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How Astrology Helped Me Cope 

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How Astrology Helped Me Cope:
In May of this year I went to see my doctor for my annual physical. During the examination, she palpated my throat and became suspicious that something might be going on with my lymph nodes. She told me that there were plenty of things that could go wrong in that vicinity, but most of them are not serious. She suggested a sonogram to help diagnose the problem.

The sonogram was unrevealing. The technician said that he had not been given any guidance about what to look for, just the general instruction to check the area of the throat. So, my doctor prescribed a CT scan (my first) of the head and neck.

Two days later, my doctor called me into her office to discusss the results and told me that there was a nodule (lump) in my thyroid, which was not at all what she had been expecting. She also told me that the lump was most likely benign, but there was a small possibility that it could be precancerous or even malignant. (If it turned out to be benign, no treatment would be necessary.) I could choose to ignore the issue and have another scan performed in three months (and again in six months) to see if the lump was increasing in size. But I chose certainty; I chose to have my thyroid biopsied. In any case, there was no indication that anything had spread beyond the thyroid, so even if the lump were malignant, the treatment would be simple: surgery to remove part of my thyroid gland.

By this time, it was early June. At this point, I decided to check the ephemeris to see if astrology could shed any light on this business. Being a novice astrologer, I needed to use simple methods to get a sense of what was going on. I noticed immediately that Saturn (one of the usual suspects) was retrograde and within two degrees of conjoining my natal Chiron at 21° Libra in my 6th house. Saturn would go direct on June 25 at 22°45′ Libra. This slow motion meant that he was within 1–2 degrees of my natal Chiron the entire month of June and into July (and 2–3 degrees from my natal Mars at 20° Libra ). Once he went direct on June 25, he would finally move into Scorpio on October 6. In other words, Saturn would not return to conjoin my Chiron again.

This gave me hope that I was merely being tested by Saturn. In these cases, patience (a form of discipline) is always a virtue. I had to wait a week to get the biopsy performed, due to scheduling problems. But I decided that it made no sense to drive myself crazy with worry when the whole thing might turn out to be nothing. Indeed, it was probably nothing. And even in the worst-case scenario (cancer), it would be curable.

I explained to the radiologist who conducted the biopsy that I was not an experienced patient. I was certainly not used to this level of attention. There were four people in the room: a sonogram technician, a nurse, the radiologist, and a pathologist to interpret the findings. (As far as I could tell, the nurse was chiefly there to hold my hand when the going got rough.)

When I first called my doctor’s office to get the results of the biopsy, I discovered that she was on vacation! So, I waited another week to get the results. “Fine,” I thought. “I will pass this Saturn test. I may not get an A+, but I’m sure I’ll pass.”

Surprisingly, the second week was easier than the first. Still, I knew that my body was stressed out (even though, psychologically, I seemed to be coping rather well). I took medicine to prevent the migraines that had plagued me the first week, causing me to lie awake in the middle of the night thinking negative thoughts — something I was trying to avoid.

On June 25, the very day that Saturn turned direct, I received the news that my biopsy had shown only normal tissue. No further treatment was needed.

There is no doubt in my mind that astrology helped me to cope. I am sure that I would have experienced more anxiety about the outcome, if I hadn’t found out that Saturn was only making a temporary stopover in my 6th house, just long enough to teach me a lesson about patience and maintaining serenity in the face of uncertainty. Thanks, dude.

13 Comments

  1. I hope that my biopsy results on my thyroid tumor turn out as well as yours has. I have my biopsy on Thursday and am very anxious about it. Thank you for sharing your story.

    • Hi Sarah,

      Yes, thanks for stopping by and good luck with your test…

      Best for now,

      Mary

  2. Nice blog, thank you!

    I guess it’s always good to touch base with the transiting Saturn in our charts! Patience is a virtue that has been hard to develop in my own life. I’m experiencing a 4th house Saturn transit now and learning the value of building a solid foundation for the future, but not in haste! I’m constantly telling myself to “slow down”.

    Buzz Myers used to say that astrologers could give entire readings just by looking at their client’s transiting Saturn; a simple thing really, but never easy to sort out in one’s life. I’m glad yours has moved on!

    • Hi Rebecca,

      Yes, I like to keep it simple sometimes too…that’s what I appreciate so much about Jan’s blog..how much benefit and wisdom she received with one glance at the planets..

      Mary

  3. Am having transitting saturn in my 12th House of Hospitals/Prisons etc since 2 plus years ago. I do NOT like having saturn here! 4 eye operations over this 2 year period has kept me prisoner in my own home! No energy … off to bed early and up later than usual. Thank goodness for astrology that teaches us about this saturn energy and thank goodness I was patient during this time for all turned out well especially the eye surgery. Well so far so good. I believe saturn only leaves in October. I remain patient ….

    • Hi Zulie,

      Yes, patience..ahh! In Porphyry houses, I have transiting Saturn hovering around my 12 house cusp..I have been needing so much rest..

      Mary

  4. I’ve had one helluva Saturn transiting lower square to my natal Sun-Saturn in Cancer, 26/28 degrees. Last summer, I had a shin splint diagnosis (n.Mo/Ur sq, Pisces/Gemini). After ripping, running and helping my 92 year old mom through her final illness, the funeral et al, a golf ball sized growth appeared on my ankle. Immediately the drs. sent me for an MRI and diagnosed that the tendon had torn vs. merely being ruptured. I had surgery on May 24, six weeks ago, and am just completing six weeks bed rest. Dear Saturn always slows us down, thank heavens. I also will have my first novel published by Viking in summer 2013, so it’s definitely been a harvesting time as well. The other ankle gets done in six months. This is my first time off work teaching community college in 20 years. Plenty of reading, writing, and surprisingly for an overly responsible person, much-appreciated support from family and friends. It’s been a much-needed rest.

    • Hi Judy,

      Congratulations on the book! And to an all around successful Saturn transit..

      So glad you had all the support, too..

      Mary

  5. Ah yes, and I was born with the exact conjunction of Saturn at 16 degrees of Gemini, conjunct my 16 Gemini Sun. And now Saturn will go and conjunct my 0 Deg. Scorpio ascendant….while at the same time, Pluto at 8 Capricorn is squaring my Mars at 8 Aries, while Uranus is conjunct at 8 Aries. Talk about NEEDING to slow down! At the same time, my granddaughter who was born with Sun conjunct Saturn in 4 Gemini and with a rising sign of 6 Capricorn, also conjuncting her south node (Pluto has been going over it the last 18 months, and of course, getting the Uranus hit) is sleeping 12 hours a day! This is actually the first time in my life I’ve had enough energy to not feel that Saturn drag….but Caitlin is 11 and growing like a weed….so maybe that makes a good excuse for the sleeping. That and staying up until all hours with an iPad listening to her favorite boy band….

    I found the comments on health issues and Chiron to be quite interesting, too….good observations. And good luck to all!

  6. Jan et al, you show that it’s wise to listen to Saturn. For me as well, Saturn has been in the 12th the past two years. I’ve had to slow down, eat better, get more rest and get on/ stay with a program to boost my adrenals. It’s all been worth it.

    • Hello Peter (and thanks for your comment about Aung San Suu Kyi in the earlier blog)

      I have also started to take adrenal herbs and support more seriously…my acupuncturist has recommended it for years, but only with Saturn entering my 12th did I really take her advice to heart and stay with the program..

      I do feel better already, but I know I’ve got to stay with it..

      Best and stay well,

      Mary

  7. Jan, this is a powerful lesson for me and a HUGE CONGRATS to you. And, thanks for the sharing & showing the way for some of the rest of us.
    In light of your tale and the recent s**t that has reared up for me, I need to check out the Dude for myself. You may not remember, but in my Natal I have Saturn knocking heads with Uranus (!) and the two of them digging in against Mercury & my Sun all in my 9th House Gemini! It is VERY busy in that area even before I check my transits. Do I dare??!!! Obviously, if I don’t dare, I do it at my own risk!!
    Blessings & thanks for the heads up re your blog. 🙂

  8. Jan, thanks for your inspiring article. I’ve been trying to figure out what went on with me…I know now Saturn had a big part in things.My Saturn sits in my 1st house of Leo, and during the whole period Saturn was in the sign of Leo and in the 1st H I was sick. It began with flu,and somehow not recovering fully. My voice had changed and breathing, and talking became difficult.I ignored things, but after a few months went to the Dr. again, to be sent to a specialist for further tests to the throat area. 1st stage of Cancer was discovered, and within 3 months I’d had 3 opperations(at the last one Dr.s had suggested radiotherapy, but we decided to see how 3rd op went)by that time I now can see that Saturn was beginning to leave Leo- thank my lucky stars ;)that was 12months of communication struggles(my voice was affected, and at surgery i was told not to speak afterwards for a week after each) It’s been 5 years of constant checks since then and no return! But what I have gained from this is a deeper understanding of things that really matter, and things which seemed important are not so important anymore, it’s just simple things in life that are most important, from the breath we take, to the words created with that breath and the ability to see love, meaning, and healing in everything.


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