Saturn is in Capricorn and will stay here until 18th of December 2020.
After wandering through the zodiac for 27 years, Saturn finally comes home. Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn, the sign he resonates with the most.
Indeed, Saturn and Capricorn have many things in common: both Capricorn and Saturn are structured, hardworking, diligent, persistent, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the next best version of themselves.
Because Saturn is at home in Capricorn, this is really good news for all of us. When a planet transits its home sign, it can express its best qualities.
What does it mean that Saturn feels at ease in Capricorn? Take a look at the mountain goat in the photo below.
Are you freaking out? Whenever Saturn passes through any other sign but Capricorn, he is freaking out, too. He does not understand the exuberance of Sagittarius. He feels awkward in the deep waters of Scorpio.
But he feels just fine in Capricorn. In fact, he feels extremely comfortable here. Capricorn is the place where he can best make use of his knowledge and skills: determination, persistence, resilience.
We desperately need Saturn out of Sagittarius. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter which is pretty much the antithesis of Saturn. While Jupiter is all about exuberance, growth, and expansion, Saturn is all about rules, contraction, learning to take responsibilities and becoming an adult.
Do you see the conflict here? Saturn in Sagittarius is like asking the hippie guru to put on a suit and go to the office. Thankfully, on the 20th of December 2017, Saturn is finally out of Sagittarius and he can finally be himself.
But let’s not forget what Saturn stands for: rules, hard work, restriction, patience, structure. Saturn is also the great manifestor, the only planet able to turn ideas into concrete results.
Saturn will reward you – always – but only when you reach the summit. You need to make your way there by yourself. You need to work hard to receive Saturn’s blessings. The good news is that once you have them, no one can take them away from you. You have earned them with your sweat and tears. You have become a better person.
By the end of the Saturn’s transit in 2020, a new, better you will emerge. But for this, you need to put in the work and be patient.
Saturn also represents boundaries. The ring of Saturn represents our ‘safety zone’, our personal space, what we can rely on, what we are responsible for. Within the safety zone, if you do your job, you are protected. There is no ‘fate’ or bad fortune to blame.
It is only outside the ring belt where life gets dangerous. But inside the safety zone, you know what you get. Saturn is maybe the only planet you can fully rely on. Saturn is mature, solid and predictable. Saturn has your back. You can count on him.
Saturn is the planet that marks the transition between our inner world, what is within our control (the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter) to the outer world, what is outside our control, represented by outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto). Saturn is with one foot in this world, and one foot in the other.
Saturn is thus the gateway between our mortal existence and immortality. Saturn is the teacher who makes sure we are prepared to face our destiny, to fulfill our mission in this lifetime.
Saturn in Capricorn’s motivation is to find the highest peak, to reach the top of the mountain. Saturn in Capricorn never stops climbing. There is no mountain high enough for him. During Saturn’s transit in Capricorn, you into a mountain goat, too.
In the next 3 years, there won’t be a peak you cannot climb, there won’t be a goal you cannot reach. Whatever you put your mind to, you can do.
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve” – Napoleon Hill
What will happen during Saturn’s stay in Capricorn December 2017 – December 2020
Capricorn rules the governance structures of the society: politics, church, the monarchy, big corporations, the monetary system, macroeconomics. Saturn in Capricorn will bring an extra focus on these structures, by either challenging them or on the contrary, by consolidating and empowering them. Old systems and structures can collapse, and new systems or structures can come into power.
The key word for Saturn in Capricorn is structure. When the structure is fundamentally solid, Saturn will come to reinforce it. But when the structure, when the foundation is weak, Saturn will come to destroy it in order to create a better, a more solid foundation, a foundation that can pass the test of time (or at least the test of the next 29 years, corresponding to a Saturn cycle).
In 1961 when Saturn was in Capricorn, the Berlin Wall, separating the East and West Germany was built. In 1989, when Saturn was in Capricorn again, the wall came down. As we can see, Saturn can either build or destroy, depending on the historical context.
For the upcoming Saturn in Capricorn transit, the “destroy” alternative seems quite plausible, given that Saturn will conjunct Pluto, the great destroyer, in January 2020 (last time the two met was in 1982!).
Fortunately, apart from Pluto, Saturn is making mainly good aspects with all slow-moving planets (a trine by sign to Uranus, a sextile to Neptune, a sextile to Jupiter in 2018 and a semisextile in 2019).
What is great about the Saturn Neptune sextile is that both planets are in their home signs (Saturn in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces) which means this time Saturn and Neptune will support each other and build on each other’s strengths. Compare the upcoming sextile to the 2016 Saturn in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces… we are definitely heading for better times!
Saturn will also be in a trine by sign to Uranus, which is the best aspect you can get.
After we had some very challenging aspects between 2012-2016: the Uranus-Pluto square, the Saturn-Neptune square, the Jupiter Pluto square and the Jupiter Uranus opposition, the sky is finally giving us a break.
No major stressful aspect in 2018 and 2019! In 2020 we will have the Saturn Pluto conjunction, which is probably the most important aspect in 40 years – and by then we can definitely expect major events.
To sum up, during Saturn in Capricorn transit we can expect BIG changes, but the changes will be positive, and necessary. There is not much resistance to the Saturnian agenda in the coming years. All the outer planets will support Saturn in his mission. This means that changes will come, but will be positive. We will be well equipped to overcome them.
What is also worth noting is that in the 2nd part of the Saturn transit in Capricorn we will have a record of 4 slow moving planets in Capricorn: Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter and the South Node. The last time we had a Capricorn stellium of outer planets was in the late 1980’s – early 90’s, with Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – all in Capricorn.
Saturn officially leaves Capricorn December 17th of 2020, almost 3 years after the ingress (Saturn will move into Aquarius for few months, from March to July 2020).
So we’re in for 3 years of pure Saturnian energy. Do your job well, and Saturn will reward you big time!
How Saturn in Capricorn is going to affect you
To find out how Saturn in Capricorn is going to affect you personally, look in which house you have Capricorn. The house where you have Capricorn in your natal chart will point to the area of your life which will come into focus. If you don’t know in which house you have Capricorn check out my article about how to read transits in the natal chart.
If you have Capricorn or Aquarius ascendant you will feel the shift stronger because Saturn is your chart ruler (or co-ruler, for Aquarius ascendants).
If you have a Capricorn ascendant, a completely new chapter of your life is about to start. If you have Cancer Ascendant, you will experience the shift in the area of relationships, if you have Aries Ascendant you will start a new career cycle and so on.
Pay attention to what you start now because you are going to stick with it for the next 29 years of your life – this is, you guessed it, the length of a Saturn cycle.
If your natal Saturn is in Capricorn, you will experience your Saturn Return, one of the most significant transits in one’s life.
If you are at your first Saturn return (if you are born between February 15th 1988 until February 5th 1991) – congratulations! Your first Saturn return means that you will officially become an adult.
Saturn return means that now is the time to grow up and do something with your life. Saturn returns usually bring major commitments in one’s life: marriage, children, buying a property, career advancements. If you have your 1st Saturn return, be aware that Saturn will also conjunct your natal Uranus and Neptune – so this transit is really BIG for you!
If you have your 2nd Saturn return, the same themes of building new foundations, setting the course for the new phase of your life will come into focus.
But you don’t need to have your Saturn return to be affected by this transit. No matter when you are born, Saturn will bring a particular area of your life into awareness. Saturn will teach you how to become bulletproof in this area of your life, either by fortifying the existing foundations or by building new ones.
Either way, Saturn will help you clear out any old baggage that holds you back from moving forward in your life so you can achieve your highest purpose.
Remember, anything is possible with Saturn in Capricorn.
Aim high – because this time, you might just get to the top of the mountain.
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Hi! I have no Capricorn in any natal houses. Is this possible? (29th Oct 1968 Adelaide South Australia 6am)
You probably use Placidus house system and Capricorn is intercepted. Use instead the whole sign system to find out which house is ruled by Capricorn. If you don’t know how to get your chart using the whole sign houses, check out my article about how to read transits in the natal chart
Hello Kuebiko, NO, this is NOT possible. Saturn is a planet: you can’t take it away from the sky ;D Look very closely, it might be hidden in a corner, or go to astro.com or other astro sites and have your natal chart to be calculated and drew for you. Best, Arlette.
Really interesting article and more positive than most on the same subject, so thanks for that.
I seem to have a great deal going on in that area in 2020.
I’ve got natal Vertex at 23 Capricorn (5th house) and in 2020 will have progressed Moon conjunct plus solar arc IC.
In fact from now on for the next 30 odd years I’ll experience Saturn chasing the Moon.
This degree doesn’t seem to aspect any other in my natal chart other than sextile Vesta in Pisces 8th and sextile Pallas in Scorpio 4th.
Oh and maybe quincunx natal Moon 20 degrees in Gemini 10th.
Can you see any positivity in any of this?
yes exactly. Which house in your natal chart will be transited by Saturn
I m capri ascendant. If saturn is gonna train me to be bullet proof in my 1st house n 8 th house wat am I to become? The Devil?
Kuebiko, even if Capricorn is not on a cusp, it must still be in Some house.
Also, Saturn has traditional rulership over Capricorn And Aquarius.
Thank you everyone! Thanks – found it!
Thanks AstroButterfly for this great summary of what to expect. I will like to point something out though in terms of Saturn’s role. In my opinion, I don’t think Saturn is interested in destroying anything, that act is more associated with Pluto or Mars. I think when there isn’t a structure for Saturn, he creates delays, frustrations and restrictive conditions that forces a person or a situation to grow up/do what is right and fix the matter from the ground up. He doesn’t destroy. Yes he may be the grim reaper/malefic but his method is mostly around using the theme of time, (e.g, the ageing process, skeletal issues, endings,death, etc) to force us to realise our true potential. Or to slowly establish and manifest things through the grind; destruction is not really its way.
Another point to make is that when the Berlin wall came down, Neptune was exactly conjunct Saturn. Neptune is the great dissolver and that wall was dissolved regardless of Saturn’s need for boundaries.Remember the outer planets always still maintain much graver powers over their inner planets, so we must always pay attention to this planetary hierarchy according to their weight and in regards to what to expect when Saturn is ready to meet Pluto come Jan 2020, it will def not be all sweetness and light. Just my 2 cents. Thanks so much for the good work you do.
Fully agree. Indeed – Saturn with Neptune is dissolving, the wall came down just like magic, in a classic Neptunian way. When Saturn will meet Pluto in Jan 2020, we can expect things to get destroyed in the pure definition of the word. And yes, Saturn does not bring sudden destruction, but it can demolish (brick by brick, slowly but surely) anything that is not built on solid foundations.
What if you have late degree capricorn ascendant, and also capricorn on the 12th house. Which will square all Aires planets in the second house mercury, Venus, moon, and Jupiter and sun in the third house?
Thank you. I love your postings.
You can expect relocation or changes at home, home refurbishment, moving homes, or some events in your family
Thank you for this article!! I am having my first Saturn return! I’m looking forward to it. I want to get married and love stability. Overall I am excited for what this transit will bring to me.
Happy Saturn Return!
You mention capricorn ascendant but I’m wondering how it will affect you if sun is in capricorn?
Transits to the Sun and the Moon are felt more internally, so you are going to feel it for sure, but to see which area of your life will come into focus, look in which house from the ascendant you have Capricorn
Hello,
First of all, thank you for your article which explains how to find transits in our charts! I am a novice, literally a baby trying to learn astrology, so I am grateful for your help. May I ask a question? My first saturn return was when I was 2 years old, so I don’t remember it 🙂 I am a capricorn, my Sun is in Capricorn in house 10, and my Saturn is in my 8th house. So, what exactly does this mean for me? Of course, I completely understand if you don’t want to deal with yet another rookie question 🙂 Many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us anyways!
Hi, Saturn return only happens when you are 27-30 years old, it is when transit Saturn is conjunct your natal Saturn. At the age of 2 you probably had a Saturn transit over your Sun. I will come up with more information in the coming weeks on what to expect from the Saturn transit according to the natal house placement.
I have a Capricorn moon at 4 degrees in the 3rd and Jupiter at 24 degrees Capricorn in the 4th. I’ve already been feeling the death of certain aspects of my life. How do I prepare for the 2020 Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto transit to my 4th house when it seems like everything I’ve built up will be lost?
It is still a long way to go until 2020, the Saturn Pluto conjunction is close to your IC so you can definitely experience a new beginning, but I wouldn’t worry too much. Saturn rules your 4th house (who you really are, your comfort zone, your family, your home, your properties) and Pluto the 2nd (your self worth, what you value, your money and possessions) – you can improve your self worth, and as a result, you will feel stronger on the inside. You need to become more self reliant and find the comfort and security you need inside, instead of looking for it outside.
Thank you as I am a novice learning. This is my second Saturn Return. Saturn and jupiter are in my first house which I have learned is very interesting. I am a double Taurus, Sadge asc. Your writing has me very excited for the work I am doing…oh so capricorn of me. LOL Well thanks again. I appreciate you.
Thank you! Hapapy Saturn return 😊
The Saturn Pluto conjunction in Jan 2020 happens within minutes of my Capricorn ascendant. Capricorn also rules my 12th House at 0 degrees. I have been the family matriarch the past 9 years (Pluto transiting 12th House) due to my husband’s dementia. What might be the positive manifestation of the upcoming Saturn and Pluto transits for me? I also have Natal Saturn in my 10th house.
I have a question. My natal chart shows that Capricorn was transiting my 10th house and 9th house. But I am also a Cancer Ascendant. So will I be affected most by my 10th house and 9th house? I am not sure if I am supposed to look at where Saturn was when I was born or where Capricorn was. This article says to look where I have Capricorn, but your transit/natal chart guide shows examples stating that I need to look where the actual planet is. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Any recommendations for a Capricorn sun Scorpio moon Sagittarius Saturn for the upcoming turn of events? Much love
Happy Saturn Return 🙂
I use the whole house system and Capricorn rules my 8th house which also contains my natal mars……I’m having a hard time finding much. The 8th house is tricky!
Thank you for this very informative article. I just finished my Saturn return. It has been terrible. Made a mistake with the internet/ values and things got blown out of proportion. Following this, I went into a major cycle of anxiety and forgot who I was. People calling me names and so on. I lost my father:( I expected that maybe I would get married etc which did not happen but instead I am going through a dark night of the soul.
My ascendant, Jupiter is in aries,
Sun, mercury, Venus in scorpio
Moon, Neptune in Capricorn
Can I expect better times?
Thank you so much!
Hi, what can I expect if I have Moon/Saturn/Uranus/Neptune in Cap all in my 3rd House with Capricorn as the House ruler? (I’m Scorpio ascendant). Thanks in advance!
I just went through my 2nd saturn’s return (turned 60 on Dec. 22nd) and cleared out a lot! Is this going to continue another 3 years!?
thank you so much for this! i am
novice as others have stated but i have found caprircorn in my 12th house with an aquarious ascendent. there is also a stellium in my 10th house which i am still researching the meaning of to gain full understanding. before reading your article things started to shift mentally on dec. 14, 2017…this my time!
Thank you for your article on Saturn return in Capricorn. It’s the most positive and uplifting I have read. It’s my second time around, and I can feel the brakes are on, and it’s teaching me patience, tenacity, and trust in the process as I watch changes and challenges occurring, and I am only 2 months into it… 34 months to go…! Hopefully it will make not break me! Keep up the good work, Rosana
I’m somewhat new to astrology but turned 30 on Dec 25 2017 – I’m wondering if this is my Saturn Return? I’m a capricorn sun with taurus rising. Because I’m definitely feeling a lot and wondering wtf is going on! Thank you so much.
This is one of the better explanations of the coming Saturn Pluto Jupiter conjunctions. Unlike some other Astrologers, you’re bringing some positive spin into the picture. But I have to say that this part of your interpretation may not be as positive as you’re saying:
“What is great about the Saturn Neptune sextile is that both planets are in their home signs (Saturn in
Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces) which means this time Saturn and Neptune will support each other and
build on each other’s strengths. Compare the upcoming sextile to the 2016 Saturn in Sagittarius square
Neptune in Pisces… we are definitely heading for better times!
Saturn will also be in a trine by sign to Uranus, which is the best aspect you can get.”
Trines and sextiles can bring on things we don’t want to happen; THEY JUST MAKE IS EASIER FOR TO IT TO HAPPEN. These aspects simply create ease of energy flow, which isn’t necessarily good. For example, Saturn in earth to Neptune in water can create opportunities for floods to happen. Saturn trine Uranus in earth signs makes it “easier for earthquakes and volcanoes” to occur. On a personal example, Saturn conj my Sun trine Uranus a few months back and I spent a month running back & forth to the hospital due to my father’s illness (Saturn conj Sun), but everyday there was a new “unexpected and more difficult development to contend with(Uranus trine Sun).
Any planetary energy that is not undersood and integrated can be challenging. And that’s indeed the case for any astrological aspect, soft or tense. I dissagree though that soft aspects make it easier for bad things to happen. In most cases, when people experience negative effects with a trine or sextile is because that trine or sextile is also engaged in tense aspects to a third, or forth planet. In your case, this tense aspect is Saturn conjunct Sun (and perhaps other aspects were triggered by the trine to Uranus or by other transits).
I’m capricorn moon n zodiac,born on 23 Feb 1990 acendent Taurus..sun sign pisces..my Saturn in 9th house of natal chart..how 2020 Saturn Transit will affect me??
Kindly reply
Am capricorn, born 17 Jan,1983.Am new in this, how do understand and learn to understand the whole things about the earth and planet stuff.