Saturn in the 7th house transit: relational make-or-break moments
by saturn and honey
Saturn in the 7th house transit is a time of hard work in relationships—a real make-or-break transit for relationships when we’re getting really real about the reality of our connections and the long-term sustainability of the relationships themselves and the approach we take to connection in general. Saturn transiting the 7th is also a time during which we’re strengthening our connections, figuring out what we need/want and are able to offer, contending with the parts of relationships that require more effort (like the obligations we have to help others and having to support people we love through hard times), working on better admitting to our shortcomings and creating a stronger and ultimately a more wholistic view of ourselves and people we’re close to.
Saturn in astrology
Saturn is a leaden weight. It holds down, grounds, steadies, and protects. It is practical and not very warm or bright. It has big expectations and big fears. It is associated with fear, depression, anxiety, restriction, hard work and hard lessons, as well as harvest, sustainability, agriculture, and structure. Wherever Saturn is during a given time is where we’re getting real, getting serious, and building something solid and sustainable, something that can last a long time. Where Saturn is, there is little opportunity for instant gratification.
7th house in astrology
The 7th house is the house of relationships (particularly one-on-one partnerships, though relationships of all kinds can be found in the 7th house) other people more generally, and the parts of ourselves that we reject and instead choose to project on other people.
The chart is not just a “chart” but a map of the sky, and the 7th house sits on the western horizon — the place where the sun and all other planets set and disappear from view. In this sense, the 7th house is a house where the self fades from view a bit in order to balance individual identity with close relationships. Additionally, the 7th house is opposite the 1st house, the house of identity, so it’s also often a place filled with parts of ourselves that we reject and instead choose to seek out in or project onto others. This is the place where we contend with how we are not just individuals but rather inextricably connected to other people.
Saturn in the 7th house transit
Saturn in the 7th house transit is a time when we are contending with the more difficult parts of human relationships. Saturn in the 7th gets kind of a negative reputation because it can be a challenging time when relationships are really put through the ringer as we contend with the harder facts of the reality of human connection, the responsibilities and obligations we have to one another, the hard parts of being there for one another, the ways that we’ve been duped or have duped ourselves, and the ways that reality doesn’t live up to our idealistic vision of someone.
While Saturn is in the 7th house we get really clear on what we need and want in a relationship and what we can realistically offer, and get a clearer and sometimes harsher view of the people close to us. A lot of the time this is a make or break transit for a relationship, so if a relationship doesn't have what it takes to withstand the test of time it’s common for it to end during this transit. But if it does end, it’s typically for the best. Sometimes this can be a lonely time, where Saturn’s qualities of separation and cruel reality carve a deep cavern into our hearts. Keep in mind that it won’t always feel this way and use this time to work on yourself and improve your approach to forming healthy, stable relationships.
Saturn transiting the 7th can absolutely be positive as well, despite its negative reputation. Saturn in the 7th can be a great time when a relationship gets more serious and we strengthen our connections overall. If a relationship is in a good place and does have what it takes to withstand the test of time, Saturn transits the 7th will merely help stabilize it and it’s common to make a long-term commitment, move in together, or even get married. Saturn is not just a negative, harsh influence but a solidifying force that prioritizes longevity, security, and practicality. One of the best ways to mitigate the more difficult parts of this transit is to focus on building strong relationships, and confronting and working on issues in relationships. This can be very productive.
If you feel that your connections are built on solid ground, use this time to discuss, plan for and take action toward the future you want to build together. Work together on your individual goals and your joint ventures. If your connections aren’t built on solid ground, you’ll either choose to move on or you’ll work together to create the kind of solid ground that stable, healthy relationships are founded on. This requires much effort, but again, it can be very productive and ultimately rewarding.
Saturn in the 7th can also be a time when other people in our lives, especially but not only a partner, are going through hard times and we have to support them in emotional or practical ways. Oftentimes our partners or other people we’re very close to will go through something very challenging and Saturn in the 7th challenges the relationship’s resilience and our and our loved ones’ willingness to stand by someone for better and for worse. It brings up the less easeful and joyful parts of connection and shows us how important it is to be there for our loved ones even when it’s not easy to, even when it requires a lot of work and effort.
A Saturn in the 7th house transit also often coincides with periods of time when we’re confronting our “shadow.” The 1st house, the house of the ascendant, is a house that we find it easy to identify with — it’s a core part of our identity and it’s easy to see it as part of ourselves. The 7th house sits opposite the 1st house and thus represents the parts of ourselves that we disidentify with, particularly if we don’t have major personal planets in this house. The 7th house represents qualities that we don’t want to admit to embodying and instead find it easier to seek out in other people, or outright project them onto others. While Saturn is in this house, we often have to take a good, hard look at parts of ourselves that we struggle to embrace, admitting our shortcomings, and ultimately cultivating a stronger, more realistic and wholistic view of ourselves. Rather than seeking someone else to complete you, you’ll find a sense of completion within yourself by embracing hidden parts of yourself. This is sometimes a time of significantly increased shadow work. I have a whole reading devoted to shadow work, if you’re interested in exploring this part of yourself during this transit or at any other time.
Finally, in Planets in Transit Robert Hand talks about how Saturn entering the 7th is a time when all the work you've done over the previous ~14 years while Saturn was in the lower part of your chart culminates in real-world change, as if all of your efforts, inner work, and laying the groundwork are finally giving you some tangible results. After much time spent working the field, our crops begin to bear fruit.