Manifesto for a new age (Part I)

Redefine and reclaim your authority (Saturn)

There are times in history when the world shifts on its axis, both literally and figuratively. But our human lives, and even recorded history, are so short it can be difficult to see the magnitude of a shift through which you are actually living.

Astrology and the patterns of planetary positions can show us these larger cycles, as can ancient indigenous methods of calculating huge-scale timelines, from the Mayan calendar to the Vedic yuga cycle.

We are in the midst of such an epochal shift now, in the 2020s, kicked off by the stopping of the world in 2020. The period of transition completes, to some extent at least, with the alignment of two key planets, Saturn and Neptune, at the Aries Equinox world axis point in February of 2026. Between now (early 2025) and then, three of the slowest moving planets - Uranus, Neptune and Saturn - will have shifted into different Zodiac signs, and join Pluto in executing a perfectly harmonious partnership.

The way in which we interpret Saturn presents the heart of the paradigm shift taking place.

The planet Saturn is and has been the key ingredient in most of the major alignments of this time, in particular the ‘bookends’ of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in January, 2020 and the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in February, 2026.

Saturn is the astrological mirror for our relationship with power and authority. Our interpretation of Saturn shows us how we relate to our sovereignty over our lives.

The modern Saturn is a despot who devours his children in the attempt to maintain power and control. Power is seen as something conferred on us, and therefore taken away by someone or something outside of ourselves. In the Greek myth of Saturn, which serves as the prelude to the modern Saturn, the outside threat was his children, whom he feared would overthrow him.

It’s fairly easy to see this pattern of externalizing authority in institutions and leaders who equate force with power. But we also enact power as control in our own lives, albeit usually more subtly. We are the oppressor whenever we want to win an argument, or pressure someone into do something our way, or require others to be responsible for our feelings. We play the oppressed when we become fearful of what someone else thinks or does, or when we give over our choices to an outside expert or institution.

The despot Saturn is delineated in astrology to represent limitation, fear, hard work, cold reality and the proverbial rock and hard place. Those who study astrology are generally taught to fear Saturn transits, and that their Saturn placements show difficulty and hardship.

But Saturn is really only ‘hard’ when we believe others have more power over our lives than we do, and when we refuse to accept the reality of how things are in the moment.

Saturn holds the keys to a new Golden Age

Ancient, pre-Greek Saturn was the ruler of the Golden Age of peace and prosperity. Under Saturn’s leadership, people lived in cooperation with the land and each other, without need of laws to force their morality. The rules were on the inside. People lived from the soul.

“….. they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks and loved by the blessed gods.”

[Reference: https://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/hesiod/works.htm]

Power was seen as the ability to create for the benefit of all, from a place of deep integrity. Authority came from within the individual. Saturn, after all, is exalted in the peace-loving and justice-minded sign of Libra.

So what happened?

At some point in history, the world was invaded by what some call “wetiko”, a predatory spirit of domination and control. Power became defined as the ability to enforce one’s will upon others, replacing the understanding of power as a creative, cooperative force.

And Saturn became the symbolic dark lord of oppression and tyranny as people gave away their authority, or had it forcibly removed.

Look around today, in 2024, and you see the dark Saturn image of power still at work in its definition as a means for one person or group to keep another person or group in line, to control the story (the narrative) of the day, to police what people say and even think, and to teach that authority always comes from without. You are told that to be an authority, you must have a badge or title or diploma conferred by the government or other sanctioned force.

The methods of enforcement are insidious and permeate institutions to the point of invisibility. Control and projection of authority outside yourself are the waters in which you swim, unless and until they are made visible.

The distortion of power and authority is not confined to one political party or another, is not exclusive to men or women, nor to any religion, institution, or class of people. And the tyrants might not be who you think they are.

Reclaim your Saturn

In astrology, the perpetuation of Saturn as taskmaster and oppressor feeds and holds in place the cultural dark forces of oppression, especially as more people turn to astrology for insight and guidance.

Reclaiming your inner archetype of Saturn as the guardian of your dharma - your essential self - and the truth-teller of your soul helps to unlock the hold of dominator culture for all of us.

Saturn points the way by making it uncomfortable to be out of integrity with your self. Saturn transits may push you in and down so you bring your attention back to center. The house Saturn is transiting shows you where you are coming back into alignment. Transits to your natal personal planets bring a rebalancing of that planet’s energy. (Here is a great medical astrology article about Saturn as the “balance wheel” of the sky.)

Saturn’s energy is a movement toward the center. It rules the structure (bones) and skin (boundary) of the physical self. Start your reclamation by finding your center, the unshakeable essence of you. Do what it takes to get to know your unique frequency, what is “you” and “not you”. Then, be assiduous in staying in integrity with the truth of who and what you are.

Insource your Saturn by becoming the author of your life. Choose what you love over what you fear or hate. Reclaim your authority over your body, your health, your thoughts, opinions, ideas and ideals from doctors, lawyers, political leaders and parties, all media, parents, teachers, priests and anyone else claiming to have the answers for you. It is one thing to seek and listen to advice from someone who has wisdom that you don’t. It’s another thing entirely to let their advice determine your path. And remember that prana (life force) follows focus: what you give your attention to is what you feed.

If you are astrologically inclined, get to know the real Saturn. Look at the Saturn transits of your past, present and future with fresh eyes. Test the hypothesis that even the most challenging Saturn periods pointed you back to your truest desire for your life, and pushed you towards integrity with your self. Be skeptical of astrology that paints Saturn as hard or cruel. That’s not the whole story.

Be curious about anything that stirs big emotions, especially fear. The more triggered you are by a person or issue, and the stronger your judgments, the more likely you are reacting from old survival stories, and outsourcing your Saturn to something or someone else. Come back to your center, here and now, and ask what is yours to say or do.

This is a good time to remember the words of Krishna (God) to the warrior Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient story of battle that represents the quest for self-realization:

“You have the right to your actions, but not the fruits of those actions.”

As physical beings, our power in this world comes through our ability to direct our creative energy, whether through words or deeds or both, in conversation with the world.

Reclaiming your authority necessarily entails allowing others to do the same for themselves.

Standing in your sovereignty and being in integrity with yourself means trusting that others have the right and ability to do the same. We are not all here to play the same role. If everyone were fully enlightened or awakened tomorrow, we would still disagree about various topics. Trust that you will know how and when to respond to their actions based on your alignment with your dharma.

When enough of us become our fully unique selves, in tune with our own dharma, living in alignment with our souls, we create far more benefit for our communities than when we try to fit ourselves to roles and expectations determined from the outside. And we lead the way for others to do the same.

Want to learn more about Saturn in your life?