Saturn

Psychologically Saturn is the great teacher, the archetype of the wise old man, the voice of conscience. It represents the innate desire for order, form, and security. Saturn gives us a sense of duty and responsibility, it impels us toward self improvement, and is the co ruler of Aquarius along with Uranus. Saturn represents, fear, and many of the problems and difficulties surrounding this planet. When Saturn contacts a planet in our chart we seem to be frightened of expressing those things symbolized by that planet.

Saturn imposes certain limits, and without it there is chaos. At it’s most constructive, it imparts worldly wisdom gained through hard experience. It’s influence helps us to define our place in the world and work towards long term goals. Saturn can help us become responsible, socially aware adults. It’s position in our birth chart shows where we can learn persistence, self discipline, and humility. Where the lessons are to be learned, and the areas where we should try to accept the difficulties or obligations, and by acceptance grow and acquire wisdom.

Often Saturn shows where we feel hardship and we learn things the hard way, and the upside to this struggle is that eventually through this shaping we become an authority in that area.  We are at our most defensive and oversensitive, when dealing with our Saturnian challenges. The experience of pain, restriction, and discipline is a means to aid us in achieving greater consciousness. According to Liz Greene, Saturn is connected with the educational value of pain, with the difference between external values which we acquire from others, and internal values-those which we have worked to discover within ourselves.

Our Saturn contacts can describe us as under defended or over defended in various aspects of life. For many people with difficult aspects to Saturn, much of their adult life is spent taking the wall down. Saturn contacts by house aspect and lesser extent sign, describe those areas where we lack confidence, where we feel we could do better. Saturn is traditionally associated with the father and sometimes the mother. Saturn correlates with the internalised image of father and often with the physical father. Where an authority figure is giving out discipline they are acting in the role of Saturn. Saturn aspects usually get better as one gets older and is better able to accept that living in the real world does involve living with fears, constraints and limitations and that some of these are merely self-imposed. Saturn is the planet concerned with time and age and with the taking on of duties and responsibilities we associate with adulthood. When restrictions seem to heavy and difficult, our lives may seem fated. Nevertheless a strong Saturn needs difficulties to work on and teaches us to operate within our limitations and to accept we are human