You know the saying: “nothing good comes easily”. Now I don’t know if nothing good comes easily, but in any case a lot of good does not come easily.

Saturn is the planet that forces us, under great weight or duress, to discover these latter, finer, harder-won goods. At least that is its aim. It is also possible to give up, to be buried in depression, or to escape into drugs, alcohol, or suicide. 

Yes, Saturn can be heavy.

I write this as Saturn has just returned to Pisces for a short stint, and I write as Saturn sits on my progressed Sun. Transits to progressed planets can definitely hit hard. Perhaps it also because my progressed Sun is moving into Aries, so I am getting a combined wallop.

I could talk your ear off about Saturn, but this is a gentle introduction. I’ll focus here specifically on Saturn transits, what makes these so difficult, and how to come to the other end successful or at least alive… 

Let’s return to these good things in life that don’t come easily. Why don’t they come easily?

Why Life is Hard (Sometimes)

First, there is fear. Second, an enormous amount of effort or persistence may be required. 

There are many things we are just not good at, not experienced at, or that we fear doing for any number of reasons. And there are some things—like prolonged solitude, difficult survival conditions, or illness (all Saturnian themes)—that are just hard and/or unpleasant for all but a few exceptional human beings. 

It may be that at the end of these torturous rainbows lies a true pot of gold, but given the choice, we never choose to go. For one, we would not even know what the pot of gold is because it involves a change of character that comes along the way. And even if we did, we would think the journey too perilous.

That’s where Saturn transits come in. They force us to do that One Thing we don’t want to do or that we would want to do if only we had less fear, more experience.

The strategy with Saturn transits is to discover, in any moment of heaviness, what is that One Thing I need to do? Forget variety. Forget fun, at least until that One Thing is done for the day or hour. If we had a choice, then we would never, ever, ever do that One Thing we need to do—that Saturn is calling us to do.

So be thankful for Saturn and be willing to sit with that heaviness long enough to where doing that One Thing is more bearable than not doing it. You will thank Saturn (and me) later.

Extended Transits

Now extended transits, such as the Saturn Return, are a little different, though we are still working with the same energy. It is all about necessity and responsibility. It is about priorities and importance. It is about trading freedom—and all the joys of freedom—for the joys of a job well done.

Eventually we can find balance, but not until we learn to be responsible. Responsibility is enjoyable in its own way, but it is certainly one of those good things that does not come easily. Sometimes we have to be broken to be mended.

That’s all I have to say for today, and if all else fails, just play the Rocky theme song for yourself—or take an icy cold shower. That might inspire you or shock you back to your senses. You’ll make it through!