Compelled to Our Core

Saturn's Ingress Into Aries

Saturn is moving into the sign of Aries on May 26^th. When outer planets (or in the case of Saturn, the “social” planets) change signs, we tend to feel that noticeably. This is even truer if you happen to have planets or placements in your natal chart in the same sign. It becomes downright dramatic when those placements (or others) happen to be at the same degree.

The social planets, Saturn and Jupiter, are considered the “teachers” of the zodiac. They are both changing signs within the next month. Each of these teachers has a very different style of education. Jupiter is the fun instructor who plans parties for his students. He inspires us to stand on our desks and declare, “O Captain, My Captain!” He brings cupcakes to his lectures and has us march around the quad reciting the lyrics to Rebel Rebel. He also sometimes gets so caught up in the activities he’s planned for our classes that he forgets to cover the actual curriculum.

Saturn, conversely, is our strictest teacher. He is unrelenting, holds high standards, and can come across as very cold and severe. Think Severus Snape from Harry Potter or Pai Mei from Kill Bill. Saturn’s lessons make us cringe and cower. They isolate us from our friends and families, forcing us to cram all night so we can pass tomorrow’s exam. We also walk away from those classes with unshakeable confidence and wisdom that will stand the test of time. What we learn from Saturn, we will never forget, and at the end of our course, he delivers us a wry smile as he hands us our diploma.

What does it mean to have Saturn transiting through the sign of Aries? He will be setting up shop in this sign until 2028, so it would serve us well to take this into consideration. Aries is the pioneer, the warrior, and the quester. It seeks out a special calling in life and charges forward without hesitation, battling all who stand in its way. As the sign associated with the spring equinox, Aries represents new beginnings. Being ruler of the 1^st house, Aries also governs our identity, ego, and physical body.

When speaking of astrological dignities (which describe the strength or weakness of planets within different signs), Saturn is considered in its fall in the sign of Aries. When a planet is in the sign of its fall, this means it is opposite the sign of its exaltation (for Saturn, that would be Libra). What does it indicate for a planet to be in its fall, though? How does this impact the expression of that planet? One way to look at this is the planet becomes weakened. This is because within this sign, the planet is being asked to behave in ways that don’t come naturally.

In traditional astrology, this was considered a negative thing because it creates a sense of struggle and hardship. We tend to dislike those experiences as humans, so we label them as “bad.” However, as we’ve evolved in our consciousness and plumbed the depth of our psyche, astrologers have come to recognize that it is, in fact, the “hard” experiences which produce the greatest growth and transformation. When approached from this perspective, a planet in its fall – particularly a planet like Saturn – presents us with a unique opportunity to change and grow in ways we never could have achieved otherwise.

To understand the tone of Saturn’s struggle in the sign of Aries, we first need to consider the natural state of all the fire element signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius). Each of the fire signs share in common an innate propensity for self-belief. That is, whereas all the other signs find a sense of meaning and purpose due to external factors (water signs get this from emotional connections; air signs from mental and social connections; earth signs from tangible results), fire signs hold this feeling of purpose as a central component of their mere existence. They don’t need a particular experience to qualify that sense of meaning; they simply know they deserve to exist and have a purpose to work toward. (This is why fire signs are connected to the realm of spirit.)

Saturn’s principle is that of contraction; meaning it operates through limitation, constriction, boundaries, and obstacles. Saturn’s tendency is toward isolation and labor. It is perfectly comfortable being alone and doesn’t shy away from hard work. Speaking of shy, Saturn can be exactly that. It tends to lean more pessimistic and can wax melancholic in its demeanor. It is not particularly expressive, and much like Severus Snape and Pai Mei, can come across as very cold and stern.

When you juxtapose this archetype against the energies of the fire signs – with all their warmth, expressiveness, sense of faith, optimism and purpose – it’s easy to see how Saturn doesn’t really vibe within this context. Particularly in the sign of Aries, which is naturally very brave, confrontational, and uninhibited, Saturn feels particularly squeamish. So again, Aries is the sign of Saturn’s fall; it’s weakened here. Severus Snape doesn’t belong in the Gryffindor common room, and Pai Mei should never host a bachelor party.

Again, though, modern astrologers recognize a unique opportunity inherent in the discomfort of displacement. When we are pushed outside our comfort zones, we are forced to adapt. That adaptation may not come easily; in fact, we may struggle against it and claw back for our old ways of being. We may be put through challenges and tests that bring us to our edge, that make us question who we are, what we want, and what we are capable of accomplishing. We may lose faith in ourselves and feel completely lost. There may be a sense of constant pressure and restriction, like walls are closing in around us. (I can’t help but recall that trash compactor scene from Star Wars as I write this…)

Yet… YET, it is always when our back is up against a wall that we discover new reserves of inner strength. When we’re put to the test, we get to see what we’re truly made of, and often, we surprise ourselves. This is why the strict teachings of Saturn can be so rewarding in the end. It’s why those lessons create lasting change.

In the sign of Aries, Saturn calls into question the very concept of our identity as we know it. Being a naturally doubtful planet, we may question our sense of purpose and direction. What we once thought was true suddenly becomes murky. We may feel much more reluctant to pursue our goals and make ourselves visible to others. When we do set out on a preconceived path, we may be met with constant frustration and obstacles.

This is all happening for a purpose. Ultimately, Saturn wants us to reach deep into the core of our being to define who we truly are. In order to do this, we must shed all the preexisting masks, behaviors, and self-concepts we’ve contrived which stand in the way of our essential truth. We must peel back all our layers and come face-to-face with the darkest parts of our personality. When we face ourselves in this harsh, glaring way, it can be downright terrifying. On the other hand, it can be incredibly liberating.

Whatever has previously colored our path which is not in true alignment with our essence, will be stripped away. Again, this may be difficult to cope with at first because, ultimately, what we’re dealing with here is an ego death. Anyone who’s gone through this experience will tell you it’s not exactly fun. We may be crying out for Robin Williams as we’re trapped in a room with Alan Rickman.

At the end of its lessons, Saturn always delivers a gift to those who stood up to the tests. The ultimate gift of Saturn-in-Aries is an unshakable confidence and sense of direction which comes as the result of understanding exactly who you are. When you’ve been through crippling self-doubt, displacement, awkwardness and insecurity and struggled to the other side grasping a crystal-clear concept of your ultimate truth and most aligned path, you will never be swayed from that path again. You will walk forward with a profound sense of knowing that gives you the strength to withstand any challenge to yourself, your destiny, and your purpose. And from there, you’ll return Saturn’s wry smile with a wink and a nod.

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