This is part 3 of my series looking at the building blocks of Astrology, adapted from a series I previously wrote on my website. Over the next few weeks I will delve into my 25 years of experience in studying Astrology to explain the basics to those of you who are interested in learning a little more about this most fascinating of subjects. Today I will explain the qualities of the giant planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn.
The two largest planets in our Solar system, Jupiter and Saturn probably have the most influence over the direction of our lives on a day to day, month to month and year to year basis. These are the two movers and shakers in our solar system, both allowing us to develop and grow as individuals, but in a completely different ways. These are the two planets that also have a wider influence over how our societies thrive and struggle, as Jupiter in short is the planet of expansion and Saturn the planet of contraction. Once every 20 years they meet up together in a different sign, and then a cycle of growth and learning hard lessons starts up once again. You've heard of the cycles of boom and bust, bears and bulls in the financial markets, prosperity and austerity. These are just another way of expressing Jupiter and Saturn.
As you will know Jupiter is the largest planet circling around our Sun, so it is perhaps not surprising that Jupiter is traditionally linked astrologically with the concept of growth and expansion. Now one can see this in a physical sense, in that Jupiter's movements will be connected to the growth of our bodies - in particular, the development of our cells and and also digestion. That's one function of Jupiter, however the effects of Jupiter in the birth chart can be seen in its function as a ‘social’ planet, a role it shares with Saturn.
All the inner planets, from the Sun through to Mars (which I looked at in part 2), are involved in the personal aspects of our character, and they do not get involved in inherited or environmental parts of our life and existence. Jupiter however, shows how we grow throughout life to eventually fulfil our potential. I suggest that growth in this context indicates the way in which we develop responding to the prevailing beliefs in society, and to how and in what way we blend in with, or confront them. Throughout our lives we will be following a quest to find our place in the world and in society in general, and the position of Jupiter in our birth chart will help to determine this. Jupiter will also influence our social expectations and ideals, and also how we go about creating opportunities to realise them. Jupiter in Astrology also is linked to the practise of and study of religious faith, the acquisition of wisdom and it heightens and strengthens our understanding of God or the higher powers that we believe in. Jupiter represents the spirit of the law, the study of philosophy and all other theoretical thought. Jupiter can also be seen through our politics, universities and higher education that take we take on, through our morality, culture, travel, exploration and anything to do with places abroad. There is also a spiritual side to Jupiter and it is linked to material prosperity, over-consumption, obesity and wastefulness.
Saturn as I mentioned earlier is the counterbalance to Jupiter’s expansion, and in Astrology it is seen as a planet of limitation and restriction. None of us ever like being held back, however being forced to curb a course of action or cut back in some way, can be a painful but none the less vital part of our development. In this regard Saturn keeps Jupiter’s expansionist agenda under control and makes it manageable enough for us to handle. Saturn’s location in our natal chart indicates how and where we most want to make an impact within society. Through the aspects to our natal planets and through its location in our birth charts, we can focus on tackling the obstacles we are likely to encounter in our life's journey. The problems we will face and the restrictions that we will encounter could be either self-inflicted, or initiated by situations that may be completely beyond our control. Either way Saturn will teach us through making us face up to reality or through limiting circumstances what we have to change in ourselves, before we will be able to realise our potential, and thus achieve our ambitions. It is not human nature to accept delays or hardship with any amount of grace, and therefore when we are held up or prevented from expressing our free will, we will have to unfortunately learn the hard way.
When Saturn is in a helpful mood it can allow us to access wisdom hewn from the practise of hard work, patience, tradition and self-discipline. It can allow us to build and to administrate our lives in an organised and disciplined manner. The thing is, if we fail to accept the lessons of Saturn, or if its influence becomes too dominant in our lives, then could also be inhibiting on us too. Saturn can be very repressive, in reducing our self-confidence and causing us to lessen our expectations and potential achievements. In the Astrology chart Saturn represents laws and regulations, administration, the government and all senior and authority figures in our lives. It is the planet that rules exams and teachers, the physical laws of the universe, austerity as well as economic recession, the passage of time, how we age and get older, plus depression, fear and loneliness.
Previous Editions in this series -
Part 1 - Introducing Astrology and the Chart Wheel @solarisastro/astrology-for-beginners-part-1-how-you-understand-an-astrology-chart-and-what-to-look-for
Part 2 - The Inner Planets from the Sun through to Mars @solarisastro/astrology-for-beginners-part-2-the-sun-the-moon-and-the-inner-planets