Saturn in the Eleventh House

A flock of geese flying in formation

 Benjamin Shearn / Getty Images

Saturn in the Eleventh makes you a loner who spends a lot of time in the collegial lounge. That's paradoxical, right? 

A friend with Saturn Aquarius (the corresponding sign placement) has called it being a "private public person." Every now and then, you go into your Hermit Tower, with this question from astrologer Elizabeth Rose Campbell: (from Intuitive Astrology):  

"How can I routinely climb into my hermit tower where I make decisions no one else can make for me and contemplate my long-term future? The long-term future of the group I work with?"

Lone Wolf

What are Saturn's teachings, in the sign of great visions? It's the planet of earned confidence through consistent effort and overcoming of fear. And Saturn's lessons build character and guide us into stepping into authentic power.

Saturn's house placement shows where you face your most intense ordeals. Find your Saturn house placement on your birth chart.

There can be trials that challenge us to trust the value of a vision - even if nobody else is on the same wavelength. You may get, in fact, a whole lot of resistance (Saturn's obstacles) to your ideas, which may be ahead of their time. 

It's possible that there's not much validation, early on, for the unique way of experiencing life. There could be an early atmosphere that's claustrophobic to the roaming Aquarian mind. If there's an indoctrination into a stifling mindset, the inner Saturn will demand a more expansive worldview.

A native here, maybe it's you, can be scapegoated as the strange one in the family. You could learn to keep your real observations to yourself.

Saturn's sphere is where we develop defenses or become self-conscious. If you have developed a mortal fear of being odd, you might go in the other direction - and do anything to blend in. This Saturn in many ways is about letting your freak flag fly. And to create a foundation for life that supports - and builds on -- what's unique about you, your vision.

Standing at the Edge

Saturn is like a scout in the sign of Aquarius and takes the role seriously. Saturn Aquarius is like the lead bird in a flying formation. And that image hints at the leadership potential of this forward-looking air sign. It's also a fixed sign, which gives it incredible focus - the two together give a person extreme mental focus.

Aquarius is a sign of the future, so that brings on a sense of responsibility - to scan for the most promising ideas. The paradox is that the visionary must spend a lot of time being alone, to stay clear of static. And being a loner is natural, but so too is being a social creature. A challenge here then is to create a social world where you can also be the lone wolf.

So someone with Saturn in Aquarius has a strong social conscience, but paradoxically, can seem to be always on the outside looking in. There can be times when "the cause" or a project eclipses everything, and this can create blind spots. Being fixated on a concept or idea can even be a defense, as you move further away from having to relate on a personal level.

A native with Saturn Aquarius has a sense of wanting to contribute to something bigger than the self. We might think of the astronaut who leaves the Mothership on a tether. There's a valuable reason to go walkabout in space, and yet, it's important to stay connected. Aquarius is a trans-personal sign, and that means its mission is to be engaged in worldly (and off-worldly) matters. But balance is found by coming home and cultivating a sense of belonging and warmth in your social scene.

An Alien Observer

Some with Saturn here feel a deep sense of isolation, and being different in some profound way.

In her book, Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil, Liz Greene writes that the overcompensation can lead to this native becoming a social butterfly."

She writes, "But this butterfly, often has wings of lead. He remains as essentially isolated and apart, as if he were alone, because inwardly he seeks a deeper and more meaningful sharing. But the work involved in achieving that deeper level of interchange would lead him into himself and into a search or a different set of social values as well as a deeper understanding of society itself and its purpose."

Scout in the Matrix

Saturn "Elevensies" then have a role to play as innovators that set in a new world view - first for themselves, and then for others. The sense of isolation can be bridged with this native's sense of compassion, and being motivated to play a role or all of humanity. The Eleventh House and Aquarius are to do with the evolutionary currents that spark humanity and inspire the future.

You learn to stay true through obstacles, and your legacy is one that's bigger than yourself. You might have to break norms and go against convention, to bring in fresh currents for the greater good. 

You are Overcoming: social awkwardness and isolation; fear of being judged by the group; lost in own world; cold and distant.

Encouragement: generously sharing gifts of sight; ingenuity and a highly original style; a trusted leader.