 | As the most remote planet of the Solar system known to ancient astronomy, Saturn is the last of the "personal" planets. In traditional astrology it is known as the Greater Malefic. It takes just under 30 years to make a circuit of the zodiac. In Greek mythology Saturn is Chronos, the Greek word for time. Saturn rules time, aging, and their effects.
| SIGNS OF DIGNITY |
CAPRICORN, AQUARIUS |
| COLOURS |
BLACK, GREY |
| DAY OF THE WEEK |
SATURDAY |
| METAL |
LEAD |
Saturn is known as Father Time, and is concerned with old age, boundaries, limitations, and death. This is further illustrated in the fact that Saturn is the enemy of the Sun and Moon, the Lights of life, being weak in their signs of dignity - Leo and Cancer respectively.
Not surprisingly, then, Saturn is easily associated with fear, gloom, and despondency, and, in the words of astrologer Liz Greene, "even his virtues are rather dreary - self-control, tact, thrift, caution." But Saturn is part of the astrological
pattern. It has its own role and dominion, and is as crucial to the overall scheme as the other planets.
BOUNDARIES AND LIMITS
Saturn is a response to Jupiter's galloping boundlessness, as illustrated by the fact that Saturn is weak in Jupiter's strongest sign of Cancer and Jupiter is weak in Saturn's own sign of dignity, Capricorn. Without Saturn we would have no boundaries. If Jupiter is "yes," Saturn is "no," telling us when to stop and how to mature through learning the purpose of self-denial and delaying of gratification. Through Saturn we learn our limitations, the greatest of which is our mortality, and that we have a finite length of time in which to fulfill our life's purpose. Thus Saturn is the planet of ambition, goals, and achievement, as embodied in his feminine rulership of Capricorn. It signifies the qualities needed to reach our goals- not just fight (Mars) or luck (Jupiter), but hard work, discipline, and perseverance.
Other positive characteristics of the Saturnian type are what may be termed the good old-fashioned values of courtesy, decorum, and propriety. Strong Saturnian types exude gravitas and take life seriously.
© Joanna Watters.
Extracted from Astrology For Today, published by Carroll & Brown Publishers Ltd., London, 2003 |
