Why Saturn is bae when it comes to your writing practice

I turned to Saturn out of desperation. 

I didn’t really know what was going on with me, but I knew that every single Saturday I had a panic attack. Perhaps it was the culmination of the week’s disappointments—at the time, I still believed I had to have a 9-5 job, and my inability to get one was crushing my spirit. I also struggled with being present with my writing. I had freelance work and was in the midst of my MFA, but I had very little external structure apart from deadlines. 

Without really thinking about why I was doing it, I created an altar to Saturn. I reasoned that Saturday (Saturn’s Day) might be telling me something, and though Saturn really wasn’t a dude I thought I wanted to get to know—discipline, structure, maturity, patriarchy…I’m not about any of that. Plus, you know, there’s the whole devouring his children part of the Saturn myth.

Still, I made that altar. I visited every Saturday and read his Orphic hymn. I didn’t see it then, but I began quietly reparenting myself in many ways. I was softening my stance on structure, boundaries, and time. Saturn is Lord of Time, but he also represents a slow pace, both in general and in the process of self-mastery. Restriction as a positive—like, limited focus, reducing distractions, creative constraints, creating balance. 

Slowly, as is to be expected with Saturn, things got better. It wasn’t linear, and there was plenty of backward sliding and despair. And instead of building structure that looked like, well, what I thought structure would look like, I found peace in flexibility. I stopped beating myself up about not having a writing practice or a career that looked one particular way. I grew to understand boundaries as an expression of love. I softened toward the part of me that struggled with authority and restriction. 

And Saturn has become a trusted ally. I turn to him when I feel untethered. I follow his transits and observe how they interact with my natal chart. Most of all, I feel supported. Like, he appears to be a gruff and cranky dad but he has just the best heart and supports you no matter what. 

It’s funny to think about sometimes, as there are other planetary figures representing much more obviously ‘good’ stuff—Jupiter and his luck, optimism, and expansion; Venus’ love, beauty, and aesthetics. But working with Saturn has given me exactly what I needed to love and expand. 

I’ll be sharing more on the potential of Saturnian structure in the upcoming workshop, How to Structure Your Writing Practice.

All About Sky Daddy Saturn

Working with Saturn isn’t for everyone, but everyone can learn a lot about themselves when they understand Saturn’s place in their chart. Here is some information to help you get to know him better. 

Saturn is one of the Social Planets—Jupiter is the other—and governs themes related to the transpersonal; these planets are the go-between for the inner psyche and the collective. It spends about 2.5 years in each sign, and has an almost 30 year orbit. Since it moves much more slowly than the inner planets and luminaries, its lessons and impacts take a while to unfold. And, of course, it can feel like a long, drawn out struggle at times—like our first Saturn return.

Our Saturn return is when the planet moves into the same position it was in when we were born. It leads to themes of sudden responsibility and maturity, self-doubt and inner turmoil, and often significant changes to our relationships. It’s a difficult but necessary time, and understanding its affect takes some distance to see. But no matter how difficult it is, you are better for it in the end. This is one of Saturn’s big lessons. 

Saturn transits can also be challenging. Saturn squaring your moon, for instance, can be deeply felt. However, that transit also offers the gift of deep introspection and tremendous growth. 

In your chart, Saturn shows where you are asked to show up and take responsibility, where you are called to respond to social obligations, and where you ultimately can find self-mastery. But it can also talk about loneliness and isolation, as well as time and authority and how we respond to them. 

The sign he is in indicates the flavor or aesthetics of Saturn’s expression and energetics. Some signs are more supportive—he rules Capricorn and Aquarius and is exalted in Libra—while others may feel more difficult—he is in detriment in Leo and Cancer, and in his fall in Aries. Those more ‘difficult’ signs don’t mean you’re cursed. Instead, it may just mean that there are particular themes related to structure, mastery, time, etc. that feel a little harder. Your Saturn placement might just need a little more attention, where someone with Saturn in, say, Libra may not really notice it. 

If you’re feeling called to work with or at least get to know Saturn, start by learning as much as you can about how he functions in your chart—which house and sign; if you feel comfortable going more in-depth, looking any aspects he makes can be illuminating. 

You can also consider your relationship to Saturnian themes: structure, authority, self-mastery, and so forth. 

Even if you’re not sure what you’re doing or why, setting up an altar is a great way to announce your intention to work with him or with those themes. It doesn’t have to mean you’re worshipping him as a deity or anything like that. It can be as woo as you want it to be. Sometimes an altar simply functions as a reminder to ourselves to check in. 

Your Saturn placement can be key to building structure that works for, rather than against you. 

I’ll share more about Saturn placements and transits as well as leaning into his themes in next Saturday’s workshop. I’d love to see you there.

Saturn in the Houses

Here’s a brief overview of how Saturn’s influence might affect you based on which house it is in.

1st House: Focus on self-discipline and responsibility in personal identity, often tied to lessons around self-mastery.

2nd House: Challenges with finances or material security that require disciplined management and long-term planning.

3rd House: Rigorous thinking, but potential struggles with expressing ideas. Emphasizes mastering communication over time.

4th House: Family responsibilities weigh heavily, requiring structure and boundaries within the home.

5th House: Saturn limits spontaneity, asking for serious, structured creativity and cautious enjoyment of life.

6th House: Calls for responsibility in daily routines, health, and service, with potential to master work-life balance.

7th House: Lessons of responsibility and commitment in partnerships, often through challenges.

8th House: Difficulty around shared finances or emotional depth, demanding mastery of trust and vulnerability.

9th House: Rigorous study and responsibility in developing a disciplined worldview, often through hard-earned wisdom.

10th House: Highlighting career responsibility, slow but steady growth, and eventual mastery in public life.

11th House: Careful, serious involvement in communities, with a need to build meaningful, long-term connections.

12th House: Possible periods of isolation or spiritual trials, asking for deep reflection and mastery over hidden fears.