Revisiting Spiritual Discipline

On Sunday February 15th 2026, Saturn will enter Aries for a two year stay. It already popped in but then popped back into Pisces. I asked Nano Bananas to create a graphic using this prompt:

Create an image around the theme of SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE. The image should contain the astrological glyphs and physical images of Saturn and Neptune. The emphasis should be on the synergy between these two very different planetary energies: the materialism and concreteness of Saturn meets the etherealness and diffuseness of Neptune. The image should be in a 1 : 1 aspect ratio. Colours should be warm and a golden brown should suffuse the scene.

Here is what it came up with:

A conjunction of the two planets will occur on February 20th 2026 in the first degree of Aries. The last occurrence was about 9000 years ago.

Looking ahead to my 77th birthday, a chart drawn up for that time is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Outstanding features are:

• transiting Uranus conjunct natal Moon
• transiting Neptune conjunct natal Mercury
• transiting Chiron conjunct Ascendant

Spiritual Discipline

I looked back at the last time Saturn transited through Aries. It entered Aries shortly after my birthday in 1996 and exited in March of 1999. This time period was a very significant period of my life. It marked the start of my life overseas during which time I visited Meherabad in India with my then wife Sylvia. My appreciation and knowledge of Meher Baba deepened and culminated in Bhau Kalchuri's visit to Singapore in 1999. I also travelled to China and Nepal with students from the school at which I was teaching. I'm sure I've reviewed my Saturn's transits before but I'll push on as if I hadn't and maybe compare the two time-separated reflections later.

Saturn's first transit through Aries took place from March of 1967 until May of 1969. This was again a very important phase of my life. It marked the start of life beyond school. In 1967, I inadvertantly came across mention of Meher Baba in a book by Paul Brunton, titled "A Search in Secret India". It had been lent to me by my good friend Steve Ross and remember sitting in the sun at University and reading it. The next year, I attended a talk by Bill LePage about Meher Baba. That cemented Baba's name in my memory and proved the trigger to my acquisition of the book "God Speaks" in 1981. Academically this period was rather dismal but I made good friends during this time and was slowly growing into adulthood.

So the two previous transits of Saturn through Aries marked transformative phases of my life and both involve Meher Baba, the first laying the groundwork for my later epiphany and the second consolidating this same epiphany. Perhaps third time around there will be further developments in my relationship with Meher Baba. The presence of Neptune in Aries at the same time certainly makes this a possibility. However it plays out I must embrace these dual influences and perhaps "Spiritual Discipline" is a good phrase to describe their very different energies. Lately I've been in a very negative state of mind but I have snapped out of it in the last couple of days and I need to ensure that I don't relapse.

I'm not sure what "spiritual discipline" entails but my physical discipline has certainly improved. I'm doing my usual round of exercises at least once and sometimes twice a day. This upcoming Saturn transit offers the opportunity to really make concrete skills and proficiencies that I've dabbled in but never fully mastered. 

Coming Mars Transits

I won't divulge the details of this "accident" that was quite trivial in the grand scheme of things but it could have proven very embarrassing had there been witnesses. Fortunately there weren't and so it remains my little secret. However, it was a salutary reminder of my increasing age and the consequent physical decline. I thought it might be interesting to look at the astrological configuration at the time of the "accident". This was around 10am on August 2nd 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. See Figure 1.

Figure 1

What struck me was the almost exact square between transiting Mars in 26º55' of Virgo and my natal Uranus in 26º52' of Gemini. Transiting Mars is on the cusp of the sixth house which is appropriate enough. Given the minor nature of the event, only fast moving transits need be considered and so Mars qualifies in that regard.

I tend to neglect Martian transits because the aspects that they form to natal planets are usually short-lived but this incident reminds me that they can produce "results". I'll try to monitor my Martian transits more closely, especially when Uranus is involved. Talking of which, Mars will oppose the transiting Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries on August 7th. Mars will just have entered Aries. This is the day that I'm having my potential skin cancer excised. This will involve cutting (Mars) into the skin (Saturn) with an element of mystery (Neptune) involved because it's undecided if it is cancerous. Only a subsequent pathology examination will reveal that. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

By the time I get my results on August 21st, Mars will be in 8º50' of Aries and thus almost exactly opposite my natal Mars-Venus conjunction in Aries. Transiting Mercury will be in 9º46' of Leo and so it will aspect both ends of the opposition. Transiting Venus in 24º25' of Cancer will be exactly square my Ascendant-Descendant. See Figure 3. 

Figure 3

Neptune and Saturn Stationing

Figure 1

Today, Sunday the 18th of May 2025, we have (see Figure 1):

• transiting Sun (27º25') conjunct transiting Uranus (27º18'), very close to my natal Moon (29º25' Taurus)
• transiting Venus (12º22') conjunct my natal Sun (12º47' Aries) and closing
• transiting Mars (13º51') conjunct my natal Pluto (14º16' Leo) and closing
• transiting Chiron (25º01') conjunct my Ascendant (24º27' Aries) and separating 
• transiting Moon passing through my 10th House
• transiting Jupiter (24º56') is conjunct my natal Uranus (26º22' Gemini) and closing

Overall it's an active time with a lot more activity coming as Saturn moves into Aries in a little over a week and comes closer to transiting Neptune. Ceres (0º25') has already entered Aries and will team up with Saturn and Neptune is a stellium that is right on my natal Mercury. 

The midpoint of transiting Chiron and Jupiter is close to both transiting Uranus and my natal Moon. If there is to be a health crisis, then I'm trying to look at precipitating factors. So far I've focused mainly on the exact conjunction of Uranus with my Moon in late June but this is just the first of three contacts, the others occurring in November of 2025 and April of 2026. There are no stations of Uranus on my natal Moon similar to the station of Uranus on my Ascendant when I had my gall bladder crisis.

Looking at planets stationing on sensitive points of my chart, I have Neptune turning stationary retrograde in 2º10' of Aries on July 5th of 2025 (see Figure 2). Soon after this, on July 14th, Saturn will turn stationary and so this might be the critical time period for some crisis: July 5th to July 14th. I hadn't noticed this before but now that I have, I can't un-notice it.

Figure 2

With the involvement of Mercury, any health crisis would likely be neurological or pulmonary. Natal Mercury and natal Uranus are in a square aspect in my chart, although the separation is about 5º22'.

Body Woes

Here are the transits to my natal chart as of November 9th 2024. I've been feeling not so good physically over the past few days. I tire easily, my possibly fractured rib remains sore, my right shoulder continues to bother me, I have tooth trouble and so on.

Looking at the transits it can be seen that transiting Mercury is passing over my natal Chiron but this aspect is not long lasting. The main culprit it would seem is transiting Saturn that is retrograde and semisextile my natal Sun. It will grind to a halt in 12º42' of Pisces on November 16th. It will also form a quintile of 73º27' with my natal Moon.

It will ease off toward the end of November but I'm not looking forward to the passage of Saturn across my natal planets in Aries. This is probably only a year or so off now. Speaking of stations, on the 8th December 2024, Neptune (currently retrograde) will station in 27º08' of Pisces and then begin to move forward into Aries, reaching that sign on the 30th March 2025. On the 6th July 2025, it will station in 2º10' right on my natal Mercury. Transiting Saturn by this date will be in 1º54' of Aries, so this is an important transit. Desy's Ascendant is in the first degree of Aries so she will be affected as well.

Even though Saturn and Neptune are very close in July, only 0º16' of angular separation, there is no exact conjunction because on July 14th Saturn turns stationary retrograde in 1º56' of Aries and retreats back into Pisces at a rate much faster than the retrograde Neptune. By December both planets are in Pisces but about four degrees apart and in this month they turn direct again, finally reaching an exact conjunction on the 20th February in around the middle of 0º Aries.

More on Neptune into Aries

 Here is a summary of the passage of Neptune into and out of Aries in the coming years.

• Enters Aries on the 30th March 2025
• Retrogrades into Pisces on the 22nd October 2025
• Re-enters Aries to stay from the 26th January 2026
• Dips into Taurus on the 21st May 2038
• Final visit to Aries from the 21st October 2038
• Enters Taurus to stay on the 23rd March 2039

Source

This blog gives a good account of the passage of Neptune through Aries from an historical perspective. For me, this transit of Neptune marks its passage through my twelfth house and its consequent conjunctions with Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Sun and my Ascendant. Of course, Neptune takes 165 Earth years or 60,190 Earth days to orbit the Sun and so this is its first passage through my twelfth house. 

In my natal chart, Neptune is located in 13°50'R of Libra and so transiting Neptune will reach an opposition to its natal position when I'm about 82.5 years old. When it finally leaves Aries and enters Taurus to stay, I'll be almost 90 years old if I'm still about. Prior to that however, it will have crossed over my Ascendant. For the remainder of my old age then I'll be under the auspices of Neptune.

The transit could mark a lapse into senility or it could herald a renaissance of an interest in psychic healing and psychic experiences. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. The first planetary contact that Neptune has with my natal Mercury will be in 2°15' of Aries. Significantly, Neptune will turn stationary retrograde in 2°11' on 4th July 2025 and this should correspond with a crucial inner or outer contact that will orientate me as to how to harness the energies of Neptune for the benefit of those around me.

Neptune into Aries

Looking ahead to July of 2025, I noticed that Neptune turns stationary retrograde in 2°10' of Aries, right on my natal Mercury. However, transiting Saturn is also conjunct in 1°52' of Aries. Transiting Ceres in 12°55' of Aries is conjunct my natal Sun and transiting Chiron in 26°52' of Aries is conjunct the North Node of my Moon. Furthermore, transiting Uranus in 29°53' of Taurus is conjunct my natal Moon with transiting Venus close by in 0°10' of Gemini. Pluto in 3°03' of Aquarius is in sextile aspect to the Saturn-Neptune reaction.

This promises to be an intense time and what it presages I'm not sure. Perhaps my powers of communication (Mercury) will be affected. After all the Saturn/Neptune conjunction is aspecting the Uranus/Venus conjunction on the cusp of the Second House. Pluto promises it may be transformational. This is purely speculative so I'll have to wait and see.

Figure 1 shows a chart cast to the time that Neptune turns stationary retrograde.

Figure 1

By that date I'll be 76 years old and one can't help but wonder if this configuration could portend my end. That's clearly a worse case scenario. Looking at Desy's chart, it can be seen that the Saturn-Neptune conjunction sits right on her Ascendant. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

Whatever happens will clearly affect her as well. Many of these aspects will be ongoing. For example, Saturn and Neptune will again be conjunct in 0°45' of Aries in late February of 2026 while Uranus will continue to hover around my natal Moon. See Figure 3.

Figure 3

I get the feeling that whatever happens it will be ongoing. With Neptune already on the cusp of my twelfth house, the prospect of some sort of Neptunian healing has been playing on my mind. Chiron, the wounded healer, is currently transiting my twelfth house and will remain there for some time. The injunction, "physician heal thyself", is relevant as my thymoma remains an ongoing problem and I'd certainly like to cure myself of that affliction.

I've dabbled in finding a cure before or at least diagnosing why the problem had arisen in the first place. In November of 2021, I asked the following question:

Why did my thymus gland malfunction in the first place and create my current thymoma?

You have a hollow heart and you're trying to fill up the gap that has been created. The thymus gland is associated with the Heart Chakra, a centre of unconditional love and forgiveness. Since a falling out with a family member a couple of years back I've been containing a lot of resentment and anger. In a sense, I've been hollowing out my heart and ridding it of compassion and understanding for the family member concerned. 

This answer suggested some sort of meditation but I never took action of any kind to fill my "hollow heart" with "compassion and understanding". Perhaps it's time that I did. The practice of meditation has also been shown to be helpful in improving remote viewing proficiency, something else that I've recently become interested in. 

Neptune has a period of revolution of 165 years and so this is the first time that Neptune has been on the cusp of my twelfth house. In my natal chart, Neptune is strongly aspecting my Sun and Mars/Venus conjunction by opposition. I've always been interested in mysticism and spirituality and so Neptune's passage through this house will likely see a burgeoning of my interest and understanding of such matters.