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You Can't Take It With You

Those who have been following my previous entries chronicling my Saturn Return will know that my Return was exact on September 10th. For a while, especially since I started learning more about the Return, I've wondered how that exact moment would feel. A sense of completion? A satisfying view from the top after a long climb? If only.

No, on September 10th I was finishing up one of the most tumultuous transitions of my life -- a major move. I was hoping the exact Return would go smoothly, but Saturn threw limitations and road blocks at every turn. And keeping with the whole joint property theme of Saturn in the 8th House, I spent the exact moment of my Return surrounded by boxes bound for the new place my partner and I were moving in together.

I also spent my Return surrounded by the detritus of my life. Stuff from old roommates. Stuff from old lovers. Stuff from college. Stuff from childhood. Stuff from my parents. Where did all this stuff come from?? There was no room for it in the new apartment and Saturn in Virgo forced me to purge as I threw one thing after another into black garbage bags. No, dear, you can't take it with you. So I shed my old skin and out it went to the curb for trash pick up.

Here I am on the other side of my Return and it feels a little scary I have to admit. A new life, a cleared landscape, increased responsibilities, and shared resources. My partner even spotted my first gray hair the other day! Then again if I made it through the hell of the last two years without a gray hair it would have been a miracle.

Will Saturn Stop McCain?

With the news of McCain's choice of a young, inordinately inexperienced veep pick, it's time to look at this now 72-year-old's health. Old Mac might be putting the country in an extremely dangerous situation if he were to win the election, as his prospects ain't lookin' too good, to be frank. Born with his sun, Neptune, and Venus all in the sign of Virgo, Saturn is now making its way over all these pressure points as it moves slowly moves over each planet. And here's the kicker -- McCain's natal Saturn is in Pisces, the sign opposite Virgo. So while the three aforementioned planets are getting kicked in the pants by Saturn via conjunction, his Saturn gets tackled by an opposition. Wait -- it gets worse. If the birth time most astrologers believe to be correct is indeed accurate, it places McCain's Saturn in his 6th house. That's the house of health, folks. So look for stories in the coming months of a health crisis from McCain, who in my humble opinion has NOT been doing his Saturn work properly. Do we want Ms. Sarah at the helm in case he can't live out his term? I think we all know the answer to that.

Obama, on the other hand, is thought to be an Aquarius rising, with his sun in Leo and his Saturn in Capricorn. The symbolism is magnificent, as Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, signifies change. Big Change. Like a lightning bolt, and just what the collective needs. Saturn represents the past, and McCain, as an old man stuck in old, rigid policies, has come to represent the worst of Big Daddy Saturn's dark side.

Things will get decidedly interesting (as if they're not interesting enough already!) on September 12th, 2008, when Saturn in Virgo opposes Uranus in Pisces for all of us. This is a transit we'll experience together -- everyone on earth. So change now, or forever hold your peace. And look out -- because American politics are going to get as polarized, and as ugly, as they possibly can get.

The Scythe

Before the discovery of Uranus in the 18th century, Saturn was the last of the seven planets known to ancient astrologers. Being the furthest out and the slowest in movement, the planet was feared and came to represent a number of archetypes -- the Grim Reaper and Father Time. It's no accident that the symbol that represents Saturn is a scythe and it's no accident that when Saturn returns its position at the time of birth people feel the planet's swift and exacting blade.

You reap what you sow and Saturn is there to remind you that.

Everyone has their own personal Saturn lesson determined by birth. According to Liz Greene in her 1976 book, "Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil," there is no fast and easy way to make a friend of Saturn. The planet is there, with a strong dose of tough love, to tell you that the party is over. Get your act in gear and start getting serious about life. It's little wonder that Saturn is representative of the father archetype.

When I was talking to a friend the other day, who is also 29, we both remarked how our lives fell apart around our 28th birthdays. She has Saturn in the 11th house and last summer she saw each and every friendship of hers tested. In many cases she had dramatic falling outs with friends that she had known for years. As Saturn moved through my 8th house, I saw someone take power from me and I saw my debt grow to enormous levels. No, there is no fast and easy way to make a friend of Saturn.

Now that I'm about to hit my exact Saturn Return on September 10th, I have the luxury of hindsight to understand the full grasp of Saturn's lesson for me and that despite the severity, it was a lesson that my soul needed. Saturn in Virgo says clean up your act and don't overwork yourself. Saturn in the 8th house says get your finances in order and don't cede power to anyone. Those were tough lessons, but Saturn has bestowed maturity via my Return to appreciate them.

Saturn On Stage

The Saturn Return is certainly dramatic, and now it's on stage.

For Second Saturn Returners

For the second Saturn Returners that often write to us and visit the site, I've come across a great article over at StarIQ called "The Astrology of Menopause". Enjoy!

The Saturn Sisters on TV!

The Saturn Sisters stopped by the Morning Show with Mike and Juliet today to talk about astrology! If you missed the show, you can watch their segment online. [ link ]