Saturn, the planet associated with father/authority figures and boundaries, helps us to become a better person by putting us through a series of life lessons.
Saturn provides us with the basic framework and rules to follow. Saturn likes to be systematic, organised and law abiding. Saturn strives for security and safety. Where Saturn is in your chart indicates where your fears lie. It indicates where we tend to overcompensate in order to feel secure again.
In 2012, Saturn will finish off its final degrees in Libra and is due to enter Scorpio on 6th October 2012. A period of retrograde will occur between 7th February to 25th June 2012. Any planets, points or angles between 28 degrees 19 minutes Libra to 9 degrees 30 minutes Scorpio will feel the greatest tension from Saturn. As uncomfortable as you may feel, Saturn's visit is essential to our growth on the mortal realm.
In Libra, Saturn asks us to learn from our relationships with others and in Scorpio, to spring clean any hidden attachments lying around in our psyche.
Saturn Transiting through the houses
First house - Saturn enters the first house through the portal of the Ascendant. Saturn may challenge our old ways of viewing life. Saturn is a traditional father, demanding us to take life seriously. If you are a responsible person by nature, this transit will deepen this trait, whereas for those with a laid-back attitude, this transit can inject a solemn and reflective tone into your system. Saturn could tamper with your confidence level, but only to force you to get rid of anything superficial and unrealistic about yourself. This is also a time of introspection where you restructure your inner landscape. If you work hard on the 'Saturn first house' lesson, then, by the time Saturn exits this house, you will have discovered a renewed self-identity to work with for the coming years.
Libra Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the first house up to 5th October 2012.
Scorpio Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the first house from 6th October 2012.
Second house - This house is associated with our material possessions and values we hold. Saturn transiting the second house is traditionally interpreted as a period of financial loss. This can occur, but it didn't when I had my Saturn 2nd house transit 3 years ago. What it did bring up, was a feeling of insecurity concerning my finances. I also asked myself 'What's the point of working so hard? What do I truly get out of it?' on a frequent basis during this transit. This brings us to the crux of the 2nd house lesson - What do you really value? What is important to you in life? In essence, this transit allows us to restructure our inner value system. For some, they may have to lose their material possessions to find out what's truly important to them. For example, those who have lost their fortune in the current (or previous) bouts of economic crisis may have learnt that they still have their families with them, giving them support, while others may have found it hard to extract the hidden blessings in such situations.
Virgo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the second house up to 5th October 2012.
Libra Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the second house from 6th October 2012.
Third house - Now that we have restructured our personality, outlook on life (1st house), values and resources (2nd house), Saturn will then turn our attention to our mind, which includes our communication style, our way of thinking, learning patterns and attitudes. During this transit, Saturn may urge us to inspect and discipline our mental output, and to plan our time effectively in order to maximise our learning opportunities. We may feel inadequate with our skills and knowledge base and might feel the need to enrol on relevant courses to compensate this lack. As the third house rules siblings, neighbours and our immediate environment, we may find people around us who are reaching out to us (Saturn in Libra) more than before. I can certainly relate to that - recently, my neighbours are making more small talks (3rd house) with me and prying into my private life, to my dismay......
Leo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the third house up to 5th October 2012.
Virgo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the third house from 6th October 2012.
Fourth house - Saturn crosses the IC threshold in order to enter the fourth house of our roots, home and foundation. Saturn encourages us to explore our roots and release any unhealthy attachments to the past, especially those related to our early home life. This can be a favourable time to undergo psychological therapy, particularly if any unresolved childhood issues are restricting your psychological/spiritual growth. This transit may manifest on a more physical level, whereby, your actual home space will undergo some kind of re-organisation or restructuring. As this house also represents one of the parents, this transit may bring some kind of parental duty to you, or you may be the recipient of it.
Cancer Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fourth house up to 5th October 2012.
Leo Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fourth house from 6th October 2012.
Fifth house - This house is associated with self-expression, romance, children and creative pursuits. Saturn pushes us to re-evaluate our talents and to express ourselves in practical and useful ways. Some of us may encounter older or more mature lovers, whom may bring discipline into our lives. Children may enter our lives, though not necessarily your own, where you have responsibility over their well-being. These may seem burdensome, or just 'not fun', but the purpose of these interactions is to promote growth. The ultimate lesson in this house is to cultivate a healthy dose of pride and self-dependence, so that we do not need to reply on the opinions of others and be affected by how we are perceived.
Gemini Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fifth house up to 5th October 2012.
Cancer Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the fifth house from 6th October 2012.
Sixth house - Our daily routine, work and physical health are under scrutiny by Saturn. We may inspect our day-to-day arrangements to see if there are scopes for increasing the efficiency in running errands or going about our daily lives. At work, extra workload and/or responsibilities may be laden on us. We may feel our efforts go unrewarded and we could not live up to the unrealistic demands of our superiors. Our physical health may be strained, urging us to take better care of ourselves. A new exercise or diet regime may start at this time. The lesson of this house is to be productive and work efficiently within the constrain of a healthy body.
Taurus Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the sixth house up to 5th October 2012.
Gemini Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the sixth house from 6th October 2012.
Seventh house - Saturn steps through the Descendant doorway and into the seventh house of one-to-one relationships, which include marital and business partnerships. A feeling of loneliness may accompany this transit, whether or not you are in a relationship. The issues of commitment and fulfilling the expectations of others are likely to crop up. For some, this could be the end of a marital relationship, having inspected all the flaws and come to the conclusion that it is intolerable. For others, this could bring marital union, having inspected the current state of the relationship and come to the conclusion that it is time to be responsible and make a solid (official) commitment to your partner. The essence of this lesson is to re-assess your relationships and understand the part you play in them.
Aries Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the seventh house up to 5th October 2012.
Taurus Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the seventh house from 6th October 2012.
Eighth house - Saturn, entering the eighth house of other people's resources and values, tends to allow you to re-assess values held by others (including your intimate partner) and, if different from your own, to incorporate them into your system without stifling your own individuality. The issue of power and control may also be up for inspection. This is also traditionally known as the house of death, therefore, during this transit, Saturn may bring up issues of your own mortality, where we are reminded that there is a limit to our existence on this earthly plane.
Pisces Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eighth house up to 5th October 2012.
Aries Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eighth house from 6th October 2012.
Ninth house - Issues related to philosophy, religion, higher education and foreign travels come under the watchful eyes of Saturn during its transit in the 9th house. We may question our outdated beliefs on what life is all about. Finding the meaning of life and seeking religious or spiritual solace may occur for the purpose of applying it in the material world. Any long distance travels taking place during this 9th house Saturn transit are likely to be related to learning or fulfilling a practical intent, i.e. not for recreational purposes.
Aquarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the ninth house up to 5th October 2012.
Pisces Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the ninth house from 6th October 2012.
Tenth house - This could to be a time of accomplishment in your career, perhaps even being rewarded with a position of leadership. If this is in line with your wish, then it will be relished. Otherwise, this may just be a period of increased (and unwanted) responsibilities in your professional life. You may have reached the peak of your career, something that you have been striving for, but you may have sacrificed your personal life in order to obtain this recognition, and further work-related burdens await you. The essence of this lesson is to be aware of the limitation and restriction we can experience in our professional life or from our place in society.
Capricorn Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the tenth house up to 5th October 2012.
Aquarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the tenth house from 6th October 2012.
Eleventh house - In the house of hopes and wishes, community groups and friendships, Saturn asks us to question our role in our community and how we fit-in in our society. Any superficiality will not be able to withstand Saturn's stern glare, from false friends and unrealistic dreams, to shallow networks and associations. Any commitments made under this 11th house Saturn transit demand depth and practicality.
Sagittarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eleventh house up to 5th October 2012.
Capricorn Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the eleventh house from 6th October 2012.
Twelfth house - As Saturn enters the 12th house of the Universal unconscious, we slow down our pace even more (Saturn slows us down anyway, but more so in the 12th house of retreat). We may want some isolation time where we delve into the depths of our psyches and spring-clean any junk we have assimilated previously, e.g. skeletons in the closet and fears which are hindering our spiritual growth, and dig up anything hidden that can still be of use to us, e.g. hidden talents. Feelings of inadequacy could crop up at this time. The importance of this transit is to realise that life is cyclical and that failures can make us wiser. Discard what is no longer practical to us and keep those that can help us onto the next lesson - the first house, where we get another chance to define our identity in the world.
Scorpio Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the twelfth house up to 5th October 2012.
Sagittarius Ascendant will have Saturn transiting the twelfth house from 6th October 2012.
Please note that all dates are given on the assumption that each house starts at 0 degree. For those who have access to their charts, they could determine the dates of house transition by locating their Libra and Scorpio cusps.
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