Saturn in Scorpio is now direct but remains in the sign of sex, death and renewal until 17th September. Saturn in Scorpio is a time to reclaim any power we have given away to others and withdraw our control over people and things we have no business controlling.

Working with the energy of Saturn in Scorpio

Do you recognise yourself in any of the following scenarios? Be very honest with yourself.

Drugs and alcohol have a strong hold over you. Though you don’t consider yourself an addict you can’t do without that glass of wine or puff on that joint after work. You tell yourself it’s a recreational thing, a way to relax, but if someone tried to prevent you having it, well you just don’t know what you’d do.

Your relationship with your parents has always been extremely ‘close’. You spend a lot of time together and they’re always involved in the major decisions in your life, as well as many of the minor ones. You love each other dearly but sometimes you feel you’ve never been allowed to truly grow up. It feels a bit claustrophobic, but on the other hand you’re not sure how you’d go without their support.

Your partner has a very strong personality and in contrast you’re the quiet, introverted one. Because they tend to have the more forcefully opinions you often let them decide for you, at least when you don’t really care that much either way. It works pretty well most of the time, although sometimes you have the sneaking suspicion that you’re being a bit lazy, allowing someone else to take responsibility for your life.

There’s something you want so much that you feel you cannot be happy without it. This could be anything you strongly crave in your life, but common examples include a relationship, pregnancy, a better job or your own home. Your fixation on achieving this aim is so powerful that you cannot fully enjoy the other wonderful things in your life.

In attempts to avoid feeling vulnerable, all your energy is bound up in maintaining an outward appearance of self-control. You fear that by showing weakness you may be victimised. People comment on how calm and capable you seem but most of the time you are barely holding on to your sanity. It takes so much of your power to hold yourself together that there is none left over for creating your life as you wish it to be.

In order to have the things in life that you feel you need you’ve allowed yourself to get into debt. Now you work long hours in a job you dislike in order to make the monthly repayments and you barely have time to enjoy the things you bought with the money.

There are many similar scenarios. Most of us have willingly given up our power to something outside ourselves. We do this for various reasons: because we’ve been trained to submit within a hierarchical society, because deep down we don’t believe in our own ability to steer our own lives, or because we’re lazy and don’t want to face up to the responsibility of taking charge of our destiny. Saturn in Scorpio won’t let us shirk this responsibility any longer.

When we’ve given up our power we find ourselves experiencing a strange contradiction. Without that strong core of power within we find ourselves struggling for power over. We’ve lost touch with our centre of magical energy and are perpetually off balance, grasping for control of something, an anchor of sorts. So we find that the least powerful are often the most controlling. Saturn in Scorpio will show you where you’ve been grasping for control.

Exploring these questions of control is crucial to reclaiming true power. In any situation ask yourself these questions: Who is trying to control whom? What methods are they using? In what ways am I attempting to control those around me? What methods am I using? Physical force, manipulation, passive aggression? How much control do I really have in this situation? With Saturn in Scorpio these questions will be easier to answer.

Becoming conscious of how little control we really have is essential to this process. When we stop to really analyse a situation we find we have pretty much zero control over what happens to us, and zero control over other people’s actions and reactions. On the other hand we have complete control over ourselves and our own actions. The gift Saturn in Scorpio brings is the opportunity to reclaim this true power.

The beautiful paradox is that when we let go of controlling everything and everyone around us, and take full responsibility for ourselves, then we tap into an incredible source of power. What’s more, by aligning with the overall pattern and energy of the universe, we find that our energy flows more smoothly and creatively and we are able to manifest our lives as we would like them to be. This is the secret of the Law of Attraction. It is also the key to reclaiming our power. Saturn in Scorpio gives us this key, if we are willing to take it.

To reclaim out power we need to find a balance between a healthy self-reliance and the inter-dependence we see in see in natural ecosystems, where mutual support and sharing of responsibility makes us all stronger. With Saturn in Scorpio we may find ourselves wanting a more intense intimacy and many connections will feel shallow and superficial.

Such close intimacy brings up all kinds of anxieties because when we reveal ourselves to another we become incredibly vulnerable. Fears of rejection, abandonment and betrayal may all come to the fore. These fears can show us where the dynamics of power and control are playing out in our lives. Read more about retrograde Saturn in Scorpio here.

Techniques to try with Saturn in Scorpio

Digging down into the depths of our feelings to understand the roots of our unconscious addictions and habits can help us master them. Emotions may be intense and raw during Saturn in Scorpio and it’s often easier to mask them with anger, an unconscious escape mechanism we all use when experiencing extreme pain or fear. Try sitting with your anger and gently probing to see what lies beneath. Why are you angry? How does this situation make you feel disempowered? Where does the power lie? Avoid projecting blame onto others and instead simply observe your own reactions.

Working with the solar plexus during Saturn in Scorpio can also be valuable. The solar plexus is the source of our power, our magic, and when it is blocked or under-functioning we often experience this as a feeling of disempowerment or stagnancy. It can also manifest in our lives as power struggles, manipulative behaviour and jealousy, all negative traits of our Scorpio selves.

Scorpio is also known for vengeful behaviour and this has more to do with a natural sense that a debt must be repaid, than an innate cruelty. In fact Scorpio rules all debts and with Saturn passing through we are called upon to pay up. During Saturn in Scorpio we may find there are big prices to pay for behaviours we’ve been using to avoid taking responsibility for our own power, such as blame, manipulation, addiction or letting others take control. We must take responsibility for these debts because until we pay them we cannot be free.

This final transit of Saturn in Scorpio may be a challenging time for some, but if we work with the energy instead of struggling against it we will find that it can eventually be immensely empowering. Remain conscious and observe your reactions and all will be well! If you’d like to understand how this applies to you personally you can order an astrology reading.

Your turn…

Everyone feels transits differently based on the specific points that are triggered in the birth chart. Has this been a transformative period for you? Please share your experiences below so we can all learn from each other.