Let’s Talk Sade Sati or Saturn’s 7.5 years!

Image Source: Photo by NASA on Unsplash

I often come across people saying, oh everything is going out of control, I think it’s my time of facing Saturn’s curse now for 7.5 years. What is this period of 7.5 years and why is everyone scared of that?

In this blog, I have made an attempt to explain the 7.5 years of Saturn in a simple way. So, let’s talk what is Sade Sati.

Before you proceed reading, here are frequently used terms in context to this blog.

Sade Sati-I will often use the phrase Sade Sati which is a transliteration from Hindi word popularly used to describe the 7.5 years of Saturn.

Transit-This is just like the time you spend at airports, bus or train stations while changing transport. The time a star/planet spends in a zodiac/rashi is called as transit time of that planet.

What is Sade Sati or 7.5 years of Saturn?

In Vedic astrology, our rashi is determined by the placement of the Moon in birth chart. This is different from the western system. However, I will skip explaining the difference to avoid confusion here.

Let’s take a birth chart for example:

This is a North Indian-style Vedic astrology chart which is read anti-clockwise. For convenience, I have marked the first house.

In this chart, Moon is placed in the fourth house.

What is the number in the fourth house? It is 11 which means Moon is situated in the sign of Aquarius. This means Moon was transiting Aquarius rashi when this person was born. So, the birth rashi of this person is kumbha or Aquarius.  

Just to give you more clarity (Zodiac/Rashi order is: Aries(1), Taurus(2), Gemini(3), Cancer (4), Leo(5), Virgo(6), Libra(7), Scorpio(8), Sagittarius(9), Capricorn(10), Aquarius(11), and Pisces(12).

When will this person undergo their Sade Sati?

Sade sati is a period of 7.5 years which consists of three phases of 2.5 years.

Phase 1: 2.5 years, Saturn transiting the rashi/zodiac before Moon

Phase 2: 2.5 years, Saturn transiting the rashi/zodiac of Moon

Phase 3: 2. 5 years, Saturn transiting the rashi/zodiac next to your Moon placement

Total 7.5 years!

2.5 years is the time Saturn spends in a rashi/zodiac during which it moves forward and retrogrades as well. Saturn transit time=2.5 years

For the above example with Aquarius rashi, this person will undergo Sade Sati when Saturn will transit the house of Capricorn( first 2.5 years), Aquarius(middle phase of 2.5 years), and then Pisces(last phase of 2.5 years) combining to a total of 7.5 years.

Ideally, this person is under their Sadi Sati now because Saturn is transiting Capricorn currently and soon moving to Aquarius.

Saturn’s Sade Sati is not an individual affair. It impacts the whole zodiac/rashi. Since Saturn is transiting Capricorn currently, signs of Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius are under the influence of Sade Sati.

What does it mean?

Yes, some or other rashi will always be undergoing Sade Sati. It will apply to an individual only if Saturn aspects the rashi before and after their Moon rashi, and their Moon rashi itself.  

As per Vedic astrology, an average person undergoes Sade Sati 2-3 times during their life. Ideally, it happens after every 30 years( which is the time Saturn completes one orbit around the sun transiting through all the zodiac sings/rashi).

How to determine the transits of Saturn?

Ages before modern astronomical institutes were set up, ancient rishis in India had this knowledge of planet transits and that’s how Vedic astrology was born.

You may think but where in the sky or space is Saturn transiting?

Now whether you believe in modern astronomy or the ancient Vedic astrology, let’s have a look at today’s night sky!

This is a screenshot of live sky view taken from Timeanddate around 8pm on Dec 10’22. You can use the Timeanddate website for a virtual view.

The night sky view shows Saturn in Capricorn or Capricornus.

Let’s match it with today’s(Dec 10’22 at 7.26pm, NZST) birth chart. I have used Kundli software to create this.

Refer to the position of Saturn in this birth chart. The house where Saturn or शनि is placed in this chart is number 10. This means it is transiting Capricorn (10th zodiac sign/rashi). For a person born today, Saturn is placed in the Capricorn sign.

Test your knowledge! Can you determine the Birth Rashi of this person and when will they undergo Sade Sati?

I will leave you to explore your Sade Sati period using this blog. I will write another blog on the significance of Sade Sati and how you can use it for your growth.

Next Saturn transit: Saturn moves to Aquarius on January 18, 2023, Wednesday at 03:32 AM (New Zealand time) Source: Drikpanchang

This means Sade Sati will end for Sagittarius and will continue for the signs of Capricorn, Aquarius and will begin for Pisces (applicable to Moon signs as per Vedic astrology).

I hope the above adds to your knowledge. Feel free to share any feedback in the comments below.