The more I work with people on their synastry with another, the more I realize it all comes back to the natal chart and learning what Saturn has to teach us about loving and accepting ourselves as we are BEFORE we embark on a relationship with another human being.

Saturn has gotten a lot of bad press over the years yet he has been my saving grace more often than not when Neptune, Uranus or Pluto embroiled me in their fun and games. As an astrologer, I look to Saturn in the natal chart to show how the individual handles their responsibilities to others and themselves. In fact, if we don’t learn to be responsible to ourselves first, the chances of us being there for others is not too great.

As a person with a natal out-of-sign Sun/Saturn square, I grew up with one or the other of my parents (Saturn) keeping my nose to the grindstone. We had a small family farm and we all had lots of chores to do. In general people with Saturn in aspect to their Sun, no matter the nature of the aspect, are often given responsibilities at an early age and are pretty much going to be made to attend to them. The effect of a Sun/Saturn aspect on how we relate as adults is often dependant on other aspects to our Suns. If we have a Jupiter or Venus aspect to the Sun natally, we will tend to develop a more optimistic outlook, and be less likely to choose a “parent” for a partner. If not, it may take several Saturn cycles including the Saturn Return to help us realize how valuable we are.

The Moon in aspect to Saturn has a sobering effect on our emotions and habits. We are often like Moon in Capricorn, very cautious and aware of where we fit into our social group; and likely to be “old” when we are young and “young” as we age. With a natal Moon/Saturn sextile myself, I know this pattern well. Saturn can have a dampening effect on the Moon, making one lean towards choosing friends and lovers based on whether they are reliable rather than exciting. That is unless Uranus is also aspecting the Moon, then all bets are off!

Venus in aspect to Saturn?! I have one of those too. With Venus in Sagittarius in the 1st House, having Saturn trine to it probably keep me from doing too many wild and crazy things. However, it’s possible with Venus in aspect to Saturn to be so conventional and hedged about by the need to fit in; all the fun can be drained out of life. This aspect is the one most associated with undervaluing our feeling of being desirable. Here again if we are patient with Saturn’s lessons we can learn how to unfold our wings and transform our self-image. People with Venus/Saturn aspects are sometimes the ones who undertake a healthy diet and exercise program to very good effect – mostly because they stay with it long enough to see real results. We attract partners who appreciate someone who demonstrates reliability, not very romantic but good for lasting relationships with others.

When it comes to Mars/Saturn aspects natally, I have to go with what I’ve observed in others, like my sister who has Mars conjunct Saturn in Cancer. She can work longer and harder without letting up than anyone I know – except for others with Mars in close aspect to Saturn. This aspect can cause deep frustration of the need to act but at the same time it gives great endurance. Mars/Saturn aspects function similarly to Mars in Capricorn, one of the placements of Mars said to give one a steady sex drive but very controlled. This aspect suggests this individual is going to take their time before committing to a relationship but if they do, they’ll be around for the long haul. Sometimes Saturn can give Mars a fear of taking action and lead to a situation of complete impasse.

With an accurate birth time, we can also find out if Saturn is conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven in the chart. Those with Saturn on the Ascendant tend to present a dour face to the world even if they are fun loving and sociable in privacy. If we wish to draw a partner more in tune with who we are at home, we need to keep in mind to show this self more often. Saturn on the Midheaven is an indicator of someone who is all business on the job even if they are a party animal away from the office. In both these cases, it usually pays to take the time (Saturn) to get to know them in different settings.

This is more or less the cliff notes version of how Saturn works natally. I highly recommend getting a hold of a copy of Liz Greene’s book, “Saturn: a new look at an old devil”. Almost every astrologer I’ve ever talked agrees this book is the definitive source of information on Saturn. My copy is well read because it’s a staple reference book in my astrology library.

posted by Neith . . .