MONDAY MUSINGS: DOs AND DON’Ts DURING SATURN RETRO – MAY 11th – SEPT. 29th.

Hi Guys,

Today’s blog is a little longer than my usual ones. Grab a cup of tea! Saturn doesn’t like to be rushed! Especially now in his Retrograde Season.

The inner planets Mercury, Venus and Mars retrograde more frequently than the outer planets. Their retrograde period is also shorter. For example, Mercury goes retrograde around 3 times annually and usually for 3 weeks duration. Because these planets are nearest the Sun, they tend to affect us more on a personal basis, which is why they are known as the ‘Personal Planets’. Mercury affects our communications and thought process, Venus our relationships and resources, Mars our energy and sexuality.

On the other hand, the outer or slower moving planets such as Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto do not retrograde as frequently, and when they do, their retrograde period also lasts longer. They affect us globally. Saturn goes retrograde approx. every 1.5 years and it’s usually for around 4 months at a time. Currently, its retrograde period is from May 11th to September 29th.  So it’s longer. I told you this bad boy doesn’t like to rush the job at hand. He’s a hard taskmaster. A tough Cop!

Saturn is all about responsibility, tenacity, hard work, discipline, caution, limitations, delays, obstructions in our path, obligations to others, building a strong foundation, goals, roots, pain, fear, authority, control, denial and all that grown-up stuff which we would sometimes prefer to stuff under the bed! The saying No pain No gain was surely coined with Saturn in mind. So when Saturn, the Disciplinarian of the Zodiac, is retrograde, you get out from under your bed and face the music! He’s not going to make it sweet and dandy for you. It’s a time for taking stock of your life. Fixing the cracks in your foundation, your relationships and your commitments.

During Saturn Retro we can lose our focus and be rather aimless. The energy of Saturn which drives us to succeed has been lessened. There is less fuel in our career tanks. It’s harder to get work done when Saturn is Retro. We have to force ourselves to plough through — like it or not! Sometimes these work challenges are thrust upon us as COVID-19 can attest to!

You don’t need me to tell you about this newfound wisdom many of you are experiencing currently. Right? I’ll bet many of you have been questioning your life, your values, your purpose — your everything that comes under the title of ‘Life Philosophy’. That’s Mr. Saturn, a.k.a. ‘The Grim Reaper’ doing his retrograde dance in the sky and permeating your sub-conscious. A Pandora’s box of old memories, feelings, worries, concerns, has been opened during his current retrograde season. (And while he’s at it, he’s kicking in a bit of planetary karma too! Mother Nature is thanking him for that part!) Saturn is also known as the Planet of Karma.

Questions you’re currently asking yourselves, prompted by Saturn Retro:  Will I get the virus? Will it ever go away? What if I never get my job back? What if our World never returns to normal again? What if I can never hug my friends again? Yups! That’s Mr. NEVER-one-to-sugar-candy-coat-reality Saturn! Saturn, the ringed planet, happens to be my Ruling Planet, so I have come to respect, and listen, to his wisdom over the years. I know if I don’t, I’ll regret it! Saturn is the purveyor of blisteringly hard-earned wisdom!

I compare Saturn to a wise old Grandfather who sits you on his lap, his hands calloused from a lifetime of hard work. He tells you how tough life can be, and that you need to work hard to succeed, because what you reap is what you sow. Sobering stuff. And when you’re going through a really rough time in your life, you can be damn sure Saturn is involved! Yes, he can be a party pooper on occasion, but at the end of the day, he does have your best interests at heart. Jupiter, on the other hand, is the Party Boy, but with COVID-19, there will be no parties for a while! Jupiter, the fun planet, is also retrograde at the moment. It’s a sure sign of the times!

DON’Ts DURING SATURN RETROGRADE:

Don’t pick a fight with your boss or co-workers. Zip the lip!

Don’t try to start a whole new project. Let Saturn Retro blow over first. It’s better to re-assess things right now.

Don’t take your relationships for granted. Respect people’s boundaries. Respect is the word to remember. Both for yourself and others.

Don’t waste your money or overspend. There is a tendency to do this when we don’t have Saturn’s full attention to rein us in! Be sensible, even if you don’t have Saturn watching over you. Pretend he is!!

Don’t take unnecessary risks! Again, Saturn, the Policeman of the Zodiac is too busy being retro to give you his full attention. So, you may be feeling like a naughty teenager, wanting to go Crazy! With drink, with food, with everything. DON’T. I think you know what I mean. Most people in lockdown are going ape. Literally. Don’t.

DOs DURING SATURN RETROGRADE:

Do take it easy and reflect on life and matters of importance.

Do listen carefully to the lessons you are being asked to learn at this time.

Do play safe.

Do take care to do things right at this time. A stitch in time saves nine!

Do try and keep things as stable as you can in your life. No big moves!

Do take time for yourself through yoga, meditation, prayer, exercise, nature.

Do remember this mantra: I AM THE MASTER OF MY FATE, THE CAPTAIN OF MY SOUL.

Take heart! It’s not all bad. If you look closely at your current life situation, listen to the wisdom being presented to you now, work diligently towards your true purpose, are patient with the process, trust in God, there is always a silver lining. Sadly, some of you reading this now may not currently see that silver lining as everything on your horizon looks bleak. Some of you may lose your jobs, only to realize later it was the best thing that ever happened to you! Hang on in there, especially if you are finding the going tough at the moment. You are not alone. Though our ships are all different, we’re battling the same storm. Same up and down days. Same Saturn Retrograde holding us back currently from making speedy progress in our lives.

Imagine a great big puppeteer in the sky. We are the puppets. Every time we try to move ahead, the puppeteer pulls us back. He controls our every move. The Puppeteers are the Planets and right now they are nearly all retrograde.

There is a process, and each of us has a different lesson to learn from a Saturn Retrograde period. I respect Saturn because he is the guy who helps you grow up, achieve your potential and develop structure and order in your life. Later, you will thank him! He will help you to earn gold and wear it. He will put a comfortable roof over your head, and best of all, give you a sense of achievement in your life! Not bad, eh?

Trust the process…

Peace & Love!

Patricia xxx