Saturn represents duty, discipline, responsibility, career, loyalty, dedication, restrictions, limitations, delay, and boundaries. It rules authority, order, systems, structures, hierarchy, stability, lessons, and tests. It represents karma, patience, endurance, practicality, reality, tradition and time.
Saturn Retrograde Meaning
Saturn appears to move backward in the sky (retrograde motion) in a regular cycle occurring every twelve months, lasting about 4½ months, and spanning 6 or 7 degrees of the zodiac. Saturn is the Lord of Karma. Retrograde motion is a time when karma is sorted out. Therefore, Saturn retrograde is a double dose of karma. Karma is a form of energy that is very real. Like Saturn, it is very closely bound to time.
Past, present, and future blur into one. If you have been bad in the past, then at a certain predestined time, an event will occur to teach you a lesson. If you have been good in the past, then at a predestined time, an event will occur to reward you for your good deeds. With Saturn in retrograde motion, karma will relate to how responsible you have been in the past.
Transiting Saturn retrograde can be a time of limitation, restriction, anxiety, guilt and fear. In recent months since Saturn entered the retrograde zone, you will have dealt with particular issues involving your duties and responsibilities relating to your dependents and career.
Saturn retrograde suggests this area of responsibility is so important that extra time is needed to take stock and ensure everything is in order before you continue. You may be tested to ensure you are ready to take on the extra responsibility. The lessons you learn might be hard, but they will be valuable.
On the other hand, it could be that negative Saturn behavior, such as sadness or shyness, has gotten out of control. In this case, the Saturn retrograde months will offer a chance to recognize and admit the problem. Things may get so out of control that an intervention or some drastic event must occur to shake you out of your depression or isolation.
By the time Saturn stations direct, you should have come to terms with the relevant issues and be ready to move forward with determination and preparedness.
Saturn Retrograde Dates
- 2023, June 17 to November 4, from 7° to 0° Pisces
- 2024, June 29 to November 15, from 19° to 12° Pisces
- 2025, July 13 to November 27, from 1° Aries to 25° Pisces
Natal Saturn Retrograde
Saturn retrograde in your natal chart suggests a problem with self-discipline or avoiding responsibility in a former life. Due to illness, immaturity, or disrespect, you may have neglected to look after your loved ones. Perhaps you failed to earn a living to support your parents or ran out on your partner and children. There will be some lessons or extra effort required in this life to pay back this karmic debt. You must learn the lessons so you don’t have to go through this difficult cycle again.
Saturn retrograde natal aspects and fixed star conjunctions show the areas of life, or the personality traits and behaviors, which specifically need extra development. The optimal Saturn nature is disciplined, responsible, stable, respectful, and reliable. A healthy Saturn is hard-working and dedicated. The aim is to be physically and emotionally strong enough to endure the hardships of life and to take responsibility for yourself and your family.
Saturn retrograde natal could lead to sadness, depression, guilt, loneliness, tiredness, or lack of motivation. Disrespect for parents and authority figures may be holding you back. Whatever is stunting your productiveness is what Saturn retrograde focuses on. This could well have been an ongoing problem hindering success over many incarnations. Events or relationships will reinforce the problem area in this life, especially during Saturn retrograde phases, until you master it.
If natal Saturn in Scorpio is retrograde and in square with natal Jupiter and Pluto in Leo, will this current Saturn retrograde in Pisces portend healing?
Hi Antoinette. It depends on the degrees, but transiting Saturn in Pisces in trine Scorpio which would indicate healing.
My son has Saturn retrograde in his chart, but how do I know which star to look at? There are so many.
Hi Delphine. Find the degree of his Saturn using the free horoscope. Then look down the list of fixed stars.
Thank you Jamie.
Great work Jamie. Appreciated.
I have natal saturn Rx in scorpio in 12 house and also i have sun, moon in piscis. Its entrancy hit me very hard in march mi dad got sick and also i have a crisis in my marrige im really worried for the time saturn goes into the second decanate… im from 2 of march 1984
The “original astrologers” also understood that the matrix of the signs represented relationships to important points in the ecliptic like the place of the sun during the spring equinox, so I find it a bit presumptuous to imply that using the signs is some sort of later addition.
Hi Abbey. The Signs were a later addition, much, much later.
What is your source?
“In its beginnings the zodiac was a convenient celestial measuring device, unrelated to astrological activity. Babylonian astronomical diaries dated to the middle of the 6th century BC show it was being used at that time for the recording of astronomical data, yet observation of the effects of the planets for astrological purposes continued to be related to the visible constellations.” [Heavenly Imprints, Deborah Houlding]
I find the remarks related to natal Saturn retrograde to be absurd, at least In my case. I am an advanced senior citizen and have never suffered from any “depression, guilt, loneliness, tiredness or lack of motivation” in my life. The only sadness I experienced in life was associated with the loss of loved ones. I never at any time ‘neglected” to look after parents or loved ones or “disrespected” my parents, whom I adored and was devoted to. Indeed, I moved into my mother’s house to care for her for two years after she had a stroke. What are all these inflated, silly remarks?
I was quite shy as a child, if that has anything to do with anything, and did have a somewhat protected, sheltered upbringing in a wealthy family. But I’ve always had great energy and cheerfulness, achieved academically, traveled extensively and lived abroad for over a decade of my life. I did overcome my shyness once I became an adult and a professional in my field. I am a writer and designer. So nothing you write in your description of natal Saturn retrograde bears any relationship to reality in my life.
Sound like you have a well aspected Saturn or maybe it aligns with a fortunate fixed star. Retrograde planets can also represent good karma in those cases.
Hi Jamie, the insights you provided about the natal chart are very accurate. I believe becoming aware of these themes only becomes possible after the first Saturn return. Of course, learning astrology also enhances this awareness. I’ve observed that the diseases and responsibilities represented by the sign Saturn occupies tend to lead to disruptions—both in myself and in those around me.
In my chart, Saturn is retrograde in Leo, and it’s even stationed. It is the apex of a T-square involving fixed signs, with the ruler of the Ascendant also part of this configuration, and Saturn is located in the first house. So, it operates quite strongly in my chart.
When it comes to family responsibilities, I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt—perhaps even taking on more responsibilities than necessary. Before the first Saturn return, however, the theme of blaming others and avoiding responsibility was much more dominant. As a result, there’s an imbalance in terms of discipline, responsibility, and maturity. It doesn’t function properly. I tend to overdo it in some areas while falling short in others, particularly when it comes to taking responsibility for my own life.
I’m still working on it, and I think it’s going to be a lifelong learning process. Thank you so much for the insights you’ve shared!