Saturn in Pisces; March 7th , 2023 to February 13th 2026
On the 7th of March at 9:34 am EDT, Saturn will enter the sign of Pisces, and leave for Aries on February 13th 2026 at 7:11pm. Saturn will spend the duration of that time in Pisces except for an ingress into Aries for a 1st time on May 24th at 23:35, before retrograding back to Pisces.
Despite the retrogrades, the first being June 17th, 2023 he will not slide back into Aquarius. So thank goodness, that’s over for another 30 years! And for some of us, not to be a downer here but this includes me, it may be the last time ever. Astrology, and especially Saturn, reminds us of the passage of time.
A Welcome Change
Saturn was at home in Aquarius. There is an energetic match between sign and planet when the latter is at home. Saturnian forces were strong in Aquarius. Saturn won’t be as sharp in Pisces but Saturn will still have us working hard and facing delays, but definitely not with the intensity he did in Aquarius.
He’ll also be a nice counterbalance the blur of Neptune. Neptune is the modern ruler of Pisces, therefor has also been in his home sign, associated with the 12th house, since 2011. Let’s look at both planets, Pisces and the 12th house.
Saturn
I’ve blogged on Saturn previously. Saturn functions on the physical plane: there are real delays, impediments, obstacles. things happen to us, or don’t. Nothing happens quickly or easily. ‘Falling into place’ is not a Saturn energy, austerity and lack are.
Why? Because Saturn wants us to get seriousness and take responsibility for our choices and roles. Saturn doesn’t do flights of fancy or spur of the moment decisions. Saturn, in this way makes us focus on what we are serious about, makes us see what stands the test of time. In fact, Saturn is Chronos is Greek mythology: father time. So Saturn is about streamlining and knowing what we want. There’s a growing up effect with Saturn.
Astronomically, Saturn itself has rings, like a perimeter, an outer limit. These rings are huge, tens of thousands of miles out from Saturn itself. The Cassini spacecraft has photographed ice walls up to 2.5 miles high within these rings.
So it’s easy to see why Saturn rules construction: he’s about having a solid foundation and structure. Saturn makes us work hard in order to learn. Saturn says go slow.
Parallel to this Saturn is associated with the father or a father figure, the authority in the family, heritage, tradition, and ‘the way things were done’.
The 12th House
The 12th house is other realities. It is associated with Pisces, symbolized by the 2 fish swimming in opposite directions. Think of ‘As above so below’, this world and the one beyond the veil. What is perceived with the senses and what is sensed by that 6th sense.
It’s astrology, hypnosis, the tarot and dreams. It is our inner world and the hidden world. The 12th house is where we go to get quiet, to check in with ourselves. To look for answers inside ourselves of us, or through our inner self to Infinite Intelligence or Divine Mind, as Florence Scovel Shinn wrote. But as it is above the horizon in the chart, public domain, the 12th is also therapist, hypnotists, your astrologer or priest. Anyone that can help you find answers from the unseen.
Pisces
As the last of the signs, Pisces is most open to the collective. Being mutable water Pisceans tends to easily pick up on others feelings. They even have difficulty at time knowing what is their feelings and what they are absorbing from their surroundings.
Saturn in Pisces can be seen as a crisis of faith. Saturn demands structure out of what we struggle to explain. What do we believe? What works? What can we build on?
Neptune
Neptune is the modern ruler of Pisces and represents other realities or what is unreal. He’s relates to anesthesia: there but not there. That in between state we refer to as ‘going under’ or ‘being put under’, as in under water. But we’re never really under anything. Neptune was the god of the sea: that other world below the surface, seen but unknown. He relates to substances and substance abuse, as they alter reality.
Neptunian energy also blurs boundaries and by the same token, dissolves the ego and our individuality. It brings the energy of compassion: helping each other. Sometimes to our own detriment. Where Neptune is in our natal chart is where we cut others a better deal. I’ve done a video on Neptune and his energy through the 12 houses.
Where transiting Neptune is in your chart is you’ve certainly felt that nothing is clear, things tend to fade in and out, as in a fog. They mysteriously escape you. Or perhaps many demands are made of you, encroaching on your space and sense of self.
Neptune is also associated with the rose colored glasses. things can seem better than they really are. Reality check is a key concept where this transit is concerned. He’s been in Pisces, transiting our collective 12th House since April 5th 2011 and will be there until 2025.
Neptune rules imagination and intuition and inspiration. A wonderful energy for creativity, imagining, spiritual work, seeing beyond the veil. It is also spirituality and mysticism.
Saturn and Neptune
It’s easy to see how the energies of Saturn and Neptune are opposed. But rather than clash, Saturn can help bring structure to what Neptune has shown us. There will be limits and boundaries between self and others. Solid forms will emerge from the fog. Saturn will structure things, bring definition to what was blurred. Make real what was dreamed.
The video on Saturn in Pisces is up on my channel, going through all 12 signs. Also watch your February astrology!
Image: Yaoqi on Unsplash