SATURN represents the energy of discipline, limitation and structure. It empowers us to apply self-regulating habits, the desire and ability to achieve maturity and status by living our lives according to standard norms of acceptable behavior. It is connected to family and the feeling of security that traditions bring. Saturn has a negative side too, as do all the planets, because in the desire to conform to standards set by time and hierarchies, it can make us fearful of change and self defeating, limiting growth through conservatism or fear of change. We use this planetary model in establishing routines and goals that are comfortable, so that it works to balance some of the expansive drive of Jupiter. It is the side of us that is law abiding, rather than revolutionary, and enables us to build solid, worthwhile structures in life that allow us to prosper through preserving and regulating life. Ambitions and goals that are established with the Saturn side of the psyche are usually attainable but demand hard, slow, sometimes laborious application of set routines and standards. Negatively it can express pessimism.
Saturn is the planet of structure, limitation, experience and discipline. A heavily afflicted Saturn in a natal chart can leave subjects selfish, rigid and limited in their ability to interact meaningfully with others. Favorable influences can make them ambitious, successful and self-disciplined.
It is the ringed planet that encloses and encircles what is within its realm. It defines limits, form and structure. It represents caution, conservatism, realism, pessimism, orthodoxy and old age. It brings depression, poverty, stagnation, restriction and misfortune. It elicits depth of thought, ambition, perseverance, and the desire for status. It represent the State, the Establishment, politics, organization and civil authority. It institutes discipline and repression, imposes order, and establishes justice. It signifies miners, land owner, officials, and administrators. It represents the world and all its laws. It rules the tenth sign, Capricorn, the eleventh sign, Aquarius, and the Tenth and Eleventh Houses. Its orbit lasts twenty-nine and a half years.
MYTHOLOGY:
In the Egyptian legend Isis (Jupiter) swathes Osiris (Saturn).
This became the Greek legend of Saturn too. Cronus (Kronos or Chronus) was warned that his child would be his downfall and took to eating his offspring. Zeus, however, escaped this fate and usurped his father to become king of the gods.
All men are eventually usurped by their children.
The reign of Saturn was celebrated by the poets as the Golden Age which was later celebrated by the Romans as Saturnalia. Along with the Solstice celebrations, this holiday later became the Christian Christmas.
The Romans took Cronus and transformed him into their Saturn – a god of agriculture – and again the symbol came to represent the conquest of time and death.
One very strange fact about Saturn is that the rings were not clearly seen and understood until Huygens who discovered of Titan in 1655, yet they were known about by the ancient Greeks and Romans as well as other ancient peoples, including some native Americans.
Saturn takes approximately 29 years to cycle the 12 signs of the zodiac.
| Saturn Rules : | Capricorn (by night) / Aquarius (by day) Air triplicity by day |
| Angel : | Cassiel, alias Captiel. |
| Exalted Degree : | 21 Libra |
| Detriment : | Cancer |
| Fall : | Aries |
| Houses ruled : | 10th house (and 11th) |
| Day Ruled : | Saturday and the first and eighth hour of that day |
| Persons Represented : | any person or group who can wield authority over you. Individuals who intimate. Individuals or groups for which you are responsible. |
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Saturn’s symbol shows the cross of matter above the crescent of receptivity symbolically placed at the Nadir. |
| Classical Astrology Data at bottom | |
IN THE CHART
Saturn is the furthest planet in the solar system visible to the naked eye. As such it represents limits. Saturn in the horoscope shows where the greatest challenges are to be found, and the hardest lessons learned. This planet shows where rigid systems restrict growth. It is connected with the parents, authorities and rules. Saturn brings strength through self-limitation, discipline and planning.
As Saturn takes nearly 30 years to go around the Sun, it will be in any one Sign over a period of about 2½ years. Saturn in a Sign therefore represents cultural and authoritarian influences and trends in society. It shows the influence of society on the individual, and where in society the greatest efforts are made to build up lasting structures.
Saturn’s House position shows where specifically you will experience the greatest challenges and limitations. This is an area which will absorb much of your time. No matter how hard you try to avoid commitment in this area, you will be forced by circumstances to overcome your fears and become an expert in the field indicated.
Aspects to Saturn show areas of the personality where you will feel lack of confidence. In these areas you will be shy, repressed, desperate for recognition, frustrated. Normally you will build up self-reliance and independence in the part of your character Saturn affects after around 30 years.
But now, what Images they did attribute to the Planets, although of these things very large volumes have been written by the ancient wise men, so that there is no need to declare them here, notwithstanding I will recite a few of them; for they made, from the operations of Saturn, Saturn ascending in a stone, which is called the Loadstone, the Image of a man, having the countenance of an Hart, and Camels seet and sitting upon a Chayr or Dragon, holding in his right hand, a sithe [scythe], in his left hand a dart; which image they did hope would be profitable for prolongation of life; for Albumasar in his book Sadar, proveth that Saturn conduceth to the prolongation of life; where also he telleth that certain regions of India being subject to Saturn, there men are of a very long life and dye [die] not unless by extream old Age: They made also an other Image of Saturn for length of dayes, in a saphire, at the hour of Saturn, Saturn ascending or fortunately constituted, whose figure was an old man setting upon an high chayre [chair], having his hands lifted up above his head, and in them holding a fish or Sickle, and under his feet a bunch of Grapes, his head covered with a black or dusky coloured cloth, and all his garments black or dark coloured: They also make this same Image against the Stone and diseases of the kidnyes [kidneys], viz. in the hour of Saturn, Saturn ascending with the third face of Aquarius: they made also from the operations of Saturn, an Image for the encreasing in power, Saturn ascending in Capricorn; The form of which was an old man leaning on a staff having in his hand a crooked sickle, and cloathed in black.
They also made an Image of melted Copper, Saturn ascending in his rising, viz. in the first degree of Aries, or which is more true in the first degree of Capricorn, which Image they affirm to speak with a mans voyce; They made also out of the operations of Saturn, and also Mercury, an Image of cast metall, like a beautifull man, which they promised would foretell things to come, and made it on the day of Mercuy, on the third hour of Saturn, the sign of Gemini ascending, being the house of Mercury, signifying prophet, Saturn and Mercury being in conjunction in Aquarius in the ninth place of Heaven, which is also called God; Moreover let Saturn have a trine aspect on the ascendent, and the Moon in like manner, and the Sun have an aspect on the place of conjunction. Venus obtaining some Angle may be powerfull and occidentall; let Mars be combust by the Sun, but let it not have an aspect on Saturn and Mercury; for they said, that the splendor of the powers of these Stars was diffused upon this Image, and it did speak with men, and declare those things which are profitable for them.
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy, Book II (circa 1510)
MEDICAL SATURN
In Greek, Saturn is known as "kronos", from which our word "chronic" is taken. Permanent disease is signified by the placement of Saturn in the chart, and its course and attack by the motion of other planets. Its action signifies binding, crystallizing, cold, dry, hardening, depleting, obstructing, retarding, and suppressing. The afflictions of Saturn are for prolonged periods, whereas Mars afflicts more acutely, for short periods.
Saturn’s placement in the chart is associated with the solid matter of one’s body, ruling all dense components and processes. Saturn in any part of the horoscope is considered an affliction to the zodiac sign, house, and parts of the body so ruled. It tends to weaken and make one more liable to disease, and the sign and parts ruled are usually considered the most vulnerable, even to cause death through disease and malignancy. Those parts ruled at birth by Saturn indicate reduced nerve and energy supply, insufficient oxygenation, accumulation of tissue acids, and thus fibrositis, myositis, and rheumatism. The planet Saturn indicates subnormal conditions by inhibition, retention, and suppression. The medical astrologers at the turn of the century stated that carcinoma is most liable to occur in that part ruled by the sign that Saturn is in at birth. Saturn also has rulership over the blood’s clotting factors, the parathyroids, and calcium metabolism.
Saturn’s afflictions come from lack of self control, spiritual development, and materialistic tendencies. When manifested negatively, Saturn’s principle action is quite simply fear. The hard aspects indicate opportunity to come to terms with a specific kind of fear. The type of fear is indicated by Saturn’s aspects (conjunct, square or opposition) to the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury or Venus.
PATHOLOGICAL TENDENCIES: Typical Saturnine problems are chronic skin complaints, stiffness of the joints and muscles, deformity; dental problems; deafness; depression; slowed atrophy and functioning of the body’s processes; scleroses of the body’s tissues, rheumatism from accumulated tissue wastes in the sign or house of the nativity chart.
Subluxations of the spine are partial dislocations of the vertebra which impinge and put pressure on the nerves passing through them, shutting off nerve supply and causing irritation and pain leading to disease. Along the lines of chiropractic philosophy, health is maintained by a correctly aligned spine that requires periodic adjustments by manipulative therapy. Palpation and X-ray discover these deviations but your astrological chart can identify weak areas that will be chronically affected. Each sign of the zodiac, and malefics placed in them, tend to afflict the vertebra, especially the vertebra ruled by the sign in which Saturn is found at birth. Such subluxations tend to be the major one throughout life. For example, the sign Libra rules the kidneys and if Saturn is here at birth, the 10th, 11th, 12th dorsals, and 1st lumbar will be afflicted the most, and this is known before examination. From a chiropractic or osteopathic standpoint, the emphasis of treatment should be in the area where Saturn was afflicting at birth as this area will show stasis, restrictions, stiffness, and congestion.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: Skin, bone and joints, teeth, hearing, ossicification.
Saturn rules the teeth, bones, spleen, right ear, sense of hearing, circulation, constipation, vitamin deficiency, fibrous tumors.
SATURN and DEATH
Now then, if Saturn holds the lordship of death, he brings about the end through long illness, phthisis, rheumatism, colliquations, chills and fever, and splenic, dropsical, enteric, or hysteric conditions, and such as arise through excesses of cold. … Thus, then, those who depart from life in the way described die natural deaths, whenever the lords of death happen to be in their own or in kindred natural characters, and if no planet that is able to do injury to make the end more remarkable overcomes them. They die, however, by violent and conspicuous means whenever both the evil planets dominate the destructive places, either in conjunction, or in quartile, or in opposition, or also if one of the two, or both, seize upon the sun, or the moon, or both the luminaries. (4.9.198-99). Ptolemy Tetrabiblos (2nd century CE)
—Ptolemy Tetrabiblos (2nd century CE)
CLASSICAL ASSOCIATIONS
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Anciently called Chronos, Phaenon or Falcifer. Physical descriptions: Generally the body is cold and dry, of a middle stature; the complexion pale, swartish or muddy, his eyes small and dark, looking downward; a broad forehead, black or sad hair, and it hard or rugged; great ears, hanging; lowering eye-brows, thick lips and nose, a rare or thin beard, a lumpish, unpleasant countenance, either holding his head forward or stooping; his shoulders broad and large, and many times crooked; his belly somewhat short and lank; his thighs spare, lean and not long; his knees and feet indecent, many times shovelling or hitting one against another. You must observe, if Saturn is oriental (east) of the Sun, the stature is more short, but decent and well composed; if occidental (west), the man is more black and lean, and fewer hairs; if Saturn lacks latitude, the body is leaner; if he have great latitude, the body is more fat or fleshy; if the latitude be meridional or south, more fleshy, but quick in motion. If the latitude be north, hairy and much flesh. Saturn in his first station, a little fat. In his second station, fat, ill favored bodies, and weak; and this applies to all the other planets. |
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Associated Terms :
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Rulership by face (or decanate) :
Nature: Masculine, diurnal, cold and dry, melancholic, earthly, malevolent, the Greater Infortune, Author of solitariness. |
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Colors and odors: Sour, bitter, sharp savours. Dark, sad, ashy colours, black. |
Minerals & Stones: Lead, the lead-stone, the dross of all metals, also the dust and rubbidge of every thing. Stones -Sapphire, lapis lazuli, all black, ugly country stones not polishable, and of a sad ashy or black color. |
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| People Signified:
Husbandmen, clowns, beggars, day-labourers, old-men, fathers, grand-fathers, monks, Jesuits, Sectarists, Curriers, night-farmers, miners under ground, tinners, potters, broom-men, plumbers, brick-makers, malsters, chimney-sweepers, sextons of churches, bearers of dead corpses, scavengers, hostlers, colliers, carters, gardeners, ditchers, chandlers, dyers of black cloth, an herdsman, shepherd or cow-keeper. |
Anatomy and Illnesses: All impediments in the right ear, teeth, all quartan agues proceeding of cold, dry and melancholy distempers; leprocies, rheums, consumptions, black jaundice, palsies, tremblings, vain fears, fantasies, dropsy, the hand and foot-gout, apoplexies, dog-hunger, too much flux of the haemorrhoids, ruptures if in Scorpio or Leo, in any ill aspect with Venus. Rules the spleen.
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| Places Signified:
Deserts, woods, obscure valleys, caves, dens, holes, mountains, or where men have been buried, church-yards, ruinous buildings, coal-mines, sinks, dirty or stinking muddy places, wells and houses of offices. |
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Herbs, Plants and Trees: Bearsfoot, starwort, wolf-bane, hemlock, fern, white and black hellebore, henbane, ceterach or finger-fern, clotbur or burdock, parsnip, dragon, pulse,] vervain, mandrake, poppy, moss, nightshade, bythwind, angelica, sage, box, tutsan, orache or golden herb, spinach, shepherd’s purse, cumin, horsetail, fumitory. Trees and plants include Tamarisk, savine, senna, capers, ] rue or herbgrace, polypody, willow or sallow tree, yew-tree, cypress tree, hemp, pine-tree. |
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Manners when well dignified: Profound in imagination, severe in his acts, in words reserved, in speaking and giving very spare, in labor patient, in arguing or disputing grave, in obtaining the goods of this life studious and solicitous, in all manner of actions austere. |
Manners when badly placed: Then he is envious, covetous, jealous and mistrustful, timorous, sordid, outwardly dissembling, sluggish, suspicious, stubborn, a condemner of women, a close liar, malicious, murmuring, never contented, ever repining. |
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“It is affirmed by Magicians, that there are certain tables of numbers distributed to the seven planets, which they call the sacred tables of the planets, …
The first of them [table] is assigned to Saturn, and consists of a square of three, containing the particular numbers of nine, and in every line three every way, and through each Diameter making fifteen. Now the whole sum of numbers is fourty five. Over this are of Divine names set such names as fill up the numbers with an Intelligency to what is good, with a spirit to what is bad, and out of the same numbers is drawn the seal, or Character of Saturn, and of the spirits thereof, such as we shall beneath ascribe to its table. They say that this table being with a fortunate Saturn engraved on a plate of lead, doth help to bring forth, or birth, and to make a man safe, and powerfull, and to cause success of petitions with princes, and powers: but if it be done with an unfortunate Saturn, that it hinders buildings, plantings, and the like, and casts a man from honours, and dignities, and causes discords, and quarrellings, and disperses an Army. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy, Book II (circa 1510) |
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