Saturn in Pisces and a look at Ukraine and Russia (February 26, 2023)
(If you wish to listen to the show instead, here is the link on BlogTalk or Apple Podcasts)
I thought it would be helpful as we approach the entry of Saturn into Pisces, and as we have just observed on February 24th the first year of the war of Russia against Ukraine, that we should review the significance of Saturn’s passage into Pisces and also consider the planetary indications for what 2023 looks like for the Russia-Ukraine War.
Saturn in Pisces
When I spoke about Saturn moving into the sign of Pisces in my show in December 2022, I suggested that the passage of Saturn through the signs of the Zodiac is one of the principal shapers of our experience of reality. Though I will always consider that the three outermost planets have deeper and longer-term indications for the quality of the period of human history we are experiencing, Saturn is important because it is the avatar or holder of the structures of reality by which we fulfill our needs, as we make and establish the means to meet our needs and preserve our ways of living.
I will always maintain that the planets do not cause anything, that is they do not create the content of what we are faced with and/or are about to encounter. Those facts and matters of substance are made by us, by our past actions as creators of our present and our future realities. But the planets can help us understand the meanings behind a period, help us to understand what phase or stage of an experience we are going through individually and collectively, and guide us as to how we might best face this moment in any cycle, and by this what we might be able to fulfill of our spiritual destiny, what we are meant to be, which is simply to be and become better humans, to be ever-more conscious creators of our reality.
And the reason Saturn’s passage through Pisces should be understood as significant simply comes from the fact that in Pisces, (and this is true of whichever planet is moving through Pisces), we will experience the consequences or reaping of what we have sown during this last 29-year cycle of Saturn from Aries through Pisces. For our purposes, that would mean we are to experience a reaping in the realm of reality of Saturn from 1996 until now. (And of course, because the echoes of karma are manifold and deep, there will be many influences that originate in the previous cycles begun in 1967 and 1937 and even earlier too).
When a planet enters the Sign of Pisces, it enters the Fountain-Source of Creation, the seed and heart of all creations, the source of our dreams and equally the fruits of their manifestations. Pisces is the Dream, and here at the end of any cycle it is equally the harvest or fruit of that cycle of experience too. And know this, that what we harvest is what will form the material of what we will sow. But it is not a mere repeat or looping of reality that we will create. Because what we actually sow will be formed by the manner in which we receive and work with the fruits of our creation, by how we harvest those prior experiences, by what understanding we can bring to bear upon our Karma, and by this ever-expanding exercise of our Spiritual nature we will form the Dharma, the path, of making our way in the next cycle of becoming in the houses of the Holy Ones. It is by our creativity, through our imagination and the power of Creation, by our Spiritual Will or Alchemy, it is by these spiritual gifts that we can form our harvest into the seeds of the next and hopefully better cycle of our lives.
If we face our harvests with fear, then what we form now as our seeds, and what we will plant in 2026 and beyond, will lead to a more bittersweet fruit at the end of the upcoming cycle, which in our case will be in 2053. But if we can face the harvest of our consequences with love, humility and grace, if we can understand why things turned out as they did, to see through to the truths that steered us to creations that we did well and also show us how and why what was more poorly done, if we can understand what errors of commission or omission we need to amend, and if we choose to live by our faith and so act with courage to do and be better, then we will sow our seeds of a more meaningful and beautiful future for one and for all.
It begins with each of us, in our sacred center where we are held in the wisdom, love and guidance of our higher self. There is no judgement there, no reward or punishment to be had. The true nature of the spirit at the center of each one of us and of everything, is simply pure divine love. It is through this Love and Forgiveness that we can turn our errors into blessings, change our doubts into wisdom, and our fears into the living faith that we are the makers of what we are and what we will be, because we really do have a choice. We will make many more mistakes, but we will learn to be better too.
Then we need in our most intimate relationships with our loved ones and friends, and then with our fellowships, communities and so on, we need to cooperatively perform these same re-examinations of the harvests from our created shared spaces, of all our relationships with one another. We only grow through our combinations with one another, and depending upon how each of us has conducted ourselves with one another, these shared fruits will be sweet or bittersweet. But here too we must remember that what holds us in our willingly and lovingly created unions with each other is this essential energy-form that binds one and all, which is Divine Love. If we remember to form and hold ourselves and our shared sacred spaces by this eternal truth, we will forgive one another our trespasses, and so be able to create those better sacred spaces for a deeper and more complete union with one another.
Saturn in Pisces brings the final test of Saturn, which is our “test of faith”. The question for us all is what is the source of your faith, what is the source of your hope for a better future? The Ancient Wisdom holds that your faith is embedded in your true nature, that you are a spark of the Divine Light who is on a journey of self-becoming with innumerable fellow monads of the One, and that your true nature is formed by the light that shines in all the realms of Creation, which is Divine Unconditional Love.
So, as Saturn enters Pisces here in March 2023, we must each individually, and in our communities, fellowships, cultures, and nations too, we must all use this time of harvest to consider what we have made and what we have learned since the present cycle of Saturn started in 1996. But it is not only what we did or did not do in 1996, but in all the years that followed, in 1997 and 1998, in 2008 and 2016, and 2020, yes all of it was made by you and me, made for you and me, and now we have to accept the fruits of our dreaming and doing. We have to face “the dweller on the threshold”, the shadowed fears of yesterdays and yesteryears, and choose to turn towards the Light of Love in our hearts.
Just as Saturn started a new cycle by moving into Aries 27 years ago, I also would like to note that Putin’s rise to power began in 1996 when he moved from St Petersburg to Moscow to work with Yeltsin, and then succeed him, first as Prime Minister in 1999 and then in 2000 as President. This would mean that as Saturn goes through Pisces, that we are watching the entirety of Putin’s history in leading Russia, both for him and for others who rose to power then, and that they are to be reaping all that they have done since 1996 until now. With that in mind, let us now consider what the Astrological indications are for Russia and Ukraine in 2023.
Ukraine and Russia
With regards to the significance of the planetary energies for 2023 that help understand the influences and meanings for Vladimir Putin and Russia, and Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine, we should review what was indicated for 2022 and see what changes lie ahead for 2023.
Putin
For 2022, the “triggering” planet for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was the same “influencer” as his invasion and seizure of Crimea 8 years earlier, which was Uranus opposite his Sun in 2014. For 2022, Uranus was opposite his Sun’s ruler, which is Venus. Moreover, the “reality” planet of Saturn was squaring his Pluto and opposite his Jupiter in 2014, and then in 2022 he had Saturn opposite his Pluto and squaring his Jupiter, (and we should note that each of these alignments would trigger or activate his propensity, given his Jupiter/Pluto natal square, to seek to impose or force one’s beliefs upon others).
In 2023, there are several major transits in Putin’s chart. Uranus will be on or conjunct his Jupiter while it is also squaring his Pluto, which is the very natal aspect (his Jupiter/Pluto square) that Saturn activated last year. This time Putin will be surprised, if not experience shocks by this move over his Jupiter, and his emotional attachments will be severely tested as Uranus goes over his Pluto. Moreover, Neptune will be squaring his Mars for the entire year, which will bring about confusion and misguided actions, as well as bring an influence that brings about a loss of energy and vitality throughout the year. And finally, the planet of reality, Saturn, will square his Moon all year and as a result he will be emotionally isolated and depressed. All in all, I do not think that Putin is going to have a good year at all.
Russia
For 2022, I noted that the major influences in Russia’s chart were similar also to what happened in 2014 and similar to alignments in Putin’s chart. In 2014 Russia had Pluto opposite Jupiter and Uranus squared Jupiter too, while Saturn was semisquare to Uranus. Just like in Putin’s chart, that combination of Pluto and Uranus to Jupiter indicated the very strong possibility of attempting by the force of Will to impose one’s beliefs upon another. The Saturn/Uranus aspect added to the tension between the established order and the desire for freedom to do as one wishes. For 2022, that same Saturn/Uranus aspect was back, this time as a waxing aspect, but this time it was with Uranus on Venus and Opposite Russia’s Pluto, indicating a more extreme example of the struggle between Freedom, Will and Value. Finally, the most elusive but most telling transit was the square of Neptune to the Midheaven and Nadir of Russia’s chart. I described it as something like an existential crisis as with the house of roots and origins, and the house of destiny being shaped influenced by Neptune, there was bound to be a great deal of confusion for Russians as they questioned the foundations for their nation, of where it is rooted and where it finds its security, and equally on its purpose or destiny. Disillusionment and confusion would be the result.
In 2023, an even more powerful alignment of Neptune is happening for Russia, as it now enters the 7th house, the house of relationships. What this means is that the experience and nature of Russia’s relationships with the rest of the world will become more confused, as they face disillusionment and/or deception and self-deception. Compounding this will be Saturn aligning with Russia’s Mercury, so that the state or quality of thinking and communication will become tested, shadowed, and fearful, the state of mind in Russia will be constrained by doubts and fears.
Zelensky
For Zelensky in 2022, I noted that Uranus was opposite his own Uranus, which is one of the main indicators for anyone of going through the challenges and opportunities of the so-called mid-life crisis. It calls upon all of us at such a time, to choose to become a more truly individuated person, a more authentic version of oneself. And he also had Saturn opposite his Moon, which creates a deep sadness and fear of being cut off from the support one needs. In 2023, Zelensky has Neptune squaring his Jupiter, (actually for 2023 and 2024), and this brings about a period where one must question and reexamine the truths that guide one’s life, whether those be cultural, scientific, or spiritual truths. It can bring about a crisis of faith but is really an instrument to let go of old assumptions and half-truths and make one’s way to a greater understanding. Moreover, 2023 is the year in which Pluto, the planet of the Will, is opposite to Zelensky’s Mars. This is also in effect for 2024, and it indicates that Zelensky is engaged in a great struggle for survival, and he will have to draw upon his determination and personal strength to face very great challenges.
Ukraine
Ukraine in 2022 had Uranus enter the 4th house of Roots and Foundations, while it also opposed Ukraine’s Pluto in the 10th house of Destiny. This most certainly indicated a test of will and determination, and the experience of the violation of one’s boundaries or sacred space. And just like Zelensky, Ukraine had Saturn on its Moon, and the country equally experienced a deep sadness and a feeling of being cut-off from support. For 2023, Ukraine has Uranus squaring the Moon, which indicates a very unsettled quality for the people of Ukraine, a higher degree of vulnerability but equally a time to break reactive behaviors and so that one may be more innovative and surprising in one’s responses. Also in 2023, Saturn is opposite the Sun in Ukraine’s chart, which means it is undergoing an endurance test, a critical test of its character and fortitude. The challenge is to endure, but equally to focus on responsibilities let go of structures or patterns which are not supportive.
The picture for both Putin and Russia, and Zelensky and Ukraine is most certainly challenging, and one would expect this to be the reality of a brutal war of aggression. It is not surprising after all, as there is almost no scenario where there is a winner and a loser in any war, because the very greatest of spiritual crimes is occurring on the largest scale imaginable, and there is so much pain and suffering on both sides that the echoes of this failure to love rather than hate will be with us for many years to come.
The most basic and horrific of spiritual crimes is the trespassing or invasion of the sacred space of any human. Spiritually this is the “first crime”, the ultimate sin of not experiencing and treating any “other” who is before us as a spiritually divine presence too. This is why the first “step” for any aggressor in a war is to dehumanize, or demonize their opponent, as Putin has done by labelling many of the people of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian government as being Nazi’s. As always, the first casualty in any war is the truth.
But the Light of Truth is within every one of us, and “we have eyes that see, and ears that hear”, and we know who is standing for love and who is consumed by hate. Our heart and thoughts are for all those who are facing the fearful darkness of hate that has turned relatives and neighbors against one another, all because of the hatred and fear that has seized one man and some people who have chosen the darkness over the light.
May peace return to Ukraine and her people and may they and many others plant the seeds of a better world in the weeks, months, and years to come.
