The Saturn Archetype

In Saturn we anticipate difficulty, disappointment and restriction. We often face restrictions and boundaries and a nagging sense of duty, responsibiltiy and the "oughts" and "shoulds" of life. We feel limited and constrained.

There are four archetypes that we can use in astrological interpretations of the meaning of Saturn in birth charts: (a) the Old Tyrant (b) the Sickle (c) the Wise Old man (d) the Mountain Goat

Old Tyrant describes one of the faces of Saturn. The Greek equivalen tof Saturn is Cronus. Afraid that his own children might overthrow him, Cronus ate them. In this respect Saturn is where we do not allow our own creative impulses to have free reign. The reason for this is fear and conservatism. With Saturn we dread the unknown and the untried. We try to maintain the status quo in that area of life if something new crops us, even if what already exists is short of ideal This is because we worry about making a wrong move, and for safety's sake we limit our actions. Like Cronus, by inhibiting, judging and censoring ourselves we devour the offspring of our own creative expression.

Cronus wielded a sickle. This reminds us of the saying: "you sow what you reap". In fact his own life is an illustration. He castrated and dethroned his father Uranus, and he himself was toppled later in a coup led by his own son Zeus. Likewise in the astrological chart, Saturn represents exact and undeviating justice. We may suffer if we neglect or avoid what Saturn wants of us, but he duly rewards us for any effort, hard work, persistence and patience we do put in.

More than a tyrant, Saturn is also associated with the archetype of the Wise Old Man. This is some kind of Celestial Schoolteacher, who employs pain as a messenger to inform us of those aspects of ourself that need attention and development. Running away from that sphere increases the discomfort. Instead, listening to what this dutiful planet is trying to teach us may gradually transform our sense of inadequacy into feelings of increasing completeness and worth.

By facing the challenge Saturn imposes on us, we strengthen ourselves and are rewarded with geater knowledge and fulfillment. As a result, we can achieve being teachers in the very area of life we have had the most difficulty mastering.

The mountain goat is another symbol of Saturn. In its laborious efforts to climb to the top of the mountain, the goat encounters many obstacles but eventually it reaches its destination. Before taking each new step, the goat makes sure it has a solid footing in the one before. Postive qualities such as careful and cautious thinking, tact, perseverance and a healthy acceptance of reality, duty and responsibility are all to be found in Saturn's terrain.