Saturn in Capricorn

Saturn enters its own sign of Capricorn on December 19, 2017 and will remain there through March 21, 2020. Saturn’s transit through Capricorn magnifies the Saturnian archetype and emboldens Capricorn energy. Under this transit, we will likely experience a collective “Saturn Transit.” As always, we experience planetary energies both on a personal level and on a collective one.

Photo by invisiblepower from Pexels.

Saturn is the archetype of the Wise Elder who holds us accountable and keeps us on task. We have this voice within each of us, and it is colored by the sign and house placement of our natal Saturn. The aim of Saturn is to keep us engaged in the work of our lives here on earth. When we are using our inner Saturn well, we are able to manifest real accomplishments that align with our soul’s plan. When under a personal Saturn transit, we are called to go to the next level in some area of our lives (indicated by the houses and planets in our chart which are affected by transiting Saturn). Instant gratification becomes a thing of the past. We must invoke the qualities of patience, endurance, and discipline in order to make it through the trials that are set before us. If we rise to the occasion, Saturn times help us to mature.

For the collective, Saturn transiting through each sign of the zodiac points to an area of “work to be done.” It’s a time to Get Real regarding the concerns of the sign involved. Saturn in Sagittarius (December 2014-present) has been about examining what we believe. It has been a time to confront difficult truths. We have had to restructure a world-view that is in alignment with the reality we face. Did we accomplish these tasks? Each of us must answer that question individually. But as for the collective, I think this is a work in progress.

Saturn in Capricorn points to a time wherein we must set goals and work toward them steadily. We will likely be presented with some undeniable physical limitations. Collectively, Saturn in Capricorn will present tangible obstacles that we must, as a species, learn to surmount. Examples of such obstacles would be: economic hardship, lack of physical resources, and (even more) severe weather patterns. We will have to get creative, tap into our strengths, and grow to the next level of adulthood.

As an individual, we can choose how we approach this energy. Here are two likely roads ahead:

First, imagine yourself as a child who just did something wrong. You’re getting a lecture from a stern adult who wags their finger at you. You feel punished and singled out.

You don’t like to be told what to do, especially by someone older and wiser. You don’t like limits, nor do you appreciate being corrected. In response, you complain or withdraw.

Try this image instead. You are a youth living in a village. It’s time to undergo an important rite of passage: you’re about to become a Real Adult in the eyes of your family and community. As part of this rite of passage, you must meet with the Wise Woman who lives up the mountain. She will impart a teaching to you, a piece of wisdom uniquely designed to help you make the transition from child to grown-up. You are excited yet fearful. She has a reputation for being stern. But this meeting with the Wise Woman is a necessary step for you on the journey to true adulthood.

The second image contains the spirit of a healthy response to Saturn in Capricorn. It’s time to listen to what the Wise One has to say. When we open to Saturn’s wisdom, we will gain strategies with which to meet the trials ahead.

Here are some positive ways to work with Saturn in Capricorn, each followed by a question for reflection:

If you have a project or goal that is important to you, but you’ve been putting it off because it will “take too long” or it is “too hard,” Saturn in Capricorn is the time to finally tackle it. Saturn rewards hard work, and these next two years can be a time of real progress toward a long-valued project or milestone.

Question: If I had to pick one project or goal, what do I most want to work on over the next 2 years?

Saturn in Capricorn helps us to set boundaries. We must sometimes say no to something in order to keep the commitments that are of value to us. Sometimes we need to say “No” in order to protect ourselves from depletion or harm.

Question: What do I need to say “No” to in order to make room for what is truly important to me?

Saturn in Capricorn shows us where we need to mature or go to the next level. Consider your life, and look for an area where you feel bored. We often experience boredom due to lack of challenge. We can use this awareness to decide what challenges to put on our plate proactively, rather than waiting for Saturn to decide. Look for your growing edges.

Question: Where do I want to grow next?

Overall, during a Saturn Time it is helpful to remember the wisdom of cycles. To everything, there is a season. We might feel the harshness of winter more keenly now. But through limitation, we uncover latent gifts and talents. We find new ground within ourselves to plant seeds for the coming spring.