Saturn in Sagittarius – The Wisdom Years
Saturn in Sagittarius:
December 23, 2014 – June 14, 2015
September 17, 2015 – December 19, 2017 (8:47 pm)
Saturn retrograde:
March 14, 2015 (8:02 am) to August 1, 2015 (10:53 pm)
(Saturn stations direct at 28 Scorpio 17)
March 25, 2016 – Aug 13, 2016 (16’ – 9’ Sagittarius)
April 5, 2017 – Aug 25, 2017 (27’ -25’ Sagittarius)
Saturn’s trek out of Scorpio and into Sagittarius takes us out of the dark tunnel years and into the light of day. Does this equate to reward or consequence? Whether we meet with a warming and beckoning light or a harsh glaring light depends on which direction we are already pointed. Saturn builds from the past. As ye sow, so shall ye reap – this is Saturn’s motto.
Saturn gives us shape, form, and structure. It reduces, lessens, and restricts, but rather than minimize, the size and scope becomes more important, essential, and often more urgent. Saturn diminishes margins, defines edges, boundaries, and mortality. Its greatest product is history. It marks time – as in time spans, time limits, and time- is-ripe moments. As the task master and reality-check planet, Saturn’s transit will exert pressure where it deems it is necessary. It can inhibit, add burden, or stop us in our tracks. Saturn calls upon us to take a more realistic look, to make a better judgement call on the priorities, and to get to work employing a more sober approach to the task at hand. Saturn in Sagittarius holds us accountable to our past and our future. It calls upon us to get more ambitious, to take better, more deliberate aim, and to accomplish something of true and lasting significance.
Among its many correlations, the Sagittarius sign archetype represents the nature of our philosophies, beliefs, truths, and faith. I think, therefore I am and therefore it is. It is our beliefs – and the concepts, philosophies, and such that have designed them – that shape our creative process and subsequently, our reality. Our reality base has taken a significant hit since 2008 when Pluto first entered Capricorn, Saturn’s sign; it’s been happening at an even more radical level through the Uranus square Pluto years (2012 to 2015). Further testing our beliefs, our creative process, and our reality, the Saturn in Sagittarius years will take aim on quite specific targets. Look to the area of your chart where Saturn travels to see what specific targets are outlined for you. Know that where-ever it goes, Saturn in Sagittarius plans to go the distance, to take the issue, circumstance, or learning as far as possible. You/we are wise to plan for the long haul, long term, or long range.
Sagittarius is also the sign that correlates to the future. Sagittarius represents the journey and Saturn dictates what must be explored along the way. We can expect these next few Saturn in Sagittarius years to better pinpoint and define our personal and our collective future. In doing so, Saturn puts the tools in our hands and urges us to not to waste a single precious moment. Tunnel vision is folly; flogging the dead horse is too. Our options may be further reduced or limited, but there is always something that can be done. Saturn always offers good reward for good effort. Enough children have been murdered. Enough rights have been violated. Enough lives have been ripped apart. What are we perpetuating? Let the insanity stop!
Why do I call Saturn in Sagittarius the wisdom years? Whether or not we learn to play it smarter will depend on the choices of the moment, but to be sure the coming years are going to get us much better educated. We’ll learn the truth of where we stand so far, and where we are going. We’ll also learn the fuller impact of what is has cost us to date and the price we must now pay. The next few critically shaping years will teach us what is most essential to know, what is most essential to end or stop, and what is most timely and beneficial to launch.
What can we expect? The world out there:
Saturn in Sagittarius can diminish the inflated or overgrown, while at the same time it will create growth and traction where it is necessary and/or optimal to do so. In some cases, it will shorten the journey, while lengthening it elsewhere.
Saturn is a cementing influence. Saturn in Sagittarius will crystallize a vision, a belief, a religion, a cultural trend, or a way of life (chosen or imposed). Under the wise leadership of Pope Francis, the reconstruction of the Catholic church is already well underway. Of the authority figures of the present day, his exceptional example stands head and shoulders above most. Let us hope the Saturn in Sagittarius years produce more leaders that truly serve the planet and its people.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, ISIL and other such radical terrorist groups are a reality that we must accept as not only here to stay, but one that is also mushrooming and escalating. Sagittarius is a crusader, a convince-and-convert archetype. It is also a mission driven and invasion archetype. As we have already seen, when combined with distorted Saturn and the Uranus/Pluto transit, the consequences for ideological or religious disobedience can be harsh, even dire. Saturn at this level is a “accept the doctrine or be punished and perish” combination.
Saturn in Sagittarius will also put more critical attention on land ownership and territorial rights. Regarding Putin’s political agenda/ambition and the situation in Ukraine, we already know that whatever takes place regarding this situation will be a long, drawn-out affair. As Saturn readies to turn the page from Scorpio to Sagittarius, the brunt of restrictive (Saturn) trade (Sagittarius) sanctions against Russia are starting to show greater impact. Prices for goods have suddenly skyrocketed as the Russian rouble ends 2014 greatly devalued from where it started the year. It must be noted that what affects one, affects all. The domino effect is not to be under-estimated. For example, the devalued and unstable rouble has caused Apple to suspend its on-line sales to Russia. As time advances, we can expect to see more significant fallout.
Exploration is another Sagittarius theme. Proprietary right to the Arctic Seas north of Canada is a race that is already underway and that is sure to gather significant attention and momentum during the Saturn in Sagittarius years. Canada, Denmark and Russia are all laying claim to overlapping territory.
From terrestrial to extra-terrestrial, today’s technology allows us to travel further out into space than we have ever done. We are mapping the cosmos like never before and we are on the brink of discovering life on other planets and inhabitable outposts.
Another example regarding the issue of land ownership, territorial rights, and self governance (Capricorn, Saturn’s sign; Pluto in Capricorn) comes from Canada’s aboriginal peoples, who are now poised at a momentous turning point in their political history. Saturn in Sagittarius signals the start of a major trajectory phase regarding their legitimization as political and economic force. As a group, they are not yet as cohesive or as organized as they will be in the years to come, but they are growing more formidable. Still, the road ahead is a long and arduous one. The Saturn in Sagittarius years will be significantly shaping, escalating, and history writing in terms of this long overdue mission. These years will set a major paving stone in place not only for the world’s indigenous populations, but also for emerging countries that are at the next growing pains stage of legitimization, recognition, of geographic, political, economic, and cultural change.
Growing populations and over consumption have already placed extra burden on nature and our natural resources. Saturn in Sagittarius sends this message out in a more urgent way. It will escalate the pressure on governments to set better legislation and policies in place in order to meet the supply and demand, to preserve our precious resources, and safeguard that which will sustain life on the planet.
Joined by many other friends and neighbours, the aboriginal voice here in British Columbia may prove to be a leading, perhaps even primary, wrench in the wheel to stop, or at least stall, the government’s railroading of oil pipeline projects that threaten our lands and waters. Don’t expect this fight to end or diminish anytime soon. Of course, if the drop in oil prices continue, perhaps Enbridge et all will decide there is not enough economic feasibility to push on their projects.
Speaking of oil, Saturn begins its transit with a square aspect to Neptune in Pisces. Pisces is the astrological significator for oil. This square aspect builds to mid March when Saturn begins its four month retrograde cycle. Perhaps by this time there will be some relief for the flooded market and deflation that it brings for western producers. Still, Saturn will re-engage with Neptune at the end of November. Once past this aspect, Saturn will engage with Chiron in Pisces and the transiting nodes which by that time will be moving through the Virgo/Pisces polarity. It’s about the business of oil, it’s about the water. It is quite possible that the oil price drop will continue to pose major economic concern for the duration of Saturn’s transit through Sagittarius.
Speaking of economics, Twenty-one Asian nations have recently signed on to a China-driven initiative to create a new development bank for Asia aimed at boosting infrastructure investment of all kinds. Beijing sees that as a way to raise its international standing, but Washington sees the move as a potentially damaging rival to established institutions such as the World Bank. What is the future impact of such an initiative? Will the balance of world power shift from the west to the east? Time will tell. Still, it must be noted that throughout history, each 248 year transit of Pluto through Capricorn has ended an era and begun a new one regarding the social, economic, and geo-political world structure. Pluto’s current transit continues to 2024. That which was in development, hidden and/or brewing underground, or festering during Saturn in Scorpio will move to the next level during Saturn in Sagittarius. Saturn in Sagittarius is a particularly potent seeding and destiny writing chapter for that which will be further developed and/or realized during the Saturn in Capricorn years. Setting a critical and key paving stone more solidly in place, Saturn and Pluto will join forces in Capricorn by the start of 2020. That is only a few short years away.
Far from acting as a restrictive influence, as Saturn readies now to leave Scorpio for Sagittarius, the US has begun to lift its long standing trade embargo against Cuba. What will the new face of Cuban capitalism look like? Saturn in Sagittarius will take Cuba through a key seeding and growth cycle. We’ll know more in a few years when Saturn treks into Capricorn.
Our freedoms– will they be further restricted? Will the people in Hong Kong give up the fight for democracy? I think not. Freedom of speech, of education and ideologies, of peoples, and of creative expression – we’ll see both the suppression and the growth momentum gain significant traction during the Saturn in Sagittarius years. These years will also advance the reshaping of legal systems and also the travel, tourism, export, sports, media, and publishing industries. Again, this work is not new; it is already well under way. As a congealing influence, Saturn in Sagittarius adds more layers and a more definitive outline to that which is already on the growth and necessity docket. The Arab spring momentum is but one example. As the Syrian conflict rages on, huge refugee camps are evolving into new cities.
Security at all levels is a moving target while Saturn tenants Sagittarius. Beefed up security measures lead to increased surveillance. Can we get away from the watchful eye? Who’s reading our emails? Is a police state already well underway?
The next few years will take us deeper into the unfolding process of this highly significant history writing chapter. Saturn correlates to hindsight and Sagittarius to foresight. Let us hope that not only those in charge, but we ourselves, have enough wisdom to employ both.
Saturn in Sagittarius and the personal journey:
Saturn will only take a dip into Sagittarius through 2015. You’ll feel the effects of what I’ve said in the next paragraph if you are born at the beginning of your sign or have planets situated at the first four degrees. If you are born later in the sign, Saturn will be of influence later in its transit. From mid June to mid September, Saturn will revisit the latter degrees of Scorpio. If you are born late in the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius) then you’ll have a little further to go, a little more to work out before you can move on to the next platform.
The future now becomes a more pressing priority. It will become imperative to get a better hold on it. Saturn in Sagittarius marks a critically shaping time for careers, lifestyles, trends, private lives and public ones. Stop to observe for a moment and you will see that the end of Saturn in Scorpio is proving to be a precursor for the work that lies ahead. (A major story now hitting the news: the Sony hacking scandal that has lead to a terrorism threat, the pulling of a movie, and an upset North Korea.) As stated previously, whether we near a finish line or a start line, what occurs during these years will establish the foundation for some time to come. Generally speaking, Saturn in Sagittarius is a facilitating and time-is-ripe influence for the fire signs Aries and Leo, and air signs of Libra and Aquarius. Both Sagittarius and Gemini face endings, beginnings, and/or goal reaching of great significance. Virgo and Pisces folk are poised to move through critical turning-point thresholds. Taurus and Cancer have significant adjustments, juggling, and transition work to do. Scorpio will farm, amass, and/or consolidate further from what has been explored and/or begun through the past couple of years. Capricorns will continue to work their way through a culmination and completion chapter, while at the same time their next script gains its story line.
Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn are already in a culminating phase. Together, they will take us through a reap the reward or face the consequence chapter.
The past few years of Saturn in Scorpio has been a career and destiny shape chapter for the Pluto in Scorpio folk (1984 through 1995). Those at the start of the Pluto in Sagittarius generation (1995 to 1997) will find themselves at a time of clearing away and of entrenching further into their adult life chapter. Those facing the Saturn return cycle (late 1955, 1956; 1926) will also be working their way through a significant clearing and reorientation cycle. Whenever Saturn and Capricorn are emphasized, we undergo important developments regarding our relationship to parents and other authority figures (bosses, church, state, etc.) We also undergo significant development regarding the accessing of our own authority – how we relate to it within ourselves and how we projected into the world around us.
Also on a general note, through spring of 2016, Jupiter’s relationship to Saturn is one of exposure, teaching, and of growing beyond your present status quo. Through August of 2015, Jupiter/Saturn asks you take a deeper, harder look inside your inner core, to face your truth, to go in search of more, to create something more significant for yourself. From August through spring of 2016, Jupiter/Saturn asks you to expand your efforts, to get more industrious, to correct, repair, heal, or fine-tune what is necessary. From the spring of 2016 through fall of 2016, the growth process of disengagement, reorientation, and emergence will gather a stronger momentum. The fall of 2016 through the fall of 2017 is a time of measuring and evaluating. You could find yourself in a process of integrating and bettering your status quo or equilibrium, or you could find yourself standing on a balance beam or a precipice. The fall of 2017 through the end of Saturn in Sagittarius again brings a review, additional considerations or consequences, along with a choice or a necessity to end, start, or to overhaul yet again.
Saturn’s transit through Sagittarius will require that we face reality for the truth that it is, and that we work it from there. Saturn in Sagittarius will require that we go the full distance, that we get more committed to our future, that we put in the time and employ more effort, that we climb the tree of higher knowledge, that we accept the teachings and employ them diligently, that we write and speak more truth. We must be astute in our forward looking. Quite simply stated, the future – our future – depends on us.