Saturn in Pisces 2023-2025: Giving Form to the Formless
As Saturn sails into the mystical waters of Pisces from March 2023 to March 2025, we embark on a magical journey that, at times, might feel a bit like navigating the open seas without a map.
Where Saturn develops us in worlds we can build with our own hands, Pisces challenges us to explore the worlds that can only be felt by our souls. This voyage will offer us life long lessons in balancing the ethereal with the earthly, the dream with the deed.
We can expect these years to collectively invite us to find a balance between our deepest, often unspoken sensitivities and the solid ground of our convictions. We’ll be getting real serious about what we deeply feel and dream about, and how to make it a reality, at the same time that we begin to release all restraints on what we have always thought of as “real”.
Imagine trying to build a castle on the shifting sands of the shore; this is the challenge and the promise of a Saturn in Pisces transit.
Spiritual Discipline and Maturation
In the mythology of Saturn, we find a God revered for his wisdom of time, discipline, and order, embodying the lessons of maturity, responsibility, and the inevitable cycles of change they bring.
Saturn's tale, rich with themes of fear and redemption, mirrors our own earthly struggles to face and overcome our limitations. Many speak of someone who limits us, but quite the opposite, he offers us the chance to transcend all limitations, of form and soul, if we are willing to put in the work and integrate our teachings.
Without commitment to the process, Saturn will allow us to face the consequences on our own.
This period essentially asks us to grow up, to take responsibility for our spiritual health just as we do for our physical or emotional wellness. This means recognizing that spiritual growth is a continual process, one that requires humility, patience, and the understanding that there will always be more to learn and ways to deepen our connection to the divine. We are not broken and in need of fixing, we are on the forever journey of evolution.
In fact, one of Saturn’s great lessons is that time is not linear, nor is our growth process. Like swirling, spiraling fibonacci sequences, we are on the ever long journey of meeting ourselves again and again, deeper and deeper.
Sensitivity as Strength
This transit really gives us a chance to look at our sensitivities, those emotional and illogical parts of us an how express ourselves. Even though Saturn gets a tough reputation, he wants us to see these “vulnerabilities” as sources of strength and guidance.
Here we learn the importance of setting boundaries around our emotional and psychic energies, protecting our inner worlds while remaining open to the empathic connections that Pisces so deeply values.
Being open and aware to our inner world of emotions is often misconstrued as a liability in this western dominated stoic, productivity-driven society, when it is in fact a powerful navigational tool.
Think of our ancestors, ancient sailors who relied on the dreamy stories of the stars to guide them through open and unknown waters. In much the same way, our sensitivity, our ability to empathize and feel allows us to tune into the subtle cues of our environment and our inner emotional states, giving us special info about our relationships, our creative projects, and our body.
Saturn’s influence in Pisces doesn’t want to dampen this sensitivity, but to provide a safe and structured place within which it can be expressed. This is the practice of setting boundaries—not to act as barriers against connection, but as safeguards that can then allow for deep, empathetic engagement, without losing oneself in the process.
Breaking Cycles of Addiciton
This balance is crucial as we confront and heal from addictions, and neglect of our mental health, areas that the boundless seas of Pisces can sometimes exacerbate.
Saturn's presence demands that we face these challenges head-on, offering the structure and discipline necessary to promote real healing and prioritize our long term health and wellness.
The myth of Kronos, the roots of Saturn’s story, who consumed his offspring to avoid a prophecy of being overthrown, serves as a stark reminder of the futility of attempting to escape our own vulnerabilities and shadows.
Instead the real work and reward comes in acknowledging the parts of ourselves we'd rather not see—the addictions as attempts to fill emotional voids, the mental health challenges as signals of unmet needs.
We can be kind to ourselves and still apply the discipline we need to truly experience liberation from all that holds us back.
Exposing Illusions
As Saturn moves through Pisces, it challenges us to look beyond all kinds of illusions that have shaped our understanding of what is possible, like those found in drugs, but also in our art and our spiritual beliefs.
In a culture that has become enamored by the glittering facade of celebrity, we can now return to the core of what it means to create, to manifest, and to be recognized.
This is a call to honor art and spiritual practices that touch the soul, resonating with the truths of the human experience, rather than simply wanting us to be entertained, escape, or conform to fleeting trends. These often prove to be nothing more than a distraction anyways.
The reimagining of our creative landscape also involves a critical examination of how we measure success in the world of religion, creativity, and celebrity.
Saturn in Pisces asks us to celebrate and strive for achievements that are rooted in genuine talent, hard work, and the courage to share our true voice, no matter what the mainstream is into or social media metrics demand. This is a great time for recognizing the artists and leaders who, in the quiet corners of the world, create beauty and meaning, often without widespread recognition, but with a profound impact on those who encounter their work.
Redefining Service to the Spiritual
This journey also asks us to make our engagement with the seen and unseen world around us more realistic. We’ve become a bit obsessed with the aesthetic of being healed, but are we actually practicing our teachings?
It's not enough to hold lofty ideals about love, compassion, and interconnectedness; Saturn in Pisces demands that these ideals be manifested in real life with acts of service, kindness, and creative expression. Here we break apart the highly marketable idea that spiritual growth is about endlessly seeking the divine in temples or texts, buying the newest self help book, or restricting ourselves into devout service.
Instead, we are asked to find ways to ground our spiritual beliefs in small actions, bringing the ethereal into the everyday, making the divine an accessible, living reality in our lives and communities.
Overall, we’re tasked with seeing the sacred in the ordinary, whether that's finding moments of mindfulness in a cup of tea or recognizing the spiritual act of helping a neighbor. We could all stand to become more attuned to the natural religion of the ordinary.
Transcending Form and Reality
Connecting to our divinity in this way allows us to transcend the boundaries of form and delve into uncharted territories of creativity, imagination, and spirituality.
It is as if we are being asked to bring into being what has existed only in the whispers of our mind. Is it really possible? We may find ourselves asking this question often over the next few years.
During this transit, I want you to remember the story of Prometheus, who, in his love for humanity, defied the Gods (the most powerful of all beings, and pretty wrathful in his time) to bring fire to mankind. This fire became a symbol of knowledge, enlightenment, and creative spark.
Prometheus's act was not just an act of aggression or rebellion; it was a creation of new possibilities, transforming the entire human existence. Similarly, Saturn in Pisces asks us to sort of embrace our inner Prometheus by reaching beyond the familiar and comfortable, to question the "impossible."
We are reminded in this cycle that limits on our dreams only serve those who wish to see us fail. Instead, proper planning and attention to detail can help us bring the impossible to life. We learn that, ultimately, creating the impossible is an act of courage. It's a commitment to not only dream of new worlds, but also to take the first steps into uncertainty, to bring those worlds into being. Think about over these next few years, how you can hold space for the impossible within your current reality.
Navigating Uncertainty
Amidst the fog and mist that Pisces can cast over our paths, Saturn’s teachings can really become our lighthouse, guiding us through this uncertainty and impossibility.
Darkness is associated with death and endings, but it is darkness that is the womb necessary to nurture the growth of a fragile seed, soul, or dream. This world values clear answers and quick solutions, so embracing the unknown can be daunting to say the least.
Saturn in Pisces teaches us that there is wisdom to be found in the waiting, in the not-knowing. Sometimes the most wise course of action is to surrender, and allow the forces greater than yourself to play their role as well.
This lesson is about allowing life to unfold at its own pace, trusting that the next step will become clear when the time is right. This doesn't mean passivity but rather an active engagement with the present moment, an openness to the lessons and opportunities that arise, even when they don't fit what we thought would happen.
Retrograde
Like the course of all planets, Saturn will retrograde and appear to move backward in the sky for a period of time. This can intensify its influence and really have us get serous about reassessing our commitments, responsibilities, and long-term goals. This feels like a zoom out to focus on the bigger picture at large.
During the retrograde phase, which usually lasts around four to five months, we are also called to confront our fears and limitations. What we have been avoiding may come back and refuse to leave until it is solved.
Key Transit Dates
March 7th, 2023: Saturn enters Pisces
June 17th, 2023: 1st Saturn Retrograde
June 29th, 2024: 2nd Saturn Retrograde
May 24th , 2025 Saturn exits Pisces
Saturn Return: A Cosmic Rite of Passage
A Saturn Return occurs when Saturn returns to the same position it occupied at the time of your birth, so if you have your Saturn in Pisces on your natal chart then big news! You have entered your Saturn Return as of March 2023!
Depending on the natal house placement of your Saturn, and its aspects, each experience will have a unique impact, so its best to chat with an astrologer for deeper insight! Below is a brief overview of the kinds of themes and challenges that may arise according to the house of your natal Saturn in Pisces.
1st House: A time of self-reflection and redefining your identity and personal goals.
2nd House: A focus on financial stability, reassessing your values, and developing self-worth.
3rd House: Emphasizing communication, learning, and cultivating stronger sibling and community connections.
4th House: A period of family dynamics, home life, and nurturing your emotional foundation.
5th House: Exploring creativity, love affairs, and discovering your authentic self-expression.
6th House: Focusing on health, work, and service to others, fostering self-discipline and routine.
7th House: Emphasizing partnerships, commitments, and balancing your own needs with others'.
8th House: A transformative phase, delving into deeper emotional and psychological realms.
9th House: Expanding your belief systems, pursuing higher education, and exploring spirituality.
10th House: Career focus, reevaluating ambitions, and establishing long-term goals.
11th House: Prioritizing friendships, group associations, and finding your place in a larger community.
12th House: Exploring spirituality, releasing old patterns, and connecting with the collective consciousness.
