Saturn

Saturn is bound by rings. As such the astrological archetype of Saturn is associated with that which binds and limits us. For instance, we are all limited by school and work deadlines in life. These are the limitations of Saturn as reflected in our lives. Similarly we have to pay bills and we have responsibilities to attend to. These are also the reality checks associated with Saturn’s limitations. Ultimately we all have the final deadline hanging over us: mortality.

Saturn is also the last planet in the order of planets that is visible with the naked eye from Earth. Thus Saturn reflects the limitations of apparent reality. We are all separate from each other. We all have boundaries in place that separate us. Every person and object in the physical universe appears distinct and separate. On top of this we can also be separated by time and space. If we are separated by space we cannot be together because we are in two different locations. If we are separated by time we cannot be together because one of us has expired and passed way and can no longer be accessed. We live in a world of distinctions and separations; this is Saturn’s contribution. And the medium of Saturn’s expression is time and space.

Saturn is also associated with gravity. Saturn makes things feel heavy, weighty, like when we experience the loss of a loved one; that loss weighs heavily upon us. This brings us to the positive side of Saturn’s spectrum. Gravity is that which makes our bones stronger. And the weight of mortality that hangs over us makes us savor every moment of life as precious. Deadlines force us to strengthen the internal structure of discipline and self-mastery within our psyches, so that we can succeed in getting our work done in time to meet the deadline. Thus Saturn is associated with discipline, perseverance, and the grounding qualities that make us mature, reality-oriented, and stable. Ultimately the boundaries of Saturn that make us all distinct and separate allow for the universe to have a structured medium through which it can experience itself and appreciate itself.