5 Things to Know About Saturn in Pisces

Today marks one of the biggest energetic shifts of the past few years as Saturn enters Pisces for the first time in 30 years. Perhaps you’ve heard or read about it.

Saturn entering Pisces begins a new chapter in our personal and collective lives. How it will unfold remains to be seen, but it’s helpful to know what the landscape might look like.

Over the next 3 years, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to unpack what Saturn in Pisces will look like.

For now, here are answers to the top 5 questions you might have as we begin this new journey.

(1) Why is Saturn Entering Pisces a Big Deal?

First, any time a planet changes sign, it signals a shift of energy. The less frequently a planet changes sign, the more we tend to feel the shift.

Saturn takes about 28–30 years to cycle the zodiac. The last time it was in Pisces was 1993–1996.

Saturn changes sign every 2.5 to 3 years, so any move to a new sign is a big deal. But it’s move into Pisces is an especially big shift because because it marks the first time in over 5 years that Saturn is leaving one of its home signs.

Saturn just spend the past 3 years in Aquarius, which it entered in March 2020. Prior to that, it was in Capricorn from 2017. Saturn rules both Capricorn and Aquarius, making the past 5 years very Saturnian.

Now you know why everyone is talking about this.

(2) What is Saturn’s Energy?

Back before telescopes, Saturn was the last planet visible with the naked eye. It was believed to be the final planet in the solar system, the limits of human consciousness.

For this reason, Saturn is associated with limits, boundaries, and restriction. Saturn is the planet of structure, frameworks, and systems.

Its slow movement teaches us about time, patience, and perseverance.

Saturn is also associated with tradition. It’s the guardrails on the system, the structure of society and culture. Saturn likes rules and regulations.

Saturn is known as one of the two “malefic” planets in the solar system.

Other keywords associated with Saturn are: cold, detached, removed, rigid, restrictive, hard. Saturn is the taskmaster, teacher, and cop. It’s the patriarchal figure.

Saturn asks us to take responsibility for our actions. It desires simplicity and demands truth.

(3) How Does Saturn Usually Show Up?

Wherever Saturn touches our lives, it will reveal weaknesses that need strengthening.

Saturn tests the strength of our desire by giving us obstacles to navigate. It’s almost like it’s saying:

If you want this so badly, find a way around the restrictions and limitations I’m giving you.

Consider Saturn in Aquarius. Aquarius is a social sign focused on the collective. Saturn entered Aquarius in March 2020, just as the world went into lockdown for the COVID pandemic. During Saturn’s transit through Aquarius, we had to contend with limits on our ability to gather in person, as well as all the other pandemic restrictions: masks, vaccine rules, travel restrictions, etc.

We had to learn how to come together collectively within the confines of these restrictions.

(4) Does Saturn Have Any Positive Impact?

Although Saturn is considered one of the two “malefic” planets in the solar system, no planet is “bad” or “harmful.”

Saturn is like that tough teacher you had in school who may have been overly critical with an intention to help you bring out your best.

Saturn wants to help us build sustainably and create things that will last.

One of my yoga teachers used to say, “you can’t rush that which you want to make permanent.” Building to last takes time and patience.

As much as we may want to have complete freedom from structure or limitations, Saturn’s limits often provide the catalyst for innovation.

Again, consider the past three years: the pandemic restrictions brought remote working (very Saturnian) to the mainstream, and forced aging boomers to embrace technologies they may have feared, like Zoom and FaceTime.

(5) How Does Saturn Energy Mix With Pisces?

Saturn is often described as being the “opposite” of Pisces. It’s important to remember that Saturn and Pisces are not true “opposites”: Saturn is a planet and Pisces is a sign.

It’s more accurate to say that their energies are divergent.

Pisces is a watery sign that is about creating oneness and dissolving boundaries. Pisces is dreamy and intuitive. As the last sign of the zodiac, once we get to Pisces we have seen and done it all, and now the focus shifts to what does it all mean?

Imagine a person who is very rigid in their routine, who likes to set and stick to a schedule and plan, going to live in a place where everyone just “goes with the flow.”

This is Saturn in Pisces.

Saturn wants facts and figures, routine and ritual, structure and schedule. Pisces just wants to flow.

In Pisces, Saturn will need to learn how to create flexible and adaptable boundaries.

That said, one of the weaknesses we can find in Pisces is a lack of boundaries, or boundaries that are too porous. Saturn can bring some much needed structure to Pisces — but it must do it in a way that fits within Pisces’ energy.

In this watery sign, “structure” may look more like containers and buckets than walls and fences.

Especially because Saturn spent the past 5 years in Capricorn and Aquarius, signs that it rules. It’s entrance into Pisces puts it in a place that is quite opposite from its operating M.O.

Saturn is the planet of limits, restrictions, and boundaries. How this will play out will be interesting.

Different planets have different jobs to do. The way they do those jobs can be impacted greatly by the sign in which they are “living.”

Planets Are Impacted By Their Environment

Think about the differences in how you might do your work depending on whether you’re in an office, working from home, or sitting in a coffee shop. Each of those environments has a different energy to them that impacts your productivity.

The same is true for planets. Each planet has signs where it is at home. These are known as its rulerships.

As it happens, Saturn’s two home signs — Capricorn and Aquarius — sit next to each other on the zodiacal wheel. This is a set-up unique to Saturn. The other planets’ home signs are spread out across the wheel.