Not long ago I heard a well-known astrologer say that ‘Saturn is the planet of karma’. (Mercury must not have been retrograde at the time or Mercury would’ve been blamed!) The comment reminded me how overwhelmingly negative most feel towards Saturn. Okay, yes, Saturn does present challenges and difficulties. It is the planet that brings delays, constriction, obstruction, even old age and death. But we can’t get trapped in a corner where we forget that our entire birth chart represents our karma and shows our ability (or inability, or a combination of the two) to work through our karma.
We evolve through our experiences. All of them, and especially the difficult ones. We want to know all of the planets and their placement and condition in our charts to help us navigate life, especially those difficult times. It’s not always about Saturn and Saturn’s negative side. Very often, another planet or more will counter the heavier effects of Saturn. It depends on where and how Saturn shows up in your individual chart, what its condition is, what aspects it casts, and which types of yogas it creates (if any), as well as which house (area of life) transiting Saturn is moving through and which houses it aspects from the current position. There’s a lot to unpack before blaming Saturn.
We need Saturn to commit to our goals, to structure our plans and activity, to persevere in order to overcome our issues, and to demonstrate patience and humility in our relationships. To build something that will endure, Saturn must be present. To grow spiritually, we need a good foundation and discipline. Saturn. To gain deeper insight and greater awareness, we must be able to seek the truth with discernment. Saturn. To move to higher states of consciousness, to experience inner states of bliss, we need to learn to sit in stillness and temporarily detach from the external world around us. Saturn.
The popular focus that continues to minimize Saturn by a limited perspective is a good example of staying hung up on Saturn’s difficult side. Saturn can be rough. We can’t dismiss that. But with the right mindset and action in alignment with Saturn, we can be better prepared to handle what life throws at us. Remember, it’s not Saturn itself who ’causes you pain’, it is what you do with the Saturnian energy and insight cursing through you.
Beautifully stated by astrologer Barry Rosen, “Astrology was never intended to strike fear into our hearts or make us very stuck. Jyotish means light and the light of knowledge should free us from the grip of our thoughts and emotions, but we have to be aware and observe.”
Saturn will serve us well if we embrace its wisdom and consider its guidance even in our darkest moments. And although it has the potential to lead us into our darkest moments, Saturn is one of the strongest planets capable of bringing us back to the light.
Where is Saturn in your chart? Sign? House? What planetary aspects are happening natally? What condition is your Saturn in? Is it strong through exaltation, in its own sign, or weakened by debility, etc… or perhaps it’s neutral and in average strength? Which yogas, if any, does your Saturn participate in? Once you observe all of these, you can get a clearer picture of how Saturn functions in your own life, showing you what areas will likely experience difficulties and setbacks, and how these same areas will provide you with experiences you need to learn something, to grow, and evolve.
Next time you or someone around you blames Saturn, ask “But what are you learning here? Can you see how you are or will be growing through all of this? Can you trust that there’s a silver lining even though today is difficult?” It takes a moment of retrospect and self-inquiry, which is also Saturnian, but by asking these questions, you begin to align yourself with Saturn’s higher purpose of truth, authenticity, and purpose.
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Renate Maria Bell is a certified Vedic Astrologer, Jyotish Visharada, and approved teacher with the Council of Vedic Astrology. She can be reached at renatembell@aol.com
Saturn graphic courtesy Canva