Saturn - the old man of the Zodiac

                    Saturn the Old Man

Saturn is the old man of the zodiac. He is the old devil and draws impregnable fences around everything he touches in a birth chart. He will not allow for those energies to out grow his boundaries bearing a strict hand of control. He is a teacher of self control, suppression of desires, emotions and feelings. He makes it clear that one is not as desirable as one would like. That one doesn't deserve happiness as one would want. Plunging us into Waters of perpetual depression and melancholy, he feasts on the hard work that is done to keep the structure of society going. He cringes and shuns at the thought of change even if it means improvement.

He is an old man bent down on his scythe through ages and ages of bearing burden. Not just his own but that of his family and all his neighbors. He got nothing in return but condescension, rebuke and criticism for the work of such profound self sacrifice from his neighbors. In everything he does, there is a sense of responsibility. Wanting to live up to the lofty expectations he unduly sets for himself, he unconsciously sets himself for the fall. And what follows is an unbearable sense of loss and feelings of failure. The passage of time doesn't reflect accurately on his face which ages earlier than it should. He looks older than his age which shows in the form of creases, wrinkles, tight knitted brows and a mouth whose corners are turned down in a scorn or in distaste. He gives off an aura of maturity, experience and dignity. Looking down upon the world from the seat of an all knowing and guiding father, he would no doubt want to be cherished for the same.  Preparedness and toughness to facing the physical realities of this world from which more weaker  souls seek to escape and evade, he has learnt to cultivate over many lifetimes. Despite the outward looks, there is a deep desire seeking acceptance and appreciation from the world for what he does. There is a sensitivity and vulnerability concealed too deep that it might never face the pain of exposure. I say it as pain because for him, looking weak is akin to death. A father can't be weak. How will anyone follow him if he is weak and vulnerable like a woman?! There is also a child that is hiding within him(cancer polarity in the 4th house) which  wants to exhibit it's playfulness without rebuke or reproach. Show him reproach and he closes himself off back into his former stance of stern, non committal rigidity. He wants respect and adoration, not laughter or mockery.

Even as a child, there is a feeling that the individual we are dealing with is an adult. Someone highly matured and could be even more so that his parents. As he uncomplainingly starts shouldering the responsibilities others around him are incapable of doing so or don't want to undertake, they keep heaping up. The hard work making him tougher and harder than steel buring through the flame of experience. Usually he prefers to work long hours, forgo personal commitments and in many cases will not have one outside of his work.

With a singular and unwavering focus on his destination which is the zenith of human power or his capacity, he slowly but steadily climbs the ladder towards the top. He does what is asked of him to reach a level higher than his current by those in levels higher than his current. He strives to please them and in a way becomes a silent spectator and a mute accomplice in whatever direction the actions of those in power lead the humanity towards. He reaches his dreams and is now consigned with the duties of upholding the structure of the society. Doing and making plans, policies that work best for others. His laws and rules have a direct impact on the lives of others and we can only hope he makes sane and reasonable decisions.  That he is guided by principles that are grounded in empathy and not self enrichment. That he climbed the ladder with an express desire to be a savior or a martyr and not a dictator. Under everything he does or tries to do is a fear of vulnerability and he finds security in control and power.

He had unfortunately lost sight of the world outside his physical limitations and can not foresee nor imagine something better and different than where he is at. Try making a suggestion or move that threatens his seat of power(security) and he will crush all opposition with absolute ruthlessness. One wonders if he is not dead inside to be capable of this inhumanity? Maybe he is dead to all feelings and emotions or it is the only way he can make sure he remains respected. Being the strongest and toughest guy around. For him being in power gives a sense of security and hence power equals how secure he feels. He doesn't like to be ordered around even by his boss. He secretly shuns it but takes it with a touch of resigned acceptance. One has to do what one has to in order to get along. Things will not remain the same forever. A day will come when he will treat another the same and would have the satisfaction of being avenged. What a sick world, my friends?

But he is not as powerful as he would like to be. Had he been, this world would have been an unbearable monotonous place of existence with rules and regulations that no longer worked yet adhered to. Pluto, Uranus and Neptune form the triad of planetary energies that bend Saturn to his knees resist and cry, whimper as he might.  We shall talk in detail about these planets later on but for now it is sufficient to mention that they are the three torchbearers to light and growth.

Saturn and Neptune
Saturn is usually associated with ambition towards attaining material goals. All such goals are effectively dissolved by Neptune/Pisces who whispers of a more lofty goal of spiritual attainment. Neptune points Saturn to looks higher than the highest physical mountain he can look at. To aim for attainment of something higher which is not feasible for anyone with lesser dedication than Saturn. To direct his sight beyond the restrictions of the structures he set to his consciousness. Neptune blurs the boundaries rendering them non existent. Neptune does this in a subtle and gentle way that Saturn can't see what's coming. His goals and ambitions are never realized. He can't fix his mind onto a goal without veering away from it through excessive imagination or day dreaming. He curses himself and looks with consternation and disgust at the world which is getting ahead leaving him behind. He hates those who seem to succeed much easier than him. He fails to realize that the eternal purpose to all his failures and punishes himself to self induced seclusion. He is aware of his potential but he is not able to put into practice for his own benefit. He knows what he is capable of and thought he might distort it with feelings of God complex, it is undeniable he is competent. Oh! If only life would turn out to guide and help him progress than shun his every venture. Neptune is known to cause severe psychological issues like schizophrenia, sleeplessness, degeneration of brain tissue resulting in dementia, hallucinations or other such mental health issues. Saturn and Neptune together cause a chemical imbalance which could aggravate the above conditions even more. This could cause him to lose his sanity or feel like he is losing it. There is no grip on physical reality, he has successfully managed to escape from it. He no longer discriminates between what is real and what is not. He wants to inhabit his world of fantasy which is soothing because there he can be - whatever he wants to be. There he can be whatever he had failed to be in this world of reality. He builds up self delusions and becomes his own God. He decrees punishment upon those who cross his command  and confers favors upon those who meet them without questions.

It is not uncommon to find him often locked away in mental institutions and rehab facilities for drug and substance abuse, excessive drinking. He wastes away valuable and precious life in such remote areas of human existence not knowing what to make of anything. Some might go far enough to call him a loser and a freak. Although such harshness is to be shuddered, who can complain against the argument of the people who value material achievement over anything else?

Until he learns to surrender his desires and ambitions to what God wants them to be, he will continue to live in this state of unsurpassable misery and unbearable sadness. It is in God he must leave his destiny and to whom he must offer the fruits of his work to. As he trains to remove himself from the human consciousness limited to the physical world, he becomes a natural becon of guidance and respect to others even achieving what he could never achieve before. But with an air of detachment and with a disregard for the status of his office.

Saturn and Pluto

These attributes of personality description would apply to anyone who has a strong signature of Capricorn, many planets in Capricorn or 10th house, many aspects of Saturn to other planets or many aspects from ruler of 10th house to other planets.