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Saturn in Gemini

Some years back I was working on several articles about the new millenium and it seemed quite amazing to me that Saturn had moved into Aries. One of the benefits of having been an astrologer for so long is being able to think back over so many transits and to recall their effects. That was as of 1996, and to me that was the actual beginning of the new age in which we're now firmly entrenched. I observed that the energy had moved up a notch and the vibration was higher, thus signaling a new period of evolutionary growth.

Pluto had completed a long stay in Scorpio, and that signified the end of an era. Scorpio and Pluto rule endings, and that was a period in which we came to grips with our own mortality in ways we never before contemplated. The AIDS crisis made us all aware of dangers we never before considered. As Pluto moved into Sagittarius, there was a sense of a brave new world beginning. It was time to rethink our philosophies and to make sense of life in better and deeper ways.

Uranus being in its own sign, Aquarius, was also significant. There is no stronger harbinger of a brave new world than that is. I wrote extensively about the things that would change and develop and I had predicted spectacular growth in technology and concurrent fortunes being made. We all know what the stock market has done during this period and we're equally aware of the Internet-based fortunes that have been made. Of course, Uranus is about more than just technology. It's also about ideas-about living for the greater good. One of the most endearing-and irritating-qualities of Aquarius is the tendency for members of that sign to feel that they know what's best for everyone else. Has the universe improved to the extent that everyone is looking out for the welfare of everyone else? I'd say that remains to be seen.

The third significator in this scenario is Saturn in Aries, the sign of beginnings. Aries is about learning to be one's best self and it's also about leadership. It struck me on a global level that with these three planets in the signs mentioned, we had moved into a new era. Thus before we can move forward into any real discussion of the meaning of Saturn in Taurus, it's important to make sense of the larger issues.

Saturn was the farthest planet visible to astrologers in the ancient world. The outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were not discovered for centuries after astrology was initially used. It seems very significant to me that Saturn is the planet that most defines life here on earth. It is the planet of Karma and thus it shows where you've been before and what you need to learn now. Once we leave our earthly bodies and move into the realm of spirit, other rules apply. Thoughts when in spirit are as meaningful as action and we can move about instantaneously, just by thinking. We merge by flowing into and out of others in the spirit realm. Neptune and Pluto define these energies rather well. But here on earth we look to Saturn.

Saturn is the planet of limits and lessons and rules of timing. Many people are terrified of Saturn and its transits. I find that foolish, because to me Saturn's energy is comforting and reliable. No matter what, I know Saturn will bring me what I need, work, release from things long over, contact with soulmates, the movement of my life in the direction it needs to go. This is all positive stuff!

So, now to return to our initial idea, Saturn in Aries was about new beginnings. And those people who were born with that placement will have to learn to be better leaders, to find their own sense of independence and their own way in the world. And so in this new millenium we are trying to be better leaders who find new and better ways of viewing the world and to create the technology that will liberate us from the prisons that have delayed progress and thus to create a free, safe and happy life for all. That is the higher vibration of this new age and it certainly coordinates with the tenets of the Age of Aquarius.

During the last few years as we've experienced Saturn in Aries and in Taurus, what comes quickly to mind is that we've had global unrest, fights for justice in Europe and other places, a president's unsuccessful impeachment, and the government at war with Microsoft.

Bill Gates and his Microsoft problems are particularly interesting to me. With Saturn in Taurus, it has squared Uranus in Aquarius and that is conflict. This particular square defines precisely the ongoing situation, the idea of greed, technology used for personal profit and whether the greater good was being served. Uranian energies do rule technology and things like computers, and it would also seem to me that some Karmic issue was being explored personally by Gates. As I am writing this, his natal Saturn is being opposed by transiting Saturn and transiting Uranus is at the focal point of the T-square. Saturn and Jupiter will soon leave his tenth house so he may actually get some respite soon. By the time you read this, the whole matter may have been resolved. But it seems to me something must happen, and the reason I feel this way is that Bill Gates is one of those people who fears he will never have enough. With Neptune in the fourth and a Venus-Saturn conjunction in Scorpio, it only seems logical that he will need to experience some losses in order to realize that no matter if he has it all or has nothing, he will still feel that he doesn't have enough. It's the insecurities he needs to work on, not more amassing of wealth.

And it is the current higher vibration that is bringing this matter to a head. There are few people who feel that Microsoft's practices are aimed at the greater good, despite the fact that we all use Windows on our computers. Interestingly, this situation is coming to a head with Saturn in Taurus, one of the money signs. So with the square of Saturn to Uranus, we are looking at a situation in which financial interests square off versus technology and its uses.

Many years ago I worked with a trance medium (someone who can leave her body and allow spirit entities to enter and speak through her body). During some of our sessions, I asked spirit about the meaning of the placement of Saturn in natal charts. I was interested in the Karmic information that for the most part hadn't been published until I did it myself in this magazine in 1988. ("Your Path to Personal Growth," Horoscope, January, 1988)

It's important to understand the true nature of Saturn as it applies to Karma. That gives us some insights into why so many people fear this planet. Saturn represents the life lesson you need to learn in this lifetime. Basically it represents the qualities you need to work on in order to make them a part of your essence. Thus usually Saturn indicates areas in which you're not terribly good or which don't come naturally to you.

So if you have Saturn in Aries in your natal chart, you need to learn to be a leader and to be more independent. That would indicate that you spent other lifetimes as a person who was not independent, was not able to lead. So in this lifetime you'll have to work to get a handle on this important energy, and naturally it won't be easy. Perhaps you will be thrust into situations where you see that following blindly within a group doesn't work for you or maybe you will come face to face with a crisis in which your mettle will be tested and you will have to take charge.

With Saturn in Taurus, you have to learn to develop a knack for practical earthly matters. Living in peace on the earth plane is a good skill to develop, particularly as we are all here incarnated in the flesh on this Saturn-defined planet. What are the qualities of the earth plane-physical things-like plants growing, species reproducing through an act of love, prosperity. There are passions and pleasures in the earth plane and those are the qualities we must learn to appreciate with Saturn in Taurus.

Saturn in Gemini is about learning to be comfortable in the world of the mind. Interestingly, people with this natal placement often have trouble with money. Either they don't get enough of it or when they do get it, they spend it frivolously. That's because money is sometimes an impediment to intellectual activity. You can't think deep thoughts or read a book when you're on a shopping binge. Thought, communication, these are what must be developed with Saturn in Gemini. That's on a personal level.

But just as Saturn in Aries and Taurus has produced global effects, such as the legal issues surrounding Microsoft, something that is certainly Bill Gates' problem, but which will effect the entire technological community, Saturn in Gemini will have global effects as well.

So far in this new era we've seen phenomenal growth in technological fields and we've seen new giants emerge and be thrust into a battle about financial manipulation and responsibility. Now the issue will be about how information is shared and what sort of information is important. How should important information be conveyed and protected? What ideas must be explored and taught? How much information is too much, what is quality knowledge and what is mere mental masturbation? Gemini is not known for depth as a rule but rather for breadth. The Gemini energies generally like all sorts of talk, whether jokes or something deep, all sorts of printed matter, whether bubble gum wrappers or the Guttenberg Bible transferred to floppy disk. But with Saturn in this sign of information, there will certainly be a call for quality, for depth, for meaning and yes for practicality.

There are two ways to look at any planetary transit. First what will it mean to the universe at large-or what is the purest essence of the energy-what is its vibration. Second, how will it affect you and me. That depends on whether the transiting planet in question hits by geometrical aspect-a transit-one of our natal planets or configurations.

Recently there was a little brouhaha here in California over an offer to subscribe to the Microsoft Network. This happened during the transits to Bill Gates' horoscope. The Microsoft Network offered a rebate of $400 for anyone signing up for their service. But there was some legal problem in the wording, and because of a mistake made by Microsoft, people realized that they could buy an item, receive the $400 break and then cancel the contract with the Microsoft Network. People here were discussing this on the Internet and lining up around the block to get into electronics stores where they purchased items and took advantage of the company they felt had been taking advantage of them for so long. No doubt those people had transits for this little windfall just as Gates and Microsoft had transits too. Thus something that was global in nature also became personal. And interestingly, there were many online debates about the morality of cashing in on this unwitting loophole. This would certainly describe the Saturn in Taurus energies.

In examining the effect of Saturn in Gemini, we have outlined the basic meaning of the energy. Now we must also look and see what contacts Saturn will make with other planets. That will be the real way to understand what this period will bring. And then we must stop and consider the personal extension of each bit of energy.

First of all, let's mention that Saturn moves into Gemini in August, 2000 and will remain until about the middle of October. Then it returns for a last stand in Taurus and then moves back as of April 2001. We should at that time see some energy aimed at communication and transportation. There could be problems with vehicles or public transportation. For example there could be a train wreck and a call for enhanced safety rules or likewise with a plane, the highways, even city bus systems. There could also be issues with the mails, strikes in countries where that sort of thing happens, raises in stamps costs here, increased use of email (which is certainly the trend). And of course let's not forget the world of publishing. There will certainly be issues there, whether school books need to be revamped to accommodate new or more likely a return to older systems of teaching, particularly reading, and there may be more how-to books, fewer coffee table books and more useful reading. Non-fiction should become more popular. Likewise film documentaries.

On a personal note, with Saturn in Gemini, the mutable signs need to sit up and pay attention. Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces will all receive challenges. Depending on which planet is transited by either square (Virgo and Pisces) or opposition (Sagittarius) or of course conjunction in Gemini, there will be energy that needs accommodation. If your Sun is hit you will have to work harder to prove yourself. If your Moon or Venus is hit, you might have to let go of something or someone or perhaps to change residence. If it ends, let go willingly, because endings defined by Saturn are like graduation day at school-really a commencement and it means that you're ready to move on to something else. Take better care of your health at this time and don't neglect your teeth or bones. Also be prepared for Karmic relationships, either coming or going. If Mercury is transited, perhaps you will return to school for a technical subject. If your Mars is hit, you will have to try harder, be willing to compromise, and be less self-centered. Do for others willingly and don't bemoan their lack of doing something for you. If your Jupiter is involved, new achievements are likely as is true with Pluto too, though with Pluto there may first be enforced endings as well. If Saturn transits your Saturn, review the structures in your life and make changes where needed. If Neptune is hit, money losses generally occur, and with a Uranus contact, endings may be likely as well, but it should feel liberating when it happens.

Of course the signs other than the four mentioned will also receive effects from the Saturn transit through Gemini. The effects will just be less intense. In this article, I'm concentrating on the more intense transits. But, for example, if your Sun is in Aries, you will receive a sextile from Saturn. The effects will be similar to the one described above, just easier to manage.

Transit to transit contacts are quite interesting. The first one of those will be the trine of Saturn to Neptune in Aquarius which first hits in June, 2001 and then recurs between January and April, 2002. Everyone who has studied astrology has been taught that squares and oppositions are bad and that trines and sextiles are good. While this is somewhat accurate, I don't follow these rules all the time. For example, I'd be hard pressed to see how a square of Jupiter to Venus can be all that bad-the worst effect one could sustain would be described as too much of a good thing and an embarrassment of riches is not usually something about which we complain.

I prefer to consider the energies involved and in my opinion there are no more incompatible energies than those of Saturn and Neptune. The best thing I can say is that okay a trine won't be as horrendous as a hard aspect like a square or opposition, but I wouldn't expect anything pleasant to come of this alliance. Neptune is the planet of illusion, delusion, spirituality, creativity, drunks, and drugs. It's a complicated energy and very difficult to manage well on the earth plane. It's about loving everyone as much as ourselves and merging with all that is.

When Saturn combines with Neptune, there is a call for practicality to coexist with spirituality. That would be the ideal and the trine would try to encourage that. The only problem is that it's almost always the case that when these two planets collide money is lost. That's because decisions are made based on higher ideals that somehow can't quite manifest in a practical way. It doesn't mean that nothing good can result because certainly needed spiritual and personal growth can ensue from any loss, but it's hard to regard it as anything less than disruptive when it occurs.

On a global level there can be all sorts of financial schemes-as when we bale out an ailing country which will never manage to repay us, or money spent for the welfare of the less fortunate at home but which somehow is mismanaged-as in one of those charity scandals. There will probably be money lost in movie deals, deals that could have been a great idea but on films that somehow the world wasn't quite ready to see. There can also be crises with drugs, a drug that seems like a good idea and was developed with the highest ethics but somehow the drug causes more ills than it cures-remember Thalidomide?

That's the energy of a Saturn-Neptune combination-high ideas gone astray-good ideas gone amiss-unforeseen suffering. All this sounds rather negative and generally I look for the positive in any situation because I feel that is the only way to approach astrology and personal growth. Certainly there will be positives. There will be lessons to be learned, better techniques to be developed and so on. For example, a new special effects technique that ultimately will be very useful could come out of that failed film investment I mentioned. A researcher could take a needed turn when trying to counteract the effects of a drug that didn't work out. And so on. The greater good always does manifest, but with a Saturn-Neptune combo, it takes time and finagling. And the lesson to learn is always that ideals can be manifested but they have to be carefully thought out and must make sense on the earth plane and not be something too terribly flaky.

How will this affect you? This transit occurs approximately between five and ten degrees. If you have planets in Libra at those degrees you will have to make accommodations between spiritual ideals and practical realities. The Saturn-Neptune trine will form a grand trine with your Libra planet, and a grand trine is generally considered an aspect of good luck. If you have an opposition between that Libra planet and something in Aries, you will experience a kite configuration out through the Aries planet, which will intensify the energy even more. If the aspect is to your Sun, you will need to express your ideals in a practical way in order to grow as a person. If it's your Moon, you may move to a romantic old house that you adore but which requires work, or for example, you might move to a beach house for a while to work on a project. You will also take care of your teeth but do be careful about taking medicines then. If Mercury is involved, you may become more of a teacher and may try to share spiritual or other creative truths with someone who needs a down to earth point of view. For example, teaching religion or photography would fulfill this energy. With a Venus hit, you will try to build a life with a soulmate who is your ideal and who also completes your destiny. If Mars is involved, work to get validation through helping others. When Jupiter is involved, you can make the best of any situation so look for ways to manifest life's best choices. If it's your Saturn, don't give up on an ongoing project even if it's proving difficult; use ingenuity to get the growth and make the progress necessary. If Uranus is involved, think about where you're going with your life and if you're on the right track. If Neptune, consider if you've spent too much time on pie-in-the-sky type pursuits and too little on things that could actually work out for you. If Pluto, let go of what isn't working in your life and focus on what really does matter to you.

Another interesting transit will be the opposition between transiting planets Saturn and Pluto. The first hit occurs in August, 2001 and continues widely through November, 2001, then resumes between May and June, 2002.

On any level, a Saturn-Pluto transit is about sustained effort and power. It's about hard work to achieve important ends. Globally, politics comes to mind. Certainly with this transit we will see the rise and fall of politicians and political movements, some of them good, some self-serving. Of course the really nasty ones who've been in power for far too long could be robbed of their thrones. There may also be union strikes or issues, scandals involving foreign labor forces (such as the bad press Kathie Lee Gifford endured over her overseas factories), issues with the military, both at home and military regimes abroad. There can be scandals or issues about healing, gurus, mind-control programs, even scouting programs. With any Saturn-Pluto energy, it's always important to do what's right, to work for the greater good as well as one's own and not to lose sight of personal considerations or to become a power mad workaholic.

This transit occurs between 12 and 17 degrees. The two signs most affected will be Virgo and Pisces, because planets there will form T-squares with the opposing Saturn-Pluto energies. Of course planets directly on the opposition either in Gemini or Sagittarius will also be affected, but not as intensely. Planets at the focal point of the T-square will have to make accommodations and will no doubt have to change some of the ways in which they operate. People with oppositions between Virgo and Pisces will deal with a grand cross, an energy pattern that is even more disruptive.

If your Sun is hit, you could change your career, have to work harder or for a domineering boss, which could cause you to quit your job. Don't overwork yourself to a point of ill health however. If it's your Moon, expect some separations and endings, but you will be likely to learn important life lessons about how you relate and what you truly need. Take special care of your health now and your teeth. You might lose a wisdom tooth at this transit, but then that's not much of a loss, is it! If it's your Mercury, you may be tempted to argue more about your own point of view or you could be faced with someone who is relentlessly bombastic. You might also need to learn more technical skills in order to get ahead in life. With a Venus hit, be prepared for unusual romantic encounters which will be Karmic, intense, and certainly the vehicle for life lessons. You might become obsessed with someone who isn't terribly good for or to you. If Mars is involved, try to avoid becoming a power-mad dictator for such action will surely be your downfall. Exercise to release negative energies. With a Jupiter hit, expect some new success and growth. If Saturn is hit, make changes in the structures of your life; allow necessary changes to come and accept them with grace. A Uranus hit will certainly bring swift and sudden changes into your life; something that is completely over will absolutely be gone in a flash. You might also want to break free of something you shouldn't abandon. It's all in knowing what makes the most sense, so think about your life. If Neptune is hit, avoid careless, frivolous or unduly optimistic financial entanglements and certainly avoid all people whose character is in the slightest bit questionable. If Pluto is hit, consider this the beginning of a new phase of your life, so give some thought to where you want to go in the future and let go of things whose purpose in your life has ended.

The final transit of interest is the Saturn trine of Uranus, which occurs between August and December, 2002. One way to describe this energy is a melding of order and chaos. Saturn is structure and Uranus is freedom. Saturn is usefulness and Uranus is technology. So the best interpretation of this transit is the harnessing of technology for better uses and a better world. It's also a matter of finding the ability to express independence and genius within the structure of order. In its best manifestation, it's genius working within the system for the greater good.

On a global level it could be the acceptance of those who are different because they have the capacity to contribute something worthwhile. The army's don't ask-don't tell policy is an example of this. Another is the new laws allowing gays to marry. Certainly it will be interesting for technology. Machines to help in medical procedures will be developed. The Internet will probably slow down a bit but also be more useful, more orderly, more regimented. New systems of welfare will be instituted and new tax structures as well. It will be a time of creative but modulated work for change.

This transit occurs between 24 and 27 degrees. Once again, Libra planets will experience a grand trine, and people with a Libra-Aries opposition will experience a kite. If your Sun is involved, work to build necessary changes into your life but at a pace that is sane and reasonable. If it's your Moon, review your relationships and think about the sort of emotional and domestic energies you need in your life. You might redecorate in a way that combines old and new elements. You might include new friends with the old. If Mercury is involved, use new ideas for growth, but you will want to make these ideas work, rather than spending time in mental masturbation. Playing with a computer is fun because you learn new uses for old gadgets! If Venus is involved, you want stability in love but with someone scintillating. Perhaps you will elect to spice up an ongoing relationship. If Mars, you want your own way but don't need to step on someone else's toes to get it. Self-control gives you more freedom. If Jupiter is involved, you grow as a result of changes you make to improve your standard of living. This can be rather exhilarating. With a Saturn hit, you feel you have the necessary skills to move forward but you're patient about the process. When it's Uranus, you want to move forward more quickly and are tempted to take shortcuts but realize if you do so, you may have to redo some of the steps later. If it's Neptune, you seek new answers to old dilemmas and want something magical to intercede on your behalf. And finally, if Pluto, you want to access personal power so that you can make your dreams into reality, and you want it very badly indeed.

It's important to remember that the universe is a living, breathing module, and there is always more than one effect to any transit, as well as different degrees of magnitude, depending on the energies involved. Saturn in Gemini is a call for all of us to improve the way we connect with each other and to share our thoughts in ways that will make a difference in each other's lives. It's a brave new world we live in and connecting intellectually is the way we share everything around us.

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