Saturn: limits
Posted under Planets
This is Saturn. His glyph looks like a lower-case “h” with a cross on the top. Because Saturn is heavy. Do not confuse Saturn with Jupiter, which looks like a number 4.
Saturn rules 
Capricorn, and co-rules 
Aquarius
Where Jupiter is a Bacchanalian sugar-daddy, Saturn is a strict and serious taskmaster. Saturn’s place in the chart indicates where you have to work hard. Hard work in this area will surely pay off, but gains come only through persistence and working within your limits.
Saturn’s position in your chart indicates walls and limitations, and structures that we build to maintain the status quo. Fear and insecurity can keep you from taking responsibility for making needed changes in this area of your life. Negativity and pessimism may creep in here. This is an area where the world doesn’t owe you anything. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and make it happen.
Saturn Return
Saturn completes a circle around the zodiac every 29 years. When you are between 27 and 29 years old, he returns to the place he was when you were born. This return brings an increase in responsibility and tests our maturity. Your Saturn return is one of life’s most important milestones.
Saturn describes:
How you handle responsibility, Practical Concerns
Your boundaries
Where you feel limitation, restriction, a need for discipline
Where you feel inhibition or fear
Structures in your life
Dogma, Tradition
Time, Permanence
Seriousness, Reality
Hard work
Career
The people and things Saturn represents are Older People, Authorities, and Corporations
Saturn rules the Skin, Bones, and Teeth
Saturn is limitation. If Saturn is retrograde, you turn it in on yourself. The positive of Saturn is structure, discipline, responsibility. To use this to its best, give yourself these things without beating yourself up.. structure means structuring your work but also means time out to do things that make you happy.
Saturn is the last planet visible without a telescope. Before telescopes were invented, astrologers and astronomers alike considered him the end, the limit, the boundary of the universe. Since the 1700’s, three more planets have been discovered: Uranus in 1781, Neptune in 1846, and Pluto in 1930.
Molly Cliborne
1 · Heidi · 21 March 2006
Hi Molly, thank you so much for your site, it’s been tremendously helpful.
I have a question; I just figured out my Neptune is in my 7th house, which serves to obscure my purpose (as well as relationships). How do you overcome the “negative” influences of a planet? I’ve tried looking at the positive aspects of Neptune, but empathy and understanding don’t really seem to have much to do with figuring out what my purpose it. Can you help me?
Much mahalo, -Heidi
2 · uniqqe · 12 May 2006
Hi Molly, I have another question, can the first house saturn gain higher self esteem at an early age and be secure of their selves?
3 · anne · 2 June 2006
i am going thur a saturn conjunt my acd and my sun boy i get depress a lot lately. i am also concern about my health since i am in my fifties. i would like to take saturn retrograde time and formulate a healthy eating plan for my life to lose a t least 50 lbs
4 · Molly · 2 June 2006
Hi Anne—
Saturn in your 1st house is a time when we feel like having more structure and discipline in our lives. If Saturn is on your ascendant right now, that means he will be in your first house for good two years or more. And taking off excess weight and getting healthy is a very good way to channel and use Saturn in the first house positively. Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.
5 · Molly · 2 June 2006
Heidi,
Sorry I missed your post earlier.
If you get Neptunian in relationships, it means you sacrifice your own needs and tend to get involved with people who are needy in some way.. people who don't give back.. or people who are unattainable. Neptune gives you the gift of imagination, which you can use to see what you want to be there rather than what's really there!
So, how to direct it more positively? Well, getting involved in Neptunian pursuits in positive ways is one thing to do. Neptune is the idea of "serve or suffer," you need to be giving selflessly in some way.. so find an outlet for selfless giving that's positive and feeds your soul. Like volunteering.
Secondly, use Saturn. Idealism needs a counterbalance. So when you're looking for a mate, realize that you have this need to share yourself on a deep psychic level. And on that level, everyone has the potential to be awesome, even a crack addict! But potential doesn't equal reality; it's only potential unless it's developed. So I say, allow yourself to be judgemental when you're picking a mate! Channel your inner Judge Judy, and don't go there with someone until your Saturnian side, your realistic self, gives the seal of approval. Is this person capable of giving back to you? Does this person possess strong character? Can this person stand on their own two feet? Can you trust this person? Is this person right for you?
Are there any glaring red flags that you're tempted to ignore?
See, Neptune's gift is the ability to create illusions. Now, you can find someone who is stable and can go to that place with you, and that will be good, the two of you can dream together, make music together, feel into each other deeply, then come back down to earth together and pay the bills. But if you dream a frog into a prince, you can go on believing him to be a prince for a while. But the illusion will break down eventually, and once it does, you're left with a frog and a lot of disappointment.
6 · Venussquare · 2 June 2006
I’m going to have to shrink that advice so that I can tape it on the underside of my eyeballs. Thanks, Molly.
7 · Cameron · 10 June 2006
Hi
Why do they say Moon in the first house loved by the opposite sex?
and what does it mean?
8 · Molly · 11 June 2006
Hi Cameron. I don’t know who “they” are or where they said it, but I think you should ask them. I don’t know what they meant by it.
9 · Charlly Bedard · 12 June 2006
I’m going to have to cut out that Neptune advice too and mail it to my friend in prison who wants a live in relationship and the response as it’s priceless.
Wonderful. Tape it to my eyeball. Notice how the sun’s glyph looks like an eye. Look into a hearing test machine and the ear looks like an eyeball too.
Charlly
10 · Sofia · 2 July 2006
Hi Molly,
I was wondering about Composite Charts. If the guy who I have had a thing and I have Saturn conjunct Venus in our Composite Chart,
Or am I reading into that the wrong way.
Also the Sun is exactly conjunct Pluto (19 degrees.) I know that must be meaninful in some way.
...But the Saturn/Venus conjunction, would that be a horrible aspect to have a relationship? Or am I reading into it the wrong way?
11 · Sofia · 2 July 2006
Molly sorry, my previous post came out like a kindergardener wrote it! I dont know why my grammar is so poor today!
I mean to say: the guy who I have a thing for, we share venus conjunct saturn in our composite charts. As well as Pluto conjunct the sun (exact 19 degrees) in the 3rd house.
Thanks Molly, sorry for the lame grammar…
12 · Xavier · 3 July 2006
When will Saturn be in next retrograde?
13 · Molly · 5 July 2006
Saturn conj. Venus in your composite may indicate a stable relationship, or one that limits or undermines the self esteem of one or both partners. It depends a lot on the individuals involved.
14 · Uncle Hannah (the poor bard) · 5 July 2006
I wanted to write a limerick about Molly…
hrmm let me see:
There once was an astrologer Molly
Whose mood was primarily jolly
but when she gets down, don’t stick around!
She may ‘ram’ you into the nearest svengali!
XOXO!
H
15 · allison · 7 July 2006
Hi Molly, my friend and I were talkng and they mentioned something about a first and second saturn. Ive just 30 and gone through a really hard last 3 years. Im a Taurus, being born on May 13th, 1976. I dont know where to start in getting back on track, do you have any advice? Help?!
16 · Molly · 15 July 2006
Hi Allison. Maybe your friend was talking about the first and second Saturn return? I can only guess. The first SR happens around age 29, and the 2nd around 58.
It’s hard to suggest ways to get back on track if I don’t have a sense of how you feel you’re off track. My guess is that there are planetary patterns involved that are larger than just your Saturn return. If you want to set up a reading, I’d be glad to get into it with you with lots of detail. I’ll work with you on the price if you need me to.
Don’t listen to Hannah up there. I won’t ram you to any svengalis. :)
17 · allison · 16 July 2006
Hi Molly,
Ok- Saturn return, I’ve been through divorce, and some very bad luck the last couple of years. I just think I’m off track with bits and pieces of my life path but especially in love. I’m on & off with a Leo who I love very much, we just cant get it right. Im just all confused on what do to. HELP would be good.
18 · Molly · 17 July 2006
Hi Allison—
I’d be more than happy to help you. Astrology gives you a wonderful perspective on yourself and your life that can be very helpful. But I need birthdates and times. I need time to talk with you. I’d be delighted if you contacted me for a reading.
19 · Michael Wolfe · 15 August 2006
What affect does it have on your personality to have Saturn,Pluto, and Mars in the first house of your natal chart? I seem to have many conflicting aspects of my personality. Any insight would be very helpful.
Thank You
20 · Paula · 6 September 2006
Great site! Thank you for the information- it is priceless! I am having a challenge understanding Saturn in Aquarius in my 12th House- If you could help me understand- I would appreciate it. (I am a capricorn, Pisces rising, Leo Moon)-
21 · Michele · 10 September 2006
Hi Molly, I agree, what a great site! Thanks for all of your wonderful information. I have a question… I’m 37, never married, saturn conjunct venus, which may explain that one, among other things, and I’ve been on the fringes of a relationship with two guys who both have saturn square mars in our composite charts. One of them has a t-square with saturn, mars and sun in the composite. Okay, maybe this is 2 questions… first, any reason astrologically that I may be picking up this saturn square mars thing with two people (both of whom are long distance), and is a t-square with these 3 planets something to stay away from? Nothing’s serious at this moment… Thank you!
22 · Melissa · 11 October 2006
Hi, Michele. I’m not Molly, but I’ll give this a shot. I’ve heard that Saturn square Mars in a composite chart can mean an unfulfilling, frustraiting sex life. You mentioned that both of these relationships you have are long distance. Could that be contributing to the lack of fulfillment, not getting to see either of these guys very often?
23 · Agustin · 17 January 2007
I Have Most of the Planets in House 7 and my relations where almost nothing and I don’t Know how to walk throu a Saturn, Venus, Sun, North Node and Lilith in the Seven House! (Born 31-AGO-1979 17:45PM Buenos Aires – Argentina) Thanks in Advance!
24 · Marie · 23 February 2007
I did a composite for myself and a partner. It has sun, venus, mars and jupiter conjunct in the 8th house within about 3 degrees. These are square to the moon and widely square to Uranus in the 11th. How would you see this relationship? What would the most positive use of the Uranus be so that it would not manifest as unstable and/or short term.
25 · Molly · 23 February 2007
Hi Marie—
You know, I really don’t have a lot of use for composites. But my partner and I sat down one night over cookies and looked at ours, using Robert Hand’s book, Planets in Composite. I had been kind of worried about a nasty square in it.
The interpretations that rang the most true, however, were the planets in houses, not the aspects. So when I interpret for others, I tend to look at it from that angle.
Having said that, I don’t interpret a lot of composites. I get better information reading synastry between natal charts.
26 · Virginia · 14 December 2007
Hello Molly, I am 28, and have a Leo Sun, Jupiter and Mars, so I always figured I was super-Leo. However, Virgo is my Rising, my Saturn and my Moon. As I’m reading around the internet, it really looks like this combination hits me extra-hard with Saturn in Virgo right now. The thing is, I don’t really understand what it means to have my Saturn return happening in my first house. Is this compounded by the Virgo Moon? Also, what I don’t understand is how the 3 Leo planets interact with the two Virgo planets and Rising. It feels to me like they are always at odds. How does my Saturn Return affect this?
27 · Jennifer · 28 January 2008
Can someone explain Saturn Returns in regard to houses? I’m starting my Saturn return, which is natally in the 12th. I have a stellium in the 12th, Saturn, Jupiter and the Sun. I want to know where the greatest emphasis of SR will be, seeing as how it is in the 12th, am I going to be imprisioning myself with internal walls, a walking space cadet as I try to muddle through it all? Help?
28 · Hallie · 27 March 2008
Why can you see saturn with bare eye when their is an eclipes?
29 · Danielle · 12 January 2009
Molly, I love your articles! I hope you enjoy my post. ;)
It’s totally entertaining for me to see that Saturn, the strict and serious taskmaster, is in my fifth house, the house of pleasure. ;)
This is how the position affects me: when I have fun, I feel guilty about it afterwards, and when I don’t have fun, I feel like I’m not living life to its fullest(that has to be the position of Saturn in the 5th house). When I try to have fun, I feel insecure about how I make myself look in front of others, ‘am I too boring?’ or ‘am I too wild?’ (Libra) – each feeling forcing me to act out the other and living out my Cancer ascendant in moody extremes.
Balance eludes me with these positions. I have either too much fun (where I become irresponsible and maybe even a little crazy) or do not have enough fun (where I restrict myself so much from life’s pleasures for fear of feeling guilty that I feel like I keep putting life on hold by focusing too much on my responsibilities, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced that particular feeling).
My Saturn return officially begins at the end of this year (Libra), but I’ve been feeling it for three years now, since my mid-twenties. (This is possible, isn’t it? I check my horoscope on Astrodienst occasionally and I notice sometimes that some aspects I experience earlier in the week instead of that day. I’ve been meaning to journal which aspects/planets I feel beforehand, so I know what to expect and when.) My Saturn return has forced more responsibility on me so that I could focus on working on my future and its potential, instead of being so insecure and afraid of it (Libra again), and instead of being so unsure about my future. I’ve also learned to discriminate between responsibilities, which ones to accept and which ones to shun (with Capricorn as my sun sign, I noticed that I’ve always had a tendency to accept other people’s responsibilities as my own; it seemed as though people unconsciously gave me their responsibilities (parents, grandparents, siblings).
The proper perspectives help me prioritize more efficiently and beneficially now.
On another note, I also have Jupiter in the fifth house, both Saturn and Jupiter are afflicted…ouch. I have a lot of work to do in this house.
My sun is in Capricorn, so I hope that I don’t take on too much responsibility or I won’t be working on my north node’s purpose, which is cancer. That in itself is funny, so many contradictions and tugs of war: my sun sign is in Capricorn, my rising sign is in Cancer; my north node is in Cancer and my south node is in Capricorn. I wonder how I will do with these conflicts.
I feel confident about how I’m interpreting my chart, but how do you feel about how I’m reading my natal chart, Molly, with the aspects I’ve supplied?
30 · Sandy · 23 January 2009
Hello Molly, Just read this article and out of curiosity I compared my natal chart with my here and now chart and I missed my exact saturn return by 10 degrees can you tell me how many minutes, seconds, hours or days that would be? I think that is weird that I happened to check on it at that moment. I have only been interested in astrology a few weeks now. Thank you,
Sandy
31 · Gregory · 31 January 2009
What does my Saturn in Aquarius retrograde in the 5th House mean?
32 · Meme · 22 April 2009
Dear Molly,
I have Saturn in Gemini Retrograde in my 1st House in my Birth Chart. No other planets in retrograde other than both nodes (North Node in Capricorn in my 9th House and South Node in Cancer in my 3rd House).
I am a Scorpio, my Sun is in Scorpio in the 6th House, my Moon is in Sagittarius in the 7th House and my Ascendant is Taurus in the 1st House.
Would you be so kind to please let me know what it means to have Saturn in Gemini Retrograde in my 1st House when I was born and how this will affect my life?
Thanks in advance and have a wonderful day.
33 · jen · 24 April 2009
Does anyone know how a saturn retrograde square venus (in scorpio) and moon (aries) in a composite means? I know Saturn square venus or moon doesn’t bode very well, but would the retrograde be any different?
34 · kat · 23 May 2009
hi molly, thanks for replying to my post about my friend who is suffering with depression s quickly. (saturn in virgo 2007-2009) i have since been looking at his and my chart, and very interestingly we have double whammy sun sextile saturn, and double whammy saturn conjunct ascendant, which is in each others 12th house. we have been together on and off for over 3 years now,our relationship seems to deepen everytime we are apart, we have always wanted to be together, but have been tested to the limit! there has been lots of drama around us, and at times had to see each other secretly. is this part of the reason we have had periods of seperation,(although difficult,always learn lessons!) and why no matter what happens,or how much time passes have a strong bond with each other??
thanks. x