Saturn in Your Soup

As predicted at the start of Saturn's current transit through Virgo, tainted food continues to make headlines. Chinese food imports have been banned by the FDA. The pet food scare of 2007 was just the start -- now the government must apply true discrimination, instead of putting us all at risk. Saturn is taking us to task and cleaning out our collective internal system.

For more on Saturn's influence during the past year-and-a-half until the fall of 2009, revisit this blog.

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 Returns

On my 28th birthday, surrounded by an apartment full of friends, I celebrated the day with the usual fanfare and healthy dose of hedonism. I was feeling good! I was looking good! But one of the things I remember most about that birthday was a conversation with a guest brought by a friend of mine. She was a very nice woman who is a few years older than I am -- wise enough that when she found out how old I was turning, she immediately grimaced, "Oh, watch out. You're about to hit your Saturn Return."

Now I had studied astrology on and off since I was a teenager and was familiar enough with the Saturn Return that her comment wasn't met with a blank stare. In fact, I think I laughed it off at the time. But nothing could have prepared me for the wild ride in store -- the life altering and earth shattering havoc that was about to ensue. My party guest had unknowingly channeled Saturn with her words Watch out. Call it Saturn's opening salvo.

I'm going to be talking about my Saturn Return in this blog, personally recounting the planet's transit through my 8th House on his way to meet up with my natal Saturn at 12 degrees Virgo in the 9th House. Saturn's movement through the 8th House, like a scythe sweeping across my life, hasn't been an easy placement, but it has made for some interesting stories.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Here at Saturn Return HQ, we've decided to celebrate the coming Full Moon Eclipse in Aquarius (August 16th) by inviting all of you to join us in the blogosphere. Oh the humanity! We start today by introducing Katie, a true Saturn in Virgo and our brilliant assistant/astrology apprentice. We hired her because we knew she'd be amazing with details, and boy has she been so far! Katie will be blogging about her Saturn Return experiences over the coming months. Her Saturn Return is going to be exact this fall. Katie is the perfect example of why understanding the SR in advance is the key to survival.


We'll be opening up the blog to comments as well. We look forward to hearing about your current/post/or future Saturn Return experiences/fears/thoughts/ideas/resolutions/revolutions/evolutions. Join the party!

Breaking: Tim Russert and Saturn

Tim Russert, host of NBC's Meet the Press, died suddenly today of a heart attack. His colleagues on MSNBC are all in shock, saddened, and breaking down on the air. Tim had just turned 58 on May 7th -- his Saturn was in Virgo and his second Saturn Return had just begun. As with the sudden death of Health Ledger last winter -- we can't blame Saturn for his death. Uranus or Mars are usually implicated in sudden events like this, and Pluto is often involved when it comes to death. But we can look to Saturn for evidence of some longer-term illness or problem that was ignored or undiagnosed. With Saturn in Virgo in particular, mind/body balance and downtime are vital.

Russert was known to be a hard worker, someone that rarely stopped to rest, and who never went out on a Saturday night so that he could wake up at 4 am on Sunday to prepare for Meet the Press. He only missed two shows a year. Ironically he had just returned early from a trip to Italy with his family to prepare for the Father's Day episode of the show, which he had hosted since 1991. This is a very sad bit of breaking news to report. It will be hard to watch election returns this November without thinking of him gleefully jotting electoral votes on his wipe-off white-board until the wee hours. The man really seemed to love his work, something that is very important for Saturn in Virgo.

Just a thought for all of you born with your own Saturn in Virgo -- please don't feel alarmed that something bad is going to happen to you. Just make sure that you don't overwork yourself, or allow your perfectionist tendencies to make you sick. It's a wake up call to make health your first priority and to find time to relax.

Saturn in Virgo Redux

Let's revisit some predictions from last August, when Saturn was just poised to enter the sign of Virgo for the first time in thirty years. We mentioned the dawning of Peak Oil, a ramping up of nuclear fears, and the looming food crisis. I hate to say it, but check, check and check. It's all sadly come to fruition.

During the years after WWII, while Saturn was in Virgo, rationing and food shortages were par for the course. Current headlines are screaming with stories of empty store shelves, truckers on strike and not delivering food, rice and wheat rationing, food riots, drought and famine. At least regular people are fighting back in their own backyards.

As for Peak Oil, it's come out of the shadows and onto the radar screen of mainstream media. Finally -- so that we can do something about it. It's not just gas prices that we need to worry about. (It seems that Saturn is forcing the issue by raising the cost of oil so that our love affair with cars must come to an abrupt halt.) The US still consumes most of the world's oil. Believe it or not, there is some good news. Enter not just hybrid cars, but cars that run on compressed air, a serious locavore movement, the trend toward the end of made-from-oil plastic bags.

We Will Survive, indeed, if we band together and heal the world by first healing ourselves. Knowing where Virgo falls in your own chart and checking in with your Saturn every day is a good start. The Cosmic Taskmaster doesn't want you to starve, he wants you to have fulfillment and meaning, even if it takes a resource war here and there. Get down to your core and figure out what true nourishment means to you. Go after it, no matter what it takes. Saturn will reward you with a full belly and an open heart. Virgo rules nursing -- the only way to bring the world back to a healthy state is to start at the source -- one person at a time.

More Signs of Pluto in Capricorn (and Saturn in Virgo)

As we mentioned back in the winter when Pluto first entered Capricorn, our infrastructure (the bones of the world's body) is at great risk. Capricorn, Saturn's home sign, rules structure, while Pluto is the great destroyer. Batten down the hatches, because it's already happening.

More signs of the the times: as predicted, Saturn's presence in Virgo has piqued even the New York Times interest in Peak Oil. Welcome to "Survival Chic."

Pluto In Capricorn: Dawn or Dusk?

On Saturday, January 26th, 2008, Pluto entered Capricorn for the first time since the American Revolution. Major transformations will unfold between now and 2024. Get ready to evolve.

We've already had a preview: the economy in extreme tumult, locally and globally, is one of the first signs of the Pluto in Capricorn era. Welcome to a world dominated by the energy of the Lord of Darkness (Pluto) renting out space from the Lord of Karma (Saturn). This ain't going to be Happy Days, or Three's Company for that matter. My purpose, however, is not to scare you, because there's much that we can do at the individual and collective level to address what astrologer Donna Cunningham called "Pluto Problems" in her 1986 book.

If you're wondering why the Saturn Sisters are blogging about Pluto, here's the deal: Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn, an earth sign, a cardinal sign, a sign that won't take crap from anybody. Capricorn has dominion over property, structure, business deals, maturity, Dads, rules, bones and teeth -- you get the picture. Pluto is not a warm and fuzzy planet, as evidenced by its recent transit through Sagittarius, the sign of faith. As it slowly tore through the constellation ruling religious fervor, we were given Osama Bin Laden and George Bush as our archetypes. They are the ultimate frenemies, and we were their captive audience during the last seven years. Enough is enough.

Now it's time to talk about the economy, and there is no time to be stupid about it. Saturn admonishes us to wake up, and Pluto forces us to face our darkest demons. Over the next years, we'll all be contemplating the ground beneath our feet, what we value, how we feed ourselves, and if our structures (our literal homes) are strong enough to withstand the churning of the cosmos. The subprime mortgage crisis and current recession are just the beginning. Pluto in Capricorn will revolutionize our thinking at the root level: your relationship to material wealth is bound to change. Kings of industry and CEO's won't be happy about it, but those of us suffering under oligarchy will, in the very best of scenarios. Pluto will use extreme measures to bring balance back. This recently demoted planet exists to transform, and it doesn't like the rigid rules of Capricorn. Pluto was discovered in the 1930s, not long before dark matter was unveiled by astronomer Fritz Zwicky, and it's probably no accident that both of these concepts were introduced to our consciousness so close together in time. Dark matter is the part of the universe that we can detect gravitationally but we can't see -- it emits no light. And to add to the metaphor, this was the era of the Great Depression and the holocaust.

There are mitigating factors, however, at least for the next few years. Saturn is in Virgo, an earth sign, until 2010, giving us a bit of a cushion. (Earth trines earth, preventing imminent and shocking quakes). With beneficent Jupiter in Capricorn until the end of '08, the economy may hold out for a little bit longer, giving us time to make plans. With these three planetary biggies in earth signs, the changes will be tempered. Preparation is key. I'm not suggesting you build a doomstead, but do begin thinking about savings, and at the same moment, how to eradicate global poverty. In a Pluto in Capricorn world, the only way to insure your own safety is to cast the net toward those suffering even more than you. We're all in this together, and our boat doesn't have to sink; we just need to steer communally.

If we don't get our internal ships in order, our collective Titanic could be very scary indeed. This is the stuff that only Orwell could dream up: autocratic governments wielding terrifying amounts of power, a security state that will erase the notion of privacy, or a Grapes of Wrath-like period of scarcity for those that now consider themselves middle class. So take a deep breath, balance your checkbook, and get your karmic ship in order.

Signs of Saturn in Virgo

We've endured two-and-a-half years of Saturn's celebrity-obsessed transit through Leo, the sign of divas and drama-queens. Enough about Britney, Paris and Lindsay, says Big Daddy Saturn: let's get serious. The hyper-superficiality of recent times is on the wane. At the personal and collective level, Saturn in Virgo gets us pure, or tries to. As with any Saturn transit, the more you fight it, the more it holds firm and forces you to deal with its lessons and truths.

Revelations to come are all about using discrimination; no more painting broad strokes like we did under big-picture Leo. The nitty-gritty is here to stay for the next two-and-a-half years. Our leaders will be forced to do their due-diligence, or hit the road. Same for us; especially those of us born between approximately 1978 and 1981, or the early 1950s. The first reverberations of your Saturn Return kick up in the next few weeks. (Stay tuned for more details on what to expect in the coming months.)

Al Gore has been sounding the alarm on the fate of our planet for years, but he'll be pleased to see how Saturn in Virgo finally gets the populace to serious work on cleaning our air, dealing with climate change, and going organic. Virgo is the sign of the body, of health and healing; when Saturn moves into this constellation our awareness turns toward purification at a personal and global level. Thus, all the recent talk about health care programs is astrologically appropriate. People will begin to grow and buy local, or Saturn will force a reckoning. Michael Moore's smash hit "Sicko", about the ills of the health care industry, is just the beginning of the exposure of the dirt and grime beneath our collective fingernails. Ditto for lead paint in Chinese toys, poison in pet food (Virgo rules domestic animals, also why the Michael Vick story is getting so much attention), and the recent coal mining story in Utah. That industry is yet another underbelly about to be scrutinized, and hopefully drawn, quartered and regulated by the Democratic congress. If they fail to act, they'll be Saturnized right out of office. The public is going to demand a clean bill of health.

There are plenty of things to get neurotic about in the coming years. (Woody Allen doesn't have a thing on anxiety-ridden, nervous-Nelly Virgo). Start with all forms of bio-terror and get your knickers in a twist about toxic waste and nuclear accidents. The good news? Saturn is much more at home in Virgo than it was in Leo -- he has less to complain about. He just wants us to read the fine print.

Leo rules the heart -- and Katrina, the major event of our Saturn in Leo journey, broke many. When Saturn enters Virgo on September 2nd, we'll find thousands still suffering, still sick, and in need of deep healing. When Saturn last transited Virgo, "No Nukes" activism began in earnest, and started getting major media attention. Peak oil is about to become the new cultural buzzword, no longer the most censored story. The oil industry, the dirtiest of them all, is about to face its final battle. The last gas crisis, under Saturn's transit through Leo and Virgo in the late 70s, was nothing compared with what's to come. SUV's are over; I wish I could say the same thing for war.

**Also unnerving is the fact that the Shah of Iran was deposed during the last Saturn in Virgo transit -- the Islamic Revolution is about to go through its first Saturn Return. Um, yikes?

Elizabeth Edward's Second Saturn Return

Last week, Elizabeth Edwards courageously announced that her cancer was back. Talk about incredible survival skills. Although she's coping with metastatic, incurable cancer now, her demeanor is fearless and upbeat. There has rarely been such a public example of the right way to handle Saturn's challenges. Born on July 3, 1949, Edward's second Saturn Return begins this September. Her Saturn is in Virgo, the sector of the horoscope ruling health. The reverberations of this profound event started when she got her diagnosis. We don't know what time she was born, but Elizabeth is clearly a prime example of what it means to be a Saturn in Virgo -- she has created a life of public service, and now, just about to face her second return, has offered to sacrifice her needs in the interest of her country. It has nothing to do with ambition.

During her initial Saturn Return between late 1978 and 1980, she became pregnant and gave birth to her first son, Wade. Wade tragically died in a car accident in 1996, and Elizabeth has been open about her healing process and how this loss transformed her life. For those born into the Saturn in Virgo generation, trading alone-time and spirituality with an over-booked schedule is one of your greatest tests. Although Elizabeth has chosen to be at her husband's side throughout his campaign, she MUST listen to her body in the next two years. That is the key for surviving this second Saturn Return -- she has to find the perfect balance between her political obligations and her own needs.

We who have endured Saturn's challenges know that he offers parting gifts at the end of his two-and-a-half year transits. When Saturn leaves Virgo in 2009, it seems quite possible that Elizabeth will already be living in the White House, doing a whole lot more than decorating. If it comes to be, this mighty prize will be shared by every single citizen of the United States. We've never needed it more than we do now.