If you frequent occult and esoteric circles, you have probably heard the hype about 2025. On the more moderate side of things, people say it will be a transformative year, a time of great change. On the more hyper side of things, some people claim that 2025 will have a rapture, ascension or other major supernatural event.
Most of this hype stems from the Saturn-Neptune conjunction of 2025. In the tropical (the island breeze) zodiac, it will happen at around 0 degrees Aries. Tropical astrologers see this conjunction as a “new beginning for humanity”, because of this degree.
Some sidereal astrologers share the same excitement about 2025, for reasons. Which reasons? Beats me! On the sidereal zodiac, the conjunction will happen in the middle of Pisces, which doesn’t exactly share the same idea of a new beginning as the first degree of Aries.
It is, however, a major mundane event and a time of great change. I don’t believe the world will end, I don’t believe Christ will come back, I don’t believe anyone will ascend anything except an escalator, I don’t believe humanity will have a major awakening and change for the better. But it is a time of change, let’s delve into it!
Understanding the Conjunction
To understand any conjunction in Astrology, I find the metaphor of a marriage really helpful. In a conjunction, you have two planets siting together, dealing with their shared and conflicting agendas. Much like a real relationship, you will have shared traits, you will have opposing ideas and ways, and you will have the issue of compromise between all of it.
Taking a marriage, let’s say we have a couple of two art lovers, but the wife is a real homebody; while the husband loves parties. Going to galleries, discussing new paintings, will always be smooth and effortless between the two. But the social life will be troubled, either the wife will go out too much and feel tired, or the husband will be unhappy about reducing his social life.
With Saturn and Neptune, they are a very odd couple. They don’t share much in meaning. Saturn deals with reality, drudge-work, tangible, foot on the ground. Neptune deals with illusions, fantasies, high ideals, spirituality and magical thinking.
The most common meaning of this aspect is that of Saturn toning down Neptune. Shattering some major illusion (Neptune) in the world, causing reconstruction (Saturn) into a new reality.
I tend to believe this meaning, although I also believe the maxim of “meet the new boss, same as the old one”, meaning that we are never free of illusions. An old illusion dies, a new one is born.
We look back at things like Asbestos and think “wow, people sure were stupid, using carcinogens”, all while daily using things that will be discovered to be carcinogens, that people — using newer carcinogens — will laugh about in the future.
We are getting rid of fossil fuels in cars, because of the pollution, and replacing with batteries that are mined with as much (if not more) pollution, plus the added benefit of slave and child labor in the mines for the precious metals needed.
The millennials, the YouTube generation, grew up hearing adults calling their social media sites stupid, useless and ridiculous. YouTube is serious now, you have major companies, major politicians, major importance to it. The YouTube generation now calls TikTok ridiculous, useless and stupid.
I can go on an on, but the point is that whenever an illusions dies, a new one is born. The Saturn-Neptune conjunction tends to show a major illusion/ideal being demolished, and a new one (maybe as fake as the last one) being born.
Besides being an odd-couple, I see a common thread between Saturn and Neptune, politics.
Saturn rules democracies and electoral politics. His signs of Capricorn and Aquarius sit opposite Cancer and Leo, the signs representing more traditional forms of government. Leo is the king, representing monarchies of all sizes. Cancer shows the parents, representing things like tribal governments (matriarchies, patriarchies) or rulership by wise elders.
Capricorn, being the internal impulse, represents bureaucracies and government agencies. Aquarius, being the external impulse, represents electoral politics, rallies, activists and etc.
Neptune represents any high ideal, dream, aspiration and major illusion. All things essential for the existence of politics. You vote for your candidate, he gets elected, he accomplishes nothing that he promised. Yet 4 years later you vote for him again, this time around it will be different!
The guy you dislike wins, your candidate promised a turbo Godzilla attack and total annihilation of life itself, plus you would become a sex slave or something, if Guy You Dislike won. 5 years go by, life is about the same, nothing happened. But this is the most important election ever! This time around is different! If the other side wins, Godzilla will personally rape you and kidnap your cat.
Enthusiasm for electoral politics requires a total lack of long term memory, high idealism, and a lack of rationality that you can only get with some good ol’ Neptune energy.
So this Saturn-Neptune conjunction bodes for a time of change in the political landscape. An old order, with certain ideals and illusions, is moving out. A new order, with new illusions and ideals, is rising. Looking back at previous conjunctions, politicians in power before it tend to be voted out or replaced in some manner, after it happens.
Personal Effects
To understand the personal effects of a transit, I always like to recall the natal meaning of it. In this case, Saturn conjunct Neptune promotes a blending of our practical impulses with our dream/spiritual self. On the more positive, this aspect promotes artistic talent, being great for any type of art, but specially for music. On the negative, it tends to promote a sense of anxiety or depression.
A heightened sensitivity makes these natives prone towards taking criticism too seriously, having a hard time moving on from past negative experiences, even if minor. Any criticism seems to stick to these natives, as it awakens some sort of past life guilt hidden in their psyche.
Saturn solidifies the natives dreams, which helps to make great art. But it also solidifies their nightmares and shadows, creating inner tension and emotional troubles.
In transit, this aspect will tend to put a damp on our dreams and visions. It is a time where we are seeking concrete and clear, instead of hopes and dreams. It can be a strong time for moving on and letting go from disappointing experiences or unfulfilled dreams.
Many times, people get stuck holding out a candle for a dream, ideal, magical experience that never comes. And in the process, they forget to live and create their own dreams. This transit is a great time to move on from this kind of paralysis.
For those with artistic talents, this is an excellent time for any kind of creative work. For those born with this aspect in their natal charts, this transit acts as a return of sorts. With a similar energy to the one you were born with predominating, it is an excellent time to develop yourself.
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Saturn enters Pisces | March 29th 2025 |
| Conjunction in orb | March 14th 2025 |
| Exact conjunction | February 20th 2026 |
| Conjunction out of orb | May 15th 2026 |
This conjunction will be in effect for about a year, between 2025 and early 2026. We can easily say that these two years will have this aspect as an important astrological feature. After May 2026, the aspect will start to wane, becoming a weaker influence until about January 2027.
Interestingly enough, Saturn will enter Pisces on the same day as a Solar Eclipse happens on that sign. Saturn will not be conjunct the ecliptic degrees, but it is still a very interesting start to this transit.
Conjunction Patterns and Cycles
This conjunction happens about every 36 years, with the latest one being around 1989 and 1990. Notably, around the time the Berlin Wall was torn down, and the Soviet Union was dismantled. In the table below, we have a timeline of previous conjunctions.
| Date | Conjunction |
|---|---|
| 27/09/1773 | 28° Leo |
| 01/12/1809 | 15° Scorpio |
| 03/04/1846, 04/09/1846, 11/12/1846 | 05° Aquarius, 04° Aquarius, 03° Aquarius |
| 12/05/1882 | 24° Aries |
| 01/08/1917 | 12° Cancer |
| 21/11/1952, 17/05/1953, 21/07/1953 | 29° Virgo, 28° Virgo, 27° Virgo |
| 03/03/1989, 23/06/1989, 13/11/1989 | 18° Sagittarius, 17° Sagittarius, 16° Sagittarius |
| 20/02/2026 | 06° Pisces |
| 06/06/2061 | 25° Taurus |
| Date | Conjunction |
The usual pattern shows Saturn-Neptune being conjunct three signs of a same modality, skipping one of them, and then moving on to another sign modality. At the start of the table, we have three fixed signs: Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Followed by Aries and Cancer, skipping the fixed sign of Taurus.
The cardinal cycle above itself was cut short, with the 1953 conjunctions happening in the edge of Virgo, not in Libra. Still, we have the same pattern repeating. The dual signs of Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces being covered, followed by the fixed sign of Taurus. Gemini being skipped altogether this time, with the latest conjunction there happening in 1738.
From this pattern, we can infer two things. One is that these conjunctions are part of bigger cycles, related to signs of a certain modality. Two is that we have to stop and ponder about the skipped sign or signs.
On the first point, sign modality is a basic concept that, much like most basic concepts, sounds boring. It is not flashy. So most people skip over it, and don’t really understand it that well.
“open-minded Aquarius” is a key example of that. Fixed signs are rigid, firm and imposing of their ways. Taurus, being fixed earth, wants to maintain his life circumstances and comfort; being the clearest and easiest to understand fixed sign. Scorpio is similarly easy to understand, fixed emotions (water) become rigid, develop into obsessions or excesses.
Aquarius, being fixed air, is the hardest to understand. How can you fix something that moves? Air is the element of ideas, so the fixed energy (Aquarius) crystalizes ideas. They become a key part of the personality, a mission, a calling, an obsession. Ideas here become things that stand the test of time, rather than fleeting fashions or insights.
On the other hand, being fixed in ideas means that Aquarius is only open-minded if someone agrees 100% with them. If someone agrees only 99.99999%, they will treat them like an enemy and throw a hissy fit — this is the proper scientific term.
So, to give a primer on sign modalities:
- Cardinal: action, creation, imposing of your will into the world.
- Fixed: long lasting, standing the test of time, comfort zone, unyielding.
- Dual: variable, mutable, transition, hot and cold, up and down, adaptable.
Going into the second point, of the absences. 1773 to 1882 was the fixed signs cycle, with the absence of Taurus. This is the sign of material security. Those were the times where countries were being founded, lands were being discovered, many territorial wars were being fought. Not exactly a moment of comfort and security.
The short cardinal cycle, from 1882 to 1952, had two absences. Libra and Capricorn. Libra is the sign of diplomacy, of charming your way into the world, of imposing through social graces and conformism. Capricorn is the sign of business and hard work, showing creation through work, institutions and bureaucracy. Both signs deal a lot with collaboration, this cycle covered the two World Wars. A time where diplomacy was obviously lacking.
Current cycle (1952-2061)
The current cycle, from 1952 to 2061, has all the dual signs except Gemini. What does that mean? A very important question, as we walk into the end of this cycle.
Dual signs deal with, well, a dual nature. This allows some leeway into life, as we can have our cake and eat it too. You can be religious/spiritual, and still lead a normal life. One thing doesn’t block the other. The dual signs deal a lot with adaptability, merging two worlds. Prominence of the dual signs in a chart is usually good for travel or immigration, as it promotes easiness in dealing with other cultures. A person can maintain their root culture, all while getting involved with a new one.
The division between heaven, hell and earth is another example of this. Earth is both heaven and hell, with humans being the in-betweeners of godly and demonic behavior. The two humans signs are Virgo and Gemini, dual signs ruled by Mercury.
The shadow of dual signs deals with duplicity, hypocrisy and overall deception through duality. Taking Sagittarius, which deals with laws and judges, a shadow can deal with corruption. A judge extremely tough on some, and very loose with others. The electric chair for most, a slap on the wrist for my friends.
Of all the dual signs, Gemini is the only one detached from idealism. Sagittarius and Pisces share the Jupiterian impulse of belief, faith and attachment. Obviously in different manners, but both have a high attachment to their inherent ideals and visions. Pisces is notorious for pretending to care about outside restrictions, opinions and interventions; all while ignoring them in the background to pursue his own agenda, whichever it might be.
Virgo is finicky and argumentative, mainly concerned with rules and norms. A shadow of Virgo is a person who smiles at your face, while getting ready to stab you behind your back. Virgo and Sagittarius are alike, in a way, as both are the adult counterpart of their rulership duos. Both represent the responsible, socially-oriented, concerned about rules and morals counterpart to their more irresponsible siblings Gemini and Pisces.
Gemini, oh Gemini! I’ve seen it described as juvenile, childish, immature or worse terms in many books. In a way, that rings true. It represents the eternal youth, openness to new ideas, new concepts and expansion. It mingles with the world, and the differences in it, always adding and subtracting to their own lives. There is no big commitment to a goal, and no rigid fixed ideal.
Gemini just roams around, the journey is the destination. If they like something, they add it into their lives. If they dislike something, they steer clear, without necessarily making a fuss about it. If they get bored or tired of something, they move on, no matter how much time they dedicated to it or how important it used to be.
The classic Gemini has to teach, bribe and torture him or herself into dealing and caring about hierarchy. They care about ideas, not about the pedigree of who made them.
Again, the big question, what does this mean?
The absence of Gemini in this cycle shows a lack of this youthfulness, this carelessness, this easy-going nature in our times. The remaining dual signs can deal with differences, much better than other sign modalities, but they always have their own agendas behind it. They always have an eye on their own targets. Gemini is live and let live. The other dual signs are not.
This lack of Gemini makes this cycle a time of radicalism, either with us or against us. The Cold War being a prime example of this division, in lieu of a Gemini-esque blending of energies.
The incoming Pisces cycle
Some people interpret the sign of Pisces as solely one of artists. Which is an erroneous notion. I’ve seen a ton of businessmen with Pisces prominent in their charts, why? Because they dedicate their lives to the company, much like monks or nuns who dedicate their lives to monasteries.
Pisces wants to merge and dedicate himself to an ideal. It can be art, it can be religion, it can be a political cause, a business venture, it can be Star Wars or really just about anything. I see Pisces as the sign of drinking the cool-aid, merging with whatever, being a hard-core devotee of something. It is not as pretty as saying that they are “beautiful artists who can smell colors and drink music“, but then again, the truth is rarely pretty.
So the coming years are all about high idealism and high dedication to causes. With Pisces being very protective, and defensive, of his own little world; this is also a time of protectionism or other types of isolation. As Pisces favors “defending the dream” and promoting what you believe in.
Culture wise, it can be a time of great works, with elaborate and interesting expressions coming out.
Predictions
- Rise of cults or extreme religious movements.
- Rise of illusory scenarios, like raptures or the end of days.
- Isolation, creation of separate communities, detachment/independence from the norm.
- Could deal with balkanization or separatism
- Great creative works, specially music and movies.
- Modification of laws or creation of new constitutions.
- Reduction of celebrity culture, specially around reality stars.
- Less focus on personality and enthusiasm (Sagittarius matters), more focus on beauty and emotion (Pisces).
On the last point, a mark of this Sagittarius era has been the rise of what I call “fake enthusiasm” in society. You can’t get a job just because you need to buy bread, you have to be passionate about it. The interviewer wants to hear why making spreadsheets is your lifelong passion, why you just love being an annoying paper-pusher. Social media is full of people talking about passion, and doing what they love, and showing this exacerbated enthusiasm.
This is a Sagittarius trend, currently standing on the last leg of the centaur, which will wane in the coming years. This ideal/illusion that you need passion and enthusiasm to do a good job is going out the window, not a moment too soon, in my opinion.
Similarly, Sagittarius deals with establishing laws, rules, philosophies and morals. The waning of the Sagittarius energy can show less importance on these matters. Major law reforms or even new constitutions can arise in the coming years with this trend.
Politics
On the political landscape, this is a strong moment of change. Any leader who entered office before 2025 will be in an uncomfortable position. They might be swapped by a rival, or even a new comer, as the moods shift away from the sentiment that lead them into power.
Of course, the results will vary from leader to leader. But a good external barometer is the amount of conformism, or rebelliousness, that he has. A leader who has gotten in power, and is shaking things up, will tend to fare better. As he will adapt to the new currents or waves coming into play. A leader who runs things business as usual, or who is strongly in line with the current status quo, will be rejected. The term current is used loosely. I don’t mean last week. I mean the overall status quo since 1989.