Saturn Turns Retrograde

Saturn will shine a little more brightly down on Earth for 140 days of retrograde, from December 19, 2007 until May 03, 2008. While many of Earth’s stargazers may enjoy a more vivid Saturn through the lens of a telescope, in some way, shape, or form, all of us will feel the energy of Saturn retrograde in Virgo.

Saturn is charged with the duty of teaching us our lessons in life – giving us the ability to grow and persevere, granting us the will to succeed and the strength to accomplish the tasks at hand. While Saturn energy can be cold and restrictive, as we learn and go through our processes, we are rewarded by Saturn energy when the lesson or job is done.

The energy of Saturn retrograde, however underappreciated, is a fairly powerful force. When Mercury is in retrograde, most of us have learned to expect the worst – it’s a pretty safe bet that something is going to blow up. So, when you hear that The Great Teacher Saturn is turning retrograde under the influence of analytical and driven Virgo, you may be inclined to run for the hills – but, it will serve you far better to take a step back and relax.

Positive aspects
One of Saturn’s jobs is to push us forward, meeting challenges head-on (whether we want to or not), and is usually pushing us into some kind of activity. However, when Saturn is in retrograde, we can relax a bit. Instead of being a rat in a race to see how far we can go, or how fast we can cross the finish line, retrograde Saturn encourages us to pause and look back to more fully understand how far we have come.

This is an excellent time to grasp that retrograde energy, to bring projects to completion, and to let go of old problems and issues. Through reflecting on our lives at this time many of us will be blessed by a greater sense of understanding; allowing us to finally break free of fears and doubts, old habits and beliefs. By letting go of self-limitations, the future becomes more exciting and clear.

While this may not be the best time to launch new projects, it is a fabulous time to start working on those plans – particularly because of the Vigo energy entwined in this retrograde. Now is the time to examine things from every angle, exert some personal power and lay the groundwork for things that you wish to achieve. The plans you make now, if the foundation you have built is solid, will most likely begin to manifest when Saturn goes direct in May of 2008.

Negative aspects
Much of the energy of Saturn retrograde deals with restructuring and reorganization. Because of this, people who are particularly sensitive may be inclined to become far more negatively analytical than is productive – and may find themselves feeling anxious, overwhelmed or inferior.

Harness the energy
Saturn, whether direct or in retrograde, is always teaching us something. Some lessons come hard, through trial and error, (and error, and error…) while other lessons are immediately understood, bringing about a near seamless transition. If you tend to be an over-achiever, or overly analytical by nature, the Saturn retrograde may have you struggling with yourself a bit harder than usual. Even the most positive and bubbly person can take a darker turn when the energy gets a bit heavy.

So, if you feel like you are getting nowhere fast, or it seems as if you are beating your head against a wall, STOP! Sometimes, doing nothing is the most productive avenue we have. Many answers come after we choose to stop struggling with the problem.

Many of us will have to face some faults and flaws, rethink some of our plans and dreams, and formulate some more realistic views and procedures for our lives. Many of us will be blessed with an epiphany or two. All of us, in ways large and small, will be gaining something positive through this time of retrograde. We all will learn, grow and change.

This is a very powerful and influential time for anyone who chooses to embrace it. Harness the energy of Saturn by patting yourself on the back for how far you’ve come, and lay the groundwork for what comes next. When Saturn is in retrograde, we are given the opportunity to see more deeply into ourselves, our lives and our issues.

Many of the changes brought to us by Saturn retrograde won’t outwardly change the world – but the changes happening within ourselves ultimately will.