The planet Saturn began its retrograde motion yesterday, which will last for the next four months, until early November 2023. Not only does Mercury sometimes turn retrograde, but all the planets do, in their own time and cycle. Saturn’s retrograde motion this year begins with the alignment to the fixed star called Sadachbia, situated in the constellation of Aquarius.
You can see the star Sadachbia at the water pot near the head of the water bearer
In classical as well as Medieval times, philosophers were also alchemists and astronomers. At the time astronomy was the same as astrology, and the sky watchers were perhaps also doctors and priests. These sciences or art all intermingled, and were studied in conjunction with each other.
If we look at the mythology of Saturn, it was the furthest visible planet from the earth originally, before telescopes were invented. Uranus and Neptune were not discovered yet. Saturn was symbolically associated with time and karma. So during this retrograde phase over the next four months, we can sort out our karma, for better or worse. This can traditionally be a time synonymous with limitation, restriction and anxiety over duties and responsibilities. It may take more time to tend to them. Fortunately they can be mastered.
There will be hard but valuable lessons to be learned perhaps. Also if you suffer from depression or shyness, then this phase is a good opportunity to overcome them. You may have a chance to break out of the debilitating emotional states that you find yourself in. If you stay focused and motivated over the coming four months, then the end result will be a quarter of productivity, achievement and recognition.
With the fixed star Gamma Aquarii (known as Sadachbia to Medieval and Arabic astrologers) conjunct Saturn as it makes this stationary retrograde movement now, the coming four months of retrograde Saturn movement can be the right time to discover lost items. It’s also said to be a good time for entering into new ventures. Sadachbia also means “luck of the tents (homes). Remember in Arabic nations, the tent was the home base. As a result this period may provide an opportunity to move to a good home.
So this next four months are going to facilitate my achievement of good homes, in plural, since I myself am a wondering star or digital nomad. The Latin translation for this fixed star Sadachbia, is “Prima Tabernaculorum”. This sounds like primary temple to me. It may suggest a time for finding the altar or place of worship or meditation that is central to you. It suggests the central sacred space where one can find oneself, or meet the deity, so to speak, at the still cosmic centre of the universe, where you reside.
This sacred space can also be found within the heart, in a manner of speaking, for the deity resides within the heart of the aspiring yogi or meditator who wishes to unite with the deity in love, to achieve the chemical wedding or the mystical union. It occurs in the real home, where the heart is, literally speaking, as mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit texts on yoga.
So whether externally or internally, this four month period of Saturn’s retrograde motion will symbolically facilitate finding a home base, or finding the sacred temple at the core of one’s being and meeting the deity or divinity there where he or she always was, waiting for you to turn to them and re-ignite that loving relationship of Lord and servant, parent and child, or best friend, or most intimate lover. All of these relationships are available to the yogi when they wish to link up or unite with their deity or higher self in love. The mystical union is the goal of the ancient Medieval alchemists, and also of the depth psychology researcher today. Simply the terminology has shifted.
Reference and image: www.astrologyking.com