I have read some warnings about traveling while Saturn is transiting the 9th house, don’t travel you won’t have fun or if you do travel you should travel to a Saturn ruled country. My New Year’s resolution last year was to take one major vacation a year this year Costa Rica; next year my goal is Italy. I usually take quick trips; 4 days to PR or 4 days to Las Vegas; once I even flew to Paris for a weekend. But I have never taken a vacation that lasted for over a week. It’s hard for me to relax.

I was amazed at the ways I could see Saturn transiting my 9th house manifest 3 days into my vacation. Keep in mind Saturn is also in Sagittarius the sign of long distance travel First and foremost this was an all inclusive thoroughly planned trip that involved getting up at 5am the days were planned from morning to night with activities. (I never ever plan and I’m not a morning person) this is so Saturn. Saturn represents the rules and structure.

I once read “you always take the natal placement of a planet with you during a transit” and I truly felt that way on this 10 day meticulously planned trip. In my natal chart Saturn resides in my 6th and 7th house. The 6th house rules daily work and while on vacation I learned many lessons I will return to work with. I work in a hotel and am continuously annoyed that people checking in do not want to leave a credit card; well what do you know I didn’t have to leave a credit card at my hotel. It also drives me crazy when people leave luggage in the room and believe someone will magically pick it up at check out. Well wa-lah in Costa Rica someone does magically pick up the bags from the room! I learned a lot of lessons-God Saturn is always teaching us something and I will take what I have learned back to work.

I haven’t forgotten that Saturn is in retrograde motion so I have been given an opportunity to review my habits and reconsider the way I relate to other people. I also have Saturn in the 7th house- people sometimes forget that the 7th house isn’t merely your marriage and business partners it rules “others” period. The 1st house is you and directly across from that is the 7th-others and what do you know most of the individuals on my trip were my Mothers age (no shade, they were lovely)! It never occurred to me that I would be traveling with “older” people when I saw Saturn transiting my 9th but Saturn does rule maturity and the 9th house rules long distance travel. That is how Saturn manifested for me; these are things an astrology cookbook usually does not tell you.

I enjoyed my trip and I loved talking to people about their lives the lessons they learned, the regrets they had marriages that fell apart, others that lasted, who had children and who couldn’t. I learned a lot about people and the ways we are all connected, the way our lives are similar at any age, in any country and of any social status.  I laughed to myself when one person advised me to put sunscreen on because I was getting sunburn and another lovely woman told me, “Danielle you have 10 more minutes in the pool then the bus is leaving”. So parental …that’s Saturn for you.

As I was packing up and getting ready to fly back home Saturn was about to retrograde across my natal Venus in Gemini in the 3rd house; Gemini and the 3rd house both ruling transportation I left my car at the shop while I was away only to be informed I have a bill for car repairs upon my return that are THREE times the amount I was expecting to pay (Venus also rules money, Saturn opposite Venus can indicate hardship in finances).  Saturn rules time & one of the things I had done was a timing belt I had also been putting some other stuff off and off and off and Saturn always forces your hand. What you didn’t do/learn during Saturn direct Saturn will certainly get you for on the retrograde.