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The 11th House is not usually included in articles about romance. It represents groups and the collective, so it would seem to have no place in one-on-one relationships. But it is on the same axis as the 5th House (self-expression, romance and receiving recognition) whose themes are carried outwards in the 11th (your place in the group). Now, what happens when you’re born with Saturn, the planet of limits and restrictions, in this house?
Saturn’s location in the natal chart is where you have to make an extra effort. Some astrologers have said that Saturn is well-placed in this house, because Aquarius is the natural ruler of the 11th, and Saturn is Aquarius’ traditional ruler. But things do not come easily where Saturn is located, partially because Saturn’s limits are rooted in your fears and inhibitions. Most astrologers describe 11th House Saturn people as aloof in group situations. They put up walls (Saturn) between themselves and others. Or, they may become determined social butterflies in an effort to keep that sense of not belonging at bay. In either scenario, group interactions do not come naturally. In his book Synthesis and Counselling in Astrology, Noel Tyl has taken this description a step further and suggested that 11th House Saturn indicates a huge “need for love.”
If the 5th House is where you show others what you’ve got, the 11th House is where others (under favorable circumstances) give back to you. Saturn in the 11th’s aloofness is a cover-up for shyness or social awkwardness. You feel like you don’t belong, and it becomes a “chicken or the egg” scenario: do you feel like you don’t belong because others don’t accept you, or do others respond (with suspicion) to your feelings of being an outsider? The thing that Saturn denies is what you want the most. In the 11th House, it’s the warm embrace of social acceptance, even as you find most social interaction (parties, light conversation, being in a crowd) boring and/or unnerving. Saturn, as the bringer of limits, represents the threshold, and the group lies just beyond it. Saturn is also an ambitious planet; it makes things serious (superficial friendships are not even considered), and that seriousness extends to how people respond to you. You don’t just want people to like you — you want love, respect and (sometimes) adoration. By setting up situations of denial, Saturn focuses you on certain goals, and can create an almost Plutonic intensity.
In order to function in 7th House relationships (partnerships), it’s necessary to have at least a nodding acquaintance with 11th House dynamics (groups). 11th House Saturn may create dependency on your partner for all levels of social interaction, as that enormous hunger for love and appreciation is focused on one person. Conversely, Saturn’s social inhibitions can translate to keeping your guard up in romantic situations. This can be especially true if Saturn is opposing personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars) in the 5th House. Blocks to self-expression are emphasized, because you feel like what you want to do is somehow wrong. Or, putting yourself out there (romantically) will invite ridicule and inevitable rejection. If Saturn rules the 7th House, or one of the houses associated with sex (2nd or 8th House), there will be an especially strong correlation to difficulties in connecting with the group, and connecting with a romantic partner.
But Saturn in the 11th House does not need to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The key is working with its energy of responsibility and respect. There’s potential for you to become an authority or leader in some field, which will give you a place in society. The sign that Saturn is in, plus aspects that it makes to other natal planets, can provide a clue to what this might be. If you need that structure (Saturn) to feel some measure of ease in a group, why not create the structure yourself? This can also take some of the pressure off romantic relationships, because one person cannot be responsible for all your social needs. The downside to becoming an authority would be hiding behind Saturn’s wall (again), and being untouchable. Remember that Saturn demands work be put into whatever area of the chart it occupies, and in this case, that means putting effort into meeting people and finding a way to co-exist with them. Finding your niche and cultivating a few, good friendships (that last a lifetime) is what 11th House Saturn specializes in. And human relationships, whether social or intimate, are all interconnected.
Related Posts:
- Relationships and the 5th House: Getting Serious About Fun
- Meeting Your Social Needs: The 3rd and 11th Houses
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