Saturn

Ruler of Capricorn

Natural ruler of the 10th House

Primary meaning:  Saturn has several monikers including, ‘Time Lord,’ and ‘Lord of Karma.’ His jurisdiction covers: old age, laws of limitation, fortitude, fear, conservation, re-construction, perseverance, self-discipline, and self-respect. To the ancients, he was the oldest of the gods, the last known planet. Saturn builds and tests an ability to be alone, and accept death. As the planet of necessity, he demands acceptance of the material world, using it as a proving ground for spirit.

Saturn’s glyph is composed of the same two symbols as Jupiter’s glyph, but are inverted, creating the cross over the semicircle. His is a symbol of contraction, as Jupiter’s is one of expansion.

Chart placement shows: Where integrity and self-reliance are essential. Saturn pushes us to prove ourselves worthy, learning lessons in expertise, and self reliance. He is a hard taskmaster, asking we show up time and again to grow resilience, and overcome weakness. He requires we deal with our fears, feelings of lack, as well as carelessness. By sustained effort, and intention he teaches us to set goals, focus energies, and obtain mastery. In the physical structure, he rules bones, skin teeth, and hair, those ‘structures’ holding the body together.

Positive expression:  The most shining Saturn I know is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is one of the most beautifully enduring symbols of the best of Saturn. She prevailed against tremendous odds, and remained dignified, despite prejudice. She worked from integrity to achieve enormous goals, and reach across no mans land, to go- with dignity- where few women had ever gone before. She prevailed and sacrificed, and won. This is the Saturn we strive toward, and honor.

Negative expression: Saturn, as ruler of the ego, can be incredibly demanding Depressed, cynical, cold, over-ambitious, with a lack of imagination. Saturn is here to build a better internal structure, but sometimes his weight is too heavy and we give up, we relinquish power instead of fighting for it, Move from Saturn’s shadow, we move from fear, which is the absence of love.

The Hindu word, Dharma, translates as our duty and responsibility to life. Where Saturn is placed in the chart is where we must assume greater responsibility, and where many of our life lessons lie. The house in which Saturn is placed in the birth chart is where we begin to build and understand structure, both within and without. It is here we learn how to build our personal security, self-sufficiency and safety. He is greatly concerned with building not only a strong ego, but the character to stand behind it. His tough lessons support us creating the gifts of discipline and wisdom.

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”

— Ruth Bader Ginsburg