Dear Subscribers,

It has really been a long time since I posted on medical astrology. Traditionally, there were five planets and two luminaries used in horoscopes. From these we get the days of our week which are curiously the same in every culture I have investigated. For example, Sunday is obviously the Sun's day and Monday is the Moon's day and whether you are in the English speaking world or Japan, this is the same. Moreover, if we go to Tuesday, the English name comes from Tiw, the Norse god of war. In Latin languages, the name is some variation of Mars, like Mardi in French, but travel thousands of miles to the Orient and Tuesday is written with the character for fire which is also the character used to write the name for the planet Mars. This is consistent for all the days of the week. I'm sure someone will find an exception, but I have yet to find one.

However, now that we know there are planets beyond Saturn, our seven-day week might actually be archaic. This, however, is not where I want to go at the moment. Of the five planets used historically, two were considered to be benefic, two malefic, and one, Mercury, was neutral but often regarded as mischievous. The two malefics were termed the lesser and greater malefics, Mars being the lesser and Saturn being the greater. They are also quite opposite in temperament. Mars is fiery, quick, decisive, risk taking, and often brash, reckless, combative, and/or hot tempered. However, Mars can also be noble, heroic, adventurous, daring, courageous, and chivalrous so we should not be so hasty as to dismiss Mars summarily.

Saturn, as a malefic, is cold, calculating, narrow minded, judgmental, manipulative, vindictive, well malevolent as the language suggests. However, Saturn is not all evil. Saturn can be cautious, disciplined, strict, conservative, patient, law abiding, dutiful, and meticulous. At the highest level, Saturn is ethical, reliable, and extremely attentive to details. Saturn is usually a conformist and practical but not necessarily unwilling to take on something new if the merits can be demonstrated.

Now, if we take these traits and translate them into health terms, we will see that Mars is spontaneous and acts speedily on instinct and intuition. If the actions are not well planned, timely, and appropriate, there could be repercussions that are acute and painful, often characterized by fevers and inflammation. Saturn is however restrained so there can be repression or stagnation of energy, blockages, and congestion that result in slowly developing conditions that become chronic.

Since this essay is mainly about Saturn in Scorpio, we can look at what it means to have had Saturn in Scorpio for the last 19 months. Even if someone has no natal planets in Scorpio and no planets in fixed signs that would be afflicted by the transit through Scorpio, we are all somewhat impacted by the transit. Now, keeping in mind the temperament of Saturn, we should expect suppression and restraint at first and practical solutions later.

As mentioned in the Wesak post, Scorpio is traditionally associated with sex and death. It rules the organs of the reproductive and eliminatory systems. In women, it is more associated with the ovaries than the womb which is usually thought to be Cancer-ruled. For reasons going back to pre-historic times and the division of sexes into male and female, there is in everyone some sense of loss and woundedness in the system that we rely upon for procreation. We also have deep psychological attitudes surrounding sex, procreation, parenting responsibilities, dependency, loss and what is needed to feel complete, and, interestingly, the conflicts we have about the loss of our immortality that began with the division of the sexes.

Take a deep breath and then we'll return to this topic. Mythologically, Saturn, aka Cronus, lopped off the genitals of Uranus and tossed them into the sea. Astrologically, Uranus is neutral and lacking a clear sexual identity. Being unable to procreate, Uranus is not burdened with the responsibilities of parenting and is therefore less likely to conform to traditional roles; however, Uranus has freedom, something Saturn/Cronus does not have. If we accept the mythology, it is clear that Saturn committed a heinous crime against his own father so it would be understandable if there is fear of karma and its repercussions, and Saturn can get into some very dark psychological spaces and . . . not surprisingly, get stuck there for long stretches of time, especially in winter.

The mythology might not seem relevant to everyone, but there is always someone who goes "ah, ha" when seeing the backdrop for the dramas we experience in our every day lives. Even so, the ancient tales are today mainly stage props that help us to interpret the situations we face and that we try to overcome, perhaps understand and overcome. For instance, why are Uranian types more androgynous than Venusian or Martial types? Why are they less conformist? Why are they also more electrifying, provocative, and challenging?

Issues of Intimacy

Now back to the Saturn transit through Scorpio. On the simplest level, for those who are most impacted by this transit, we would expect that they are starting to feel or have felt for a while already that relative to their needs and desires, their sex lives leave something to be desired. Obviously there can be countless explanations. The partners are separated by circumstances, such as someone being posted in a foreign country or perhaps incarcerated or hospitalized. One or both partners may not feel turned on or perhaps he or she feels inadequate. There could be actual physiological problems that interfere with libido or performance. In any event, as Saturn transits Scorpio, these could become deeper, more chronic issues, more so usually if the predisposition is already there, such as having natal Saturn in Scorpio or natal Saturn afflicting Mars and/or Venus. These are just examples and there could be lots of other explanations as well.

So while on this delicate subject, we can look at the bigger picture and see what is happening with the sexual revolution as well as with sexual crimes. Again, we see the mirrors in the media and elsewhere. Exposure of pedophilia, rape, abuse is constantly "in our face" begging for a solution. We also see the obsession with libido and prowess as well as the crimes of clandestine sterilization programs. In this context, it is important to note that the unsavory behavior, ergo that of Saturn/Cronus against Uranus still exists in the form of Gardasil and other engineered drugs that render normal individuals sterile. Therefore, we look at the two sides, Janus if you will, and see that Saturn can, in fact, be cruel and detestable; but those who are serious about law enforcement and social reform can be equally under the influence of Saturn, but of a different caliber. These people can be paragons of virtue and meticulous to the nth about right and wrong. They are also capable of metamorphosis, such as happened to me at age 12 or to the fictional character Inspector Javert in Les Misérables.

Saturn is ultimately a survivor, not one to make sacrifices, but as the I Ching would say, it is not a mistake to wait for a better time to conquer evil. If one cannot prevail, the risks are not worth taking, but if one can overcome the resistance, i.e., if the timing is right, then it is appropriate to take action in favor of conscience. However, it is not a sign of weakness or lack of courage to wait until the odds favor the desired outcome. Saturn is the ruler of Time, and Time is a very difficult concept for those who have not devoted themselves to its study. The I Ching always speaks to the Superior Man, a person of moral strength and principles, who will ultimately win over those who are inferior. Sometimes, it takes great patience and forbearance to wait. One sees the errors but is helpless to shift reality until an auspicious moment arrives, which, ironically, is nearly always dominated by Uranus, the father of Cronus as well as his victim.

On another level, Saturn is regarded as the guard and protector of the Ring-Pass-Not, the last of the known planets. The planets beyond Saturn, i.e., those in orbits that are further from the Sun are called trans-Saturnian and they reveal what is hidden, the truths that are blocked by those who try to keep us in the dark, in the treadmill of the orthodox world that is controlled by those who have fallen from grace. So, one of the truly painful fates of Saturn is to be subservient to an inferior, such a bureaucrat or lackey in a governmental or corporate slot in which one is at least partly complicit with the crimes committed by the overlords — and all who are Saturnian have overlords with more power than themselves. Saturn always works with delegated authority and that authority is withdrawn when the lines are crossed.

The Fall

So, the next fate of Saturn is risk of falling from high places. Again, this can be literal, as in falling off a balcony or out of a tree, or it can refer to the Tree of Knowledge and of coming to know what is forbidden and suffering accordingly. It can also refer to sudden losses of position and/or prestige due to dismissal or scandal. We all know of politicians whose careers have been ruined by scandal as well as people who had reversals of fortune due to exposure of crimes or non-compliancy. We could take the case of Bradley Manning or countless others. Manning has Sun in Sagittarius between Saturn and Uranus (and Moon in Scorpio). One could say he is a person of conscience who acted according to his beliefs rather than what was required of him in his position. This is a very typical Saturnian situation and can be understood by reference to what it means to be between a rock and hard place. As an astrologer, I can say that he did exactly what one would have expected of a person of his moral fiber and proclivities, but that is actually like saying nothing for each of us acts in accordance with who we are so the point is simply that had his overlords understood his character, they would not have put him in a situation that gave him access to sensitive information. One additional note might be added here: in the long run, Uranus is stronger than Saturn and will therefore prevail. Maybe this is the subject for yet another post since this post is getting rather long.

Now, going on a bit to even more delicate topics, we can also consider the second physiological region of rulership of Scorpio, the lower intestines. All other things equal, we should expect complications, usually worst during the retrograde phase, and solutions by the time Saturn is direct and near the end of the Scorpio transit. At the moment, Saturn is retrograde at 19 Scorpio and will station at 16 degrees around July 20th. Saturn will then have a bit over a year to wrap up the Scorpio transit.

I believe there will be significant changes between now and then. Some of the areas where we can expect shifts will be in legislation concerning life and death, such as the death penalty and medical euthanasia. There will also likely be countless exposures of foods and medicines that cause sterility, loss of libido, and/or death. There will be discoveries that enable us to reverse the risks associated with potentially fatal events, and, of course, there will be resistance from the status quo to anything and everything that is innovative. It would not be far-fetched to assume that scientific proof of life after death or immortality of the soul will also be accepted and become mainstream.

Meanwhile, it helps us to recognize that exciting as the Venus/Uranus conjunction is right now, it is opposite Mars retrograde, enough for a lot of expectation and adventure but the coast is not yet clear. Loosely translated, it means that one may become very interested in something or someone, but the odds of success are still dicey. Wait a bit, the obstacles will ease, but, of course, opportunities are not to be wasted, especially by those who are tired of waiting.

For those who want to support their health a bit, I would say to jazz up the diet with spices because it is quite difficult to hang onto a depression if you eat enough cayenne. If peristalsis is also sluggish, cayenne is almost as good as a home run. There are, of course, more subtle ways to navigate these challenging times. So, reverting back to the concept of clarity, I would advocate doing what it takes to see the path ahead, developing awareness of options and the ramifications of each option, and making projections about what will and will not work to accomplish one's purposes. Use the energy that is stuck to clear the paths of clutter. For instance, have garage sales or eBay your excess. We have lots of impediments to overcome to get where we want to be, but even when we cannot see exactly where we want to be and why, we can still disencumber ourselves.

Retrograde phases are interesting because one part of us tends to want to revert back to the treadmill from which we thought we wanted to escape and another part still believes in a future that is different. Tuck these ideas under your belt and see them for what they are: opportunities to assess, evaluate, plan, and decide. The timing is not perfect and waiting is frustrating but not necessarily a mistake. Missing the opportunity of a lifetime is a mistake but mistaking one opportunity for the opportunity of a lifetime is folly.

The I Ching has a lot to say on this subject so if you are open to some ancient wisdom, have a read. This is hexagram #5, Waiting.

Meanwhile, if you see a problem with your health or you feel sluggish and blocked, fix the problem before it gets worse. You will then be prepared for opportunity when it knocks.

Blessings,

Ingrid
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Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2014

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