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This week the main event is an alignment of the Sun and Saturn in late Scorpio. That happens Tuesday at 3:50 am EST (08:50 UTC). The Sun and Saturn form a conjunction once a year, and this is our event for 2014 — and notably the last alignment of the Sun and Saturn in Scorpio.
Artist’s rendering of a Sun-Saturn alignment, seen from the night side of Saturn. This is a beautiful image, though the Sun is probably shown a lot larger than it would be from this distance — about 900 million miles.
When we get to those last-of-a-kind (for this long cycle) events, we’re in the transition phase; the next Sun-Saturn conjunction will be in Sagittarius.
This conjunction is the full activation of the Saturn principle. I’ll come to that in a moment — first a comment on the emotional nature of this aspect. Sun-Saturn alignments can feel heavy.
They can also indicate an emotional struggle, pressure or depression. They can feel like your life force is leaking out. They don’t always feel that way but it is possible that you’re picking up on this. If so, take care of yourself on that level first. Pace yourself, distribute your workload or lean on a friend for some support. Sun-Saturn can also have a spartan feeling, so make sure you eat well, drink water and stay in contact with others. You will feel better and right now that counts for a lot.
The fact that this is in Scorpio adds to the emotional dimension of the experience. In another sign, it would have a different sensation. In Scorpio the feeling tone is placed on the emotional level.
You may not have given it a name. Sun-Saturn, particularly in a conjunction, square or opposition aspect, can have some difficulty seeing around the bend, or feeling like you have enough flexibility to make the turn. You may have the sensation of some external pressure on you, and with Saturn it’s often in the form of some authority (boss, government, time pressure).
There is an element of illusion to this, or perhaps a point of exaggeration. I am not saying that your situation is not real, but I am saying that it may feel worse than it is, and since feeling is what we humans register first, I just want to keep that up front. Yes you have to focus on keeping time, and being on time, but time is a space to work within, rather than a thing that is merely closing in.
In the best case scenario, indeed, no matter what, the message of Sun-Saturn is get it done. Get done whatever you feel you need to get done. The Sun late in a sign is urging completion and closure; Sun-Saturn, challenging though it may be, is offering you some strength, a structure to work in, and an island somewhere accessible on the emotional sea.
Given the whole gestalt, there are two things to keep an eye on. One is motivation. You must keep yourself motivated, preferably by something other than fear. It might be the future reward of having a clear desk and a clear mind.
The other is that you must be your own boss. You are the one who must be accountable to yourself, and by extension, either accountable to others or having no need to be so. The essence of the Saturn principle is take over your life. Stand up in your own skeleton. When someone manifests as a shadow-parent, end the discussion politely and take over that responsibility. It’s not about them — it’s about you.
This is very timely for me as of this week, and really helpful. I want to thank you so much!
Lynn Hennessy
I am thinking that with what you’ve written here Eric, that possibly this Sun-Saturn conjunction coming after the two eclipses we’ve just had, is saying whatever was stirred up for us in those eclipses, stay with it and heal, or take action on what we know to be true for us, that was revealed in these past several weeks. Scorpio suggests it is of an emotional nature, intense, and there is pressure (Saturn) to deal with it now. That the time is now to do it. Whether the pressure is from within the psyche, or outside in the world, would be up to individual charts and people. The Sun is saying each person is feeling it personally, and in Scorpio the caution is to stay with what we know to be true for ourselves. Something is shifting, Sun/Saturn in Scorpio is about being true to our emotional truth, and feeling a limitation that if we face it, will bring a gift to us.
This is smack dab on my ascendant.
It does feel like however busy I am there’s still a lot to get done lately, along with the need to muster up for winter.
Yes, me too, dear Eric – and indeed I have a lot of fear coming up as an old situation (that II thought had been more or less resolved) has come up and hit me again – that I have to face ths week. Can’t thank you enough for this wise and loving piece.
Ahhh, so good, and so timely, as usual. This is great advice for dealing with Saturn energy in general – take over the responsibility for your own life! Love it!
It snowed last night, about 3 to 4 ” of accumulation in my back yard. Confining? Yes, but I was prepared (you know, a Cancer Sun conjunct Ceres and Chiron stocks up at the mention of snow!)
I was just thinking how snow on trees and shrubs have a lace-like effect and lace is usually something for special occasions as well as usually being feminine (or effeminate) attire. Lace can grace windows and tables too, sturdy constructs made softer with lace. Bitter cold without the beauty of snow is just bitter. Snow is breathtakingly beautiful. Cold is a small price to pay for such beauty, that is if you aren’t trapped outside or have to get somewhere and your car is buried in the stuff. Snow inhibits for a reason. Foolish humanity disregards Nature and – as usual – fights it tooth and nail. I’m more relaxed right now than I’ve been in two and a half months, at least. I feel protected (Saturn).
It’s a lovely way to end the Sun’s old cycle with Saturn; in this part of the world it suggests a slowing down of the frantic pace; observe for a moment and feel in your heart the timeless beauty of nature. I may feel differently when I run out of bread and milk.
be
This is truly a wonderful reminder from the Scorpio Birthday report. Just go about getting it done and be grateful you can. Saturn really is a strong, guiding and supportive force, once we get past the pity parties and realize what we are really capable of. IMO, of course.
Such a beautiful comment, dear Be. Took me right there. Keep warm!
I thought this might be fun for the serious theme of the day!
Enjoy!
http://www.selfcontrolfreak.com/
😀
Seen that before. It’s nothing short of brilliant.
This is happening conjunct my Uranus square Nodes, and it has knocked me for six already. Today has been pretty damn horrible. Saturn hovering on my natal Uranus is bad enough, but this? Wham. (The onomatopeia, not the 80s band.)
It would sure be nice to have horrible aspect duvet days occasionally. In the meantime, I just tell myself it’s only a phase, and mouth curses because I picked the perfect time to try and wean off the happy pills.
Hope. Nice to think it exists somewhere.
Amy: Meeeee too. As in, our uranuses (uranii?) must be conjunct. I support the idea of duvet days. In the mean time I’m gonna head off to teach a class on new moon ritual and really hope to amp up the hope factor.
Hugs all around…
Thanks 🙂 hugs to you too. We must have been born around the same year. All the best with the class! x
It wasn’t hard to spot Bill Cosby’s astrological trigger for the salacious tabloid news (that made it to MSM 6 o clock newscast tonight). There was today’s transiting Mercury in Scorpio opposite his natal Uranus in Taurus of course, but a closer inspection reveals that transiting Eris (22+ Aries) forms a T-square to his natal 4th house Mercury (23+ Cancer) opposite his natal 10th house Jupiter (22+ Capricorn), along with transiting Pluto conjunct his MC at 11+ Cancer. Not to be overlooked, transiting Salacia at 26+ Pisces squares Cosby’s natal Chiron at 26+ Gemini. Fame has its price.
Amy, do you have any planets or points in Aquarius? I’m seeing all kinds of aspects between Saturn (natal or transiting) and Uranus (natal or transiting) for those of us with Aquarius Suns, Moons, Venuses, descendants, MCs, . . all of them, upending ourlives in some way.
If you do have an Aquarian planet or several, the rigidity of Saturn combining with the unleashed Uranus energy will manifest through your natal Aquarian energy due to their combined rulership of that sign. It helped me to be able to identify why this was happening to me; unbelievable experiences with a new neighbor was the Uranian energy that confronted my natal Aquarian Moon (home) at the time transiting Uranus and Saturn were in a quincunx aspect a couple of months ago. I’m assuming it is about breaking through Saturnian boundaries (as they relate to Aquarius) in preparation for the Aquarius age that follows the Pisces age, which is part of the same process that the Uranus-Pluto cycle has brought us.
be
That’s interesting about Cosby.
I have South Node at 25+ Aquarius. I find the problem with this is Aquarius is always ostensibly a leveller, but there’s a difference between “we’re all equal” and “you’re nothing special”.
This explains what happened to me today. Something unexpected, in relation to something very close to my heart, has left me feeling just as Eric describes. Saturn is sitting in my first house, and there is also a T-square to my sun and moon in Aquarius and Leo. I should have seen it coming.
Transits can resolve into a variety of different events. We can rarely guess at them in advance. Please don’t beat yourself up. I hope you are ok.
yes, lots of free floating anxiety today – channeled it into my to do list.
Welcome nameless dread. You win. I surrender. Duvet day today! Toast, hot chocolate and a laptop so I can write. All hot leads stalled + technology locking me out = rest, stand still and hold a strong container with arrow steady and ready. Poised.
I read this about sun -Saturn…..forced endurance creates strength!
Ha ha! ‘Namelss dread’ nails it, Rockhound! I can’t succumb to the duvet, but I *am* spending three days working from home because of a huge international conference that is being held where I work – and the staff have to work from home – which is b-l-i-s-s. Enjoy your duvet time!
Hi Lizzy, I raise my hot chocolate to your 3 perfectly timed ‘admin’ days! Viva la international conference! The Blackness has lifted noticeably today, helped by long ‘dinging’ session with Tibetan bowl to clear the air.
Take care of you xx
Just go and make me meself a cuppa….
I’m wondering how the duration of this new Sun-Saturn cycle will register the cessation of the mutual reception Saturn has had with Pluto once he moves into Sagittarius. Probably won’t change so much as lighten up the pressure on the Sun as Jupiter’s influence on Saturn alters his orientation. More likely we will see a change in Jupiter’s delivery too; more steadfast and focused I would imagine.
As Jupiter will have stationed retrograde a couple of weeks before Saturn enters Sagittarius, certain areas of life or projects newly expanded could be tightened up or better organized during the last days of the year. We should know how that works out by New Years Day when Mars opposes Jupiter.
be
One example of the Sun-Saturn cycle just begun is the Washington DC Capitol Dome project, with all it’s scaffolding (Saturn) beauty, is projected to take about a year. Today’s conjunction of Sun-Saturn at 25+ Scorpio is sextile the progressed U.S. Sibly Neptune and Chaos, both retrograde at 26-25 Virgo. Sun will next conjunct Saturn in November 2015 at 7+ Sagittarius and they will square Neptune at 7+ Pisces (the degree where he stationed retrograde this past June).
The transiting north node will reach 25-26 Virgo (where U.S. prog. Neptune and Chaos are now) around the time of the Winter Solstice in December, 2015, when the Moon will be sextile Chiron. Rather symbolic all in all.
be
Ha ha! Cheers, Rockhound! Glad the blackness has lifted. Good for you for using the Tibetan bowl – I love those things. Yes, I’m feeling quite a lot better today too. Something has certainly lifted. Phew!