J U P I T E R S A T U R N C O N J U N C T
Jupiter and Saturn are exactly conjunct on May 28, 2000. Of course, there is a buildup of a month where they are within orb of each other (and a corresponding tapering off).
The Jupiter - Saturn conjunct cycle is the longest cycle that doesn't involve the transcendental planets, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. The entire cycle takes approximately 800 years. The conjuncts of these two planets happen about every 20 years. For the last 200 years, the conjunct is happening near the start of the even numbered decades (1821, 1842, 1861, 1881, 1901, 1921, 1940, 1961, 1980, 2000, 2020, etc). Let us get the dynamics of these conjuncts, then we'll look into the meaning.
Because of the ratio of the planets and due to the eccentricity of the two orbits, the Jupiter - Saturn conjuncts take place a trine back of the previous conjunct plus or minus up to 17 degrees. However, the average is a trine minus three degrees back. So roughly every 200 years (10 conjuncts times 3 degrees is one sign of 30 degrees, and each conjunct takes 20 years, so 10 times 20 gives 200) the conjunct changes elements. For 200 years the conjuncts will be in earth signs, then for 200 years in air signs, etc. Because of the eccentricity, however, the conjunct could take place in a different element, then switch back to the old element, then go forward for good (200 years) into the new element. In fact, this often happens.
Every 800 years the conjunct takes place in fire signs. This was called the "great mutation". A list of the first and second times (after backsliding) that the conjunctions first happened in fire signs were:
1603 AD 8 Sagittarius, 1623 AD 6 Leo, in 1643 AD it backslid to 25 Pisces, 1663 AD 13 Sagittarius
769 AD 0 Leo, 789 AD 16 Pisces, 809 AD 3 Sagittarius (in 848 it backslid to 28 Pisces)
25 BC 3 Leo, 6 BC 21 Pisces to 15 Pisces (happened three times!), 14 AD 5 Sagittarius
obviously, the next one will be in 2400 AD, approximately
Since we are currently in an earth to air transition, let's look at the last few earth and air periods:
Earth - Air periods:
Earth: 154 - 312 in earth (backslides in 173, 193, and 233)
Air: 332 - 551 in air (412, 432 backslid to earth) (610 and 670 backslid to air in the water period)Earth: 1007 (1027 backslid to fire) 1047 - 1166 in earth
Air: 1186 (1206 backslid to earth) 1226 - 1345 in air (1365 water, 1385 AND 1405 backslid to air)
Earth: 1802 (1821 backslid to fire) 1842 - 1961 in earth
Air: 1980-1981 (2000 will backslide to earth) 2020 onwards for at least 100 years in air
The reason we are talking about these conjuncts is so that we can get an overview of the importance of the Jupiter - Saturn conjunct in 2000, and see it in historical context.
What do these conjuncts mean? What is the importance of the various elemental periods?
Jupiter and Saturn are the two planets of broad social interaction and manifestation. They are opposites in many ways. Jupiter is optimism, Saturn pessimism. Jupiter is growth, Saturn is constriction. Jupiter is humor, Saturn is seriousness. Jupiter is unbounded, Saturn is limitations. Jupiter rules bull markets, Saturn rules bear markets. Jupiter is liberal, Saturn conservative. Jupiter's sin is greed, Saturn's is miserliness. Jupiter can be over-confident, Saturn can be too fearful. Jupiter borrows, Saturn lends. Jupiter is respect, Saturn is authority.
At the conjunction the tone is set for the "style" of material manifestation and social interaction, the balance of the Jupiter principle and the Saturn principle. The first decade after the conjunction is a period where Jupiter dominates, the "waxing" of Jupiter relative to Saturn. The second decade after the conjunction is the "waning" of Jupiter, where Saturn dominates. Therefore, even decades (1960, 1980, 2000) are more Jupiterian, more open, progressive, humorous, etc. Odd decades (1970, 1990, 2010) tend to be times of consolidation, testing, conservatism, and seriousness. Of course, this is modified by the Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto which can make a decade more open then it would normally be, or more conservative.
Looking at the longer elemental cycle which lasts 200 years, we see that when the conjuncts are in earth signs that the basis of all power and authority is based on the grinding of gears, the moving of materials, the "captains of industry". The period from 1802 to 1980 was the period of the industrial revolution. The people who controlled steel mills, railroads, car manufacturing plants, shipbuilding, etc controlled the world.
Since 1980 the people who are dominant are the "knowledge workers". The world-wide web, computers, databases, telecommunications, cellular phones, etc are the main stocks on Wall street, and the main areas of growth. Bill Gates is the wealthiest man (however, note what is happening to Microsoft as the earth conjunct approaches...). We should see 20 years of backsliding on this starting in 2000!
Naturally, you can't put the genie back in the bottle. But there will be a shift to where, for a while, authority will rest with materialists a bit more, not intellectuals starting in 2000. However, what works against this is both Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius and Pluto in Sagittarius (just as Neptune in Capricorn and Pluto in Scorpio worked against the 1980 conjunct in air starting in 1984! See the historical Yearly Planets for more information). The outer planets will make this period a lot less earthy than it would normally be. Also, as we said, the first ten years after a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction is the liberal period.
Before we recap the period from 1970 to now (why 1970 when the change was in 1980? read on!), let's look back in history. The basic groundrules are that social and physical power stems from the element that the Jupiter - Saturn conjunct last took place within.
The 332 to 551 air period (with earth conjuncts in 352, 372, 412, and 432 and air conjuncts in 610 and 670)
NOTE: Since the last air conjunct was in 551, the actual end of the period was 571.
Christianity became official. The Huns and other barbarians invaded from 374 to 525. One book likened the invasions to molecules in a leaky bottle, when one set of barbarians took land from another set, they in turn displaced others until they jostled into civilized areas -- this is very airy behavior.
The Juan-Juan, a military dictatorship, ruled in China during this period and kept out the barbarians from 398 to 580 when the Grand Canal (a WATER way) made for faster transportation of troops and goods. So power rested on water during the Jupiter - Saturn conjunct in water period that followed the air period. Japan and China follow the 200 year cycles of Jupiter and Saturn almost literally.
There were Germanic invasions from 375 to 525 which disrupted urban centers. This period resulted in disrupted urban centers in Europe which ultimately resulted in the rise of monasteries (water again) after St. Benedict in 529. This air period was a time of flux, which fits with air. At the start of this period, Constantine established the "Roman Empire" in Constantinople which lasted until 1204 (near the start of the next air period).
Notice how the shift to the next element sometimes precedes the actual shift by 10 to 20 years. This is consistent across history. Hence, there is some indication that in the 1960 - 1970 period we were already feeling the shift to the air conjuncts which happened in 1980.
The 1186 to 1345 air period (with earth backslide in 1206, and more air conjuncts in 1385 and 1405)
Genghis Khan reigned from 1206 to 1227, perfectly filling in the earth backslide period. Also, in 1206 was the splitting of the papacy, a dualistic problem resulting from air.
During this period was the medieval cultural synthesis. The logic of Aristotle was merged with the Christian faith by Sir Thomas Aquinas and St. Albert the Great (air = logic). Rumi, Sadi, and Hafiz, the great Sufi poets, wrote during this time. Dante, St. Francis, and St. Dominic rounded out the great thinkers of the time.
In Japan, the Yoritomo shogunate (another military dictatorship) started in 1192 with Kamakura as the seat of the government. The shogunate, with its Samurai core, lasted until 1338. During this time, the Great Wind (Kamikaze) of 1274 destroyed the Chinese fleet which was sailing to overthrow Japan -- fits for this airy period.
After 1338, the shogunate moved to Kyoto and naval improvement (the water period!) meant that townspeople and sailors were added into the mix. Sailing, fishing, and piracy became important parts of Japanese life after the Jupiter - Saturn conjunct started happening in water.
IN 1802 was the first conjunction in an earth sign (with a fire conjunct in 1821) followed by earth conjuncts from 1842 to 1980. In 1980 - 1981 were the first air conjuncts at 9 Libra through 5 Libra. In 2000, the conjunct will be at 22 Taurus 43 and in 2020 it will be at the very start of Aquarius.
As we've said, this is the start of a 200 year period of fluidity, of the breaking down of national boundaries, of intellectual capital (rather than physical capital). Even money is on computers, rather than in gold coins and bars which you can hold.
The year 2000 will start a 20 year period which will help define the transition from material capital and national boundaries to intellectual capital and cultural boundaries (boundaries based on people being able to "talk the same language").
PERSONAL EFFECTS OF JUPITER - SATURN
On a more personal level, this is the completion of one 20-year cycle and the start of another. You can analyze conjuncts by thinking of each planet acting on the other. In this case, that would be Jupiter acting on Saturn and Saturn acting on Jupiter. Jupiter expands and grows the Saturnian accomplishments and commitment. During this conjunct, you will take on new commitments, plan new things to accomplish, and become more hopeful about some material goal. You will expand what you want to accomplish in your life materially (since the conjunct is in Taurus). You can expand your boundaries and move out the goal posts with Jupiter conjunct Saturn.
On the other hand, Saturn acting on Jupiter makes you bring those high-flown plans and schemes into solid, material manifestation. Saturn acting on Jupiter is like a banker asking you for hard, practical numbers and material backup for those great business ideas. Write me a SOLID business plan says Saturn acting on Jupiter. Show me you are COMMITTED to your ideas.
To find out what Jupiter conjunct Saturn means to you, you must look at a series of things. Number one: where is Jupiter in your chart by sign, house, and aspect. This is how you will grow and what you will expand. Number two: where is Saturn. This is what you want to accomplish, but also your fears, blocks, and boundaries.
Number three: what where you doing in Dec., 1980- July, 1981 when Jupiter conjuncted Saturn in Libra (5-9 degrees)? What about February, 1961 (at 25 Capricorn)? Perhaps you were around for 1940-41 at 9 to 14 Taurus? Think about what got started then, how it fared over the twenty year period, and what replaced it at the next conjunction. Where did these conjunctions take place in your chart, by house, sign, and aspect. Often, by going over your personal history you can see how Jupiter conjunct Saturn acts in your chart and you can correlate what grew to Jupiter and the commitments and accomplishments you started with Saturn.
OBSERVATIONS ON JUPITER - SATURN
As of this writing, the conjunct has taken place. This conjunct is coloring everyone's relationships. Have you noticed that people became more open after the conjunct? People who wouldn't talk to you are now open and having conversations.
What happened was that the final end of the conservative Saturn decade just ended and the liberal Jupiter decade is starting. So, of course, people who were closed are becoming more open. The stress of the Saturn period is giving way to a lighter feeling in the air.
Also, the full effect of the outer planets being in such freedom-loving signs is now taking hold since they work better during a Jupiter period (especially Pluto in Sagittarius).
Of course, if this is all too much to consider, then
copyright 1993 - 2007 by Ed Rose