Sade Sati refers to the 7.5 years that Saturn takes transiting around the Moon of a birth chart. Saturn takes 2.5 years in a sign, so counting the sign before the Moon, the sign of the Moon and the sign after we have a total of about 7.5 years. With the Moon being the most personal planet in a chart, ruling our mind and emotions, and Saturn being the planet of karma and the harshest malefic; this transit denotes a challenging time of inner crisis and emotional maturation for a native. For a country, this shows a similarly challenging time.
Saturn sign
Dates
Capricorn (12th from Moon)
24/01/20-28/04/22, 12/07/22-17/01/23
Aquarius (conjunct Moon)
28/04/22-12/07/22, 17/01/23-29/03/25
Pisces (2nd from Moon)
29/03/25-02/06/27, 19/10/27-23/02/28
The United States, with a Moon in Aquarius, has been going through Sade Sati since 2020 and will remain like this until about early 2028, when Saturn leaves the sign of Pisces. 2023 is an important year in the culmination of this transit, as Saturn will transit the Moon in its exact natal degree.
Saturn transiting the Moon shows the most intense phase of the transit, when a native feels the most pressure and restrictions. Similarly, a turbulent global situation, with challenges from China and Russia, has been afflicting the US specially hard this year.
Tr. Saturn conjunct natal Moon
19/03/23 D
01/10/23 ℞
06/12/23 D
D: refers to direct, ℞: refers to retrograde
As denoted in the table above, Saturn will join the Moon a total of three times in 2023. It is common for slower planets, such as Saturn, to make three hits to a point in a chart, as part of their retrograde cycle. Some astrologers attribute a meaning to each of the hits. With the first one being a warning, or the awareness of issues. The second one, retrograde, showing a crisis or a turning point. The last one showing the conclusion, or finalization, a time where a native learns or adjusts himself to the lessons of that transit.
March 2023, when the first hit happened, was about a year after the start of the Ukraine War. A conflict that, by what both sides claimed at the time, would last no more than a few months. And yet we’ve had the first anniversary, and we are almost reaching a second one.
The second hit will happen on October 1st, so events around mid September to early October will tend to express a turning point for the US. The third hit, on December, will show some kind of shift in thinking for the country.
Predictions
As always, I don’t like looking at things in a vacuum. So putting things into perspective, the last Sade Sati for the US happened around 1991 to 1998. At that time, the US faced terror attacks, the imminence of the dot-com bubble and other financial crisis, as well as conflicts abroad like Iraq. Overall, on that previous cycle, the US faced challenges but came out of it without many problems.
A big difference this time is that the US is going through its first Pluto return. A Pluto return is a transit that no person has ever lived. Pluto takes about 14 years transiting each sign, times all the twelve signs, that yields about 168 years for a return. So Pluto return is something that mostly affects large institutions, such as countries and corporations.
Pluto being the planet of transformation, his return signals a time of strong transformation. Along with that, the US is going through Rahu-Mercury dasha from 2023 until 2026, both planets sitting in the 8th house of transformation. Overall, the trend for the US seems a rebirth or redefinition of the country. A fresh start of sorts being formed between now and the coming years.
So in the longer term, there is a clear transformation happening for the US. New definitions, new ways and new directions will tend to arise out of this.
Looking at the Sade Sati itself, I tend to believe that Saturn in Pisces will be much tamer than Saturn in Capricorn/Aquarius, and even a bit positive for the country. With that, I tend to believe that positive change could arise around 2025.
For the short term, Saturn in Aquarius will tend to be turbulent, specially for the remaining of 2023. Challenges will continue to arise, morale will be low and things will tend towards a downturn.
I still tend to believe that, in the long term, the current challenges and problems faced will lead towards improvement. Even though things might seem down in the short term.
September is very interesting this year, as a lot of the complicated influences started around July and August start calming down, and waning this month. At the same time, it is a calm before the storm, as October will be a month packed with action.
This month we have Venus going direct in Cancer, after being retrograde since July. With Venus direct, our dealings with others tend to ease up. Relationships, agreements and any kind of compromise with people becomes easier going forward. However, there is a small dent as Venus still transits the nakshatra of Ashlesha.
This star deals with excessive emotions, vicious moods, manipulation, aggression, back-stabbing and a lot of other complications. So Venus here is still somewhat quarrelsome. People might be a little bit on the edge while this transit lasts. Venus will remain in Ashlesha until October 1st.
As I’ve said on my Venus retrograde text, something is reborn (transformed) after Venus turns direct. As Venus went retrograde on Cancer and Leo, I tend to believe that things related to politics and nations will tend to transform. Leo is the sign of the king, dealing a lot with politics on itself. Cancer deals with home, with pride and happiness in the land; so it relates a lot with things like patriotism and attachment to one’s land or heritage. On that note, we could see some shifts in politics, as well as new ideas arriving on global politics.
Also going direct is Mercury. Mercury retrograde is the most hyped transit in astrology, with a lot of people exaggerating its effects to some degree. Going direct on the 15th, we should keep some cares in regards to this transit in the first half of the month. Mercury is the planet of communications, so everything related to communications could be slowed down. Computer problems, miscommunications, delays in deliveries and other kinds of issues become possible. Avoid mistakes by double checking and confirming things, and try to be patient when problems arise. With it going direct, the rest of the month we will have eased communications.
Uranus just turned retrograde on August 28th. With Uranus shifting so recently, it is stationary for much of early September, so surprising events and twists are possible from this influence. I recently published a text on the Uranus in Aries transit, going on since 2017 and ending in 2025. I focused a lot on the mundane meanings of this transit, past and future. And I must highlight that it will be a very important feature of 2024.
One thing that I didn’t add on that text, as I focused on the macro effects, were the meanings of Uranus retrograde itself. Any retrograde signals a time of review and renewal, less externalization, and a bigger focus on inner improvement and adjustment.
For instance, with Mercury retrograde, rather than going after new information ad nauseam we are asked to take some time off. Go back into older information, review it carefully. Make sure our dots are in line, find out if the information we consume is truly important to us. And mostly making sure that we are truly engaging/absorbing information, rather than just consuming and moving on instantly. Similarly, taking care and giving maintenance to computers and communication devices, instead of just using them, figures strongly with Mercury retro.
With Uranus being the planet of change, Uranus retrograde signals a time of inner change. Rather than focusing on the world, and what we want changed externally, we are tasked with changing internally. So instead of focusing on what is wrong with society, life or the stars we have to deal with our own selves first. Rather than changing your environment, or the things around you, this is a time to change your own behavior and break inner blockages.
A lot of times we externalize our problems, and blame something else for our issues, our lack of freedom or progress. And although sometimes we might truly be marred by the external, most of the time, we just tend to use the external as an excuse for an inner fear or weakness. So Uranus retrograde is a time of getting over these fears, going over these blockages, and changing our mindset.
Speaking of retrogrades, Jupiter will go retrograde this month, putting the planet stationary from late August into mid-September. So we start the month with a strong Jupiterian impulse in the air. Jupiter is the planet of dharma, justice, religion, philosophy, discernment/discrimination, good judgement, growth, luck and expansion.
Jupiter retrograde, from September 4th until December 30th, signals a time of review for Jupiter subjects. On one hand, this can deal with reviewing your belief systems. Maybe learning a new philosophy or outlook in life, or engaging better with the wisdom you’ve accumulated.
On the other hand, as Jupiter shows luck and expansion, the retrograde transit is all about reviewing our expectations for the future and our prospects. Jupiter retrograde forces us to think about what we are doing to create our future, how much engaged we are with our desires and long term goals. This is the time to align yourself with your future goals, start planning, saving, putting in the work towards building the future you desire.
Some reality checks are possible during this transit, as we learn that not everything is a bed of roses. We might be asked to deal with excesses such as addictions, compulsions, procrastination or other things that block our growth. This transit is a great time for making long term plans, thinking of the future, exploring possibilities and aligning yourself with avenues of growth in life.
The New Moon on the 14th happens in the nakshatra of Uttara Phalguni. This nakshatra bridges the signs of Leo and Virgo, it deals with ambition, leadership and maintenance/management of life. Starting from Leo, it represents the point where the king is working and taking care of his kingdom. This star deals a lot with taking responsibility, going after your goals, helping others and actively participating in the world.
The New Moon will form a trine to Uranus, so a strong impulse towards new ideas, new projects and new responsibilities could rise now. This is a great moment to dream up projects and get started with them.
The Full Moon on the 29th happens in the nakshatra of Uttara Bhadrapada. This star has its main meaning being wisdom. It represents wise figures, such as an elder, an old scholar or a priest. Other than that, this nakshatra tends to not be much expressive or noticeable as others like Ardra or Purva Phalguni. It deals with the wisdom to act at the right moment, in the right place and the right time; rather than acting randomly and dispersing yourself.
This Full Moon is a great time to seek advice from someone wiser than you, or to seek help with some longstanding issue you have. In a lot of ways, both the New Moon and the Full Moon this month are conductive towards aligning ourselves and preparing for any project or endeavor.
There is also a special meaning as this Full Moon represents the mid-point of the Astrological Year. Back in March we’ve had the Astrological New Year for 2023, and in April 2024 we will have the next one. This Full Moon in Pisces sits an exact number of days from the current year and the next new year. Being in between, this is a good time to assess how things have been going and how we can move forward.
Summary
I tend to see September as a build-up. It could be an eventful month on itself, but mostly, it will tend to shy behind October. Next month, we will have the Eclipses, Pluto turning direct and Rahu/Ketu switching signs. It is odd to be talking about October, as we’ve barely begun September, but it is important to warn about the coming month.
The Eclipses are key events for a year, so they are something to be noted just by themselves. Pluto turning direct/retrograde is an interesting transit, as big announcements or shifts in politics tend to happen around those dates. Rahu and Ketu transit a sign for 1.5 years at a time, so their sign switch always shows a shift in the world. Rahu deals with obsessions, excesses, and a hyperfocus of sorts. Ketu deals with the past, neglected areas, letting things go and ignoring something.
Sign
Dates
Rahu/Ketu in Aries/Libra
12/04/2022 until 30/10/2023
Rahu/Ketu in Pisces/Virgo
30/10/2023 until 18/05/2025
I will go more deeply into these transits in October. But for now it is important to understand that we are on the verge of big astrological events and changes, that will similarly relate to a change in mood in the world. Whatever happens in September has to be seen as a step towards bigger changes, incoming in October and beyond.
Personal
In a lot of ways, I believe that we can feel a sense of relief this September. We start the month with the end of Venus retrograde, started in late July. This is a rare transit of sorts, as Venus is the planet that retrogrades the least. With this rarity, more noticeable effects come.
As I’ve said many times about this transit, Venus retrograde deals with reevaluating what is valuable, pleasurable and good in our lives. This can, a lot of times, deal with relationships and people. But it mostly deals with our inner world and perception.
Maybe we realize that we didn’t enjoy, or value, enough an opportunity/experience/person. Maybe reminiscing about a great thing or moment of the past inspires us, causing a desire towards creating more of that. It could even be the opposite, with a remembrance of things that we overvalued, bad moments, relationships and things that weren’t good for us.
Through those experiences, we should be very mindful about people, places, objects and situations that came into our thoughts or lives in the last few months. We might have rediscovered something or someone. Or we could simply feel a need to learn from the past, and renew our way of thinking. Enjoying and valuing more certain opportunities or ideas we discarded in the past. Or perhaps taking new paths and directions.
For Cancer and Leo specially, this could’ve been a very draining cycle, where these natives had to deal with many issues as well as strong links to the past. For these two signs, specially, Venus going direct will be a relief.
On September 4th, Jupiter will turn retrograde. This is a great cycle for organizing and thinking in the long term. Some reality checks can come out of this, but it is a great moment for planning for the future and aligning yourself and your actions towards it.
Mundane
I never like discussing anything astrological in a vacuum, as an isolated point, I always like to connect the dots and discuss the whole of it. On that note, September as a month should be seen as a stepping stone towards October, an eventful month in many ways.
On October 1st, Saturn will transit exactly conjunct the Moon in the natal chart of the United States. This is conjunction two of three happening this year, with a previous one in March and the final one in December. This transit marks a time of strong challenges and changes for the country. I will go deeper into the subject on a separate text, but the important thing to keep in mind is that from mid-September until the end of the year, we can see strong shifts for the US coming into play.
With that in mind, a lot of geopolitical changes (related to America) and events can happen in the next few months.
Going back into September, last month I mentioned that Mars in Virgo could bring forward a health scare of sorts. Following the news around the world, in many places measures from the lockdowns (such as masking and testing) are being implemented again. To some level, we could be seeing these measures returning, but I don’t believe things will be like 2020. Less compliance and acceptance of the measures will be felt, as well as difficulty implementing them.
With Venus turning direct and Jupiter turning retrograde about a day apart, I believe we can see some strong events and announcements early in the month. Announcements in regards to wealth and finances could specially figure around this time.
Around the end of the month, we could see some reversals. With people undoing things, walking back on changes, cancelling agreements and overall altering previously made plans.
