meridians and the placements and aspects of the personal planets and luminaries (the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mars, and Mercury), etc. And that’s not all either! The Ascendant actually represents a whole astrological house, and as such there are some areas it governs which are beyond our personality. Here they are!

• The “mask” we wear – the rising sign is that part of our character that we want to show to the world – how others perceive us and how we want to be perceived as. In this case here, people with their 1^st house in Capricorn will try to show to the world that they are serious, disciplined, strict, and ambitious. This differentiation is quite visible when the Sun sign and the rising sign are not the same. What people usually see in us is the Ascendant. You may be a Sagittarius, but you will “market” yourself as a Capricorn. You may not show your Archer traits to some people;
• Our worldview – the first house cusp also shows us how we see the world. In this case today, you may see the world through the lenses of the Goat – with a lot of realism and pessimism – the world may seem like a cold, heatless and cut-throat place;
• Our childhood – as you are going to see in the next chapter, the Goat Ascendant people often experience a lot of difficulties, limitations, and restrictions in their first years in life;
• How we start anything new – this is the house of new beginnings and the Capricorn rising folks may commence any new project with a great deal of seriousness, discipline, meticulous preparations, and ambition to bring it to fruition;
• Our appearance – the Ascendant can also show us how we present ourselves into the world in every sense of the word – our gestures, our gait, our clothes, and even how our physical bodies look. Stay tuned because later on in the article we will talk more about the typical looks of the people with their first house cusp in Capricorn!

The Typical Capricorn Rising Personality

Before we get to the meaning of the first house cusp in Capricorn, first we need to take a dive into the typical characteristics of the 10^th sign in Astrology. The sign which is at the cusp of each house influences the areas this house governs, and this also applies to the Ascendant as well.

So, let’s see how the Goat usually presents itself and what qualities it might manifest.

Capricorn is the third earth sign (after Taurus and Virgo), and it is the fourth cardinal one (after Aries, Cancer, and Libra). This is the natural ruler of the tenth astrological house – the house of our ambition, greatest achievements, social status, our father, etc. The ruling planet of this sign and house is the notorious Saturn – the planet also known as “The Great Malefic”. Well, I certainly do not subscribe to this idea of Chronos being a malevolent planet, but we will get to this a bit later.

So, why do we have to mention the ruling planet? The simple reason for this is that the placement and the aspects of the lord can greatly influence the personality of the individual. So much so that these traits might differ from the typical traits of the Goat to a large degree. As I always like to say – the placement of the house lord can completely change the picture. In addition to that, keep in mind that the position and the aspects of Mars must also be included in the analysis. Mars is the natural ruler of the first house and it should be taken into account as well. Take this information as a form of a disclaimer – if you do not recognize yourself in the character traits of the Capricorn rising – you might need to look at the house lords! In other words, take these character descriptions with a grain of salt.

Let’s get back to the archetype of the Goat!

The main keyword we can attribute to this sign is of course “ambition”. So, we can safely say that everyone with their 1^st house in Capricorn displays some form of ambition to some degree.

Other positive Capricorn Ascendant traits are:  industrious, meticulous, responsible, practical, frugal, serious, conventional and conservative, cautious, disciplined, patient, consistent, loyal, etc.

On the more negative side of the spectrum the Goat rising people might be: emotionally cold and distant, fatalistic and superstitious, brooding and depressed, pessimistic with unhealthy level of perfectionism, unbalanced and all-consuming ambition at the expense of the personal life, egotistical, controlling, unforgiving, too stubborn for their own good, co-dependent of their parents (especially the mother), etc.

Ah, the Goat! The sign of ambition and discipline! These are indeed some of the most driven people you can meet. And they certainly love being perceived as hard-working and responsible. I will paraphrase the words of one of the most esteemed astrologers of all time – Linda Goodman. She says that even though she thought her double Aries will get her anything she strives for, the Goat always wins. What she meant was that the Capricorn Ascendant people possess something unique in their personality that most of us have to cultivate with time and lots of conscious efforts – intrinsic motivation to always move upwards and strive for betterment, especially in the arena of material possessions, status, and achievements. These are the type of people who can outwork almost anyone, the people who are willing to sleep in the office if they need to achieve their goals and dreams. And that takes unparalleled amounts of self-discipline and drive.

However, if we take anything to the extreme, we end up on the other side of the spectrum. What the Goat Ascendant people should pay attention to is whether they sacrifice their personal lives for the sake of the career advancement. Some may be willing to take this risk, but more often than not, later on in life many of the folks with a strong Capricorn in their chart realize that it may not have been worth it! Their career will always be there waiting for them to put the effort, but you can’t turn back time and experience all the missed birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, gatherings with friends, etc. This is just something to be mindful about. I would encourage anyone who is interested in achieving success in their life to precisely define what success means to them, and this often might not be what society defined it to be. But we will talk a lot more on this topic in my upcoming Astrology career report which will be available only to my email subscribers. So, make sure you reserve your seat!

Why do the people with their 1^st house in Capricorn realize what they missed later on in life? Here’s something extremely important to remember about the 10^th astrological sign – the ruling planet Saturn represents the god of time Chronos. So, time is not perceived by these people the same way as others. The Goat is the sign that often starts their life with an intense seriousness and responsibility which is not so typical for “normal” kids. Moreover, since the first house governs our childhood and general wellbeing, lots of these children may experience quite some difficulties (even health-wise) in their early years. This may be experienced by the child as being hit with a ton of bricks emotionally and mentally. These people may have lost their natural child-like optimism and illusions about life early on, and they tend to grow up like little extremely responsible and serious adults. If there is a zodiac sign that would represent the process of parentification (the reversal of the roles between parents and children), this would be Capricorn. So, they usually start off their lives with a great deal of realism (and even pessimism), and quickly learn to work hard to sustain themselves. They may also feel as if there is no one to support them, so they need to brace themselves and learn how to adult. Antony Hopkins is a great example of this tendency. He had a truly difficult childhood, feeling lonely and isolated. He also had serious issues in school. In his own words:  “I was a poor learner, which left me open to ridicule and gave me an inferiority complex. I grew up absolutely convinced I was stupid.” Who would have thought that this boy will one day become a world-class actor who will meticulously learn his lines by heart? The unparalleled intrinsic motivation and drive of the Capricorn is capable of achieving this!

Later on in life (usually after the first Saturn return), just when their peers are beginning their journey into the world of adults, the Capricorn rising folks had already learned the harsh lessons of Saturn – self-discipline, hard work, responsibility, patience, etc. This is when they usually start to relax a little bit and take a huge sigh of relief that the worst part of their lives is pretty much over. Now they may start to realize how much of the joy, excitement, and free-spiritedness of childhood and adolescence they missed. Although loosening up, relaxing, and enjoying life might still be quite difficult to them at this point, as the years go by the Goat Ascendant becomes more and more chill, joyous, and optimistic. Yeah, Capricorn is the Benjamin Button of the zodiac! 😀

The Capricorn Ascendant Woman

The Goat Ascendant woman may be the perfect example of the modern day emancipated woman who has so much to offer than being a housewife. These are the types of gals who may always have some inspiring goals they pursue with discipline, patience, and persistence. Yes, some of these aims might not necessarily be related to career and social status, but there is always something she strives for. One of the typical characteristics of the people with their 1^st house in Capricorn is their inner shyness and the feeling of insecurity. After all, their ruling planet is Saturn – the celestial body which represents the limitations in our lives. This often manifests as a constant sensation of being restricted by something – it might be certain fears, a troublesome family situation, health issues, etc. This is one of the reasons why the Capricorn rising folks are so driven in their life – their inner ambition and intrinsic motivation helps them overcome these challenges that often occur in early childhood (the first house represents the first years of our lives).

On the outside these powerful females may seem strong, invincible, and headstrong, but on the inside the picture might be completely different. They might be a bit pessimistic – always trying to predict what might go wrong so that they can prevent it. In some cases this may manifest as storing all kinds of provisions, and in the most extreme cases this might even lead to hoarding.

On the other hand, the first house in Capricorn women are some of the most ambitious, loyal, and responsible gals in the zodiac. You can always count on them to lend you hand or give you some of her motivation to overcome any challenge! I mean Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth II, and Marie Curie were all Capricorn Ascendants! The challenge with these traits is that it may be quite difficult for their partners to not feel threatened by their worldly successes. This is a tough bite to swallow. Here the Descendant is in Cancer, so we can safely say that we are dealing with a reversal of the stereotypical societal roles. While the Goat Ascendant woman is out there climbing the ladder, her partner may have to take a step back and take care of the home and children. As you can see, this situation may be quite difficult for some males to bear. I think the case with Gwen Stefani and her troubles in the romantic department is a great example. However, we will talk a lot more on this subject in the section on compatibility!

Lastly, this is the type of female who may have the uncanny talent to see the potential for growth and success in others. So, even if she didn’t have the opportunity to pursue a project herself, she may be deeply invested in helping her partner and/or children achieve their goals and thrive. These are the types of moms who may be super motivated to raise successful, creative, resourceful, and entrepreneurial kids!

The Typical Capricorn Rising Man

All of the typical characteristics of the 1st house in Capricorn we mentioned in this article apply in full force to these magnificent driven gentlemen! Yes, I used the word “gentlemen” intentionally, because the archetypal Goat male is usually quite fond of anything old-school, and this often includes their manners. This may be the type of man who has an old-fashion conservative value system, and may have all the stereotypical goals for a happy and fulfilling life – having a good well-paying reliable job, raising a traditional family, having a couple of well-behaved kids, treating women with respect like a true cavalier, etc. If he has the career that can support his family, he may even be more comfortable to have a stay-at-home wife. Does that sound too good to be true? Well, everything does have a price, doesn’t it? There are some quirks that you may need to take into account before you pronounce him the Man of Your Heart.

First of all, very often there is one true female figure in the life of any male with a strong Capricorn, and that includes the Goat Ascendant – his mother. The representatives of the 10th rising sign are usually very close to their parents, but their connection with their mothers is even stronger.

Second of all, he may indeed possess an all-consuming ambition which may lead to work holism – frequently prioritizing his career over his personal relationships. (On top of that remember that his mom is right after that in his list of priorities.)  As I stated previously, the Capricorn rising often has deep insecurities from an early age, and they tend to constantly try to overtake more and more challenges to prove themselves. They may also try to prove themselves to their fathers, even long after their dads are gone from Earth. This is even more pronounced if they didn’t receive enough recognition and validation from their father. However, this topic should also be analyzed with regards to the placement of the 10^th house cusp and the house rulers. I will talk a lot more about the tenth house in my upcoming career report which will be available to my email subscribers. So, stay tuned!  

Lastly, the typical Goat rising male might really have a difficulty expressing his emotions and connecting with people on a deeper level. The inclinations towards pessimism and depression may exacerbate the issue even more.

On the brighter side, these men are prone to loosening up with age. As I mentioned previously, the archetypal Goat is associated with late blooming, and people with a strong Capricorn in their chart tend to become more joyous and childlike as the years go by.

The Typical Capricorn Ascendant Appearance

The typical 1^st house in Capricorn person might have some challenges in the beginning of their life, but fate also made sure to compensate them in some other areas. So, there is some good news here regarding the appearance of the Goat Ascendant.

The first one is that the tenth astrological sign is considered a tall one. This means that those who have a strong Capricorn or Saturn influence in their chart might have quite the tall statue. I have seen multiple Capricorn rising folks who are much taller than their parents. This trait is even more pronounced if there are more planets above the horizon rather than below it. Of course, as usual I need to make a clear disclaimer here! The topic of physical appearance is a vast and intricate one, and there are lots of elements to be analyzed. The cusp of the first house does give us some clues but it is far from the only place in the birth chart to look at! So, take these descriptions with a grain of salt.

Another piece of great news is that the 10^th sign in Astrology is considered among the most youthful-looking and photogenic ones. As I mentioned previously, these are the Benjamin Buttons of the zodiac! There is something like an optic illusion about them – they seem like grown-up adults when they are young, and their appearance may tend to feel more youthful and child-like as they age. I guess that as they start to loosen up emotionally and mentally (usually after the first Saturn return), their bodies begin to reflect the inner change.

Since their ruling planet Chronos is the god of time, Capricorn is also associated with longevity. These are some of the most resilient people in the zodiac, and it is no surprise that we can see quite a few running jokes about Elizabeth II being immortal! I mean, just look at Elijah Wood – he looks like he hasn’t aged a day!

Something else which is very common with the people with their 1^st house in Capricorn is their gait. These guys and gals often walk like they own the place! Regardless of their social status, these folks usually stand with their head high, with an open chest, and a proud gait which exudes confidence and inner drive. Well, in a way this is one of their ways to overcome their inner insecurities and shyness from their childhood. But as they age and as they gain more experience and success, this becomes like a self-fulfilling prophesy. They might be the embodiment of the expression “Fake it ‘till you make it!”.

Another way they like to show their character is with their clothes. The typical Goat Ascendant person will try as much as they can to have impeccable style which perfectly matches their profession. But not only that – the clothes they wear are also the reflection of the position they strive for or the level of success they want to achieve. Another excellent motto for these folks is “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have!”. This may even mean having just one piece of high-end business suit they will use for special meetings and occasions. They are willing to save the money for months just to showcase their inner ambition and motivation to climb to the top of the food chain!

The 1^st House in Capricorn Compatibility

Compatibility is a serious and intricate part of Astrology which encompasses a great deal of elements and details. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about this topic, and here I will do my best to bring more light and understanding to the process of the Synastry analysis. Yes, there is a whole branch of this ancient knowledge which deals exclusively with relationships called Synastry. In other words, we can’t just take the Sun signs of two individuals and make an assessment how compatible they are or how their relationship dynamic may play out. We need the whole composite chart which includes the birth charts of both people. As you can see, this also applies to the Ascendants. The rising signs do play an important role in the compatibility analysis but they are far from enough to make a full interpretation.

So, take the following description with a grain of salt, and always keep in mind that the whole charts have to be taken into account at all times.

OK, now that we got this disclaimer out of the way, let’s see what the first house in Capricorn can tell us about the potential beneficial relationships the person might forge.

At the opposite side of the rising sign we can see one extremely important cusp – the cusp of the 7^th house, also known as the Descendant. This is the astrological house which deals with marriage and all kinds of potential partnerships – both business and personal ones. This means that solely based on the Ascendant sign we can make a few assumptions as to what types of personalities the Capricorn rising might be looking for. Let’s dive in!

Having your 1^st house cusp in Capricorn means that your Descendant is in Cancer. That implies that you may be able to forge beneficial bonds with people who exhibit the typical traits of the Crab – caring with a mother-like type of affection, sensitive, empathic, able to meet your emotional needs, good homemakers – people who would love to spend time with you in the comfort of your own home and personal environment.

In astrological terms, these might be folks who do have many planets and luminaries in the 4^th zodiac sign which will be placed in your 7^th house. This is especially beneficial if the personal planets are involved – the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mars, and Mercury. However, keep in mind that the sizes of the houses and the signs are often quite different. So, some of your partner’s planets might be in Leo and still be located in your seventh house. Moreover, if they have something in your 6^th house which is close to the Descendant cusp (within 7 degrees), this might also be a blessing for your relationship.

Possessing the archetypal traits of the Cancer sign might also manifest as your (potential) partner having lots of planets in their 4^th house (especially the personal ones). For instance, let’s say that they have their Sun in Libra but it is also placed in their fourth house. This means that they may exhibit both the characteristics of the Scales as well as the Crab.

On the other side of the spectrum, we might look at compatibility from the lenses of the similarities. Many astrologers argue that this foundation may be even stronger and more beneficial for building long-lasting and loving relationships – bonds based on mutual respect and understanding. This would mean having a partner who also possesses the traits of the Goat. In other words, people who have a lot of planets in Capricorn might be extremely compatible with you. Moreover, those with a packed 10^th house might also exhibit the characteristics of the Goat (for example, having their Sun in their tenth house). In this way you will both have the inner drive and motivation to pursue your goals and support each other along the way!

However, one word of caution regarding the partner’s planets in Capricorn. It is important to precisely locate them and see if they are placed in your 1^st or 12^th house. In the first variation, this person will further reinforce your natural Capricorn traits and put some extra light on your personality. In the second option, it might be a bit more challenging since the twelfth house is the house of our unconscious mind, our fears, and traumas. In this case, your partner may bring to light some discomfort and pain you may not even want to acknowledge you had. Keep a close eye on how this plays out in your life and try to be more self-aware and introspective. This is a wonderful bond to help you integrate your shadow side (by Carl Jung) and undergo a radical personal transformation. The 12^th house is also the house of our unconscious inner strength and this intrinsic power is brought forth by processing our fears and traumas. Your partner may play a key role in this process!

One last thing about the 12^th house – check the positions of your Medium Coeli points (the cusps of the 10^th house). These are your egos. If one of the MC cusps is placed in the partner’s twelfth house this might also impose some challenges. The ego of that person might be hurt and they may feel overshadowed or the bond may be kept a secret. We will talk a lot more about the last astrological house a bit later on the blog. So, stay tuned!

The Capricorn Ascendant in Karmic Astrology

One of the most esteemed Karmic Astrology authors Martin Schulman calls the Ascendant “the doorway to unlocking our potential”. Well, the cusp of the first house is not necessarily a huge part of the karmic analysis but it can still point out a few important things to look at and consider.

Another popular astrologer (Dorothée Koechlin de Bizemont) in this field pays special attention to the rising sign and shares some intriguing details how this cusp might actually tell us something about our possible past lives.

In her book “L’astrologie karmique” she points out that many folks with their 1^st house in Capricorn actually do not exhibit the typical traits of the Goat. Instead of being serious, responsible, and disciplined, they might really show many Sagittarius characteristics – being way too optimistic, adventurous, the life of the party, dynamic, philosophical, and even a bit promiscuous. These tendencies might be even stronger if the 12^th house cusp is indeed in the sign of the Archer. (The water houses – the 4^th, the 8^th, and the 12^th) are considered essential parts of the karmic astrology analysis).

According to de Bizemont this may be a clear sign that the person had spent countless lifetimes cultivating the characteristics and the behavioral patterns of Sagittarius. In this case, it may be time to move forward and learn some discipline and responsibility. That is why the individual chose this “astrological suit” with this particular Capricorn Ascendant – to help them become more mature and take life more seriously when needed. However, keep in mind that the whole chart has to be thoroughly analyzed. For example, if you have placements in Sagittarius and/or the 9^th house, you might really possess these Archer traits as part of your personality in this incarnation. So, always take these partial interpretations with a grain of salt!

1^st House in Capricorn Celebrities

Musicians – Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani, Bono, Lorde, Dave Grohl, James Hetfield, Billie Joe Armstrong, and more

Actors – Megan Fox, Monica Bellucci, Zac Efron, Russell Brand, Sean Connery, Sophia Loren, Dakota Johnson, Anthony Hopkins, Jane Fonda, and more.

Political leaders and monarchs – Emmanuel Macron, Malcolm X, Prince Harry of Sussex, Elizabeth II, Elizabeth I of England, and more.

Other Capricorn rising celebrities – Kylie Jenner, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gisele Bündchen, Naomi Campbell, Novak Djokovic, Marie Curie, and more.

Additional Reading

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The Only Way to Learn Astrology volume 2

I mentioned a couple of times in this article that you always need to look at the bigger picture and keep the whole chart in mind when analyzing any particular part of it. But what does that mean? The thing is that the interpretation of the horoscope is an extremely detailed and complex matter and it needs to be looked at from different perspectives and angles. This often looks and feels like arranging a jigsaw puzzle – there are so many teeny tiny aspects to take into account. And that’s what this book does almost perfectly – it gives you the detailed and advanced algorithm for analyzing your own birth chart! If you feel you are not yet ready to take this deep dive, I would advise you to start from volume 1 of the series. It will give you the necessary foundation to start making some valuable assessments about your character and untapped potential – the archetypal traits of the signs, the meaning of the planets and houses, the analysis of the planetary locations and aspects. This is the ABC of Astrology, and if you are not yet familiar with it, start there. Volume 2 here is where the fun begins! This book is dedicated to the more in-depth interpretation part of the horoscope that can completely change the whole picture! Remember that earlier in this post I mentioned how the expression of the Ascendant can radically change depending on the placements and aspects of the house rulers (in this case these are Saturn and Mars). Well, that applies to every other aspect of the chart. Here are just a few of the topics in this volume – Arabic parts, missing elements, planets without aspects, retrograde planets, critical degrees, the composition of the horoscope, decans and duads, Lunar Nodes, interceptions, mutual receptions, fixed stars, etc. As you can see we are far from just a Sun sign and an Ascendant (as what popular Astrology might have you think).

But the meaty part of the book is, at least in my opinion, the cusps of the 12 houses. Yes, this also includes your 1^st house in Capricorn. So, you will not only learn more about your personality, but you can also make some quite interesting assumptions about your ability to acquire resources (the cusp of the 2^nd house), build habits and find your best work environment (the 6^th house), find your soulmate or manage other people’s finances (the 8^th house), travel to exotic places (the 9^th house) or make some of your wishes come true (the 11^th house). Sounds fun, right?

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RELATED: Most people with a Sagittarius Ascendant usually have their Medium Coeli in Libra which can give you some awesome ideas about your career potential, best achievements in life, and improved social status! Check it out! If that’s not your MC sign, feel free to take a look at the other 11 positions of the Midheaven point!