Saturn in Libra and Relationship Astrology
Saturn in Libra and Relationship Astrology
Saturn is presently moving through the last decanate (the last ten degrees) of the sign of Virgo, and will enter Libra on October 29, 2009, staying in the sign until October 5, 2012.
Themes we can expect while Saturn moves through the sign of Libra, on a personal level, revolve around taking a more serious look at our one-to-one relationships. Whether a partnership restricts us or not comes into focus, as well as whether or not the goals of each partner complement one another. Treating each other fairly is a theme, and it can take numerous negotiations and examinations in order to get to a place we will consider fair.
Are we pleasing a partner because we are afraid to assert ourselves, our needs, or our goals? Are we compromising our own needs in the process?
Saturn will be looking for balance, integrity, and fairness in the sign of Libra. We will be redesigning our definition of “self” that includes an “other”. Our ability to commit comes into question. Our ability to play by the rules in partnership also becomes critical. This is a time during which we explore our personal boundaries in partnership. Just how much a partnership limits us becomes glaringly apparent, especially in terms of our own fear of losing someone, or fear of rejection, and how that fear might limit our personal freedom.
If we’ve been giving more than taking, or taking more than giving, in an existing partnership, Saturn’s transit through Libra will point out the flaws in that type of arrangement. It’s all about responsibility and doing our share. If we’ve been unhappy with a partner’s contribution to the relationship, Saturn’s transit might magnify the problem in our minds.
Saturn does invoke a craving for whatever sign it inhabits or planet it touches. In Libra, we will be craving balance, but it will take some time to get there. Saturn slows things down to a near-stall, and this can be agonizing if we are impatient or wanting instant results. Saturn takes its time, and this is a good thing. We can get to a healthy, balanced decision only if we take our time doing so.
Initially we can experience reluctance to compromise ourselves, but doing so in a balanced way brings about the eventual realization that we need the “other” in order to achieve. With Saturn, a desire to gain control is present, and some of us might attempt to control an “other”, and it’s a tendency we should try to avoid. Eventually and ideally, we understand that it is only ourselves who we can control.
Many of us are at a loss for defining the relationships we have nowadays. For example, when asked if I am single, I can say yes, I am single because I am not married, but I am seeing someone, so perhaps I am not single. What is the definition of that relationship? I can’t even tell you. It might be seen as a friendship, a friendship with benefits, can I say we’re dating even though we rarely go on dates? Is it heading towards marriage or even living together? No. Is it exclusive? Yes and no. It’s open-ended. Is it committed? Yes and no.
A friend of mine told me the other day, tongue in cheek, that she is in a one-sided open relationship. Saturn demands definitions, structures, and commitments. But for many of us, as soon as something is defined, structured, or committed, we might feel caged, trapped, or limited. During Saturn’s transit through Libra we may be called upon to define our goals in partnership. For some of us, we might feel pressure to commit to someone or to a relationship lifestyle, but we must first figure out what it is that we truly want before making any commitments. This is a time for making clear relationship choices and decisions, for weeding out what isn’t working for us, for letting go of lost causes, and for defining our relationships by defining what it is we want or expect from them. We need to know where we stand, whether we’re coupled or not.
The more negative expressions of Libra are things that won’t work for us now. These become glaring under Saturn’s stern eye. Resorting to appeasement as a means of keeping the peace is one such negative expression. Too often, partnerships turn into “me against you”. The goal in partnership should be to work as a team rather than as adversaries.
We’re likely to deal with issues of blame while Saturn transits Libra. If we are blaming an existing partner for our unhappiness in relationship, we’re going to learn that we have to take back or re-own responsibility for our own happiness. If problem solving is weak in our relationships, we’re going to be learning how to solve problems more effectively now. Some of us will be dealing with the fear of being alone, and how that fear might be undermining our relationships or our pursuit of relationships. Saturn reminds us to do our share in a relationship, but also to take personal responsibility for our actions, as well as for our own happiness in partnership. We will be learning about our boundaries and asking for our partners to take responsibility for their part.
Saturn’s exalted position in Libra suggests perhaps easier lessons, or lessons that are more digestible, than they were while Saturn was in its “detriment” in Cancer and Leo, for example, and even while Saturn has been in Virgo.
Saturn will occupy the sign of Libra from October 29, 2009 to April 7, 2010; and then from July 21, 2010 to October 5, 2012. Saturn retrogrades at 4-5 degrees Libra mid-January 2010, re-entering Virgo on April 7, 2010. Saturn then turns direct near the end of May, 2010, and returns to Libra on July 21, 2010.
2009-09-03 16:58:13
See also Saturn Transits to Natal Planets, Predicting Love Relationships and Predictive Astrology.
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