Saturn in Sixth House (or Virgo) Explained

child working in an office

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Overcoming: Patterns of self-sabotage; denial of your needs; work that threatens health; being overly responsible; serving others at expense of self.

Encouragement: A practice that cleanses; saying No when you're over scheduled; decompressing; easing worry; a balanced work day.

The Ideal Day

When your Saturn is in the sixth house, your struggle is for a daily life that feels sane. A theme is organizing the right ingredients for a healthy and fulfilled rhythm. You have a strong drive, and often pile too much on your plate. A lifelong lesson is to see the value in taking it easy, and giving yourself a break.

The word sane has the same root as sanitation. And one top preoccupation is with cleanliness—being able to purify, detox, and wind down. You could be a bit obsessive about order in your home. It's only a problem when there's fear of anything being out of place. Keeping yourself tidy makes you feel in control but when it becomes a rigid need, that's when it takes its toll.

It's possible that you had a chaotic upbringing, or didn't have the chance to make healthy choices. Saturn has a curious way of asking us to go beyond the familiar, to create a new structure. The status quo might be killing you, and creating disease. But breaking these habits brings up fear, and replacing them with healthy ones takes courage.

The paradox is you really do thrive when there's order and steady progress day-to-day. But mixing it up, and making changes when necessary, leads to a well-rounded day. You can become adept at this kind of refining. Your organizational skills might have others looking to you for advice!

From Liz Green's classic Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil "More commonly Saturn placed in the sixth refers to a state of disease, of discomfort or of frustration and limitation in one’s work situation.

The fundamental psychological need for rhythm and ritual, the careful ordering of external life as a symbol of the careful ordering of the inner life which should, and rarely does, parallel it, is often denied in childhood. This need is as valid and as real as the need for security or for achievement."

Mortality and Limitation

Some with this Saturn go through a health crisis, even as dramatic as finding themselves at death's door. Saturn is the planet of aging and the limits of the lifespan. And in this house, there are ordeals that bring home the mind/body/spirit interdependence.

The gift of Saturn in this situation, is facing death and taking charge of the earthly vessel. This is an earth house, and the realities of living in a (toxic) environment calls for the need for greater discipline. And applying the seriousness of Saturn to the sixth can lead to wisdom in the area of healing. The journey to wellness could lead to taking on the mantle of healer or teacher.

Perfection: A Trap

If your Saturn is in the sixth, you can be hard on yourself. The tendency to be self-critical can become a way of life, and rob you of joy. It's possible you had heavy responsibilities as a young person and you're someone who works hard and expects others to also work hard as well.

A huge challenge is finding balance between work and the rest of your life. The shadow of Saturn is being relentless—toward the self or others—in this area. You might fear lessening your load, or deep down believe you're not worthy unless you complete your tasks for the day. A wise goal is cultivating inherent self-worth, apart from what you do. Your work life is important to you, and if it's unsatisfying, this is harmful to your health.

The sixth house is a "work" house (along with the second and tenth). What's unique here is the Virgo (this house ruler) mutability. This means you're able to adapt well, and this is a great gift to have in changing times!

Saturn can create delays in being recognized for your efforts at work. Be patient and don't use this as an excuse to become a workaholic. Pace yourself, to stay healthy and keep work in perspective. Your reward is a balanced life, but worldly recognition is also in the stars, as you work toward goals step-by-step.