The Sun is square Mars, from 5+ Scorpio to 5+ Leo. Saturn is on the brink of Libra; it will enter Libra tomorrow, and again on July 21 before staying for the full 30 months. So while this is not the ‘permanent’ ingress, it’s one of just two times Saturn will walk past the Libra cardinal point in direct motion. The combination of a hot Sun-Mars aspect at the same time Saturn is on the brink feels like getting pushed over a cliff and hoping you can fly. There is something here about being your hottest, most raging self at the same time as you are trusting that you are grounded in your relationships. This is all about trust, in a daring, high-energy moment. It is not necessary to live your life as a religion based on your fears.
The Sun is conjunct Ceres, the minor planet that stands in for Mother Earth: she addresses nutrition, mothering, what mothers go through and what painful psychological material they convey to their daughters in particular; but also to their sons. Sun-Ceres also tells us about mother’s relationship to father, and in Scorpio, the sexual relationship of mother to father.
Ceres is a planet worth watching in an age where food is such a focus (from the whole supersize thing to mad cow to food lacking nutrients to why so many are so fat to why so many are anorexic to why food is used by many as a substitute for sex or to suppress grief). Ceres is vital in understanding the complex nexus of material that connects mothers and daughters — perhaps the relationship in society most urgently in need of investigation. Any woman wondering why she is not free would do well to look to her relationship with her mother, and her Ceres placement, for more information.
Let’s stick to Saturn today and trace the story over the past 14 years, since this is now the halfway point of Saturn’s trip through the signs. See if you can follow the progressions of your life. In case you’re thinking, “I don’t know enough astrology,” this is exactly how you learn the stuff. At lunch, print this list and take a survey of a couple of coworkers and ask them if the dates mean anything. Then you’re really being an astrology detective.
Saturn entered Aries on April 7, 1996 (one ingress. It returns to Aries in May of 2025). Saturn on the Aries Point is the beginning of a long cycle of history. Note, many cycles run concurrently.
Saturn entered Taurus on June 9, 1998 and on Feb. 28, 1999. Saturn was in Taurus for the grand cross/total solar eclipse of Aug. 1999 and the Clinton impeachment. This was the Neocon revolution going into overdrive. Saturn in Taurus is about values. We ran into serious issues with values at this time and have not really recovered.
Saturn entered Gemini on Aug. 9, 2000. and again on April 21, 2001. Saturn was in Gemini for the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and was indeed opposite Pluto for that event. That was the Saturn-Pluto opposition of 2001-2002. When you think of Saturn in Gemini, think Saturn = structure, Gemini = twins, opposite Pluto = something happens propagated by fundamentalism (including fundamentalist conservatism) = Sept. 11 2001.
Saturn entered Cancer on June 2, 2003. This was a one-time ingress. It was in Cancer for the re-erection of George Bush and Dick Cheney, conjunct many planets in Bush’s chart and square many of his planets in Libra. (Personally, Saturn crossed my ascendant and I moved to Europe for nearly four years.)
Saturn entered Leo on July 16, 2005. This was a one-time ingress. Saturn in Leo is exactly opposite Chiron in Aquarius at the time of the ingress. Neptune is also in Aquarius, and the Saturn-Neptune opposition that summer is the astrology we think of when Hurricane Katrina comes to mind. For some very strange reason, Saturn in Leo is associated with dams bursting. Michele, my assistant in Paris at the time, researched this like a lunatic, finally she came up for air and announced: When Saturn is in Leo, burst. We got half a lick of credit for predicting Katrina and the levees in New Orleans, from that.
Saturn entered Virgo on Sept. 7, 2007. This was a one-time ingress. While in Virgo, Saturn makes a series of oppositions to Uranus in Pisces; this is the banking crisis.
Saturn enters Libra on Oct. 29 and July 11. In the process it makes a square to Pluto – the first of three squares to Pluto is exact Nov. 15 [corrected – I originally said the 17th]. If you notice from this list, something happens every time that Saturn aspects an outer planet, but the odd thing is, it seems to be manipulated. Most of those turning points are what you might call manmade. But except for man himself, what is not?
Saturn leaves Libra and enters Scorpio on Oct. 5, 2012, where it will be for the infamous by presumed reputation winter solstice of 2012. This is a one time ingress.
Thank you Len,
This is my first Saturn return. And this whole year has been about aligning with my true values, so you do have a point. The hard part could be over. It does sort of feel like my birthday, hehe.
Sephyrus,
If i may offer a beginning of a response – please don’t be coming from a place of fear. You may very well end up feeling like the luckiest person in the world when all is said and done. Tell, me – is this your first or second Saturn return?
I’m pretty new at this and am doing my best to soak up all of this AMAZING information. I’ve had quite a bit happen on this timeline so I checked my chart to see if I could ‘peek’ into what I can expect this time. I have Libra in the 9th house along with Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. The intuitive response I have is: holy crap, what am I in for? I’ve always taken the hard road but made it fun. Is this just an extension of that? Any feedback is lovingly appreciated.
Patty and Len (and all the others who want a public option)
Found this on another site and thought you would want to know about it. Think you will appreciate it Patty, and Len, thanks for the additional astro bodies listed. That Apophis was a real bad snake you know. Glad he’s gonna miss us! I’m personally crediting finding the link below to the Sun/Ceres conjunction and my north node! (What’s happened to the listing of planet positions on PW?)
Harry Reid is asking for signatures on a petition for health insurance reform with a public option..
http://harryreid.com/ee/index.php/publicoption
MUST DO if you want this
be
Hm, yeah, some of these do have stuff attached to them.
For Saturn in Taurus, my relationship with the man I would eventually marry took a turn toward seriousness (Summer ’98). We got married in Fall ’99. Toward the end of Taurus, my values did change drastically. I’ve posted previously about having to start questioning my political leanings. I’d been a registered voter for 20 years at that point, but the 2000 election was the first time I’d ever voted for a Democrat.
When Saturn moved into Gemini, it was work stuff going on. (My ASC is Gemini.) That spring, the company I’d been working at since the end of ’94 was deep into a merger, things in the executive offices (I’m an executive assistant) were getting ugly and political, and all of us at that location were nervous about our jobs. We were the corporate HQ of the company that got bought out, so about half the jobs at that office were redundant. In March 2001, I’d run across an ad online for a likely new job – but it was a lateral move rather than a promotion and I was hemming and hawing about whether I really wanted to make the effort to change jobs. I decided to go for it, and I started my new job right after Memorial Day that year. Six weeks later, I heard my position at the old company had been eliminated. I’m still working at the “new” job today.
And then, Saturn entering Virgo in 2007. Damn if the old devil didn’t stand me up on my feet, throw me down to the ground, then help me sit back up and get my wits about me. When you’re ready for Libra sun feedback on the annual edition, I’d be glad to share more about this.
I’m actually really, really excited for Saturn to get out of Virgo (I want to throw a party, but none of my friends would get it). I just have a feeling that good things are on the way. Though this could be because I spent the last two years with it opposing my Sun. The energy feels, heavy, big – as Eric put it like “I’m getting pushed off a cliff.” But, I feel that my wings are attached and I can fly. Though I have been suspiciously watching the exposed water pipes in my bedroom. 😉
I have been feeling dithery because I’m just plain flat-out scared of Saturn at 0 Libra (my Sun). Last time I ended up hospitalized twice, suicidally depressed once and near-fatal miscarriage second. Healthy and steady enough now, as for years, but I keep asking this fear: “Why am I anticipating having to learn how to deal with being punished and humiliated?” The question isn’t even all that interesting in itself anymore. What the hell is a sane way to encounter Saturn? Ideas? (Asking on deadline, of course.)
Once I did a ritual with a mock trial. The Sun, Libra, was the judge, and Saturn was the defendant. He was sentenced to stop smashing the others and start using his talents more constructively. The other Libra and air planets asked: Why are you the one who is always considered “real” and “mature” and “whole” and we’re always shallow and silly and careless and self-indulgent and wrong?
This was not really a “mature” way to encounter Saturn, but I think it did get him off my back for a while.
First – good interpretations, Patty, you are becoming an astrologer par excellence!
Second – There’s a lot here in Eric’s blog today. Please bear with me as i add what i hope will be worthwhile. Let’s start with the word “conflation” and allow poetic license for its interpretation.
Next, let’s look at some other minor planets:
(1) Also at 5 degrees Scorp the asteroid Hybris (another way of saying hubris) AND the near-earth asteroid Apophis (think back to 2004, when Saturn was in Cancer, Apophis was raising concern as a hazard to strike the Earth in 2029 or 2036 – since then its path has been re-calculated and it should miss us by a wide margin).
(2) Also at 5 degrees Leo, the asteroid Hopi, which was conjunct the Great Attractor fsquaring the Virgo Lunar eclipse of March, 2007, just before Saturn entered Virgo. Also, the Hopi tribe apparently have their own myth 12-21-2002 don’t they?
Next, my ephemeral information shows the Sun-Ceres conjunct will exact overnight tomorrow or early Friday (picky, picky, but still nearly concurrent the Saturn ingress).
Next, at 5 degrees Cancer (trine Sun) is the asteroid Kronos (known by the Romans as, you guessed it, Saturn).
Next at 5 degrees Sag (trine Mars) is the asteroid Narcissus. You may recall the mythology that Juno fell in love with him but he was too in love with him but he was too into himself to notice. That girl could not BUY a break!
Finally, for another take on Sun square Mars, check out what happend in Pakistan soon after our Secretary of State arrived there for a visit.
Oh yeah, the Sun-Moon trine earlier today.
Please employ conflation and help me connect the dots, folks.
“(Personally, Saturn crossed my ascendant and I moved to Europe for nearly four years.)”
Eric – that Saturn moving into Cancer also sent me traveling. In June 2003, when Saturn entered Cancer it passed over my North Node at 00 degree Cancer and 2 months later I moved to Egypt to live for almost 6 months then spent another 3 months traveling through Europe.
my husband lost his health and job when saturn was in Aries. It was a stressful time for us financially, but I got promoted and it made up quite a lot for the loss of income (I am Pisces but with saturn in Virgo). I had to work hard though, and I seem to be repeating that scene right now. My husband’s job loss was manipulated too, because a boss was so jealous of him and all the attention he had received the previous 3/4 years. He is Aries rising so the attention would have come at the Capricorn ingress of saturn. It was all for the best in the end, although I am still mad about the loss of what would have been a more comfortable retirement. Perhaps Libra will put him back on track for the coming year. As I recall, the last Saturn Libra included a job change for him that was also a good move at the time. The 1978 Saturn in Virgo included th ebirth of my son. he’s a worrywart.