So on Friday evening at around 8:50pm AEST, Saturn, the planet associated with boundaries, limits, discipline, hard work and challenges stationed retrograde at 16 degrees of Sagittarius.
Saturn is known as astrology’s ‘bad guy’. When a major Saturn period comes knocking, his arrival is often anticipated with dread. Even those who consider themselves on good terms with Saturn will climb the uphill road with teeth clenched.
Saturn is the farthermost planet we can see with the naked eye. To our ancient forefathers, the buck stopped at Saturn, for that was the end of the universe and the premise of which astrology is based. Yeah, we have the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, but none dish out cold, harsh reality quite like Saturn.
Saturn is never a cause for jubilation. He is the reaper of that which is sewn, the Father of Karma. He shows up in the area of life you neglected to pull the weeds from, water and fertilise , therefore bearing no fruit to get you through the Winter. However, if you’ve been a good boy or girl and done all your chores, Saturn rewards. One of the best attributes of Saturn is that he never forgets, and if you’ve paid your dues, your plates with be brimming with fruit and your cups overflowing with wine.
If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you will see who has done Saturn’s work during the Winter as you admire the neighbourhood gardens. Bulbs will be blooming and trees will be blossoming. Saturn’s cycle is that predictable. Do the work and you will be rewarded.
If you’re not much of a green thumb, you might prefer the analogy of ‘Summer bodies are made in the Winter.’ Saturn is the discipline that keeps you on a diet during the cold nights of Winter when a warm stodgy carb fest would provide the perfect remedy to warm the cockles of your heart.
Saturn is that guy you may not notice, he’s quietly chipping away at his goals because he has an intrinsic sense of what he wants. Most people wait for the warmer weather to hit the gym and expect some kind of overnight miracle. Saturn knows not of overnight success.
That is the nature of Saturn, chipping away over time, step by step, bit by bit. Saturn understands achievement and what is required to get it. Saturn knows reality, he knows that to say no isn’t about being a party pooper, but rather, sacrificing what you want now, for what you want most. Saturn is the master of the long game.
Sagittarius, the sign that Saturn is currently transiting, is a stark contrast. Being a double bodied fire sign, Sadge acts first and thinks later. Like the half man, half beast his symbolism represents, there is a primal need for movement, unlike Saturn who is still. The changeable nature of Sagittarius is frustrating to Saturn where consistency is key. Sadge is the roaming gypsy and Saturn is the immoveable fortress. Sagittarius thrives on new experiences and expanding his knowledge, Saturn prefers to master what he already knows.
In combination, Saturn in Sagittarius can feel like for every couple of steps you take forward, you have to go one back. Now that Saturn is stationed retrograde, it may feel more like marking time. No doubt, there will be an area of life that feels stuck or exceptionally heavy now. This will feel intense or suffocating, but will slowly recede over the next couple of weeks, once Saturn moves back to 15 degrees on April 17, (the same time Mars will begin his retrograde, also in Sagittarius).
So until August 13 when Saturn stations direct, themes likely to manifest under Saturn’s turnaround are; reassessing the structure of your life and whether it’s in accordance with your beliefs. Is the direction you’re taking realistic or are you chasing pipe dreams? Is your relationship, your job, or your commitments weighing you down like an anchor? Do you need to develop systematic processes or structures to act as a vehicle toward your goals? Do you need a realistic plan in regard to manifesting your biggest dreams? Do your current commitments or future goals need to be reassessed? Is what I am doing with my life meaningful to me?
Focusing on or re-evaluating what is important is now highlighted. You may set your limits or say no more often, especially if you tend toward a spontaneous approach.
The upcoming months are more about going back to the drawing board as opposed to creating an entirely new vision. It’s about working with the resources you already have, in a practical way.
Topics regarding love and money can’t be ignored either as Venus squared Saturn at the time of the station. Facing restrictions around finances or insecurities in relationships could be a trigger under this transit. You may need to reign in the spending to focus on some bigger financial goals. You may re-work your commitment to someone special, or come to the conclusion that conscious closure is the way forward.
Jupiter in Virgo (also retrograde) makes up the other leg of the T-square and reinforces the shedding, scaling back, streamlining or culling that may be necessary in order to propel you further forward. This pairing back will separate the wheat from the chaff, offering a clearer sense of what the reality of your situation is.
Due to the nature of the planetary cycles of Mars and Saturn, they won’t conjoin until each have completed their respective retrogrades. August 23 is when they will meet at 9 degrees of Sagittarius and may bring about a turning point in an otherwise immoveable or frustrating situation. Here, you will witness your garden bloom, if you have done the work!
If you have mutable angles or planets at 16-9 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces, there will be a great emphasis for you in this retrograde.
If you know your chart data, you can generate a free chart at astro.com and see which house Sagittarius falls.
If you would like an in depth, detailed analysis of your birth chart and the upcoming cycles, you can book an astrology consultation here.
