According to the traditionalist, Saturn is the planet of Infortune or the Greater Malefic. I prefer to describe this unwavering planet as a taskmaster, The Tester, the Lord of Karma. It rules our ability to stick to the old traditions, responsibilities, rules and regulations that we are to follow. Boundaries and limitations are among the lessons to learn. Saturn governs the principles of truth; its goal is perfection through the process of testing. “Man learns the purpose of life is not pleasure, but to gain experience, patience, humility, wisdom and compassion” –Isabel Hickey, Astrology, The Cosmic Science.

Also called the Father of Time, he represents maturity, the old age and the aging. This ringed planet demands the acceptance of material values and the necessity to acquire them as temporal test of the human spirit- thus the name Saturn was mislabeled as Satan, by some religious faiths.

Saturn rules both Capricorn and Aquarius. It represents an individual who is severe, reserved, solitary and patient, someone who will acquire the goods of the world by slow and steady stages. It relates to those who work with the earth, farmers and miners, also monks, solitary religious people and beggars. 

If Saturn is badly placed (by house and sign) in a person’s natal chart, it indicates someone envious, mistrustful, never content, timid and the men are said to condemn women. Someone ruled by Saturn is apt to have a body of medium height and dark eyes. Anatomy ruled by Saturn includes the skeletal system, bones and teeth, skin, ligaments, knees, auditory organs, and gall bladder.

Saturn influences all hard dark stones and lead. It represents places such as the ruins, obscure valleys, graves, and churchyards.

Since October 2009, Saturn has been transiting through the sign of Libra, and will stay in that same sign until the first week of October 2012. A relationship and relatedness (or the lack of it), may have been a priority to resolve for the many of us during this time. Good judgment, diplomacy and tact are tools we can utilize.