EYE ON THE SKY: SATURN RETROGRADE
Purva Ashada Nakshatra April 17 – June 4
Mula Nakshatra: June 4 – September 6
It Saturday ruled by Saturn and the heaviness of Saturn and work and reponsibility is upon us today and time to review Saturn retrograde.
Saturn went retrograde on April 17th and teaches being patient with overcoming the lessons of the past and the pain and suffering that we are feeling. Retrograde malefics are more powerful to create suffering and so intensity to change will increase. Ultimately Saturn is good in teaching us to be responsible, work hard, meditate and if you rise to the occasion and overcome laziness, lack of discipline, then the retrograde will not be difficult. Use the transit to work on yourself and your life and do not be a victim.
Saturn beckons us to take care of our health, be disciplined with our spiritual practices and to discover meditation if we have not. Rise to the occasion and Saturn will transport you to wonderful realms of service, responsibility and new levels of health. If not, health problems may increase for some particularly if you have key planets or your rising or moon sign or Sun in Sagittarius rising, Virgo and Gemini in the 14-7 degree areas of those signs. If you are born with retrograde Saturn, it will be activated in transit and make you more reclusive, inward and meditative which can be a good thing sometimes.
Much of the Saturn retrograde this year will be in Mula nakshatra (Sagittarius 0-13.20) June-November where we tend to regret the past and wanting to make amends for things we have done. This will be a repeat of the difficult first three months of 2018 and will repeat from June 4-Sept. 6th.
The key with Saturn will be to shut yourself away from distraction and focus and not let every issue and distraction get in the way of your responsibilities. This will be hard and this energy will manifest most on Saturdays, ruled by Saturn or when the Moon is transiting Saturn’s constellation of Pushya (Cancer 3.20-16.40), Anuradha (Scorpio 3.20-16.40) and Uttara Bhadrapada (Pisces 3.20-16.40) or the signs of Capricorn or Aquarius and particularly when Mars isconjunct Saturn within a few weeks around April 6, 2018. If you are Capricorn or Aquarius rising, running a Saturn period or have Saturn as the Atmakaraka
(planet with the highest degrees in your chart), then the Saturn issues will be most pronounced the rest of the year.
Saturn is often misunderstood. It will not cause problems if you have a strong Saturn in your natal chart in its own signs of Capricorn or Aquarius or exalted in Libra or connected to Taurus you may have learned the messages of Saturn. Saturn does well in the 3rd, 6th and 11th natal houses and is particularly challenging in the 12th and 1st house. Saturn in Aries or Cancer or Leo may be particularly difficult in many charts in the wrong houses. If the planet is strong in your natal chart and you have learned its lessons, it will not cause problems in transit as much when retrograde. Aquarius rising, which is co-ruled by Saturn may do fine with this transit as it is the co-ruler of the chart and Capricorn may find it more difficult because it is a 12th house transit of the ascendant lord. People in Saturn Mahadashas or sub-periods may feel the impact of the Saturn retrograde more. Still on some levels, Saturn is doing its job.
Saturn is both the good and bad parent. The good parent is responsible, provides security for his children is disciplined and provides for our material infrastructure so that we can play in the life and move through our work. The good parent Saturn turns up in the chart when Saturn is well placed and in association with benefics like Jupiter and Venus and is connected to the better houses like the 3rd
and 6th and 11th house and has other strengths.
Saturn as the bad parent has too much excessive fear and is prone to being too restrictive with his kids and saying no: you cannot go outside and play alone; you cannot have the ice cream and candy because it will be bad for your health. You cannot watch TV because you have to study for your exam. Over time as we grow up these restrictive messages run our lives and create too much fear around living life. Having a very restrictive Victorian nanny when I was growing up, I can attest to how these messages continue to run my life. When Saturn is weak in transit as it will be from June into Thanksgiving in Mula Nakshatra ( Sagittarius 0-13.20), the “bad parent” Saturn comes out and too much fear gets exaggerated into creating restrictions that block us from living life.
There are many remedies for Saturn but if we work hard, meditate and become responsible, Saturn will support us in our life. Rise to the challenge and become a better person. Saturn is not fun but he is an important part of our life and our growth and appreciate his message and we will thrive!
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