When Saturn traverses the House where Moon is located, he is said to cast his malefic influence on a person. This supposed evil influence of Saturn is said to commence when it enters the house that is 12th from the natal Moon and continues till it traverses the House 2nd from the natal moon. In effect a long period of 7½ years. This is known as "Sade Sati" or The 7½ Years in Vedic Astrology. As is obvious from the explanation given above, these 7½ Years are divided into 3 equal phases of 2½ Years each, referred to as "Dhaiya" or The 2½ Years.
Vedic astrology considers this transit of Saturn across the chart as the most significant and eventful transit of Saturn in our life.
Unless one is born during one phase of Sade Sati, we shall experience at least two cycles of Sade Sati in our lives. Each of them in spaced out by approximately 30 years.
During the 7-½ year cycle of Saturn, the best strategy to adopt is to simplify and narrow the focus in our life and set up a baseline for achievable goals. There is no slack with Saturn - either we do or we don't. It is the people who cannot work with Saturn's energy that feel the maximum distress during this 7 ½ year cycle of Saturn. Saturn is not necessarily a pain and misery-invoking planet. People who are aware of their duties and responsibilities and take action to fulfill them in time will not suffer much during this 7-½ year cycle of Saturn. The actual impact in specific cases will depend on the position, status and strength of Saturn in our individual natal chart as well as what planetary periods we are experiencing as per our natal chart during this 7-½ year cycle.
