Saturn Transits Part 2 - When Did Saturn Conjunct Different Ascendants Helping Us Begin A New Life?

by Robert Wilkinson

In Part 1, we explored Saturn's effects when it conjuncts a planet in our chart, as well as what we experience when it gets near our Ascendant. Today we'll explore who has been most affected by this long lasting influence on our lives, character, and destiny.

Saturn shows us how and when we must break the chains of fear in all its forms. Saturn shows us how to use our experience in mature ways, and what responsibilities are truly ours to own, and which limitations and duties it's time to outgrow. It shows us how adult we are being, and our ability to accept certain limitations as more boon than bondage.

Saturn conjunct our Ascendant is a time when we grow up, are become more serious than we used to be, or at least more "matter of fact." We accept obligations more readily, and so must get clear about what is ours to do and what is not ours to do. Our self-image matures as a function of our long term experience, and we accept limitations we didn't before. Usually these are the ones that help our life to run more smoothly.

As I noted in Part 1,

Things seem more weighty during a Saturn transit, not surprising since Saturn symbolizes density. When Saturn conjuncts the Ascendant, a part of your self-image is leaving forever, to be replaced with a new way of being in relationships, with the self, the Self, and the world. We know something is complete, and are ready to use that instinctive wisdom-experience in new ways.

The Ascendant specializes your unique purpose and being, distinguishing you from everyone else born on your birthday. It is your self-referencing Self-awareness, your window on reality. Since nothing clarifies things better than Saturn, when Saturn is near or in the Ascendant, we find a whole new Self-discipline.

We often accept new responsibilities and long range tasks, training or retraining who we see ourselves to be in new ways. Often we may feel or seem to be older than we were not very long ago. We definitely feel our age under a Saturn transit, and eliminate everything that's a drag on our line and more trouble than they're worth.

Saturn usually conjuncts our Ascendant (and our other planets) more than once in a life, usually twice or even three times if we live to our '80s or experience a conjunction when we’re very young. Each time it conjuncts our Ascendant, we end old lessons and our sense of purpose and self-identity while resetting our defaults in our self-definition (relative to our world) of power, authority, influence and our instinctive self.

So who has been under these influences, and when? The rest of the article explores the different groups and generations who have been learning the hard, but necessary, lessons of Saturn.

Depending on your exact Ascendant degree, you may have to adjust the following dates somewhat, and remember that you started your changes at least a year before it went over your Ascendant, and once it actually conjuncted your Ascendant it moved into your first house, thus extending the effect for at least one to two years afterward.

That’s why those with the last half of a sign rising will still feel the effects of Saturn in their first house when Saturn moves into the first half of the next sign. Saturn will still be in their first house, but it will be in a different sign. This give a dual tone to their first house experience.

To offer an example, if someone has 20 Libra on the Ascendant, they will experience Saturn on their Ascendant when it’s in the middle and later degrees of Libra, but also in the first 20 degrees of Scorpio, since Saturn will still be in their first house. If someone has 26 Scorpio on the Ascendant, they will experience Saturn on their Ascendant through the entire last half of Scorpio, but also while Saturn is in the first 26 degrees of Sagittarius, since Saturn would be in their first house, even though in a different sign than the Ascendant.

To include a maximum number of people without making this article cumbersome, lets’ begin with Saturn in Gemini.

Saturn was conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Gemini rising in the very early degrees from August through October 2000, and all others with Gemini rising from April 2001 through June 2003. All who have Gemini rising experienced this transit. This began a new rigor, or new maturity, self-discipline, or authorship.

From August through October 2000 and April 2001 through May 2001 it primarily affected those who have the first half of Gemini (1-15 Gemini) rising. From May 2001 through June 2003, it primarily affected those with Ascendants in the last half of Gemini (16-30 Gemini).

Many changes involved or worked out through losses, shared resources, and philosophical and spiritual similarities and differences with others. To note, these lessons and new long term disciplines and abilities will begin to show as opportunities in the first half of 2013 due to Jupiter’s influence on Gemini. Life is expanding, so go for it!

Saturn was conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Cancer rising between June 2003 and July 2005. All who have Cancer rising experienced this transit. This began a new rigor, or new maturity, self-discipline, or authorship.

From June 2003 to June 2004 it primarily affected those who have the first half of Cancer (1-15 Cancer) rising. From June 2004 to July 2005, it primarily affected those with Ascendant in the last half of Cancer (16-30 Cancer).

Many changes involved or worked out through partnerships, losses, and shared resources. These major lessons and long term disciplines and abilities will yield great rewards in the last half of 2013 and the first half of 2014. As with Geminis during the first half of 2013, when Jupiter rolls across your Ascendant it’s an expanding universe, so go for it!

Saturn was conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Leo rising between mid-July 2005 through late August 2007, so all who have Leo ascendant experienced this transit. From Summer 2005 through the first half of 2006 it primarily affected those who have the first half of Leo rising. The second half of 2006 through August 2007, it primarily affected those with Ascendants in the last half of Leo.

When it went through Leo, it hit the Ascendant of many I know, myself included. Though it was a serious time of great responsibility and increased work, it helped me restructure what I needed to. I can truly say I ended a long term important work and began an equally important long term future work.

The previous time Saturn transited my rising sign was mid-1976 through mid-1978, when I became a dad and learned a whole new way of being! It was a great time of maturing appropriately, and the fact that the child had Sun in Leo made perfect sense, since they represented the responsibility of Saturn. So, for many it is not necessarily an unpleasant time, though it is heavy with responsibility.

Saturn was conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Virgo rising between early September 2007 of October 2009 and between April and July 2010. All who have Virgo rising experienced this transit. This began a new rigor, or new maturity, self-discipline, or authorship.

From September 2007 through November 2008 and March through July 2009 it primarily affected those who have the first half of Virgo (1-15 Virgo) rising. From August 2008 through October 2009, and again April through July 2010, it primarily affected those with Ascendants in the last half of Virgo (16-30 Virgo).

Sa turn was conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Libra rising between November 2009 and April 2010, and again July 2010 to October 2012. That completed a cycle that all Libra rising people began during Sep 1980-Nov 1982 and May-Aug 1983 and began a new long term path of maturity that will last until the next one begins September 2039.

From November 2009 through April 2010, and July 2010 through September 2011 Saturn primarily affected those who have the first half of Libra (1-15 Libra) rising. From December 2010 to March 2011 and September 2011 through October 2012, it primarily affected those with Ascendants in the last half of Libra (16-30 Libra).

Saturn has been conjunct the Ascendant of everyone with Scorpio rising since October 2012, and will be in that relationship through December 2014 and again from June to September 2015. This completes a cycle that all Scorpio rising people began during Dec 1982-Apr 1983 and Aug 1983-Nov 1985.

From October 2012 through November 2013 Saturn primarily affects those who have the first half of Scorpio (1-15 Scorpio) rising. From November 2013 through December 2014 and again June to September 2015, it primarily affects those with Ascendants in the last half of Scorpio (16-30 Scorpio).

Down the line, Saturn in Sagittarius will complete the self-image cycle that Sagittarius Ascendant people began Nov 1985-Feb 1988 and Jun-Nov 1988, and Saturn in Capricorn will complete the self-cycle that Capricorn Ascendant people began Mar-Jun 1988 and Nov 1988-Feb 1991.

A new self-image began for Aquarius Ascendant people during Feb 1991-Jan 1994, Pisces Ascendant people during Feb 1994-Apr 1996, Aries Ascendant people during Apr 1996-Jun 1998 and Oct 1998-Feb 1999, and Taurus Ascendant people during Jun-Oct 1998 and Feb 1999-Apr 2001.

All of you with rising signs in Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio have been through, or are going through, significant changes in your self-image since Saturn transited your Ascendant. Those of you with late Libra or Scorpio rising, take note and begin to form a workable plan to reorganize what you must, say goodbye to what you must, and get ready to say hello to the next long term chapter of your life adventure.

In Part 3 we shall examine the challenges, lessons, and possible effects when Saturn squares and opposes the planets or Ascendant.

© Copyright 2008, 2013 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[debbie]

Thank you Robert, 27' Libra ascendant beginning to see self and present self with much better values and fairness, a hard lesson but grateful to end all hypocrisy within as I have moon in libra also, and now willing to be and do accordingly through the house of mirrors.

[Robert]

Hi Debbie - This is truly a time for you to settle into the long haul. You're done with what began in the early 80s, and now can get into some form of training. Saturn on your Moon was no doubt difficult, but it does mature us and help us get clear about what we need to do and how we need to take care of ourselves, separate from any old habits or sentimentality that may have prevented that in the past. Now Saturn in your first can help you deal with magnetism, and purify whatever needs purifying in your emotional self-reference.

This life you've been paying dues, and now I believe it's over. Also remember that Pluto quintile your Asc is very favorable for seeing to the core of things, and with Jupiter moving toward the long term trine, to become exact in June just before Mars also makes that trine, indicates that you should have a grand idea you can pursue beginning late May into June and early July that can really take you places.

[debbie]

Thank you Robert

[Nancy Robinson]

When Saturn crossed my Ascendant, my Dad died. I divorced my toxic Mother. Set clear concise boundaries on what I will allow into my Auric field. Reclaimed and Restored my Childhood home, for self and my sons. Checked out on a narcissist spouse. Onto the Wounded Healer path. Self enlightenment, and awareness. Inner child and codependent healing, holistic and wholeness well - being and health. Emotional healing. Went back to school and opened up more to my beautiful gifts and talents. Started into the study and wisdom of Astrology, New Age and Indigo Children…and much much more. Was hard, yet oh so purifying!

[Leslie]

Scorpio rising 7' and Neptune 15'. I'm so confused :(

[Jan]

As a Taurus ascendant, who had to take charge of Mom and "change roles" in the summer of 1998, you are spot on. I was way-too busy then, but now in retrospect, I see it clearly. These life passages are important to note. Gracias, Roberto

[Carmen Viola]

Robert, You have two different paragraphs about Libra and have missed Capricorn....

[Robert]

Hi Leslie - "Confusion and subsequent enlightenment," to quote the I Ching. This is helping you get clear about your Neptune rising, which has always made your self image a bit amorphous and unclear. Saturn on the Neptune will bring clarity about your ideals and what type of higher life you want to BE.

Hi Carmen - No. Capricorn is in the last section where I speak of when their cycle last began. I don't include it here since Saturn won't be in Capricorn for a few years. "Saturn in Capricorn will complete the self-cycle that Capricorn Ascendant people began Mar-Jun 1988 and Nov 1988-Feb 1991."

[Amrita]

thanks for your comment re saturn on neptune. That helps me too with the emphasis, in my case, being on relationships (H7).

[Robert]

Hi Amrita - Well, I did a series a while ago about Saturn transiting everyone's Pluto on Earth today. It began with Saturn in Cancer (since there really aren't many left alive with Pluto in Gemini!) and went all the way through whenever I wrote those pieces. I may try to find them to reprint, since it indicates a long term restructuring and "facing the music" about the maturity or destructiveness of our Pluto function. Soon, everyone on Earth will (or should!) "know better".......

[Amrita]

Hi Robert; Saturn/Pluto??
I asked about Saturn/Neptune but maybe I should see your response as feedback from the universe; LOL!
Saturn through my Pluto zone, virgo, was 2007/08/09.
They were very interesting articles i seem to remember. Did you get to the Pluto in Sag generation in them? I don't remember.

[Robert]

Hi Amrita - No, since the Pluto in Sag generation was too young, and Saturn hasn't made it there yet. That group hasn't had Saturn conjunct its Pluto. That's a couple of years away. And yes, I will write an update to those articles at some point.....

[ull]

Scorpio rising 25´ this is good for me