EYE ON THE SKY: SATURN RETROGRADEÂ — JUNE 16-NOVEMBER 4
Saturn starts slowing down about 8 days before it goes retrograde and has a stronger influence as it gets ready to go stationary/retrograde on JUNE 16TH. You may start feeling its intensity this week. Saturn is often misunderstood. If you have a strong Saturn in your natal chart in its signs of Capricorn or Aquarius or exalted in Libra or connected to Taurus, you may have learned the messages of Saturn. Retrograde Saturn may be good for some rising signs like Capricorn or Aquarius rising this year as it makes the physical body strong. Saturn is a good planet for Libra and Taurus and so it may enjoy it and it may bring material gains but it will often feel stressful.Â
The impact of Saturn retrograde will have more of an impact if you are in a Saturn dasha period or a Saturn sub-period or in Chara or Rashi Dasha periods ruled by Capricorn or Aquarius rising. It will also depend on how many Ashtakavarga points you have for Saturn and how many other planets you have between 6 and 13 degrees Aquarius where Saturn will have an influence this spring and summer.
In the end, retrograde malefics are still powerful to harm or have some rising signs.  Its aspects to Leo, Scorpio, and Aries will be felt strongly but it will have some influence on Capricorn, and Libra Rising as it retrogrades more closely to 6 degrees Aquarius into late October and early November.Â
 If you have retrograde Saturn in your natal chart, it gets triggered in transit.  A retrograde Saturn in a natal chart often represents the neglect of responsibilities. The house that is in the natal chart will clue you into the areas you need to work on. So a natal retrograde Saturn in the 2nd may give lessons around saving, food, and responsibility around family care.  Saturn retrograde forces us to be more honest with ourselves and not get got up in fantasy and responsibility for what is not working in our life.
Retrograde planets are brighter and closer to the Earth. So, they are focused on the past, the disappointments, and the abuses they suffered. This makes them look within and they become confused about moving forward but they don’t want to go back so this creates a situation of deep introspection. So, this creates a planetary influence of thinking rather than doing what happens according to the retrograde planet. For example, if Saturn is retrograde, one may ponder a lot about spirituality but only in the reflective sense rather than practicing it.
Some general things you can say about retrogrades:
- The planet’s energy may reverse, pulling the energy back into the sign that it is retrograding
- According to Ayurveda, there are more medical problems from retrograde planets
- The flow of the planet’s normal energy is disrupted and the house that the planet occupies will be affected and not work as well.
- The signification that the planet or house that it owns become a source of confusion and is surrounded by stress and difficulty. But because the retrograde planet is closer to Earth, it shines brighter and illuminates the internal, psychological aspect of how the quality of the signification feels, hence, its force of intelligence becomes very developed because it is ‘reflecting.’
- Retrograde makes the planet stronger which does not always mean more difficult but for malefics like Saturn, it is more intense and malefic.
- Retrograde malefics like Saturn and Mars may have more strength to cause more harm unless they are the chart lord and then they are better for the person in which case they may make the person inwardly reflect to find one’s true source of peace. Aquarius rising and Capricorn rising may have better health but may be more inward and introspective.
If you have a retrograde Saturn in your natal chart when it goes retrograde in transit, it may bring out the following qualities: Renunciation, monastic life, self-isolating, alone, rejecting others so they will not be rejected, grim, depressed. Fear death, decay, loss, separation, disease, transitions, and infirmity.
Saturn retrograde can bring up guilt and remorse that keeps us swimming in a sewer pit which is not of much use. Catch the guilt and remorse thoughts that are coming up and dismiss them. There is no point living in the past and swimming in the sewer water. You are a new and different person now. Remember the planets only have power over us if we buy into their emotional and psychological web.Â
When Saturn is afflicted, it creates too much fear, and if we made a mistake and its retrograde motion will revisit the past, but it may create too much-blocking energy about moving forward. The past is a dream and there are new and fresh circumstances to create a new life now and make new choices.
We tend to blame Saturn and our life but it is like that bad-ass high school coach who works you hard to win the race. Rather than blame the planet, learn what lessons you did not master in the past and get it right this time. Get out of your nightmare by being kinder and helping others and then you will not suffer. The planets just want us to get it right this time so we do not have to wake up in the same nightmare every morning.
So embrace responsibility, hard work, and discipline and Saturn will reward you during its retrograde motion. Still, a particularly difficult Saturn retrograde this year with Saturn in its sign and it is opposed by Mars in July and opposed by the Sun between August 16-Sept. 15th.  Do your meditation, yoga, and breath work and you will sail through fine.
On the mundane astrology level, Saturn is the planet of restriction and rules, and boundaries. Remember to say no to tyranny and fight the loss of your freedom. You can only be a victim if you do not speak out and many people speaking out will prevent governments from getting too extreme.
Special thanks to Komilla Sutton and Bill Levacy for their insights into Saturn retrograde.
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