Every morning, immediately upon waking up, practice grounding techniques to stabilize your mind and body. Many of us often astral project at night, knowingly or unknowingly. Therefore, we wake up feeling ungrounded and it can about 2 hours before we really “wake up,” and “get with it.”

When we are chronically ungrounded we can experience the following:

• Muddy or unclear thinking
• Depression, alienation or suicidal thoughts
• Deep insecurities
• Can’t keep to a routine or schedule
• Chronic anxiety, fear and stress
• Identity loss or confusion
• Unable to finish what you start
• Feeling stuck in life
• Buckling under the inevitable obstacles and daily grind of life

Those who have more burdens, have more meaning life. This not only relates to Saturn but also to Jupiter, whose Sanskrit name is Guru, translating to the “heavy one.” But moreover, Saturn, the planet of greatness, calls us to be more organized and realistic with our lives, bear our cross and push forward. It is symbolized by a man carrying a cross. It rules over Capricorn (cardinal sign) and Aquarius (fixed sign). Many “spiritual” people focus on the upper chakras to the exclusion of the lower. Saturn governs our lowest Chakra of survival. Saturn focuses on the root issues of our day to day manifested experience. Without a firm foundation in Saturnian energy, we cannot delve into higher spiritual experiences.

The first step on a long journey is to have structure!

Get organized. Clean your room. Take on responsibilities and meet them with success. Harden yourself against the world’s suffering through self-discipline and rigor. These are definitely Saturn’s mantras. These are pretty general statements that the famous (or infamous) Canadian clinical psychologist, Jordan B Peterson became known for during his talks, among a litany of more politicized statements, of course.

The very fact that Peterson could make such basic, simple statements and appeal to so many people highlights an underlining crisis troubling our society, one that is the result of not facing Saturn’s energies with maturity and respect. Our society does not promote Saturn’s values, but more so those of Venus (glitz, glamor and pleasure) and Mercury (sharing and gathering the latest gossip or trivia). Is it any wonder why so many lack the grit and maturity needed to lead successful, balanced lives in this world?

What’ more…

It’s quite ironic that Jordan B Peterson became world-renown during his Saturn dasha, the cruel planet that rules his 10th and 11th houses of public recognition and groups, tightly conjunct the south node and sitting in its own sign — all while retrograde!? This is a highly Saturnine individual. You can even hear it in his speech. Saturn gives the capacity to become great or achieve greatness. Great things come from doing the repetitive, tedious, hard and boring work that is required get something done. 

By structuring your life, simplifying what you have around you, developing a realistic plan for your future, honestly reflecting on your personal shortcomings (not dwelling on them) and taking life one step at a time, regardless of the obstacles that come your way, you are strengthening Saturn. Therefore, you will be become great. Now, you might not be famous or materially successful…but you’ll most certainly become great!

Saturn’s gaze is downward. He doesn’t look to the future or hold some grand vision. He looks for the obstacles on the path below, the place where we walk. If a person is too concerned with “being” somebody in the future or finding absolute fulfillment through some event in life, that person cannot properly attend to the daily obstacles of living.

Remember this…

It’s not what we “do” in life that really matters. What matters is the spiritual significance behind what we do. Saturn is about destroying one’s illusions. Everything in this holographic universe is set up to perpetuate spiritual evolution. My career, just as an example, doesn’t really matter in the larger context of things. I’ve sacrificed a lot and I’ve worked through enormous amounts of struggle and pain. Looking back on my life, I ask myself, “was it worth it?”

I can’t answer that definitively. But I definitely lean towards saying “it probably wasn’t.” It’s not like living for instant pleasure and partying would have been a better alternative. The truth is that nothing in this world is worth the suffering that comes with it. But we need the suffering to grow and evolve spiritually. Saturn rules our suffering and how much we can bear.

Facing and coming to terms with the “dark side” of life is a big part of integrating the energies of Saturn. This is why I worship and meditate upon Saturn’s energies. It is because he rules over this material world. I do it every Saturday. He rules over suffering, separation, the poor masses and all “downward” moving energy.

Saturn is suffering, limitation, raw unfiltered truth, our pain tolerance and our material reality. He suffers silently, not dramatizing or making a big deal out of it. He knows that pain is a part of living that cannot be avoided. He is the energy that can turn a coal into a diamond through consistent pressure and dedication.

A great Saturn can give us the ability to endure the harshness of life, rise above, overcome and develop something phenomenal, something great. If Saturn isn’t too good, it’s no reason to freak out. You just have to develop it. The first step is to get organized and structured.

Focus on the key themes of Saturn: organization, discipline, repetition and limitation. What would a person with a great Saturn do? How do we take more responsibility for our lives and commit to our path? Saturn demands maturity and responsibility! When we move into chaos and disarray, our entire life crumbles: relationships, health, wealth and mind. In order for any element of our lives to function with ease, there has to be a certain level of internal (as well as external) organization.

Just as nature has an observable well-structured order to it, so too must human life. All things happen at a particular time and occur in cycles.

We must organize our lives in such a way as to maximize our fullest potential. We only become the best versions of ourselves when we’ve narrowed down our interests to something specific. If we’re too into having numerous relationships and numerous hobbies, it is likely that none of them will turn into something fruitful.

Think about the people who dedicate themselves to one martial arts school and train to become masters of that art. Rather than trying out various martial arts practices, those who devote themselves to one single path can become great. This is a path to greatness in all walks of life. The greatest fulfillment comes from marriages that stick together through thick and thin, years on end. It doesn’t come from one night stands and partying. Even in your career, if you have numerous interests and hobbies, just pick one and narrow it down. Practice improving that skill or talent. By doing so, you’ll be tapping into Saturn.

Saturn’s Nature of Discipline and How it Transforms Us

Let’s examine what the 8^th house of transformation is from the original zodiac order. First, what does Saturn do? Saturn rules Capricorn, and from that sign, Leo rules the 8^th house. Leo always rules the kingdom, our self-esteem, personal power and These are themes related to the Sun’s mythos. This means that Saturn’s innate characteristics are meant to transform the ego and the self by destroying it through frustration and pressure of daily human life. Most people will tell you, life has its ways of crushing our ego flat.

Saturn also rules Aquarius, making the 8th sign of transformation a changeable earth sign governed by Mercury: Virgo. The obstacles in our mental sphere of consciousness pressure us to change how we think about our duties in the world.

The transformation of our daily duties, obstacles and how we use our intellect to manage the nitty-gritty responsibilities of our world come when we’ve experienced the pressures of society. Mercury is a planet which governs over intelligence, skillfulness, communication and organizational management.

When Saturn hits us, the very way we analyze the world and how we go about organizing our lives goes into upheaval.

Remember, again, that Saturn rules our fears. Not so much the over-hyped psychological phantoms we have whirling in our heads – No. These are far more realistic fears: “What if I’m rejected by someone I love” or “when will I die and how?” etc. We inevitably have to face these fears. Once we do, they diminish from their status as colossal giants that our minds had made them out to be.

One personal sacrifice that is said to lead to more energy and “greatness” is that of sexual and social intercourse. It takes a lot of energy to engage in these things, believe it or not… If one’s personality is more extroverted, that person can gain energy when engaging with others, feeling alive and rejuvenated. If you’re an introvert, however, you tend to lose energy and might even get burnt out after engaging in social get togethers.

When individuals have fewer options to choose from, they are psychologically happier. The stress and energy of making yet another decision is out of the equation. It’s quite odd. I know. People tend to be happier when they focus on taking care of the needs of one partner in a monogamous relationship. Otherwise, typical of polyamory relationships, too much energy is wasted and there is very little left to do anything else: spiritual practices or creative endeavors.

Saturn gives us the capacity to endure pain and suffering.

Understand that whatever pain you are going through is pressure testing you. It will transform you into something better, bigger, stronger. The pain is purifying your spirit and turning you into a diamond, so to speak. Pain is never personal. Everyone suffers in this realm. We are here because our souls need more evolution before reuniting with the Godhead. We’re not here by some freak accident or by pure chance. Though it may seem that way to the base materialist.

Saturn can indicate depression, if badly aspected. It can also indicate a person who is completely in tune with reality, not the mental projections that most people base their existence on. I, for example, might seem depressed…I’m not. I live my life in a sort of Zen-like manner. I’m content being in the present moment. I’m not too serious about life.

I don’t have many desires. I don’t really care. It’s similar to a feeling of burnout. But unlike a burnout, there is still plenty of energy to get things done and forge ahead towards attainable goals. The difference is that I don’t need those goals to compensate for anything. Most neurotic ambitious people have some deep emotional pain nudging them forward, lingering just beneath the surface.

It’s often a way of bypassing pain and fear. Ambitious people are escapists. They run away from life and attempt to mask the darker emotions of the human experience by tasking themselves with materializing a grandiose vision of future glory and success in the corporate world. They eventually become disillusioned when they figure out how different reality is compared to their mental construct of the glorious, happy future that is just around the corner. Anyone would be. But some never learn and refuse to connect with the reality that is Saturn.

Think about it. Someone’s entire life is wasted over a thought. The stress, the panic attacks, the long hours and sacrifices were all for something that wasn’t even worth what they were told. Why not more laughter, relaxation, play and self-expression? Time spent with loved ones is a far better investment — though, that too is still an illusion of Maya.

Human beings unknowingly search for their true spirit, but end up looking in all the wrong places. Many of them are not old souls. They lack the perspective to know any better. The old soul has been through more human incarnations and therefore more trials. It has acclimated to the ways of this world and has come to accept all of the structural inadequacies that lay in it. Expectations naturally tempered. Saturn, lifetime after lifetime, shows us the reality of the matter.

I am one of these souls.

There are so many things that I cannot change in this world. As a result, I’ve developed a realistic and Saturnian outlook on my world. I’ve “given up” (so to speak). I’m not “going” anywhere in life. I have no concept of the future, save in reference to my need to plan and execute material responsibilities in life. What’s the rush? We all die at the end of it. Although I still have a vision for my life, as well as a list of goals for my career, I do not need to be anything to anyone anymore. I simply am. I’m no longer “seeking” validation from this world. It has nothing more to give me.

In case you haven’t noticed, the world is rotten to the core, wholly consumed by mass greed, violence and ignorance. Anyone seeking validity in such a place has some serious soul-searching to do and should rethink their entire value system. Remember that Saturn is very far from the Sun and Earth. It rules over outcasts. I have no expectations of glory or of future “success.” I don’t want or need a legacy.

I will likely die as an unmemorable and unknown individual. That’s okay. It doesn’t matter. This moment, in its glory, is enough. If greatness comes, then it comes. If not, it doesn’t. The now remains eternal, unwavering and immovable. I live only in this moment, acting and flowing with life’s eternal cycles. If more people had this mindset, rather than being preoccupied by all-consuming avarice for “more,” our world would look entirely different to what we are witnessing today. Saturn gives us humility. Saturn’s greatness comes by doing what must be done, not what gives us pleasure.

Don’t throw away the future for the present!

It’s always important to have a realistic account of what you need to prepare for in the future. Things like saving for retirement, making long-term stable investments or getting your health in order. These remain important. But this isn’t the foremost important thing in your mind. The mind must live in the moment, focusing on one thing at a time. Productivity increases by doing this. The mind and body become healthier. Your life shouldn’t be lived for some future event that will bring a great payoff. It should be designed to where you integrate the practical need to secure for your future while living with great pleasure and happiness in this very moment.

It’s like getting a PhD. That takes some serious organization! You don’t want to constantly think about the “end goal” of finally holding that paper after it is all said and done. You might not make it if you think like that! It’s all about the journey and the process, staying consistent and confident on that path, even enjoying it along the way. Life is much the same. We don’t have to be here. The universe has no deep need to exist. It just is. You don’t have to go to work. You don’t have to do anything.

Feel the inherent freedom and power in being able to choose your life, and not live it out of a burdensome sense of duty or obligation to something or someone! It’s great!

Saturn, which is traditionally associated with our career and the duties we perform to the larger world in life, shows us the work we must do for no great reward, but just for the sake of doing work. This is why Saturn not only relates to servants and slaves, but to the work that NOBODY wants to do: often hard, tedious and exhausting labor.

Without this, however, the larger society would not be able to function. Yoga and spiritual practice should be undertaken with the same type of intention. You are not doing it for recognition or to transform into some all-powerful demigod that can materialize any desire instantly out of superhuman yogic powers. Throw these concepts out immediately. They are obstacles in and of themselves. One undergoes a spiritual discipline for the sake of the spirit alone. It is out of necessity that this must be done. Saturn rules this domain.

Before we can begin serious spiritual practice, our lives have to be organized and stable. This ties back to the first theme mentioned. The ultimate Saturnian lesson is to stabilize and endure one’s karmic lessons.