|
Astro 101 by Dawn Elizabeth
For the last few weeks, so much attention has been given to the demystification of the Mercury Retrograde, that I neglected to mention that this past Saturday (May 16), the planet Saturn began moving forward again after its own long retrograde in Virgo that began December 31, 2008.
(There are many new readers this week. In honor of you, I have included last week's Mercury Retrograde piece after the Cosmic Weather Report and May specials in the right hand column).
Back to Saturn:
The planet Saturn represents tangible form, discipline and authority, as well as the rules, limitations and obstacles that we create for ourselves.
Historically speaking, Saturn was believed to be the marked boundary of our physical Universe. "The buck stops here" (that is until technology and creative invention brought us more powerful telescopes that allowed us to expand our Universe through the discovery of Uranus (freedom ~ and the liberation movements of the 60's and 70's), Neptune (dreams), and Pluto (transformation).
Symbolically speaking, Saturn represents the lead authority, the wise elder and stern father figure, ensuring that society sticks to the rules and plays a fair game.
Saturn rules goverment and the "establishment." Order is to be maintained at all costs through the creation of boundaries, statutes, rules and regulations.
Astrologically speaking, Saturn continues to represent discipline, hard work and "stick-to-it-iveness," but also represents limitation, barriers, restriction, tradition, authority figures, Father Time ~ and above all ~ fear.
Saturn is not a "bad" planet. When we respect (Saturn loves respect) and incorporate its energies, Saturn is that part of us that gleans a sense of personal satisfaction and represents our ability to work hard, focus, play by the rules and work toward a goal, slowly but surely.
Saturn rewards penny for penny, no more ~ no less and encourages us to steer our own ship.
Meet Saturn:
When working with clients and their own Saturn transits, I invite them to imagine themselves standing at the bottom Mount Everest.
So, just imagine...
While standing at the bottom and looking up at the steep terrain, imagine that you have been given a ration of just enough food, water and other essentials and a back-pack to carry that contains several heavy rocks.
Your mission: a slow, steady, strategic climb to the top of that mountain where great rewards and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow awaits.
The rules: barrier and after barrier, limitation after limitation, obstacle after obstacle...one step at a time, with no breaks, no excuses and no whining...you must overcome your fear and resistance and climb to the top.
While on the climb to reach the top, where the personal rewards and sense of achievement taste sweeter than no other, you may face stormy weather, wild beasts, inner devils and broken paths.
You may fear being swallowed up by an avalanche or being attacked from a fierce mountain lion, or even a battle with your own Shadow and feeling of thirst, hunger and starvation.
You may become so tired and downtrodden that you are uncertain that you will be able to continue. You may become depressed and wonder if you will ever be able to battle your way to the top of the mountain. Something in you (your inner Saturn) beckons you forward.
It's a heavy load and a steep climb. At times, the task seems insurmountable. The terrain is steep, the rocks heavy and the burden tough to bear.
Still yet, with each step forward, you are allowed to empty the rocks, one at a time...piece by piece, bit by bit. When you are on the brink of starvation, you will be allowed just enough food and water to sustain you on your trecherous climb.
You will find the courage to face the beasts and demons and you will find a way to create a new path if the one you're on becomes impassable. It's in you, it's within your grasp.
As you focus your energies toward the top and envision your goals, the barriers turn into personal challenges that connect you with your own inner teacher and guide. You begin to master the lesson. You dig deep within yourself to discover new strengths and fortitude you never knew you had. You begin to sense that you might just make it after all.
Though weary from the task at hand and still battling the elements and limitations before you, not to mention your own perceived weaknesses and fear of failure, you begin to glimpse a light shining at the top of the mountain.
You learn to overcome the obstacles and turn fear into determination. After all, you have been wandering around in the "dark" for a while. You are ready to be "enlightened." You are eager to master the lesson. Giving up is no longer an option.
You learn to respect the path that beckons ahead, and you develop and embrace discipline, fortitude and intergrity in the process.
The light at the top of the mountain shines brighter and brighter. With each determined step you take forward and only a few heavy rocks left to unload, the moment arrives! You have finally made it made it to the top!
You stand at the highest peak of this raw and majestic mountain and gaze at the territory below. You are able to see how much ground you covered and the seeming impossibility of your success. You are amazed!
Your burden was tough to bear, but you still made it. You are proud. You have overcome. You will always carry a sense of personal achievement, dignity and intergrity that no one can ever take from you. You have earned it. You deserve it.
Your sense of isolation and lonliness that was with you on the tough journey is replaced with a feeling of personal glory and achievement. You made it! You did it! It is a victory that was not dependent on anyone else. It is solitary and yours to keep. You have reached your destination and the fruit at the top of the mountain is sweeter than any you have ever tasted.
You have proven to yourself (not anyone else) that you can do it. You were able to cast your fear aside, organize yourself and your priorities and gain the sense that there is no mountain that you cannot climb, no valley too wide, no river too deep (hey, wasn't there a song that says something like that?)
You have been introduced to Saturn! He is now your friend, not your enemy. You respect and thank him for all that you have learned. You have learned that this reliable ringed planet will never let you down, if you learn to master the rules of the game.
That is good, because the next mountain, valley and river loom ahead in the distance. Life is about the journey, not the destination. The journey is long and the destination is forever changing. You never know when you will need to call on Saturn again.
Mountain after mountain, valley after valley, river after river you learn to climb, cross and swim. You gain confidence and finesse. Your level of mastery and skill is incredible. Your personal reward is what gives you a sense of integrity and self respect. Once again, it is yours to keep. It is all yours. No one can ever take it from you.
Life presents us with lesson after lesson. Sometimes it may take us quite a while to master the lesson (sometimes years, or maybe even a lifetime).
Our reward: a sense of accomplishment... followed by the next lesson. We are all too soon reminded that life's a journey, not a destination.
You have met Saturn.
Saturn has been lying low since December. As it moves forward once again, completing its passage through Virgo, we are given the opportunity to clear out the cobwebs, reduce the clutter and set our own rules for the next game.
Virgo aspires toward perfection, and the Virgin (the mythic symbol for Virgo) represents purity. Life requires our attention in several different areas all at once.
What can you eliminate or toss out? How can you move yourself into a more streamlined and efficient way of being? Recall that whatever we give our attention to is where most of the action will be happening.
Are there any inconsequential areas of your life that receive too much attention, distracting you from the task at hand and preventing and blocking your own success?
Saturn moving forward through Virgo encourages you to eliminate all the non-essentials, prioritize, trim the fat and get down to the task at hand (secure our necessities , devise a plan and unload the rocks, one by one, step by step) so that you can make your way to the top of whatever mountain you may be climbing.
May Saturn be with you on the journey...
|
