Generational Legacies in Astrological Charts

This topic fascinates me. I’ve now had several opportunities to compare charts of 2-3 generations in a family. It was amazing to see some of the same astrological energies repeating consistently through generations, recreating similar situations in the lives of family members. 

Call them generational patterns, generational cycles, generational legacies, or generational curses when you’re feeling dramatic – they all mean the same thing.  They are patterns from a family history that are passed down from generation to generation through conscious or unconscious beliefs, and through learned behavior.

A generational legacy can also be a gift!

Saturn as a Generational Pattern: a Friend or a Foe?

I recently read the charts of Brother and Sister (siblings), and the Brother’s Son. All three had challenging Saturn aspects.  Saturn is a task master. It teaches us to rise through obstacles and limitations, believe in our worth, embrace responsibilities, and stay patient – hard work and perseverance will bring success, even if it happens later in life.

If Saturn is strongly positioned in your natal chart, you just might be the pillar of strength everyone relies on. You’re always there, loyal and reliable. You also have the will and determination to achieve your goals in life, and can achieve considerable success.

When Saturn is challenged, all of this is still possible, but there will be some challenging experiences to push through.  There can be struggle and lack of confidence earlier in life.  If Saturn touches your natal Moon, you could be prone to depression. If he challenges your natal Mercury, there could be anxiety.

And just as Saturn, every planetary energy has an upside and a downside. A lot of times, it’s up to us how we choose to express it and work with it (free will!)

Back to this family. Their family dynamics and beliefs included a lot of “glass half empty”.  Others have it better than we do. Yes, you did this for me, thank you… but…it’s not enough. You could have done more.  Children need to be pushed hard if you want them to achieve anything in life. 

When I looked at the charts of Brother and Sister’s parents – Mom and Dad – the Saturn connection was prominent in Mom’s chart, but not Dad’s. Mom was the one whose parenting philosophy and worldview was passed onto her children and then the grandchild (and perhaps was passed to her by her parents).

Hardship or Success? And Who to Blame?

As I said, Saturn can be a curse if you let it – or a blessing!

Brother had Saturn in his 1st House, next to his Moon. His Sun was in Aries, promising a lot of independence, which did not materialize. The worst of Saturn took over. He married a woman whose chart connected with his in a difficult way. Had they consulted an astrologer, they would have been told to prepare themselves for challenging undercurrents in their relationship. It turned out a very unhappy marriage. Intuitively, he felt that his “luck in life went down after he met her”, but he decided to stay with her.  With Saturn, we can cling to what’s not working for us for way too long, often out of the sense of commitment.  

He had an accident (his natal Mars-Pluto opposition was triggered by transiting Uranus) and never fully recovered from it emotionally. Some years after, he turned down a great employment opportunity because of his sense of commitment to his family, and later blamed the family for his lack of success in life. The hardship aspect of Saturn played out for him. Saturn also encourages us to take responsibility for our own life, which was difficult for him.

Sister had Saturn square her natal Sun.  She moved away at an early age and was no longer part of the family dynamics. The move forced her to become very self-reliant (a Sun-Saturn dynamic). In a true Saturn fashion, she was a workaholic  pushing herself to higher and higher career accomplishments.  

Her second marriage was to a warm, supportive man whose chart reinforced positive aspects in hers. (Finding a person whose chart brings positive planetary connections to yours can literally be life-changing!)

In her case, Saturn’s challenges AND gifts played out:  hardship, depression and lack of confidence in her earlier years, and success through hard work in her later years.

When Challenging Generational Patterns Take Over

Brother’s Son is now 32, and has lived with “glass half empty”, “I’m a failure” and “nothing good will ever happen to me” his entire life. So far, his Saturn has been playing out in that direction.

His chart also has many beautiful energies, such as Jupiter-Venus conjunction, promising children, romantic success, and financial abilities. None of these materialized, which is such a shame!!! He hasn’t tapped into the gifts promised in his chart, because he is trapped by what he feels – literally! – is a generational curse.  He is unemployed. His last relationship was 10 years ago.

Back to Saturn – Friend or Foe? – Well….That’s Up to You!

Luckily, we all have the ability to step back and look at the “view of the world” that runs in our family.  Does it create some limiting beliefs? Do we, as parents, inadvertently pass them to our children? Do we, as children, unquestionably accept our parents’ beliefs, allow them to turn into learned behaviours – and as adults, never question whether these beliefs serve us?  

When we bring our generational patterns into our awareness, we can break the cycle. We can manifest loyalty and determination offered by Saturn, for example, rather than the life of harshness and obstacles. We can consciously choose the energies we draw on.

And empowered by the ability to choose, we might choose to see our generational patterns as a gift that helps us grow, rather than a curse.  

A friend or a foe? Well….that’s up to us!

Are There Generational Patterns in Your Family? 

To find out the generational patterns in your family, try this consultation. Tap into the gifts that have been passed down the generations – and if there is a cycle you need to break so you don’t pass it to your children, you can do that too!