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Saturn enters Scorpio: Villagers Flee in Terror!

“I will reduce your puny planet to rubble!”

On October 5, Saturn enters Scorpio, where it will remain through September 2015 (with some time off for good behavior while it peeks into Sagittarius between Dec. 2014 and June 2015). The good news is that Saturn in Scorpio encourages us to form intimate, sharing, and supportive relationships; to trust our own judgment; and to learn to let others give to us. The bad news is, Saturn’s particular form of “encouragement” tends to be a little rough. “Just how badly do you want to form intimate, sharing, and supportive relationships?,” he asks. “Let’s throw every possible impediment in your path and see if you still want them.” Or the ever popular, “How’s about you make a real whopper of a bad decision – trust somebody you really shouldn’t – and see if you’re still able to trust your own judgment?”

To use a peculiarly Scorpionic phrase: When outer planets transit Scorpio, shit gets real. There’s no use sugar-coating it. But each sign has its blessings as well as its curse, and Scorpio blesses us with the kind of strength that comes from knowing the truth – about ourselves, about others, and about the way the world works. From there, we’ll eventually move forward into Saturn in Sagittarius and construct a belief system that helps put it all in a larger perspective.

The Saturn in Scorpio road will typically be bumpiest – or should I say, “the opportunities for personal growth will be most abundant” (yeah, that sounds better) for those with lots of planets in fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Bonus points if one of those planets is the Sun, Moon, or Saturn. When the ride gets especially bumpy, take the advice of a recent client with tough Saturn aspects in her birth chart, who said, “When things have gotten so hard that I don’t think I can take another step, I just keep walking. Eventually I get through to the other side, and then I have a story to tell.”

If you’re old enough to remember Saturn’s last journey through Scorpio (November 1982 through November 1985), you’ll have some idea of the particular character of this transit for you, of some of the challenges and issues you’re likely to face. (Let’s take a moment now to think about those years – a quiet moment, away from the curious eyes of the youngsters, lest we frighten the bejeebers out of them.) Since November 13’s Solar Eclipse marks the first in a two-year cycle of eclipses in Scorpio and Taurus, there will be a particular emphasis on confronting recurring emotional patterns related to intimacy and security.

I suspect I’ll have more to say on this topic down the road (though it means prying open the time capsule of my 12th house and revisiting one of the more unfortunate eras of my own life, so I’m in no particular hurry). In the meantime, for insights about this epic transit and how it pertains to your particular chart:

  • Consider participating in astrologer Kelly Surtees’ Skype lecture on Saturn in Scorpio on October 5/6, or pre-order her e-book on the topic. Kelly’s done a lot of research on Saturn in Scorpio, and she’s one smart cookie. She’s also an essentially cheerful and upbeat soul and will probably have a more positive spin on this transit than I’ve given you here!
  • I also recently downloaded and got an awful lot from John Marchesella’s UAC lecture on transiting Saturn through the houses, “The Survivor’s Guide to Saturn’s Journey Through Your Horoscope .” I literally gasped as I listened to it, following along with a list of the years Saturn moved into the various houses of my chart.

One thing that Saturn’s passage through Scorpio throws into bold relief is the value of having supportive friends and loved ones, and of learning to accept their support with grace and humility when it’s needed. Saturn in Libra showed you who your friends are, and gave you a good look at your enemies as well. Now it’s time to trust those friends – and to heed the little voice inside who tells you to flee when you see Godzilla stomping toward your heart.

14 comments to " Saturn enters Scorpio: Villagers Flee in Terror! "

  • When was saturn most recently in libra, last month? Thanks!

    • Chandra, Saturn stays in each sign for roughly two and a half years. It’s been in Libra on and off since October 2009 and will enter Scorpio on October 5.

  • Mary Hu

    Thank you for the heads-up, April! November 1982 through November 1985= my high school years! Saturn in Scorpio trudged through my second house (money, values, and self-esteem) and those were definitely not the best years of my life. I was among the few “poor” kids at a private high school. I was so happy to graduate in May of 1986. No matter what this pass of Saturn in Scorpio brings, I will survive it because I survived high school.

  • Kerry Boyd

    Gotta say April this Fish may well be swimming away in terror – I am more than a tad concerned for my husband, who has Asc, Sun, Mercury AND Venus in Scorpio. Shall I buy us both a crash helmet??

  • Mary Hu

    Thinking it over, Saturn in Scorpio was pretty good for me in the long run; I got an excellent education at that private high school, and for free, since I was a scholarship student. In order to keep the scholarship, I had to keep my GPA at 3.5 or above; I left high school with good study habits and a solid 3.7 GPA. Darn you, Saturn! When I look at the big picture, I see you were right, once again.

  • Susan G.

    I also have Sun & Mercury in Scorpio – as well as Moon, Mars, and Jupiter – all in the first house. It should be interesting!

  • JoyJoy

    1982-85, was just about the worst run of my life up to then. I failed at leaving home, finding work, supporting myself after college. Wound up returning to my parents’ house and doing steady work that became the bedrock of my earning power for the next 20 years – in a field I had not considered before. In fact, I gave up my dream of an acting career in those years and was plunged into mourning. I also found a spiritual teacher who guided me in important ways through breakthroughs and failures. It was about letting go of early dreams, building better dreams, and establishing a real path through life and relationships.

  • Catherine

    Mar. 1982 – Oct. 1985 – T-Saturn went into and left my house of home – that’s when my parents moved into an apartment for 2 1/2 years before they moved into the house they’ve been in ever since. T-Saturn’s been in my 4th since 22 Libra and will be there til 27 Scorpio. I’ve had to move back with my parents now which is very limiting before I get my own home after Saturn leaves this time. Fortunately, I’m a Capricorn and Saturn will be sextiling my Sun coming up, some sort of promotion. It’s still hard though cause T-Saturn will first square my Saturn in Leo on my ASC blocking any relationships, then sextile my Sun, then square my ASC, then conj. my Uranus – the discipline about getting the freedom to get out of here, then square my Progressed Moon and Progressed Sun in Aquarius in the 7th. Getting the just due about holding onto the ideal about the partnerships but not getting the freedom in them yet regarding getting money from acting and from a business opp. I’m working on at the same time. I’ll have to work to get the freedom to get out of here. T-Saturn will also conjunct my Solar Arc moon in the 4th further emphasizing the limitation in living with my parents.

  • “…there will be a particular emphasis on confronting recurring emotional patterns related to intimacy and security.” Well, holy shit! That is already going on in my life. I’m realizing the theme of has been happening in my life ever since high school. I attract guys who suddenly realize that they need to be men and be able to support me, so they go off to grow up, then come running back. Happens every damn time! This is going to be a very interesting period in my life (I’m a Leo). Thanks for the warning!

  • me

    Its strange you should mention friends as now I have non. But thats ok. I will be setting off alone.

    If the good Samaritan had nothing but good intentions he would be quickly forgotten. He had money as well. – Margaret thatcher ( saturn in scorpio conjunct the asc)

  • krissy

    This will be very interesting. Around this time, I was age 9 – 12 and was living at home. My mother married my stepfather right when Saturn was leaving Libra, and we had a very tumultuous family life. She finally left him (again) 2 years later, but got back with him around the time Saturn left Scorpio (fall 1985). They were together for the next 3 1/2 years before she finally left him for good. I’ve already went to years of therapy, workshops on domestic violence, and self-improvement activities of sorts to get my head on straight after their very strained relationship… I wonder what will happen next for me?

  • […] For more on using this transit to connect and how the upcoming eclipse cycles in Scorpio and Taurus accentuate the need to do it, check out April Elliott Kent’s very funny piece over on Big Sky Astrology. […]

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