MORE ON SATURN IN TRANSITION: APRIL 27TH-JUNE 20TH

EYE ON THE SKY: SATURN IN EARLY SAGITTARIUS–AGAIN !  (sigh!)

We get another chance to work on our Saturn issues of responsibility, hard-work, strong ethics and beating ourselves up as Saturn retrogrades into the early degrees of Sagittarius know as the gandanta or drowning area.   We went through this area Jan. 26-March 16th and this area of the zodiac it is owned by Aries/Mars and tends to bring out Saturn’s worst qualities which include being frustrated, obstructed, delayed, being overly critical  depression, lack of social grace, impatience.  This one really tests or patience with life and forces us to be kind and thorough or we can easily lose it. Saturn always responds well to yoga and meditation and breath work so spiritual practice will be essential into late June and even then it only supports our inner reactions to the world and we have to deal with others.

As my colleague Sam Geppi puts it, Saturn is about doing the hard work to get our goals done: “Saturn shows the willingness to face the hardships of life and persevere through the difficulty because some things are worth the trouble – worth the TIME – and we do not have unlimited time. As we gain experience facing problems, we become less reactive and develop grace under pressure. This eventually brings a level of calm and cool when stressed, which allows us to keep going and staying focused on what is important.”

The key to Saturn is hard work, being responsible and focus.  Venus can balance Saturn out so when it gets intense, relationship time, massage, the arts, intimate connection can soothe out the tension of Saturn.

Saturn will continue transiting into Mula nakshatra until June 2oth but this is a place where Saturn cannot escape from the past and must take responsibility for karma. This is a time to heal old wounds, redress and forgive, cleaning out and apologizing for our mistakes and releasing.  Good time for a healing, therapy and releasing the old otherwise it will gnaw at you.

The last part of  Saturn’s retrograde  journey is difficult from June 10-20th and then in Scorpio into July 2nd.  Then it will also be in the ,the sensitive 0-1 degree section of the sign which Western astrologers might liken to “void of course” area or gandanta where it is not sure what has happened like a foreigner entering a new country.   Saturn when it is weak can be frustrated, obstructed, faced with delays, critical, impatient, lacking in social grace, depressed and all of these energies may be up for healing as well as facing our deepest fears. Your key mantra for 7-8 weeks will be “patience.”  Take it slowly and do not get uptight or bent by delays.Work hard and know you will be rewarded–eventually but this time the delay is much longer until Thanksgiving so it will be a long stretch.   We will be asked by Saturn not to be idealistic but to face the cold hard facts, to plan and make those hard decisions.

Sagittarius is about beliefs.  If we move toward being too dogmatic, then we can face our deepest insecurities.  One would have to think that fundamental religion will go through a huge transformation and revival during the next 2.5 years as Saturn clashes with Jupiter’s energy in the rather belief-orientated sign of Sagittarius.  Luckily, Saturn and Jupiter are neutral toward each other and not intense enemies as was the case with Saturn in Scorpio, a sign owned by Mars.   This is a time to shed our dogmatic belief structures and see beyond them and look into our own self for the answers.

The late part of the journey June 10-June 20th   is through Abhukta Mula (Sagittarius 0.00-0.48) which is the other side of the karmic knot. One has to learn to go it alone as the emotional and social support may not be there and so Aries navamsha beckons one to find the courage to take responsibility and go it alone to make those changes and fight those spiritual battles. This journey can be painful so look for meditation, service, charity and prayer to guide you toward a spiritual awakening.

So the good news is that this transit only happens once every 29 years but for the first time since the year 1086, Saturn is spending an enormous amount of time in this gandanta or knot of karma until Thanksgiving 2017 and unless you learn to master this energy, you may feel its intensity much of the year..

Special thanks to Komilla Sutton for her wisdom and  deep insights into Saturn in the Gandanta.

Saturn being powerful will increase criticism and being picky so avoid being a perfectionist or you will drive yourself and others crazy.   Realize the imperfection of the changing world and accept the world and its flaws.