by Robert Wilkinson
About 4 am PST February 23, 2025, Saturn leaves its “Shadow Zone” and moves into the future. What does this mean?
First, for those who don’t know the term, a planet’s “Shadow Zone” is the span of degrees between the point it goes stationary retrograde back to where it goes stationary direct. When a planet which was retrograde goes direct, it moves across the same span of degrees it did when retrograde, and then a third time when direct again. That is the Shadow Zone.
Saturn went SRX at 20 Pisces in late June 2023, and retrograded back to 13 Pisces, where it went direct in mid-November 2024. It’s now in forward motion and is leaving the boundary of its shadow zone at 20 Pisces. As Saturn, our "Spiritual Master and Spiritual Friend” who teaches us the virtues of Self-mastery is now speeding up, we can expect all things related to Saturn to speed up as well for the next few months.
We now have been through the span from 13-20 Pisces three times since late March 2024, so have learned lessons of responsibility and maturity wherever this span is in our charts. Planets we’ve had in that span of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces have been put under pressure of needed change, with planets in Pisces seeing finality in that planet’s expression. Planets we’ve had in that span of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, and Capricorn have been going through productive development.
Saturn moves through its “unknown zone” between 21 Pisces and its SRX degree at 2 Aries in mid-July, and then retrogrades back to 26 Pisces, where it goes SD in late November. It then moves forward through its next shadow zone of 26 Pisces-2 Aries from December 2025 to early March 2026 when it moves into its next unknown zone in Aries.
Because Saturn brings structure or long term manifestation to whatever it touches, it is particularly powerful when transiting over previous conjunctions and Jupiter spans. Jupiter offers, Saturn makes real to the degree it’s possible.
This transit of Saturn through the last 5 degrees of Pisces and first degree of Aries will accompany crystallized forms of whatever Jupiter promised when it moved through that degree span in 2022, which was directly related to Jupiter’s previous transit of Pisces in 2010, when it made three conjunctions with Uranus in late Pisces and early Aries. This transit of Saturn is the first to either of those Jupiter transits, so it will crystallize elements of both periods, specifically the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction themes.
Jupiter was in the last face of Pisces and beginning of Aries beginning May 2010, where it conjuncted Uranus at 1 Aries in early June. Uranus went SRX at 1 Aries in early July, and Jupiter went SRX at 4 Aries in late July.
Jupiter then retrograded back into Pisces and conjuncted Uranus in late September at 29 Pisces. Jupiter went SD at 24 Pisces in mid-November and Uranus went SD in early December at 27 Pisces. Jupiter then conjuncted Uranus at 28 Pisces in January 2011.
From 2010 to Jupiter’s next transit of Pisces, Saturn moved from Libra to Aquarius so it never transited those conjunction points. Jupiter was next in late Pisces and 1 Aries between mid-April and mid-May 2022, and October through December 2022. During that time Jupiter conjuncted Neptune in April at 24 Pisces.
That means between now and when Saturn leaves this next shadow zone in March 2026, Saturn will “make real” what was promised by the Jup/Nep cycle at 24 Pisces, the Jup/Uranus cycles at 28 and 29 Pisces, and the Jup/Uranus cycle at 1 Aries. Each of these Jupiter cycles have been in play for quite a while, and Saturn will now a) bring an end to it, b) re-structure it, or c) bring us skills and understanding about it.
Whether doing preliminary releases and presiding over endings in Pisces, or doing preliminary “masonic work” on future structures to be embraced in Aries, expect some heavy endings over the rest of this year. Just take heart that every ending is followed by a new beginning, and there is no void which Nature will not fill with life contents perfect for where we’re at right now!
As Saturn leaves its Shadow Zone, it now can bring us a sense of authorship based in the courage and focused will power we’ve been practicing since November. We’ve all gotten what we need to nourish us, and now can move through a final set of lessons around compassion, forgiveness, and allowing things and people and ideas and attitudes to flow down the timestream.”
During the time Saturn is direct between now and July, it’ll be conjuncted by Mercury at 21 Pisces on February 25, followed by the Sun at 23 Pisces on March 12. Many will realize in this next year that’s they’re living on a different level of spiritual awareness than in the past, with some manifesting subtle powers they never knew they had.
During the weeks ahead, we have a very favorable trine from Mars to Saturn through mid-April, and a very favorable sextile from Saturn to Uranus through February 2026. And after Jupiter squares Saturn from 1 Cancer to 1 Aries in June, Jupiter then moves to a “fateful” biseptile to Saturn in the first half of August, with serendipity in the air when Jupiter makes a tredecile to Saturn late August and early September as they approach their trine in October, November, and December.
So enjoy the new territory Saturn is leading us into, which should help us understand what has come to an end, with new beginnings just around the corner. Still, as Saturn has a bit of time left in Pisces, use the lessons of the Spring to do what must be done so that you can make a clean sweep later this year. Show courage, empathy, compassion, forgiveness, and allow many things to flow down the timestream without mention.
Saturn in Pisces ruled by Jupiter in Gemini from now through May encourages us to explore all which calls our curiosity while leaving the ghosts of the past behind. Pay attention to what you need to hear as well as share with others. Jupiter is still moving through its own shadow zone through early May, and so is now in its third pass, giving us the ability to show we’ve mastered the lessons related to however we’ve integrated our personalities since the Autumn to find a new synthesized approach to communicating without and within.
When Saturn enters Aries, it’ll be ruled by Mars. Mars will be in Leo, Virgo, and Libra when Saturn is in Aries during June, July, and August. Then Saturn’s back in Pisces, but Jupiter will have moved into Cancer, giving Saturn an entirely different backdrop than it had when Jupiter was in Gemini.
Pisces/Gemini gives way to Aries/Leo, Aries/Virgo, and Aries/Libra which gives way to Pisces/Cancer for the last 4 months of the year. Saturn’s lessons are far more varied this year than the past 7+ years! And given the planetary spread, we’ll all be experiencing a lot in the houses where we have Pisces, Aries, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, and Libra these next 7 months.
Saturn Stationary Retrograde in June 2024 at 20 Pisces – Preparing for the Feast
Evolutionary Astrology in Autumn 2024 - Saturn Stationary Direct at 13 Pisces Pt. 2
Copyright © 2025 Robert Wilkinson
I am showing the retrograde degree for Saturn as 19* 25’ 41” … February 18th would have been the day.. at 07:25 cst.
Posted by: Jrecamier | February 24, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Yes, Saturn went SRX at 20 Pisces in June, and is now passing into 21 Pisces at the time I stipulated.
Astrologically you have made a distinction without a difference when it comes to exact degrees. 19 Pisces 00' 01" to 20 Pisces 00' 00' is 20 Pisces, where it went SRX. Saturn has been on its SRX degree since Feb 14. It will move past its SRX degree on Feb 23.
Also, you left a comment some time back which libeled a great man with an accusation you have no evidence for whatsoever. I tried to email you or contact you but you do not allow that. I could not permit your unsubstantiated ugly accusation to be published. You offered no proof that what you said was true, while my research found what you posted is untrue in an egregious way.
So at this point I will tell you that unless I have a way of communicating with you, this will be the last comment you post here. I do not allow people to do hit and run troll comments in my world. You don't get to make accusations without allowing a rebuttal. If you have something to say, then you must allow a two way communication.
Posted by: Robert | February 24, 2025 at 01:14 PM