Hello, Good-bye

Saturn goes Cardinal

[My new air purifier for my dank studio space. Yeah, that’s the main sewer line running through it. I got this studio while Saturn was still in Pisces.]

At 4:12 PM Pacific Coast Time, Saturn will cross over into Aries after being in Pisces since March 2023. It had a brief stint in Aries last year from late May until September 1st, so we would have had a taste of it not being in whatever place Pisces occupies in your chart. I’ll review them below. I, for one, can’t wait.

For us Virgo risings, this is the best Valentine’s card that I can think of having the heavy seriousness-carry that weight planet out of our place of close relationships, partnerships of all kinds, even the adversarial ones. It will take more reflection and distance gifted by time for me to see what those three years were about, but one thing I do know and have felt is how recluse I’ve been. Saturn the Hermit has had me in a perpetual “do not disturb” mode. Interactions in general have ranged from obligatory to insufferable. I’m surprised I still have friends.

The longtime holdouts seem to have held on. Saturn likes stuff that has some age on it. My husband and I have been together for a hundred years, so this second Saturn return was more of a renewal of ‘til death do us part’ than a parting of ways which Saturn can support if the foundation is questionable and not reinforced to withstand those seismic situations. It seems, too, that second Saturn returns are a whole ‘nother animal in the maturation of life. The first one says, “you’re not a kid anymore so stop being an idiot.” The second one says, “you’re almost dead, so prepare, and enjoy what you have.”

Those who are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces rising would have received the difficult presence, squares or opposition from Saturn hitting the four angles, the places of life: self, other, actions, home. These are the things that are most crucial toward happiness in the Stoic sense, living in accord with nature. Saturn hitting those areas of life could show the cracks in the foundations, where you have come to your limits, when you need to get serious, face reality, take responsibility, own your authority, get in touch with authenticity, and expect to cut bait. These are some ways to think about how Saturn has been affecting your Pisces house for you mutables on the angles folk.

For Geminis, that would have been 10th house of action/vocation/reputation

For Virgos, 7th house of relationships, close, romantic, and/or platonic.

For Sagittariuses, 4th house of home, property, parents.

For Pisces, of course the 1st house of self, identity, body.

Saturn’s move into Aries will bring that level of heaviness to the places of life for the cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn. Aries is welcoming Saturn into their first house of identity and body. If you have cracks in your outlook, identity questions, or health, Saturn will put that front and center for you. Saturn will remind you that this body, this rental, is decaying and that can be expedited if you don’t take care of it, your choice.

Because this is Aries, Saturn might say, and by say, he’s not asking, time to slow your roll and check yourself on your inherent independent spirit and go-go-go martial instincts. Reality check time to own who you are and what responsibility looks like. Remember that Saturn isn’t just in that house, but it's also opposing your house of relationships, squaring your house of public actions (career, vocation, reputation) and squaring your house of home life and parents. Even if you don’t have Saturn natally in Aries, Saturn transiting your Aries is like its own kind of Saturn return, as the planet is straight-up in your face in your first house.

Cancer cardinal risings will have the next almost three-year ride of Saturn in your 10th house. You might ask your Gemini rising friends how that’s been. Pisces and Aries will have a different kind of Saturn, but what might be in common is that litany of Saturnian actions listed above in the realm of your job, career, vocation, reputation. In Aries, not Saturn’s fave because Aries is inherently impatient and wants to act (things attributed to Mars), so Saturn’s slowing down will feel like when the fuel in the car is causing knocks and pings with sudden jerks. You may encounter literal jerks because of Saturn in its “fall” in Aries, so you may encounter situations where you question the respect of others’ authority. This could be what brings you to your limits in your career field or questions your role on this path. What we need to be careful with with Saturn in Aries is rashness for the sake of moving on when some time, focus, and patience might be better in the long run. Moving on just might be the best path.

Librans will have Saturn entering their 7th house of relationships. Now we’re talking about limits, responsibilities, authenticity, and what is real in terms of your one-on-one interactions. With Saturn in Aries, it is opposing your first house, so there is a an interplay of how you’re assessing others with what this means for your own self, measuring others and measuring up of what is lasting, real, and foundational is also affecting your very being directly across the chart. This could be a time to learn more about what relationships that stand the test of time look like. Am I in one, looking for one? Saturn in its fall in the place of relationships could test how we judge others, what has staying power, what/who is respectable? This one could be a huge test/lesson/story on how you manage boundaries more than anything.

Capricorns have Saturn moving into their Aries house in the 4th place where it will have us looking at all those lessons with our home life, parents, our familial foundations. This could be a time of facing the reality of parents’ health or assessing what home life looks like. Many questions here like any house topics depend on your age and where you are in your life’s journey. The 4th house is the actual foundation of the chart, so Saturn here really is testing the seismic health of where you physically find yourself asking what needs to change, what just needs attention and reinforcements. Again, it’s Aries so be careful of rashness and allow for some patient planning which is what Saturn wants to do, but that martial energy could be impulsive and escapist. Of all the cardinal signs, you are the most familiar with Saturn as your Ascendant ruler, so that earthy practicality and cardinal initiative will guide you.

For any of these signs, if you’re old enough, you might think about late ‘96 through summer of ‘98 and what that period brought up for you. That’s a long time ago and lots of life happened, lots of potential maturing happened, but it might give you a mild flavor of what Saturn in Aries tastes like for you.

Fixed sign people, here are the Cliff Notes on where Saturn could show the cracks in the foundations, where you have come to your limits, when you need to get serious, face reality, take responsibility, own your authority, get in touch with authenticity, and expect to cut bait.

Taurus - 12th house, Time to deal with your blind spots, addictions, mental health.

Leo - 9th house, belief systems, interests, studies might come under a reckoning. Questions on your worldview.

Scorpio - 6th house, are you done being a slave? Chronic health stuff might rear its head.

Aquarius - 3rd house, this could simply affect your siblings/kin more than you, but also affect the ins and outs of what everyday life looks like.

I started this post this morning and then had to do some stuff. Now that I’m done it is 5:12 PM and Saturn is sufficiently in Aries, never to return to Pisces until 2052.