Full Moon in Capricorn— You should work for the rest of your life

Today’s Full Moon in Capricorn will oppose Mercury in Cancer. The sign of Capricorn can focus on themes of aging, while Mercury rules mental acuity. A pertinent health-related question to this transit is: How can I reduce or avoid cognitive decline in my old age?

Dementia and/or cognitive decline are a common part of aging, and for some people, it is strongly genetically driven. But there are also things we can do to to prevent it, or at least lessen the effects of the aging process on our brain. Some doctors estimate that half of all Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented with lifestyle choices. And studies show that people who engage in healthy lifestyles are about half as likely to suffer dementia as people with unhealthy lifestyles. Certain genetic conditions that lead to dementia can make the challenge more difficult, but we can all increase our chances of remaining mentally sharp in our waning years.

It is at this point that many “wellness gurus” would begin discussing supplements or radical diets.

Sometimes supplements can be helpful, but when it comes to dementia prevention, there is no supplement that can hold a candle to the power of simple lifestyle choices!

Move the Body

One of the most important things you can do for your brain is to stay physically active— any kind of exercise will do; it doesn’t have to be extreme! Simply taking a walk counts! This is supported by many studies. For example, this study found that participating in at least 2-1/2 hours of physical activity per week was associated with a 27% slower cognitive decline compared to people who exercised very little. That’s only about 25 minutes per day! Doable!

Move the Mind

Another very powerful predictor of mental acuity in one’s older years, and the one I want to focus on for this article, is whether or not one engages in mentally challenging activities. In other words, to keep your brain sharp, you have to use it! This might be one reason why people who retire early often suffer early cognitive decline. Work provides most people with continual mental challenges, which help the brain stay sharp. After retiring, many people simply plop themselves in front of the television and stay there. They are no longer regularly solving problems, engaging with people around them, responding to unexpected stimuli, or creating new things. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with relaxing, but if that is the only thing one does, it causes the brain to atrophy.

One lesson of wisdom that Capricorn has to share with the world is that work is a blessing. Work, in addition to providing important services to the world, also keeps us, the workers, healthy. We give of ourselves, work to the world; in return we receive greater strength and longevity. Can work be overdone to an unhealthy point? Yes. Like in all things, balance is key. But work must not be neglected either, even though it is sometimes unpleasant.

What will you do when you grow old?

Some of us may feel that retirement is far away; some of us may already be there. Whether it is near or far, this Full Moon in Capricorn is a good time to reflect on how we would like to spend our retirement when the day comes. I don’t recommend simply retreating from the world and relaxing until the end of one’s days. You have to keep your mind active, to remain healthy! People who do not engage in mentally challenging activities are 2.6 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than people who continue to challenge their minds post-retirement.

Most of us have probably heard the idea that “you should do a crossword puzzle every day.” This is probably a good way to engage the brain, for sure, but it is not sufficient for a whole-brain “workout.” Fully-engaging mental work should involve several factors:

• Problem solving. There must be some kind of challenge to work through.

• Social connections. An important part of mental health is connection with other humans. Humans are social animals, even if we don’t always like each other!

• Unpredictability. Remaining flexible means you need to be presented with stimuli that you can’t control or predict, and respond to them accordingly.

• Creativity. Taking raw materials of some kind and constructing them into a new thing is an important activity to keep the brain healthy.

Crossword puzzles are a mild form of problem solving, but they don’t address the other three aspects very well. Do the puzzles if you like them! But also search out other opportunities! Hobby groups, volunteering, caring for grandchildren, book clubs, home repair projects, research on niche topics… the possibilities are endless.

In the past two months of my unemployment, between searching for jobs, I have been volunteering with a non-profit organization that has a mission I care about. They have been struggling to get anything accomplished, due to a chaotic environment and leadership that is heavily inspirational but poorly organized. (Too much Fire, not enough Earth!) Fortunately, I have a lot of Earth in my chart. I excel at spotting problems in systems, and in creating structural solutions to solve and prevent those problems. I have been helping this organization get their ducks in a row, improve their systems, and activate their latent potential. In addition to problem solving, I’ve been connecting with other volunteers in the organization, responding to situations that are completely unexpected, and building new plans and systems that will work more smoothly.

Problem solving ✅, social connections ✅, unpredictability ✅, creativity ✅. All four boxes ticked! In other words, even though I’m not “working” for money, I am still “working!”

Even though I’m only in my 40’s, I plan to do similar activities when I eventually retire. There is always work to be done, and I intend to find work for myself to do, as long as I possibly can! And science proves that my approach is correct!

Have you thought about your retirement? What are your plans or ideas?

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