Many people misunderstand Saturn. Traditional astrology used this good / bad planet dichotomy in order to describe planets and somehow, this dichotomy passed to modern astrologers too. Nothing is good or bad in itself. Everything is a function of your consciousness.
Among all the bad planets, Saturn has the reputation of being the worse. If Saturn has bad aspects in a chart, the regular interpretation is that that person will have a very difficult life. Wrong again. Difficult or easy are again functions of consciousness.
Retrograde Saturn In Taurus
In my natal chart, I have a retrograde Saturn in Taurus, in the 4th House. There is also an opposition aspect between my Saturn, and a stellium formed by Sun, Venus and Jupiter, in the 10th House in Scorpio. And my Ascendant is Capricorn, which will make Saturn the ruler of the chart.
Almost every astrological interpretation told me something really bad about this aspect. Sadness, melancholy, difficult tasks and inhibitions. Most of them were accurate, but at a potential level. I admit I had some inhibitions and also some very difficult tests during my life. But I don’t think I’m the only one. Everybody have those at some point.
Since I learned astrology, several years ago, I focused a lot on my natal chart, trying to learn as much as I can. And slowly, I started to take some distance from the established astrological interpretations and start my own, based on my own personal experience.
Saturn in Taurus is an extremely careful observer of your general wealth. Even since I was out of high school I was very dedicate to work. I had this need of being on my own, independent. I started to work from the first day I was out of home, while doing my studies. I was disciplined and ambitious in work. Slowly, in the last 20 years, I accumulated far more than I ever imagined.
During this period, I was rather melancholic and modest. Although I had some money, I was always shy in spending it. I also had difficult time to adjust to a wealthier lifestyle: a new house, a new, luxury car, etc. But I did it. So, the interpretation is: you may feel it will be difficult to acquire wealth and financial security (Saturn inhibitions), but if you stick to it (Saturn tenacity) you’ll do it extremely well (Saturn, the reward maker).
That is something that worth a second look: Saturn – the reward maker. A lot of astrologers are thinking at Saturn as the test maker, which is of course true. But they are ignoring this side, which is also part of it: the reward maker. if you passed the test, you’ll receive a reward, right. In this regard, Saturn is by far the best thing that can happen to you. It’s not the jovial expansion of Jupiter, nor the energy of Mars or the luxury of Venus. It’s plain good stuff, constant and solid. You just have to pass the tests.
Retrograde Saturn In 4th House
4ht House is associated with roots, parents and family (in the sense of older members of it). Having a Saturn there was a difficult situation, especially when I was a child. I always had this feeling of not being loved, of being ignored or having too many restrictions. It was not a feeling, it was a reality.
I had a difficult teenage period, far more difficult than any other teenage (now I’m complaining, and making it bigger than it was, another Saturn effect 🙂 ). But it served me well. I developed a sense of inner stability and independence. Another aspect in my chart favored the choice of unfit partners in my love affairs. It was a karmic aspect, something that I expected to do in this lifetime. Every love affair I was involved in had a deceptive aspect, usually extremely powerful.
Saturn in the 4th house made it easy for me to find inner stability. After each of these experiences I grew up stronger and wiser. I can even have glimpse of the current development of any potential relationship, thanks to the experience transcended by Saturn. I can predict that I am attracted to trouble makers and I know how to avoid that. And I can also spot fruitful relationships and pursue them, but with the sense of discretion and diplomacy that Saturn imposes.
It was hurtful? Yes, it was, and sometime still is. But I have the power to endure and to learn. I am grateful that I was exposed to such difficult experiences because out of those experiences are coming my best life lessons.