Strap in and buckle up! Please keep your hands and feet in the vehicle at all times, while the slow and steady ride is in progress. Saturn, the Lord of Karma, often known as the strictest teacher, will begin it's retrograde in Pisces June 29, 2024 - Nov 15th, 2024. For those who may not know, retrograde is when a planet appears to move backward or "reverse its direction" in the sky, while this commonly known phenomenon is not a true reversal, but rather a perspective effect or "appears to be from our vantage point" due to our Earth’s orbit. Saturn typically goes retrograde at least once a year and will maintain retrograde status for around four to four and a half months, that's roughly about 1/3 rd. of the entire year. Due to its long and slow progression it is often considered a slow and steady mover.
Typically, when we hear retrograde, it is usually a strong encouragement to slow way down and go into "hermit" or to turn into ourselves, dive deep, and reflect, this Saturn retrograde is no different, but does come with a flare. Saturn is the planet of boundaries, limitations, commitment, and a firm karmic teacher. Sometimes considered harsh, cold, and serious energy, Saturn is strict in structure and the need to take responsibility for one's action, decisions, and choices in life. How these things affect us and our energy dives deep into the realm of cause and effect and karma. Saturn is also said to be the ruler of time and wisdom as well, so it not all "bad". Saturn is often seen as an authoritative energy and delves in the discipline of our life and how we navigate it's many tests. Saturn, in any retrograde, is often a time for some serious REALITY CHECKS! Because Saturn is a "balanced teacher", while in retrograde he often sorts out all karmas, some even saying this occurs by blending & bending time (Past, Present, & Future), so if you find yourself loosing track of time this may be why, as the lines blur to allow for balance to be had. Now, karma is receiving what you put out. That's where the balance of Saturn comes in, if you have been sending out good than your karmic balancing will be greatly beneficial to you, bringing great rewards your way. But if not, you may find yourself in one "situation" after another as your energetic debt finds its way back to you.
This Saturn retrograde is in the loveable and mystic mutable water sign of Pisces this year. Pisces is an empathic, sensitive (both emotionally and abilities wise), flexible/ adaptable, and in-tune sign. You may be feeling called to dive into deeper mediative states of self during this time. There will be a push felt to dig deeper when it comes to self-work, specifically around healing old emotional wounds that have yet to be come to terms with, but all in the name of growth and personal innerstanding to best support the whole. Because of its slower pace and movement, you may not feel this punch like you have with Mercury (all in a weekend from hell), but rather it will be spread out across a longer period of time cause numerous little ripples to take place, each other leading you down a slightly different reflective path. As this continues "poking of the bear" energy may lead to frustration, anger, feelings of being overburden, and at times expressed as an onset of fear. Just know the Cosmic balance is being reset during this retrograde and nobody is immune. Some will celebrate, others will loath.
It won't be until mid-August around the 18th-19th when expansive Jupiter in Gemini squares off against Saturn, that the full force magnifying effect will take place further hardening your focus sharply on your retrograde lessons. But that's not all, around the end of September when Mars in Cancer forms a trine to Saturn, many will feel pushed forward further amplifying and catalyzing your deepening desire to take action on what you have been sitting with all this time. This is when movement is really trigger if you haven't initiated it previously. But we won't finish until sometime in early November, when the sync-up of the Sun in Scorpio and Saturn further clears the board for you to take one step forward toward your ultimate goals in life.
Many who have their Sun signs in mutable signs (Virgo, Pisces, Gemini, & Sagittarius) will tend to feel this shift more deeply than others in the collective this year. So, where do you see yourself and your long-term goals in career, family, love, and many other foundational aspects of life. Structure and foundation are at this transit's core energies. Are you working hard? What security are you setting in place now for the future? Are you considering your personal beliefs and inner philosophies? How are your boundaries with others, both romantic, relative, and platonic? Are you following through on those commits you've made to yourself? What about others? Get real with yourself, how are you making your dreams a reality?