Saturn In Cancer

What do the Sydney Opera House and the Statue of Liberty have in common? Both stand as welcoming symbols and foundation stones of their homeland. Yes. But not surprisingly, both have Saturn in Cancer.

Once upon a time Saturn was about as welcome as a blizzard at a beach party. Ancient astrologers saw this majestic planet - thought to be the outermost at the time - as master of strife and setback. The rings of Saturn represented the handcuffs of life, or even a hangman's noose. That is until astrologers realised that the upside was learning. Difficult times steady the spirit and against resistance, growth is measurable.

As astrology took a more humanist and less deterministic approach, Saturn gained respectability for setting structure to our lives. Saturn found a niche as a much needed straight guy to Jupiter's overkill, as a refiner of Venus's indulgence, and an organiser for Mercury's diversity. Saturn, coupled with the Sun, imparts self-sufficiency. With the Moon, Saturn lends sober realisation and emotional reality.

Enter the all new Saturn, elegantly reframed as a bastion of maturity and commitment - boundary rider of the zodiac, experienced teacher, test marker for the school of life. This sage planet held the key to your karma. And still does.

Saturn enters the maternally protective sign of Cancer on June 4 2003 - the cold, dry devil aligning with the warm, moist, moon-faced crab until July 16 2005.

At a global level, some countries will experience their ‘Saturn Return’.

Recalling that Saturn sets new boundaries, let's take a peek. To put you in the picture, we must first look at the aspects Saturn makes to its fellow outer planets. In the case of Fiji, for example, the Saturn Return came with a square to natal Uranus. Rebels overtook the country in May 2000. The World Trade Towers experienced their Saturn Return with an opposition to Pluto, the destroyer. The giant buildings were levelled by terrorists.

In this period, Uranus begins riding shotgun to Saturn, but in an opportunistic trine. Change is easier to make and maintain, particularly for June-born Cancers, October-born Scorpios, and February-born Pisces.

Cancer is the sign of home and family. Hidden beneath that crustacean shell is a tremulous mass of personal sensitivity, not dissimilar to what it's like behind the four walls of the family home.

Saturn in Cancer has prompted many changes to family life. Starting last century, with its appearance on August 25 1914, this configuration ushered in the First World War. The aftermath of the battle saw much to damage the sanctity of home and family, as relations were torn asunder by the global violence.

From June 1944 to August 1946, we were once again in the death throes of another World War. This time nuclear weapons threatened the security of the entire planet but coincident with it, was the formation of the family of man known as the United Nations.

Saturn's third and final stay of the 20th century was in the mid-70s with civil wars around the globe - in Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor, Lebanon, and Greece. This period saw US President Richard Nixon's resignation in disgrace following the Watergate scandal and also the rise of international terrorism.

Saturn in Cancer regularly threatens the leadership of Australia and coincides with increased international responsibility. During World War I, Prime Minister Billy Hughes was dismissed from his own Labor Party over his support for conscription.

Labor Prime Minster John Curtin died in office as a result of his efforts in World War II. And the enigmatic Gough Whitlam was summarily dismissed from the Prime Ministerial office in the constitutional crisis of 1975.

Should history repeat, as the planets suggest, we may see another significant, perhaps controversial, leadership change before Saturn departs.

Countries with their Sun in Cancer are subject to greater responsibilities and often-internal division. The Iraqi Republic is already in turmoil following the recent coalition takeover. Afghanistan will also feel Saturn's incursion, as will the Philippines, Ireland, and parts of Central Africa.

The United States also has its Sun, Venus and Jupiter in Cancer, which doesn't augur well for its economy or the responsibilities it will bear worldwide. The US will also experience a Pluto opposition to its birth Mars in 2004. So when it comes to war, it's not quite over. In fact the worst is yet to come. In addition, George W. Bush also has a Cancer Sun, implying a critical year for the President, becoming most critical around the middle of 2004.

Individuals who will feel the influence of Saturn include Camilla Parker-Bowles, who has her Moon and Venus conjunct here. The period from late August 2003 to May 2004 should finally determine whether or not she marries her man. Prince William, whose Sun and Moon are conjunct in the early degrees, will feel the pressures of Royalty bearing down on him like never before. Although it may seem inconceivable that the Queen would step down, or that there be a change in the order of accession, fate may step in.

Most of us would prefer to be free of Saturn's tests of character - just as we'd like to avoid most confrontations. Read on to see if you're about to take a test in the school of life…

Aries
More than anything else for you now, Saturn is about finding your place in the world. Everybody needs an anchor, be it a home base, close friends to confide in, the warmth of close-knit friends, family, or otherwise. It's all about security in the deepest sense. Call it a sense of homecoming. This is what you'll crave. Conversely you may wish you could be free of domestic responsibilities, mortgage payments, or home repair bills. You may seek to change your living conditions. If so, renovation, or relocation, may take up much of your time. Perhaps parental responsibilities are more pressing than before. These are the trade-offs we make to ensure our own comfort zones. While you're attending to all that, remember the home you live in 24 hours a day and attend to your deep, inner needs as well. That way you'll really feel at home in the world.

Taurus
Saturn brings to you discipline in all matters of communication. You are called to honour your word and think carefully about what you say and how you say it. It begins with your thinking, which is becoming more organised. You are editing your thoughts, dealing only with what is essential. For some, this mental discipline will lead to a new course of study. Others will find themselves thinking more seriously about life than before, perhaps regarding important agreements or with the signing of contracts. If weaknesses do appear, they will be in the manner you relate to your immediate environment. Keep your car in good service, back up your computer work, and really listen to what others are saying. All this control relates to the mind and the way you communicate to your world.

Gemini
Saturn travelling through your home sign from April 21 2001, has compelled you to redefine yourself and your boundaries. From June 4 2003 until July 16 2005, it asks you to consolidate the initiatives you've made. Security is so important to you that you may become frugal and more resourceful with your possessions. You may adopt a minimalist approach or feel anxious regarding assets and securities. Saturn often motivates through fear, or an assumed lack. The financial area is where this occurs for you now. As a result you may try like never before to set yourself up for the future. Thinking in monetary terms is probably not the only way to go though as the resources you really need may be tied to emotional or spiritual matters. A more holistic approach would be to consider what you really need to make you whole. Pursue that.

Cancer
In a nutshell, it's decision time. For you, what is emerging if you look closely, are issues you would have seen coming. In one way you are divesting yourself of the superficial, letting go those parts of your life no longer applicable to your future, and developing true self-reliance. In another way you are taking on new commitments or people who, in the longer term, can condition your future. People will expect you to bear more responsibility, so there may be greater demands on your time. Get to know yourself as honestly as you can. Sort out what you really want. The decisions you make now are long-distance ones. Saturn also rules your seventh and eighth houses of partnership and bonding, therefore significant relationships may form or be finalised.

Leo
Saturn is all about Karmic culminations. For you now, it spells release. You may find yourself on an inward journey, realising your apparent grasp on control no longer works the same way. You are letting go old structures, instituting a new order. This may not manifest immediately, simply because the process of letting go takes precedence. This is a spiritual cleansing where apparently innocent appearances can mask more meaningful purposes. You may head for a retreat or find places of seclusion. 'Healing' issues take focus as you get to know yourself on a deeper level. Saturn is clearing the decks for you now. If you experience any real or imagined loss, ask yourself if letting go might be the better option.

Virgo
One way to look at this Saturn influence is that dreams can become realities if you're willing to co-operate. You have a responsibility to the tribe. No one is an island. The next two years marks a time when you may find that your advancement depends on how good a team player you can be. You may become involved with organisations or be called upon to take a leading role on a committee. The better you play this team game, the better you'll realise your own ideals. Friends could make demands or be a tower of strength for you. True friendships mature. Superficial ones fall by the wayside. You share your experiences with the common collective, so be selective.

Libra
Professional responsibility can be the focus as you are called upon to be more publicly accountable. Now is when you should put plans into action and really apply yourself. Demands on your time could increase and you may feel you're sometimes carrying the load for others, yet this is now precisely what promotes you. It's a period of accomplishment where you reap what you've sown. Understand that any current career setbacks are probably a result of your own lack of accountability… in reality, a wake up call for your career's sake. If you're not currently in work, it's a message to take on new skills. Either way, whether professional responsibilities or family demands, you are being asked to show you can take command.

Scorpio
This is all about finding your limits. Potential can remain dormant unless it's activated and education is usually the path to fulfilment. Imagine you're climbing a mountain… because you are. The track is narrowing and your options are decreasing but your real direction is becoming clearer. Apply this model to your life. You may need to study to go to the next level. Travel can broaden your experience. You'll become aware of what you don't know. That will allow you to find the missing jigsaw pieces. If your perspectives are too limited, legal difficulties can arise under this influence. It's as if your philosophies in life are being challenged and you are changing your belief systems in some way. As Saturn trines your own sun sign, this will work in a manner that encourages positive self-growth and delivers opportunities.

Sagittarius
Liability is a shared experience with Saturn in the area of your chart concerning joint possessions. If you have a difference in core values with another, it becomes evident now. This period marks a dividing of the road, where only the tried and true remain with you. People focused on their own agendas may depart your life, for whatever reason, leading to increased self-reliance on your part. Even with strong partnerships, this personal responsibility is called for. Agreements and alliances are tested now. It's best if you can be as self-supportive as you can. You will leave yourself vulnerable if you don't. You may also be asked to accept increased responsibility in caring for another's possessions, or to deal more with banks or financial institutions, again reflecting this balance of values - your's and their's.

Capricorn
Saturn in your house of partners accompanies a more serious, realistic attitude regarding your close alliances. Good relationships will strengthen while cracks will appear in superficial ones. Other people can make increasing demands on your time now, and you on their's. Time now to examine your relationships in light of the future, exposing those built on shifting sands. You may also be asked for greater commitment or responsibility in a relationship, as this dynamic works both ways. Sometimes this manifests in a contractual commitment or business undertaking. On a personal level, you've just spent 14 years developing your act and now it's time to test it in the real world. It's also time to adopt an authentic approach to all your encounters, be they one-on-one or in the public arena.

Aquarius
Saturn in your house of work is the ultimate influence in getting your act together. What you thought you were good at, is put to the test now. Your creativity becomes your craft and your craft becomes your routine work. Whether you can be productive day in day out is the mark of a professional and you are being asked to perform with consistency. So you may feel chained to a wheel or obligated but occasionally, systemisation is what's needed. Patience and planning are required. Blasé approaches to work will send you back to the drawing board, just as pushing your body irresponsibly will have repercussions on your health. Find the happy medium - that's the positive lesson from this Saturn transit. Your efficiency as a human being is being tested - learning that you are not a machine, but you do need to stick to a game plan.

Pisces
Sedate and sober Saturn travels through your sun sign in the area linked with recreation, romance and self-expression. Sombre fun? That's certainly a contradiction of terms. Does serious fun sound more inviting? Serious fun means structuring your recreation time. Taking the game sincerely. Saturn here is the 'crafted masterpiece' rather than the 'spontaneous jam'. Here's where you consider the consequences of your heartfelt actions. Rather than diving straight in the water, you first test the depth and check the temperature. The downside is a fear of rejection for being yourself. The upside is a measured self-expression that takes other people into account. Older astrology books talk of increased responsibility with children or romance with older people. You can certainly get results here. It doesn't mean you can't have fun, just that you put certain conditions on it.