Changes—
February 22
Saturn direct
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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3 R E T R O G R A D E W A T C H  by Maya del Mar We have only one planetary station this month. Saturn turns direct on February 22 at 23 degrees of Gemini. Saturn is the principle of form and structure. This includes all structures, from our home, our body, our ego, to government and business. It represents those frameworks which hold us together. Retrogrades give us an opportunity to internalize the energy so that we can modify it to more truly suit our ever-changing selves. In the case of retrograde Saturn, we may focus on, for example, remodeling our home, changing our business, or reorienting our ego, i.e., who we think we are. Saturn turned retrograde last October 11 at 30 degrees of Gemini. Saturn is retrograde for four and one-half months, half of a human gestation period, and moves very slowly while it is traveling retrograde. This means that the degrees covered while Saturn is retrograde become very "Saturnized." That is, the restructuring process is intense, focused, and concentrated. We emerge from that process with a new authority, a greater sense of strength and a surer knowledge of who we are, related to the degrees of Saturn’s path, and to where Saturn is transiting in our charts. This process is especially important to Capricorn Sun people, for Saturn is their "ruling" planet, the planet most in charge of their lives. Saturn, then, goes over one stretch of degrees three times—once forward, once retrograde, and then forward again. The entire process lasts about 10 months, giving us time to develop our authority in that part of our lives. Saturn first hit this retrograde degree, 23 Gemini, last July 8 to begin this process. It will transit 30 Gemini at the end of May to complete this cycle of Saturn sculpting these last eight degrees of Gemini. Gemini is about thinking, perception, communication, and information. These late degrees bring in Aquarian energy, which means inventiveness, technology, and reform are part of the package. There is an eye on the future. This Saturn transit is a major turning point for people born in April, May, or June of 1944. They can now turn away from being guided by others’ standards, and begin a 30-year cycle of self-development. They can find a new personal freedom through their particular communication talents, perhaps through using them to more widely serve the collective. Family changes are a big part of this structural re-organization, for when Saturn began this process last July, we had the New Moon in Cancer, the family sign. The larger family includes the nation, and the family of nations. During these months, the U.S. has moved from becoming an admired nation to the black sheep of nations, from talking about "rogue nations" to being considered a rogue nation. Its position in the family of nations has changed dramatically. What Saturn builds, does endure, and this ostracized position will not easily change. This Saturn station occurs conjunct the U.S. natal Mars (Sibly chart, 7-4-1776). Warriors represent Mars, and we see very clearly the Saturnian buildup and re-organization of structure with the U.S. military during this time. In fact, it was on July 8, when this cycle began, that GW began his huge propaganda campaign for a war against Iraq. We can expect a completion of many of these Saturn retrograde issues by the end of May. Events will move much more quickly now, as Saturn turns direct. And they will probably move harshly, as well, for Saturn now, on February 22, opposes Pluto and Mars, a pushy duo. Ceres in Aries, which has been representing the armed forces buildup, lends her complete support to Saturn now. Saturn now makes a yod with Venus and Juno, showing that women are at the mercy of this hard taskmaster. It looks like GW’s worldwide anti-abortion stampede will pick up—in the U.S. perhaps helped by new anti-choice judges. The financial picture is also under strain now. When Vesta turns direct in May, look for big cracks to manifest. In summary, whatever we’ve been building for the last seven months will now move ahead quickly and forcefully. By the end of May we will complete this re-structuring cycle. In early June, Saturn enters Cancer to shift its focus to family-building. |