Saturn retrograde 2010
Saturn goes retrograde every year for a period of approximately four and half months. This year we see Saturn go retrograde on the 14th January at 4 degrees Libra until the 31st May when it returns back to 27 degrees Virgo, stations and goes in direct mode once again. So the shadow of Saturn retrograde began on the 10th October 2009 when it was last at 27 degrees of Virgo. We will not be out of the woods with this retro energy until Saturn returns to 4 degrees Libra on the 6th September, which is when we will be able to clearly understand the whole process. As Saturn backtracks into Virgo to the 27th degree we are given an opportunity to revisit and rehash decisions or to redefine our goals made during this period, and to finish any leftover business in Virgo we thought we may have gotten away with. We may feel (if we ignored our signals along the way) hampered, hindered, squashed, depressed or any limiting kind of emotion depending on our circumstances which can be gleaned through the study of ones personal horoscope to see where Saturn resides and is now transiting.
Saturns job is to help us grow by placing obstacles or tests in our path to give us the necessary tension in our lives to motivate us towards consciousness on our journey. Saturn is known as the task master, our karmic teacher. Depending on the challenges in our birth charts with Saturn will determine the difficulties we face. If at present time we have an abundance of cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) in early degrees we will be feeling very pressured by Saturns need to restructure the areas of our lives which are out of sync. A good reminder is to know that Saturn does not annihilate for the sake of it, Saturn only ends, makes difficult that which we cling to (often times our childishness) which has outworn its purpose in our lives. On the other hand if we have done our homework and have been diligent with our lives Saturn can be very rewarding and allow us to structure and make permanent in our lives that which has meaning and longevity. Saturn rules maturity and that which upholds time so if our lives are rich with integrity and positive attitudes we can be sure Saturn will richly reward us. Saturn will let his presence be known through relationship/ self and others, career/public image and home/family.
Around the 14th January we may experience something which gives us a clue as to what the next 9 months is about, (gestation period for the unconscious to do its work) that is when Saturn stations to go retro, so we need to stay alert to our feelings at that time so as not to allow the serious attitude of Saturn to overwhelm us, then we will slowly go through an internal process of readjusting our needs accordingly. On the 22nd March Saturn and the Sun oppose each other in the geometry of the cosmos giving us a window to glean what this valuable time has in meaning for us. Whatever unconscious material surfaces will be timely for the conscious to deal with, remember the unconscious never throws information at us which we cannot deal with. Important time considering it is the vernal equinox. Once we gather ourselves and readjust our plans and lives we move towards the station direct time for Saturn on the 31st May when the energy again explodes outwards again with a sense of urgency. We have had enough time to adjust to the demands of the unconscious and adapt to the necessary changes with resignation and maturity. Any outmoded behaviours, plans or attitudes we cling to will eventually erode away but will leave in their wake a rigidity of mind and body which can only undermine the life process and our health.
Having Saturn transit through Libra is not necessarily a tough one because Saturn is exalted in Libra which means he is very at home there and the ruler of Libra being Venus has an understanding with Saturn. This means that while Saturn is slowly eroding and redefining the value system of which ever area of our natal chart it is visiting Venus is not going to complain too much. The only real pain with Saturn in Libra is self induced through lack of confrontation and compromise with self and others leading to an existential loneliness. Libra (Venus) rules all things to do with what we value around justice and relationship, the equality we encounter in our worlds and how we choose to balance these needs. In another way it rules how we spend our money on things which have long term meaning and value, not just our everyday whims and needs etc. This is the intellectual side of Venus which encourages us to value systems, continuity and most importantly right relationship with ourselves primarily and those we have contact with, once we get past the need to be superficially approved of by our community we can move on to the deeper values which Venus represents and that is the sacred bond we create through our public contracts, marriage, business and anything which binds us to others. Here we can see how enemies can be created and with Saturn visiting Libra we could discover who our secret enemies really are, including our inner ones.
By the time early September arrives we can sure we will have been through the slow alchemical process which Saturn is very good with and we will be either better for it or perhaps a bit more bitter the choice is ours stagnation or growth, imagine it like the cosmic gardener pruning our dead wood to encourage new growth....
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