Saturn Transits
By Melanie Farmer
Ayurveda, known as the “science of life,” is an ancient medical system that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It employs a holistic approach to health and wellness, focusing on harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit by balancing internal and external energies, represented by the five elements: air, space, water, fire, and earth.
Imbalances of the elements are referred to as doshas, specifically vata, pitta, and kapha. Ayurveda offers practices aimed at restoring balance to the five elements and addressing issues caused by imbalanced doshas.
In Sanskrit, “dosha” (दोष) means “fault,” “blemish,” or “impurities.” Essentially, what has failed or is out-of-balance. It’s important to understand when we say, “I’m pitta dosha,” it means where we will tend to go out-of-balance.
Vedic Astrology is a sidereal astrology that helps guide personal action. When combined with Ayurveda, it suggests that planets have elemental qualities and corresponding doshas that influence various aspects of an individual’s astrological chart.
Knowing that a planet might be exerting stronger influence by transit is like forecasting a strong weather pattern. It’s good information to have so one can properly prepare. This idea extends to countries, politics and financial markets.
What is planetary Ayurveda? It’s a system that recognizes the impact of astrological archetypes on life. How these forces can influence health, personality, and destiny. And then it provides remedial measures to help one cope with or manage planetary and astrological effects on life.
The Five Elements
In Ayurveda, the five elements form the basis of all living and nonliving entities.
• Air: movement, lightness, dryness
• Space: expansiveness, openness, sound
• Fire: transformation, heat, digestion
• Earth: stability, solidity, grounding
• Water: fluidity, moisture, cohesion
The Three Dosha
• Vata – Air and space (out of balance: desiccation and fragility)
• Pitta – Fire and water (out of balance: inflammation and anger)
• Kapha – Earth and water (out of balance: heaviness and stagnation)
The Role of Planets, Saturn’s Transit into Pisces
Within Vedic Astrology, each planet exhibits distinct qualities and governs specific life domains. Over the next 2.5 years, Saturn will require discipline from all of us while in Pisces, a Jupiter-ruled, kapha constellation.
Saturn is a vata planet that rules truth, structure, discipline, and responsibility. Saturn can have a very positive effect if it’s in balance and you have access to your life lessons as you age. However, the influence of Saturn can also be very negative when it’s not in balance. It can be cruel, as Saturn is desiccating, leading to the feeling that things are falling apart and dying. Saturn is the indicator of what is old and what is ending.
Saturn in Pisces has an impact on religious and spiritual matters, as well as idealistic, empathetic, and intuitive matters. Pisces is the natural twelfth house, where endings occur. It is also the constellation for formal religions and the return to the Divine Ocean.
Saturn brings the truth, ready or not. Denial of the truth may feel cruel, and will pose challenges. However, Saturn transiting into Pisces can lead to significant spiritual transformation, if managed properly.
Basic Remediation
To begin, this simple daily breath practice can help regulate the nervous system.
Belly breathing twice a day, morning and evening:
• Place your hand on your abdomen.
• Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, allowing your belly to contract.
• Repeat for several minutes.
Other recommendations include:
• Avoid alcohol and overeating; keep meals simple.
• Practice self-massage with food-grade oils like coconut or olive.
• Take daily walks in nature with animals or friends; stay connected with others and the environment.
