November 3rd ~ 10th
Chronos
Character - the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life - is the source from which self respect springs. ~ Joan Didion (Slouching Towards Bethlehem)
On November 4th (or 3rd, depending on where you are in the world), Saturn stations Direct at 0º Pisces 31’, ending its retrograde phase which began on June 17th. During the retrograde phase of Saturn we were coming to terms with some of our own lessons and challenges. We were given permission to say No More, to set limits where needed and to confront our own Saturnian blocks: our fears, our attachments, our need to control, avoidance and our resistance to change. The opposition to Saturn at the end of August, when the Sun opposed retrograde Saturn, we came face to face with some of our hardest Saturnian lessons.
Saturn also shows us what we need to learn in order to be a person of substance, a person of respect. During the past 4 and a half months we have had opportunities to grow and mature in ways that we might not have thought possible, developing a sense of maturity, and gaining a deeper appreciation of what it means to be responsible and mature.
One of the difficulties with Saturn being in its retrograde phase, along with a majority of other planets, is that many felt like they were unable to make any progress. Some may have even felt blocked, or totally stuck. Stagnation, road blocks, delays are all pretty typical with this phase. And even when you are able to move forward, there is still this feeling of stepping back before you can move ahead again. And so we were also learning about Patience, learning to be more self-reliant, learning how to be the grown up in the room rather than looking for others to have all the solutions.
Believe it or not, even though it may have felt like we were not getting anything done in the outer world, we have been doing a lot of inner work. During the retrograde phase of Saturn we internalize the qualities of Saturn developing: self-discipline, self-restraint, organization, responsibility and self-respect. And Patience. This is important. Because these are the tools that are needed in order to fulfill the behests and goals of Saturn.
Now that Saturn will resume what appears to be its direct motion, we will begin to see some of the pieces of our lives coming together. Obstacles that were previously slowing us down and getting in our way will either be removed, or we will be given the tools to remove the obstacles ourselves.
Saturn is currently in Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac. Pisces is a sign of releasing, of assimilation, tying up loose ends, and finishing. It is a sign of endings. But it is also when we are needing to learn from the past, and make sense of our history, our experiences, and life lessons. And it is also when we begin to plant the seeds for the next cycle of Saturn which will begin when Saturn enters the sign of Aries in 2025.
Pisces is symbolic of our big vision, our high hopes, and our idealistic notions. The ruling planets of Pisces, Jupiter and Neptune, are currently retrograde and semi-square one another. This can make us feel hard pressed to fulfill our hopes and dreams. Were we reaching too high? Are our expectations achievable? It may not seem so right now, but later on this year, Jupiter and Neptune will station direct, as Saturn and Jupiter make a close sextile. And it is within that window from December thru March that many will receive the tools and the information that is necessary, in order to make our vision for the future a closer and more achievable reality.
It may not be exactly what we are wistfully hoping for, but some sort of approximation of that vision can be achieved when the planet of reality shlogging through the diluvian depths of Pisces is sextile Jupiter in pragmatic Taurus.
For what Saturn’s direct station might mean for your sign (or natal house if you know it), click below: