Saturn's Sojourn through Capricorn, December

Confluence                                                              Catherine Al-Meten Meyers

On December 19, 2017 Saturn began its transit through Capricorn. Between now and March 21, 2020 this is where Saturn, the Great Teacher will remain. On March 21, 2020 Saturn will transit into Aquarius until July 1, then back into Capricorn until December of 2020 when it goes into Aquarius.

Saturn's Nature. Saturn, the Great Teacher, is a slow-moving outer planet in our Solar System. Saturn's approximate 2 1/2 year cycle in Saturn's 28-29 year orbit around the Sun. As Saturn transits a house/area of our life and makes aspects to other houses/areas of our lives, we achieve what we have been working for. It's a time when we are called to grow and mature. When we resist the growth and changes or when Saturn aspects other areas of our lives we meet with challenges that help us grow, adapt, and face the reality of our lives and potential.

The more we are able to face the truth of ourselves, situations, conditions, relationships, the more our Saturn transit through Capricorn will enable us to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding. And it will help each of us develop skills and an appreciation for our innate gifts and talents. Saturn in Capricorn also brings to ground the very real experience of the benefits of living with an awareness of the present. It also helps us appreciate the past without being tied solely to  memories and past accomplishments. Saturn calls us to examine our expectations and recognize the possibilities and opportunities that best suit our lives and challenges.

The pace of life and growth may seem slower under any Saturn transit.  Saturn's Sagittarius transit encouraged us to focus on our values, beliefs, and how both reflected in our lifestyles and relationships. Now as we enter the energy of Capricorn, we enter a time when conserving our energy and resources becomes more important. Saturn is dignified in Capricorn, making itself right at home. Comfortable with the energy of getting grounded in the energy of our own identities. We seek to conserve, create, restore, and rebuild the structures of our lives. We know what we value as we've examined that closely, so now we focus on making that happen. Any attempt to control others though, will be met with frustration, so plan on focusing most of your attention on what you can change about yourself and the way you relate to others and the world around you.

Perseverance is tested with Saturn's transit, as is patience and courage. It is vital to fight the fears that often come with a Saturn transit--fear of lack, loss, or power.  You'll find it helpful to learn ways to counter and transform the fears as you face struggles, conflicts, or circumstances beyond your control. Whenever Saturn transits a sign/house/area of life, we learn the depth and capacity of our strength, perseverance, and ability to work hard for something we want. Working hard requires that we not overdue or exhaust our energy or resources. Learning the fine line between too much and not enough is one of the great lessons of Saturn.

A key concept in Saturn's journey through Capricorn is moderation. Using our gifts, talents, time, energy, and resources wisely requires that we live with awareness of our body, mind, spirit, emotion connections. Well-being is found not in overdoing to the point of exhaustion but in maintaining a sense of equilibrium. Capricorn is a pragmatic sign, so practical, useful, and meaningful projects and goals are much more likely to help you find satisfaction than overdoing or trying to do too much.

Saturn slows us down, and makes us learn to channel our energy into the immediate, the here-and-now, day-to-day practical habits, patterns, and ways of being. If you are used to 'traveling at the speed of light' this will test your patience and ability to heed to call to conserve energy. Trying to get others to go along with your plans or ways of doing things, may also be frustrating. Work on yourself, and let go of relationships or conditions that are not working. One of the main things that the Saturn transit of Sagittarius showed us where just where we are unhappy, dissatisfied, or blocked by existing relationships, kinds of work, projects, or living arrangements. With Capricorn, we are called to make ourselves at home where we are. If we are physically not where we want to be, this will be a time when we slowly move toward feeling more at home.

Today, December 21 (Winter Solstice in the North/Summer Solstice in the South), Both the Sun and Saturn are aligned in Capricorn. For the first time since the Seventeenth Century, this alignment occurs reminding us collectively of the need to conserve, protect our reserves, preserve what is precious and meaningful, and rid ourselves of unhealthy and toxic situations.  Venus enters Capricorn as well on Christmas Day, December 25. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Venus conjoins Saturn helping to stabilize affections and emotions. The first major aspect of Venus to Saturn helps us recognize how we can recognize the reality of all our relationships. If there are problems that have been suppressed in relationships, they will most likely make their way to the surface so you get an idea of what's real and what's not. Our expectations meet our realities. This is the time when we come face to face with what needs working on and how we might need to change our expectations, habits, or lifestyles. We begin our journey of taking greater responsibility for growing into our full potential and the essence of our being.

Saturn, the Great Teacher, is ushering in a time when outmoded structures, failing systems/relationships, and ways of knowing/being fall apart. This process has already begun, even though attempts have been made to hold onto what once was the ideal or the hope. What is no longer relevant or healthy for maintaining life and healthy systems, now must be replaced.  As worn out systems fall apart, the task of restructuring and rebuilding begins. This happens on all levels of our lives. Personally, we are delving deeper into areas that are unstable, toxic, or inflexible. Authoritarian types of governments and personalities in leadership, will meet with greater and massive challenges.

Only the most ethical and wise will be able to hold onto power as the masses of humanity, now educated with access to communication with one another demand that their systems reflect what is best for the majority, not just the few. Unethical, corrupt, and tyrannical leaderships will face their demise if they fail to take into account the power and strength and will of the people they are supposed to be serving. As we unite with our families and communities to help build, preserve, and conserve our lands, seas, resources, and freedoms, we grow in strength and find greater unity in common values and beliefs that rest on the conservation of freedom, liberty, and the free expression of our guaranteed rights.

What happens within becomes manifest without. What is defined in our basic rights, freedoms, and spiritual truths now become our banner in the face of a great struggle to protect our security and freedoms.  This can be a very productive period, and one which we will discover how strong and resilient we are. The hard work will pay off in greater wisdom and a deeper appreciation for the gifts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of a world that is better for all of us.