Astrological Conditions for Success: Saturn and Mars
Twenty-five years ago, I was asked about the astrological conditions for success. I remember explaining it at the time in terms of “Jupiter is…” or “Venus is…”. If I were asked the same question today, I would answer this way.
The first condition for success is “to fail.” The second is “to not quit.” The third is “to decide for yourself what success means.”
These may sound different from the glittering laws of success. They might even suggest a gritty, unglamorous path. But as we overlap the astrological planets with our own lives, these three conditions should become clearer.
Contents The Effectiveness of Failure The Passion That Supports “Not Quitting” You Define Success Getting Lost on Your Own Path with Someone Else’s Map Strategic Use of Natural Significators Failure as Normal Operation — The Work of Saturn and Mars The Two Pillars Supporting Continuation — Saturn’s Patience and the Sun’s Will Defining Your Own Success — A Team Effort Philosophy and Operation, and “When Things Just Won’t Work” Practical Work for Using the Stars as a Compass
Show All The Effectiveness of Failure Why is failure a condition? Because there is so much we can only learn from failure. When things are going smoothly, we do not deeply reflect on the mechanics or assumptions. But when we hit a wall, when our plans are thwarted, and when we acknowledge defeat, we stop for the first time and begin to search for the root cause. Only this process can turn experience into true strength and sublimate it into unwavering skill.
In astrology, this learning through “failure” or “defeat” is symbolized by the work of Saturn. Saturn gives us limitations, difficulties, and challenges that must be tackled over time. The pressure is never pleasant, but by confronting the propositions Saturn gives us, a solid foundation and an essential understanding await. It is, so to speak, the process of forming the skeleton of one’s life.
The Passion That Supports “Not Quitting” The second condition, “to not quit,” is not about sheer guts. Its essence lies in continuing to follow the passion that wells up from within, the preferences one is drawn to—in other words, the soul’s desire. Even if it seems wasteful or meaningless to others, you can continue walking without hesitation on a path that your own heart strongly desires.
Astrological interpretation considers this inexhaustible energy to be the domain of Mars. Mars rules the fighting spirit and motivation. Without this active force, we cannot even take the first step. Of course, Mars’s energy can sometimes lead to conflict with others or difficult situations. However, without that powerful energy to carve a path, achieving anything is impossible.
You Define Success And the most important is the third condition: “to decide for yourself what success means.” We are unconsciously influenced by images of success created by society and others. But is that goal truly what you desire? As long as you chase values created by others, you will never achieve heartfelt conviction and satisfaction, even if you obtain them.
Setting your own goal. This is nothing less than an act of creating your own universe, leaving the gravity of others’ approval. Mars and Saturn are deeply involved in this process of “decision.” Since ancient times, Mars has symbolized separation. The decisiveness to follow one’s own will without being swayed by others is the power of Mars. A “decision” (ketsudan) is nothing less than “cutting off” (tatsu) other options. Saturn symbolizes building your own rules and structure based on that decision and continuing to protect it.
Getting Lost on Your Own Path with Someone Else’s Map The importance of “deciding your own success” also emerges from examples like this. Imagine you are smoothly progressing on a career path you admired, acquiring “conventional success” such as social status and income. You are congratulated by those around you, and you yourself feel a temporary sense of accomplishment. However, after a while, a feeling of an empty hole in your heart and a vague question—”Is this what I really wanted to do?”—emerges.
That is a sign that you are realizing the image of success you were chasing was one created by your parents, society, or the media, and not what you truly desired.
If you proceed unaware on a success map that is not your own, it is inevitable that you will get lost along the way. You lose sight of where you are and what you are doing it for. Passion is lost, daily efforts become mere obligations, and the goal that once seemed to shine brightly fades.
This “sense of dissonance” is the catalyst for “separation” brought by Mars. It is the moment you separate others’ values from your own true desires and decide, “This is not my path.” Only after this potentially painful decision can we enter the Saturnian creative process of building our own definition of success.
Now, these elements of “failure,” “continuation,” and “decision.” These differ from the brilliant symbolism of Jupiter (expansion, development) and Venus (joy, harmony), which are generally considered fortunate stars.
Learning within limitations (Saturn), continuing with passion (Mars), and establishing one’s own goals (Mars/Saturn). One’s own success is built by the work symbolized by Mars and Saturn.
Of course, there are times when things do not go well even if you try. When the wind is against you, anything you do just spins your wheels. There is no need to go for a walk when a typhoon is coming. At such times, just go ahead and blame it all on Mars and Saturn. This is not abandoning responsibility, but rather the wisdom to accept the flow of things beyond your control, to avoid blaming yourself needlessly, and to move toward the next step.
I also discuss the importance of the malefic stars in my own book, “Complete Master Predictive Astrology: From Basics to Practice.”
Strategic Use of Natural Significators In astrology, there are concepts of functional significators and natural significators. A typical example of the former is the house ruler, which differs depending on the birth chart. For example, if the 1st house is in Cancer, the “Moon” is the planet that universally represents that person’s spirit, personality, body type, and constitution. On the other hand, a natural significator refers to the things or concepts that each planet innately symbolizes: the Sun for ambition and will, the Moon for body and mind, Mercury for intellect and words, and so on. From here, I will talk about the aspect of natal planets as natural significators.
Failure as Normal Operation — The Work of Saturn and Mars In the first half, I listed “failure,” “continuation,” and “self-determination” as conditions for success and touched on the work of Mars and Saturn behind them. From here, let’s explore more deeply the mechanism of how these planets are specifically involved in our growth.
First, about “failure.” We tend to see failure as something to be avoided, a negative event. Japan is a cautious and careful culture with a strong aversion to failure and mistakes. However, from an astrological perspective, failure is nothing other than the “normal operation” brought about by Saturn and Mars.
Saturn is the planet that teaches us our limits and makes us recognize reality. Its work often manifests as delays or losses, mercilessly exposing the holes and optimistic outlooks hidden in our plans. This is the role of a “teacher who draws boundaries.” What is the acceptable range, and what is overstepping? Through harsh judgment, it conveys the rules of reality to us. Mars governs haste and severance, bringing friction during the trial-and-error process. It sometimes destroys things with impulsive actions and causes painful experiences, but that itself is the learning process. Mars can be said to be like a “surgeon who cuts away waste,” separating unnecessary parts and leaving only the essence. In other words, failure is healthy proof that these two planets are fulfilling their respective roles. When viewed from this perspective, the malefic stars are not heels (villains) who torment us. And there is something important here.
That point is that to use this teacher and surgeon effectively, we must give them specific “jobs.” In the planning stage, give Saturn a clear framework (standards, deadlines, specifications, quality control). And give Mars concrete tasks in advance, such as the number of experiments (number of prototypes, number of tests). By doing so, their energy is guided in a constructive direction, and failure is sublimated from a mere loss into valuable, pre-planned data.
The Two Pillars Supporting Continuation — Saturn’s Patience and the Sun’s Will This line marks the end of the free display area. Next is “not quitting,” or continuation. This is also Saturn’s domain. Patience, repetition, and daily accumulation. The ability to steadily perform tedious work is the true strength of Saturn.
However, it is not good to just continue blindly. The Sun plays the important role of determining the central axis of what should be continued. The Sun symbolizes our central sense of purpose, consistency, and leadership in our own lives.
Continuation is supported by the two pillars of Saturn’s “repetitive power” and the Sun’s “sense of purpose.” The Sun declares, “I will climb this mountain,” and Saturn creates the execution plan, “Then let’s advance one hundred steps every day.” Only with this collaboration does continuation become a meaningful force.
Habits to effectively operate these two planets include, for example:
Monthly Saturn Ritual: At a fixed time, such as the beginning of the month, perform “fixed-point observation” to reflect on the previous month’s progress and “take inventory” of tasks. Calmly check reality: Is it progressing according to plan? Are there obstacles? Annual Sun Review: At the end of the year, broaden your perspective slightly and reconfirm whether the direction you are heading is correct in the first place, and whether you have strayed from the path you desire. This is an important process to avoid getting buried in immediate tasks and losing sight of the larger goal. Defining Your Own Success — A Team Effort And the most important, “deciding for yourself what success means.” This is the work of creating your own compass and requires team play by multiple planets.
First, the team leader is the Sun. The Sun raises the purpose, the final vision (what the ancient Greeks called “Telos/purpose”), of “how one ultimately wants to be.” Supporting that purpose is Jupiter. Jupiter defines the meaning and philosophy of that success and provides an attractive “narrative” of “why aim for it.” Venus is in charge of the joy and values in the process. It designs rewards such as comfort, beauty, and connection with people, increasing sustainability (fuel efficiency) for continuing the journey. Finally, Mercury verbalizes that definition and breaks it down into concrete indicators. Mercury plays the role of translating vague ideals into measurable metrics (for example, KPIs). In other words, our definition of success can be called “a structure where the Sun’s direction is backed by Jupiter’s philosophy, designed to be sustainable with Venus’s joy, and its current location measured by Mercury’s KPIs.”
Note: KPI is a Key Performance Indicator for managing the process toward achieving the final goal. If the final goal is “to feel the best by climbing Mt. Fuji,” then it’s the scheduled arrival times, physical condition, mood, and other self-evaluations for the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th stations.
Philosophy and Operation, and “When Things Just Won’t Work” Now, let’s return to the first question. Are the conditions for success the work of Jupiter and Venus, or the work of Mars and Saturn?
As you already understand, this is not an either/or question. The words that describe the conditions of success themselves (growth, abundance, joy) certainly belong to the vocabulary of Jupiter and Venus. However, the majority of the process of implementing that in reality is driven by the steady work of Saturn (limitation, repetition) and Mars (severance, trial).
Therefore, the most realistic and effective approach is to grasp it as a division of roles: “Philosophy and goal setting are Jupiter/Venus,” “Daily operations are Saturn/Mars.”
So, what should we think “when things just don’t work out”?
In astrology, this is grasped on two levels. One is the concept of Fortune (luck, environment) and Spirit (will, discretion). The other is specific timing theory.
When environmental factors beyond our control (Fortune) and an inappropriate time for “that activity” due to external factors (for example, the season; and transits or profections) arrive, pushing forward blindly will only lead to exhaustion. At such times, “not mistaking the ‘type of game’ you’re in” is more important than anything else.
Also, depending on the time of birth in an individual’s horoscope, the quality of hardship changes depending on whether it is a day or night birth. For example, astrologically, it is thought that people born at night tend to feel Saturn’s difficulties more harshly, and people born during the day feel Mars’s difficulties more harshly.
Therefore, when you feel you cannot do anything, first think, “It’s all Mars and Saturn’s fault,” and stop blaming yourself. That is not stopping thought; it is the first step to becoming calm. And it is from there that the wisdom of astrology is truly utilized. Discerning “What should I let go of now, what should I wait for, and what should I concentrate on?” That itself is the strategic use of astrology for navigating times of headwind.
Practical Work for Using the Stars as a Compass Finally, I will propose a minimal practical framework for bringing this discussion into daily life.
Definition of Success (Sun, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury) Write it out in one sentence. Example: “”
Clarification of Constraints (Saturn) Decide the maximum time and funds that can be used for this project, and the “non-negotiable” quality conditions.
Trial Plan (Mars) Assuming “at least 3 failures,” decide the number of prototypes and their respective deadlines first.
Fuel Check (Venus) To continue the activity, build rewards for yourself (comfortable time, experiencing beautiful things, talking with friends, etc.) into your schedule.
Connection to Meaning (Jupiter) Write down, “Why am I doing this?” linked to your own life’s story. It becomes the origin point to return to when you are lost.
Rhythm (Moon) Fix weekly and monthly check-in dates on the calendar. Turn the cycle with the power of habit, not influenced by emotions or moods. Now, this kind of content has already been introduced in most books, and a sufficient amount of text is overflowing in the world. So, isn’t the actual situation that you are tired of hearing sweet words like, “Astrology, when handled strategically, is a compass to understand your own microcosm and enjoy navigating the voyage of life”?
Moving away from the preconceptions lurking behind the word success, the practice of “failure,” “continuation,” and “decision” is the most effective method in the physical world. When that practice is involved, astrology becomes a compass that assists action.