The Saturn-Neptune opposition of 2006-2007

A cosmic dance between fear and faith

The coming opposition aspect between Saturn in Leo and Neptune in Aquarius will, in this author’s opinion, be the most influential astrological aspect of 2006-07.  The exact dates for this 180 degree polarization of the tangible versus the intangible and structural integrity versus faulty foundations, will be August 31, 2006, February 28, 2007 and June 25, 2007.  Please note that these dates are when this particular aspect is most acute, potent and palpable in the daily pulse of our lives.  It’s archetypal presence will be felt throughout the entire year.

A Saturn-Neptune cycle takes 36 years to complete itself, with the peak opposition occurring half way through this time period.  Looking back in history, the Saturn-Neptune cycle beginning in 1917 marked the start of the Russian revolution, along with the rise and fall of communism. During the opposition years 1936-1938 in the zodiac signs of Pisces-Virgo, the Soviet government, under the rule of Joseph Stalin, was at its peak.  Communism is just one example of a polarization between established institutions and authoritarian control (Saturn) versus structural breakdown preceding a new order.  Other prominent themes during a face off between order and chaos are destabilizing influences in  government currency, health crises (flu pandemics), oil and gasoline, pharmaceuticals, pollution,  weather and riots and rallies in efforts (Saturn) to expose corruption (Neptune). It has been well documented that capital punishment debates have been associated with the peak years of this cycle in history.

Symbolically, the planets Saturn and Neptune are complete opposites, with seemingly nothing in common….Saturn versus Neptune…ego versus egoless, reality versus fantasy, limitations versus faith and despair versus hope and inspiration.    If we were to delve into the history of repeating Saturn-Neptune oppositions, we would find common threads, themes, events or circumstances that mirror the archetypal  process of dissolution of form in our lives, both collectively and individually.

The most recent opposition prior to the current cycle occurred in the years 1971 and 1972 between the opposing signs of Gemini and Sagittarius.  The origin of this particular cycle took place in 1952 at the conjunction of Saturn-Neptune at 22 degrees of Libra (social justice).  Those individuals born several years before this opposition,  with planets in late degrees of  the cardinal signs Libra, Aries, Capricorn and Cancer may remember this period well.  During this two year period our nation experienced the Watergate break in, which preceded the Watergate scandal, President Nixon took the dollar off the gold standard followed by a major spike in the price of oil (Neptune) and the Mai Lai massacre occurred in Viet Nam.  Also, in 1971, the Senate subcommittee released a three hundred page report documenting corruption and criminality in the PX scandal in the Viet Nam war.

The current Saturn-Neptune opposition on August 31, 2006 originated at the conjunction aspect, the coming together of both Saturn and Neptune at 11 degrees of Capricorn (authority, control, government) back in 1989.   A conjunction aspect is a “cosmic marriage” or joining together of two planetary archetypes. They may complement each other or they may pose a great challenge, due to their disparate energies.  A conjunction aspect heralds a new beginning…the birth of a new cycle, ripe for germination.  The seed of that cycle comes to fruition or fulfillment during the opposition.  The opposition is the “Full Moon” of the cycle when the ramifications of the earlier conjunction are realized for better or for worse.  Fulfillment may arrive in the form of chaos because  the fulfillment is the full realization that major corrections need to be made. 

 Those individuals with planets around the vicinity of 11 degrees of Capricorn, Aries, Libra and Cancer should also remember this period very well,  as old forms, relationships, careers, dreams… gave way, preceding a new order in areas relevant to the location of this conjunction in their natal birth charts. 

Collectively, the year 1989 was a major year depicting Saturn-Neptune themes such as the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing, the Red Army breaking up a student rally  resulting in many deaths and injuries, free elections in Poland, anti-communist revolutions and most notable of all, the breaking down of the “Iron Curtain”.  Clearly, this amalgamation of control and chaos, order and disorder and  commitment and faith, ultimately evoked a renewed faith (Neptune) in humanity’s commitment (Saturn) to peace and basic, human rights.

How do we navigate the dissolving of the old order in our individual lives?  Those of us with points in our natal birth charts at various degrees of the fixed signs Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus will be greatly impacted by the Saturn-Neptune opposition, especially those of us with planets or important angles at 16-25 degrees of fixed signs. 

What can we do to consciously mitigate or transmute these destabilizing planetary energies?  First of all, now is the time to go easy on ourselves and trust that as the old structures of the past are slowly dissolving, a new foundation will gradually be revealed over time.  With conscious intent, we can re-inspire (Neptune) old structures (Saturn), clarify and rebuild (Saturn) our faith and give form to some creative or spiritual inspiration (Neptune) through dedication and perseverance, in spite of  gnawing self doubts and fear (Saturn).

It is important to realize that many of us will not feel ready to commit ourselves to a new direction for quite some time, as aimlessness, disillusionment, anxiety, confusion or passivity may precipitate a latent authenticity which has not yet revealed itself.  We must trust that on a subconscious level, our innate wisdom is re-aligning itself, and making space for new structures and sources of nourishment in our lives.  If we can trust the unfolding process in spite of the fear, we will be conscious participants in the co-creation of our dreams, not mere victims of chance. 

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