All You Need to Know About Saturn

All You Need To Know About Saturn

Saturn – The Planet

The planet Saturn is a symbolism for the Divine aspect that takes care of the spiritualisation of humankind’s soul, individually and collectively. It is the part of our own being that once took us into the experiences on the physical plane of life. In the fullness of time it takes every soul back into the conscious awareness of its true nature as a spiritual being that is an integral part of God and – because of this – with all life. Saturn’s experiences guide every soul up the spiritual mountain of life into the oneness with its Highest or God Self.

Saturn’s position by sign and house reveals the areas of life in which the soul during its present lifetime encounters its main obstacles, the main life lessons it has come absorb and the Karmic debts it has to repay. To me, the understanding of the purpose and meaning of these things is of the greatest importance. The first step towards resolving the difficulties and obstacles we encounter is the recognition that they are not in anyone’s life as hindrances and nuisances. In truth, they are educational aids a kind and loving Universe places into everybody’s own hands, to ensure the spiritual growth that is every soul’s birthright. They are meant to help us make the progress that potentially can be achieved during each one of our earthly sojourns.

The Universe is constantly trying and testing us to see how far we have got thus far with the development of our character and Saturn’s lessons are the most valuable of all. First and foremost its influence is in our lives to teach us the spiritually most highly prized qualities of self-control and self-mastery. Without them no progress on our evolutionary pathway back home into our true nature is possible. Reaching the perfection that is in our Creator is our ultimate goal. In this sense perfection means wholeness, that is the full integration of all the qualities and aspects that are in God, our true Father/Mother, which each one of us carries within – at least in seed form.

Saturn is the planet of Karma and represents the celestial schoolmaster who, stern and undeviating, practises perfect justice. Through the chastening processes of tests and trials, sorrows, delays, disappointments, limitations and privations, the human soul learns that its earthly existence is not meant to be one of pleasure seeking alone. Although this aspect is not meant to be excluded, the real purpose of each lifetime on the Earth is of integrating, each through their own experiences, the qualities of patience, humility, wisdom and compassion for our own as well as for other people’s suffering.

Under Saturn’s rulership old, worn out, useless and crystallised attitudes and behaviour patterns are destroyed in order to make room for better, more useful and adaptable ones. Patiently, persistently and with self-discipline we are meant to overcome the negative aspects of our nature of scepticism, fear, suppression, materialism and self-preservation. They are waiting to be replaced by bringing forth from within the higher and highest aspects of God’s nature and our own, like trust and confidence, dependability, reverence, wisdom and compassion.

Much can be learnt under Saturn’s guidance if we show our willingness to pay attention to the Cosmic schoolmaster. In retrospection, meditation, concentration and by looking inwards towards our Highest Self and waiting for its guidance in all things, instead of running to other people, we learn to be patient and grow in wisdom and understanding. Saturn’s gifts are invaluable in the process of enduring our Karma and redeeming ourselves. Without them it is impossible to pass our tests and finally reach the point of wholeness that every soul is seeking on the Earth plane.

Saturn delays our desires but never denies them. For those who willingly submit themselves to the hard work this teacher requires, in the fullness of time Saturn’s role changes from that of the teacher into the one of the rewarder. And when his gifts finally arrive they truly are worth having.

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The Influence Of Saturn

Saturn represents a symbolism for the aspect of the Divine that spiritualises all areas of our lives that are touched by them. Self-mastery and self-discipline, as well as increased awareness of the spiritual aspects of life are the greatest gift the Saturnian experiences can bestow upon the human soul. Understanding can only come to us through suffering, so whenever we are going through particularly trying times, it’s best to take heart and refuse to think that we have been singled out in some way.

Buckle down to your lessons and as you slowly emerge from the darkness of your spiritual ignorance, you can already start to share your learning with those around you. This is how Saturn, the stern schoolmaster of the zodiac, turns into the rewarder and starts to bring you his gifts. Your inner light has been switched on and the knowledge that whatever may befall you, with the help of God and the Angels you are sure to get through any of life’s dark patches, will be yours to keep in all eternity. From where you are now, you may still find it difficult to believe that such gifts will really come out of your trials. Yet, I do not think it will take all that long until you will begin to look back thankfully for every step along the way.

I believe that our character influences – nay, determines – our destiny. We shall deal with this theme in more detail in future volumes of these jottings. May it suffice to say here that this can only be brought about through taking charge of ourselves and our character. Self-control and learning to master the drives and urges of our lower animal nature are sure to get us where we really want to be and where, by rights, we belong. That is why ever more tools for finding self-knowledge and self-awareness are on offer to us from the Universe; astrology is one of them. And daily the Universe offers us all fresh opportunities to eradicate the unpleasant character traits and behaviour patterns we have brought with us from previous lifetimes.

Wonderful though it is, astrology can certainly not do the work that this requires on anyone’s behalf. But, it can go a long way towards increased self-knowledge, including the recognition of what needs to be changed and what soul lessons our present lifetime wishes to teach us. It can also give us pointers to where our strengths and weaknesses lie. Furthermore, it gives indications where to start digging for the treasures of the now almost forgotten gifts and talents we developed during past lifetimes.

They now rest in our subconscious soul memories and are therefore hidden from our everyday understanding. Knowing where to start our explorations can make all the difference, because that enables us to make an effort to help such abilities to rise to the surface and to start using them again, the way they were used in other lifetimes. We all have gifts of this nature within. To help us fulfil our highest potential they are waiting to be re-possessed by us and further developed.

As we know by now, all the suffering that is in our world – including our own – has purpose and meaning. It is by no means something that an unkind, unjust and unloving God, destiny or fate has thrown upon us. Astrology can help us to come to terms with this notion by showing us that certain things are truly ‘written in the stars’ for us, as reflected in our birthchart. The way our main life lessons show up here, to me is proof enough that our suffering indeed is predestined and that we chose it before we came into this lifetime, to assist our soul growth and personal evolution. This understanding and the intention of attending to our soul needs, so that if we get it right this time, this could be the last lifetime in physicality we shall require, straight away brings a certain amount of peace and healing.

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Saturn As The Teacher And Rewarder

From the very beginning, our Creator has known the unruly nature of Its children of the Earth much better than any of us could possibly do. That is why, in Its great love and wisdom, It decreed long before life on the Earth plane began that on every soul’s way back home into its true nature Saturn, the planet of Karma, should stand guard. This planet has always played a vital part in the spiritual development of our race, but for a very long time we had to remain unaware of the planet’s true role in our lives. Throughout the whole of our evolution thus far, every soul has always been subject to Saturn’s cast-iron rule. During past ages this planet had acquired the unsavoury reputation for being the great malefactor of humankind. But, at the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, at long last it is revealing its hidden face as one of the most significant benefactors of humankind.

Aquarius is co-ruled by Saturn and Uranus, and it is significant that Saturn, the planet of Karma, is named first. The attributes of both rulers of this sign are of greater importance to us now than they have ever been before, in particular those of Saturn. They are the gateway through which each one of us must pass before we can ever hope to be released into the spiritual self-determination and independence that are the promise of the Aquarian Age.

To see how we are performing, the Angels and the Lords of Karma are at all times watching us and our world closely. That is why the Bible tells us: ‘God has given his Angels charge over thee, lest thou fall or dash thy foot against a stone.’ They never leave us; unseen and for a very long time without as much as a word of acknowledgement of thanks by us they stand by us in total and unconditional love, expecting nothing in return. Through thick and through thin they are there, ever ready to help. When one of us falls by the wayside, as we all frequently do, they provide our soul with renewed strength, courage and hope to start all over again, with the new premise and equipped with the understanding they have brought us.

To eventually gain full access to its Divine attributes and powers and being allowed their unrestricted use is every soul’s birthright. First we need to become aware of them on the Earth plane. Then we need to take possession of them and learn how to use them, until we can prove to the silent watching ones that we are capable of doing so, no longer for selfish purposes and self-glorification, but for the highest good of the whole of our world. To this end every soul, without exception, must walk through the Saturnian gate alone. It consists of ever more severe tests and trials to assess the degree of spiritual maturity we have reached at any given time.

Saturn is a symbolism for the stern teacher aspect of God; its final aim is to lead each one of us back into the awareness of our true nature as a soul and spirit on its way home into the conscious oneness with our Highest Self or God Self. Saturn is old Father Time who teaches us through time itself, in the course of a great many lifetimes. From the beginning it has been trying to teach every human soul the qualities of self-mastery and self-discipline; they are the only passport that can release it into the freedom all human souls have been seeking since the moment of their creation.

To find it, every soul must undergo its own tests and trials on the Earth plane. Such experiences are necessary to put us back in touch with our spirit and soul and to teach us how to focus once more on our true reality and our true nature. In short, they spiritualise us and help us to grow into better people. The Universe is constantly pushing each one of us to our limits to find out how far we have got with the development of our character and what degree of spiritual maturity we have reached. Humankind’s final evolutionary goal is to accomplish the perfection that is in our Creator. In this sense perfection means wholeness and full integration of all the qualities and aspects of our true parents, Father/Mother God, which each one of us contains in seed form.

For human souls Saturn symbolises the stern and undeviating celestial schoolmaster, whose justice is perfect. Carefully paying attention to this planet’s lessons has never been as important and as worthwhile as it is now. Wherever its energies are involved everything has to be right and must be done for real. As established in other parts of the jottings, life on Earth is a school and our present existence is part of the great University of all life, on all its levels. Although things can sometimes be fudged on the earthly plane, spiritually this is impossible and no soul will ever be allowed to get away with faking anything.

Part of Saturn’s poor reputation is that a lot of fear is connected with all contacts with this planet. But, during this phase of our evolution we can no longer afford to shy away from them; we are here to overcome each one of them, but how? First, we need a better understanding of them. So, why are we afraid? Well, the same as everything else, our fears once served a useful purpose. Everything that is in this life is a gift from God; our fears are no exception. They too were given to us for good purpose and wise reasons, namely to protect us.

During the first stage of our evolution we were pure spirit; we came from love and were nothing but just that. Evil and fear were unknown to us then. Fear was added to the world of our feelings to act as a deterrent and also as our teacher. For example, nature protects us this way from doing crazy things, like jumping from high buildings without a parachute. That’s why we feel fear in such situations. All our fears initially protected us from venturing into areas of life we were unready for. Having reached spiritual maturity, we are increasingly guided by our inner teacher, the time has come for shedding all our fears, as they are now posing a serious threat to our continued spiritual unfoldment.

I do not know how it is for you, but I find it difficult to discern whether the fear of God or of death or of life itself is the strongest one in me. All of them have their roots in the fear of the unknown. This in turn grows from the fear of God, which seems to have been drummed for thousands of years into humankind’s individual and collective consciousness by the institutions that were allowed to be in charge of its spiritual wellbeing. I am glad to say that I can feel how my fears are slowly dissolving with the increased understanding of life’s processes, the nature of God and my own I am finding. At the same time my inner unwillingness to be on the Earth plane decreases, the older I get and the closer I get to my release from it.

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Saturn’s Coldness

There is always a certain coldness to all Saturn’s contacts and everything crystallises under its touch. This is a most helpful ability when it comes to recognising what is of value in our lives and what needs to be discarded, whilst taking care not to throw away that part of the old that has stood the test of time. This influence is particularly felt at the times of the Saturn returns. You can read more about them in the Astro Landmarks section. Saturnian experiences are designed to take human souls back into the awareness that the concerns, beliefs and values of the spirit are more precious than those of the flesh. One recognises them for what they truly are: fleeting and temporary.

Furthermore, Saturn brings a talent for long term planning and distant goals, as well as the readiness to patiently and steadily work one’s way towards them, without allowing oneself to be sidetracked by less important issues. During a lifetime in Capricorn this may still express itself as an interest in local and national politics. But when the soul reaches Aquarius its awareness expands into the group consciousness of our race, our whole world and ultimately beyond into cosmic awareness.

Saturn’s position by sign and house shows the areas of life in which we encounter our main obstacles and where we have to make extra great efforts in our attempts at learning the intended lessons, which for a long time will remain hidden from our conscious view. Yet, it is important to find out what they are, as life cannot educate us in any other way. Besides, how else can we take advantage of the special opportunities the Universe is offering us to repay some of the accrued most difficult Karmic debts from previous lifetimes?

Saturn, by position and aspects, gives us clues as to where we suffer from a deep inner soul wound, which is constantly calling to us, its earthly self, to look for healing. Understanding why our difficulties are necessary is the first and most important step towards finding their resolution. Everything that is in our lives has purpose and meaning; nothing is sent to us just to be a hindrance or a nuisance. Each experience that comes our way is meant to be turned into a teacher and a tool that has been placed into our hands by a kind and loving Universe, so that we may fulfil our highest potential and achieve maximum spiritual growth.

To this end, Saturn’s qualities of self-control and self-mastery are everybody’s most urgent requirement. Without it none of us will be allowed to move forward into the Aquarian freedom. In all daily encounters we must prove through our actions and reactions – and the intentions behind them – that we are in control of ourselves and the ship of our lives. Through the chastening processes of testing, sorrows, delays, disappointments, limitations and privations, the human soul learns that mere pleasure seeking is not the reason why it finds itself on the Earth plane.

Although having fun and enjoying ourselves is by no means excluded, the real purpose of each lifetime on the Earth is to learn so much through our own experiences that in the end we have acquired the gifts of patience, humility, wisdom and compassion for our own as well as for other people’s suffering. Old, worn out, useless and crystallised attitudes and behaviour patterns have no room in our consciousness; they need to be destroyed in order to make room for better, more useful and adaptable ones. Believe it or not, but with Saturn’s help it is actually possible to change our negative character traces of scepticism, fear, suppression, materialism and self-preservation into those of confidence, dependability, reverence for all life, as well as wisdom and compassion.

Such things are possible for those who accept Saturn’s guidance and willingly pay attention to the demands of the Cosmic schoolmaster. In retrospection, meditation, concentration and by looking within for guidance in all things towards our Highest Self, the human soul learns to be patient and grows in wisdom. Saturn’s gifts are invaluable in the process of living through and redeeming our Karma; without them it is impossible to pass any of our tests and finally reach the wholeness which every soul in this earthly existence has forever been seeking.

As mentioned earlier, Saturn’s presence is somewhat cold, to put it mildly, and the planet’s energies have a shrinking and crystallising effect on everything they come in contact with. To say that Saturn denies the fulfilment of human desires would mean to misunderstand the wise purpose behind the delays and frustrations that get in the way of achieving them in Saturn’s presence. It is true that the heavenly teacher delays our desires but they are not denied altogether.

Through a shortage or maybe even complete absence of something – if only for a time – Saturn teaches the human soul to appreciate the true value of things, people and their qualities. The influence of Saturn can bring either the best or the worst out in us, but the true aim behind this is to help us bring forth the best from within. Whether we succeed in this depends entirely on the choices we make when our tests and trials arrive.

For all wise ones who willingly submit themselves to the hard work the Cosmic teacher requires from every soul, the planet’s role eventually changes from that of the teacher into the rewarder. It has been said that when Saturn’s gifts finally arrive, they are truly worth having. This is no empty promise, because they come in the form of increased patience, understanding and wisdom that make life on the Earth plane much easier to cope with.

Life is always offering us a choice where Saturn is involved. It is up to us whether we wish to continue to believe that we are suffering blindly at the hands of an unkind and sometimes cruel fate. The alternative is waking up to the fact that all Saturnian experiences need to be accepted as teachers of a very special kind, because invariably they wish to present us with some very real – though at the time still hidden – gifts. When approached and used in the right frame of mind, they support our spiritual growth like nothing else can, because they lead us into ever greater awareness, understanding and wisdom.

At the same time the Universe is presenting us with opportunities for balancing our spiritual accounts by repaying our Karmic debts and making good where once we caused damage; more about this in a moment. When we later share our learning with others and act as one of life’s givers, we are piling credits into this ledger.

All these things are the reasons for our existence on the Earth plane. And we do well to remind ourselves daily that if we wish to get something we never had but truly wish for, first of all we have to be willing to work very hard and to venture into the unknown. We need to leave our comfort zone, overcome our fears and do something that may not have been tried by anyone before.

Whatever happens, bear in mind that each time the Universe takes something from us, it’s not as some kind of punishment but to create opportunities for opening our hearts and souls to fresh learning and for receiving something that is necessary for our spiritual progress and growth, at that particular moment. Rest assured that into whatever experience the will of God may wish to take us, the Grace of God is constantly with us, to guide and protect us.

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Saturn – Gatekeeper Of The New Age

The Old Testament’s promised our race through the prophet Isaiah 41:13: ‘I am the Lord, your God, the strengthener of your right hand. I have said to you: ‘Fear not; I am your helper.’ Never was this help more urgently required by each one of us, than at the time of the entry into the Aquarian Age – now! You can see this for yourself when you look around you and witness how everybody is struggling with their life lessons and the redemption of their Karma. Before any true progress can be made by anyone, first we have to encounter and come to terms with Saturn as the guardian and keeper of the entry into this age. Never forget that he is merely a symbol of the aspect of God – and therefore also our own nature – that demands the strictest discipline from all Its children of the Earth. To enable humankind to see that any Divine pledges that were made throughout the ages were empty ones, we first needed to find a better understanding of the meaning of God – that is all.

To sum it all up, every human soul in its own way must find ways of dealing with the teachings of Saturn, the planet of Karma who is a symbolism for the stern and undeviating celestial schoolmaster. Saturn is the great accountant of life whose ledgers are perfect and justice is wielded accordingly, under the supervision of the Lords of Karma. On the etheric level of life the Universe keeps what is known as the Akashic Records. Here every thought, word and deed is noted of all souls on their evolutionary pathway up to any given moment; each one leaves its imprint behind and is recorded, as if in indelible ink.

These files can be likened to a vast library and a bookkeeping system that, like any other, consists of a credit and a debit ledger. Yet, unlike on the Earth plane, none of the entries in the Universe’s system can ever be wiped out. It is just that the ones on the debit side can and must eventually be redeemed and balanced by our good deeds on the credit side. This continues until perfect balance has been achieved and the soul has in this way, through its efforts, released itself from the wheel of Earth life and Karma.

These are the records that are shown to us on ‘judgement day’, i.e. when we stand before ourselves. Stripped of everything that ever mattered to us on the Earth plane and guided by the wise ones in charge of us, we ourselves assess our performance so far. Together we decide the experiences that are required to ensure further soul growth and to do justice to the Karmic laws.

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Saturn As Father Christmas

For a very long time our world has been suffering from a sad lack of spiritual awareness and we have been the prisoners of many false beliefs and prejudices. However, now that we have reached the Age of Aquarius the light of Divine wisdom and truth is flowing ever more powerfully from the highest levels into the consciousness of humankind. With this, the doors of our inner jail are swinging ever wider open and that is especially true at Christmas. As we know by now, each one of us is potentially a receiver/transmitter station through which God’s Divine wisdom and truth is waiting to pour itself into us and our world.

The influence of this can be felt particularly strongly when the Sun moves through Sagittarius, the fire sign responsible for the superconscious faculties of all human beings. In the fullness of time the Sagittarian energies aim to provide every human soul with a direct line with God and a bridge to the mind of their Highest or God Self. Making contact with the source of our being is easier at this time of the year than any other, as the lines are then clearer and suffer from less interference. This is by no means intended merely for the privileged few. Everybody is invited to take advantage of these energies, none is excluded or left out.

A few days before Christmas the Sun moves from fiery Sagittarius, ruled by jolly and jovial Jupiter, into earthy Capricorn with its planetary ruler, stern and undeviating Saturn. Now, if I told you that in truth Saturn is the Father Christmas of the Zodiac, would you believe me? In spite of the impression both signs create, this role is not played by Jupiter. Its energies merely provide the background to the build-up to Christmas and as soon as the Sun has moved into Capricorn a profound and marked change of energies can be felt.

During the Sun’s transit through Sagittarius, we and our world may be presented with fresh opportunities for finding a better understanding of some of the things, especially spiritual ones, that could have been puzzling us in the past. But when the Sun moves away from the fiery and enthusiastic Sagittarian energies into the stern and dour Capricorn ones on the day of the Winter Solstice the energies change dramatically and life once again returns to normal. In the year 2014 it takes place on 21st December. See whether you can sense this energy change, when it sometimes feels as if everything were coming down to Earth with a bump. Everyday duties take over and a rude awakening awaits many because of their excessive spending under Jupiter’s benevolent and expansive influence. Down to Earth goes everything with a bump. One feels deflated and possibly slightly depressed as if something good had been taken away. And as a matter of fact, it has.

It is not without reason that Christmas falls into the time of the Sun’s transit through Capricorn, whose planetary ruler is Saturn, the undeviating schoolmaster of the zodiac. This is so that the prayers, hopes and aspirations which under the influence of the spiritual fire of Sagittarius rise into the conscious awareness of humankind’s individual and collective soul are in need of being grounded, so they can find their practical expression and manifest themselves to sustain us in the darkest part of the winter and the densest ones of the Earth signs.

In the days of yore, the jollity and merry-making of Christmas were known as Saturnalia. Deep spiritual symbolisms are hidden behind many of the old customs, for example that only children who have been good and who worked hard receive presents from Santa Claus. To deserve Saturn’s gifts, all God’s children of the Earth certainly have to toil unceasingly, and when Saturn’s gifts arrive, they most certainly are worth striving for. They consist of the wisdom and understanding that can only grow in all human hearts and souls through learning from our own earthly experiences. Any knowledge we find in this way becomes our spiritual property and that is the only thing any one of us will ever be allowed to keep and take into eternity.

Saturn stands for the Divine aspect of the stern taskmaster, tough and demanding, which every child of Earth needs. For the wise ones amongst us who willingly attend to their lessons, in the end the loving and caring rewarder part of the Saturnian energies emerge and start to pour their blessings over us and our lives. Alas, human souls thus far have reacted with fear to all contacts with Saturn, but the time has come for shedding all our fears. The only way of doing so is through learning to trust that the basic goodness of life at any given time fulfils all our needs and that the great wisdom and love of our Creator will always provide us with the experiences that are just right for us.

Our Angels, Masters, guides and helpers in the world of light are waiting to be called upon to help us dissolve the spiritual prison that consists of our deepest, darkest and innermost fears which, individually and collectively, are entirely our own doing. The doors of this jail are gradually creaking open for us and our world. It is true that initially contacts with Saturn stir up fear, but this too happened for good and wise reasons. During past lifetimes, these apprehensions protected us against experiences for which we were as yet unready. Now that we are ready and they are waiting to be dissolved, the energies of Capricorn and its ruler, Saturn, can be tapped into to give us the required determination and strength.

The day of the Sun’s entry into Cancer and Capricorn marks the solstices. In Cancer we celebrate the summer solstice and in its polar opposite, Capricorn, the winter solstice. Both events are special times when – for a brief moment – the Sun in the sky above us appears to stand still, although in reality it never does, as throughout the whole of Creation, all is movement and constant changes, and nothing ever stands still. At the time of the solstices especially powerful outpourings of blessing and healing energies flow from the highest levels of life into us and our world and everything that shares it with us. In the build-up to the solstices these energies grow more potent from day to day and they remain as strong for some time afterwards.

For those who are walking the healer’s pathway, great cosmic events of this nature create many wonderful opportunities. One of them is consciously tuning the receiver/transmitter station of our whole being into the frequencies of the Christ Star, the Highest Star and the brightest light in the whole of Creation, so we can be used as channels of light and make our contribution towards the healing of our world and dispersing some more of the darkness that still surrounds us all.

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The Saturn Mystery

Saturn is merely a symbol of the bridge every soul must cross in its search for perfect re-alignment with infinity and its eternal or God Self. The co-rulership of Aquarius by Saturn and Uranus is the signpost that is showing us all of us the way into the New Age. The need for applying strictest self-discipline to every part of our being is shown by the order in which the planets appear here – Saturn first and then Uranus, the liberator. Uranus is waiting to release each one of us into the freedom of the Aquarian Age by first helping us to burst and shake off the Karmic chains and shackles, as well as all false beliefs and prejudices. Even if they have been dear to us over many lifetimes, they must now go.

One of the many treasured false beliefs that have been held in our world for far too long is that Saturn is the planet of darkness, when nothing could be further from the truth. The names Saturn – Satan – Lucifer, the light bearer and shining one, point us to the fact that Saturn’s role all along really has been that of a bringer of light, and that the planet by no means has deserved its old-fashioned reputation as the dark and sombre malefic of the zodiac. Now that ever more of us are approaching spiritual maturity, Saturn, the stern and demanding schoolmaster, is revealing itself increasingly as the great benefactor of humankind, whose task is to lead each one of us back into the light of recognising our true nature and home.

And that is how Saturn indeed becomes the bringer of light. Spiritually, this means enlightenment that comes to us in the form of wisdom and understanding gained as we battle our way through the tests and trials of earthly life. This is particularly strongly felt in Capricorn, whose sole planetary ruler is Saturn. There is a great deal of duality about the characteristics of this planet, the same as everything else in the whole of Creation, including us. Because of this Capricorn can bring out either the best or the worst in human souls.

Yet, most important for the progress of human souls on the evolutionary pathway of life is that it is the sign in which the highest human endeavours, hopes and dreams can find their fulfilment. We are all gifted in some special way and our particular aptitude may have taken many lifetimes to develop and polish to ever greater heights of perfection. One of our lifetimes in Capricorn may then offer us opportunities for sharing our talent and bringing it to the attention of the public. The most elevated aim of this sign is the high priest, who serves humankind as the power behind the throne. And the more spiritually orientated we become and unselfishly strive for the highest good of our whole world, the closer we get to this goal. And so, it is not hard to see how Saturn the teacher eventually turns into the rewarder.

Every spirit’s earthly education consists of getting to know, each through their own experiences, with the darkest, most dangerous and evil aspects of our nature. In the course of many lifetimes, one small step after another, we move up the evolutionary spiral. This continues until eventually we are once more getting in touch with the characteristics of our higher nature. Saturn is the planet of Karma and plays the role of Old Father Time in our lives. It is a metaphor for the wisdom and justice of the Highest, the all seeing and hearing one who cannot be cheated, for the simple reason that it is part of us. That is how it comes about that in the fullness of time each one of us is presented with the Karmic bill for every one of the misdeeds of our earlier earthly sojourns, no matter how far back in the past they may have taken place.

All these things shed light onto the mystery of why Saturn, when it is visible in the sky above us, is visually the most beautiful planet in our solar system of all. The willingness with which the human soul submits itself to Saturn’s tests and trials reveals the degree of spiritual maturity it has reached, at any given phase in its evolution, and shows its readiness or otherwise of being released into the freedom of the Aquarian Age.

But let’s return for a moment to the year 2008 and the Sun sign Leo. In that year the Universe made this sign’s positive and direct approach to life available to everybody. An abundance of optimism and enthusiasm for bringing something new and beautiful into being was there for all to participate in. For many it could become a year for loving from the heart and giving freely whatever flows from the heart of the Universe into ours, for all to enjoy. Like the Sun in the sky above us giving its warmth and love freely and joyously to all life, we as earthlings and young Gods in the making were encouraged to share God’s rich abundance of creative ideas with all life. The reward of souls who at any given time are making an effort at tapping securely into what is, after all, the creative power of God, is increased joy, love and great strength of purpose and willpower.

Mind you, the Universe is not doing these things for nothing. It does indeed expect something from us in return. We are on the Earth so that one day we should discover that the energies available to us are meant to be used as tools that enable us to do our share of bringing our new and peaceful world into being in the most effective manner. Being created in the image of God, all His/Her characteristics and powers are also in us, and we too contain our Creator’s power that can either bless and heal or wantonly destroy. The Universe loves us. We are Its children and because of this it assists us at all times with bringing into being whatever our human hearts truly desire. This is how in the course of many lifetimes we are getting to know the powers within and how to use them wisely.

Everything in the whole of Creation is at our disposal and will in the fullness of time – when we are good and ready for it – be within our reach. And if we wish more than anything for our world to become a peaceful one, the Universal forces will show us how to go about it and each one of us has to do their share of bringing it into being. All things have their origin in us and if we want peace, we have to begin with ourselves, sweep in front of our own door and conduct our lives in more peaceful ways through tirelessly working on more kind and loving relationships, with ourselves, those around us and also our environment.

One of the main reasons for spending time in earthly life is to teach us how to differentiate and discriminate, for example between good and evil, darkness and light. And whether something we do is good or evil depends on our intentions behind the actions. The outcome of any one of them reveals whether an activity was good or bad. In some way, we are all pupils and teachers to each other. Life itself and the experiences we are constantly gathering are our teachers

The Universe experiences itself through us. It prays and thinks through us. And at least potentially each one of us is a channel of the Divine who can simultaneously act as a receiver/transmitter and relay station of Its wisdom. The super-abundance of creative ideas from the spiritual Sun during the year 2008 were available to all of us and it was up to each individual to decide how they should be used. For the many new beginnings that were coming towards us we did require all of the strength of the Sun’s creative energies. At the beginning of the year they were flowing comparatively slowly, but their speed and strength increased as we moved through the year.

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The Devil – Satan – Saturn

The concept of the devil appears to be an ancient one. According to the Bible it appears that his primary role is to use whatever guiles he may to cause humans to sin, so that ultimately they are sent to hell. The word Satan could have its origin in the Standard Hebrew word Satan’el; in English it means accuser. This term has come down to us from the Abrahamic faiths; it was traditionally applied to an Angel in the Judeo-Christian belief and a jinn in the Islamic tradition. The Hebrew word ha-Satan means ‘the accuser’ and the word Satan ‘to overcome’. Hence Satan was the one who challenged the religious faith of humans in the books of Job and Zechariah. The Abrahamic religious belief systems, other than Judaism, see Satan as a demon, a rebellious fallen Angel, devil, minor god and idol; it can also be an allegory for knowledge for the enlightenment of humankind.

The imagery of a devil as a being with horns, hooves and a tail, goes back at least as far as the ancient Greeks and their god Pan; nobody really knows but this myth could be much older still. The Greeks pictured Pan as a goat and worshipped him as the abundant and pro-creative God of wild and untamed nature, sexuality and life-giving fertility. Pan personified natural energy in its chaotic and disordered state. Included in this were our primitive, instinctive urges, in particular the sexual ones. In the days of the early Christians, such things were declared to be pagan worship. Even in those days, enlightened souls would have recognised that to suppress them altogether would be against nature and therefore impossible. However, whatever did not suit us about the old beliefs, we cleverly built into our new systems according to our changed perception of our world.

Whether this was for better or worse, is of no interest to us any longer. It was merely one of many evolutionary stages our race had to pass through. As we are here now, it is highly likely that at least during some lifetimes we reincarnated into and followed each one of the old and the new belief systems. Now, isn’t it a wonderfully sobering thought that it may have been us who, as early Christians, declared Saturn to be Satan. Pan we banished into hell and from then onwards the Devil was depicted with horns, hooves and a tail. We decreed that because all natural impulses and instincts are evil and of the devil, they had to be suppressed.

The only thing that seems to have survived that onslaught seems to be the symbol of Capricorn, the planet’s own sign; it has remained the goat. The three Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. In Taurus the soul is reminiscent of the freshly ploughed Earth at that time of the year, like Mother Earth herself it is ready to take kindly to the seeds that are planted into its consciousness. In Virgo the soul brings forth the harvest of that which has been sown in Taurus and nurtured and cared for since then. In each Earth sign the soul has to work hard for what it wants to get out of life. Yet, Capricorn is Earth at its coldest and densest; here the soul is required to work harder than ever. This is in preparation for the seeds that are to be sown next spring when yet another rebirth on the great wheel of life takes place and a new season of growing begins.

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The Lightbringer

As we moved through the ages, our understanding of the devil in us and our world has grown. Now, it can clearly be recognised that in truth he is – dare I say it? – the great benefactor of humankind and the Angel of light, though for a very long time this had to remain a disguise. Interestingly, the devil has also been known as Lucifer, the bringer of light. Light in spiritual terms means knowledge and wisdom and that is precisely what Saturn, the devil, Lucifer has brought and still is constantly bringing to each and every one of us by pushing us, at times, to the brinks of our endurance. By constantly testing and trying us and our constant struggle against the obstacles and frustrations that inevitably come into the way of every soul’s desires, the Universe under the name of Saturn helps us to build up our stamina and bring forth the best we are capable of.

Let us never forget that the law of the Universe is love. This too is an aspect of the Divine and created for the sake of love. All long it has been showing us the way back into our true nature, which is love. At the end of the healing journey of a thousand miles – for some of us many thousands of lifetimes – from the darkness of not knowing who and what we are, each one of us will eventually have grown into an enlightened being. Greeted and celebrated by God and the Angels, humankind is triumphantly returning into the dazzling light of the full awareness of our true nature and reunion with our Creator.

Everything that has happened on the Earth plane thus far has been a necessary part of our evolutionary pathway. It is true, we and our world have learnt and grown a great deal, but I believe firmly that many greater things are in store for humankind. Isn’t it good to know that it is in everybody’s own hands to ensure that it is nothing but good? Gone for good will soon be the days of allowing anyone to take away our God-given right of making up our own minds as to what we can and wish to believe.

Before our Creator we all stand alone, but not as if in front of some kind of throne, the way God was presented to us in previous ages. The meaning of this saying is that everybody’s understanding of the concepts of God and the Universe is at least slightly different from that of anyone else’s. The perception of what God means to us personally is something very intimate. It is different for each one of us, because it depends on our inner connection with our Creator and the relationship we have thus far been able to establish with Him/Her. In the fullness of time all human souls are required to develop into seekers of God’s Divine wisdom and truth. We are here to search for a deeper understanding of the spiritual background of life, so that through it the meaning and purpose of our present existence and that of all life can reveal itself to us, in particular through its most profound processes of birth and death.

Our perception of God has changed profoundly since all the books of the Bible were written, especially the earlier ones of the Old Testament, whose origins are lost in the mists of time. Church doctrines of the past did their best to instil the fear of God into the consciousness of our race. Although the remnants of this troublesome inheritance are exceedingly hard to eradicate, we all get there in the end. To quite some extent this fear is still with us today, whether we are consciously aware of this or not. I must be one of the best examples of this. In spite of not having been brought up on a steady diet of Christian teachings, believe you me I have felt this fear very strongly ever since my first tentative steps on the spiritual path. It comforts me to know that as everything happens for good and wise purpose, this cannot have been an exception.

Nature abhors a vacuum and this principle also applies to the consciousness of our race on all its levels. Any empty spaces that are left behind anywhere are instantly filled with whatever is allowed to enter. A vital part of every soul’s spiritual pathway is taking charge of all parts of its being. Because every word, thought and action is our own responsibility, we ourselves must ensure that we give access to our consciousness to the right things only, i.e. those we want to be there. It is not necessary to suppress our natural urges and instincts, we just have to take charge of them and master them by learning how to use them constructively. We are responsible for every part of our being and are not to abuse any one of them, especially not our physical bodies and our energies. They are our responsibility and should be recognised for what they truly are, namely gifts from the Universe. We have been placed in this life in order to learn how handle them wisely and without fear.

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White Eagle on Saturn And Patience

The essence of a teaching from the White Eagle group of spirit guides on patience: ‘Saturn is the planetary ruler of Capricorn* and the tenth house, and also the traditional co-ruler of Aquarius *. This planet is sometimes presented as old Father Time and when looked at from the right perspective, time * is one of humankind’s best teachers. In earthly life it will always be your master and it can be an unpleasant one. But this only applies for as long as you perceive life with the limited vision of your small earthly self.

‘The likelihood is that you are taking part in Saturn’s wisdom at this very moment. The influence of its energies causes delays and frustrations that may test you to the utmost, as Saturn is very strict with his students in the school of earthly life. Under his supervision hurried lessons, hasty sums and superficial essays are not allowed. Saturn insists that the right time is given for every lesson. That’s why time is one of the most irksome forms of discipline that has to be endured for as long as you dwell on the Earth plane.

‘But on the upside, the Saturnian energies provide you with the determination to work your way one small step after another towards a distant goal. They equip you with the desire to try and try again. Through this your endeavours get better and more perfect all the time and when they are ready to be presented and shared with your world, they are likely to be crowned with success. Saturn’s rewards * can be great, when they come. And they surely will – for those who patiently plod on. So muster yourself with patience and remind yourself that you are taking part in one of the most essential lessons for every soul on their pathway of spiritual development.

‘That’s how Saturn in the end brings true, i.e. spiritual wealth to every human soul. Think of this beneficence and refuse to see anything malefic. Instead remind yourself frequently that all of you have a great deal to thank Saturn for and that at any given time. True, the Saturnine influence makes people feel a little cold, but this hold things up and purposely delays the hot-headed ones who would like to rush into things prematurely and without due forethought. But Saturn says: ‘No! Wait, first you have things to learn.’ Those who resent the unpleasantness this sometimes brings with it would do well if they became aware that it is unwise to ignore the lessons of a venerable, gracious and wise teacher.

‘As the co-ruler of Aquarius the Saturnian energies will be providing your world and ours the necessary strength and stamina, determination and perseverance for bringing Mother Earth’s new golden age into being. Saturn’s main task during your earthly sojourns consists of teaching the self-mastery that is needed to control the urges and desires of humankind’s lower animal nature. After the Aquarian Age, from approx. 1900 AD – 4,100 AD, we shall be moving into the Age of Capricorn, which will last until about 6,300 AD. Capricorn is Saturn’s own sign where it’s energies are particularly strong and in the right hands can express themselves in the most positive and constructive ways. This will be helpful for the unfoldment of the new golden age in all its splendour. How great Thou art, o Great White Spirit, and how wise! We thank Thee and bless Thee.’

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Saturn In Mythology

As the mythological background of the planetary ruler of each sign can reveal a great deal about the evolutionary pathway of the human soul in general terms, as well as some of the character traces that are typical for the souls that are born into them, let’s take a closer look at Saturn as the planetary ruler of Capricorn.

In sheer mass and size this planet is the second largest one in our solar system and in the order of distance from the Sun it comes in sixth place. Saturn’s dimensions are almost equal to those of Jupiter although in mass it is about three times smaller and it has the lowest mean density of any object in our solar system. Both Saturn and Jupiter resemble stellar bodies, because their bulk chemical composition is dominated by the light gas hydrogen. In Roman mythology Saturn represented the God of agriculture and harvest, of sowing and of reaping. Pictures of him usually showed him as bearded and carrying a sickle or an ear of corn. Saturn is known as the planet of Karma. This is a powerful symbolism that reminds us that the law of Karma ensures that as we sow, so we shall reap. Saturn’s Greek counterpart was the agricultural deity Cronus or old Father Time himself, a name by which Saturn is also known.

One of the main Roman festivals was known as the Saturnalia. Lasting seven days, it was a celebration of the Golden Age which, according to legend, Saturn had once ruled. We shall return to this theme in the Sun in Aquarius. A special feature of the Saturnalia feast was that temporary freedom was given to all slaves. It was a time when they were served by their masters and given first place at the family table. The Christmas and New Year celebrations of the Western world still echo the influence of this ancient festival. Originally, it lasted only one day and took place on 17th December; at a later stage this was extended to seven days. It was the merriest festival of the year. All work and business were suspended; slaves were given the short-term freedom of saying and doing what they liked; certain moral restrictions were eased; and presents freely exchanged. Saturday took its name from Saturn, the Romans called it dies Saturni. It is the only day of the week to fully retain its Roman name in the English language.

According the legend, Saturn was the husband of Ops, Goddess of plenty and the father of Jupiter, the ruler of the Gods; Juno, goddess of marriage; Neptune, God of the oceans; Pluto, God of the dead; Ceres, Goddess of the grain; and Veritas, the Goddess of truth and the mother of virtue. She was believed to hide in the bottom of a holy well, because she was very elusive. That’s where she still is most of the time, these days! Her hiding place is of special interest. Pictures usually show her as a young virgin dressed in white. The name Veritas was given to the Roman virtue of truthfulness; it was considered to be one of the highest virtues a good Roman could possess. Nothing has changed there; the same principle undoubtedly still applies to us and our time. Can you recognise the symbolisms in the Gods and Goddesses of times gone by and how they can still speak to us and our world?

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Author Notes: All my writings are of an intuitive spiritual non-religious nature.

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