Saturn/Cronus The Bad Guy
In traditional astrology, Saturn was the “bad guy” of the planets. And everything that Saturn touched was sure to be soured. In mythology, Cronus (known to the Romans as Saturn) was the nasty, ruthless father of the 12 Olympian gods. Ultimately, one of his sons that would be Zeus.
Fast forward, and Satan … I mean Saturn … underwent a “face-lift” but strikes fear in the hearts of many people. You see, Saturn still symbolizes esoterically, the growth process and lessons learned through painful or difficult experiences. Saturn is much more concerned with the growth of our soul, than it/he is with our personal comfort or ease.
Archetypal Saturn points to all the open sores and cherished old wounds where we feel the most vulnerable to attack in our unconscious minds. And when other people step (accidentally or purposely) on our “sore spots” - we instinctively react like the proverbial “wounded animal caught in a trap.”
Even if someone nice were to come along, wanting to release us from our trap - then, purely out of blind instinct, pain (panic) and fear, we’d end up biting and attacking our compassionate, well-meaning benefactor. (Remember, these are “cherished” old wounds.) And all the while, we thought we were simply defending ourselves.
You may have heard the term “the Shadow of the Psyche.” Saturn is prominent place where the Shadow can often be found casting his/her image in the natal (birth) chart.
And just so we’re clear on things - all of the planets and zodiac signs have their own “shadow” sides. Over the years, Saturn (and Pluto) has been used to being treated as ’’scapegoats“ and as ”uninvited gods."
When we attempt to sweep Saturn under the rug, then (as is true with all the planets), Saturn shows us his harsher face. Saturn, then, reflects a Shadow aspect of the Psyche that loves to point out our many, manifold weaknesses and sins. Saturn becomes our angry internal (infernal) father intent on eating up all of our potential and creativity. We experience Saturn as an angry, judgmental parent that’s only more than glad to “eat our lunch” by pointing out and reminding us of all our many flaws and shortcomings.
Saturn also easily qualifies as the nastier side of Santa Claus that only rewards those good children that can display superlative, perfect behavior - and so he leaves the rest of us a “sorry old miserable lump of coal” in our Christmas stocking, because we’ve been very, very bad this year.
You’d better watch out You’d better not cry You’d better not pout and I’m telling you why! ‘Saturn’ Claus is coming to town!
I realize this image of Santa is a bit tough to digest, since our society’s image of Jolly Saint Nick has been seriously “Jupiterized” over the years … nut nonetheless … study it a bit and you will see the correlation.
We’ve all heard our internal Saturn’s angry, condemning voice - reminding us of just how “whatever” we are. It’s never nice, always demeaning. This is our personal Satan/Saturn - the ego. The Higher-Self (Divine) is that still small voice of love and compassionate support and insight. Our Divine, is our intuition. We should pay more attention to it.
Just a thought …
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.
