Saturn Transits Part 3 - How Do Saturn Squares and Oppositions Affect Us?

by Robert Wilkinson

In the first two parts of this series, we explored what Saturn conjunctions bring and which signs and age groups have been most affected by Saturn's "destiny shaping" quality over the past 12 years. Today we'll explore how the squares and oppositions fit into a larger pattern set into motion at the conjunction to the Ascendant.

Any Saturn conjunction ends a long term cycle, and initiates a new one. It takes Saturn about 29 years to move from a conjunction with a point or planet through the various aspects (angular relationships) from the conjunction to the opposition, then back through the aspects to another conjunction with that same point or planet.

The first half of the cycle builds whatever the cycle set into motion at the conjunction was about, while the second half of the cycle fulfills and releases whatever the seed of the conjunction held. Regard the entire cycle of aspects as a sequence of "pulses," with different requirements at different times of the cycle.

After Saturn crosses our Ascendant, or Rising Sign Cusp, it begins to crystalize elements of the coming long term cycle. As Saturn moves into and occupies our different houses, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on, those parts of our life are restructured into our larger organic wholeness, and we are able to mature in our approach to a longer, more important life evolution.

The Waxing square, or emergent (lower) square happens about 7 years after the conjunction, offering us new grounding and an opportunity to correct what we need to of our self-image, new instincts, rigor, or discipline that began at the conjunction. It challenges us to take responsibility for what our foundations are, or need to become.

It often accompanies the need to revise our memories of the past and cut loose of those that keep us chained to obsolete rules, fears, and sense of duty or restriction. This is a very important time, since "as the roots, so the flowers."

Saturn's lower square to the planets represent a shift in how those energies are to be used responsibly. It marks a reality check on how you are or are not authentically living your new form of experience that started when Saturn conjuncted that planet.

Saturn waxing square any planet is a chance for you to change that planetary response to something more appropriate to your evolved self. It also marks a point of "critical emergence" of that planetary function, either with expertise or a sense of blockage.

Saturn's opposition to our Ascendant happens about 14-15 years after the conjunction, and indicates a time when the world responds to that self-definition in some clear ways. At that point, things are surfacing that will affect our lives for years to come, requiring that we leave other things behind and become a true equal in our relationship to our world and the other people in our life.

Saturn opposing our Ascendant shows a need to get beyond controlling or being controlled in relationship, or blaming others for limitations. It begins a period of getting clear about boundaries and finding a sense of maturity along with a sense of needing others who are more mature. By the opposition we've been prepared for a greater effectiveness, and this point ushers in approximately 14 years of fulfilling the promise of what began at the conjunction.

When Saturn opposes a planet, it also indicates a surfacing of something that planet symbolizes. However, it also frequently is accompanied by oppositions in your life teaching you how to make progress despite feeling like there's a huge drag on the line of whatever that planet represents.

When confronted by oppositions from Saturn, examine if what you're dealing with, or struggling with, is really your duty, limitation, fear or responsibility, or if these are coming from another. Either way you'll define your purpose more clearly and get ready to bring thing to culmination over the next 7 years.

The Waning square, or culminative (upper) square happens about 21-22 years after the conjunction, and brings the fulfillment of our labor at redefining our purpose on our own terms relative to the world we're in. Sometimes it brings widespread recognition and power, or greater influence, if these were our intention and purpose and we did what we had to do to embrace that responsibility. It is a time to be a wise administrator, preparing to turn inward after the harvest time that follows this culmination.

Saturn upper square a planet shows that the process of growth started about 22 years before has now reached an apex, and the challenge here is to know how to turn with the changing emphasis. It is a time to move away from exhibiting those old planetary traits and embrace new ones more appropriate to your advanced evolution after over 2 decades of growth and taking responsibility for that planetary function within you.

To sum up, Saturn transits help us deepen, mature, and reshape what we need to in order to become a better citizen of our world. Saturn transits help us redefine ourselves, our purpose, our duties, and our fears.

After Saturn touches a part of our being, we are to some degree more serious or clear-minded, whether pessimistically or optimistically. We are definitely more sober about whatever it is that is symbolized by what Saturn conjuncts. As I said earlier in this series, Saturn teaches us what we can live with or cannot, in terms of what the planets symbolize in our lives, whether people, purpose, or process.

In esoteric philosophy, Saturn symbolizes chains and bondage, but also liberation from everything we no longer want nor need. "Dominion and Slavery" are the duality of Saturn's function. Either we choose to live with the traps of perceptual half-truths based in desire, fear, and duality, or we choose to accept our ability to exercise dominion over our lower self, living on the basis of our Higher Self, which is the seat of our authority over the world of form limited only by our dharma, or "true function," also symbolized by Saturn.

To quote the great Arhat Paul Foster Case,

Right interpretation of the necessity for limitation in any form of manifested existence is the secret of dominion. Wrong interpretation of the same thing is the cause of our slavery to conditions. The clue to the right understanding is the aphorism, 'He who would rule Nature must first obey her laws.'

Saturn shows us how and when we must take responsibility for being an Eternal Spirit occupying a body with feelings and ideas. Saturn teaches humanity how to be patient, persevering, mature, and achieve a well-rounded perspective that is fair, balanced, and reasoned out.

Saturn is our mentor helping us to demonstrate skill and authority despite the boundaries and limitations of any given thing or situation. Saturn is the "Ring-Pass-Not" whose lessons we must learn in order to grow beyond fear.

Here are links to the first two articles in this series:

Astrology Class on Saturn Transits Pt. 1 - What Happens when it Conjuncts the Ascendant or a Planet?

Saturn Transits Part 2 - The Saturn Conjunction Effect On Different Groups and Generations

© Copyright 2008, 2013 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Ilse]

Thanks for the insights; Saturn is going to square my Aquarius Sun the end of october. Fortunately it is just a single hit :-)

[Lainie]

Thank you, this is helpful. Saturn is transiting/stationing right on my north node and setting off my natal uranus/chiron/nodes square. Challenging, to say the least. It's hard not to feel locked in the square, yet as if I should be doing some major destiny-following - if I only knew what to do.

[lea]

Thank you, this is very timely for me as saturn was conjunct my scorpio ascendant late last year and will be again 2 more times this year. I knew it had to be significant, but most things I've read about the transit are pretty negative. This is a very good explanation. :-)

[Robert]

Hi Ilse - Yes, but you already began to prepare for that event last Jan-Feb, when Saturn hit its station near the square. So really you've already been going through the experience since then. In Oct it will make a waning (upper) square, so you will experience it's public influence for quite a while. The square will mark the point of emergence from the solar 9th to 10th. Saturn in the solar 10th is a very powerful influence that lasts for a long time. And as it moves further into Scorpio, your Sun will experience the binovile, quintile, and sextile, so enjoy the ride!!

Hi Lainie - Saturn on the NN crystallizes a long wave cycle of development. Squares challenges us to integrate the energies by using the voids. So use Sat conj NN to turn the corner on your old Uranus/Chiron function, and use the void energies as a balance to get the square into productive integration.

Hi lea - Thanks. Most traditional interpretations of Saturn transits are stuck in some weird superstitious approach to astrology. These mostly come from other centuries when people were ignorant of the potential of becoming the embodiment of a positive Saturn function.

While it can be difficult, it's really only so to the degree that we refuse to take responsibility, resist taking on a new rigor or learning, refuse to become a more responsible, patient, and mature personality, or play to our slavery rather than our dominion over our material creation.

[Ilse]

Thank you Robert for your kind reply! Yes, I do feel the effect of Saturn since my birthday. Saturn is a challenge as always. Nevertheless, I try to work with his energy instead of fearing his influence. In that respect your lectures are of great help!

[Roo]

Hello Robert thank you for these timely articles.All in 4th house scorpio I have NN conj IC at 2,Uranus 7,Mercury 11,Sun 12 and Mars 18 squaring Saturn conj Asc at 17 Leo.Natally Sat also trine Moon in 9th and Venus and Nep in 5th and sextile Pluto in 3rd.Phew! feeling stuck,lost,fearful,depressed.Whole life needs sorting out and don't know where or how to begin.I don't normally post but any advice/wisdom at this time would be most gratefully received.
Many Thanks in anticipation from a long-time reader.

[Aelk]

love it!

[debbie]

Thank you Robert and even though I wouldn't say I am looking forward to the RX that will trigger much in my chart and would dearly love a break from his influence a little, I had the final square before natal conjunction at 29 Libra and I am quite enthusiastic to make sure I have honoured the lessons and also as I would dearly love a good and honourable reality to come into being in my 7th house as he goes through my 1st testing through opposition, he will oppose natal Venus in 7th at 15' Taurus thus a new life partner possibility also. I know I need to ensure I am as honourable and good in reality in order to see that in my 7th or a partner and embrace the opportunity. I can honestly say I no longer fear saturn, yet I am aware and accepting of his formidable and respect commanding reverence. Thank you

[Nancy Robinson]

For-Maat came to mind after reading. A graphic designer here..Took time out to use imagination, dream, envision. Thanks for the insights, food for much thought.

[Heather Rodgers]

Interesting. I realized during saturn conjoined AC that my marriage was never going to work. I finally mustered up enough courage to leave him 7 years during saturn square AC. Saturn will oppose AC next year and I can't wait to see what happens. Hopefully, it will be a happy, stable marriage. :)

[Heather Rodgers]

I would like to add, when I left my husband and fought hard for custody, saturn was conjunct sun, mercury and mars in 4th house. That was a very tough time. Worth it though and I am thankful saturn transits to my personal planets are long behind me.

[Lazyveggie]

Is there difference in interpretation if nataly Saturn is in opposition/square to the ascendant?

[Robert]

Hi Ilse - You're most welcome. It's always interesting to note Saturn's position in the Solar Return chart, as well as the transits since then. I believe that as we learn to appreciate living Saturn's virtues, we grow into mastery of our lives. Glad my take on things makes sense and contributes to a greater willingness to embrace Saturn rather than fear it.

Hi Roo - Sounds like you're doing some long term restructuring of your foundations. Whatever you saw you needed to do back at the Saturn return is now hit a turning point, which happens to coincide with long term endings of your Scorpio foundations and memories of the past, both this life as well as prior ones, given how many points are being subjected to Saturn's influence. Stuck is only the result of not moving. Fearful is only the result of falling into a useless illusion. Depressed is only the result of not allowing something to surface.

Sorting out begins with looking at long term and short term patterns. What did you choose and when did you choose it? Why did you choose it and has it served its purpose? How are you enslaved by unproductive patterns, whether physical, emotional, or mental? Do you have a regular discipline for stilling the monkey mind and the 5 senses and going into deep connection with "All-That-Is?" Are your meditations and contemplations and speech serving your best, higher interest and Self or not?

I've discussed the antidotes for attachment, aversion, illusion, and the mind suffering its own suffering many times on this site. Please check out what I've said about these using the site google box. It may help you see what tools you have to sort things out and get oriented toward integrating your personality so it's a useful vehicle for doing your highest, best interests. Start with seeing unproductive patterns and stop them. Start living more productive patterns as YOU determine this, as long as they ARE productive patterns. Sort out which are and which aren't, and reprogram your mind toward a more positive intention, which is within your power to realize and apply.

Hi Aelk - Gear fab!

Hi debbie - You're most welcome. A retrograde can bring us interesting returns if we're open to seeing things through different eyes of understanding. Sometimes connecting the dots can help us see where what's been relates to now, and how we can turn the spaceship of our consciousness and existence toward better ways and days.

I've also been under a lot of Saturn conjunctions and oppositions for several years now. Much of "honoring the lessons" is found through the old saw, "the reward of patience is patience." That's true of all the Saturn virtues. "The reward of responsibility is response-ability, aka the ability to respond." Saturn angles to Venus usually clean out people and things that no longer express our evolved way of living our Venus function that has come forth since the last conjunction, square, or opposition. But it also makes everyone and every thing in our lives more meaningful.

Hi Nancy Robinson - Glad it opened some doors!

Hi Heather Rodgers - Yes, that would be a typical realization! Sorry that things had to end, but if the other is not a friend who we could grow with, live with, care with, love with, and play with, then it's best to close that chapter. After we take some time to do self-reflection and still the echoes of past patterns, as well as train our mind and feelings to identify more helpful ones for the future, we will inevitably attract another who could be a friend with these traits to the degree we are clear about them.

Saturn in the 7th matures our relationships, and compels us to accept that we cannot and should not be controlling in relationships, nor be controlled. When we get beyond the fear and control push and pull that often comes up with Saturn in the 7th, then we can be ourselves and the others can be themselves and we relate as mature equals rather than projections of the subconscious mind.

Glad you did what you felt you had to do to be the maturity and authorship of your Light, Mind, and Effort during the custody fight. Saturn on the Sun is never an easy time, but we do see what we can live with and what we can't, and what we must do in order to break free of the chains of mental slavery. It definitely teaches us persistence and determination to carry things through to the end, whatever that means. When Saturn touches a planet, welcome to your bottom line issues!!

Hi Lazyveggie - Please reference what I just wrote above about Saturn in or near the 7th. In the natal chart, the aspects to the Ascendant indicate those parts of us that are in harmony with or challenging to our self-image, or the lessons we'll go through involving those planets will resonate with our self-image one way and another. So yes, the natal aspects show in significantly different ways than the transits, though through the transits we come to understand how well integrated our natal aspects are, or not.

For everyone, here's a fundamental of astrological analysis: The natal planets are the tendencies we were born with, showing us what we were and weren't in past lives, as well as what we came here to learn and manifest. The progressions show how these natal tendencies have evolved. They are not as strong as the natal patterns, but we can learn through progressions to evolve how we demonstrate our natal tendencies. The transits show us the gestalt of the moment, the dance of the various "forces above" as they resonate via various harmonic relationships with those "forces below" that reside within us. And I'll re-post this as a short article in the near future.

[Nic]

Brilliant and enlightening!

[Amrita]

What a great comment stream! I got so much out of everyone's comments and Robert, your responses to each really helped me a lot and your comment; "Depressed is only the result of not allowing something to surface", was perfect for these ears right now.
And I love " Stuck is only the result of not moving" - very Zen - beautiful! Thanks for everything.

[Janell]

Robert, not being too familiar with astrology, I can only follow your paper to some degree. But there have been strange behavioral issues in both humans and animals around me, & weather, some one has suggested may have to do with Saturn's current alignment. A father-adult son confrontation resulted in near fisticuffs on 5/3 (this is not normal). On & since approximately 5/1 my horse, typically the "alpha" mare among 3 has become a submissive & the mare typically submissive has become "alpha" and aggressive/confrontational. Some much so that a fight bite caused mine to need stitches. Now there is a rain pattern that is moving more slowly that I've ever seen, creeping eastward in 18 hours what would normal happen in 1-2 hours. I'm hoping it is the planets and life will soon return to "normal". Could these issues be related to Saturn or perhaps any other celestial occurance?