Saturn in Libra 1980's and Now

Saturn entered Libra yesterday, October 29, 2009. The last time Saturn was in this sign was from 1980 to 1983. Back then Ronald Reagan trounced Jimmy Carter in the Presidential election. Saturn entered Libra on September 21, 1980 and the recession of the 1980’s began in December 1980. That recession ended in November of 1982, just as Saturn made its first foray into Scorpio. During the years of Saturn’s previous sojourn through Libra, Congress enacted the Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions act of 1982 which went into law in July of that year. This act deregulated the banks as well as the Savings and Loan institutions and was considered a major factor in the Savings and Loan crisis of that era. As the act’s name suggests, yes, this law was sponsored by our own Fernand St. Germain. Another interesting fact is that it was co-sponsored by Charles Shumer the Democratic Senator from New York who was then Congressmen from that district. Today we are dealing with the results of the Reagan era’s deregulation of banks and other financial institutions. Astrology is the study of cycles and the Saturn cycle is one that astrologers delight in because Saturn deals with the concrete, the real, the things that you can see, feel and touch thus providing events that manifest in the physical world. Saturn is the great task master and wherever Saturn is in your horoscope is the area of life where you have to face the music. Saturn slams your face against the concrete wall of reality. Libra the sign of art, beauty, harmony, peace and justice promotes relationship, cooperation and alliances. Saturn is exalted in Libra which means that Saturn functions well here. Saturn provides structure, contraction, concentration, boundaries, and discipline. Libra’s chief function is relationship, personal as well as societal. With Saturn in Libra we can expect issues to arise involving our relationships. During this transit we examine our relationships and any note of discord that we have previously ignored increases in volume until we have to deal with it. We can no longer tolerate certain aspects of the relationship. Divorce rates usually increase during a Saturn/Libra transit, but just as many relationships survive or form during this transit. Saturn brings longevity to whatever it touches. Saturn also gets rid of anything you don’t really need, what is no longer of value to you and what no longer serves your highest good. Saturn in Libra forces us to look at both sides of the picture. Saturn in Libra is the chief negotiator, as such; this combination plays a huge role in the peace process, whether personal or global. Diplomacy, treaties and alliances with an eye to justice increase during this transit. People who have planets in the early degrees of the Cardinal signs of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn will be feeling the heat early on in Saturn’s sojourn through Libra. The waning squares between Pluto and Saturn begin on November 15th. The waxing square between these two brought us the first attack on the World Trade Center, the opposition brought 9/11, so with these closing squares (1/31/10 and final on 8/21/10) be prepared to see incidents associated with these events. The issues that arise in a personal horoscope involving these planets are usually very complex and require a great deal of digging and hard work to resolve. It’s the old “between a rock and a hard place” scenario. We’ll end on that cheery note.