I didn’t do it intentionally. I just got sucked into a life-changing, personally rearranging, mentally draining, Pluto transit to my sun.

What I didn’t expect from my Pluto transit was the fact it would be going on long before, and after the conjunction was exact.

I suppose the biggest event actually occurred when Pluto and my sun were exact on the 21st January 2017.

But I was so wrapped up in other events that were happening, I didn’t even realise until it was pointed out to me.

In fact, there was so much drama occurring around then that I completely forgot about the Pluto transit. I was more wrapped up in the other Neptunian transits occurring for me around the same time.

My boyfriend of 10 years and I broke up that day. Obviously it was sad, but I knew for a long time things weren’t right.

I actually think I realised things weren’t right when Uranus squared my Sun (3 times in 2015 – the final and most revealing of which was on Hallowe’en).

I often regret not acting sooner and trusting myself. Knowing myself. If I had left him then, I’d have probably been in a very different situation.

But instead, I held on. And held on. And held on. Waiting.

For what?

The right moment?

Confirmation I was doing the right thing?

For him to do all the things he promised he would?

So, the 21st Jan 2017 was crunch time.

Painful, agonising, desperately devastating.

And time kept on ticking; the sun set, the moon rose, and I continued on my life journey.

And actually, as time passed, I began to heal.

It wasn’t particularly easy, but I definitely made my life easier in the process.

And for some time I wondered if I did the right thing – whether I made the right choice.

It took time, but I realised eventually quite how much I was lying to myself, and how unhappy I had been for such a long time.

I lived in fear of seeing Pluto ticking closer and closer to my sun.

I felt his searing intensity as he stationed retrograde on my sun at 17°29′ Capricorn – 6 months from being exact at 17°43′.

And that’s really when I knew I was in trouble. That’s when I knew I had to go.

But I waited. And I waited. Stuck in the fixity of my loyally committed 15°59′ Scorpio moon (also being side-swiped (sextiled) by Pluto).

Concerned with Capricorn issues like how much time I had invested, and that “things might change… he might change… we could have it all… I’ll just give him a little more time…”

All lies.

Delicious lies.

Saccharine lies.

Diabetic lies.

Poisonous lies.

But I was lying to no-one, but myself.

Pluto’s exact conjunction with my sun was the moment I decided to put myself first. 

The moment I told the truth.

The post Lies. Delicious Lies | Pluto to my Sun first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Lies. Delicious Lies | Pluto to my Sun appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

Jupiter’s retrograde is accompanied by a square to curious Mercury (at 24° Pisces and still in its post-retrograde shadow period), while the Moon in conjunction with the Dragons head (the North Node) at 22° Cancer, and the Dragons tail (the South Node – directly opposite) straddled by an overbearing force of power: Saturn and Pluto (at 20° and 23° Capricorn, respectively).

Currently, the sun is at 22° Aries creating a highly charged, dynamic T-Square with the sun at the apex.

The Red Eye of Sauron

I couldn’t stop seeing The Red Eye of Sauron from the epic trilogy Lord of the Rings in NASA’s first image of a black hole in Messier 87. Perhaps it’s a symbol of the impending change ahead as the UK thrashes out a Brexit deal with the EU (whose flag depicts a ring of 13 stars).

But I wonder what this ground-breaking discovery could mean on a symbolic level? Does this energetic cardinal T-Square trigger awe, fear, or a call to action in each of us?

Can we accept that the perfection of light actually creates the darkness and all that lurks within it?

The ring which Frodo carries can only be destroyed in the very place it was created – Mount Doom in Mordor. As ‘we are star stuff’ are we to look at this scientific breakthrough and ask what mystery is within each of us? Is it showing us how we can release ourselves from the pain of moving through the void? Or perhaps it shows us wonder and infinite possibility?

By denying our shadow and refusing to acknowledge aspects of horror and repulsiveness in our own psyche are we at the precipice of our very own Mount Doom?

By discarding our anguish and all that it symbolises into the flaming depths, we run from ourselves. Instead, we should wear our sun in the way Frodo does the ring, integrating the light with the shadow that it casts.

📸 @nasahubble

The post Capturing the Black Hole and Jupiter’s Station at Galactic Centre first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Capturing the Black Hole and Jupiter’s Station at Galactic Centre appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

I thought this was strange as I’m a Capricorn, and Saturn has been in his rulership (and approaching my sun) since I started doing this.

At a time of harsh realism and practicality, I had opted for an impermanent way of listing my life events.

After years of writing with a black biro, I suddenly appreciated the fine tip of a pencil making my writing a lot smaller (different pens allow different writing styles in me).

I guess I wanted to record more information in detail. So I guess it’s Saturnian in its attempt to be neater and more informative, even though the pencil seems the least Saturnian way to mark a page.

Then today got me thinking that actually I’ve had Neptune within orb of squaring my Ascendant and Descendant (and tine my Moon and sextile my Sun) since January 2017, though this year it has been very tight.

Smoke Screen

The other thing I have noticed is I’ve opted to switch my black liquid eyeliner for a softer, smokier look, lining my eyes with black eyeshadow instead.

When applying my makeup in the mornings I noticed my liquid eyeliner was taking longer to apply. I put it down to natural changes (due to ageing) in my skin.

I decided to adapt my makeup routine (which has been a thing for me since Uranus entered Taurus back in May 2018) by adopting a slightly different makeup routine. I thought I’d soften my look with a dreamy, smokey line around the eyes.

Like any normal woman I tried to fight the signs of ageing at first, but soon realised that if there really was a cure for aging, there’d be a very rich person out there selling it in tinctures…

…Cue Isabella Rosellini in Death Becomes Her.

With my goaty hooves perfectly grounded, I decided to embrace my steady decline into cosmetic obscurity (pessimistic much?!) and accept that I am very lucky to have made it this far in one piece.

Amy Winehouse—a fellow 17° Gemini Ascendant like myself, (with a Moon –Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius)—joined ‘the 27 club’ with some of the many greats.

As difficult as it is getting older and witnessing the ageing process first-hand, I appreciate the life experience refused to many and my changing appearance while I earn my years of wisdom.

But It’s Deeper Than That

I didn’t really think much of these things at the time, but it dawned on me today that they are both little details that are connected to my Neptune transit (as well as being paired with Venus’ current cruise through Pisces due to meet by conjunction this evening).

It’s funny because as an astrologer you can look at the chart and describe the essence of then symbolism, but you can’t always see what has to happen in reality order for the events to manifest.

It’s easy to use buzz words or come up with sentences like “Neptune will create a sense of sacrifice in your relationships. You may be swayed between what is most important to you, and a dependency on other people.”

Or perhaps “Your entanglement with other people creates an impossible situation where no matter what you do, you’ll lose touch with a part of yourself”.

The client can take away the interpretation and integrate it as they recognise the events unfolding.

But how often do we consider that so much happens to facilitate out evolution? Would you have considered it could affect something as simple as opting to journal with a pencil, or changing a long-held make-up ritual?

It still amazes me how planetary transits permeate every waking moment of our lives.

Neptune Musings 10/04/19 at 13:30

The post Reflecting on Neptune Square my Asc first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Reflecting on Neptune Square my Asc appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

The quote said: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

It felt poignant to me at that moment, and I have a lot of gratitude for the lessons and introspection I have gained as a result of this rather incredible transit, which was not what I expected at all. I should mention that I am also having Uranus oppose my natal Pluto—ruler of my moon—at 29° Libra. So obviously that has a big part to play, but Jupiter has his own special gift which I gained from his education.

Massive Introspection

Like the true teacher he is, Jupiter taught me a thing or two during his time in Scorpio. Having a Scorpio Moon opposite Chiron in Taurus—both square Mars in Aquarius—Jupiter (ruler of my Descendant) opened me up to deep exploration of my emotions, self-worth, and past experiences through my homelife, relationships, friendships, and community.

I’ve been awakened to deeply ingrained generational patterns and dealt with some pretty ugly situations. I had to address the impact other people had on my emotional environment, how much power I give them, and how much I project my own negative traits as a way of protecting myself.

Sweating The Small Stuff

But within that struggle, I had moments of truth, learning about myself as a soul having a human experience. An experience where I found myself acknowledging the truth about myself, and understanding this about other people – people that I wanted to hate and separate from my existence as much as possible.

But I realised—just as I did with my own parents—that these imperfect humans struggle with their own challenges, battle their own demons, muddling through life making the best choices they can.

Priceless Advice

I was offered a priceless piece of advice: “If you can’t change the situation, change your attitude towards it”.

I focussed on WHY I was feeling the way I was, WHY I reacted the way I did, and I looked at what the possible MEANING could be. That’s when I made my personal discovery; I empowered myself, let go of pain, suffering, anger, sadness, guilt. I evolved, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

I saw my difficulties for the lessons that they were: the anger for the freedom it offered me, the sadness for the realisation that I am moving forward & cannot possess or control the moments that pass.

Attitude: Gratitude

OK, so I went through some deep, dark stuff, but I gained a deep perspective over a number of issues. My relationship with food changed completely, and I am now at a healthy weight, I gained a lot of confidence in myself and forgave myself for some of the things I found hard to get over from recent years. I was able to let go of old eating habits and embrace a new attitude toward food. I have also been blessed with great friends and an incredibly supportive and understanding partner—a Sagittarius with Jupiter rising—who helped me feel emotionally secure when everything else was blown out of proportion.

Thank you, Jupiter 🙏🏻

The post Attitude Is Everything | Reflecting On Jupiter in Scorpio first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Attitude Is Everything | Reflecting On Jupiter in Scorpio appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

Pivotal points in life can feel very difficult to navigate but understanding the bigger picture underscores the importance of  bigger decisions and how they complement our healing path.

When my personal journey commenced, I had no idea how much my life would change for the better.

People are drawn to studying the craft when they’re ready to start learning about themselves on a much deeper level. It’s a therapeutic journey which calls out to you. In my case, it felt like a homecoming and it was a total game-changer!

And the greatest thing? Anyone can benefit from the improved life experience astrology offers! Below are the benefits astrology has provided, which could apply to your life, too!

Five ways astrology changed my life for the better

1. It gives me daily insight to the deeper meaning in everything

In a similar way to the casino scene with Zach Galifianakis in the Hangover, I spend large chunks of my time mentally figuring out which planet is currently rising, which sign the moon is in, and whether something is making a hard aspect to the ascendant of the moment based purely on what’s happening around me.

I also listen to people in a deeper way, unpicking the phrases they use which might give me a clue to the happenings in their natal charts as well as wondering what their natal chart actually looks like. I can often see aspects of their chart in their appearance. I love the depth in which I find meaning in the little moments in life. 

via GIPHY

2. My social and professional circles expanded in the best possible way

The friends I have made during my astrological adventures – in classrooms, lectures and conferences – are friends I will keep in touch with to the end of my days. Some people I have never met in person, the internet has been our stomping ground.

The language of Astrology transcends age, time and cultural background. It connects people, events and cultures and allows objective analysis. It’s a whole world of weird and wonderful. Having a special code language is pretty cool, too. 

3. I gained a deeper understanding of the human condition

Astrology can provide a context to other people’s seemingly inexplicable actions. Having a disagreement with someone can be seen in the chart of the moment very easily. You can see what the disagreement is about from your own perspective, and the perspective of the other person.

Another thing you can do is look at the other person’s natal chart and transits to gain insight in the problems affecting them. I have done this so many times and my anger towards the situation shifts very quickly to empathy and understanding. It is a humbling experience.

This doesn’t mean that you don’t get peed off or upset! We’re meant to experience our emotions. However, its far easier to be objective in matters of the heart as astrology offers insight into the subconscious motivations of ourselves and others.

It has also helped me to see the bigger picture, making sense of ‘failings’ or wrongdoings and showing how they make things fit into the bigger picture.

Ultimately it helped me to understand that no matter who we are or what kind of background we come from, we all have our troubles. We all have problems on this human journey, whether we choose to battle them publicly or handle them in private.

4. I made peace with myself and found true happiness

Studying astrology is like attending therapy where you get constant revelations about your actions, personality and the world around you.

Being a Capricorn with a Scorpio Moon and a Gemini Ascendant, the need for control and understanding is great! So imagine how out of kilter I felt when I didn’t understand what was going on in my life during difficult times and I felt in a state of chaos. I struggled to cope with depression and anxiety and took medication for years.

As a school child during the 80’s and 90’s with an undiagnosed case of ADHD, I had teachers telling me I was stupid and lazy – I recently read over my old school reports which really upset and angered me! I really felt for that misunderstood young girl.

However, when starting out in my astrological studies, I realised none of the things my teachers told me were true, and in fact my aversion to routine and a need for constant mental stimulation was expressed very clearly by my natal chart. I could also see the untapped potential of these markers. With this personal insight, I have been able to manage the difficult days without medication for years.

I’m not saying the tough times go away when you study astrology – of course they don’t. But even the most difficult days are helped along with the insight astrology can provide. I am reminded that nothing is permanent and we are all in a state of constant flux. Moments come and moments go –such is the nature of life.

So even if you can’t see anything bright about your day, you can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that tough transits pass. You can even focus on the positive transits coming up and plan for how you are going to use them rather than letting them go by un-noticed.

5. I’d achieve things I’d never dreamed possible

Sounds cliché? Perhaps. But since becoming an astrologer, I am much more aware of my capabilities and perceived limitations.

I had always dreamed of being published in magazines and books, presenting a radio show, travelling the world and being part of something that gives my life meaning whilst being able to help others. Astrology has made all of these things possible.

I’ve been involved in many podcast projects including my own: The Stellium Astrology Podcast, had my own horoscope column in ELLE Magazine, have had articles published in a variety of publications, online and in Magazines and have travelled across the globe presenting my ideas and research! I’ve also helped many people along their healing journey, using the skills and experience I’ve gained through mine.

Put simply, my life has opened up to opportunities which were simply not available to me before. Pursuing an unconventional career doesn’t come without it’s challenges, and it’s a great compliment when people express their respect to me for doing this work. It’s alwao a great feeling to see my friends being inspired by the path I’ve taken.

But mostly I just love doing the thing that makes my heart sing and sharing it with the rest of the world. It’s a true blessing and I am eternally grateful to be walking this path.

Have you noticed improvements in your life since studying astrology? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Share your stories with me in the comments below.

The post Five Ways Astrology Changed My Life For The Better first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Five Ways Astrology Changed My Life For The Better appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

Kīlauea and Hawaii

Stability for some residents of Hawaii has been completely removed.  Many have been evacuated from their homes with the eruption of active volcano Kīlauea. The eruption was preceded by many earthquakes during the final degrees and minutes of Uranus in Aries, before the ingress into Taurus. I had been expecting an event like an earthquake – astrology can be so literal sometimes – but actually I had omitted the inclusion of Mars making a hard aspect from Aquarius (the sign Uranus rules) creating an erratic and uncontrollable burst of heat from under the earth. Sadly Hawaii is in dire straits as Kīlauea continues to reek havoc on the residents with the county ordering evacuations for all of Leilani Estates, which according to the 2010 U.S. Census has a population of 1,500.

On a societal level, Uranus’ ingress to Taurus has been very positive with big changes which liberate many, giving them legal right to choose control of their bodies, their personal data and their right to privacy and freedom from archaic traditions and antiquated systems.

Freedom, Conception and Choice

Scientists have found the cause for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – this very exciting news for one in ten women – including myself – who suffer from the painful condition. This could very well be a break-through in fertility and family planning in coming years, with the likelihood that there will be a more suitable solution than putting women on the pill when their symptoms become too much to manage. The pill interrupts the natural lunar cycle of menstruation and doses the body up with oestrogen and progesterone hormones – I’ve never seen it as a reasonable solution to an issue where fertility and conception is a primary issue for those diagnosed with PCOS. Themes running here are very Venusian (Venus rules Taurus), and affecting matters of the body which Taurus rules. Science and breakthroughs are governed by Uranus.

Also relating to fertility, in Ireland we’ve already seen abortion legalised as a result of the Abortion Referendum which some have labelled “the quiet revolution”. This is an epic breakthrough with a landslide vote for the stagnant views imposed by the catholic church removing the freedom of choice for women who find themselves in a situation where they cannot accommodate their unexpected pregnancy. I am pro-choice and believe everyone should have the right to decide if they are well and able enough to bring a new life into the world. With protesters holding up signs saying “keep your theology off my biology”, “keep your rosaries off my ovaries” and “think outside my box” the overwhelming amount of voters who made this change possible were celebrating the enormous victory for human rights in Ireland on the evening of the 25th of May. Whatever your stance on this controversial subject, it is obvious that traditions are changing. 

Interestingly, on the same day the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was implemented, which is a new law affecting EU citizens overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It is a law which gives individuals more control over the personal data which companies and corporations hold about them. Taurus tends to hold on and hoard things as a way of maintaining stability and control, and Uranus represents technology, freedom and release. It’s interesting to see the sign so concerned with holding on being encouraged to let go and de-clutter. It’s a big change for the UK and a very positive move for privacy rights and is liberating having a law which demands that we get rid of old paperwork and shred data files anytime the customer decides they no longer wish for their information to be held.

The Revolution Was Televised

But of course, the most publicised and talked about Uranus in Taurus event was the Royal Wedding with Prince Harry tying the knot with ‘Suits’ actress Meghan Markle, a divorcee, feminist, and blogger, 3 years Harry’s senior and a woman of colour.

In her own words, Meghan describes her heritage “My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white. … I have come to embrace this and say who I am, to share where I’m from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident, mixed-race woman.” – from Wikipedia

The wedding was a multi-cultural celebration which had social media cooing over the exciting new age that was being ushered in for Britain. Uranus did a fantastic job of  breaking open the royal rituals and making way for change for the future of the royal family. I think the most beautiful thing was seeing how much Harry loves Meghan and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he has been allowed to marry for love and not traditional obligation. 

Rage Against the Machine’s hit “Take The Power Back” echoes through my mind as I write this post, and to an extent, there has been a shift in control with the people having more of a say with issues concerning their personal information and bodies. It makes a change from the “nanny state” making choices being the concern of governing bodies with our best interests at heart (erm… really?). Crank up the volume and enjoy Rage Against The Machine, a band WAY ahead of their time.

With lead singer Zach Manuel de la Rocha‘s natal Uranus in fellow Venus ruled sign Libra, been activated by transiting Saturn in Capricorn. Zach and RATM’s rebellious back-catalogue which call for equal distribution of power could be the anthems of these interesting times with Pluto tearing through Capricorn, activating his Sun–Mercury conjunction and calling for a complete transformation in the ruling elite.

The post Uranus in Taurus so far | Take the Power Back first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Uranus in Taurus so far | Take the Power Back appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

We currently have transiting Mars at 16° Sagittarius placing him very close to my descendant. My descendant also happens to be my Sun–Moon midpoint as well as the Uranus–Neptune midpoint in my natal chart. The following is a little story about how Mars on my descendant in Sagittarius manifested for me today.

It was a particularly cold morning and I had the joyus task of de-icing the car. I can’t help but blow smoke rings with my cold breath, reliving my days as a smoker. ‘Blur: The Best Of’ (a particular favourite of mine) played through the closed doors of the car as the engine’s warm hum melted the frost from the bonnet. (For the record, being ‘The Best Of’ anything is a very Mars mindset, and cars are a symbol of Mars as well). So far, so good.

Through the muffled music and scraper cracking through ice on the windscreen, I heard a strange noise which to my recollection was not part of the track – or was it? Screwing my face up and straining to hear where the sound was coming from, the other early-birds on my street were also looking around. They must be able to hear the noise too?

Preaching to the Convertible

It took a while, but eventually I realised it was a woman shouting; about what I couldn’t be sure. As she turned the corner onto my street it became clear. I was dealing with a pyjama wearing preacher! She decided that the morning of the 22nd of February with the Sun in the early degrees of Pisces, would be the perfect time to spend the word of her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. At the top of her lungs, no less!

Now I wouldn’t normally let this bother me too much, but at 6:55am I felt it was a tad inconsiderate. Not only to my neighbours with very young children but also my poorly bedridden boyfriend, marooned at home with Gastroenteritis and Tonsillitis.

Ice-scraper in hand, I decided to assert myself into the situation. I politely asked preachy-lady to keep the noise down and consider the other people who live on the road who were trying to sleep – especially my sick and delirious Sagittarius boyfriend (represented by my descendant) suffering with a very high temperature and horrible fever (the passing transit of Mars). The preacher woman proceeded to tell me that “God likes it when we use our voices loudly”. She then motioned rudely by inserting her right index finger into the ‘O’ shape she created with her index finger and thumb of her left hand, asking me whether my boyfriend and I have a sexual (Mars) relationship (descendant/7H cusp). “It is not allowed” she said. “It is a sin” (the dogmatic approach that Sagittarius can adopt).

The Man Behind The Mars

Unfortunately by that point she had my back up a bit. She raised her voice again and started stomping down the street, continuing on her mission. A man who I assume was her partner came angrily storming down the street to drag her away. This is Mars, but instead of being the passionate and provocative preacher, her partner embodied the speedy and aggressive aspect of Mars.

A lot of my neighbours were on their doorsteps or leaning out their windows at this point and by the time the preacher had left, we were all raising our eyebrows and smiling at each other over our shared experience of quirky irritation – a little bonding experience for the street. Interestingly, Mars in my natal chart rules my 11^th house of shared experience and common purpose, and I also have Mars in quirky Aquarius natally – this part of the proceedings was such an 11^th house/Aquarian experience and through the community focussed lens of my Gemini Ascendant.

Love Thy Neighbour

I can only assume as this woman went on her mission through the streets, spreading her religious message in the hope of inspiring people (mutable fire) to believe in God, but in doing so made people angry, by aggressively and inconsiderately imposing her own beliefs and judgement on people. Most people would be tolerable of this type of behaviour (it’s an everyday occurrence in my hometown) but as it was 6:55am in a residential area, tolerance levels were low!

As I hopped in my car and drove off, all I could think of was the astrological symbolism being so spot on! It’s those little moments when you have to acknowledge astrology permeating everything. Once you train your brain to recognise the symbolism, you can read it in every moment that passes.

Looking back at the Chart of the moment, transiting Mars (and my natal descendant) were culminating on the Midheaven (the highest and most exposed point of the chart).

My natal Mars (not seen in the picture) is rising on the Ascendant, or the 9 ‘o’ clock position if viewing like a clock. The Pisces stellium in the first house and Jupiter in Scorpio in the 9th house gives this chart, a particularly pious bent. Interesting that this lady was wearing her pyjamas – dark brown with light pink flowers – The Moon in Taurus opposite Jupiter in Scorpio would opt for comfort over style when venturing out to spread her religious beliefs and judgements of local folk engaging in pre-marital sex. Interestingly, The Moon–Jupiter opposition from the 3rd house of local area and neighbours to the 9th house of religion, philosophy and law, forms a highly energetic T-Square with the ascendant and my natal mars as the apex. As a result, a religious confrontation occurred whilst de-icing my car. The ruler of the Ascendant, Uranus in Aries is in the 3rd house, making this a particularly headstrong chart, and allowing the magic of this strange and special moment to be viewed by all and sundry… Yes, it was silly.

Another nice touch is that I am teaching Mars: Make Love Not War at the London School of Astrology on Saturday. Just another nice little synchronicity and a good way to immerse myself in the meaning of that planet in order to teach a room full of astrology students; another expression of Mars in Sagittarius on my descendant, ruling my 11^th house of common purpose.

If you enjoyed this post or know someone else who will, please share it!

There are so many other aspects of this chart that I’ve not included in my post. I’d love you to share your insights, so please comment below.

For deeper insight on how any of the transits mentioned could affect you on a personal level, consider booking a reading with me.

The post The Pyjama Preacher | Transiting Mars on my Dsc first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post The Pyjama Preacher | Transiting Mars on my Dsc appeared first on Stellium Astrology.

Why so serious, Saturn?

So 2018 is the year of getting serious. With Saturn’s ingress to Capricorn on 20th December 2017, there was a marked shift in the mood. I for one felt Saturn in a big way, but that could be as I am a Capricorn and he is the ruler of my Sun. So Saturn has entered my Solar first house, which for a Capricorn is meant to be like breathing a sigh of relief.

I immediately felt the weight of Saturn, my new workload brought a lot of responsibility, but I wasn’t afraid – I felt ready for it. What I wasn’t expecting was the heavy mood I experienced. I suddenly needed a lot more rest, and I had a difficult time being sociable and chirpy like I normally am. It felt difficult to be light hearted and have fun.

Heavyweight Saturn

Fortunately, I feel I have acclimatised to Saturn’s arrival in Capricorn. Mercury (my chart ruler) entered Capricorn on January 11th and It was then that I felt able to cope with the heaviness which Saturn brings. It wasn’t dread, doom or fear that I was feeling, just a depressive type of low which sat on my shoulders for a while. When Mercury entered Capricorn I suddenly felt lighter, and understand how I needed to work with Saturn in order to make Saturn work for me.

I noticed as I was reading articles, the thought process of the author seemed more obvious to me. The structure in which they had chosen to convey their message stood out and I suddenly realised that I had a type of clarity in my own writing which I didn’t have before. Obviously, this made me happy! As someone who likes to sit down and empty the contents of their head onto paper or blog, I suddenly understood a new methodical approach to writing.

Aside from the writing side of things, I have also been able to implement real change in my routine, and create structure where I haven’t had it before. I’ve wanted to keep fit for a while and found that my constant travelling about and juggling too many projects was causing me to ignore my health and fitness goals. I have now found a way to have a routine, exercise a lot more and push through the mental gymnastics I normally do to avoid keeping fit!

Just Do It!

The phrase “Just Do It” is something that I am currently living by – a phrase which Nike adopted some time ago to marry with their brand. Nike (whether inadvertently or not) have take inspiration from Saturn’s rings to represent them as their immediately recognisable logo: the infamous ‘Swoosh’, which has indelibly etched into the mind of the collective and one of the most recognisable and profitable logos in the world. But those clever marketing people at Nike must have intuitively picked up on the fact the element of discipline attached to the phrase, and the logo which represents them as a brand. It was probably no accident that they chose the name Nike – the Greek Goddess of Victory. That’s right – sporting brand Nike chose a feminine deity to build their brand around.

Interestingly, in some branches of Astrology, Saturn is considered a feminine archetype. The Astrology Podcast did a show about the gender of Saturn, and I have often observed Saturn in the feminine authoritarian role models I have had. But then, I like to play with various ideas and theories when I look at the natal chart. My Gemini Ascendant insists on it!

Even more interestingly, Saturn’s swoosh logo was patented on the 17th June 1971 when Saturn was at 29° Taurus (a feminine earth sign), and in conjunction with Venus, ruler of Taurus.

In opposition at 28° Scorpio, Jupiter (the planet of Olympians and sports) was in the 10th house of career, discipline and public image. Jupiter resides in Saturn’s natural domicile in the natal chart. This Jupiter placement has enormous potential when you push beyond what is perceived as possible.

But I digress…

Another phrase that I live by and have done since about June 2015, is “Feel the fear, and do it anyway” which feels like another rather Saturnian phrase as fear is very much a word associated with Saturn. The amount of things I have done which have terrified me since I adopted that ‘mantra’ have helped me to grow into a person I honestly never believed I could be – facing your fear and respecting it as a mechanism for personal growth has served me well; I am a better person for it. Stepping out of the comfort zone enables us to grow and develop as individuals.

Saturn is our fear, but not only a defence mechanism, fear creates temptation as often we dream about the things we wish we could do if we were brave enough. By making your fear a forbidden fruit, Saturn gives us a choice: Face it and achieve what seems like the impossible – or don’t attempt to get over it and stay in your comfort zone with no real stories to tell.

Saturn’s redeeming qualities

I know Saturn is difficult, he can bring low mood and barriers but he can also give us a real sense of direction and purpose. If your plans aren’t going to work, all will be revealed under a Saturn transit. Saturn is a bonding agent, and gives us the strength to weather the storm. He is a tough teacher; he doesn’t praise us, he doesn’t give us a pat on the back. Instead he shows us where we lack and provides us with constructive feedback and a band-aid.

So let’s be grateful for the discipline that Saturn brings, without which we wouldn’t strive to achieve and we wouldn’t master anything. We wouldn’t even be standing as the skin and bones that Saturn rules literally hold the body together and upright! Fear is an important part of our personal growth and evolution as a species; Saturn can give us the ambition and self-respect to want to grow as individuals, the durability to face our fears and responsibilities, and once our feet are placed firmly on the ground, Saturn gives us the power to assert our authority over a situation that once felt like an impossibility.

In the wise words of fellow Capricorn Dolly Parton: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

Image credits

Header Image: Saturn – October 6 2004
Kevin M. Gill – Via Flikr NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Kevin M. Gill

The post Saturn in Capricorn – Return of the King first appeared on Stellium Astrology.

The post Saturn in Capricorn – Return of the King appeared first on Stellium Astrology.