At 11:50 PM EST Dec. 19th Saturn will be in Capricorn for the first time since February 1991. Saturn is one of the slower moving planets through the zodiac so he won’t fully be out of Capricorn until the end of 2020.
So, what the heck does all this mean? Well, Saturn (or Cronos for the Greeks) is the father of the gods. And in astrology, he is associated with discipline, stability, standards, and authority. But like all the planets, Saturn has his not so nice side too. He can be a Scrooge; selfish and obstructionist out of fear of losing authority and control of a seemingly stable situation. As he rules Capricorn, it is the most Saturnine sign of the zodiac, and thus these next few years will be a homecoming for the planet.
For the last few years, Saturn has been taking up residence in optimistic, big-picture, risk-taking Sagittarius. And these two very different energies have been struggling to co-create. A bit like having to write with your non-dominant hand everything has felt like it is taking extra effort; depleting us physically, emotionally and spiritually; things that once felt expansive have felt taxing and continually incomplete. So, in some ways Saturn getting into its own sign is going to feel better; at least more natural.
Saturn takes about 29 years to travel through the Zodiac. Sometimes the past is a helpful way to understand the future. During his most recent sojourn through his own sign, there are some key things that jump off the page. And yes, some of it was not joyful. In 1988 the AIDS crises had become so extreme that after years of turning a blind eye the US government finally began to earmark funds for treatment and research. The US also engaged in what we now refer to as the 1st Gulf War. On the other side of the Saturn in Capricorn spectrum, it marked the end of the Cold War, as well as Apartheid and dictators around the world, fell like dominos.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that Saturn’s pending journey in Capricorn is going to be easy-breezy (it is Saturn and he does govern work). But I also do not want to get bogged down in the heaviness that he can represent. One of the best things we can do for ourselves at this time is, up the self-care, self-discipline and walk our talk. Be authentic, be clear with your boundaries (in all areas of life) and hold on to the knowledge that perseverance furthers.
To help have a healthy relationship with Saturn over the next few years try some of these things:
- Belly Breathing
- Put your hand on your belly to feel it fill like a balloon
- Inhale through nose for the count of 5
- Hold for count of 2
- Exhale through mouth for count of 7
- Essential oils -bath with – 3 drops Marjoram, 2 Lavender, 1 Clary Sage.
- Journal about blocks and acknowledge success
“We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” -Marie Curie