by Robert Wilkinson
In Pt. 1 of this subject, I covered the progressed Moon cycle and some of how we experience this 27+ year cycle affecting how we feel life on a day to day, week to week, and month to month level. In this article, we'll explore how it relates to the Saturn cycle, the 29+ year cycle that every few decades brings us the dreaded Saturn return, not a bad thing if you know how to deal with it, though it seldom is an easy time due to the endings and realities that impress themselves upon our perception.
In Pt. 1 of this subject, I covered the progressed Moon cycle and some of how we experience this 27+ year cycle affecting how we feel life on a day to day, week to week, and month to month level. In this article, we'll explore how it relates to the Saturn cycle, the 29+ year cycle that every few decades brings us the dreaded Saturn return, not a bad thing if you know how to deal with it, though it seldom is an easy time due to the endings and realities that impress themselves upon our perception.
As I noted in the first article, because they are similar in length, many associate the changes of the progressed Moon with Saturn, and vise-versa. Though they are related, since the Moon rules Cancer and Saturn rules Capricorn, both signs of the same axis, they have a different function in our psychological development. Basically, the Moon represents our experience of life, whereas Saturn is how we define ourselves and our sense of purpose. One is how we do it, the other is how we experience ourselves doing it. Our natal aspect between these two planetary functions shows us how our feelings relate to our purpose at birth, and the changes in the relationship between these two parts of ourselves show us how we are evolving over time.
The progressed Moon squares the natal position in just under 7 years, more or less depending on the speed of the Moon by progression. This square, occurring when we are young, prepares us for a new experience of our day to day life, usually corresponding with school and the realization that our parents have rhythms that don't revolve entirely around us. The opposition occurs between 12-14 years old, the entry into adolescence.
At 19-20, the progressed Moon "upper squares" our natal Moon, again marking a shift in our public self, our self-image, or our feelings about the direction of our life and how others are viewing us as viewed through our own emotional filters. We get the lunar return around 27, this resetting our emotional defaults due to our subconsciousness recognizing, whether we consciously do or not, that we've now experienced an entire cycle of the zodiac, and that we now are different than we were. We face a new life with a sense of the totality of what we've been through.
A similar thing happens with the cycles of Saturn, but because it is a transit, it represents more the circumstances, limitations, and sense of responsibility that we experience as part of a larger complex of authorities and rules we have little or no control over. Saturn lower squares itself at about 7+, showing a time when regardless of our inner emotional changes and crises, we must try to learn what we can within the binding circumstances Saturn represents. It is the first point at which we come under the authority of those who are not of our immediate family.
Saturn opposes itself at 14+, showing a time when we become oppositional to whatever authoritarian patterns we've been living within, or show that we have mastered to whatever degree the rules and expectations we've been under up to that point. There is a sense of public visibility, but only as a function of the subjective experience we've lived up to that point.
Saturn "upper squares" itself at about 22, preparing us for a period of knowing we are responsible for ourselves within a larger social visibility, and of course finds its way to the Saturn return between 28-29, a point in life when we figure out what we can and cannot live with, and make our move to throw off the chains of social rules that don't apply to us and live our unlived potential. Then the entire cycle repeats again.
That the Moon makes its critical shifts just before Saturn indicates that we sense, or feel, the shift before we confront what we have to do about it. As you can see, the gap between the lunar and Saturn shifts grows in length as we get older, so that by the second lunar return at 55 we are given a 3-4 year gap until we confront the hard realities of the second Saturn return. So we get to shift our experience of the changes before we have to accept new responsibilities and repudiate old limitations.
The lunar shifts occur at the life points discussed above, with more around 34, 41, 48, 55, 62, 69, 76, and 82-83. The Saturn shifts occur at 7, 14, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 58-59, 65-66, 72-73, and 79-80. These are approximate, of course, since the speed of the Moon and Saturn shift at different times of the year, and even in different signs. For more precise points in your own charts, please consult an ephemeris or a professional astrologer.
(Originally posted 16 May 2005 8:47 am)
The progressed Moon squares the natal position in just under 7 years, more or less depending on the speed of the Moon by progression. This square, occurring when we are young, prepares us for a new experience of our day to day life, usually corresponding with school and the realization that our parents have rhythms that don't revolve entirely around us. The opposition occurs between 12-14 years old, the entry into adolescence.
At 19-20, the progressed Moon "upper squares" our natal Moon, again marking a shift in our public self, our self-image, or our feelings about the direction of our life and how others are viewing us as viewed through our own emotional filters. We get the lunar return around 27, this resetting our emotional defaults due to our subconsciousness recognizing, whether we consciously do or not, that we've now experienced an entire cycle of the zodiac, and that we now are different than we were. We face a new life with a sense of the totality of what we've been through.
A similar thing happens with the cycles of Saturn, but because it is a transit, it represents more the circumstances, limitations, and sense of responsibility that we experience as part of a larger complex of authorities and rules we have little or no control over. Saturn lower squares itself at about 7+, showing a time when regardless of our inner emotional changes and crises, we must try to learn what we can within the binding circumstances Saturn represents. It is the first point at which we come under the authority of those who are not of our immediate family.
Saturn opposes itself at 14+, showing a time when we become oppositional to whatever authoritarian patterns we've been living within, or show that we have mastered to whatever degree the rules and expectations we've been under up to that point. There is a sense of public visibility, but only as a function of the subjective experience we've lived up to that point.
Saturn "upper squares" itself at about 22, preparing us for a period of knowing we are responsible for ourselves within a larger social visibility, and of course finds its way to the Saturn return between 28-29, a point in life when we figure out what we can and cannot live with, and make our move to throw off the chains of social rules that don't apply to us and live our unlived potential. Then the entire cycle repeats again.
That the Moon makes its critical shifts just before Saturn indicates that we sense, or feel, the shift before we confront what we have to do about it. As you can see, the gap between the lunar and Saturn shifts grows in length as we get older, so that by the second lunar return at 55 we are given a 3-4 year gap until we confront the hard realities of the second Saturn return. So we get to shift our experience of the changes before we have to accept new responsibilities and repudiate old limitations.
The lunar shifts occur at the life points discussed above, with more around 34, 41, 48, 55, 62, 69, 76, and 82-83. The Saturn shifts occur at 7, 14, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 58-59, 65-66, 72-73, and 79-80. These are approximate, of course, since the speed of the Moon and Saturn shift at different times of the year, and even in different signs. For more precise points in your own charts, please consult an ephemeris or a professional astrologer.
(Originally posted 16 May 2005 8:47 am)
Thank you Robert. This is so informative, especially for me as I approach my 44th. Saturn has been big for me this year, reaffirming decisions I made when I was 28, and so has the moon, helping me feel my way through the changes. You always have such a clear and direct approach.
Posted by: Vick Forman | June 01, 2006 at 10:13 AM
Hi Vicki - Thank you. The Moon and Saturn cycles are so crucial in understanding how to dance with our dharma that these articles bore reprinting. Glad they could make some of the shifts more clear in the light of the big picture. I just had my second lunar return, so it's pretty fresh in my mind!
Posted by: Robert | June 01, 2006 at 12:15 PM
Hey Robert, long time no chat -- had a question for you. Have you run Karl Rove's chart, by any chance? Seems like it might be a good time to do so; I wonder if you'd see some parallels in activity between his chart and Bush's. Hmm? Best~
Posted by: Rayne | June 02, 2006 at 05:51 AM
Hi Rayne - Good to hear from you again. I tried to keep track of you across several versions of Rayne Today, but it seems that the two at Salon had troubles and I wasn't sure where your permanent home is. Let me know and I'll put you back on the blogroll. Caleb also has a thing going at TopPoliticalSites.org that you may want to be listed on (link above right). And I'll see what I can rustle up re: the dark one's chart.
Posted by: Robert | June 02, 2006 at 06:49 AM
Hi,Robert, I read astro-zines and 1946-1948 are mentioned with gloomy info. Saturn- Pluto and eclipses, outer planet to personal conjunctions, etc. Please comment since I am one of them. Barbara
Posted by: Barbara | June 02, 2006 at 08:37 AM
That generation is dealing with Pluto opposing their natal Uranus and a Saturn return. I have spoken about the Saturn return in many articles, so you can find a lot there. Depending on where in that span a person is born, they may have Neptune opposing their Pluto or Saturn, and the recent Aries eclipse could have fallen opposite their Neptune. Some of them have a Jupiter return occurring, but that can be as out of control negative as positive, depending on whether they learned a proper Jupiter function or not. I have tried to cover some of these challenged generations in other articles, such as this one on how Saturn in Leo is impacting different generations. There are many others.
Posted by: Robert | June 02, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Dear Robert, This article has been really helpful to me,did not understand progressions have been trying to take in all this information as quick as you throw it out and that's challenging.
I have been saying I need purpose (Cancer/Cap dichotamy) Capricorn and Cancerian energies working themselves out in my chart now. I am assuming my progressed moon will be upper square my natal moon , the same as when I was 20 i.e in Cancer and travelling in my 2nd house of values and money,(was living in a tent, travelling ,working in Tropical Queensland,been living this age of priveledge internally lately)
"making a shift in our public self, our self image, or our feelings about our direction in life and how other's are viewed through our emotional filter." So True! So Pluto will be squaring my natal and progressed moon. The 2nd and 4th house connected. Soon Satirn will transit back into 4th. Restructuring and disciplining my home and family evironment, connections with value systems , two willful Moon in Taurus chilren live here. The Cancerian progressed moon will contact my Mercury 20* 2nd house at some point too. I have been Independent and the sole provider for my kids for 18 years and have now reached the point where I am about to become financially insolvent and alas will lose my car. I have surrendered to the Saturn process, my assets are under $6000 including the car (love taking it to the very edge of precipse,Mars Asc I think!)So I will have no debt, cant borrow or leave the country for 3 years "Black mark against my name in system"(Big deal? not!)Its only in the stygma.It will be helpul to offload everything. Will have to rename my business , work with some home skills, necessity is the mother of invention will purpose me.Ride my bike,have my daughter's car and my classes are slowly increasing. Have no choice but to keep on smiling, singing and dancing cause can't change nothin' it seems.Was frozen in motion yesterday. Have not actually posted forms???? Lots and Lots of activity in my chart and the world out there. And the yod of fate in the 3rd Leo still wonder! Just curiously do you have any insight on a half simian line in palmistry, I trust your knowledge and wisdoms! Sorry this is long,better at talking! Thanking you Aum Shanti Felita
Posted by: Felita | April 24, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Hi Robert, Sorry misquoted you "..how other's are viewing us as viewed through our own emotional filters"
Aum Felita
Posted by: Felita | April 24, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Hi Felita - Sorry you have to let go of so much, but it will clear space for you to receive what is yet to come, and you'll probably find that what is truly yours will come back in new forms (and maybe even old ones!) It's probably time for the cubs to find their places in the world, and hopefully cooperate with you in the times to come. All beings must do something to make money and grow into autonomy, and to me anyone over 18 needs to contribute to the commonwealth and the common good. Systemic "black marks" are less of a problem now than before, since the system wants us to get into debt, etc. It's their means of control. You may be changing things more than your think, perfectly in line with your time line. I used to study palmistry years ago, but have no insights into what you asked.
Posted by: Robert | April 28, 2008 at 08:44 AM