As Jupiter and Saturn transit through your birth chart, they can be viewed as your professors in the University of Life. They are concerned with your "education" and what you will "build" and they want you to graduate with flying colors, but they are professors with two different styles of teaching.
Let's learn a bit more about our two professors, the subject matter they teach and how we can pass their exams.
Professor Jupiter - Inspiration and Opportunities
Professor Jupiter has a commanding presence, he is welcoming, he has a good sense of humor and he is inspiring! He is the professor you hope to get and you look forward to his classes! He embodies the excitement of going to college where you hope to learn about life outside the home you grew up in, to develop your own philosophy of life, and to be inspired by a vision based on that philosophy.
This is why the transits of Jupiter tend to feel good: they inspire and prepare you for your future and what you will build in life. Professor Jupiter wants you to live an authentic life, true to your personal philosophy and to be inspired.
It is very important to note however that Professor Jupiter will not give you a passing grade (via a reward or recognition) simply for showing up in class filled with inspiration. He only provides rewards if you are taking action to make your evolving philosophy and vision real in your world, by honoring it, by trusting it.
Professor Jupiter's gifts are only given
to those taking action!
Pop Quizzes: Motivation & Momentum
On a regular basis, Professor Jupiter gives you various assignments and pop quizzes so that you can build momentum (via your actions) and keep your inspiration moving forward. As Jupiter makes sextiles, trines and yes, squares and oppositions, he is giving you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of your vision and how you relate to your vision. When you take action at these times, even though they might not seem particularly important, your efforts build momentum and you gain more confidence. This aligns you with the potential of receiving a reward from Professor Jupiter during his Reality Test.
These "momentum building" transits of Jupiter tend to take place a number of times each year and by being aware of these transits you can speed on your unfolding journey. What might one of these transits look like?
A transit of Jupiter to Mercury will energize your ability to gather and communicate information related to your vision and you can gain momentum by meeting with mentors or attending a certification program. If you simply enjoy the inspiration of this transit to Mercury and flip through brochures, without taking any action, momentum slows and the vision becomes less clear.
Paying attention to these transits and taking action in conjunction with them is an excellent way to build energy and momentum on your journey!
The Reality Test
Every so often, Professor Jupiter needs to apply a bit more energy to your world to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate how you are bringing your inspiration into reality. Since he is the fun professor, he does this so that he can provide a potential reward or additional motivation. At these times, Professor Jupiter seems to light a fire in your mind. You are excited for a future that you could not have even imagined prior to Jupiter's message of inspiration, which comes to you like a lightning bolt from heaven.
This type of inspiration appears in your world via conjunctions of transiting Jupiter to your natal Sun, Uranus, ascendant, and Jupiter (a Jupiter Return). These are critical junctures that often align with great turning points.
These transits are so energizing that you will likely be called to action naturally. In these examinations, if you are 'On Track' and taking appropriate action, what I call 'following your yellow brick road', then you receive a major inspiration, opportunity or reward that propels you forward with great excitement and new potentials arise. This is often a time when we begin a new chapter or simply turn up the volume a bit!
If you "Off Track", what I call 'being lost in the poppy field', then the opportunity or reward simply passes you by and it can feel deflating. In these cases, either the vision and inspiration are not clear or it is too big or the actions to bring them into reality are not progressing. This is a test of your determination and efforts. Are you putting in too little effort? Is your vision out of alignment with your personal philosophy?
It is important to note that Professor Jupiter will not give you a passing grade simply for showing up, filled with inspiration because he knows that a vision or inspiration that is not acted on, will simply fade away.
Let's look at an example. For a spiritually inclined person, a core guiding philosophy to gather with like-minded others in a supportive environment for healing might exist. The vision that brings this core philosophy to life can take many shapes, but often it takes the form of building a conference center and drawing people to it. But, since we are speaking of Jupiter who wants to make everything grand, this vision becomes very big:
- The location must be of pristine natural surroundings.
- The facilities must be of the highest quality.
- The services must be luxurious.
- The people will travel from far and wide to attend.
The vision is big and that is good, Professor Jupiter is pleased.
But, Jupiter is the King of the Gods and he directs the future of life. In this role, he can't sit back and do nothing. He must take action and he expects you to take actions too.
If your vision is so grand that you are unable to take action, you might feel deflated and Professor Jupiter is not pleased. He might be tempted to toss you out of class. To avoid this potential, you might need to break the vision down into steps that you can do right now. Using the example above about a conference center, actions to consider are:
- If you are unable to proceed because you need to acquire certifications or skills, complete all the accreditations and training needed.
- If building a center of your own is presently unaffordable, consider working for an existing organization to learn the ropes and make connections, build your expertise and establish your reputation.
- If you are ready to test out some retreat program options, branch out on your own and provide weekend day retreats at an existing facility.
The grand vision can remain, but the actions supporting the vision's core philosophy are great activities to continue your momentum. By 'dipping your toe in', you prove to yourself and Professor Jupiter that you remain aligned with your vision.
However, you might also find you do not enjoy leading retreats, this is a good discovery to make and you can use the momentum of the transit to realign your core philosophy around a new version of the vision.
Professor Saturn - The Serious One
Professor Saturn is dark, he is serious, humorless and demanding! He might be the professor everyone hopes to avoid and you certainly do not look forward to his classes! In a similar way, the transits of Saturn feel heavy and limiting and demanding!
Once you are in his class, and we all are, you recognize that you are enrolled for a lifetime and he will be closely watching how maturely you are approaching your life and becoming your own authority. The subject matter he teaches is foundational and necessary for a stable and content life.
Let's say the project we are working on is the Retreat Center described above:
- Professor Saturn does not care about your vision if you have not tended to the foundation of your life in a mature way.
- When you have tended maturely to your foundation in life, he supports your vision and works with Professor Jupiter.
In this, we can see a glimmer of how Professor Jupiter and Professor Saturn work together.
Brush Up Exams: Your Day To Day Functioning
. Along the way, Professor Saturn will give you a series of minor Brush Up Exams to test if you are acting maturely in the world or if you need to make adjustments. These exams test your day to day functioning in life.
These Brush Up Exams come in the form of transiting Saturn conjunct, square and oppose the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. Saturn is a stickler for details so that he can make sure you are paying attention to the important aspects of life represented by each planet.
For example, a transit of Saturn to Mars will test your will to take action. You might get blocked in some way. How do you respond? How well were you prepared for this setback?
A transit of Saturn to Mercury might cause a key communication channel to break down. Are you prepared to respond maturely? Do you have a back-up plan?
These are NOT major exams, but they impact the quality of your foundation by saying 'good job, keep up the good work' or 'no problem, but take responsibility for your world next time'.
Mid-Term Exams: Your Overall Path
. Since Saturn has a 29 year cycle, about every 7 years transiting Saturn makes a square or opposition to Saturn and the Sun, or a conjunction to the Sun and Ascendant. These Mid-Term exams of Saturn occur roughly once every 3 ½ years. These exams are more important, because they are tests of your overall path in life and your efforts to bring your plan into reality. This is the exam that you dress up for a bit to make a good impression.
If you pass the mid-term, you pat yourself on the back and know that you are on track to passing Professor Saturn's Final Exams as you are demonstrating you are acting as the authority in your world. This feels good and you are confident to continue on your journey. How do you know this is the result? If you are not knocked off your course, you passed. It is really that simple. If the transit ends with no fallout, good job!
If you do not pass the mid-term, first, you pick yourself up. Then, you would be advised to become more determined to become the authority of your world and to not repeat this mistake again. An example might be getting hit with a bill you had ignored that derails your plans in some way. You must deal with the consequences. If you have real financial pressures, something must be adjusted. Professor Saturn will demand that you become the authority of your financial resources and he will keep pressuring this aspect of life until you do.
Again, Professor Saturn does not care about your vision if you have not tended to your foundation for life in a mature way. I call this the process of 'Making Friends With Saturn' in life.
If we fail too many of these 'mid-term exams', we might become fearful or filled with doubt over time. Professor Saturn does not want us to be fearful, but that can be the result if we keep failing his mid-term exams over time. If you are passing his mid-term exams, you should live without fear because you know your foundation is strong. If you are failing his exams, you should also be without fear because that is not helpful, but not without the determination to adjust. Your course must be adjusted.
For example, if you are experiencing financial pressures, what authoritative action must you take to change this? For example, getting a job that is not ideal so you can pay your bills, reducing your living expenses, etc. If you are waiting for money from something like an inheritance or lawsuit, but are broke right now, Professor Saturn is asking that you assess how you are responding right now and to look at the larger picture of your life. Again, his course is a lifetime curriculum and he knows the overall path is about more than the present moment. He might ask you to consider if your foundation supports you now and into the future.
It is important to remember that the goal of these mid-term exams is to be prepared for Professor Saturn's final examinations: Saturn Returns.
Final Exams.
Your Saturn Returns. In your lifetime enrollment, Professor Saturn wants you to be content in your world and, once every 29 years, you experience the important final examinations from Professor Saturn.
Your first final exam occurs at your First Saturn Return (age 29) when you are an "undergraduate" in the school of life. Then, 29 years later, you have your second final exam at your Second Saturn Return in life's "post-graduate" studies. These exams occur only once every 29 years and they are the most important and powerful tests of both your path in life and the quality of your efforts.
With a Saturn Return, you know with certainty if you failed or passed. How?
Well, like the analogy I like to use of the Third Little Pig, if your house is still standing, you passed.
If the windows are blown out or you are standing in rubble, then you have work to do and the next chapter starts now! Adjustment can lead to greater stability.
No Transit Stands Alone
Often, the transits of Jupiter and Saturn often occur at the same time. On one hand, we are full steam ahead and inspired by Professor Jupiter. On the other hand, we are being tested by Professor Saturn. Sometimes, this can be more than a bit confusing. The key to these times is actually the same. We want to pass Saturn's exams and receive Jupiter's opportunities and rewards.
Of course, important transits of the other planets play a role, just like a "Visiting Professor". Transits of the outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto can play an incredibly powerful role on our unfolding journey, but their movement through our chart is slow and the intention and lessons they bring are often not so easy to recognize and take action on in the moment. Unlike a curriculum that occurs with consistency over time, these transits represent more of a flow of energy.
What is important about transiting Jupiter and Saturn is that we can experience and recognize life's events at these times with greater clarity.
The Keys to Professors Jupiter and Saturn
- Jupiter sparks inspiration on your soul's journey and asks you to build momentum.
- Professor Saturn wants you to build a solid foundation for your life by passing his Brush Up, Mid Terms and Final Exams.
- Professor Saturn does not care about your vision if you have not tended to the foundation of your life in a mature way. When you have tended maturely to your foundation in life, he supports your vision and works with Professor Jupiter.
May Professors Jupiter and Saturn be your guide to the University of Life.