Lecture Notes: The Symbolism of Saturn

Introduction

• Discussion begins with a quote from Carl Gustav Jung's Aion
• Focus on the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Pisces and its significance
• Saturn's association with Jewish destiny and religious symbolism
• This lecture will explore Saturn's influence from ancient Egypt to Medieval Europe
• Aim: To understand Saturn's role in religious and philosophical thought

Saturn: The Celestial Observer

• Sixth planet from the sun, visible to the naked eye
• Named "Kayamanu" by Babylonians, meaning "the steady one"
• Known as the boundary keeper of the known cosmos
• Saturn's 29.5-year orbit aligns with human generational cycles
• Physical traits: low density, magnificent rings, hexagonal storm pattern

Historical Significance

Mesopotamian Influence

• Babylonian priests tracked Saturn, calling it the "Star of Justice"
• Symbolized cosmic arbitration and fate

Egyptian Astronomy

• Important during the Old Kingdom period
• Associated with Horus the Bull, reflecting its slow movement

Greek and Roman Transformation

• Greeks personified Saturn as Kronos, embodying time
• Romans linked Saturn to the Golden Age and societal wealth

Saturn as a Philosophical Principle

Neo-Platonic Thought

• Saturn represents "peiras," the principle of limitation
• Creative power of boundary-setting

Medieval and Renaissance Thought

• Ambivalent role in astrology
• Symbolizes both the "greater malefic" and the source of wisdom
• Associated with melancholia and divine madness

Saturn’s Relationship with Jupiter

• Their conjunction represents cosmic tension
• Seen as a significant astrological event in 7 B.C.

Saturn and Sacred Time

• Association with the Sabbath (Saturday)
• Represents sacred time through limitation
• Number symbolism: 7th planet, 7th day, resonances with cycles and transformation

The Devil and Saturn

• Saturn's transformation from a wise god to a devil in medieval astrology
• Attributes like lord of lead, ruler of winter associated with diabolic nature
• Dual rulership over Capricorn (material bondage) and Aquarius (spiritual liberation)

Other Cultural Connections

Ialdabaoth

• Gnostic demiurge with lion’s face, linked to Saturn
• Represents limitation, boundary-setting

Michael

• Angel associated with Saturn, depicted with a lion’s face
• Represents divine authority and limitation

Psychological and Alchemical Insights

• Saturn as a figure in alchemy, associated with the nigredo phase
• Represents the transformation through limitation

The Black Star

• Saturn's association with blackness and darkness
• Symbolizes wisdom hidden in darkness

Saturn in Astrology and Alchemy

• Saturn as the "Great Malefic"
• Its animals and symbols embody necessity and transformation

Conclusion

• Saturn's dual nature as both limit and possibility
• Invitation to embrace limitation as a path to freedom
• Encouragement to engage with Saturn's mysteries for spiritual and psychological growth