Saturn in Aries: Lead Like You Mean It

Originally posted on The Cosmic Anthropologist Substack.

Saturn entered Aries this past weekend. Finally! And while that might feel like a breath of fresh air after swimming in the disorienting waters of Saturn in Pisces, don’t get too comfortable. Saturn will stay in Aries until September, then dip back into Pisces for one final review, before anchoring itself in Aries from February 2026 until April 2028.

We’re in it now and the impatient urgency of Aries is rising. The pressure and itch to “figure it out” is louder than it was before, but Saturn doesn’t respond to panic or performance. It wants clarity, ownership, and for you to take responsibility for your energy and where it’s going. As an Aries Sun and youngest of four, I know this feeling all too well.

Let’s break it down a little:
Saturn = structure, boundaries, discipline, time, embodiment, karmic maturity
Aries = identity, instinct, direction, willpower, personal truth, self-leadership

To me, Saturn has always carried this strong “masculine” archetype, and not in the strict, punishing, authoritarian, karmic retribution kind of way we’ve been conditioned to expect (or as other astrologers might say). That’s the wounded masculine and the legacy of patriarchal control talking.

The Saturn I’ve come to know is more like a clear, steady father figure who steps in when we’ve been annoying Mum for too long, testing boundaries and spinning out in chaos. He doesn’t scream or shame you, he just looks you dead in the eyes and says, enough. And you know he’s right, because there’s no hidden agenda or ego getting in the way of what you already know to be true. Unlike most leaders…

That’s why this transit feels a bit like learning how to ride a bike again, except now it’s your turn to take control of the steering. You’re no longer coasting or being pushed by cosmic currents with your training wheels on, especially if you’ve been doing the inner work through Saturn in Pisces over the last two-ish years. That was about intuition, surrendering control, ego death, and learning to soften. But Aries is fire and Saturn wants to know what you’re going to do with everything you’ve learned. Because integration isn’t passive, it’s experienced, and action completes the circuit.

This isn’t about proving yourself or chasing some ideal version of who you think you’re meant to be. It’s about slowing down enough to remember who you actually are, and then moving from that place. If you’re building a life or a career based on other people’s expectations, you’ll feel it quickly because Daddy Saturn doesn’t tolerate misalignment. You’ll burn out, lose interest, and get fed up. And this isn’t a punishment, it’s a redirection to where you should be going. It’s only a negative experience if you choose to see it that way.

Because that’s the whole point: if it’s not aligned, it’s not sustainable. Why keep pretending to be someone you’re not meant to be? Isn’t that exhausting?

Hopefully, with this transit, we’ll see more people starting to say no. With my pink-tinted glasses on, that looks like clearer boundaries and new leaders emerging, and not because they want status or control (fingers crossed), but because they finally understand who they are and what they’re here to offer the collective. This kind of leadership isn’t about being the loudest person in the room for the sake of profit or ego. It’s about being grounded in yourself enough to move with integrity, especially when no one’s watching.

And yes, the shadow will come up too: mental noise, pressure to prove something, the desire to move faster, be better, do more. Imposter syndrome and rejection wounds. The fear that if you really go for it, people won’t get it, or worse, they’ll laugh. But hiding is just another kind of burnout. And Saturn will call that out, too. Trust me.

You’re not here to be perfect, you’re literally just here to be yourself and live a human life the best you can. And to do that is to take full responsibility for your own energy, and recognise where you’re failing at being yourself. This might be me calling myself out, but it’s time to stop floating in the in-between and start being who you actually are. Not because someone told you to be xyz, but because you want to. Because it’s the only way you can truly be you.

And as a “Professional Director” (if I can still call myself that), I like to think I know a thing or two about leadership, governance, and how I’d like to see our systems evolve. And with this Saturn transit, alongside Pluto in Aquarius and Neptune in Aries, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say we’re going to see a few shakeups in the leadership camp. But again: action completes the circuit. Astrology and other tools are just that, tools. They act as blueprints to help us navigate being in these weird meatsuits. It’s up to you and me to actually do something with it and make sense of it. And the first step is to get clear about who you actually are.

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New Moon in Gemini:

And while all of that is happening, we’ve also got a New Moon in Gemini today (27 May), sitting at 6 degrees and honestly, it feels like the reality check Saturn is asking for. Not in a heavy way, but more like that moment where you realise the thoughts you’ve been thinking are shaping everything around you. And if you don’t pause to recalibrate, you’ll keep looping in a version of the story that doesn’t actually fit anymore.

Gemini rules the mind, the voice, the words we choose (and the ones we don’t), the stories we tell about ourselves and other people, and the little comments that sometimes slip out without us realising how much power they carry.

This New Moon is a good time to pay attention to how you’ve been speaking about your life, especially the parts you feel stuck in and ask whether the language you’re using is still helping you move forward, or quietly holding you back. It doesn’t need to be some big public declaration or even a long journal entry. Sometimes it’s just admitting something to yourself.

Because at the end of the day, Gemini doesn’t need it to be deep, it just needs it to be true. And this New Moon is a reminder that your words are not just describing your reality, they’re helping shape it. So be clear and be honest. And if you’ve been stuck in your head, maybe it’s time to speak something out loud and let it land wherever it needs to.

Words create momentum. And this Gemini Moon is offering a clean slate to start again. Not totally from scratch, but from truth.

Holistic ReDesign: Leading by Design, Not Default

Let’s circle back and ground into the reality of why I write this newsletter: to inspire new thought leadership.

And with my Holistic ReDesign lens, we need to realise that leadership isn’t some top-down, hierarchical thing. Not everyone is meant to lead from the front and be “big boss man.” Some of us lead by responding, some by guiding, some by challenging the system, and others by holding the emotional temperature of the room.

There’s no single model for leadership, there’s just aligned leadership. And what works for one person’s nervous system, energy type, or life path might totally fry another’s and make them want to burn it all down. So if you’re wondering: How the hell do I figure out who I am and what I’m meant to be doing? My answer, now and always, is to start with your Human Design.

Human Design is your energetic blueprint. Think of it as your personal user manual for how your human actually works and not just in theory, but in practice. It blends Vedic astrology, the I Ching, the chakra system, and the Kabbalistic tree of life. It’s eastern at its roots, but wildly helpful for anyone trying to navigate a modern life without burning out.

And if Saturn in Aries is asking us to take radical ownership of our energy and direction, to birth new forms of leadership, then Human Design is the tool that can help us figure out how to do that in a way that actually works for our body, our timing, and our reality.

Because as the pressure builds to step up, to initiate, and to create something new, make sure you’re doing it from your strategy, not someone else’s template. If you already know your type, here’s the starting point:

• Manifestors: You’re not here to wait for permission, you’re here to initiate, to catalyse, to set things in motion. But remember, you’re not designed to go non-stop. Rest is part of your leadership rhythm.

• Generators / Manifesting Generators: Follow what lights you up, that’s your compass. Don’t try to force clarity as it comes when you respond. When you’re in alignment, everyone around you feels it.

• Projectors: You’re not here to grind, you’re here to see clearly and guide others. Your leadership is subtle but when the invitation is right and the recognition is mutual, your wisdom lands.

• Reflectors: You’re the mirror and you show us the truth of where we are. Leadership for you isn’t about forcing decisions, it’s about honouring your process and letting the timing unfold. You need space, not pressure.

And across all types, Saturn in Aries asks: Are you acting from alignment or from pressure?

Because true leadership isn’t about charisma or hustle. It’s about being able to hold your own flame and passion steadily, even when no one’s watching. And you may as well be leading your own life from your own strategy, not someone else’s.

If that tickled something in you, you can deep dive your own Human Design, or reach out to me and I can give you a personalised report.

We’re not here to play someone else’s game, we’re here to remember how to play our own.