Saturn Retrograde in Aquarius - ‘Nothing But Time’
-Sir Francis Bacon
The Saturn Rx in Aquarius theme song.
“Steal once, pay twice…
Advice to heed.
I won’t.
I might…”
Saturn - the lord of karma, time, and real-world results - is retracing his steps in the sign of the visionary, mad scientist, and humanitarian - Aquarius, through October 22.
Saturn represents the “bones” of our chart and of our character - his annual retrograde is an opportunity to re-set anything that’s out of alignment.
And Aquarius is a precise, if quirky, chiropractor.
Now neither of these truth-seeking archetypes could let me go forward without reminding you that planets in retrograde don’t actually move backwards - they appear to because of the relative positions of the planets and the rotation of the earth.
Whenever a planet appears to move backward from our earthly perspective, it’s a fractal illustration of a mirroring movement among earthly beings.
(Because astrology doesn’t direct, it reflects.)
When a planet seems to retrace its steps, everything it rules is emphasized and brought up for review. Our pasts get a second look and we may get a second chance - specifically in the area of our chart ruled by the sign in which it occurs. (More on that in your horoscope below.)
So with Saturn - the ruler of discipline, structure, and time - reviewing his notes in the sign of the genius revolutionary, we’re invited to repair and revitalize our relationship to living smarter, not harder.
Saturn asks us to use any delays, disappointments, and fears (all under his rulership) that come up during this retrograde to see ourselves and our patterns more clearly - the better to see how they present themselves in our external circumstances.
I.e. the way a fundamental lack of boundaries, unaddressed, will lead to a pattern of feeling repeatedly unseen or taken advantage of; a fear of failure, unaddressed, will lead to a pattern of not going after what we want and feeling shitty about ourselves, and so on.
Once we recognize these patterns, in Aquarian fashion, we can revolutionize them.
Saturn is compelling you to re-examine the infrastructure of some aspect of your life, get really fucking real about it, and bring genius energy into it in order to bring your life closer to your ideal(s).
This retrograde is book-ended by aspects to Mercury - ruler of information, communication, travel, and commerce/energy exchange - whose own retrograde period ended just one day before Saturn started moonwalking.
Just as Mercury stationed direct, it squared Saturn, indicating that we may have some heaviness to address around our thoughts and words during this retrograde. If we have been less than responsible or honest with them, there will be a price to pay.
“Steal once, pay twice…
Advice to heed.”
Notice any areas in your life that your way of communicating or energy-exchanging may need clearing up - or a slow, steady overhaul - and commit to patiently reforming them from the ground up. Saturn is delighted to help us when he sees us helping ourselves.
When Saturn wraps his retrograde on October 22, he’ll make a friendly angle with Mercury, a trine that indicates the responsible wrapping up of contracts - legal, energetic, and otherwise. Debts repaid, secure plans made, conflicts maturely resolved.
Use this time to “get right” with yourself and diligently practice what you preach.
“Now we know there's nothing awaiting us
Better than the truth.
Advice to heed.”
As the lord of karma, Saturn rewards those who take responsibility for themselves. If you have any outstanding debts - karmic or otherwise - use this retrograde to redress, repair, and re-adjust so that you can stand firmly and proudly on an unshakeable foundation of self-trust.
This, Saturn in Aquarius teaches us, is how you build the genius infrastructure of your character and of your life.
“I wanted to be part of something…
I’ve got nothing but time,
So the future is mine.”
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ARIES
You know that you’re a star, Aries - how do you feel about the constellation that surrounds you? Do you feel seen, appreciated, and honorably challenged to grow into the truest form of yourself? Do you have a support system that sees your big vision?
The ruler of time, structure, and discipline - Saturn - is doing a thorough re-assessment of your House of Allies, Organizations and Long Term Goals, checking for any energy leaks or distraction spores.
A few questions on his checklist: Are you scattering your energy among too many contacts or pursuits? Or have you recently felt a flagging in your efforts, or the need to recapture a certain spark or inspiration? Do you need to re-orient entirely?
It’s more important to be honest than to be “right,” and the sooner we course-correct, the more peacefully we can arrive at our destination.
Your stars are asking you to reflect and re-prioritize your time and effort now — if your magnificent vision is to become a reality, you’ll need the right perspective and support system to make it so. Your efforts to prune what is unnecessary and cultivate what helps you grow, will be rewarded with Saturn’s favorite thing: tangible results.
TAURUS
How are you feeling about your current status in the world, Taurus? Are you where you want to be? Saturn is checking in on your sense of personal success, auditing your House of Career and Destiny, in the name of helping you get very real about what’s helping you reach your goals and what’s not.
When it comes to your professional life, would you like a do-over, or a revision? Is it time to redefine your professional mission statement or role?
Perhaps you’re feeling a little over-burdened or over-identified with your career, and a bit of course correction is necessary to bring you back to your best mode: slow, easy, organic, pleasurable.
With Uranus, the planet of revolution and disruption in your House of Self, and Saturn retracing his steps in your House of Legacy, it’s an ideal time to revise and restructure the way that you work so that it works for you. Tap into your Taurean patience and aim for greater precision over quicker progress — “measure twice, cut once,” as they say, so you end up creating what you truly envision.
GEMINI
You’re a quick learner by nature, Gemini, ever the first-adopter who’s catching the rest of us up on new information. New horizons are forever calling your name, but with Saturn reviewing his notes in your House of Journeys and Philosophy, it would serve you now to step back, slow down, and remember/revise your “why,” rather than run in hot pursuit of the “what.” Direction is infinitely more important than velocity.
What do you truly stand for and believe in? If you had to select a one-sentence statement of your life philosophy, what would it be?
Now, ask yourself: Am I living it every day? This isn’t a judgment or excuse to kick yourself! It’s an invitation to re-orient yourself to your truth so you can be sure you aspire to something true to you, as opposed to something that might look good on paper, or is aligned with a version of you that you’ve outgrown.
Whether it’s your behaviors and thoughts that need re-orienting, or your “big idea” that needs a truthful tweak, stoic Saturn is helping you get to the truth of the matter and align your actions with your beliefs, the better to arrive at your destined new horizon.
CANCER
How do you define power, Cancer, and how do you handle yours? Do you share it, wield it, hoard it, disavow it? Pretend it isn’t there? As the mother and consummate nurturer of the zodiac, you can have a complicated relationship with going after what you want shamelessly, and daddy Saturn is here to help you establish some healthy expectations and boundaries to do just that.
He’s currently auditing your House of Intimacy and the Other — less politely known as the House of Sex, Death, and Other People’s Money — and asking you to revise your entanglements, internal and external. How do you go about getting what you want, and is it working for you? Do you feel empowered to express your needs openly?
If you have a habit of giving away your power in a secret bid to get more (i.e. martyring yourself to a cause or person, or telling everyone “I’m fine” when actually you could really use some help, etc.), it’s time to commit to disentangling yourself from this M.O.
This is an opportunity to free up a tremendous amount of emotional energy and power, by dissolving blockages between you and your vulnerability so that you can express your desires in a healthy way that ensures you and your loved ones all get what they need. And everyone needs a thriving, self-possessed Cancer in their lives.
LEO
Who are your most important one-one-one contacts, Leo? Connections are important to you, and though you’re famous for being a social butterfly, in the coming months as stoic Saturn moonwalks through your House of Partnerships, it may be best to dive deep into those relationships that affect you most in order to strengthen them.
This is the house of your most important one-on-one relationships, from romantic partners, to best friends, to counselors, mentors, and business partners — Saturn says it may be time to hold a little State of the Union, to renegotiate the terms, and make sure everyone is still getting what they expect and need from the association.
Old issues may rise to the surface for reexamination — there may be a bit of “dirty laundry” to be aired between you. If both partners are willing to listen patiently, great progress can actually be made during this time.
This is an unprecedented opportunity to get to the bottom of what creates any tangles or record-scratches in your one-on-ones. Speak up when something doesn’t please you, and especially when it does — and give your closest partners the same opportunity. By the end of October, your list of associations may be a bit shorter, but those relationships will be tighter and stronger for your review.
VIRGO
This Saturn Retrograde has you right in your element, Virgo! You’re known for your precise planning skills, and now it’s time to put that same clear-sighted, adaptable energy into your everyday habits to set yourself up for long-term success.
Can you make planners, calendars, and white boards into a riot of colors and inspiring information? Can you research and plan nutrition and fitness routines that get you amped up just thinking about them? This month, as Saturn looks over his shoulder in your House of Work and Routine, your daily life will be getting delayed, shaken up, and re-shuffled — all your stars’ way of saying it’s time to reevaluate the daily habits you cultivate, and determine whether they support the life you really want to live.
Reorganize and revamp your workspace into one that makes you smile as you roll up your sleeves everyday. Study and test sleeping and eating routines to see which maximize your energy level and happiness quotient, at once.
Saturn is giving you a little breathing room to gear up for the coming challenges and accompanying rewards heading toward you — determine what your best self would do every single day, and do it. Then watch what happens.
LIBRA
You’re the artist of the zodiac, Libra, no matter what your day job might be — you tend to walk through the world thinking of how to make it more beautiful, more fair.
Every creative knows that all sorts of challenges, constraints, and delays will force them to think on their feet — that’s just part of the fun, if you can allow it to be! And your stars say that during this retrograde, the challenges you face are the perfect coaches to help you create your finest work. Serious Saturn wouldn’t have it any other way.
He’s begun moonwalking across the stage in your House of Creativity, Romance, and Play, and here’s the benefit — when you turn things backwards, the whole world looks different. For the next few months, allow your mind to wander where it pleases, for your ideas to shift and change. Don’t compare your ideas to anyone else’s, and should any past fans or flames rise from the ashes to say hello (and remind you of how very far you’ve come), don’t be surprised.
Your desires, your sense of play and fun, are all under review, and you’re meant to figure out what it is that truly fills you with joy. If your urge is to withdraw, to take your creativity inward, go with it. Journal, set that blog to private, or keep the Great American Novel /play /painting /composition away from prying eyes for now.
But the more you allow yourself to explore, to work and play with your ideas — and anything you can fall in love with — the more you will be able to invoke and enjoy them by the end of October.
SCORPIO
Change is good, Scorpio — and as the sign of transformation, death, and rebirth, it’s kinda your specialty. That’s going to work in your favor during this retrograde as stoic Saturn is looking over his shoulder in your House of Home and Family, reassessing where you’ve come from, and to what degree that influence directs where you’re going.
Fundamental questions about your beliefs and childhood “programming” will come up now. Saturn is offering you the opportunity to check all the nuts, bolts and hinges on your apple cart before the world can come along and upset it — better that you upset it yourself, and discover what weak spots need repair.
You may also have a literal geographical move at this time, or simply the desire to rearrange and reorganize your home. All of the above will be beneficial to your evolution. The more you’re willing to make changes that better support who you are now, whether in the physical world or on the psychological plane, the more you open yourself up to freedom and enlightenment.
Speaking of “enlightening,” this is an ideal time to lighten your load by purging your home of any objects that are just cluttering up your space. Sell or donate what you no longer need to make room for the new abundance on its way. Trust that change brings you progress, and progress brings you pleasure. You’ll know yourself, and your power, better by the end of October.
SAGITTARIUS
Your mind may be swirling with meaning and messages over the next few months, Sagittarius, even more than usual! Stoic Saturn has begun reviewing his calendar in your House of Learning and Communications, indicating a major refining of your schedule, and possibly even your contacts, over the next few months. Don’t hesitate to trim down and cut out that which doesn’t work for you, even if some people don’t get it.
Serious Saturn says it’s vital that you carve out some non-negotiable time for yourself — this retrograde is bringing up a lot of questions about how you should be spending your time and energy, and what systems in your life need reviewing and repairing, from the way you care for your car to the way you care for your social network.
It’s a good time to reconnect with close contacts that you may have lost touch with, or have unresolved tension with, especially siblings, roommates, or neighbors.
Ask lots of questions, and repeat the answers back to make sure that you understood — Saturn advises you to take your time with every thought and message — your deliberation will be rewarded with greater clarity and positive motion by the end of October.
It’s a good time to do research, compile information, ask questions, and explore. Your mind may change by the end of this retrograde period, but if it does, it will be in your favor, based on a deeper understanding.
CAPRICORN
What’s your net worth, Capricorn? Is it where you’d like it to be? Does even considering the thought fill you with dread, or with excitement? With stoic Saturn turning backward through your House of Money and Values, it’s time to review, tighten, and revamp your budget — and more importantly, the purposes of your budget.
So, you know you want money. What do you want it for? Before you begin putting pen to paper (or cursor to screen) when it comes to your budget, envision the end goal. For some, more free time may be worth a cut in pay — others may be willing to work overtime to earn a coveted possession or experience. What matters is knowing what you are working for, what you are building toward.
Your “net worth” is ever so much more than the number of digits in your bank account — it’s what you are capable of creating, and securing for yourself. It’s knowing your intrinsic worth.
Remember that you are priceless, and from this sense of wholeness, begin to design the life you were born to live. You have a priceless gift to offer, and to accept, if you will take the time to discover it.
AQUARIUS
How often do you “spend” your time and energy investing in yourself, Aquarius? And how do you feel about your current returns? Are there parts of yourself which feel fulfilled and positive? Are there others which feel wobbly and uncomfortable?
With Saturn moonwalking through your House of Self, it’s time to commit a significant amount of time and effort on caring for, and getting reacquainted with, yourself.
As the sign of the progressive who’s simultaneously “fixed,” or not easily changeable — are you familiar with the concept of inertia? It’s that physical sensation when you’re racing forward in your car, then have to brake to a sudden stop, causing your body to absorb the unused forward momentum, jarring you against the seat and jangling your nerves.
This retrograde is offering you the chance to come to a slow idle rather than a screeching halt.
Find time to consult with yourself by journaling, meditating, and ideally time for nothing but daydreaming and reflecting — coffee and porch recommended, but not required. It’s time to affirm, and then reorient yourself. Your stars say that you’re stepping up to a new level, and this hiccup is meant to teach you greater patience and inner calm — confidence and precision will follow naturally.
PISCES
You have stepped into a time machine, Pisces — drats, it only goes backwards — still, pretty cool! It’s already programmed to your exact birth details — so you’re just along for the ride. Where will it take you?
Saturn has gone Retrograde in your House of Secrets and the Past, prompting a deep dive into internal review. Memories and past experiences — some of them painful, as this is the House of Unfinished Business — will begin to surface, and command some of your mental bandwidth over the next few months.
Accept this opportunity to untangle some old knots that will free your time and energy, and allow you to move forward more powerfully in your present and into your future.
Rather than trying to avoid old emotional or psychological shadows that creep in, welcome them into the light to be understood. Science has proven that simply observing something has the power to change it. This is an ideal time to recognize and release old thought patterns in order to renew yourself, and recommit to who you are today. When the shadows dissipate, you can shine brighter than you ever have before.
