Saturn Transits – Somebody Threw Up on My Sandal (and other Humbling Experiences)
September 23, 2009 by cafeastro
Filed under Annie's Blog
I went to a concert last night, and as I was leaving, somebody threw up on my foot. As we were getting ready to go to the concert, I wanted to wear one of my daughter’s pairs of sandals, and she had expressed that she would be too worried that they would get damaged. I had told her that it was highly unlikely, but I chose another pair anyhow. The sinks in the bathrooms at the Bell Center really are not a good height for cleaning up vomit on a foot. I had a pair of spare shoes in the trunk of my car up until yesterday afternoon, when I (unfortunately) decided they really didn’t need to be there.
I had been explaining to my kids a little about Saturn transits before this happened. This was prompted by a series of problems that I have been encountering in the last week, the worst of which occurred on my birthday on Friday. Saturn was almost exactly on my Sun, along with the New Moon (and the opposition from Uranus). That one I am not even going to touch, but suffice it to say, it was a very humbling (“character building”) experience. Actually, I was using a simple example in my conversation about Saturn transits, in an effort to point out that little things that go wrong might be thought of as learning experiences. One of my brake lights hadn’t been working for at least a month, and I kept meaning to get a new bulb, but never got around to it, probably because I had never changed one before. On Monday, I was rear-ended, and discovered in the process that the other brake light had also burnt. So, I finally got my new bulbs and put them in, discovering that it really was a very simple thing to do, and if I had done it earlier I probably wouldn’t have been rear-ended. I was using this as a little example–the things that go wrong under a Saturn transit are often things that could have been prevented if they had been managed properly in the first place. Mercury retrograde doesn’t help either.
One of my daughters had brought up a memory some years ago when I was putting gas in my car on a sunny spring day, and the roof above me suddenly began to leak melted snow only on me, and directly on me, as I was pumping gas. This wasn’t a little leak, either. It was an intense shower. That was something that I couldn’t prevent, and it was just so random that it was hilarious, but it was one of many little things in a series of events at the time that made me feel like things just weren’t going my way (and Saturn was square my Sun at the time).
Under heavy Saturn transits, you can almost feel singled out, especially when seemingly random or weird unfortunate things happen to you, one after another. I remember during the last square of Saturn to my Sun (and Moon), my car’s battery kept dying on me in the winter. I was thinking it was because of the extremely cold winter we had been having, although I never had problems with starting my car in previous winters. I was on my way to a job interview (and this was only because I had been working on contract for a company who were delaying payments to contract workers for months, and I decided I would look for a short-term job in the meantime), when my car died, right at a busy intersection. It was the coldest day of the winter, and we can get some real doozies when it comes to cold winter days here in Montreal. I didn’t have a cel at the time, and discovered I had forgotten to put my wallet back into my purse, so didn’t think I had money. The corner store wouldn’t let me use their phone, directing me to a pay phone instead, and I stood on the corner of the street crying with my car dead in the intersection, and not one person stopped to help me. I did find a quarter after rummaging through my car (getting honked like crazy), and called the police, which was all I could think of at the time. They never arrived. Finally I walked in the blistering cold to the nearest gas station (which wasn’t very near).
I eventually found out that my car’s battery was slowly being drained by the bulb in my trunk. My trunk latch had broken and I hadn’t fixed it. This was after my car didn’t start a couple weeks after the battery and alternator had been changed, and it just didn’t make sense.
While I usually find strangers helpful, absolutely nobody was helping me out this time. This makes me think that it had something to do with my attitude. I had been feeling rather down on my luck and somewhat helpless before this happened, and instead of actively flagging people down, I was just standing there crying. The extreme cold may have had something to do with why nobody stopped to help, mind you.
This brings me to what really defines Saturn transits, and that is attitude. In my experience, during Jupiter transits, little problems that occur are barely noticed, but they’re still occurring. We’re pretty much taking things in stride because of a buoyant mood, or a feeling that we can “take on” pretty much anything. During Saturn transits, I do find that there are more mechanical breakdowns than usual in my life, but I feel that I dwell on, or worry about, things that go wrong.
During Saturn transits, we tend to feel problems more acutely. Life seems to slow down and things don’t seem to be moving fast enough for us. Progress is slow. The beginning of a Saturn transit (and they often, but not always, last for many months) is usually more difficult, because it’s a time of adaptation. We feel our age, notice flaws, dwell on our shortcomings, are more sensitive to criticism and lack of support, and worry about our future. Working on these things is really the answer to our problems, and we can even find some joy in doing so.
Those of us with personal planets in, or concentrated in, the last decanate (20 to 30 degrees) of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini, and Sagittarius have been and will be experiencing a hard Saturn transit now and into 2010. We also have hard Uranus transits happening. We’ve gone through hard Pluto transits recently as well, and I have to say it–it’s been challenging. It’s hard for many of us to catch our breath. For myself, Pluto has been in hard aspect to my Sun, Moon, (Uranus, Pluto, and Chiron), Midheaven, and Ascendant, and there really hasn’t been a “break”. It’s been years now. Mind you, for the squares of Pluto to my Sun and Moon, I also had Pluto trine my Venus and Jupiter, and I think that was helpful. Looking forward, I don’t see much of anything major in the form of supportive, harmonious transits. I see lots of oppositions, squares, and quincunxes. It’s an onslaught in a sense–certainly not all “bad” but trying.
I do know quite a few people with concentrations of planets in the later degrees of the mutable signs who are in a real state of flux, and I would love to hear your experiences!
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Ugh, I know what you mean. First of all, vomit on your foot? Gross. I’ve been noticing the effects of these transits as well. Been unemployed for a while and it’s really been getting to me, whereas I had these problems before but my attitude seemed better. I’ll just have to try and be more aware of my attitude and take action to try and make things better.
Gross is an understatement. lol. Getting from that point to the bathroom, trying to clean it, and then walking barefoot to my car…unreal. I had a good time at the concert though.
And yes, attitude counts, and awareness of the higher meaning of the transit does help attitude. I think keeping expectations realistic helps. Focusing on the work that you need to do to make yourself better is really helpful too. For example, Saturn’s transit to my Sun is in my 6th house, and I am concentrating on restructuring my work and health routines, and reorganizing my home. I’ve let so many things slip, and it actually feels good to focus on getting these area of my life, which are so important to me in the first place, into order. I think whatever it is that you decide to tackle during a Saturn transit is usually massive and overwhelming at first, and the only way to approach it is to do it step by little step. Saturn is in Virgo, and it can be very helpful to make lists! Set realistic goals, and check off what you’ve done. This way you can really see that you’re making measurable progress.
Julie, Our birthdays are days apart so I’ve been going through many of the same transits. I’ve got Mars at 23 virgo, followed by my sun, mercury, and the ascendant between 28 and 29 virgo. Pluto at 1 libra. Pluto’s first pass of my mercury, sun, and ascendant in late 2007 (and it was conjunct both natal and transiting Jupiter then) brought me to astrology. It’s been a very dramatic 20 months for me and I’m in a place I never could have imagined in 2007. Basically good, but the exhaustion is getting to me. I’m hoping Saturn is a settling influence in balance to all this change I’ve been through. Of course, Uranus will be keeping things interesting – Can’t wait until 2011/2012!
Yuzu,
You’ve mistaken me for someone else, but I can definitely relate. The Pluto transits to my Sun and Moon turned me inside out and ultimately it was an exhilarating experience, but also exhausting as you’ve pointed out here. I received quite a bit of feedback in the form of personal emails to me regarding this article, and it seems the exhaustion factor is a really big theme. Another thing I am seeing is an attitude of “bring it on”, though–a sort of “I’ve been through it all, and I can handle anything now”. Saturn’s transit feels like clean-up time. Uranus is not going to let us truly rest, and we can’t forget Neptune and Chiron (quincunx and semi-sextile to the Virgo and Pisces planets, respectively).
Annie
Anni, I read your article on Chiron Jupiter conjunction and it was very helpfull for me, It was as if you were writing about me, so accurate, it helped me understand. My own Jupiter is conjunt Chiron, does that intensify this transit? Born 5/14/62 7am Caracas Venezuela, Thank you.
I am a very beginer. My email is jeannettefallah@aol.com
Oh, I can SSsooo relate to the bizarre and ‘going it alone with no assistance’ flavor of these transits. (Virgo/Gem/Gem with a natal angular grand cross in last decanate)
No literal vomit on my shoes..lol..yet metaphorical vomit, absolutely!! Generally though, my own.
These past years I have been stripped out, in every area of my life. Not one arena left untouched. Careers, marriage, subsequent love affairs, home, cars, daughters matured and left the nest..I pretty much am now in the void, and have been for the better part of 2 years now, it is me and my clothes and my ever-faithful little dog, Molly(poor love has had some real ups and downs with me).
Yet, I have grown so much internally, more than I can ever express..or shall ever try, for it is for ME, and about me. I hope to find a way to better channel my newly acquired self-knowledge in a very practical manner when Saturn moves on to Libra(my 5th house stellium Ur-Jup-Merc)..hoping to bring forth what I have learned in a way that may benefit others..and of course too, put be back in the world.
My true humbling has arisen from the need to truly except assistance from others, and to trust, really truly trust in these processes being for our Higher benefit. I used to be a real mover and shaker, and thought I could ‘fix’ anyone and anything, LOL..I now know better. I can only fix myself, and must allow others, no matter their relation to me and how difficult it can be to see them struggle, to fix themselves.
Here’s to less puke, of any nature, in our near futures!
lol @ metaphorical vomit. That’s pretty much where I was trying to go with this article. The vomit-shoe thing is certainly not the worst thing that can happen, and I couldn’t help but find some humor in the symbolism. You’ve truly hit it with the whole “fixing yourself” thing. I am beginning to realize that I’ve been sort of hung up on being horrified with others’ behavior, the betrayals at all levels, and all the other Pluto “stuff” that I’ve been living with for so many years, that I find it almost comforting to pull back a little and focus on what I can fix in myself and in my own life. I am finding that there is a lot–a whole lot–to straighten out. Thanks, Kachina, for your reply, your insight, and your humor.
Annie
Annie
Nice to hear someone else appreciate the pressure that late mutables have been under for a while. I barely did recover from the Pluto transits before these recent Saturn/Uranus aspects. It was like being completely knocked down, only to have someone sit on you while you’re trying to get back up again.
I think we all need to unload a little, because the pressure has been intense, there’s no denying it! I think Saturn will bring some order to the equation, though, and if we listen to his lessons, it could be exactly what we need.
Holy cow! It’s such a relief to hear that it’s not just me. I have Venus/Uranus/Pluto conjuct at 20 virgo, and they oppose my Pisces Saturn on the MC. So the past year has been one continuous seesaw of triumph vs. humiliation. Absolutely the most difficult year of my life! And yes, tons of growth, but boy, I could use some goodness and fun that’s not mixed with bitterness/punishment, etc. Karma, karma, karma. My birthday is tomorrow — wishing for lucky breaks and grace for all of us! The gods know we have earned some.
Happy birthday, wildrose! You have Pluto transiting square your Sun if your birthday is today, I’m sure you know, which is quite likely playing a role as well, especially with the “bitterness/punishment” theme. I feel the Pluto square Sun transit was empowering overall, mainly because I discovered my guts, so to speak. But it’s the tinge of bitterness that came along with it that I will be happy to move past, even though I realize it seems to be necessary for my own process. It really depends on the work that needs to be done, so it’s individual, but for some people, there’s some ego-tripping going on and Saturn can really help put us in our place.
Thanks! I hope you are moving into a sweeter place!
By the way, I am really enjoying this website. Thanks for all your work and attention.
I thought all the strange surprises were due to Uranus but it’s good to know who the real culprit is. In the past three days there have been a strange number of weird, life interrupting surprises like slipping and falling down the stairs (my butt will probably be sore for 2 weeks), getting caught in a downpour, having to call the cops on a neighbor who was bashing out the windows of, I believe, his own car, and finally, waking up to my dog excitedly playing with the dead bird my cat brought into the house. I can’t even escape it when I hide in the house! And that was just the first 24 hours! Not typical to my routine life.
I agree Saturn is all about attitude, and I’m trying my best to be in a good mood for his upcoming transit through my 5th house. I think it will bring some much needed attention to how I approach relationships and my reticence to really push my creativity, particularly outside of work. We’ll see!
right now I am experiencing a Saturn return which also squares my mars in the first house. Whenever Saturn has squared my mars, I have experienced some act of violence. Last week, two boys began throwing rocks at my house on their way to school and ended up breaking my bedroom window. I was able to catch them and both their parents have agreed to pay for it. I’m anxious about what else could be in store for me since this is my second saturn return. During my first saturn return, I had my first child (saturn is in my fifth). My ex husband also is going through a saturn return and he just remarried on 9/11!!! How do marriages during a saturn return usually fare? Just wondering.
Girl~ I’m with you. My moon is 23′Pisces in 11th, Pluto 29′Virgo in 4th, Merc 0′Cap in 7th, Sun 11′Cap in 7th.
Caps are generally familiar with Saturn energy but I’ve been whacked by Saturn/Uranus/Pluto transits for almost two years now. All I did was put out fires, when I could manage to take my finger out of the electrical socket. In the beginning I cried a lot- while I was moving house, starting up my own millinery business and catching my boyfriend (Pisces Sun 24′) cheating.
I counteracted by going back for my reiki master class. I practice on amimals and space clear houses. I think I read “The Secret” like 10 times and do believe that attitude is everything!
And with my Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Neptune in Scorpio, self-mastery is a sweet revenge.
I really like this site/posts and I must say I’m a little disappointed that lately it appears that it’s been forgotten about…