Follow the Sun
Overcoming the Limits
of our Personality
by Jef Bartow
Growing up, we tend to see those father figures in our life as representatives of ultimate authority. In effect, these gods of our childhood tend to be seen as transcendent to our little lives. As we grow older, we realize that God is much more and far more transcendent than these authority figures. Even with this realization, much of the conditioning from our experiences with various authority figures lingers.Our attitude and orientation toward external authority figures becomes our conditioned concepts and systems for finding security within society. We also tend to relate to them as self-imposed limiters or representatives of our conscience. They definitely shape and form our conscious Ego and help us develop discipline and self-control in life. For many of us, our work ethic also comes from this conditioning. All in all, our relationship with authority helps us ground and solidify ourselves within the larger sphere of our society and life.Astrologically, Saturn represents these authority figures, both externally experienced and internally assumed within ourselves. Until we grow beyond building a personality, it in many ways defines the boundaries of our Personality and identifies the limits of our growth from the past. Theologically, Saturn is represented by Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament. Yahweh is definitely a God of the personality, just as Christ is a God of our spiritual nature.A major crucifix on the Spiritual Path is the Saturn of our Personality. Until transformed, it definitely represents the limits and boundaries of our universe. So, how do we remove this limiter and make it a tool for our spiritual growth?Our articles are available for reproduction for all members. Please give credit to the author.
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As we do in transforming any of the planetary functions within our Personality, we begin by looking where Saturn is in our birth chart. The house and sign it resides in helps us get to know this misunderstood aspect of ourselves. Many believe that our conditioning from authority figures is consistent for all humans. The reality is that we all relate to authority based on where our Saturn is in our birth chart. So, transforming our conditioned systems and limits and boundaries will not be the same for all of us.For example, individuals with Saturn in Virgo in the seventh house (normally a Pisces ascendant) will relate to Saturn's functions through key one-on-one relationships, the public in general and in working cooperatively with others (seventh house areas of life). In Virgo, these individuals natural tendencies toward authority figures will be to be practical, patient, detailed, responsible, persistent and dependable (Earth tendencies). In a woman's chart, a good example of this is a woman who marries an authoritative, domineering husband. Similarly, in a man's chart, this could be represented by a dogmatic, domineering wife who rules the roost.Images provided by NASA
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Unlocking the keys to transforming our Saturn begins by seeing the needs of our Saturn in the natal house and sign it resides in. In Virgo, the need to Saturn relate to being mutable (Virgo’s mutability). In this case the individual needs to be adaptable, versatile, responsive, observant, flexible and sociable whether a marriage, key one-on-one relationships or toward the public in general. Residing in the seventh house, the goal needs to be objectifying and balancing of self through others. In the marriages as described above, the individual needs to realize that their marriage partner is reflecting back to them an aspect of themselves or fulfilling a missing part of their own personality nature. As described, this is definitely an untransformed Saturnian personality. All in all, these individuals will be faced with their own lower nature of Saturn in their key one-on-one relationships and with the public until they internalize their own issues with authority and focus on creating a balance of self through adaptability, versatility and flexibility.
For myself, I have Saturn in Virgo in the 11th house in my birth chart. My dogmatic domineering authoritative orientation expressed in a persistent, enduring and materially oriented way in childhood towards my friends (an 11th house activity). My closest friends were older than I was, but I ruled the relationships. I actually ostracized one friend from our group for more than a year because I didn't approve of the way he acted within our friendship group. As I matured, I became an authority figure within most every group or association I became involved with (also 11th house activities). To be successful, I definitely had to learn how to be versatile, adaptable, responsive observant and flexible in these group relationships.Beyond directly transforming our Saturn through its natal position, we also look to the ruler of its natal sign for help in the process. In the case of a Virgo Saturn, this is Chiron. Chiron represents our deepest psychological wound and our bridge between our objective and subjective life. It's position in our birth chart identifies key areas where we will suffer with the "wound that never heals" until transformed where it becomes our greatest gift and pathway leading to fulfillment of our personal destiny.In our example, individuals born in the early 1950s with Saturn in Virgo would tend to have a Chiron in Capricorn. With a Pisces ascendant as our example indicates, this puts Chiron in the 11th house of friends, hopes and wishes, groups with shared goals and larger associations in life. This indicates a life of suffering through friends and groups with frustrated hopes and wishes until substantial spiritual growth makes these fertile areas of life to express one's personal destiny or make significant impact through healing. In Capricorn, these individuals’ orientation needs to be initiating, active, dynamic, resourceful and energetic (needs of Cardinal signs) in group relationships and with those who share common goals and values.By doing so, the spiritual growth of Chiron in its natal position greatly enhances the transformation of Saturn in Virgo in the seventh house. The Cardinal orientation to group dynamics can lend itself to becoming more mutable in one-on-one relationships. Positively, they go hand-in-hand in fulfilling needs or don't work at all if only expressing the natural Earth tendencies of both Virgo and Capricorn.For myself, my Saturn in Virgo in the 11th house puts Chiron in Capricorn and my second house natally. My woundedness in life has related to being successful, socially aware, authoritative and unbending (characteristics of Capricorn) in expressing my talents, skills and in developing my self esteem (second house areas of life). On the other hand, by utilizing my talents and skills in a progressive, resourceful, dynamic and energetic way (Cardinal needs) definitely propelled me in helping friends, groups and those who share my goals and values while transforming my authoritative domineering orientation. The other orientation I developed (being adaptable, versatile, flexible and sociable as Virgos needs) led me to significant positions within the organizations I chose to affiliate with. Expanding the limits of our personality and transforming our conditioned and internal orientation to authority and limits in life bring tremendous results in treading the most difficult parts of the Spiritual Path. Overcoming our internal Saturn results in a developed discriminating mind; the ability to bring to the surface and transform our karma expeditiously; and most importantly, a powerful faculty to redefine or attitudes, orientation and focus on our spiritual journey. With it, the heavens of spiritual growth become attainable. Without it, the universe of humanness remains our only playground in life.
