It’s Shanivaar again, the day of Shani or Saturn, Lord of Karma. A good color for Saturn is purple. Wearing and meditating on this color increases the highest manifestation of Saturn whose qualities are truth, spiritual awareness, patience, duty, responsibility, practicality, and effective time management and work habits.

Saturn is transiting in a weak position in the transformational gandanta (karmic knot) between Scorpio and Sagittarius for much of 2017, which I have discussed in great detail before in my blogs. Simply put, this transit epitomizes “a world in transition.” Saturn is currently transiting in the first pada of Mula nakshatra from 0 to 3 deg. 20 min. of sidereal Sagittarius in Aries navamsa. From mid-March to late April, he will move into the 2nd pada of Taurus navamsa which is generally more favorable for Saturn’s positive material, spiritual and creative results, as Taurus is ruled by Venus who is Saturn’s friend.

For now, Saturn is in the navamsa (ninth harmonic) of enemy Mars, and Vedic astrology teaches that a planet in its fallen (debilitated or neecha) navamsa acts fully debilitated no matter what its main rashi placement is. The essence of Saturn in Aries in the main sign or navamsa varga reflects ego problems like insecurity and conflict with authority. For those who seek to be more conscious, Saturn in Aries navamsa is now both individually and collectively seriously testing us on how to take responsibility for our thoughts, impulses and actions. For those less aware, Saturn in Aries points to a tendency for damaging psychological projection.

As the son of the Sun, Saturn’s nature is often expressed in the symbolic world of shadows. The late Vedic astrologer Bepin Behari wrote in his Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology that “Saturn spiritualizes but not by arousing an inner urge to discover the real Self. This comes as an after-effect. Saturn causes frustration with the material world. It creates sorrow first. It accentuates the nature of the ‘shadow’ and makes the veil covering the soul’s real nature more prominent through its restricting influence.” (p 91)

Astrologer Steven Arroyo wrote in Astrology, Karma and Transformation that Saturn’s heat and pressure are needed in order that we develop what Buddhists call the ‘diamond soul’ or ‘diamond body,’ which is their way of saying our fundamental innermost nature.” (p 73) In Astrology of Inner Space, Carl Payne Tobey expresses an interesting view of this innermost nature which I believe corresponds to the highest expression of Saturn, which is to reveal the illusions of the outer world:

         “I don’t feel the need to become a part of something bigger. There is more to conquer in inner space than in the outer world. It is unlimited and more interesting. It’s the source of understanding…this does not mean I am antisocial but I prefer to deal with individuals rather than groups…For many, the outer shell of inner space is contaminated and polluted by reflections from the outer world, that ‘something bigger’ with all its corruption and hypocrisy.” (pp 426-427)

I bow to Lord Shani, who removes the illusion of worldliness: Om Virodhadharabumaya Namah!
I bow to Lord Shani, who is the most senior and excellent One: Om Shresthaya Namah!
I bow to the One who speaks little: Om Mitabhasinaya Namah!
I bow to the One who destroys the root of ignorance: Om Avidyamulanasa Namah!
I bow to the One who is lowly and humble: Om Kurupinaya Namah!
I bow to the One who gives dispassion: Om Vairagyadaya Namah!
I bow to the One whose power arises from dispassion: Om Viraya Namah!
I bow to the One who is steady and reliable: Om Achanchala Namah!
I humbly bow to Lord Shani who is my own true nature. Om Sham Shanicharaya Namah!
Jai Saturn! Happy Saturn Day!