Seeking Salvation - The Saturn Neptune Opposition

Saturn and Neptune in Opposition

Seeking Salvation

On September 24, 1846, the mysterious planet of dreams and magic, Neptune, was discovered. True to the synchronicity embedded in the universe, Neptune was at the time of its discovery, making an exact conjunction to Saturn, heralding Neptune’s arrival into the sphere of reality, which Saturn symbolises. Although fascinatingly Neptune, the planet known astrologically for its elusive and misleading properties, was almost discovered in the 17th century by Galileo, who mistook it for a fixed star.

But when Neptune was found, our awareness of all things spiritual was enhanced as the Romantic Era began to flourish. This Saturn/Neptune conjunction also sparked a highly idealistic phase that spread throughout the collective and inspired such works as Marx’s Communist Manifesto. Neptune and Saturn were at that time located in Aquarius, the sign through which Neptune is again voyaging today.

 

The cycles of the slower moving planets and the relationships they form to each other over time, correspond with the unfolding of long-term and collective processes on earth and are particularly symbolic of global trends that affect humanity as a whole. The long cycles of the outer planets reflect this unfolding development on a mass scale. Neptune is the planet that astrologers mostly associate with the masses, fashion and beliefs.

The three outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are those we associate with the collective unconscious. Their influences are subtle and mysterious and lie beyond the boundary of Saturn, which is the planet of concrete reality. Most of us are largely unconscious of Neptune, as it represents our common spirituality and our need to believe in something larger than our own existence. Neptune governs these beliefs and is the planet intrinsic to the inner realm of the unconscious, where dreams and the imagination reside. Our ability to understand and make sense of Neptune’s world is somewhat limited in so far as our conscious awareness is concerned.  In the main, Neptune can only be accessed indirectly through such means as symbols and imagery. For the most part it remains vague and difficult to define.

 

Saturn on the other hand, is very much concerned with the outer reality of material existence. Saturn’s main interest lies in what is practical and real and what can be measured and built over time. Hence, Neptune and Saturn perceive the world in very different ways and have values that do not readily converge. Saturn is concerned with the external physical and material world, what is practical and useful, whereas Neptune sees the world from the point of view of what might be possible and represents inner psychic processes, imagination, ideals and dreams.

 

On August 31, 2006, Neptune and Saturn will line up on opposites sides of the earth for the first of three exact opposition aspects that will span a ten-month period from August 2006 through to June 2007.

 

The relationship between Saturn and Neptune is a cycle of 36-years duration. This is the cycle where collective ideals of belonging to a universal whole and our capacity to visualise and imagine (Neptune), is tested against reality (Saturn) to assess the validity and practical usefulness of these visions. Looking back through history to the past conjunctions and oppositions of these two planets reveals some of the highs and lows of this cycle.

 

In 1882, Saturn and Neptune formed a conjunction in Taurus.  Occurring shortly before the major conjunction of Neptune and Pluto in Gemini (1891) these aspects heralded the advent of our modern era. All manner of inventions and discoveries evolved at this time, specifically in the Gemini realms of communications and transport, which subsequently spread across the globe and created much of the global culture we see today. The 1882 conjunction of Neptune and Saturn spawned these developments.

Later, in 1900, as Saturn moved through Sagittarius and formed an opposition to Neptune, the developments of that earlier period would revolutionise the material world. New businesses and industries were established as humanity sought to turn those collective dreams of what might be possible into a global reality. This was the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of modern 20th Century life.

 

Table: The 36-year long cycle of Saturn and Neptune

 

Saturn and Neptune Conjunctions

Saturn and Neptune Oppositions

1846      Aquarius (Neptune Discovered)

1863      Libra - Aries

1882      Taurus

1900      Sagittarius- Gemini

1917      Leo

1936      Pisces- Virgo

1952/3   Libra

1971/2   Gemini- Sagittarius

1989      Capricorn

2006/7   Leo- Aquarius

 

The exact dates for the up coming opposition of Saturn and Neptune are August 31st 2006, February 28, 2007 and June 26, 2007.

In 1917 major events that resonated with Saturn and Neptune which were then making a conjunction in Leo, were the Russian Revolution along with the beginnings of communist rule in Eastern Europe, and the influenza epidemic of 1918.

In 1989 with Saturn and Neptune both in Capricorn, we witnessed the fall of communism as a political system and ideology, a system that had its beginnings in 1846 and its expansion in 1917 that also occurred under a conjunction of these two planets. In 1989 the cycle had come full circle from Aquarius to Capricorn.

During the opposition aspects of these two planets, humanity seems to collectively seek confirmation of the existence of the spiritual realm and to project this need upon some external reality. We look for something that is ‘real’ in which to believe. The need for a belief system is part of being human, however during times when these two planets are in opposition, it appears that some sections of humanity are open to being deluded by those who would take advantage of our need for this ‘spiritual security’. In the process of seeking something concrete and substantial in which to believe, humans appear to be vulnerable to a kind of mass delusional thinking. Under such conditions, the potential exists for confusion to erupt and the boundaries between reality and illusion can become blurred.

 

In 1936 Saturn was in Pisces while Neptune opposed it from Virgo. Neptune is not altogether comfortable in Virgo, because it is the modern-day ruler of the opposing sign Pisces, which was just where Saturn was located in 1936. Hence, some sections of humanity were about to enter a period of mass delusional thinking.

 

For example, many people believed that Hitler was a saviour (Neptune) of Germany and followed the charismatic leader into war. This collective idealisation of a leader and the kind of mass hysteria that erupted are some of the darker manifestations of Neptune, of which we should be ever mindful. Being conscious of our potential to be caught up in such collective hysteria can alleviate the power of the unconscious to take hold of us in this way. But history tells us that this is just what happened when Hitler was swept to power in the 30s and when the Berlin Olympic Games showcased the grandeur of the collective achievements of the Fatherland and an intense nationalistic fervour erupted.

 

Both politicians and religious leaders are often quick to manipulate the masses, be it consciously or unconsciously, to their own advantage. Even in the name of uniting people behind a worthy humanitarian cause, the individual can quickly become subjected to ‘mass think’, where we lose our capacity to think as an individual and join with a group of like-minded people. There is nothing the matter with this per se, but as a result there is a tendency for the mass to act as a single entity. Difficulties emerge because any mass operates according to a lowest common denominator, which becomes lower and lower when more and more people become involved. Accompanying this overall lowering of consciousness, there often emerges a leader in whom faith is collectively placed, and in whom we seek salvation or redemption. This is where we can get into real trouble, as happened in the 1930s.  But clearly not all people were deluded. Nevertheless we should endeavour to remain as objective as we can when assessing the inherent value of the messages we receive, particularly through the mass media, where manipulation is often rife.

 

In 1971 and 1972 the location of Saturn and Neptune was the reverse of their positions in 1900.  Now Neptune was in Sagittarius and Saturn was in Gemini. Significant events that unfolded at this time reflected this reversal, in the emergence of a worldwide oil crisis (Neptune). During the 1971/2 opposition of Neptune and Saturn global recession also hit hard.

 

This was the era of the guru, when such groups and cults as the Hare Krishna, the Baghwan’s Orange People and the terrible events of Jonestown unfolded.  Neptune in Sagittarius sought something to believe in, beyond the every-day reality of Saturn in Gemini. Opposition aspects generally operate by projection, which means we tend to seek this ‘saviour’ in others and tend to place un-thinking credence on others. With the opposition of Saturn and Neptune we seek the spiritual and divine, not within ourselves, but look for it in other people, or in groups who might lead us towards a heaven on earth, a Utopian ideal that in reality is often just an illusion.

 

There were also examples of a more creative expression of this energy in the 1971/2 period, with theatrical productions Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, expressing the collective need for a “guru”.

 

In Australia, The Whitlam Government came to power in 1972 in the midst of this cycle. Whitlam was, and still is, a political guru to many people who witnessed and shared his vision and agenda for change that was indicative of his leadership. To others, he was undermining (Neptune) the whole fabric of the system (Saturn). With Neptune, it all depends upon one’s perceptions and innate beliefs.

 

Seeking meaning and purpose by developing one’s personal belief system is a natural part of our journey towards wholeness. We each try to fulfil this need in our own particular way. However, we would be wise to engage our own conscious thinking and explore a variety of teachings, both political and religious, before being swept up into some misguided religious cult or political ideology which can confuse and delude us. Ideals of a Utopian existence are a wonderful dream, but are in the end not very practical and can be downright dangerous. The current opposition of Saturn in Leo with Neptune in Aquarius has the potential to open us up to such delusions. Equally, there is a great deal of positive visionary energy here, which handled well, can resolve differences and bring peace where conflict once reigned.

 

While this aspect will also bring about a softening of the boundaries between harsh material reality and idealistic dreams of paradise, placing our faith in a leader or group who we feel will save or redeem us, is fraught with potential problems. The current religious debates so dividing and separating Islam, Christian and Jewish faiths, are one aspect of this cycle in manifestation.

 

The blind faith of fundamentalist views, no matter which faith, can be dangerous because this engenders intolerance to any alternative points of view.  Having a personal life philosophy that supports us is an important part of life, but following a faith or leader blindly can be dangerous.

Politically too, we are very open to being misled by the deliberate manipulation of information during this period. To avoid this, we can endeavour to read between the lines and learn something about reading unconscious signals such as body language or NLP.

 

Balancing our idealism with outwardly achievable and practical goals is the challenge of this cycle. Reaching this balance brings sustainable harmony. To find this harmony, endeavour to seek out meaningful concepts that have substance, rather than just settling for the image, the media grab and the gloss.

 

Also symbolic of this opposition, we are today seeing the blurring (Neptune) of the boundaries (Saturn) between politics and religion. People of fundamentalist religions, Christian and Muslim, are becoming more politically active, whilst politicians are becoming more religious. Once again we might me drawn into believing that there is a saviour or redeemer amongst us.

One such manifestation of this cycle is the emerging abortion debate. Moral and ethical issues are re-entering the political arena. Conscience votes are being adopted more widely in parliament.

 

Economically, this is not usually the most abundant time. Politicians may try to defer some difficult decisions for as long as possible, but addressing issues such as our ageing population, water issues and oil issues, will become more pressing during this transit. Avoiding the issue (Neptune) will not make this reality of time and limitations (Saturn) go away.

 

Issues associated with health and hospitals are also associated with this cycle, which will likely reach some crisis point where finally there may emerge a new approach to fix our ailing health services.

 

For the individual, challenging aspects between these two planets, either natally, or by transit, have long been associated with a state of sadness, ill health or depression.

But this ignores the magical and positive benefits that can come from quiet time spent in meditation or by making personal sacrifices that assist the welfare of others. Provided one does not dwell too much on negatives, which can sometimes happen with this combination of planets, then one can harness the bounty of the unconscious and utilise its gifts to create a better reality.

 

Neptune in Aquarius is showing us the possible connections that have long existed between science and the spiritual, which are now beginning to become more known. We are becoming more collectively aware that these opposing viewpoints are not so vastly different as they once appeared. Still, there are likely to be divisions between religion and science in this period as the two sides try to come to some objective awareness of other points of view. For example, debates as to the ethics of stem cell cloning are part of this opposition of Saturn and Neptune.

 

The creationists and the evolutionists also, sit on opposite sides of the same argument that seems to be converging towards a common scientific and spiritual explanation of life and universal principles. Yet at the same time the two sides of this debate are becoming more opposed and entrenched.

 

This opposition is taking place in fixed signs. Fixed signs imply that one has some certainty and inflexibility in one’s position. Even so, Neptune and Saturn oppositions bring us an opportunity to revise and overhaul beliefs and structures that have passed their use by date and are no longer serving us in meaningful or useful ways.

For both the individual and as far as the collective is concerned, this opposition signifies a time for us to harness our imagination and creative potential. Despite some of the difficulties inherent in this aspect, the potential exists within this period to visualise and create a more peaceful and harmonious world.

 

Table: Keywords and Themes for Neptune and Saturn

 

NEPTUNE

SATURN

Abalone

Accomplishment

Advertising

Achievement

Alcohol

Ageing

Arts

Ageism

Beliefs

Agriculture

Belonging

Ambition

Bewilderment

Austerity

Channelling

Authoritarianism

Cinema

Big Business

Coastal Areas

Bones

Collective Unconscious

Boundaries

Colours – Violet, Deep Blues

Budgets

Confusion

Building

Deception

Business

Depression

Chronic Conditions

Disillusionment

Chronologies

Dreams

Climbing

Dredging (also Pluto)

Colours- Black, Brown, Grey

Drugs

Conservatism

Earthquakes

Consolidation

Erosion

Delays

Faith

Draconian

Faith Healing

Elderly

Fashion

Engineering

Film

Family tradition

Fish

Farming

Forgiveness

Father Figures

Gas

Father Time

Gurus

Fears

Hospitals

Financial planning

Hypnosis

Frustration

Hysteria

Goals

Idealism

Government

Illusion

Hierarchy

Images

Knees

Imagination

Ladders

Left-wing politics

Land

Lies

Leaders

Lymphatic System

Limitations

Magic

Management

Marketing

Materialism

Martyrdom

Maturity

Mass Hysteria

Mentors

Mass Production

Mountains

Masses

Old Age

Mental Illness (also Pluto)

Organisations

Movies

Organising

Music

Orthodoxy

Mystical

Panic Attacks

Mythology

Phobias

Oceans

Physical reality

Oil

Planning

Petroleum

Politicians

Photography

Politics (esp. right wing)

Pisces

Practical matters

Ports

Procedures

Prisons

Reality

Psychics

Red tape

Redemption

Resourcefulness

Religion

Restrictions

Romantic Love

Rock Climbing

Sacrifice

Seniority

Seas

Skin

Shipping

Stoicism

Soul

Strategy

Spiritual Healing

Structure

Trade

Systems

Trends

Discipline

Tsunami

Tasks

Unconscious

Teeth

Underwater Life

Time

Utopia

Tradition

Vagueness

Tyrants

Water

Unfeeling

Weather

Wisdom

Witchcraft

Wise Old Man

 

On a more personal level, this cycle is often intrinsic to a feeling of dissillusionment and sadness. It highlights the disparity between our dreams and our current reality. The opposition of Saturn and Neptune brings to the fore a feeling of separation and yet a deep need to connect with something that will redeem us and bring meaning to our lives on a profound level. The final opposition between these two planets takes place in late June 2007, after which time we may begin to glimpse how we can harness Neptune's magic once more and begin to integrate its sense of wonder into our lives in a real and tangible way.