Vedic Astrology - More On Saturn And His Aspects

Vedic astrology, which is thousands of years old, is an ancient and holistic system that views the human being as an entity that is not separate from the cosmos. It sees the universe as a living organism made of interdependent elements in constant motion. This system has been practiced in the East for centuries and has survived through millennia to become one of India's most respected astrological systems today.

In Vedic astrology each planet (there are 9) assumes aspects ranging from benefic to malefic depending on how the other planets are placed at birth. A planet can adopt both benefic and malefic qualities based on its own placement in a chart and its relationships with other planets.

The position of the Sun is said to give a person their personality traits, while the position of Moon is said to give a person their emotions and feelings. The position of Mercury gives a person language or communication skills, while the position of Venus gives a person creativity. Mars gives a person vitality and virility, while Jupiter is associated with wealth and prosperity. The position of Saturn determines how much struggle or hardship one has to go through in order to learn certain lessons in life.

An individual may have more than one of these planets in his/her chart depending on time, place and circumstance at birth. A chart may also have more than one aspect that a planet is under at any given moment. This will determine the intensity of the energy of each planet and its resulting influence over a person's life. The position of the various planets in a person's chart can indicate different things, depending on where they are located in the birth chart and what aspects they have with other planets, among other things.

For example, a Jupiter placed in Leo conjunct Venus indicates someone who is blessed with creativity and an appreciation of beauty and harmony. However, if that same Jupiter is in Gemini, it may give a person ideas that he/she cannot manifest or bring to fruition. A Jupiter in Sagittarius placed with Mars indicates someone who has the willpower to bring about his vision. A Jupiter in Scorpio however, may indicate a person who is given to excesses and extravagances. He/she will spend money unwisely and overspend on luxuries.

Hence, the position of each planet in a chart determines not just one quality in an individual, but rather many qualities that go together to form a complete picture of the individual's personality.

Sun-Moon Aspects

Sun-Moon aspects refer to specific configurations of the Sun and Moon at birth. The Moon represents how we feel and receive emotions. The Sun represents how we act and how we communicate our ideas to others.

The Sun-Moon aspect brings about two types of responses from the person under consideration: innate tendencies and qualities that are dependent on the environment.

In some ways, an individual's Moon aspects are determined by previous solar influences seen at birth. The degree of freedom a person has in making choices is said to be determined by prior influences seen, Mars aspects alone or Moon aspects alone or both together. The nature of one's habits, inclinations, preferences and instincts may also be determined by pre-natal influences on the Sun and Moon.

Some people are highly sensitive to the influence of the environment and their surroundings. They react to their environment in predictable ways, depending on their natal charts, which indicates that they have been created with a set of predispositions. This would mean that one's temperament is inherited through biological factors. For example, if a parent raised an individual in such a way that he/she became fearful and timid because the parent was forceful and afraid of taking risks in life, the person being raised would end up being fearful and timid as well. In this case it can be said that qualities of a person's temperament are partly determined by biological factors, but also partly by environmental factors.

Some people have innate tendencies to react in certain ways because of their natal charts. For example, someone with a Sun-Moon square or opposition will be highly motivated to take risks in life, which could result in failure. Someone with a Sun-Moon conjunction or trine may be overly optimistic and always expect the best out of life, which could result in being taken advantage of. The same applies to someone born with a Moon square to the Sun. One would generally expect him/her to be cautious and even pessimistic.

The Moon represents one's emotions and feelings. The Sun represents one's ideas and thoughts. It is said that opposite signs of the Moon (like Pisces, Capricorn or Aries) usually reflect the mother and father who were influential in nature during pregnancy. The same applies to opposite signs of the Sun (like Virgo, Scorpio or Gemini).

In Vedic astrology an individual's Moon has to interact harmoniously with his/her Sun before he/she can learn any lessons related to any specific sign of the zodiac. This harmonious interaction between the Sun and Moon indicates a certain degree of creative expression in one's life.

In general, any configuration of the Sun and Moon that affects the chart will indicate a concrete tendency in a person's life. For example, if one's Sun is, say, conjunct Venus or Venus is conjunct the Sun in a particular chart, there will be an emphasis on love and attraction in one's life. If one's Moon is conjunct Mars or Mars is conjunct the Moon in a particular chart, there will be an emphasis on aggression and desire as well as violence in one's life.

The same applies to all other planets that have an effect on the individual under consideration. It is also important to note that a person's natal chart represents many aspects of the individual, not just one. For example, if the Sun is placed in Scorpio and one's Moon is in Capricorn, this combination indicates that a person would be hardworking and dependable.

Sun-Mars Aspects

Sun-Mars aspects refer to specific configurations of the Sun and Mars at birth. The Mars represents how we act towards others and interact with them. The Sun represents how we think and express our views to others.

There are two types of relationships between people born under these aspects: either they have good relations or they have bad relations, depending on the planets involved. Generally, when the planets causing these aspects are related to each other, they will create better relations between people. For example, people born under a Sun-Mars conjunction or trine may have good relations with their friends and loved ones. People born under a Sun-Mars square or opposition may find it difficult to interact with other people and make friends easily.

The difference between the Sun-Mars conjunction, trine and square is subtle but important. The Sun-Mars conjunction can indicate that one may be very enthusiastic in everything he/she does for others. The person will be kind and generous as well as helpful towards his/her loved ones and friends.

Conclusion

The basis of Vedic astrology is "transmigration of souls". The soul transmigrates through the body in a cyclic fashion when the soul comes into incarnation. All living beings have a single soul within them, which can be considered as eternal. From time to time, when circumstances are right and our natal chart is conducive, the soul will make a journey out of this body and back into another body in another human or animal form.

The natal chart has many important elements such as a Sun-Moon conjunction, trine or square that indicates what we do best or where we feel most comfortable.