This week’s question comes from Timothy in Berlin, Germany:

Is it possible to get a short overview of the Saturn-Pluto square regarding how it influences my natal planets, please … or at least how I’ll get on?

Neith’s response:

Timothy, with your natal Saturn trine your Sun and Venus blessing you with a natural understanding of how to deal with responsibilities, Saturn in Libra is not likely to cause you problems.

Saturn in Libra will not actually reach your natal Saturn until October 2010, though I’m sure you will be aware of its affects via the trine to your natal Venus. Perhaps you will be reminded of why you choose to respect others’ boundaries and generally behave respectfully towards your family, friends and lovers.

Pluto in Capricorn will probably start affecting your chart in 2011, when it will square your natal Saturn and inconjunct your Sun. This past year Pluto was inconjunct your Venus, giving you a taste of this inconjunct. Capricorn tends to feel Gemini is just a little too flighty, and Gemini finds Capricorn stuffy. Often the best route to handling these disparate energies is the old “agree to disagree” option.

Even if you will have little difficulty with Saturn squaring Pluto, Timothy, do be prepared for others around you complaining about their relationships. One of the differences between Saturn and Pluto in mutable signs (Virgo and Sagittarius) as compared to cardinal, is that people will be willing to take extreme action instead of just talking about it. It is worth noting the relationships that fail probably were seriously flawed.

Enjoy the remainder of this year’s Sagittarius season, Timothy!

Pat’s response:

Timothy, as you probably know, your natal Saturn is in early Libra, which means, first of all, that you are about to experience a Saturn return – that is, transiting Saturn is about to return to the degree it occupied in your natal chart. Saturn returns happen in our late 20s, late 50s, and late 80s. This is an important milestone in your life, even without the square between transiting Saturn and Pluto.

Whether or not we are aware of this influence, we typically begin examining our priorities and determining what we value. What has no value or purpose in life, we throw overboard, whether it’s material possessions, unfulfilling relationships, or life circumstances. What weighs us down or holds us back has to go. If we don’t make a conscious effort to get rid of what we no longer need, situations may arise that take these things away from us, and this can seem really random and cruel.

I believe that the Saturn-Pluto square is going to have this same effect on a broad scale. Many people are downsizing, buying less, and getting rid of extraneous possessions. For some, this will be a necessity due to widespread economic hardship. The effect for you may be amplified … or not. There’s a real possibility that you may not notice any significant effect at all. Transiting Pluto makes a happy sextile to your natal Mars and a supportive trine to your Moon in practical Virgo. This combination will make it easier for you to make changes, and to do so in a logical, matter-of-fact way.

Thanks for the timely question, Timothy, and best of luck to you.

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