by Robert Wilkinson
Mars conjuncted Saturn at 8:44 am PDT, 4:44 pm BST on April 2. These conjunctions occur every two years, and initiate a new set of responsibilities and activities wherever they fall in our chart. So who is most affected, and what can we expect?
As I promised in part 1, today we’ll take a look back at previous Mars-Saturn cycles and their qualities.
The 2012 conjunction happened at 25 Libra in August 2012, and the one before that happened at 1 Libra July 2010. These activated the house where they happened, and set up major themes during each two years period in all of us. These 2 conjunctions had a major effect wherever they fell in our charts, focusing Libra energies between 2010-2014.
The house where these conjunctions happen shows us where major activities and responsibilities get focused for the two years after the conjunction. Think back on the house affairs activated by the one at 1 Libra and reflect on how there were new initiatives and responsibilities in that area of your life between Summer 2010 and Summer 2012. Use the same principle to the house affairs activated by the one at 25 Libra, and see what fulfilled itself between Summer 2012 and the Summer of 2014.
The Mars-Saturn cycle that began in 2010 was a period when we learned to express a new archetype of our Being. Many were “made sacred” through a symbolic “crucifixion” that was an initiation into a vaster spiritual reality and wisdom. Many experienced “sudden awakenings” and a desire to contact and demonstrate our inner Light.
The two year Mars-Saturn cycle that began the Summer of 2012 and ended in August 2014 began at 25 Libra, promising us forms of wisdom after our intellect wearied of its games. During that span of time we did a lot of repair or reconstruction work on the social, emotional, or cultural level, and seen hidden meanings in what ended.
Those years were a period of discovering deeper wisdom after the end of things, and we experienced growth through becoming aware of basic meanings. Our imagination and inner experience gave us efficient means to assist the welfare of those in our lives through understanding the interdependence of the world and the individual.
August 2014 saw a Mars-Saturn conjunction at 18 Scorpio, promising us all new initiatives and duties in the house where it occurred between then and the next conjunction at 10 Sagittarius in August 2016. During those two years we intensified our focus and went beyond old forms, and all of us were purified and transfigured, showing us what we did well that freed us to move into the next phase of our evolution.
The period between Summer 2014 and Summer 2016 was a period when we were assisted by Nature in learning to sense “eternal and illimitable resources” to further our ideals. We fulfilled a lot, and found success in areas “of true self-interest.” We eliminated many obsolete and/or destructive things during those years, and went deeper into our faith and magnetism. That left us in a transfigured state in the Scorpio area of our life, and led to the next conjunction at 10 Sagittarius.
As I mentioned in part 1, Mars conjunct Saturn fuses the influence related to houses and planets ruled by Aries, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius. So 2010-2014 put the fusion focus in the house(s) where we had early and late Libra, while the 2014-2016 focus was in the house where we had mid-Scorpio. This changed in the Summer of 2016 with the conjunction at 10 Sagittarius.
That conjunction focused a fusion of Mars and Saturn energies in the house where we have 10 Sagittarius. The theme was “forced growth,” and if we were ambitious in the house where it happened, we’ve “won a prize.” All of us were shown something that “dramatized our ambition,” and we had to get disciplined in our pursuit of whatever we believed “success” would look like in that life area. That cycle just ended, so take a look at the house where you have 10 Sagittarius, and see how you’ve been challenged to grow or become more ambitious in some way.
This one fell at 9 Capricorn, and so marks a major renewal and rebeginning for those born in late December and early January, bringing together areas involving self-image and self-awareness, finances, resources, goals, ambitions, group work, home, family, and early memories.
It is a point of critical emergence for those born in late September and early October. This group has the focus in areas related to values and resources, home and family, play, creativity, children, and equal relationships. Expect a lot of “below the surface” action requiring self-discipline and maturity.
For those born the end of June and early July, the coming two years is a time when partnerships will be the focus, and it will bring together areas involving relationships, loss and regeneration, shared values and resources, public standing and professional flowering, as well as children, creativity, and natural enthusiasms. For those born the end of March and beginning of April, it is the fulfillment of many years of striving, and should bring professional promotions and high recognition. It brings together areas involving self-image and self-awareness, desires, regeneration, shared values and resources, and long range goals, ambitions, friendships, and group work.
Those born in late April and early May, late August and early September, late October and early November, and late February and early March will find many harmonious, productive, and stabilizing activities over the next two years in the area this conjunction falls in the chart. There will be major adjustments and expansions through sacrifices for those born in late May, early June, late July, and early August. Unique gifts will be found by those born around mid-October and mid-March, with uniquely lucky interactions for those born around mid-April and mid-September.
Of course, if you’re not born during the times of the months I just mentioned, you also are highly affected, but in different ways than what I’ve just outlined. Entire generations with outer planets in certain parts of certain signs are also profoundly affected, but to go into all possibilities would be cumbersome here.
For a brief example of generations affected by this, people born between late 1943 and mid-1946 have their Pluto quincunxed by this conjunction. People born between Sept 1961 and July 1963 have their Pluto trined by this conjunction. This Mars-Saturn conjuncts the Neptune of those born between 1986 and 1990, conjuncts the Uranus of those born between April 1989 and January 1992, and conjuncts the Pluto of those born between 2010 and 2015.
Of major importance is that it falls on the Saturn of those born January 1959 through December 1960 and November 1988 through January 1990, marking in each case the Saturn return. These groups will experience the need to “tune in” and align their lives with a more focused sense of purpose and responsibility, especially in areas where they're most fearful or rigid. This is one of the most important events in a human life, which is why I’ve devoted an entire chapter to it in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend.
So check out the house it falls in and the aspects it makes to all your planets, since even those without 9 Capricorn active can be profoundly affected. For example, while I don’t have anything in Capricorn in my chart, the conjunction falls in close square to my Sun, quincunx my Ascendant, decile my Moon, tredecile my Mercury, trine my Venus, quintile my Jupiter, biseptile my Saturn, opposed my Uranus, binovile my Neptune, and biquintile my Pluto. These indicate which parts of my life will be affected, and how.
It’s safe to say that everyone on Earth will be affected in important ways via the house in which it falls and the houses Mars and Saturn rule in your charts. And it seems that we’ll all wind up being challenged to attune to our invisible helpers that will yield techniques of personal power in social and cultural areas these next two years. And away we go!
© Copyright 2018 Robert Wilkinson
Great information. thanks for sharing this.
Posted by: vishnu | April 06, 2018 at 02:01 AM
Thanks Robert!
Blessings be to all.
Posted by: Nic | April 06, 2018 at 11:37 AM