SATURN RULES SATURDAY

"Saturn has a tall, thin body, has yellow eyes and is airy (vata) in constitution; he has large teeth, is lazy lame and has course hair."

~ Parashara 3.28-29

Known as Shani in Sanskrit meaning "he who moves slowly", Saturn is the slowest moving of all planets. Often feared as the strongest Malefic planet, Saturn represents all of the aspects of life we do not want or like to face. Destruction, poverty, fear, illness, obstacles and even death fall under Saturn's domain. However, once we understand the true nature and purpose of Saturn, we can accept that he is the teacher of discipline and authority, enabling us to understand our purpose in life. The phrase "life is not a bed of roses." Comes to mind with Saturn. We all have or will endure hardships, some more than others, yet with these hardships comes perseverance and endurance. Saturn enables us to be great, not in the way of fame and fortune, but in our inner work as individuals, performing our duty and doing what needs to be done without complaint.

Saturn is the most realistic of planets, showing us the worst, most pessimistic of life on earth and human behaviour, as well as the power of humility, strength and resilience.

Saturn teaches us not to shy away from our responsibilities, He shows us that determination and patience can lead to success. He is indeed the planet of experience in all of its facets.

A person with a strong Saturn will be capable and realistic in character, they see the nature of the world as it is, the good the bad and the ugly, they will endure hardship without drama and get things done because they are steady and dutiful. They will be careful, meticulous and do not shy away from the realities of life.

A weak Saturn may cause a person to be unorganised, lack structure or partake in criminal activities. They may play the victim, be lazy and undignified. Homelessness, vagrancy and outcasts of society are also represented by Saturn as he is the planet of loss.

Delayed speech or learning disabilities can also be attributed to Saturn as he is the slowest of all planets, he causes delays in many aspects of life.

Saturn also rules our nervous system, our bones, joints, hair and teeth. Saturn is a Vata planet so its catabolic nature can deteriorate these areas, his airy nature can cause dryness and flatulence in the colon and intestines as these are also under the domain of Vata and Saturn combined. He can make a person thin, and tall with a dark complexion also characteristics under Vata dosha's portfolio.

Saturn represents authority, leadership and responsibility, he gives a person a strong work ethic and the ability to perfect things, he can denote a person's profession based on these qualities. Saturn can also depict jobs such as taxidermy, work in mortuaries and occupations that work with dead things. Manual labour and jobs that are hard work like farming, masonry, archaeology and mining come under Saturn as he represents stones and minerals. Antiques and second-hand goods may also be a strong indicator as Saturn represents old things.

Saturn is the planet of boundaries and structure. He is focused and detailed and able to perfect the most tedious of tasks. Saturn gives us the staying power to endure hardships and difficulties because he is a realistic planet and understands that without the bad, we would never work for or appreciate the good.

On a Saturday, give food to the homeless or the elderly, Go Antiquing, thrift shopping or dumpster diving, cook in cast iron and burn some sandalwood incense.