On the day of the New Moon in Gemini, the ringed planet Saturn stations retrograde June 17 at 10:27 am at 07°12’ Pisces. This is in the constellation of the Water-Bearer and above the Royal Star Fomalhaut. For those early risers, Saturn is easily visible before sunrise in the eastern sky.

Saturn’s retrograde takes place about 11 hours before the New Moon. As viewed from Earth, everything in the solar system has apparent retrograde motion except the Moon and Sun. A retrograde planet is inherently neutral, meaning neither good or bad. It is in how we react and judge that determines the good or bad.

For Saturn in retrograde in Pisces, this can help us see through illusions and understand the need to show up for ourselves. Meaning, it is about reviewing our responsiblities and obiligations. We may dream what we want and desire to manifest, but what will we invest in time, money and energy?

The whole month of June, Saturn barely moves and so this entire month may be more intense in terms of alchemy of worlds that are real and ones that are not. Saturn started the month of June at 06°58’ Pisces and ends the month at 07°05’ Pisces, only 7 minutes of movement in the sky (which is inperceptible to our unaided eyes).

Qualities of Saturn in Pisces, Retrograde

I’ve shared much about Saturn’s journey into the sign of Pisces in this video here. The major themes of Saturn in Pisces (regardless of direct or apparent retrograde motion) are:

•Illusions in our lives and being able to see them in reality

•What dreams can we bring into reality and what would work on a practical level?

•There is an emphasis on sustainable healing in the wholeness of our bodies and psyche

•Our responsibilities around our own spiritual development, empathy and being of service to others.

•Collective sacrifices for the greater whole, including collective suffering Blind faith in in spiritual movements and religion coming down to Earth.

Pisces is also about being of service and truly being of help to others and the divine. During the retrograde period, we can look at what we are doing to be of service in the world. This is a time of planning and contemplation in how we can contribute in some way to helping others.

Being of service with Pisces also relates the importance of empathy in society and family. Without empathy, cooperation with others would be more challenging and building any kind of society would be unlikely to happen.

Saturn has been viewed at times as “the judge”. During this time the unreality of belief systems, spirituality and the dream realm can come into question. But at the same time, particularly during the retrograde period, this is where we can review those dreams and beliefs and see what is our reality around them. Perhaps some of that can be constructive in investing and building what we want.

Saturn and Jupiter Sextile

Saturn is also in a tight sextile (not quite exact) to Jupiter 06°50’ Taurus. This symbolizes an in-between step before the two planets square each other in 2024-25 while Jupiter visits the sign of Gemini. This can result in a measure of growth from what energy was released during the conjunction in December, 2020.

In the relationship between Taurus and Pisces, there is a commonality to be found: slower-paced life. Both Taurus and Pisces move at slower pace relative to archetypal signs like Aries and Virgo (in various ways). For Pisces, it is in the heart and spirit that takes it within itself more often than not. Pisces’ strong current of empathy allows it to feel into a layer of life and spirit that is not a priority for many other signs. While all signs have some empathy, for Pisces it is “always on”.

For Jupiter in Taurus, the slower-pace of life allows it to be experience the pleasures, comforts and sensuality more thoroughly. It is not so much a mental contemplation of those experiences than it is the body and senses’ contemplation of them. Jupiter’s movement through Taurus also gives us a deeper appreciation for our comforts and pleasures.

This combination of Saturn and Jupiter in sextile co-creates a flow of our senses and heart with Earth and each other. But this alignment was seeded back in 2020. The exact sextile of Jupiter and Saturn happens two days after Saturn stations retrograde on June 19th. That takes place with Saturn still at 07°12’ Pisces while Jupiter at 07°12’ Taurus. The planets get close to a second sextile between January 23rd and February 19th, 2024, but don’t reach exactness then.

Saturn will stay retrograde until November 4 at 00°30’ Pisces.