Will Saturn Moon conjunction lead to depression or show the path towards great spiritual development.?

Let us try to understand this question by contemplating first what these two planets represent. Moon is the manas and Saturn is tapas. Saturn wants to control and sublimate it's mind's weakness which gets tempted or influenced easily by distractions (Rahu). It wants this because Saturn is a sanyasi and loves mental-emotional-spiritual purification (Ketu) by going through the fire of tapas. Moon (fickleness or emotional weakness of the mind) is a barrier to this. So, Saturn looks at Moon as it's enemy.

Now, normally Moon is unenlightened. It has no discrimination. So, when it looks at Saturn (the strict teacher or authority figure in real life) or is in contact with Saturn where Saturn itself is passive or not able to affect it, then it is not able to realize at first (being innocent) that Saturn is going to curtail his freedom. So it remains neutral to it. But when Saturn starts to influence Moon by imposing it's discipline on it, Moon hates it. That may give birth to rebelliousness in some cases (Mars functioning in a wilful way).

Another pointer to the essence of what I said is that Moon has no enemies. Moon (the innocent mind) will realize Saturn's restricting influence only after it starts to experience it's disciplining process (criticism, scolding, punishment etc.). Before the actual experience of the critical parent/teacher (Saturn), the child (innocent Moon or mind) feels completely free like a bird.

Saturn conjunct Moon is a difficult aspect. Moon wants to experience life spontaneously while Saturn imposes all kinds of restrictions in the name of morality, traditions, sense of danger in the environment etc. If Moon feels too restricted it may cause pessimism, excessive fears, even depression.But on the other hand, in a refined horoscope it may make one contemplative and meditative, enabling them to dive into the inner recesses of the subconscious mind. Whether depression/fear/pessimism or contemplation/wisdom/realism would depend upon Jupiter's placement.

I was once asked the following question regarding the relationship between Jupiter, Moon and Mercury. I am sharing my answer to that question as it is connected to the possibilities of a Saturn Moon conjunction. The result of this conjunction in reality would also depend upon the way Mercury (our intellect) and Jupiter (our wisdom) function in our lives.

Q: How can Jupiter and the Moon be friends astrologically, if the Moon had a son (Mercury) with Jupiter's wife?

My answer: “Every astrological myth has a deep esoteric meaning which reveals itself on deep contemplation. These stories need not be taken literally. Moon, Jupiter and Mercury are not people that they will have affairs and beget biological children the way people do. The stories have been created by enlightened Vedic seers or Rishis for us to grasp the deeper astrological principles.

Let us look at this story. Moon represents the mind stuff - the chitta; the emotional part of us that is affected by everything that is happening within and around us. It governs our feelings, moods, and emotional reactions as well as our basic personality. Mercury represents our intellect or 'buddhi'. It is our ability to think rationally or wisely. This is a quality which can be developed enormously if we work on expanding our knowledge. But if we do not, it remains childish in most people. Mercury is also called 'the child' among the planets. It is so called because our intellect remains childish if we do not develop it.Now, Jupiter is the planet of wisdom and interest in deeper truths of this universe. His wife represents those sattwik qualities which help us to develop wisdom. For example, reverence for our teachers, enlightened sages, wisdom traditions, God, love for knowledge etc.

Moon begetting a son called Mercury through Jupiter's wife implies that if a person does not develop the sattwik qualities necessary to cultivate wisdom because of mental fickleness (Moon being the fastest moving planet, and because it increases and decreases in size so rapidly, it represents fickleness or moodiness), then his intellect remains childish (Mercury). We can see easily that a mentally fickle person cannot cultivate wisdom because that would require disciplined application of one's mind for many years. This disciplined application of our mind is the Saturn principle.

So, the lesson behind this mythological story is that we need to cultivate sattwa (Jupiter's devoted and loyal wife who keeps away from the fickleness of a 'weak' Moon instead of flirting with him) and work hard (Saturn) under the guidance of enlightened teachers (Jupiter) in order to become wise. Or else we remain childish (undeveloped Mercury or intellect).

In some other mythological stories in different parts of the world, Mercury is depicted as the student and Jupiter as the Teacher, which further clarifies what I have explained above.”

So, connecting all these dots, we realize that what results a Saturn Moon conjunction would give would also depend upon the level of evolution of the native in whose horoscope it occurs. That level of evolution would depend upon how refined the intellect of that person is, and how much wisdom and discipline they are capable of cultivating. Also, how much would they be supported by their fate or luck.

The level of refinement of the intellect is indicated by the position, strength and aspects on the planet Mercury and also Rahu. The capacity for disciplined self-work is represented by the rasi and nakshatra placement of Saturn, and the aspects, conjunctions as well as the strength of its dispositor as well as nakshatra lord. Jupiter's position and strength in the horoscope would show us how much support the native will receive from the divine will in their spiritual journey in the form of enlightened teachers, availability of resources and absence of poverty, opportunities for a good education etc.

Putting all these factors together we would be able to tell whether Saturn Moon conjunction would give depression or great spiritual development. It has been the experience of many people that they have come out of their bouts with depression as much more wiser, compassionate and resilient people.