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As Saturn changes signs, its lessons are shifted to a new area. How it affects you personally depends entirely on what natal houses and planets it hits. But this energy shift also impacts all of us, in a more generalized manner. Saturn’s transit of Scorpio (October 5, 2012 to December 23, 2014 and June 16, 2015 to September 18, 2015) will affect most people’s experience of sex and intimacy. Read on to find out what we have to look forward to.
Transiting Saturn
First, let’s review what transiting Saturn actually means. Most people associate it with what they can’t have. But Saturn is more than a big, transiting buzz kill. Yes, it represents limits and endings; there’s focus, as opposed to expansion, during a Saturn transit. But it also covers commitment and responsibility. Most importantly, Saturn is the Manifester. As reality’s enforcer, Saturn gives things form and structure. And this includes the consequences of our past actions.
When Saturn was in Libra, we learned relationship lessons. Some partnerships were crystallized (Saturn) and others ended (Saturn). The bottom line was taking responsibility for how we related (Libra) to others. What we needed in a partnership, and what we gave to our partners, was defined. As Saturn moves through Scorpio, we’ll be taking those lessons to a deeper level.
Scorpio’s Energy
Scorpio is not just about sex; it represents intimacy and sharing. To sum up its energy, Scorpio enables us to push through our personal limits by sharing those limits with someone else. It is the sign of evolution, and the only way to evolve is to keep testing and surpassing our limits. In Scorpio, we test ourselves by merging with someone else. Ideally, this goes beyond the physical and encompasses emotions as well.
In marches Saturn. Personal limits (Scorpio) will be strongly defined (Saturn). For many of us, this will involve a confrontation of fears: fears about having sex, being vulnerable, and losing control. In order to evolve past those fears, we’ll need to identify them. Others may experience this transit as an intensification of their sex lives. Think about it—what’s more desirable than something you can’t have (Saturn)? When this energy is used creatively between consenting adults, it can turn into the ultimate exploration of Scorpio’s power.
Saturn in Scorpio: Past History
The last time Saturn was in Scorpio (late 1982 to late 1985), the global pandemic known as AIDS gained momentum (I write this with the full acknowledgement that sexual contact is not the only way to spread HIV). Responsible (Saturn) sex became critical. The consequences (Saturn) for not being responsible resulted in the ultimate limit: death. But I’m not going to sit here and predict another disaster, for three reasons:
- Even the most skilled astrologer cannot “predict” the future; we can recognize trends, but there is no crystal ball.
- I believe that most of us (hopefully) have absorbed Saturn’s lessons from that period, and recognize that safe sex is a non-negotiable part of intimacy. Saturn builds on the lessons of the past.
- Pluto entered Scorpio in 1983, which upped the stakes considerably. Pluto is in Capricorn this time around.
A Kinder Saturn in Scorpio Transit
I believe this transit of Saturn in Scorpio will be easier on us (sexually). Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but the whole thing starts on a gentle note as Saturn forms an easy trine with Neptune in Pisces (October 5 to October 22). Before we can transform our limits, we’ll need to clarify (Saturn) certain fantasies/illusions (Neptune).
For some, this will mean letting go of an unobtainable relationship/fixation, or waking up to the realities (Saturn) of their sexual preferences. For others, it can involve the manifestation (Saturn) of a sexual ideal— wishes coming to life in the form of a new partner. Of course, all this depends on how you handled your relationships when Saturn was in Libra. But whether you’re letting go of something, or making it real, the overall energy is compassionate and forgiving (Pisces). There will be reality checks, but they’ll be delivered gently.
From October 22 to November 25, Saturn will trine Chiron (the Wounded Healer) in Pisces. This aspect says “Sexual Healing.” Because it involves Chiron, the wounds must be confronted before the healing can start. There is a documentary (released on September 21, but playing now) called “How To Survive A Plague”. It’s about a group of AIDS activists (ACT UP) who accelerated experimental HIV treatments through the trials, and to the patients. Of course they faced horrendous opposition (which was based in fear).
Although the subject matter is grim, the film is inspiring. This reminder of how devastating AIDS was (and still is) won’t make it all better (Chiron’s wounds are never completely healed). But it does feel like a positive introduction to Saturn’s transit; we’re reminded that compassion (Pisces) for others is our responsibility (Saturn). Even if it involves sex, which triggers our deepest (Scorpio) fears (Saturn). I’d also like to believe that Saturn in Scorpio’s mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn will make a difference. The transformation (Pluto) of old structures (Capricorn) might enable a more mature attitude towards sexual practices (again, between consenting adults) that push our fear buttons.
Sexual Tolerance and Compassion
Saturn in Scorpio: a new era of sexual tolerance? That might be pushing it. But Saturn is about growing up, and accepting that you can’t restrict other people. Perhaps society has matured since the 1980′s. Perhaps. Same-sex marriage is legal in some states (although others would argue that there’s still a long way to go). Saturn in Scorpio might bring these issues to a turning point, since we’re no longer dealing with the social surface; now, it’s about what lies underneath.
Taking it to a personal level, this transit (and its initial Pisces contacts) would be an excellent time to direct some compassion towards our own intimacy wounds. We’re at our most vulnerable when we have sex. Doesn’t it makes sense then, to treat ourselves with the utmost care and acceptance, before we let someone in? By taking responsibility for our past relationships, and applying those lessons to our current sex lives (whether we have a partner or not), we can focus (Saturn) on what needs to be transformed (Scorpio). Own it, heal it, and move forward.
Are you ready for Saturn’s transit of Scorpio? Tell us how this transit is impacting your relationships in comments below.
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