AstroCast: Focus on Saturn

On February 26, Saturn in Aquarius will enter its “shadow,” the space of 18° to 25° it will traverse three times due to its retrograde from June 4 to October 22. What unfolds over the coming months regarding Saturn matters will likely come under review at that time. Saturn represents the structures of our life, the drive for personal mastery over the limitations we experience in the material world and the development of personal integrity, which includes becoming one’s own authority and taking total responsibility for the life we are living. In Aquarius, Saturn may call us to dedicate our “office” in life, however, it may express, to serving humanity. Saturn teaches us to respect the ruleset of any activity we engage in, but in Aquarius, it would understand that once a ruleset is mastered, we then have more freedom to move beyond it through innovation.

Saturn’s archetypal force is strong this year as it provides a powerful undertone through its ongoing relationships with other planets. Currently, there are three planets in Capricorn, the sign Saturn rules, so they all come under the ringed-planet’s governance. As discussed in the last AstroCast, Venus, Mars and Pluto are moving into a rare triple conjunction at 27 degrees of this cardinal earth sign on March 3. This is a powerful alignment in itself, yet by extension, its combined force is focalized through Saturn’s authoritative direction. Saturn calls for discipline, practicality and stability. Its simple approach teaches us to act only when necessary to resolve the most immediate need at hand.

Saturn entered Aquarius on March 21, 2020, and immediately entered into a third-quarter “crisis of consciousness” square with Uranus in Taurus that will be in effect through 2022. This fractious alignment coincided with the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic that abruptly cut our precious tether to “life as we know it.” Nearly two years later, after three exact squares marked continued disruptions across 2021, their archetypal force is likely to continue to correlate to shocks (Uranus) to our systems for living (Saturn). There will be no more exact alignments, but after Saturn turns retrograde, it will come back to within one degree of an exact square with Uranus in September. Learning to remain open and responsive to the jerky rhythms of life can help stabilize our inner core so we can effectively deal with whatever may come.

Interestingly, Saturn is the traditional ruler of Aquarius whereas Uranus is its modern ruler. Each has an affinity for this fixed air sign that asks us to awaken to the truth of who we are. Uranus may bring shocks to break us out of stagnant conformity, but Saturn brings steadiness that can minimize chaos and support needed inner changes to happen in a sustainable way. Furthermore, Saturn asks us to be patient and take each step as it comes. Making reactive unconscious choices in times of emotional turmoil or trying to force something before its time can lead to negative unintended consequences. Being present means to focus on what is needed in each moment, rather than trying to recreate the past or worry about a future that has not yet happened. Saturn rules time itself, and if we follow its guidance, we can become masters of timing. On a deeper level, whereas Saturn asks us to master life in this reality, Uranus asks us to awaken to our unique individuality and the power inherent therein that when used with integrity can lead humanity towards a sense of respectful unity.