Saturn has been in Capricorn since December 19, 2017, when it first entered the sign. On March 21, 2020, Saturn moved into the sign of Aquarius for the first time since January 1994, marking the beginning of a crucial turning point in our collective consciousness.
Saturn is the planetary symbol of Responsibility, Rules and Reality Checks; but on a more basic level, it symbolizes what’s demanded of us—what’s required, on a very literal level, if we’re to make progress and advance. With Saturn in Capricorn, the emphasis has been on our personal achievements.
Since January 3, 2019, having both Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn has in many ways held us prisoner, as these two planets in Capricorn enforce linear, traditional and often rigid trajectories to how we define Success.
Climbing the corporate ladder, finding ways to “work the system,” and an obsession with concrete benchmarks of forward movement, maintaining the constant appearance of success or upward mobility—not to mention our titanic focus on “how we look” on paper.
But with Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, we’ve been inundated with so much work, bureaucracy and ridiculous amounts of red tape, that we’ve been dealing with crises on both the job and the home front that’ve left us feeling more than a little bit empty. An obvious example is the movement toward old-school conservative politics, even amidst an economic depression.
Not sure where those tax breaks are, for one; and those salaried jobs that were once the salvation of the future middle class? Those aren’t as safe as they used to be, most offering salaries to college (and even post-college) grads that barely provide enough to live on let alone attempt to compete with inflation.
This has led to a collective sense of lowered self-esteem, as living in an economic climate where “paying your dues” rarely leads to upward mobility, let alone pay raises, has forced many Americans to live off their parents, on student loans or credit cards while banks continue to cash in, giving us all a smug shoulder shrug as they walk away with “considerably lower bonuses” in the wake of massive scams.
But when Saturn enters Aquarius, the focus shifts dramatically from the question of Responsibility to that of Accountability. In Aquarius, Saturn is neither the Thrill-Seeker (Sagittarius) nor the Businessman (Capricorn), but the Calculated Risk-Taker.
The difference here is subtle but potent nonetheless, as the former is primarily about whether or not we’ve been able to meet personal obligations while the latter forces us to accept obligations not just to ourselves but others.
Saturn in Aquarius & Social Networks
Almost the minute Saturn moves into Aquarius on March 21, 2020, it’s become impossible not to recognize the role that technology plays in our lives.
Aquarius is the sign associated with Social Networking, Media, and even (yes) the Internet. Creatively, we thrive in collaboration with others, working in groups, increasing our personal power by—paradoxical though it may seem—partnering with like-minded others.
From social media to telemedicine, we’re finding ourselves forced to adapt to a New World of Quarantine, and at a much faster pace than anyone could’ve anticipated.
From online bill pay, emails, food delivery to dating apps, there’s no denying the increased reliance on our phones, laptops and other internet-based devices for our lives to function.
In only a few short years questions like “Are you on Instagram?” or “Do you have Venmo?” have practically become obsolete. The conversations that are noticeably absent, however, are those about how we interact with others via these new methods.
If you get a Venmo request from a friend, do you text them to say you’re sorry you forgot? Or promise to pay and then wait for them to send that “Reminder”? Are you notorious for leaving those you want attention from or want to punish in some way on “Read/Seen”?
Do you build connections via social media or use it to show support for local businesses; or do you find yourself more often than not just stalking your friends or starting Twitter wars in your pajamas?
Aquarius is the sign associated with Social Networking, Media, and even (yes) the Internet. Creatively, we thrive in collaboration with others, working in groups, increasing our personal power by—paradoxical though it may seem—partnering with like-minded others. But whether we use technology is not the question that Saturn in Aquarius brings to the fore.
As Saturn moves out of Capricorn and into Aquarius, the collective conversation around technology isn’t so much whether you’re using it to meet basic needs like order food, pay bills, check your email or look at your exes’ Facebook pages. Because we all are. Now, the question becomes not “if” but “how” you choose to use the plethora of such resources at your disposal.
For instance: if you have access to the internet 24/7, just because you can check your work emails outside your work hours, does that mean you’re necessarily responsible for answering them at every given hour?
When it comes to dating apps, does the relative normalcy of their existence alone give us the right to treat people with less respect or even forgo the norms of common courtesy in the process?
And, I’m sorry, but can someone please explain to me the why exactly we “need” sex robots, shows like “Love is Blind” and Instagram Weddings? Are these the future of of our social and romantic lives?
Anywho—this leads us to the central point of this shift of Saturn from Capricorn to Aquarius: as reliance on technology has become the norm, most of the world has accepted it as, to some degree, a necessity.
We order in because we’re tired; we sign up for a dating app because it’s easy; we check our work emails compulsively, sometimes writing at ridiculous hours, if only because we feel we must. If “everybody’s doing it,” then you should be too...Right?
This is where the question of Accountability (Aquarius) comes in to save the day, as it’s time we finally begin to have these kinds of dialogues out loud.
Technology allows many to hide, whether behind a pseudonym, username or fake account. At best this leads to misunderstandings. Yet even if you’re not hiding behind an Avatar, I’m sure more than some of you would be surprised at what those you love feel comfortable saying via the virtual Invisibility Cloak of their Iphones.
Saturn in Aquarius begs us to question the degree to which News and Social Media have converged, to what extent Real Talk with Neighbors and Real Connections with Friends have replaced endless texting, chatting and “DMs.”
With Saturn in Aquarius, we’re pushed to not just survive but thrive, use social media to build communities rather than as individual platforms, to connect and collaborate rather than leer voyeuristically and criticize from afar. Aquarius wants to expand its network, work in groups and by doing so increase its personal power by—paradoxical though it may seem—partnering with like-minded others.
How can we reinvent methods of communication and connection to not just be useful and convenient for meeting our basic needs but as a tool to actually connect with others on a less-than-superficial level? Because if no man is an island, then we better get online. If prior to now we’ve connecting only to peep on our exes, keep tabs on those red notification circles, see what our friends are up to and pay the occasional bill, we’re going to need to get more creative—not to mention considerate—when it comes to figuring out how we use technology to do, well, more than just that.
2020 is a harbinger of a larger shift in focus that’ll begin to distill in December of this year and into 2023. So if you’re one of those who’s been operating as the Exalted Introvert—that person who looks up to J.D. Salinger (CAPRICORN) who lived alone in that crazy cabin for years and looks for any opportunity to declare their alleged “love of being alone” at parties?—you may be in for a rude awakening.
Because if you thought you didn’t need Community before now? Well, guess what? You’re quarantined. So you’d be wise to reexamine that belief before it reexamines you.
Saturn in Aquarius: Acknowledging Accountability
In Aquarius, Saturn finds its voice, particularly when it comes to speaking out (or acting out) in favor of the Public Interest. Living One’s Truth, Speaking Truth to Power, conquering the fear (Saturn) that comes with embracing even the most Inconvenient Truths.
Because while Saturn in Capricorn is the embodiment of the Ego Drive for Power, for Aquarius, it’s not the Ego but the Superego that’s in charge.
So what’s the core difference between Saturn in Capricorn and Saturn in Aquarius? Our attitude toward the big “A”—Accountability.
From late 2017-2020, Saturn in Capricorn represented a time of acknowledging and taking responsibility for ourselves. With Saturn in Capricorn we were made aware of the need to be responsible; but with this came a myopic focus on our personal needs, putting the demands of work and family life above everything else.
Saturn in Aquarius, on the other hand, demands we extend our awareness beyond the realm of the personal and recognize the need not just for a stable family and career, but of our need for a social life, a stable support network and the importance of playing an active role in creating and engaging with our community.
The keynote of this shift in perspective is the expansion of our imagination, as Saturn in Capricorn made us aware of how we deal with responsibility to ourselves. In Aquarius? It's about accepting awareness of how our action (or lack of action) affects others—not just ourselves.
Saturn in Aquarius & The Saturn Return
We’ll all feel (and see) the changes of Saturn’s move into Aquarius to some extent or another over the next 2-3 years—though, depending on the placement of planets in your birth chart, you’ll likely feel this shift on a personal level more or less acutely at different times during Saturn’s transit of Aquarius.
Those with planets in their birth charts at 0-2° of Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio and/or Leo will feel this sign change most in 2020; those with planets in the mid-late degrees of these signs will feel it most from 2021-2023.
Saturn was last in Aquarius from February 6, 1991 - May 20, 1993; then again from June 29, 1993 - January 28, 1994. So for the younger of the so-called Millennial generation—those born during these dates—Saturn’s return to Aquarius will mark their first Saturn Return, a period of individuation that coincides with the ages 28-30.
This is when we feel the push to define ourselves as individuals and create our own identities outside of our role in the family from which we came. This can for many be a painful but ultimately productive process of eschewing inherited patterns or habits that are the product of early conditioning.
For those born in years prior, Saturn was in Aquarius from January 3, 1962 - March 23, 1964 and again from September 16, 1964 - December 15, 1964.
For these individuals the upcoming years will mark their second Saturn Return, which occurs at ages 58-60—a period of life that typically marks a critical moment when we’re faced with the reality of Career Success or Failure.
It’s important here to remember that Saturn is associated with the Reality Principle and thus connotes overt achievements, milestones and other “markers” of success.
So whether you experience a career high or something of a downfall will depend not only on the amount of time and energy devoted over the past 29 years, but your integrity, or how you’ve conducted yourself, as you’ve gone about your business, no matter what business that might be.
Saturn is the Lord of Karma—so if your activities have been, well, less aboveboard than below, get ready to have whatever achievements, acclaim or so-called Success you’ve attained questioned, threatened or even completely taken away.
If you’ve worked diligently, honestly and treated people with consideration in the process, you’ll likely receive considerable recognition, a well-deserved opportunity or award, or some kind of boost to your status or reputation.
Conversely, if you’ve managed to get by relying on or expecting others to take care of you—if you’ve staked your reputation predominantly on the Hard Work of Others, taken shortcuts, or relied on devious methods to get to the top—expect to be taken to task and face the inevitable consequences. Just ask Richard Nixon, whose entire secret life was revealed in the Career-ending scandal that was Watergate at his second Saturn Return.
Jeff Bezos, another Capricorn Sun, will experience his second Saturn Return while Saturn is in Aquarius, though he’ll be feeling the heat in March 2022 through 2023. Considering that his natal Venus in Aquarius sits right next to his natal Saturn, it’ll be a particularly significant period of reckoning for him as it pertains not only to Career and Status (Saturn) but his ability to attract (True) Love & Money.
Those born with Saturn in Aquarius in their birth charts are tasked with the test of their ability to hold themselves and others accountable—not only for their ability to meet their own responsibilities but for how they’ve dealt with others and contributed to their communities. So now is the time, Jeff B.—if there’s any wrongs you need to recognize it’s in your best interest to hurry up and make them right. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what comes to light.
Capricorn (Ego/Responsibility) vs. Aquarius (Superego/Accountability)
The demand for Responsibility and has now shifted to a collective demand for Accountability. This is the seat of the Sea Change of Saturn’s move into Aquarius in the years to come.
Because while these terms are on some level interchangeable, there’s a crucial difference here, analogous to Freud’s differentiation between the Ego (Self) and the Superego (Higher Self).
Responsibility, for instance, carries with it the tone of obligation, duty or, when taken to an extreme, blame: if you owe money, you’re responsible for paying it back; if you’re a parent, you’re responsible for a child; if you make a mess, you’re responsible for cleaning it up; if you make a mistake, it’s your responsibility to correct it. And so on.
But when you think of all these examples, there’s one common denominator: even if all or any of those instances are true, whether you actually end up doing those things—taking concrete actions to meet such responsibilities—is in many cases a different question entirely.
There are plenty of people who owe money they never plan on paying back, parents who have children they either can’t or won’t take responsibility for, mistakes made that no one seems able to explain, and plenty of messes swept under the rug, left to congeal or for “someone else” to clean up.
This is where Responsibility (Ego) and Accountability (Superego) diverge, as the former is about the fact of the obligation (Saturn in Capricorn) while the latter is about addressing—accounting for—whether or not that obligation has been met (Saturn in Aquarius).
Responsibility vs. Accountability Defined
Taking a closer look at the differences between Capricorn and Aquarius is a helpful way to illustrate the nuances of Responsibility vs. Accountability.
Caps, though they may be excellent at feigning complacency or even bliss, are rarely if ever ignorant, no matter what the surface level seems to show. Guilt over unmet responsibilities often drives the typical Capricorn to drink or self-sabotage in other unhealthy ways.
Long-term thinkers who are naturally attuned to Reality, you can always recognize an unhappy Cap when they take their Martyr complexes to silent yet deadly extremes, punishing themselves, whether consciously or not, by landing themselves in some unfortunate circumstance or another.
Debilitating health problems, particularly those having to do with the kidneys, heart, or Diabetes are frequent Capricorn afflictions, as if filling their veins with literal sugar will somehow sweeten their disposition if it happens to be bitter (hint: it won’t).
Aquarius and Capricorn are generally guilt-ridden, uber-critical types. But though Aquarius may enter the dark bar to drink away their sorrows, unlike their Capricorn friends, it’s unlikely they’ll stay very long (much less go quietly into the night).
This is where the importance of Element comes into play, as Earth sign Capricorn’s proneness to silence and secrecy allows the unhappy ones to indulge their emotions in a state of solitary confinement, Air sign Aquarius is neither silent nor secretive by nature.
An Aquarius in distress is far more obvious, as they’re typically very bad liars and have little, if any patience. If an Aquarius has done wrong, he’ll openly admit it, regardless of the consequence.
Think of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland: always running, freaking out and always “late for a very important date” (or five).
With that type of energy, mistakes are made in haste or accidents incurred while trying to juggle twenty different things at once. Add an inability to tolerate anything but the Truth? Then you’ll understand why Aquarius has notoriously little sympathy for any display of Self-Pity and prefers to move straight from what the problem is (they already know), not caring so much “who did this?” as “why did this happen and what happens now?'“
This contrast is at the center of what distinguishes Saturn in Cap from Saturn in Aquarius and the changes that’ll unfold over the next 2+ years:
Saturn in Capricorn is the test of recognizing responsibility; Saturn in Aquarius is the test of accepting it.
This is why even though Capricorn and Aquarius are both symbols of corporations, large institutions and social networks, Capricorn may be extremely committed to their particular organization, cause or social network, but they’re ultimately driven by responsibility to themselves—by the feeling of satisfaction that comes with rewards and personal recognition.
Aquarius may be driven by these concerns as well; but where they derive personal satisfaction is not by showing their commitment in striving to be recognized for personal achievements, but for their obsessive concern with the way that individuals are (or aren’t) making willing contributions that benefit not just themselves but the group.
This is why Aquarians are often considered “disruptive” in traditional workplaces, as they lack patience not only for bureaucracy, red tape and rules that are obviously arbitrary (the horror), but are excessively preoccupied—usually to the considerable befuddlement of their more “normal” coworkers—with the progress of the collective.
Here we see where Aquarius often gets stuck: not in Capricornian Self-Pity but in consistently failing to put their own needs ahead of others.
They may show up late, or even forget what day it is, but “what is the long-term goal here” (aka “why am I doing this?”) is the question forever at the forefront of their extremely overactive brains.
Because whether they’re “on the clock” or not, Aquarians are always working, constantly analyzing and looking for better ways to do things—as long as they’re awake.
If Aquarius feels shamed or even penalized for this so-called “eccentricity,” it usually leads to the build up of resentment over time, especially if they find themselves taken advantage of without their consent.
Say an Aquarius Scientist makes a Rare and Unique Discovery. Ask them to their face if you can take credit for it? “Sure, yeah, you can have it.” But go behind their backs and take credit? Good luck Chuck, because you have no clue what kind of public hanging you’re setting yourself up for.
Say you hurt an Aquarian’s feelings. You know it, they know it, and maybe it’s even a little awkward. Not a big deal (trust me, they’re used to it). But if you apologize? “No sweat, it’s okay.” And they’ll actually mean it. But fail to apologize? Now that is a move that is extremely unwise.
Why? Because if you’re dealing with an Aquarius, they will say something to you about it, if not on the spot then certainly later. And trust me, the longer you wait or withhold that apology, the higher the chances it’ll be brought up in a way that you almost certainly will not like—usually when you’re least expecting it.
Should you find yourself in this scenario, you’d better be prepared to shove any Pride issues aside and just say “I’m sorry.” Because even if it’s delayed, Aquarius is a “better late than never” type, so as long as there’s an apology? You’ll still be in the clear.
If, however, this Aquarius of yours has (god forbid) has already brought it up once—maybe even twice?—and you didn’t, don’t or openly refuse to apologize?
Unless you come to your senses right quick and start planning some gloriously dramatic coup replete with roses, proposals and noble steeds galore, then you’d best have your bags packed and be ready to head for the door.
This is the difference between Responsible Action as embodied by Saturn in Capricorn vs. the Obsessive Accountability of Saturn in Aquarius.
The bonus of the former? By putting our personal needs first over the past couple years, we’ve acknowledged the need to take responsibility for our own advancement. The bonus of the latter? With the Superego in charge, we’re called to be our highest, most ethical selves—to put pride aside where necessary for the sake of the greater good.
But if Saturn's years in Capricorn from December 2017 - March 2020 found you acting a little too greedy or selfish? Better find your Humility hat, put on some knee pads and keep a couple of succinct, sincere apologies in your back pocket.
Otherwise, whether it’s your Career, Marriage, Public Image or Social Circle, if any area of your life is built on a House of Cards? Stock the bomb shelter. Because Saturn in Aquarius will surely blow your house down.