Photo by Alexander Tsang on Unsplash
Today (5-11-2020), Saturn turns retrograde in Aquarius. He will move back into Capricorn, where he’ll station direct in September. Saturn retrogrades for a solid portion of the year every year, so his retrogrades don’t have the acute impact of Mercury, Venus, and Mars’ retrogrades. Nonetheless, his retrogrades tend to be felt in the days and weeks surrounding his stations. His transformations are slow, but it’s likely that you’ll notice a change between now and the end of September when it comes to the themes I expand upon below—especially in the area of your chart that Saturn inhabits.
When a planet retrogrades, its energy is inverted, or turned inward. The implicit is made explicit. The overt is made covert. This is why they tend to be great times to review a certain area of life—they tend to illuminate things that were otherwise invisible or reveal information that was otherwise unavailable within the mundane context of everyday life.
Saturn represents limits, limitations, boundaries, and the journey of mastery—especially self-mastery. His position in a person’s natal astrological chart is an indicator for both personal challenges and mastery. He teaches a lot about who a person can be and HOW a person can be through the right balance of effort and surrender.
When Saturn retrogrades, it’s a time to review how you use your resources—financial, material, physical, energetic, time, etc. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Resources are limited, but the ways in which they can be utilized, honed, and channeled is NOT.
This particular retrograde comes two days before Venus’ retrograde, and that is likely to influence how we experience today’s station—especially because Venus’ retrogrades last for 40 days and tend to be very powerful. I’ll post more about the upcoming Venus Retrograde this week, but for now, let it suffice to say that some believe that Jesus’ 40-day desert retreat occurred during a Venus Retrograde. Venus comes from a very different perspective. In her world, resources are UNlimited! There’s always plenty to go around! You can attract everything you need! The world is abundant! Everyone is fed! You must ASK for what you want, and be willing and prepared to receive!
The difference in perspective between these two planets reflects a larger conflict in narratives emerging right now related to COVID-19. Jupiter will also station retrograde the day following Venus, and my sense is that this could exacerbate the differences in these narratives, put them under a microscope in a way. But this could be extremely valuable, as it’s much easier to understand and work through things that are actually visible. During this time, the theme that emerges for me is the idea that self-control can facilitate a sort of inner expansiveness.
A foundational idea in my astrology practice is that every person has every planet and every energy within them in some form and in some area of their life. I use astrology in my larger practice as a tool to help people understand, work with, accept, and grow these different parts of themselves. It’s a tool that allows for multiple narratives to be accepted fully within a person, family, community, etc. A retrograde is a time to review how a certain planet’s energy shows up in ways that are both helpful and hurtful—to oneself, in one’s relationships with others, and in one’s place in the world.
Awakened, Saturn is the powerful energy of self-control, mastery, and unbiased leadership. Awakened, Saturn has a deep level of care for the collective and really knows how to use what’s available to get things done. He understands and uses boundaries as a form of support, rather than restriction.
Unawakened, Saturn is a control freak, the colonizer, the task-master, the one who polices everyone else’s lives without any consideration of their own, and abuses his power. This manifestation of Saturnian energy is VERY good at “shoulding” on itself and others. I am using he/him pronouns because Saturn was a male mythological being—not because males are any more likely to express this energy than other genders!
As Saturn retrogrades in Aquarius—the sign of the collective—some places are relaxing the stringency of the COVID-19 lockdown. This doesn’t mean to run right out and move with no sense of control. It actually means that external control is being relaxed with the trust that people will internalize that control and use it to manage themselves with integrity. The control is being transferred from the outside to the inside—which is a very Saturnian ideal.
Saturn is the energy that distributes rights and responsibilities. With every right comes an equal responsibility. When you’re afforded more rights, will you take responsibility? As Saturn giveth, so shall he taketh. One of the many important lessons that COVID-19 is teaching us is that if you ignore your responsibility, EVERYONE’S rights can be taken away! This doesn’t only apply to being on lockdown. It means that those who ignore their responsibility to help isolate this virus could potentially take away another person’s right to live.
Saturn represents karma. He rules Natural Law and his cosmic partner is The Great Mother. He is not so concerned with the laws of humanity. He TESTS the laws of humanity! He is here to see how we will respond internally, with one another, to one another, regardless of our laws. He is the traditional ruler of Aquarius—the one who imbues Aquarian energy with a deep understanding of collective wellness, that no one is well and free until everyone is well and free. This is ecology. This is Natural Law. Whether there’s a legal system or not, rights always come with responsibilities in Natural Law.
Over the course of this retrograde, the following questions could be valuable to reflect upon, and I invite you to share your thoughts and feelings in the comments below …
Where are you being too controlling—of yourself or others?
In what ways do your own feelings of being out of control lead you to try to control others?
Where could you reel it in a little bit an exhibit more self control?
What are you trying to master right now?
Where are you limiting yourself?
Where and how can you set better boundaries in order to support what is nourishing and beautiful?
What are your most important responsibilities right now and what rights do those responsibilities afford you?
In what areas are you trying to control things that are none of your business?
Where and how can you be a leader during this time?
What leadership qualities would you like to develop during this time?