Saturn Transits to the Planets
Saturn Transits: Predictive Astrology – Techniques for Predicting the Future
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On this Page:
- Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Trines & Sextiles
- Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Conjunctions
- Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Squares & Oppositions
- Saturn Transits to Natal Jupiter
- Saturn Transits to Natal Saturn
- Saturn Transits to Other Natal Planets & Points
- Keys to Handling Saturn Transits
Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Trines & Sextiles
Every now and again, we are blessed with a pleasing dose of practicality and a measure of control. Although Saturn’s transits are not traditionally considered “blessings,” Saturn does seem to know when we need stability, steadiness, and even “cooling down.” These periods often coincide with Saturn trines and sextiles our personal planets or points.
Self-reliance characterizes these times, and some of us are less sociable during these transits. However, if this is the case, it is intentional, and we don’t feel forced into solitude or “left out” like we might when Saturn transits in a hard aspect to our personal planets. Life seems more cut and dried in the affected natal areas, including the affairs ruled by the personal planet itself and the houses ruled by that planet. Moderation in these areas is easier to maintain.
When transiting Saturn trines or sextiles our natal Sun, we feel more comfortable with who we are. Because we have a more mature grasp of our own capabilities, we project a more responsible, perhaps serious, and self-assured personality to others. We may be more open to receiving grounded, practical advice.
Our lives seem more stable during this period, likely because we look at ourselves in a realistic and reasonable manner. We are less vulnerable to self-delusions.
One of the major sources of stress and guilt in our lives stems from uncertainty. We might want to stop to think about how much pressure comes from overestimating our responsibilities and inevitably failing to meet them. Things nag at the back of our minds. Saturn offers us realism; with transits to the Sun, we see ourselves more clearly and realistically. This transit reduces the uncertainty, at the very least with regard to our capabilities. It also offers a welcome reprieve from feelings of guilt and fear.
At these times in our lives, we know what our responsibilities are, and we meet them.
When transiting Saturn trines or sextiles our natal Moon, we feel more in control of our emotions, domestic affairs, and personal habits. We feel considerably more mature and capable of handling our personal lives. Family matters assume more importance in our lives now, and we meet our responsibilities with maturity and competence.
We have much to learn from older people in our lives. During this transit, we are more likely to actually listen to what they have to say and learn from them.
Which house does/houses do the Moon rule in your chart? (There may be more than one). Wherever you find Cancer in your chart, you will notice this mature and steady energy.
For example, if the Moon rules your 5th house, you might be less inclined to jump into a romantic fling during this transit. You also feel more capable of dealing with children. You might begin a new romance that is considerably more mature in nature than previous ones. Instead, your current relationships become more practical or reliable. Because the fifth house rules our creative self-expression and Saturn has a stabilizing and realistic effect, we might turn our hobbies into businesses now. At the very least, our self-expression becomes more sober and practical.
If the Moon rules our seventh house, we might notice that our partnerships (including marriage) become more practical and goal-oriented. We manage these relationships with more maturity. If we are not involved in a partnership before the transit, we might enter into one, simply because it is a more relationship-friendly period of time when we get serious about our commitments.
With transiting Saturn in a sextile to natal Moon, you have the opportunity to improve your personal life, domestic world, emotional outlook, and relationships with loved ones (especially women and children) with more attention, steadfastness, and moderation. It can be a good time for a connection with a wise, elderly, or more mature person who gives you sound advice. Aim to exercise and develop patience, as this time favors conscientious efforts and rewards a steady pace.
It’s a strong cycle for an approach to your emotions that benefits you across the board–moderation is your friend at this time. Your relationships can get a boost from this stability and steadiness. It’s a good time to call up memories with more objectivity, which also means you can learn more readily from your past. Decisions related to real estate, household matters, family business, and living conditions and arrangements are sound.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile Mercury, we are more inclined to organize our lives and improve our skills. The progress we make during this period could bring us rewards in our careers or social lives–if not now, in the future.
Our thinking is clear, and we can study and absorb information, perhaps not more readily, but certainly more deeply. What we learn now, we retain. Our thinking is more realistic and practical. We are less inclined to jump to conclusions or to make poor judgments. This is because we consider the consequences, the probable outcome, and the bottom line.
This is not a time when we take risks unless they are very educated risks. We rely on time-honored, traditional approaches to new ventures. Fortunately, we are able to formulate plans, lists, and budgets, and we think things through.
With transiting Saturn sextile natal Mercury, you’re in a more serious frame of mind and a cycle that’s strong for hunkering down and focusing your mental energies. It’s a great period for making clarifications, getting sound advice, and working on building a special project. You might also find ways to improve your communication skills or knowledge base. It’s a fine time for serious studies. You’re more credible at this time. It’s not a flashy time by any means, but it’s a solid period of gradual progress. Your thinking is cautious and realistic, but also quite objective, making it a good period for assessing ideas. With current events and endeavors, you’re gaining a more mature viewpoint.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile Venus, our romantic and financial lives become more grounded. This is a good time to formulate a plan to curb spending and cut away some accumulated debt because our outlook is more reasonable and practical with these matters.
We might begin a more serious romance, or our current relationship takes on a more responsible, mature, or serious tone. Relationships formed during this transit have a good chance of being long-term. We may be more inclined to socialize with older or more mature people. Or, we may consciously cut back on socializing, perhaps to reserve more energy and time for serious creative endeavors or romantic relationships.
Circumstances can be such that we mix business and pleasure in pleasing ways, make social contacts that lead to business propositions, or turn an artistic hobby into a business. Our overall manner in social situations is more mature. As such, we more easily make a good impression with our peers and those older than us.
When Saturn transits trine or sextile to Mars, we experience a period when disciplining ourselves is easier. We are more in touch with our bodies in the sense that we see them for what they are. As such, we might begin exercise programs during this transit. (This is, incidentally, one of the best aspects for starting an exercise routine, another being Saturn trine Ascendant).
Self-discipline and self-motivation, a necessary cooling of the passions, increased focus in work and activities, and a sense of purpose are themes now. We feel in control of our passions and our impulses, and we face life with more purpose and maturity. Also, we are more practical than usual, and our progress in most projects is perhaps slow but steady. This can be a very productive time in our lives.
With transiting Saturn in a sextile to natal Mars, you are finding the energy, organization, and state of mind to get all sorts of tasks done. It’s a generally good time for independent pursuits, but you’re also cooperating well with others, as you’re more transparent about your actions and desires. You aim to be prepared and ready, which works well for you during this cycle. Pacing yourself comes more naturally, and you can find that you use your energy well. In fact, being more organized and responsible can lead to opportunities. It’s not the time for experimenting or taking big risks; instead, it’s a period for working hard on long-term endeavors, laying the groundwork for the future, and taking a systematic and thorough approach. It’s a time of better endurance, when moderation but determination contribute significantly to your life.
Transiting Saturn trine to your natal Mars brings a healthier, more realistic view of your capabilities. Saturn moderates your energy in constructive ways, helping you pace yourself and conserve energy. You can be more productive, even if you put in fewer hours, by managing your energy. People may appreciate you for your hard work, natural confidence, ability to get things done, or your realistic approach. This can also be a time when you’re more naturally assertive. Anger management is part of this! You recognize when and where to express your desires, and you waste less time spinning your wheels.
Important Note: In some cases, I’ve lumped together the trine and sextile aspect because they are similar in nature. However, there is a distinct difference that you should keep in mind when reading the interpretations above. While the changes come quite naturally and flowingly with the trine, the sextile represents opportunities that need to be grabbed. In other words, we need to be more conscious of opportunities with the sextile to benefit from the positive aspects of the transit.
Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Conjunctions
Saturn’s influence is direct and personal when it transits conjunct a personal planet.
When Saturn transits conjunct the Sun, our level of maturity, realism, and responsibility come up for inspection. It’s a time when we’re assessing the goals we have set for ourselves, as well as our very character. We’re re-evaluating them for strength and purpose, testing them against reality. Saturn has a way of slowing down our lives–as if it’s forcing us to take a really good look at it.
Because the Sun rules our vitality, we may feel our energy is somewhat depleted. In fact, we begin to feel our age and the pressures that accompany it. We may feel alone and un-parented or unsupported.
This can also be a time when we’re assessing our achievements to date. Certainly, we’re more sensitive to whether or not we have been recognized on either personal and professional levels. Whether others recognize our talents, abilities, and unique individuality and character becomes especially concerning to us.
We also tend to be self-critical and/or feel others do not support or recognize us enough. This process is necessary, as we are learning to see ourselves more realistically–without rose-colored glasses. That way, we can move forward with a stronger sense of purpose. It may be a time when we cut out projects or relationships that no longer work for us or were built on weak foundations. In essence, we’re conserving our energy for those things that do work for us. Building and strengthening efforts are worthwhile.
When Saturn transits conjunct the Moon:
We are acutely aware of our support systems when transiting Saturn conjuncts the Moon in our birth charts. An increased awareness of the flaws or weaknesses in our support system is likely now. This can lead to some feelings of isolation or a feeling of being un-parented and alone in this world. The purpose of this transit is for recognizing how our unacknowledged or unsupported emotions are negatively impacting our lives. It’s time to take steps to change that!
This is a strong period for introspection. We might discover that we have not left enough doors open to our inner world. Instead, we recognize we haven’t been supportive of others in tangible ways. This may be the reason we are not getting back what we want from important people in our lives. Or, we might realize that we’ve overdone our support for others and ignored our own needs for nurturing, support, compassion, and love. We need to take steps to strengthen our ties to others by first working on ourselves.
Demands from family and loved ones might be, or seem, greater now than usual. Or, you might be pulling yourself back from others, perhaps in self-pity or due to fear that your needs will not be met. If you are going through a self-pitying phase, allow it to happen for as long as it serves its purpose. Sometimes we can draw great strength from these phases. In fact, this transit eventually leads us to discover our own inner courage and strength.
Take some time to be alone, reflect, and understand what you want back from life on an emotional level. Deeply ingrained personal habits are also something to re-assess. You may need to leave some of them behind in order for you to move forward in a healthier manner.
While you could feel a little hardened or toughened up, as long as this puts you in a more realistic state rather than a resentful one, it may not be so bad. In fact, it could be exactly what you need right now.
When Saturn transits conjunct Mercury:
This transit marks a time of seriousness of thought, as you crave simple answers and truths. You may doubt many of the ideas you’ve had to date or the projects you’ve been putting your energy into.
The purpose of this transit is to pare down your thinking process, improve your communication skills, and simplify your tasks. You may experience a particular disdain for superficial interactions with others, either because you now view them as unnecessary, fake, or distracting. You may feel a little stiff around people as a result. Others could notice that you are a little withdrawn socially, perhaps sarcastic or negative in your speech, and less available in general.
You might be pouring more of your energy into a particular project, study, or course and have little time for others as a result. This is not the best time for presenting your ideas, as you might find that others are not supportive of them.
However, it’s an excellent period for reviewing, reassessing, perfecting, and improving ideas, projects, skills, and communication so that in the future, you will be more confident about all of these things. Some projects or ideas might need to be left behind so that you can conserve your energy for those that truly work for you, and that you can feel honestly confident about.
Certainly, you are becoming more mature in your thinking. While you may be swinging to a more negative or critical outlook in the initial stages of this transit, this process may be necessary to ultimately reach a balanced, mature, and realistic state.
When Saturn transits conjunct Venus:
What has carried you to date in the world of your social and romantic relationships may no longer feel satisfying or worthwhile during this transit. It’s time to assess your relationship needs, attitudes, and capabilities.
You may withdraw yourself emotionally as you become more serious, critical, and concerned about a significant relationship. Circumstances are such that you more readily recognize serious flaws, and any superficial interactions could start to bother you. You might temporarily have a hard time “going through the motions.”
Consider that fears of getting hurt could be self-fulfilling prophecies if you are not careful now. While you should definitely take some time to come to terms with what you are now seeing, you should also understand that in the initial stages of this transit, your thinking skews to the negative.
What’s happening is you are losing the rose-colored glasses, and eventually, you will be able to see your relationships in the most realistic light–you will see them for exactly what they are. However, the first stage of this process is rather severe and unforgiving, so take your time before making any major decisions.
Differences in values between you and a partner may be glaring now. How each of you approaches the relationship in terms of commitment, loyalty, and pleasure are likely to be issues on the table. As well, you are now especially concerned with how a partner makes you feel attractive and wanted. The quality of your relationships is most important to you now.
Saturn has a way of identifying weak links or weak foundations and applying pressure on them. Thus, relationship tests may occur now. It’s time to work to improve and strengthen these weaknesses. Letting go of things that truly do not work for you anymore may be necessary, but there is also a strong probability that an existing partnership can be redefined and strengthened.
This can also be a time when you begin to question your ability to attract others or what you want from life. Questions of beauty, attractiveness, social charm and grace, and financial power can be themes now. You may no longer be comfortable with the ways you have employed charm or attractiveness in the past. Being self-critical is likely in these areas. Indeed, you no longer see yourself for what you want to see.
This can all take place in your inner world, but for many, there is an external trigger in the form of an event or circumstance that changes your perception of things. Eventually, you will come to a point where you are more confident of how you go about attracting love, money, favors, and pleasure into your life, and this comes from arriving at truths and realities.
It’s a strong period for reassessing your spending habits. Financial stresses may be part of the picture now, leading to a more conservative, mature, and realistic approach to handling your finances.
When Saturn transits conjunct Mars:
The purpose of this transit is to cool your passions in some manner, conserve your energy for what truly matters, and discipline your approach to getting what you want from life. Circumstances may be such that you must exercise restraint in your life now.
You may encounter resistance or blockages if you push yourself too hard, assert yourself too strongly, or express anger excessively. Alternatively, something happens now that restricts your freedom of movement in some manner, positioning you to redirect your energies.
Initially, you might feel frustrated and thwarted, or you may experience a lack of drive and enthusiasm. As the transit progresses, you will be learning to direct your energies into truly helpful and useful endeavors.
You might also be learning to curb some of the excesses in your life and to go about getting what you want in a more mature, temperate, and moderate manner. You will examine how you express your anger, how that has hindered you in the past, and how you might better do so in the future.
Saturn Transits to Personal Planets: Squares & Oppositions
We feel Saturn’s influence more acutely and in the form of a challenge when Saturn transits square or opposition to a personal planet.
When Saturn transits square or opposition the Sun, we may experience some form of disillusionment with an important person in our life, authority figures, personal plans and achievements, or aspects of our own personality.
We may feel “left out,” blocked from advancing in our chosen life path and lacking in energy and confidence. Ego boosts don’t seem to be forthcoming, or if they are, we don’t see them in such a light. Some sort of buckling down is necessary now and is often perceived as limitations coming from other people or circumstances.
Financial blocks are quite possible, especially if the Sun is associated with the second or eighth house by position or rulership. Physically, this is apt to be a relatively low period when we don’t have that extra “oomph” or drive to accomplish things. A general feeling of “slowdown” is likely, and if regular tasks seem more overwhelming than usual, it is likely due to poor spirits and lack of motivation.
Sometimes, this transit is associated with problems with the teeth, bones in general, and the skin. It is also associated with mechanical breakdowns in your life. However, these generally happen because you haven’t been managing your life effectively, as we are all inclined to do from time to time, and Saturn wants you to identify the weaker areas of your life. It’s time to fix or strengthen them.
Take the time to sort out your life, improve your work, and become more efficient. If things or people leave your life, it could be because the connection between you was weak, or they somehow no longer serve a healthy purpose in your life.
Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary now. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards.
When Saturn transits square or opposition the Moon, we may feel overlooked, left out, on our own, and even uncared for. This transit sometimes occurs when changes on the domestic front leave us feeling “alone in this world.” For example, when we move out on our own, are separated from family or other loved ones, etc.
Domestic problems may be part of the picture, often connected to women and sometimes the mother. Everyday coping skills can be compromised at this time–chores and routines seem harder to do or more burdensome than usual. It can be challenging for us to take risks at this time, and we’re more likely to focus on the negatives.
Fears and insecurities of all kinds magnify during this period–fear of rejection, fear of what the future might bring, fear that we won’t be able to handle our lives masterfully, and so forth. Although we may long for emotional support from others, we don’t receive it well if it is forthcoming. We may be given to sulking, feeling sorry for ourselves, dredging up the past, and focusing on what we haven’t done or can’t do. We may feel awkward and self-conscious and consequently less sociable as spontaneity is lacking for us now.
It is important to remember that this is very much our perception at this time. In truth, we can manage it if we familiarize ourselves with the general meaning of Saturn’s influences. It is a time when we are called upon to take a realistic look at our personal and emotional lives. This is a period when progress on the domestic front is slow, delayed, or denied. Our personal popularity is weakened temporarily, and business may also be affected.
The best way of handling this energy is to recognize that it’s a time to slow down and re-evaluate our personal lives, and that pushing ourselves to do too much will be frustrating and possibly costly. We need more rest than usual, and must learn to rely on ourselves for the time being. This transit calls on us to examine our priorities and make necessary changes to our daily routines to improve our lives.
With transiting Saturn opposing the natal Moon (Saturn opposite Moon), you can feel that the world is more interested in your work and responsibilities than in your feelings. It’s a time when life feels a little tougher and people seem rather insensitive. With a diminishing spark or emotional refreshment and motivation, it can be more challenging to get through life’s routines and demands. Your needs for nurture, whimsy, and comfort are stronger at this time, and any lack in these areas is now prominent. A strategy now can be to do what you can to take care of your practical priorities and remind yourself that discouragement is temporary. It’s a time that can prompt you to adopt a more organized and pragmatic approach to creating harmony, order, and security in your domestic or personal life. Strengthening these things will help cushion you in the future.
It can be easier to feel discouraged, pessimistic, deprived, lonely, or down on yourself during this transit. The need for nurture, warm sentiments, and emotional release is strong, and any lack in the support system, family, or home life is now in the foreground. People may not be noticing or crediting you for your past allegiance, help, or good character. There can be increased and perhaps overwhelming responsibilities in the home or with family, such as home repairs or other strains on the domestic world and atmosphere. Health concerns can relate to digestion and nutrition.
Certainly, this is a time for learning more self-reliance and for exercising patience. Aim for a better work-home balance, even if achieving it requires a stronger focus on work and responsibility for now.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Mercury, we may have a pessimistic attitude towards our lives, feel misunderstood, and find ourselves in conflict with others on intellectual levels.
We are likely to experience communication problems. It can appear that others are not especially sympathetic to our point of view. However, we must examine how we are communicating with others, as it is likely that negativity strongly colors our words.
It is very hard for us to see the “big picture” during this period. In some cases, we may end friendships over disagreements at this time–or come close to doing so. This transit calls on us to examine our thinking patterns to find rigid or negative attitudes that have held us back from advancing.
We are ridding ourselves of projects that no longer serve their purpose and learning to cut out the fluff in our lives so that we can focus on projects that truly matter.
It’s not the best time to present your ideas. Rather, it’s time to reassess them and work on perfecting them for presentation at a later date. You are seeking truths now, and in the process, you might experience many doubts.
With transiting Saturn opposing your natal Mercury (Saturn opposition Mercury), there can be challenges to your projects, communications, outlook, or means of transportation. Because people are not receiving your ideas or communications as warmly temporarily, it’s generally not an ideal time to schedule important launches or statements. You might decide to avoid sharing too much of yourself or plans at this time. It can be a period when there are objectively more criticisms of you or your projects, or you’re more sensitive to them. People are or seem less interested, responsive, or receptive to your viewpoint. Delays, obstacles, and information clogs can be prominent during this transit cycle.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Venus:
This might be a time of relationship tests, struggles, or trials. You may not be attracting things and people you want in your life as easily as you were before this transit, which can be eye-opening. It’s a signal to work on improving your manner and the things you offer to others in partnership.
This transit can raise many doubts, and you could be withdrawing or slightly holding back as you attempt to figure out what you need, want, and can give. You are working towards ridding yourself of self-delusion regarding close partnerships, socializing, finances, and attractiveness. In the process, you might feel disdain for superficial interactions and resent “going through the motions” on a social or emotional level.
Your goal is to find deeper connections to others. Relationships built on weak foundations may not survive, but other relationships can be improved and strengthened.
Financial matters might be stressful for the time being, which forces you into a position of conservation and moderation.
When Saturn transits square or opposition Mars:
This is a period when we face obstacles, blockages, or opposition to our sense of freedom, drive, and ambitions. Excessive or wasteful endeavors and personality traits may need tempering now. You are more cautious now, and you might experience a temporary loss of enthusiasm or setbacks that make you doubt your ability to win in life.
You are learning to live life in moderation. However, it can be frustrating initially as you face tests, rejections, or trials that remind you that pushing too hard or too fast doesn’t always yield the results you crave. It’s time to slow down a little, catch your breath, and experience some defeats. All of this is to come back stronger, more controlled, directed, and mature in your expectations and approach to the world.
When Saturn transits opposite Mars (Saturn opposition Mars), you might face a lot on your plate, but challenges or blocks in getting it done. You could be dealing with issues of who has more power or is more dominant in a relationship. Feeling blocked from expressing yourself, your desires, or your frustration/anger can be a significant theme during this period. While it can be difficult to do at this time, humbling yourself to criticisms or blocks can be a better way to get through this period without too much disruption or tension, as reeling or pushing too hard can create complicated problems at this time. It’s actually not the time to meet matters head-on.
This period is powerful for anger management. You’re likely to be processing and moderating your reactions, frustrations, and resentments. You may find yourself in a position where you’re not in control or in power, and it can take some work to handle these feelings of powerlessness. Aim to persevere and work hard at something that will benefit you in the long term with as much patience as you can muster.
Saturn Transits to Natal Jupiter
When transiting Saturn conjuncts natal Jupiter, you are learning to temper your enthusiasm with practicality to achieve your goals. Where you may have overshot in the past, you’re now more realistic. It’s a good time to draw on self-discipline to build or rebuild your career, life path goals, or other important ventures and systems in your life. This transit often coincides with a new job or residence or a time of harder work with significant results.
This transit occurs approximately once every 29-30 years. Still, there are often three exact hits over the span of almost a year when it does occur.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Jupiter
Transits of Saturn to Jupiter deal with your life priorities, and how they can better be organized or structured,. They’re also about your expectations and general outlook on life, and how you can come to a more realistic, mature, and balanced state of mind.
You may be required to re-align your plans and goals, particularly in business, towards more realistic avenues. Circumstances are such that you may need to pare down your endeavors and concentrate your energies on fewer, higher quality projects. Life situations or blockages bring you to question whether your expectations are too high or unrealistic.
Transiting Saturn square Jupiter
When transiting Saturn squares natal Jupiter, you may be required to re-align your plans and goals, particularly in business, towards more realistic avenues. Circumstances may be such that you need to pare down your endeavors and concentrate your energies on fewer, higher-quality projects. Life situations or blockages may bring you to question whether your expectations have been too high or unrealistic.
Transits of Saturn square to natal Jupiter call up for questioning your life priorities and how they can better be organized or structured. This transit is also about your expectations and general outlook on life and how you can reach a more realistic, mature, and balanced state of mind.
Generally, areas where you’ve been overexpanding or overdoing things come up for inspection. Saturn is now asking you to moderate your expectations and behavior. You’re receiving a lesson, of sorts, about healthy boundaries and limits.
It’s possible you’re dealing with fluctuating finances, career matters, or moods. Money may be tighter. However, this can also be a good time for business and real estate as you find ways to stretch your budget or become more careful with your resources. It’s not the ideal period for legal matters and outcomes.
There can be a sense that you’re getting nowhere or working too hard with minimal reward. In truth, the rewards for current efforts may simply be delayed. However, if a careful assessment of a particular venture leads to the realization that a project is an actual liability, it could make sense to cut your losses. However, keep in mind that your current mindset may be such that you see the negatives far more than the positives due to Saturn’s critical, heavy energy. It may be that adjustments and patience are all you need to get back on track eventually. This is especially true of projects you initiated about seven years before this transit.
Transiting Saturn sextile or trine Jupiter
Your expectations and outlook on life are considerably more realistic now as you seek balance between too negative and overeager attitudes.
It’s a strong time for realigning your projects and getting your life priorities straightened out. You are concerning yourself with the long term now, and practically preparing yourself for a better future.
Transiting Saturn opposition natal Jupiter
When transiting Saturn opposes Jupiter specifically (Saturn opposition Jupiter), there can be a reality check on a particular pursuit or path that creates a turning point moment. For example, you might receive a significant “no” answer, or a new responsibility falls in your lap that at least temporarily squashes your plans. Watch for making choices from a place of insecurity, discouragement, or low self-esteem/confidence, as this may be a regrettable move. Opportunistic people might sense your wavering and try to sway you. In truth, these delays or obstacles could lead you to acceptable and even improved alternative paths, and it’s important to hold firm and weather this period of temporary limitations.
Saturn Transits to Natal Saturn
When transiting Saturn aligns with or conjuncts Saturn in the natal chart, you’re experiencing a Saturn Return because Saturn has moved around the complete circle of your birth chart. The Saturn Return occurs approximately every 29-30 years, and it marks a significant end/start of an era or phase of maturity and accomplishment in your life.
The first time Saturn returns, that is, when transiting Saturn forms a conjunction with natal Saturn, you’ve reached a stage where you can feel as if on some level you’re leaving childhood behind and beginning a new chapter of your life with a new level of maturity, realism, and experience. Those things in your life that you no longer align with can break down, be left behind, or need rebuilding. It can also be a time of new responsibilities as you’ve symbolically reached adulthood.
Regardless of whether it’s the first, second, or third Saturn Return, it marks a time of questioning and reassessing goals, structures, routines, and achievements to date. Karmic debts and rewards are in stronger focus during this period. Life no longer feels carefree, but you’ve not yet experienced the full benefits of this boost to your maturity, which will come in due time.
You’re closing a chapter of formative lessons and beginning anew. It’s a time of processing the lessons from recent struggles or obstacles. There can be some disappointment, especially in the early stages of this transit, as you grapple with areas where you may have felt you’ve failed or underachieved. However, it’s also a time when you face certain realities and embark on a new cycle of rebuilding, redirection, and more purposefulness. At this time, take stock, reassess, humble yourself to certain realities or limitations, clarify your priorities, and think more deeply about your responsibilities and goals. It’s a powerful period of personal accountability, encouraging deep self-reflection and learning from your experiences. You’ll emerge from this stage in some ways newly born with a stronger sense of your capabilities and sense of purpose.
Transiting Saturn in a sextile to natal Saturn adds a stable, secure, and steady theme to your life. It can be a time of solid progress. A good idea now is to work on strengthening areas of your life or a special long-term project to withstand future pressures, stresses, and strains. It’s a fine time for learning truly useful, practical ideas and methods that will stick with you for life. One of the main reasons why this period is successful is your ability to humble yourself to life’s lessons, learn from past mistakes, and apply yourself to the moment. The best way to leverage this positive energy is to adopt a realistic, moderate approach to setting and pursuing your goals.
With transiting Saturn square natal Saturn, the less fulfilling aspects of your life become more pronounced and harder to bear. People and situations may appear rigid, obstinate, and unyielding. This is a time when you become acutely aware of the elements in your life that are overly constrictive and hindering your progress. The overarching goals of the Saturn cycle, namely maturity and security, come into sharper focus. Therefore, it’s not a time to take reckless risks in the name of growth. Instead, it’s a period of confronting obstacles to these goals and making necessary adjustments. This may even involve making sacrifices. Whether it’s the upper or lower square, it’s a time for reassessing and reviewing your plans and approaches, and giving due consideration to what’s sensible and feasible.
With transiting Saturn trine your natal Saturn, getting your life organized or working on your goals toward achieving more security is running rather smoothly. It comes more naturally to you to take a moderate, balanced approach to your life, which benefits you greatly now. You also see things quite realistically, helping decision-making tremendously, and you can feel good about yourself as your maturity level gets a nice boost. It’s a powerful time to recognize the benefits of investing in your future. Planning with your “future self” in mind is sensible now, and it fortunately comes more naturally.
Saturn transiting opposite your natal Saturn signals a turning point regarding your life path, direction, and achievements. It’s a time to pare down, take more responsibility and accountability, and work on building self-discipline. Others or life’s circumstances can seem in the way, and it’s hard to get away with much. Debts come due, for example, or favors need repaying. It can be a time when you’re veering away from certain secure or comfortable situations. While you can be torn or conflicted now, facing these things with maturity and patience is important now.
Saturn Transits to Other Natal Points
Transiting Saturn conjunct Uranus
This transit can feel heavy, as if there are blocks or obstacles to your expressions of spontaneity, independence, and individuality. Responsibilities or practical realities seem to tie you down, and you can feel oppressed temporarily. However, if you’ve been erratic with work, goals, or energy, this can be a time for moderating, stabilizing, and straightening these things out.
Transiting Saturn sextile Uranus
When transiting Saturn sextiles natal Uranus, pleasant life milestones can happen. You feel capable, and your balanced approach to making changes and improvements benefits you. It can be a time when ideas or dreams take form. You can monetize a hobby, or you can more thoroughly enjoy your work and make use of your talents in concrete ways. You can be extraordinarily disciplined if you find joy in your work, chores, and duties.
Transiting Saturn square Uranus
Watch for limiting yourself through abrupt behaviors during this period. You can feel frustrated by circumstances that seem to block your efforts to innovate, change, progress, and express your individuality or independence. Indeed, this transit challenges you to build something solid or real from your original ideas.
This can be a time when you feel restless but can’t seem to find a way to satisfy the need for something different. Differences of opinion can be harder to tolerate than usual, as they seem to be blocking your progress now–it feels personal. Difficulties are possible with technology or group associations. Problems with teeth often accompany this transit.
It’s a time to draw on your patience and determination since obstacles emerge more than usual, but they’re also temporary. You may need to work on problem or weak areas to help achieve more freedom for your “future self.”
Because of an increased tendency to hold onto stress, extra attention to stress relievers is important during the course of this transit. Note that this transit can last as little as one month but that more often occurs over the course of about nine months if there are three “hits” from transiting Saturn to natal Uranus due to Saturn’s retrograde.
When transiting Saturn trines natal Uranus, there can be pleasant life milestones happening during this period. It can be a time when ideas or dreams take form. You may be able to monetize a hobby or more thoroughly enjoy your work and make use of your talents in concrete ways. You can be extraordinarily disciplined if you find joy in what you’re doing.
When transiting Saturn opposes natal Uranus, your very independence, individuality, and sense of spontaneity or freedom can feel challenged or blocked. You can face restrictions or increased responsibilities that limit your ability to enjoy yourself spontaneously or that impact your social life, friendships, or group connections. Watch for being in a state of stress or nervousness for lengthy periods. Aim to calm your nerves. Rebellious, abrupt, and erratic moves are unlikely to work in your favor during this cycle.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Natal Neptune
You may feel at odds with your fears and phobias, having difficulty understanding yourself and accepting bad habits, anxieties, and addictions. There can be some self-criticism as you begin to see some of your escapist tendencies for what they are. Or, you could feel incredibly frustrated with your more irrational addictions and fears you’ve previously accepted as you now see them in a harsher light.
You might often have the inexplicable feeling that something awful will happen – a feeling of doom. Old bad habits may resurface for resolve. There is likely to be some form of disillusionment happening now, with previously held beliefs, and possibly also with others who don’t seem very sympathetic or compassionate. Beliefs or methods that previously helped to soothe you may no longer satisfy.
Positively, and especially with the conjunction, this can be a time for overcoming a fear or addiction, although there is likely to be initial impatience and a struggle involved.
Transiting Saturn opposing natal Neptune can challenge your confidence or faith, but it also presents an opportunity to rebuild these things more authentically at this stage in your growth. There can be vague discontent, worry, and anxiety as you grapple with feelings of uncertainty or struggle with your sense of purpose or inspiration. However, it may be a time when you’re prompted to discover new or improved sources of inspiration as you shed inauthentic or outdated ideas and beliefs.
Still, the feelings of discouragement are real, and it’s a good idea to treat yourself gently and patiently. As well, be more attentive to sleep, rest, and good nutrition and habits.
When transiting Saturn sextiles or trines natal Neptune, it’s a fabulous period for making positive lifestyle changes and for putting more effort into or applying more structure to your spiritual practices, imaginative or creative pursuits, writing, art, charities, and causes. It’s a good time to tighten up areas of your life that have become a little slack or neglected. It’s also a fine time for getting the guidance you need, if applicable.
When transiting Saturn conjuncts natal Pluto, you may be called to put in some hard work or to draw upon your self-discipline during the course of this transit. You can feel quite determined to get over an obstacle. Some people make a huge lifestyle change at this time. Keep in mind that people born in your birth year and in surrounding birth years are going through the same transit. Still, it may not occur in the same house.
With transiting Saturn in a sextile to natal Pluto, you can be motivated to put in the work or to draw upon your self-discipline for a mission that’s important to you. You can feel quite determined to get over an obstacle. It’s a strong time for working on self-reliance and self-control. Making a productive lifestyle change can be in focus during this period, and it has a strong chance of being highly successful. Working solidly and systematically on patterns of childhood conditioning and survival mode/fearful reactions can be most rewarding and productive. Bringing form to an ambition can also be in the spotlight.
Keep in mind that people born in your birth year and in surrounding birth years are going through the same transit, but not necessarily in the same houses.
With transiting Saturn square natal Pluto, you can be going through an inner struggle as you wrestle with fears, insecurities, and a hampered desire to control things. Circumstances now seem to highlight your more dysfunctional responses to your life, as it becomes glaringly apparent that they’re no longer working for you. For the time being, you could feel overburdened. Obstacles to reaching your goals may appear during this phase, and they can come down to difficult power dynamics, authoritarianism, or structural changes that temporarily upend an area of your life. Tests are likely to occur on a personal level, in relationships, or in your career. It’s important to work on managing feelings of resentment, fears, suspicion, and misbehaving survival instincts.
Saturn transiting opposite your natal Pluto can challenge your deeper ambitions, desires, impulses, and reactions. It can activate your fears and feelings of self-preservation. There can be complicated power dynamics and stalemates. It’s not a good time for getting away with manipulations or convoluted plans, conflicts with authority, or plots and schemes for retaliation. Generally speaking, lucky breaks are not forthcoming during this cycle, and it’s best to be patient and work on self-reliance and cleaning up some of the more challenging, self-sabotaging elements of your nature. Avoid taking on too much at this time.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, square, or opposition Chiron
You will be learning about your own inner strength during the course of this transit. Circumstances position you to question your own integrity and grow to a position where you respect yourself more, by eliminating attitudes that no longer serve a greater purpose for you. Frustrations with the demands, rules, or expectations of others are likely to surface in the process of these discoveries.
When transiting Saturn squares natal Chiron, feelings of vulnerability are stimulated by events in our lives that feel heavy or overwhelming. You can feel especially sensitive or put upon during this cycle. It can be difficult to find support from others, especially if you feel more defensive than usual. Criticism may come in that bothers you deeply. But in an effort to make improvements or fight back, you can end up making important edits and changes. These things help you build up your self-confidence or self-image.
Transiting Saturn sextile or trine Chiron
When transiting Saturn sextiles natal Chiron, you find it easier to draw on your special wisdom or talents and apply them in the real world without fanfare but with decent success.
Learning to let go of regrets is a major theme of this transit. By working on facing up to your responsibilities, following the rules, and adopting a humbler approach to others, you gain a greater sense of purpose. You stand to learn much from your experiences and interactions with others now.
Transiting Saturn in aspect to the North Node
When Saturn transits in aspect to the North Node, how you associate with others in terms of give-and-take and learning experiences, comes into question. Negative, greedy, or irritable attitudes towards others are things that you are learning to rid yourself of. You might meet mentors or those older or wiser than you who have something important to teach you.
Hard aspects are associated with troublesome social relationships or withdrawal from socializing. It’s part of a necessary process of personal growth. You are learning to rely on yourself, as well as to adopt a humbler approach to others.
Transiting Saturn conjunct, sextile, trine, square, or in opposition to the Part of Fortune
With these aspects, you are learning to find happiness in the simple things in life and in living a more structured and responsible existence.
The square and opposition may bring temporary trials, delays, frustrations, or oppositions. These force you to pare down your life in realistic ways or face responsibilities that you may have neglected.
Keys to Handling Saturn Transits:
Saturn teaches us about the value of moderation and caution. Perhaps the best way to “handle” challenging Saturn transits to personal planets and points is to avoid fighting these lessons. Accept that, at this time in your life, things may move at a slower speed (even a snail’s pace).
Saturn wants us to work hard, put our energies into practical, useful, and meaningful projects, and live in the here-and-now. This period in your life is a time for building a solid foundation.
Understand that moderation at this point in your life is necessary for your spiritual growth and your physical body. Avoid blaming others for where you are now–doing this will only lead to melancholy and anger.
Know that this period in your life, while temporary, is a time for learning about your personal limits in addition to your inner strength. Carry these lessons as you move beyond this phase because how you handle your life now will make all the difference the next time (7 years later) Saturn makes a hard aspect to the same planet or point in your chart.
A general description of transiting Saturn – excerpt from the Sky Log report:
“The planet Saturn is currently casting a gray light on your circumstances — but is it the bleak gray of sorrow or the clear, comforting gray of wisdom and digested experience? That’s the choice.
Saturn is classically viewed as the “bad” planet, the “Greater Malefic.” Don’t believe it! Used correctly, its transits can bring dignity and self-respect. Essentially, Saturn is about maturity. The part of your life that’s being touched by the Saturnian energies needs to grow up…which, despite the lies we’re all told, is not a process one mysteriously completes on one’s twenty-first birthday.
There is an area of your life where you have simply outgrown yourself, at least inwardly. The task now is to adjust your outward circumstances to reflect the maturity you’ve already attained psychically and invisibly.
It is a material problem, not fundamentally a psychological one. To succeed, there is first a need to face reality squarely, even if it’s unsavory. Then to make a hard choice…that is, to reach an emotional bottom line and not be crippled by your awareness of the ambiguities in your situation. And finally, in a spirit of commitment, persistence, and self-discipline, to claim those circumstances in your life which reflect the hard inner work you’ve been doing over the last few years. That’s Saturn in general.”
References & suggested further reading:
Saturn in Transit: Boundaries of Mind,… by Erin Sullivan (affiliate link). This book is heavy reading, but powerful and insightful.
Astrology, Karma & Transformation: The… by Stephen Arroyo (affiliate link). Excellent work. Deals with natal positions, synastry, and transits in relation to karma and spiritual growth.
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Interpretations written by Annie Heese, unless otherwise noted. You can order a personalized forecast report from our Future Forecast Reports page.
