Saturn

Saturn goes direct May 16. Saturn in Virgo been’s a pretty gloomy little planetary placement, coinciding as it has with the crash in the real estate market in the US, and, not so coincidentally, with the crash in real estate markets around the world. It’s not been bursting with good news, this transit hasn’t.

Not only that, Saturn’s been picking fights with Uranus off and on since it entered Virgo in September 07, and it’s hardly jolly to watch these two planets fight. They’re enemies from way back. Saturn is always suspicious, perhaps with good reason, that Uranus is out to overthrow everything he’s built. In fact, the last time they met, on election day November 2008, Uranus in the person of Barack Obama (Aquarius Ascendant, ruled by Uranus, representing change) soundly beat Saturn in the person of John McCain (Virgo sun, famous old person).

Saturn’s going to be in an even grumpier mood when he moves into Libra, since he’ll be greatly annoyed not only with Uranus when it moves into Aries, but also with Pluto in Capricorn. It’s easy to see why Saturn’s not the most popular kid on the astrological block, even if he does have all those neato rings to look at.

But…since Saturn goes direct on the 16th, lots of us may get a break from the gloom. May is already shaping up to be a relatively optimistic month overall, and Saturn going direct only adds to the general lightening of the atmosphere.

How so? Well, when a planet goes direct, people who have been affected by difficult transits from the planet in question often get a break in the case. For example, let’s say your sun is at 16 degrees Gemini. Saturn would have been in a square to your sun since October of 2008. The result could easily have been some kind of ongoing gloom about something having to do with your home. Let’s say it lost a bunch of its value in the real estate crash and that has left you feeling like your overpriced mortgage is more of a burden than its worth. It’s all you think about. How are you going to get out from under this mortgage?

And then…the Obama administration does something that’s supposed to help homeowners like you, and you tentatively and hesitantly apply for a refinance–and then worry. You get turned down and freak out. Then, just after Saturn goes direct, you pitch a fit with your banker, whine and scream, and your banker says, ‘I think we have a program that will help you.’ Lo and behold it does, and your transit of misery ends. Not so gloomy….the load lightens.

Not everyone will get a break in the case in the days around the 16th, but lots of people will. One little home mortgage modification doesn’t solve all the problems of the world; your house is still worth less than you’d like. But it sure does help. Even John McCain is bound to perk up.

Now, for an extra-special treat, I’m going to post little mini-horoscopes for each of the signs, so you can get a glimpse of what Saturn going direct might mean for you. Go to the free monthly horoscopes page for your sign and enjoy.