The Ascendant is the lens through which you view life so when Saturn arrives here, it’s like he’s brought up close and personal for your viewing! As one of the major angles of the chart, any planetary movements here tend to be experienced in a very immediate and personal way.

This transit marks the beginning of a new cycle and can be one of the most important periods of your life as you begin to examine what Saturn has taught you so far. As the planet of duty, responsibility, obligation and self-mastery you are moving into a period of maturation. Saturn crossing the Ascendant starts a 7 year period of inner reflection where you begin to build up your strength and endurance for things to come. Once Saturn reaches the cusp of the 4th house, what you learn during this period can start to be made manifest in the outside world.

Saturn on the Ascendant can feel heavy. You may feel weighed down by problems. Maybe your boss has dumped a load of extra responsibilities on your shoulders or perhaps issues with your partner arise where you feel like you are having to put in a lot more effort. Occasionally Saturn can remove relationships that are more trouble than they are worth. Saturn will show you where your time is best spent.

In the birth chart, Saturn indicates where you feel insecure; where you doubt yourself and the nature of your fears. As Saturn is now staring right into your eyes, there’s no denying your fears and inhibitions. Like everything else, these too must be examined and faced head on. Saturn knows that in order to do what you need to do, it’s necessary to shed self-imposed limitations. Saturn will show you where your limits are. Often there can be a feeling of ‘I’m not ready for this‘ and that’s exactly the point. Saturn shouts “coming ready or not” except it isn’t a game any more. It’s real. Saturn says “I know you’re not ready. I’m here to help“. Let him.

You may feel more aware of how you appear to others. You may become more critical of how you look, how you dress. You want people to take you seriously. Sometimes, if weight has been a issue, Saturn crossing the Ascendant can trigger the desire to lose weight, get fit and strengthen oneself to the core. The caution is not to be too hard on yourself. Whilst Saturn demands self-discipline in all respects, using his influence to beat yourself over the head with a big stick won’t get the job done. It’s about becoming aware of the negative voice in your head, the ‘shoulds’ and the ‘coulds’ and doing something positive about them. ‘Must try harder’ may be an incessant background track. Saturn is the teacher that knows you can do better when you hand in your scruffy homework. You don’t need to be afraid of Saturn here. It’s about acknowledging where you can do better – and doing it.

Unfinished business can also be a theme of this transit. Instead of starting something new, Saturn requests that you finish what you already begun. Tie up lose ends or let it go for good. Look at what has been neglected and needs attention. It’s the perfect time to take a look at what you have achieved so far and what you would still like to achieve. The difficulty may be that you think you can’t do it. Saturn will show you that you can – but patience and perseverance are required.

A conservative approach now is what works best. It’s about taking your time, following the rules and sometimes taking advice from elders or authority figures. To build the authority in yourself, there is a need to be open to learning from others. Common sense prevails.

You may feel more restricted now. Your world view may feel smaller. You may even find yourself grumbling about the state of the world! There is less freedom of movement than before because Saturn is trying to show you what needs to be done. In some case, the restriction of movement can become literal with health problems. This is more likely if other transits and natal patterns indicate it. Generally though, you may experience a lowered sense of vitality, a depression of energy or even just depression. The trick is to face any problems promptly and not allow yourself to wallow. Saturn requires that you do the work whether you feel like it or not. That said, ‘doing the work’ may simply be about learning to treat your body better and giving it the respect it deserves.

Some may feel more alone at this time. There can be a tendency to cut off with Saturn conjunct the Ascendant. This may be necessary due to life commitments but sometimes it can be simply be because you’re not feeling in a sociable mood. It may be that you need to learn to enjoy your own company. Take care however that you don’t build a wall between yourself and others. Whilst isolation can help you learn to stand on your own two feet, self-imposed isolation because you feel down, out and fed-up will only make matters worse. Make a little time for the people who are important to you.

Saturn conjunct the Ascendant can be summed up in the phrase ‘get it together’. It may feel like an uphill climb but the view from the top will be worth it. Saturn conjunct the Ascendant is about taking the first step. For clues as to how this transit may manifest, look to the position of your natal Saturn and the house ruled by Capricorn as these area of the chart will normally be triggered by this transit. Planetary helpers are indicated by any planets trine or sextile to natal Saturn. Using these aspect may help to channel some of the weight of Saturn and provide light at the end of the tunnel.

Painting ‘Lizzatori’ by John Singer Sargent