After spending roughly two and a half years in Libra, Saturn left the sign of face-to-face relationships and moved into Scorpio.
To better understand what we can expect from Saturn during its journey through Scorpio, let’s first take a look at what we experienced while it was in the sign of marriage, balance and justice.
When Saturn entered Libra, I predicted that its journey through the sign of marriage and partnership would yield legislation and judicial actions that would ultimately define who can – or cannot – get married in the USA.
In recent years, same-sex marriage has become the focus of numerous judicial rulings and state enacted legislation that either legalized it or prohibited it. (See National Conference of State Legislation.) On the national level, several federal courts have ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which specifically prohibits recognition of same-sex marriage on a federal level and has thus far successfully trashed full faith and credit, is unconstitutional.
Moreover, just as Saturn was moving through the final degrees of Libra, same-sex marriage was thrust into the national spotlight as the Democratic Party made history by including support for same-sex marriage as part of its official 2012 platform. Finally, as Saturn reached the 29th and final degree of Libra, the Supreme Court began its new term and is expected to hear at least one of the pending appeals connected to same sex marriage, which will most likely be the challenge to DOMA.
Libra has a well-deserved reputation for sitting on the fence, but its indecision stems from perfectionism rather than weakness. Although its leadership style may differ from Aries, Cancer and Capricorn, it is an action-oriented cardinal sign and therefore
astrologically wired to initiate, which it does after painstakingly weighing, analyzing and considering every aspect of a situation to ensure that it renders a fair decision.
In fact, Libra is so dedicated to justice that neither pride nor shame will deter it from reversing a decision – or flip flop as its detractors like to call it – if it believes it delivered the wrong verdict.
In fact, while Saturn was in Libra we actually witnessed such self-correction in the Democratic party, because although this year’s platform staunchly supports same-sex marriage, this wasn’t always the case.
Although he subsequently reversed his position on same sex marriage in 1999, back in June 1996 while Saturn was in the self-interested sign of Aries, then President Bill Clinton stated that he believed marriage was a union between a man and a woman. Although Libra Rising (with a first house Libra stellium) Bill Clinton reversed his position in 1999, just three months later this Democratic president signed DOMA into law. Now, while it’s true that the Republicans, who also happened to control both houses at the time, introduced DOMA, it’s also true that the Democrats accounted for 118 of the 342 yeas in the house (65 opposed) and 32 of the 85 yeas in the Senate (14 opposed). (See Defense of Marriage Act.)
Similarly, from 2004 through 2011, President Barack Obama consistently stated that he believed marriage (not civil unions) was a union strictly between a man and a woman, and he was far from alone in this belief. (See Timeline of Obama’s ‘Evolving’ on Same Sex Marriage) In 2004, only 32% of registered voters supported same-sex marriage. (See Support for Gay Marriage Reaches a Milestone.)
Fast forward to today.
Like Saturn, which has shifted 180° to a position exactly opposite the one it held in 1996 when DOMA was enacted, so has President Obama, many in the Democratic party, several state legislatures, and more than half of the American public.
In 2011, and while under the influence of Saturn in Libra, the White House announced it would no longer defend challenges to DOMA and 53% of registered voters supported same-sex marriage. (Ibid. )
A more inclusive definition of marriage is part of Saturn in Libra’s legacy.
Whether or not it becomes an indelible part of American society will be decided by Saturn in Scorpio.
As Saturn moves through the zodiac, its purpose is to define the life areas ruled by the sign it is transiting, and it achieves this goal by testing the validity of existing beliefs and practices. As the natural ruler of the eighth house, Scorpio’s domain includes sex, death, jointly held resources, social security, pensions, insurance, taxes, inheritances, bankruptcy, child support, spousal maintenance and financial settlements gained through lawsuits.
As it currently stands, under DOMA federal benefits that are automatically bestowed upon heterosexual marriages are not
granted to same sex marriages, such as social security survivor benefits, family leave benefits, insurance, health and pension benefits, bankruptcy rights, estate taxes and joint income tax returns. On a state level, unless authorized by law, same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships are not entitled to the protections of the domestic relations law (e.g., spousal maintenance, parenting rights). They are also prohibited from holding property as tenants in the entirety, initiating wrongful death actions, inheriting under intestacy laws or making health care decisions or funeral arrangements for their partner.
To sum it up: Scorpio presides over the issues that are inherent rights in marriage but denied to same-sex unions, and in the next few years Saturn will define who is entitled to them.
On a mundane level, Saturn’s journey through Scorpio will influence more than same-sex marriage, but that’s a blog for another day.
On a personal level, Saturn will help you gain clarity by insisting that you define the life areas associated with the house, or houses as the case may be that contain Scorpio in your chart.
However, before you begin considering the potential influence that Saturn in Scorpio might have on your future, I recommend that you take some time to consider Saturn in Libra’s influence in your past.
What was tested in your life during that time?
What was defined?
Most of all, what lessons did you learn?
Why is it so important to do this?
Because Saturn lays a foundation in one sign and then builds upon it in the next, so recognizing and understanding where you’ve already been will make the road ahead a lot easier for you to navigate.
And, if you need some help handling Saturn along the way, consider a Targeted Guidance session with me.
After all, who knows Saturn better than a Capricorn?
