Saturn – Our Planetary Teacher of Habits

Saturn ~ Our Planetary

Teacher of Habits

Peninsula Womans

Nov – Dec 2002

Today’s article is about how to understand “habits” through the planet Saturn. In the astrological system, we have 10 wonderful teachers. They are the ten planets that we can see from the Earth. They are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Each of these planets has something to teach us. We also have in astrology the 12 constellations from Aries to Pisces. Today’s focus is on the planet Saturn, our planetary teacher of habits.

What is Saturn?
Saturn is archetypically associated with discipline, patience, responsibility, habits, limitation, and time. Saturn is connected in mythology to the God Chronos. Chronos has been known as Father Time for at least the past three thousand years. Hence we have the word chronological, which means “arranged in order of time of occurrence” or “to put things in order.” There are many mythological stories regarding Saturn and Chronos. In this article, we will focus on the idea of time.

What does Saturn teach us?
Saturn teaches us the lessons of time. We learn from Saturn that good habits over time can help us. We also know a bad habit over “time” can break us down. Take smoking, for example. A habit. Over time it will affect your health. Right now, you are fine. But down the road, the bad habit will reveal itself. The physical body is limited. There are rules. You cannot break them without consequences.

What Saturn Cycle are we in now?
On October 11th, 2002, Saturn went Retrograde in the sign of Gemini. This is Saturn’s final retrograde in the sign of Gemini. Saturn stays in each sign for approximately 2 1/2 years. On February 22, 2003, it will go direct and will move into the sign Cancer on June 4th, 2003. The lessons taught by Saturn during a retrograde period are about introspection and reflection.

How a person regards time relates to their perception of abundance versus the lack. This correlates with the thought, “I don’t have the time. I don’t have the patience. I don’t have the discipline.” When Saturn goes retrograde, I notice my client’s frustration and limitation regarding time. Quite often, our limitations come not from our perception of what is “actually” happening but from our “fear” of what might happen in time. Saturn is retrograde in the astrological sign Gemini. Just what does this mean? Gemini is the sign associated with communication, writing, speaking, and short-distance travel. The keyword that expresses Gemini’s direction in life is “I think.” Gemini moves through life with the gift of words and communication. We can also learn from Gemini that we need new thoughts and new concepts in order to evolve. Gemini helps us choose the correct words, phrases, or ideas that are most important to any given situation. The gift of Gemini is they know the value of words and logic that stems from our mind, and it’s the ability to help us communicate.

With Saturn in retrograde in Gemini, what is needed is a rethinking and evaluation of our ideas and concepts that may be limiting us through our perception of time. Do you really think you don’t have “time” to finish that project? Are your perceptions and ideas in any given situation really true? It may be time for a new thought or idea to help you break free from the restrictions you have. Is there something you know you need or want to do? Has something been pulling on you that you don’t “think” you have enough “time” to do? It may be time to start that project and dispel the thought that you don’t have time.

How can I change?
Change requires new habits. In order to develop a new habit, you must become aware of the need to have a new habit. Then you must learn the skill necessary to build the new habit. In the case of new ideas, you must look at the thoughts that no longer work for you and replace them with thoughts that will work. Third, you must practice new thoughts so that you can turn them into habits. We are always creating new habits. It is just that some of them are not beneficial. All habits start with a thought. Whether you are conscious of these thoughts is another thing. Right now, start using your time to change your thinking. We all know that thoughts are powerful. Our thoughts and ideas can color our experiences and lead us to a joyful life or one filled with misery and frustration. Take the time to look at how your thoughts are either helping you to evolve or keeping you in the same frustrating, undisciplined lifestyle. Keep a journal during this Saturn Retrograde to start visually seeing your thoughts. After a week of journaling, reread your journal. Ask yourself if
these are the thoughts that are working for you at this time. You will be glad that you did.

“Time is a dressmaker, specializing in alterations.”

~Faith Baldwin

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.”

~Will Rogers