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Saturn Transits

Detailed astrological interpretations of Saturn in Transit.
 


Saturn takes about 28-29 years to come full circle. Therefore, every 7 years or so, Saturn will transit conjunct, square, or opposite a natal point. When that natal point is an intensely personal planet or point (such as the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Mercury, Venus, or Mars), we feel its effects in an intensely personal way.
 
Saturn transits and cycles can be considered cycles of achievement and maturity. These periods in our lives can truly feel like lessons. Everything is slowed down–we encounter delays, frustrations, and pressures. But these times also challenge us to face reality, thereby offering us much wisdom and even freedom. Significant decisions are often made during Saturn’s hard transits to our personal planets. These transits slow life down (or at least, that is how we perceive it) and make us live our lives in the present. Although Saturn transits can make life feel like a drudgery (these are often times when our lives seem to move at a snail’s pace and advancements are hard to see), they also give us the opportunity to gain inner strength, to become more responsible for what we do and say, and to cut out waste.
 
Saturn transits can also be considered times of conservation in whatever area of life that Saturn is affecting. We generally build up our reserves and conserve our energy during these periods.
 
Some common real-life events that Saturn transits to personal points are associated with include delays and little but irksome problems. Things break down, our needs often go unmet by others, we often feel misunderstood and even left out, we tend to find others harsh and unsympathetic (although this is often a perception thing – we, in fact, may be lacking a sense of humor), and we often feel burdened or put upon.
 

Saturn transits teach us to take responsibility for ourselves. At the outset of a Saturn transit, we might feel like the world is a cold place. If we are mature, we will at some point come to the realization that we cannot always pass blame for our lives. We need to reach within and pull out our own inner strength — to rely on ourselves.
 
Depression, therefore, can be a byproduct of heavy Saturn transits. However, if we focus our energies into meaningful endeavors without pushing too hard for recognition or support from others, we can fight the inclination towards gloom and doom. When we find ourselves facing great odds or loss during Saturn transits, we must remember that these things are happening because we did not plan or prepare properly. Saturn reminds us of reality and the need for greater self-discipline. Re-organizing the area of life represented by the house or personal point that Saturn is “hitting” can lead to great rewards. Remember that Saturn transits do not flatten us by all means. Instead, they slow us down, make us live in the here and now, keep us from taking unnecessary risks, and help us to build and structure our lives in ways that will reap rewards down the road.
 
Saturn identifies the weakest links in our lives and it is these weak links or foundations that are tested under Saturn’s transits.
 
Saturn transits generally last months, and there is typically a noticeable pattern involved. The eventual goal is to reach a realistic, balanced, and mature state regarding the areas of life affected by Saturn’s transit. It seems necessary for many of us to swing to a negative, overly critical, judgmental, and narrow outlook before arriving at this state of balance. Self-pity and withdrawal might be part of the process at the beginning. Inner strength might be drawn from this extreme swing, as we come to realize that it’s really not as bad as it first appeared to be. We are shedding ourselves of self-delusions during Saturn transits, and this process occurs in stages and can take some time.
 

It is interesting to consider the transits and themes that ran through our lives before our Saturn transits. If we were riding high during a high-speed Uranus transit just before Saturn “hit”, this period can mark a significant time in our lives when we “pay” for the risks we may have taken during that Uranus phase. If Saturn transits come shortly after a Jupiter-themed period in our lives, we may feel particularly hard hit as well. Perhaps the Jupiter period has lead us to overspend or ignore our basics; and then Saturn moves in to “correct” that situation and to force us to face our personal realities. Life is not, in fact, all fun and games. We have to work and save–and that is what Saturn teaches us. Thus, it is helpful to consider the context of the individual’s recent and past experiences when considering how Saturn transits might affect him/her.
 
Besides considering the nature of the personal planet or point that Saturn is transiting, we should also look to the position of transiting Saturn by house, the zodiac signs involved, and the condition of the personal planet/point itself. If the personal planet/point happens to be our chart ruler (that is, it rules our Ascendant), we may experience particularly powerful events and circumstances, for example. If our natal Sun and Moon are in hard aspect to each other, then Saturn transits will be impacting both personal points at the same time. If transiting Saturn is making a hard aspect with a stellium of planets (for example, if it is squaring your natal Sun conjunct Uranus and Pluto), then we will be experiencing a more complex set of circumstances and attitudes that might have a greater impact than if the personal point alone was affected.
 
Keys to Handling Saturn Transits:
Saturn teaches us about the value of moderation and caution. Perhaps the best way to “handle” hard Saturn transits to personal planets and points is to avoid fighting these lessons. Accept that, at this time in your life, things may move at a slower speed (even a snail’s pace). Saturn wants us to work hard, put our energies into practical, useful, and meaningful projects, and to live in the here and now. This period in your life is a time for building a solid foundation. Understand that moderation at this point in your life is necessary for your spiritual growth and your physical body as well. Avoid blaming others for where you are at now–doing this will only lead to feelings of melancholy and anger. Know that this period in your life, while temporary, is a time for learning about your personal limits as well as your inner strength. Carry these lessons as you move beyond this phase, because how you handle your life now will make all the difference the next time (7 years later) Saturn makes a hard aspect to the same planet or point in your chart.
 
Techniques for Preparing for the Future and Understanding the Past:
Saturn takes about 28-29 years to come full circle. We can expect Saturn to spend some time in each of our 12 houses. Unless you work with an equal house system, however, the length of Saturn’s transit through a house will depend on how big each house is. Saturn will spend approximately 2-1/2 years in an “average”-size house of 30 degrees.
 

Note that Saturn’s effect is to crystallize, to ground, and to solidify. Generally, the effect of Saturn transiting a house is felt in a more pronounced way in the first part of its transit through the house, as well as when it forms aspects to natal planets. Toward the end of the house, the native tends to have gained increased understanding?experience, if you will?with the effects. Saturn’s movement by transit through the houses acts to aid us to learn to depend on ourselves in different areas of life. At first, we generally encounter feelings of being thwarted or unsupported by the outside world in the particular areas of life that are ruled by the house. By the end of the house transit, we will have learned to look within ourselves for support.
 
In general, as Saturn passes through the fire houses (the first, fifth, and ninth), we deal with self-confidence issues and how these issues have affected our lives and our productivity. Through the earth houses (the second, sixth, and tenth), we confront issues of self-worth and effectiveness. Through the air houses (the third, seventh, and eleventh), we evaluate our relationships with others and how much (or how little) we can depend on these, as well as our mental outlook. Through the water houses (the fourth, eighth, and twelfth), we re-evaluate our inner stores of faith, our connection with the past, and our psychological workings.
 
Saturn makes us accountable for ourselves wherever it touches. Each house governs specific areas of our lives, and of our personalities, and transits of Saturn will bring these areas up for “inspection”, re-organization, and restructure.
 
Saturn Transiting the First House
Saturn transiting the first house begins with a Saturn conjunction to the Ascendant, a transit of personal significance. The first house is a fire house, a house that rules our personal identity. We concern ourselves with how we come across to others on a personal level with Saturn here. Our physical body becomes a focus as well. Depending on the age of the native, it may be a time when we feel our age, or it is a time when we see our bodies quite clearly. This is an excellent time for beginning health regimens, diets, and the like, simply because it is a time when we look in the mirror and see ourselves clearly?—not what we want to see. Our outlook on life changes to a more serious, responsible tone. In the beginning stages of the transit, you may feel frustrated with yourself, let down, and lacking in self-confidence. You might reach out to others in an attempt to validate yourself, looking for ways to boost your confidence. When these attempts fail, you may feel temporarily let down and discouraged. Rest assured that Saturn will re-work these feelings, with your help of course, until you reach a point (as Saturn moves through the house) where you have a stronger sense of self. This transit acts to transform your self-confidence in such a way that you question the source of your confidence to date, and discover a more solid base for pulling up inner strength. Saturn here acts to rip away the superficial. Illusions about the self, the body, and personal abilities will no longer be tolerated. The end result is a newfound identity and a realistic understanding of the self. In terms of career and projects, outward signs of progress may not be as forthcoming, yet the work that you do during this transit will lay a foundation for future success and progress! For example, some years ago, a client began a hobby/project during a Saturn transit to her first house, something that took up a lot of her time and energy and that yielded nothing in terms of immediate financial gain?—until later! In fact, this “hobby” turned into her career in the years to follow.
 

Saturn Transiting the Second House
While a certain level of introspection marked the Saturn transit of the first house, Saturn’s movement into the second house marks a new stage of taking stock of our effectiveness, self-worth, and finances. This stage of life is often marked by hard work. It is a practical time in one’s life. Financial success may not be remarkable, yet it is generally steady, if slow to come by. This transit has traditionally been associated with financial loss, but in truth, it is more about our perceptions?—we are apt to review how effective we have been on a financial level to date, and find some dissatisfaction with our progress. In fact, gains may be slow, but sudden reversals are not common with this transit. The purpose of this transit is for you to make the connection between your own feelings of self-worth and what you produce in the real world/get back from the real world. As with all Saturn transits, at the outset, we might reach out and look for validation from the outside world and from others, and find something lacking in so doing. The initial sense of feeling unsupported can be discouraging (many of us think on the lines of: “I work so hard, and what do I get for all this hard work?”), but as the transit moves forward, you learn to look inside of yourself with a newfound clarity and realism and ideally draw up considerable strength from within. You work on your effectiveness in the world, and see exactly what has been holding you back from achieving the results you want. The challenge here is to capture the newly found and defined self-confidence you gained from the first house transit, and now apply it in the real world.
 
Saturn Transiting the Third House
The transit of Saturn to the third house marks a time when how you have networked with people around you, and how you gain and disseminate information, come up for inspection by Saturn. A new kind of pressure is produced—?it’s not about your personality or your resources like it was in the first and second houses. Rather, the pressure centers more around mental output. You may feel pressure to produce ideas, and to make them work. A certain somberness in your outlook may be characteristic of this phase, as it may be a time of worry. It may seem like acquaintances and sometimes siblings are blocking your growth in some manner, and these relationships may be strained as a result. Although you have a desire to make contacts, you are now rather preoccupied with learning, and you may view idle chit-chat as a waste of time. You may feel an unusual pressure to structure your time and effort, and to cut out communication that seems unnecessary. You may at times feel rather overwhelmed by such things as errands, red tape, and other such day-to-day “disruptions”. As Saturn moves closer to your IC (the fourth house cusp), there may be some vague feeling of urgency and worry, as if you sense some things in your life are closing. By the end of the transit, however, you will have ideally gained a greater depth of understanding, having focused on information and communication that you really can use to feel more effective in the world.
 
Saturn Transiting the Fourth House
The transit of Saturn to the fourth house marks a time of considerable inner “re-working”. In terms of outward signs of achievement, this transit may be the most unremarkable of all the Saturn transits. However, near the end of the transit, and certainly later than that, you will recognize this stage as a critical one in which you made some life-changing personal and psychological advances and developments. During this stage, you are working on solidifying your identity, exploring your roots (where you came from), so that when Saturn begins its transit through the fifth house, you will be ready to differentiate yourself from others and embark on some important work on your ego. For now, however, you will face issues surrounding your attachments to the past. Sometimes this manifests as literal re-organization of your home. Moving house is not associated with this transit as it would if, for example, Uranus was the transiting planet. If moves are made, you might encounter some resistance in yourself. This is not a time when you feel particularly brave in the outer world. However, reorganization in your home, and more importantly, in your soul, embodies the true nature of this transit. Many will go through a major “spring cleaning” inside. Limitations that came from early family conditioning will be brought to the fore. At first, there may be some frustration with your life to date, and how you have limited your opportunities because of early conditioning. A feeling of being alone and unsupported in life may dominate the early stages of this transit. Sometimes, delays and slowdowns are experienced in the areas of health, mobility, and career. As Saturn moves closer to the fifth house, a feeling of some kind of mastery will empower you.
 
Saturn Transiting the Fifth House
With Saturn moving through the house of creative power, you may feel limited initially by a lack of internal “spark” or “spunk”. How you entertain yourself, how you have fun, and issues surrounding how you manage your ego are now coming up for “inspection”. By the end of the transit of Saturn to the fifth house, ideally, you will have a stronger sense of purpose, and a re-worked ego. What makes you unique? How do you handle pride? What are your creative talents? Have you worked hard enough to feel good about “playing hard”? These are issues you will face during the course of this transit. By the time Saturn enters the sixth house, you should have a solid sense of what makes you different than others, and a rather concrete belief in your own creative talents. Many people go through a period of re-evaluation of their talents?—how they have perhaps wasted them to date, and how they can express themselves in a more practical, useful manner. The fifth house is also associated with love and attention received from others. Issues you will face during this time include how “deserving” you are of special attention from others. Initially, you may feel unloved, and perhaps somewhat neglected or ignored. As you learn the lessons of this transit, you should learn to love yourself and take pride in yourself. Looking outside of yourself for “ego strokes” (whether through romance or other such “applause”) may prove to be fruitless. You will learn through the course of this transit to depend on yourself and to take pride in yourself for what you really are, not only how others see you.
 

Saturn Transiting the Sixth House
Saturn turns his critical eye on matters of the sixth house, and you are likely to feel a certain level of pressure in the areas of work, daily functions, habits, and health. At the beginning of the transit of Saturn to the sixth house, you might find yourself more accountable than ever when it comes to your work. You may initially feel bogged down by what seems like undue pressure in your routines. The key word here is “seems”, simply because the nature of Saturn is such that the pressure it brings is never truly undue. In fact, Saturn knows better than us, and it is in reality very much “due”. Why? Because things we may have previously neglected or disregarded now come up for inspection. How can we make best use of our time? How can we manage our day-to-day lives, and our bodies, better? Saturn pressures here make us aware of all of the “fluff” we have surrounding our daily routines and our work, and spring cleaning is now in order. This is an excellent time for starting new regimens to better our health and well-being, such as regular exercise, more structured and productive use of our time, and so forth. In fact, we might be faced with life events that force us to do so, or at least provide us with the motivation to get our acts together. Traditionally, this transit was associated with health problems. Generally, though, if health concerns manifest, they are ones that are manageable. They signal the need for change in diet, routines, and habits. By the end of the transit, you will likely have learned to be more productive, healthier, and considerably more focused.
 
Saturn Transiting the Seventh House
Significant relationships with others are the focus when Saturn transits the seventh house. Saturn motivates us to do “spring cleaning” in the areas of life he touches, and one-to-one relationships will need to be considered and understood during this transit. Initially, as is usually the case with Saturn transits, we might feel frustrated and we might seem withdrawn. This is a time when we need to define, understand, and crystallize our significant relationships with others. If you already have a partner, this is a time when any issues surrounding compromise, flexibility, and the ability to give your heart to your partner will surface. Initial frustration can take the form of feeling criticized and “examined” in this area of life. By the end of the transit, however, you will have learned much about commitment and compromise. Single natives will feel the initial pressures of Saturn transiting the seventh house as well. A feeling of loneliness is possible in either situation (whether you have a significant partnership or not), but instead of an issue of re-committing, the single native will think about commitment in general. If involved in a casual love relationship, when Saturn transits the seventh, a pressure emerges concerning the need for evaluating one’s commitments. Often this transit corresponds with an urge (or pressure) to make a commitment or a re-commitment. Healthy partnerships can be the outcome of this partnership, whether they are new ones or strengthened existing partnerships. Saturn always brings with him a fair measure of reality and objectivity, so that whatever relationships the native has or wants will be defined and re-defined. Relationships are seen now as serious. Partners are no longer simply fun or mirrors of our ego. Responsibilities to partners, the need to compromise, and the realities of the needs of others, become clear. We are forced to begin seeing others as individuals, and to improve the manner in which we relate to and with others. Depending on the person’s age and life circumstances, “significant partnerships” can mean partnerships with loved ones, business partnerships, and even deep friendships. For example, when Saturn transited my seventh house when I was a young teenager, I began to view my casual friendships as superficial and unsatisfying and eventually developed a deep friendship with a girl that was to last some time. Essentially, quantity (in the relationship department) was replaced with quality, and this process involved time, soul-searching, frustration, and eventual fulfillment.
 
Saturn Transiting the Eighth House
How do you handle power? Your desire nature? Intimate relationships? What kind of obsessions and addictions do you have? What are your deep-rooted compulsions? What are your unhealthy attachments? When Saturn transits our eighth house, we feel pressure to answer these questions. Often, at the beginning of the transit, we are very sensitive to what seems like outer world pressures that force us to examine some of our deepest desires and attachments. These include our sexual relationships, our finances (especially with regards to debts and shared finances), and our need for control. Sometimes, Saturn transiting the eighth brings about sexual dysfunctions, whether we encounter these in ourselves or in our partners. We may face difficulties satisfying our libido and/or encounter problems with intimacy. These pressures are “designed” to make us more aware of our desire nature, and what exactly it is we want. Dissatisfaction and frustrations getting what we want, especially with reference to relationships with others and with our resources, often characterize the first part of the transit. How have we been using power? During this transit, we may find that previous methods of controlling our environment and the people in our lives simply are not effective any more. We may not even be aware just how we have been employing power and control to date. Another realm over which the eighth house reigns is our mortality. With Saturn here, we become much more aware of our mortality. Just as Saturn transits to our Sun or Ascendant make us more conscious of our age, Saturn transiting the eighth house often brings with it a realization that we do not live forever. Of course, we know this as a fact at the back of our minds, but Saturn reminds us. Before this transit, it is generally wise to begin organizing one’s finances. If we don’t, Saturn will most likely find ways to force us to do just that. On a psychological level, we face some of our fears that are of a compulsive nature?—those fears that lead us to believe we need certain things in order to survive. Take a small example of a superstition. Perhaps we perform some kind of small ritual that we feel will help protect us or give us good luck. If we do it often enough, it becomes an addiction. We are afraid that if we don’t do this little ritual, we will set ourselves up for bad luck. If we get rid of this superstition, we feel strong. Something as simple as a superstition or ritual for good luck can undermine us. Why? Because we are giving away our power over ourselves to this compulsive behavior! We are denying that we have power over our own lives. The same is true of any form of compulsive behavior and addiction. We attempt to control our lives through these behaviors, but what we are really doing is letting the addictions control us. Towards the end of the transit, we will have eliminated some deep-seated habits and attachments that have been keeping us back from feeling emotionally free. We emerge healthier and stronger. When we give in to compulsive behaviors, we give up self-control, and guilt undermines our lives. We are not ourselves. By attempting to control others, we give away our own power over ourselves. By the end of this transit, we will feel more emotionally healthy. We will have nixed some of our addictions, and mastered our superstitions. We will feel more powerful because we have given up attempting to control things we cannot or should not control, and we will have gained a feeling of self-mastery instead.
 
Saturn Transiting the Ninth House
This period in our lives is generally dedicated to self-improvement. We are developing our ideals and our commitments as transiting Saturn makes its way through our ninth house. Ideals and spiritual goals that we may have taken for granted or worked with for many years suddenly seem superficial or not particularly useful to us. If we have been studying, we must watch for a period of questioning exactly what we are working towards. Does this line of study match our true selves? Some of us begin new studies as we unconsciously prepare ourselves for Saturn’s next house transit. But most of us come face to face with our self-defeating attitudes during this period of time. The ninth house is a fire house, and it has much to do with our outlook, our sense of adventure, and our confidence. It also is associated with our faith, hope, and vision. Although its attachment to such things as higher learning and travel might mean that a Saturn transit to this house will affect these things, for most of us, it is more about taking a closer look at, and re-assessing, our attitude and confidence. At the beginning of the transit, we may feel a little somber. The blind faith or optimism that may have carried us to date comes up for inspection. Are our belief systems sound? What do we stand for? What kind of future are we working towards, and why? The spirit that drives us and motivates us to move out and beyond the everyday grind comes up for inspection. By the end of the transit, we will have re-worked our spirit, and come face to face with what it is that offers us hope and optimism as well as that which fuels our drive. The initial entrance of Saturn into our ninth house may cause us to question ourselves, but by the end of the transit, if we work hard at self-improvement, we will have replaced our old spirit with a re-generated one. We will be one step closer to knowing where we are headed, and we will have re-built faith in ourselves. A shaky feeling that causes us to sputter and avoid risks will be replaced with a more mature attitude towards adventure and facing the unknown. We let go of self-defeating attitudes that have been holding us back, we recognize exactly where we have been overdoing our expectations, and we find new ways to nurture faith, hope, and vision.
 

Saturn Transiting the Tenth House
Saturn reaches the top of our chart when it begins its transit through the tenth house. Ironically enough, there is freedom in knowing some of our limitations, and Saturn’s transit through the tenth house teaches us exactly what this means. By the time Saturn leaves the house, we will have learned where we stand in the world, and how we have limited our achievements. This self-evaluation then offers us the freedom to appraise where we want to go. Approximately 14 years before this transit, we learned Saturnine lessons of the fourth house?—we built a secure foundation within ourselves. Now it is time we build a secure foundation in our professional and/or most public lives. Our standing in society now comes under Saturn’s scrutiny. We are in the spotlight, and what it is exactly that we have been building now comes up for inspection. Any projects begun 12-14 years before this transit are now scrutinized. Some of us find ourselves getting recognition and career “rewards” at this time. If this transit occurs in early adulthood, it is a time when we face our duties as a career person. Although the tenth house is a house of ambition, we do not focus on where we are going as much as we focus on where we stand. The question, “Where are we going?”, is reserved for the next house, the eleventh, although on some level we are preparing for that stage as well. Before we know where exactly we are headed, we must know where we stand. Saturn’s transit of the tenth house is an eye-opening one—?a time when we are working hard, taking on our fair share of duties and responsibilities, and either reaping some of the rewards of our hard work or facing the consequences of poor choices. We become aware of what we have and haven’t accomplished to date, and we unconsciously prepare to re-evaluate our lives in terms of our personal goals during the next house transit. What have we achieved to date? We now are treated to a realistic look at what we have built and what we have achieved. We no longer view our place in the world, our careers, our reputations, and our standing in society with rose-colored glasses. We face the facts, and only the facts. At the beginning of the transit, our increased sensitivity to where we stand and to our reputations may feel uncomfortable for some. We may feel exposed, publicly scrutinized, or under fire in our careers. We may also feel burdened by our responsibilities. This discomfort comes only as a result of a rush of reality into the matters of the tenth house, and if the discomfort is great, it is only due to the fact that we may have been holding onto false images of ourselves. Just as a mid-life crisis is experienced differently by different people, Saturn’s transit of the tenth house holds different meaning for different people, depending very much on how true we have been to ourselves. However, as Saturn moves through the house, we begin to feel more secure. We recognize what it is exactly that we have accomplished.
 
Saturn Transiting the Eleventh House
We’ve spent at least a couple of years focusing much of our energy on our place in society, our responsibilities, and our standing while Saturn transited the tenth house. We should be at a point where we know, realistically, what we are doing. When Saturn transits the eleventh house, events or realizations cause us to ask ourselves where it is that we are going. Our personal goals come under Saturn’s scrutiny as he makes his way through our eleventh house. How we fit in with others, our affiliations with people and groups, and our peers all become serious matters in our eyes. We might feel that our personal “circle” or our networks are superficial or unsatisfying at the beginning of the transit. We might feel alienated as we begin to see them for what they are worth, or what they aren’t worth. We might feel some disdain for the superficial workings of casual friendships, begin to feel uncomfortable and self-conscious about “going through the motions”, doing and saying the right things, and so forth. Alternatively, we might meet someone with whom we establish a serious friendship at this time, or we might become a member of a group or affiliation that we devote much of our time to. Weeding out what seems now to be superfluous social associations from our lives is very likely at this time as we become more serious about what we want, on a personal level, from our lives. We take a hard look at the role we play in others’ lives, and consider exactly what it is that satisfies us and contributes to our happiness, beyond marriage, romance, career, religion, and so forth. As Saturn moves further through the house, and by the time the transit is over, we should have found ways to bring definition and articulation to our innermost wishes and hopes for our personal path.
 
Saturn Transiting the Twelfth House
Contemplation of the meaning of our existence, our accomplishments, and our “failures” is the main focus when Saturn transits our twelfth house. This transit marks the end of a cycle, which can most certainly bring with it a fair measure of confusion and discontent, especially at the beginning of the period. Saturn turns a critical eye to all that lies beneath the surface, and we are forced to do some serious “spring cleaning” of our psyches. During this transit, we face our own demons?—the vague yet haunting fears that undermine us. We all have skeletons in our closet. What we don’t always realize is that they can seriously undermine our happiness and well-being. Saturn sweeps through our “closet” (the twelfth house) and demands that we take a hard look at what’s been hiding in there. Is this process uncomfortable? For most of us, it can be. But getting rid of outdated attachments, and examining and discarding irrational fears, is not only necessary for further growth and development?—it’s ultimately a huge relief. The twelfth house in some ways is a dumping ground for things we have left “undone”. Saturn here wants us to sort through the junk and keep only those things that we truly need for future development. This process can be rather lengthy and it can feel very slow, but if done properly, it can be most rewarding. We deal with endings rather than new beginnings during this transit, as we shed outdated attachments and unconsciously prepare ourselves for Saturn’s transit of the first house, when we will work diligently on our individuality and personal identity. We are markedly introspective at this time in our lives. We may isolate ourselves from others in some manner—?a process that tends to come naturally. Health issues, generally of a psychosomatic nature, may come to the fore. We may be attracted to alternate ways of living, and to self-study fields, such as psychoanalysis.
 
Keys to Handling Saturn Transits: Saturn teaches us about the value of moderation and caution. Perhaps the best way to “handle” hard Saturn transits to the houses of your chart is to avoid fighting these lessons. Accept that, at this time in your life, things may move at a slower speed (even a snail’s pace). Saturn wants us to work hard, put our energies into practical, useful, and meaningful projects, and to live in the “here and now”. This period in your life is a time for building a solid foundation. Understand that moderation at this point in your life is necessary for your spiritual growth and your physical body as well. Avoid blaming others for where you are at now for extended periods of time (some self-pity, however, may be necessary in order to gather strength and the ability to depend on yourself, however)?doing this will only lead to feelings of melancholy and anger. Know that this period in your life, while temporary, is a time for learning about your personal limits as well as your inner strength. Carry these lessons as you move beyond this phase, because how you handle your life now will make all the difference as Saturn moves into the successive house in your chart.
 

Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Trines & Sextiles
Every now and again, we are blessed with a pleasing dose of practicality and a measure of control. Although Saturn transits are not traditionally considered “blessings”, Saturn does seem to know when we are in need of some stability, steadiness, and even “cooling down”, and these periods are often when Saturn trines and sextiles our personal planets or points. Self-reliance is characteristic of these times, and some of us are less sociable during these transits. However, if this is the case, it is intentional and we don’t feel forced into solitude or “left out” like we might when Saturn transits in hard aspect to our personal planets. Life seems to be more cut and dry in the natal areas affected, which include the affairs ruled by the personal planet itself and the houses ruled by that planet. Moderation in these areas is easier to maintain.
When transiting Saturn trines or sextiles our natal Sun,
We feel more comfortable with who we are. Because we have a more mature grasp of our own capabilities, we project a more responsible, perhaps serious, and self-assured personality to others. We may be more open to receiving grounded, practical advice. Our lives seem more stable during this time period, likely because we are able to look at ourselves in a realistic and reasonable manner. We are less vulnerable to self-delusions. One of the major sources of stress and guilt in our lives stems from uncertainty. We might want to stop to think about how much stress comes from overestimating our responsibilities and inevitably failing to meet them. Things nag at the back of our minds. Saturn offers us realism, and with transits to the Sun, we see ourselves more clearly and realistically. This transit tends to reduce the uncertainty, at the very least with regards to our capabilities, and offers a welcome reprieve from feelings of guilt and fear. At these times in our lives, we know what our responsibilities are, and we meet them.
When transiting Saturn trines or sextiles our natal Moon,
We feel more in control of our emotions, our domestic affairs, and our personal habits. We feel considerably more mature and capable of handling our personal lives. Family matters assume more importance in our lives now, and we meet our responsibilities with maturity and competence. We have much to learn from older people in our lives, and during this transit, we are more likely to actually listen to what they have to say, and learn from them. Which house does the Moon rule in your chart? (There may be more than one). Wherever you find Cancer in your chart, you will notice this mature and steady energy. For example, if the Moon rules your 5th house, you might be less inclined to jump into a romantic fling during this transiting trine and more capable of dealing with children. You might begin a new romance that is considerably more mature in nature than previous ones, or your current relationships might become more practical or reliable. Because the fifth house rules our creative self-expression, and Saturn has a stabilizing and realistic effect, we might turn our hobbies into businesses during this transit. At the very least, our self-expression becomes more sober and practical. If the Moon rules our seventh house, we might notice that our partnerships (including marriage) become more practical and goal-oriented. We are able to manage these relationships with more maturity. If we are not involved in a partnership before the transit, we might enter into one, simply because it is a more relationship-friendly period of time when we get serious about our commitments.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile Mercury,
We are more apt to organize our lives and to improve our skills. Progress made during this transit period is likely to bring us rewards in our careers and/or our social lives–if not now, in the future. Our thinking is clear, and we can study and absorb information, perhaps not more readily, but certainly more deeply. What we learn now, we retain. Our thinking is more realistic and practical. We are less inclined to jump to conclusions or to make poor judgments, simply because we take into consideration the consequences, the probable outcome, and the bottom line. This is not a time when we take risks unless they are very educated risks. We tend to rely on time-honoured, traditional approaches to new ventures. We are able to formulate plans, lists, and budgets and we think things through.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile Venus,
Our romantic lives and our financial lives become more grounded. This is a good time to formulate a plan to curb spending and to cut away some accumulated debt, as our outlook is more reasonable and practical in these matters. We might begin a more serious romance, or our current relationship may take on a more responsible, mature, or serious tone. Relationships begun during this transit have a good chance of being long-term. We may be more inclined to socialize with older or more mature people, or we may cut back on socializing of our own doing, perhaps to reserve more energy and time for serious creative endeavors or romantic relationships. We might find that circumstances are such that we mix business and pleasure in pleasing ways, or we make social contacts that lead to business propositions, or we turn an artistic hobby into a business. Our overall manner in social situations is more mature, and we can easily make a good impression with our peers and with those older than us.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile to Mars,
We experience a period of time when disciplining ourselves is easier. We are more in touch with our bodies in the sense that we see them for what they are, and many begin exercise programs during this transit. (This is, incidentally, one of the best aspects for starting an exercise routine, another being Saturn trine Ascendant). Self-discipline and self-motivation, a necessary cooling of the passions, increased focus in work and activities, and a sense of purpose are themes now. We feel in control of our passions and our impulses, and we face life with more purpose and maturity. We are more practical than usual, and our progress in most projects is perhaps slow but steady. This can be a very productive time in our lives.
 
Important Note: We have lumped together the trine and sextile aspect because they are similar in nature. However, there is a distinct difference that should be kept in mind when reading the interpretations above. While the changes come quite naturally and flowingly with the trine, the sextile represents opportunities that need to be grabbed. In other words, we need to be more conscious of opportunities with the sextile in order to benefit from the positive aspects of the transit.
 
Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Conjunctions
Saturn’s influence is direct and personal when it transits conjunct a personal planet.
When Saturn transits conjunct the Sun,
Our level of maturity, realism, and responsibility come up for inspection. The goals we have set for ourselves, as well as our very character, are now re-evaluated for strength and purpose, and tested against reality. Saturn has a way of slowing down our life, as if it is forcing us to take a really good look at it. Because the Sun rules our vitality, we may feel that our energy is somewhat depleted. We begin to feel our age, and the pressures that may go along with it. We may feel alone and un-parented or unsupported. We may be assessing our achievements to date, and we are extremely sensitive to whether or not we have been recognized on a professional level as well as on a personal level. Whether our talents and abilities, and our unique individuality and character, are recognized by others becomes especially important to us. We tend to be self-critical and/or we feel that others do not support or recognize us enough. This process is necessary, as we are learning to see ourselves more realistically?without rose-colored glasses?so that we can move forward with a stronger sense of purpose. This may be a time when we cut out projects or possibly relationships that are no longer working for us, or that have been built on weak foundations. We are essentially conserving our energy for those things that do work for us, and we work on building and strengthening them.
When Saturn transits conjunct the Moon,
We are acutely aware of our support systems when transiting Saturn conjuncts the Moon in our birth charts. An increased awareness of the flaws or weaknesses in our support system is likely now. This can lead to some feelings of isolation or a feeling of being un-parented and alone in this world. The purpose of this transit is for recognizing how our emotions that are not being met, acknowledged, or supported is negatively impacting our lives, and for taking steps to change that.
 
This is a strong period for introspection. We might discover that we have not left enough doors open to our inner worlds, or that we have not been supportive of others in tangible ways. This may be the reason we are not getting back what we want from important people in our lives. Or, we might come to the realization that we have been overdoing our support for others and ignoring our own needs for nurturing, support, compassion, and love. Steps need to be taken now to strengthen our ties to others by first working on ourselves.
 

Demands from family and loved ones might be, or seem, greater now than usual. Or, you might be pulling yourself back from others, perhaps in self-pity or due to fear that your needs will not be met. If you are going through a self-pitying phase, allow it to happen for as long as it serves its purpose. Sometimes we can draw great strength from these phases. In fact, this transit eventually leads us to discover our own inner courage and strength. Take some time to be alone, to reflect, and to understand what it is you want back from life on an emotional level. Deeply ingrained personal habits are also something to re-assess. Some might need to be left behind in order for you to move forward in a healthier manner. You might feel a little hardened or toughened up, but as long as this puts you in a more realistic state rather than a resentful one, this may not be such a bad thing. In fact, it may very well be exactly what you need right now.
When Saturn transits conjunct Mercury,
Seriousness of thought is likely now, as you crave simple answers and truths. You may be doubting many of the ideas you’ve had to date, or the projects you’ve been putting your energy into. The purpose of this transit is to pare down your thinking process, improve your communication skills, and simplify your tasks. You may experience a certain disdain for superficial interactions with others, either because you now view them as unnecessary, fake, or distracting. You may feel a little stiff around people as a result. Others might notice that you are a little withdrawn socially, perhaps sarcastic or negative in your speech, and less available in general. You might be pouring more of your energy into a particular project, study, or course and have little time for others as a result. This is not the best time for presenting your ideas, as you might be finding that others are not supportive of them. However, it’s an excellent period for reviewing, reassessing, perfecting, and improving ideas, projects, skills, and communication so that in the future, you will be more confident about all of these things. Some projects or ideas might need to be left behind so that you can conserve your energy for those that truly work for you, and that you can feel honestly confident about. You are becoming more mature in your thinking, and while you may be swinging to a more negative or critical outlook in the initial stages of this transit, this process may be necessary in order to reach a balanced, mature, and realistic state.
When Saturn transits conjunct Venus,
What has carried you to date in the world of your social and romantic relationships may no longer feel satisfying or worthwhile for you during this transit. It’s time to assess your relationship needs, attitudes, and capabilities. You may be withdrawing yourself emotionally as you become more serious, critical, and concerned about a significant relationship in your life. You may begin to see serious flaws, and any superficial interactions may begin to bother you. You might temporarily have a hard time “going through the motions”. Fears that you might get hurt could be self-fulfilling prophecies if you are not careful now. While you should definitely take some time to come to terms with what you are now seeing, you should also understand that in the initial stages of this transit your thinking is skewed towards the negative. You are losing the rose-colored glasses and eventually you will be able to see your relationships in a most realistic light–you will see them for exactly what they are. However, the first stage of this process is rather severe and unforgiving, so take your time before making any major decisions.
 
Differences in values between you and a partner may be glaring now. How each of you approaches the relationship in terms of commitment, loyalty, and pleasure are likely to be issues on the table. As well, you are now especially concerned with how a partner makes you feel attractive and wanted. The quality of your relationships is most important to you now.
 
Saturn has a way of identifying weak links or weak foundations and applying pressure on them. Thus, relationship tests may occur now. It’s time to work to improve and strengthen these weaknesses. Letting go of things that truly do not work for you anymore may be necessary, but there is also a strong probability that an existing partnership can be redefined and strengthened.
 
This can also be a time when you begin to question your ability to attract others or what you want from life. Questions of beauty, attractiveness, social charm and grace, and financial power can be themes now. You may no longer be comfortable with the ways you have employed charm or attractiveness in the past. You may become very self-critical in these areas. You no longer see yourself for what you want to see. This can all take place in your inner world, but for many, there is an external trigger in the form of an event or circumstance that changes your perception of things. Eventually, you will come to a point where you are more confident of how you go about attracting love, money, favors, and pleasure into your life, and this comes from arriving at truths and realities.
 

It’s a strong period for reassessing your spending habits. Financial stresses may be part of the picture now, leading to a more conservative, mature, and realistic approach to handling your finances.
When Saturn transits conjunct Mars,
The purpose of this transit is to cool your passions in some manner, to conserve your energy for what truly matters, and to discipline your approach to getting what you want from life. Circumstances may be such that you are required to exercise restraint in your life now. You may be encountering resistance or blockages if you push yourself too hard, assert yourself too strongly, or express anger in an excessive manner. Something may happen now that restricts your freedom of movement in some manner, and you are in the position to redirect your energies. Initially, you might feel frustrated and thwarted, or you may experience a lack of drive and enthusiasm. As the transit progresses, you will be learning to direct your energies into endeavors that are truly helpful and useful to you. You might also be learning to curb some of the excesses in your life, as well as to go about getting what you want in a more mature, temperate, and moderate manner. You will be examining the ways you express your anger, how that has hindered you in the past, and how you might better do so in the future.
 
Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Squares & Oppositions
Saturn’s influence is felt more acutely and in the form of a challenge when Saturn transits square or opposition to a personal planet.
When Saturn transits square or opposition the Sun,
We may experience some form of disillusionment with regards to an important person in our life, with authority figures, with personal plans and achievements, or with aspects of our own personality. We may feel “left out”, blocked from advancing in our chosen life path, and lacking in energy and confidence. Ego boosts don’t seem to be forthcoming, or if they are, we don’t see them in such a light. Some sort of buckling down is necessary at this time, and is often perceived as limitations coming from other people or from circumstances. Financial blocks are quite possible at this time, especially if the Sun is associated with the second or eighth house by position or rulership. Physically, this is apt to be a rather low period when we don’t have that extra “oomph” or drive to accomplish things. A general feeling of “slowdown” is likely, and if regular tasks seem more overwhelming than usual, it is likely due to poor spirits and lack of motivation. Sometimes, this transit is associated with problems with the teeth, bones in general, and the skin. It is also associated with mechanical breakdowns in your life. However, these generally happen because you haven’t been managing your life effectively, and Saturn calls upon you to identify the weaker areas of your life, and to fix or strengthen them. Take the time to sort out your life, improve your work, and to become more efficient. If things or people leave your life, it is likely because the connection between you was weak, or they somehow no longer serve a healthy purpose in your life. Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary now. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate, but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards.
When Saturn transits square or opposition the Moon,
We may be feeling overlooked, left out, on our own, and even uncared for. This transit sometimes occurs when changes on the domestic front leave us feeling “alone in this world”, such as when we move out on our own, are separated from family or other loved ones, and so forth. Domestic problems may be part of the picture, often connected to women and sometimes the mother. Everyday coping skills can be compromised at this time–chores and routines seem to be harder to do or more burdensome than usual. It can be hard for us to take risks at this time, and we are likely to focus on the negatives in our lives. Fears and insecurities of all kinds are magnified during this period–fear of rejection, fear of what the future might bring, fear that we won’t be able to handle our lives masterfully, and so forth. Although we may long for emotional support from others, we don’t receive it well if it is forthcoming. We may be given to sulking, feeling sorry for ourselves, dredging up the past, and focusing on what we haven’t done or can’t do. We may be feeling awkward and self-conscious, and consequently less sociable as spontaneity is lacking for us now. It is important to remember that this is very much our perception at this time, and it can be managed if we are aware of the general meaning of Saturn’s influences. It is a time when we are called upon to take a realistic look at our personal and emotional lives. This is a period when progress on the domestic front is slow, delayed, or denied. Our personal popularity is weakened temporarily, and business may also be affected. The best way of handling this energy is to recognize that it’s a time to slow down and re-evaluate our personal lives, and that pushing ourselves to do too much will be frustrating and possibly costly. We need more rest than usual, and we need to learn to rely on ourselves for the time being. This is a time when we are called upon to examine our priorities and make necessary changes to our daily routines in order to improve our lives.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Mercury,
We may have a pessimistic attitude towards our lives, feel misunderstood, and find ourselves in conflict with others on intellectual levels. We are likely to experience communication problems. It can appear that others are not especially sympathetic to our point of view. However, it is important that we examine how we are communicating with others, as it is likely that our words are strongly colored with negativity. It is very hard for us to see the “big picture” during this period. In some cases, we may end friendships over disagreements at this time, or come close to doing so. This is a time when we are called upon to examine our thinking patterns to find rigid or negative attitudes that have been holding us back from advancing. We are ridding ourselves of projects that no longer serve their purpose, and learning to cut out the fluff in our lives so that we can focus on projects that truly matter. It’s not the best time to present your ideas, but rather to reassess them, and work on perfecting them for presentation at a later date. You are seeking truths now, and in the process, you might experience many doubts.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Venus,
This might be a time of relationship tests, struggles, or trials. You may not be attracting things and people that you want in your life as easily as you were before this transit, and this can be eye-opening. It’s a signal to work on improving your manner as well as the things that you offer to others in partnership. There may be many doubts raised now and you could be withdrawing or holding back a little as you attempt to figure out what you need, want, and can give. You are working towards ridding yourself of self-delusions when it comes to close partnerships, socializing, finances, and attractiveness. In the process, you might feel disdain for superficial interactions and resent “going through the motions” on a social and/or emotional level. Your goal is to find deeper connections to others. Relationships built on weak foundations may not survive, but other relationships can be improved and strengthened. Financial matters might be stressful for the time being, which forces you into a position of conservation and moderation.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Mars,
This is a time when we face obstacles, blockages, or opposition to our sense of freedom, our drive, and our ambitions. Excessive or wasteful endeavors and personality traits may need to be tempered now. You are becoming more cautious now, and you might experience a temporary loss of enthusiasm or setbacks that make you doubt your ability to win in life. You are learning to live life in moderation, but it may be frustrating at first as you face tests, rejections, or trials that remind you that pushing too hard or too fast doesn’t always yield the results you crave. It’s time to slow down a little, catch your breath, experience some defeats, all in order to come back stronger, more controlled, directed, and mature in your expectations and approach to the world.
 
Saturn Transits to Other Natal Points
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Jupiter
Transits of Saturn to Jupiter deal with your life priorities, and how they can better be organized or structured, as well as your expectations and general outlook on life, and how you can come to a more realistic, mature, and balanced state of mind. You may be required to re-align your plans and goals, particularly in business, towards more realistic avenues. Circumstances are such that you may need to pare down your endeavors and concentrate your energies on fewer, higher quality projects. Life situations or blockages bring you to question whether your expectations are too high or unrealistic.
Transiting Saturn sextile or trine Jupiter
Your expectations and outlook on life are considerably more realistic now as you naturally seek balance between too negative and overeager attitudes. It’s a strong time for realigning your projects and getting your life priorities straightened out. You are concerning yourself with the long term now, and practically preparing yourself for a better future.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Natal Neptune
You may feel at odds with your fears and phobias, having a difficult time understanding yourself and coming to terms with bad habits, anxieties, and addictions. There can be some self-criticism as you begin to see some of your escapist tendencies for what they are, or you could feel especially frustrated with your more irrational addictions and fears you’ve previously accepted as you now see them in a harsher light. You might often have the inexplicable feeling that something awful will happen – a feeling of doom. Old bad habits may resurface for resolve. There is likely to be some form of disillusionment happening now, with previously held beliefs, and possibly also with others who don’t seem very sympathetic or compassionate. Beliefs or methods that previously helped to soothe you may no longer satisfy. Positively, and especially with the conjunction, this can be a time for overcoming a fear or addiction, although there is likely to be initial impatience and a struggle involved.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Chiron
You will be learning about your own inner strength during the course of this transit. Circumstances will put you in the position to question your own integrity and grow to a position where you respect yourself more, by eliminating attitudes that no longer serve a greater purpose for you. Frustrations with the demands, rules, or expectations of others are likely to surface in the process of these discoveries.
Transiting Saturn sextile or trine Chiron
Learning to let go of regrets is a major theme of this transit. By working on facing up to your responsibilities, following the rules, and adopting a humbler approach to others, you gain a greater sense of purpose. You stand to learn much from your experiences and interactions with others now.
Transiting Saturn in aspect to the North Node
When Saturn transits in aspect to the North Node, the manner in which you associate with others in terms of give-and-take and learning experiences, comes into question. Negative, greedy, or irritable attitudes towards others are things that you are learning to rid yourself of. You might meet mentors or those older or wiser than you who have something important to teach you. Hard aspects are associated with troublesome social relationships or withdrawal from socializing as part of a necessary process of personal growth. You are learning to rely on yourself, as well as to adopt a humbler approach to others.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, sextile, trine, square, or in opposition to the Part of Fortune
With these aspects, you are learning to find happiness in the more simple things in life, as well as in living a more structured and responsible existence. The square and opposition may bring temporary trials, delays, frustrations, or oppositions that force you to pare down your life in realistic ways, or to face responsibilities that you may have neglected.
 
Keys to Handling Saturn Transits:
Saturn teaches us about the value of moderation and caution. Perhaps the best way to “handle” hard Saturn transits to personal planets and points is to avoid fighting these lessons. Accept that, at this time in your life, things may move at a slower speed (even a snail’s pace). Saturn wants us to work hard, put our energies into practical, useful, and meaningful projects, and to live in the here and now. This period in your life is a time for building a solid foundation. Understand that moderation at this point in your life is necessary for your spiritual growth and your physical body as well. Avoid blaming others for where you are at now–doing this will only lead to feelings of melancholy and anger. Know that this period in your life, while temporary, is a time for learning about your personal limits as well as your inner strength. Carry these lessons as you move beyond this phase, because how you handle your life now will make all the difference the next time (7 years later) Saturn makes a hard aspect to the same planet or point in your chart.
 

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