Article - Saturn in Virgo

August 2008

Living Consciously in Stressful Times

The astrological planet of Saturn is moving through (transiting) the sign of Virgo in September of 2007 through October of 2009 and then briefly from April through the third week of July of 2010.

I would like to give a basic understanding of the qualities of Saturn, and the manner in which it tends to operate while transiting the sign of Virgo and also outline four areas of life which this transit addresses. I will also describe how we are likely to experience the opposition taking place between the planets Saturn and Uranus in the following timeframes: September of 2008 through March of 2009,   Mid August through October of 2009 and Mid March through August of 2010.

As many of you may know from past experience, Saturn transits can be very demanding and exacting, as they bring our attention to that which we need to address within ourselves, within our current circumstances and within our lives at the present time.

The qualities associated with Saturn are: patience, practicality, self-effort, perseverance, caution, discipline, concentration, self-control and self-mastery. Saturn represents tradition, security and stability. Saturn also represents the shadow - that which we as individuals tend to repress, deny and shy away from, because it can carry pain and suffering.

On an archetypal level, Saturn is known as the Lord of Karma, The Time Keeper. He is related to the passages of time when we must face our own shadow, fears, vulnerabilities and inadequacies.

The psychological qualities associated with the shadow side of Virgo include tendencies toward being critical and judgmental, mentally overactive and overly obsessed with details. We can be prone to worry, doubt, fear, irritability and struggle with self-worth issues.

How do we manage to operate smoothly and consciously during Saturn transits? Since Saturn and Virgo has much to do with connecting the dots in all of the practical activities in our lives, we may need to study, research, do our homework or do whatever is required to understand the nuts and bolts of the situation at hand, the situation we are currently addressing.

Let's explore the four areas of life which are directly related to Saturn in Virgo and explore tools which help us maneuver our way through this transit with understanding and clarity.

HEALTH

It is essential to establish a long term health and maintenance plan for the duration of Saturn's transit through Virgo, which involves adopting good nutritional habits, regular exercise, obtaining body work and making sure you get enough rest.

Virgo is especially connected to processes associated with cleansing, purging, purifying, eliminating, and general maintenance of the physical body. We are more susceptible to health challenges brought on by stress, especially on-going stress, so it becomes paramount to address this issue in our lives.

MONEY AND WORK

In regards to money, Saturn in Virgo has an affinity with economic frugality, showing caution and care around spending habits and thereby supports whatever steps we may take to have better control over our finances.   On a more subtle level, it is a good idea to explore our psychological belief systems around finances and values.

The sign of Virgo has a direct connection to work, employment and service. During the course of this transit, we will likely ask ourselves questions such as: am I happy in my work, place of work, career path, etc. Do I feel I'm where I need to be and if not, how do I clarify what I do want and take action to move forward?   At the very least, this transit can bring up questions about whether or not we feel there is an equal exchange between the time, energy and skills we offer in our work and with that which we are receiving in return?

MENTAL PROCESS

The power of the mind - this is a major trigger point - when Saturn is in the mentally oriented sign of Virgo.

On one hand, when operating from the shadow side, this transit can trigger fear based, critical and compulsive thinking, which leads to anxiety.   On the other hand, this transit is well suited to assisting us in pinpointing our thinking patterns, getting to the root of how we are thinking, what we are giving energy to. It can help us gain insight into the stories we believe about ourselves, our lives and/or events which happened in our lives, along with how and why we keep fueling these stories, when in fact they belong in the past.

We may notice that we are more prone to mental restlessness and fluctuating, unpredictable thoughts which can create an experience of overwhelm, fear and anxiety for us. This is the time when we need to have tools which can calm our minds, slow down busy chatter and move us into peace.

On another note, there is a 'dynamic' created when the planet, Saturn, in the sign of Virgo makes an opposition to the planet, Uranus, in the sign of Pisces, which takes place in the following timeframes: September of 2008 through March of 2009, mid August through October of 2009 and mid March through August of 2010.

Saturn holds steady to the traditional and conservative, seeking stability, security and familiarity. Uranus is an agent for change, and takes on the role of tearing down structures which are no longer working or serving a higher purpose, especially in connection with the economy. Uranus carries the qualities of unpredictability, freedom, independence, change and rebellion. The energies around these planets, when they are in an opposition, can be erratic, disruptive, and changeable.

However, Uranus is also known as the 'Great Awakener' and comes forth at times in history when it is crucial that we 'wake up' and become fully present and aware in each moment. When we are functioning from this place of presence and awareness, we have clarity, precision and wisdom in our actions. We realize that we cannot just 'fix' things on the outside and put them back the way they were. We are called upon to take this opportunity to become independent thinkers through trusting our intuition and inner voice and to move away from believing we are victims of the circumstances we are facing. It's important for us to make this choice and distinction. As long as we believe things are happening to us and that we have no control, we think we are victims.

While it is important to give our attention to the material aspects of life, it is also essential not to become so established in the physical aspects of our lives, that we lose touch with the sacred, with the spiritual. We're at a time in history where we must be willing to give as much attention to developing and experiencing our spirit as we do to developing and taking care of our material needs.

SPIRITUALITY - THE DIVINE FEMININE

We're familiar with the steps which need to be taken in order to bring about concrete, tangible results in the physical realm. In the masculine model, we utilize our personal will and drive in order to fuel our creative ideas and take the necessary action required to manifest them in the world and follow them through toward completion. When operating from the feminine model, we embrace our ideas, plans and projects by holding a clear intention for our purpose, gathering the inner energy of our heart and spirit and infusing and directing this toward our intention, and sealing our intention by performing a devotional or sacred practice.

Here are three spiritual practices which are great for developing a more intimate connection with the feminine and the Sacred within ourselves. I believe this transit presents a great opportunity for us to become more familiar with the intuitive subtleties and the immense power and peace which is present when we perform spiritual practices as part of our daily lives.

Selfless Service:   This give us the opportunity to transform our understanding and experience of the time and effort we put forth in our worldly duties into a spiritual practice - that of offering up our efforts in the Spirit of Service.   This may include contemplating the correct action, the highest action, the best possible action toward our goal or toward that which we are facing in the present moment - giving ourselves fully to the process, making a sincere attempt to be open and to make this an offering from the heart.

Surrender: The second practice is Surrender. It's so easy to get caught up in busy agendas, our worldly roles and find ourselves struggling with many challenges and frustrations as we perform our daily duties and responsibilities. We really put forth so much energy in order to show up and do what is required of us.

However, we have a spiritual responsibility to ourselves to take time to align with the Divine Presence within ourselves, and within everything, at all times. This experience takes some cultivating. We can start by taking small steps - taking the time to stop....to pause....to breath... to turn our awareness inward and become totally quiet within. This helps us to let go. As we do this more and more, we can tell when we're not really aligned and fluid with the situation at hand. When we're not at peace within ourselves, and we can ask for Divine for help in surrendering.

Surrender is a very powerful spiritual practice. When we open up to this process and we're willing to let go of that which we are hanging onto - a large space becomes available within us. We may feel sad at first, especially when it feels like we're not getting what we want, but this practice can fill us with   peace and serenity.

Sacred Offering:. It is helpful to set up an altar, which can be small and simple and to contemplate what you would like to place on your alter. You may choose to have photos and/or statues of spiritual figures whom you respect or those things which hold special meaning for you and which feel Sacred to you.

As an example of how this practice is carried out in the eastern tradition, a tray is prepared on which items such as a candle, flowers, candies, are placed. The actual preparation is part of this practice itself and requires our care, consideration and focus for while we gather these items and prepare the tray, we are also preparing ourselves to come into a serene and reverent space within.

After lighting the candle, we wave the tray in a circle several times before the photos and/or statues on our altar while inwardly we bring ourselves into an awareness of honoring all that which is Sacred and Divine and these qualities within ourselves. The deeper purpose of this action is to cultivate the practice of offering our love and devotion and acknowledging the Divine Presence in everything. The practice itself helps soften our energy and allows sweetness and gentleness to come forth from within.

I believe the transit of Saturn in Virgo presents us with the opportunity to direct our thoughts and energies with care, consideration, focus and deliberate intention toward those areas within ourselves and within our lives where we would like to experience tangible improvements and results.   We are called upon to be willing to develop patience and respect for the timing associated with the physical, material realm and to persist with our efforts, refining our craft, our skills and creating a firm foundation within ourselves and in what we are giving our time and energy to in our lives.

On the spiritual level, this transit creates an opportunity to cultivate the awareness of the Divine Feminine through offering all of our efforts and labors in the spirit of service and thereby transforming ourselves. It creates an opportunity for us to participate in spiritual practices which cultivate devotion and reverence and assist us in experiencing intimacy and strength in our personal relationship with the Divine.