Last year I re-read the Saturn-Pluto chapter in Cosmos and Psyche in preparation for the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn in January 2020. It’s a pretty heavy piece of writing and research, and I thought, “this has to be unnecessarily bleak – surely there’s a positive side to this.” Turns out the weight of the info matches the weight of this transit.
Here are just a few highlights of what Tarnas found correlates with Saturn-Pluto times like those we’re in now: “Challenging historical periods marked by a pervasive quality of intense contraction…grim awakenings and sudden breakdowns, whether political, economic or psychological…moral darkness…perceiving and constellating danger, subversive threat, and malefic shadow elements in a rigidly polarized world view…global economic and political collapse and fascist empowerment…mass suffering, disease, death and fear…the violent unpredictability of life…intensified collective awareness of dire threats to the human species…” And that’s just for starters.
There were some intense moments in 2019, but nothing quite as grim on a mass scale as the tone of this research. Looking back I can now see how pervasive the influence of Jupiter in Sagittarius was last year. Under that influence, we had space for optimism and best-case scenarios, even in the midst of our growing Saturn-Pluto in Capricorn fears.
When did things change? Almost instantly after Jupiter entered Capricorn. The virus was spreading in Wuhan, and by January, we knew there was a dire problem. Trump was impeached in the house, and afterwards the senate vote revealed the extent of corruption there. Trump nearly started a war with Iran overnight. Brexit got real. Then, as the COVID-19 virus was spreading in the US, politically-driven decisions led to delayed testing, which will undoubtedly lead to lives lost. As of today, testing is still not widely available or implemented. Numbers are being thrown around every day, but without extensive testing in the US, there’s not much we can say definitively without projections and models based on testing being done in other countries.
How much worse will it get?
Saturn moving into Aquarius for a few months (March 22 through July 2) will soon shift the energy, but how? My highest hope? Scientists’ voices will be elevated, and we’ll make more science-based decisions that save lives. We’ll make hard choices as individuals with the community in mind that protect our most vulnerable. My worst fear? Dogmatic rules will be enforced and key figures will become more rigid and unbending. I just hope it’s the good guys who are the winners in those arguments.
At the same time, Jupiter and Mars join Pluto. Jupiter = more. Mars speeds things up. Pluto is a turbo button. Some astrologers are suggesting, optimistically, that this will lead to needed movement and speedier resolutions following a very foggy, confusing and convoluted few weeks under Mercury retrograde in Pisces. On the more pessimistic side, it’s hard not to imagine the virus spreading faster too with Mars and Jupiter egging Pluto on. I’ve been looking at a lot of disease models, some based on the Wuhan data. They all show exponential virus spread in the absence of extreme measures like lockdown.
As I write this, Saturn is in the “critical” 29th degree of Capricorn. Critical feels like an apt description of this moment. As Saturn moves into Aquarius on March 22, I’m hoping we see new solutions proposed, a new level of pragmatism, more objectivity, and a focus on humanity in general, with special attention to a response that benefits those at all levels of society, not just a few. But we’ll still have to pay for our delayed response.
For now – stay in if you can, self-isolate, and be prudent. Don’t worry about what other people think. If all of this “blows over” like your naysayer friends think, you can have a laugh with them later. Wouldn’t that be awesome…
It just doesn’t seem like it’s going that way based on the numbers or the astrology.
There’s a (barely) positive message that Tarnas found in his research of this cycle, especially in terms of how individuals respond. This cycle builds strength and resilience. He writes, “Saturn-Pluto alignment periods are also characterized by displays of personal and collective determination, unbending will, courage and sacrifice; by intensely focused, silent, strenuous effort in the face of danger and death…” That sounds a lot like a community or a country agreeing to lock down to protect each other. Italy is doing just that, even though they waited too long too. So far it hasn’t broken their spirit. They’re singing to each other from their balconies at night. And a banner is popping up hung from buildings that reads, “everything will be alright.” Well, not everything will be. But this is the kind of hope and community spirit we humans so often display in the face of adversity and just what we need in the face of these dire challenges.
Take good care out there.
Podcast on Saturn-Pluto and Fear
Tony talks with Jessica Lanyadoo about what astrology can offer us and some practical tools for working with fear.
