SATURN: RULER OF CAPRICORN
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System after Jupiter. In ancient times Saturn was the most distant of the known planets in the Solar System and was thought to be the edge of the universe. For this reason, astrologically, Saturn represents restriction, boundaries and limitation.
Capricorn
KEY WORDS:
Restriction, contraction, boundaries, discipline, responsibility, father, teacher, effort, serious, stability, caution, routine, structure, commitment, persistence, endurance, self-control, fear, maturity, authority.
MYTHOLOGY:
Saturn is named after the Roman god of agriculture and its symbol in astrology represents the god’s sickle. In Greek mythology the sickle belongs to Cronos, the god of time.
THE LORD OF KARMA
Saturn in our natal charts represents areas of authority, discipline, hard work, responsibility and commitment. Saturn also highlights our fears and feelings of inadequacy.
Saturn governs ambition, career, hierarchy and sense of duty. Saturn brings structure and order to our world. Saturn’s key role is to teach us life lessons and this includes lessons learned or carried over from past lives too.
THE GATEKEEPER OF SELF MASTERY
Saturn will test us to our limits and great effort is required to reach the level of mastery, but this is when we gain our greatest sense of achievement. Mastery of Saturn’s lessons is essential for our spiritual growth and enhancement of self worth. Self mastery is Saturn’s ultimate objective.
Old Father Time
TRANSITS
During its transit around the Sun, Saturn will form angles to the planets in our natal chart. This is when we will be required to work with our Saturn issues and these transits usually last a few months. We need to draw on our inner strength as Saturn transits always herald a period of hard work and sometimes the world can feel like a cold place at this time.
Saturn’s transits appear to slow down time or at least we perceive it like that. We may encounter delays and feel frustrated as though we are getting nowhere and achieving nothing. We may feel misunderstood, depressed or put upon. This is because Saturn makes us live in the present and analyse thoroughly. Saturn wishes us to build solid foundations and structure so that we avoid taking unnecessary risks.
DEALING WITH A TRANSIT
The best way of handling a Saturn transit is to work with the energy it creates and not against it at the outset. We need to accept that we have a cycle of hard work in front of us which is necessary for our spiritual growth.
The key is to keep focused on the end goal and the rewards that will follow and know that this period is only temporary. We should take responsibility for our own lives and avoid blaming others as this only leads to anger and self pity.
The real sense of achievement and empowerment of self is waiting for us on completion of Saturn’s lessons when we will reap life changing rewards for our hard work.
SATURN RETURNS
When Saturn returns to the position he was in at the moment of our birth that is when we experience our Saturn return. Saturn takes approximately 29 years to complete an orbit of the Sun so our Saturn returns occur at ages 28 – 30 (transition from youth to maturity), 57- 59 (transition from maturity to wisdom) and 86 – 88 (transition from wisdom to the next world).
A Saturn return is usually experienced as a clearing out process of that which no longer serves us. A pruning process takes place to scale down those things which are no longer necessary in preparation for the next stage of life.
THE WORLD TAROT CARD
The World is the final card of the major arcana and is associated with the planet Saturn in Astrology.
The wreath represents the orbit of Saturn – the symbol of time. In each of the four corners lies a symbol representing the four elements fire, earth, air and water. The symbols (a lion, bull, cherub and eagle) represent the four fixed zodiac signs Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio.
The World is a card of completion and symbolizes the lessons we have learned which were put to us by Saturn the Task Master.
