Saturn Return Survival Guide: What to Expect and Remember
Ahh, the Saturn Return. This humbling and empowering celestial rite of passage has risen in astrology terminology ranks to be as popular and well known as Mercury Retrograde and Eclipse Season. Your favorite singer has probably written a song or album about it, and it’s easy to trace major life events, celebrity or otherwise, back to this period of time. But what actually is a Saturn Return?
A Saturn Return is the completion of Saturn moving through the other 11 zodiac signs, and returning to the sign he was in when you were born — simultaneously bringing in the ending and beginning of a cycle. It is commonly used to talk about the first return that happens around ages 27-31, which often heralds sweeping and resounding life changes that require a new level of maturity, skills, or healing. Think major life events like moving, changing jobs, having a baby, and getting married or divorced. As well as major emotional events like hitting rock bottom, facing unresolved trauma, or experiencing loss for the first time. You can narrow in on the themes that will pop up during the almost 3 year period he will be moving through a sign by checking out the house(s) he’s moving through in your chart and what planets or points he’s making contact with.
So why does the Saturn Return create such a societal fuss and deep personal impact? In Astrology, Saturn represents time, limitations, and karma. He is the mountain to climb, the commitment to keep, and the consequences of our actions. During this period of time, we are pushed to wake up to our life and decide what needs to be changed. It’s like we’re in a room that has gone quiet and all we can hear now is the sound of a clock. Tick tock. Am I who I want to be? Where I want to be? Tick tock. Do I want this person in my life? How can I get out of this unfulfilling job? Tick tock. Tick tock.
Prior to our Saturn Return, our Saturn (the structures of our life, where we struggle with things, where we can become masterful at things) has largely been defined for us by our family. During our Saturn Return, we get to take ownership and rewrite what it means for us. For example, someone with Saturn in Pisces in the 10th house may have been encouraged by their family to go after a career that is practical and lucrative; to work hard and be willing to do what it takes to make the boss happy. But as this person approaches their 30s, stifled and burnt out in their stable and safe job, they feel a pull to do something different. Perhaps something with a more creative or spiritual undertone to it, something that is meaningful. And as they take the steps to make these career changes a reality, certain parts of their life begin to crumble. They have chosen to rewrite what Saturn means to them and are changing the structure of their life.
So how can we navigate this season of life? What is the lord of time asking of us?
Ultimately, your first Saturn Return is a cosmic reality check.
It is a time to be unflinchingly honest with yourself about what makes you happy, what is worth your time, and what you are capable of. For some, certain dreams and goals may fade to the background as we recognize they simply aren’t realistic. For others, pursuing and prioritizing these dreams and goals for the first time or with a new level of commitment may be the act of honesty and courage that Saturn is calling for. Depending on where Saturn is at in your chart, the reality checks may come in the form of lessons or experiences that push us to realize a certain path or pattern in our life greatly needs attention and altering.
Release yourself from expectations.
Because Saturn transits can be felt as anxiety, fear, or depression it’s important to connect with and challenge the pressures we feel at this time. Society can push us to hit life milestones by a certain age and if we don’t we feel inadequate. But the truth is, (and astrology makes this SO clear) we are all on our own journeys and timelines. Divine timing will always trump our timing. Pressure can be a good nudge if we’ve lost sight of what really matters, but it shouldn’t make our decisions for us.
Be open to your growth.
While Saturn can be a tough love kinda guy, his lessons for you may be unexpected. Depending on the sign or house he’s moving through, your growth and maturing can involve cultivating and creating more empathy and compassion for yourself and others. If you are a self reliant or stoic person, your journey may involve opening up to others or letting people support you. If you’re a certified sweetie pie, he may push you to stand up for yourself and set boundaries. Be open to stepping into your villain OR soft girl (guy / person) era.
Know that you are stepping into (astrological) adulthood.
Though this is a season of committing to things that will provide you with growth, you may find that it’s also a time where you are met with obstacles, challenges, and delays. These are probably appearing to encourage you to reconsider or redirect parts of your life, but also may be simply to provide you with some good old fashioned Saturnian life experience. As John Ruskin said “The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.”
Remind yourself things take time.
Saturn doesn’t do instant or fast. He is the slow and steady type who makes sure what he is building or committing to has longevity and endurance. The changes you make during your Saturn Return will most likely take time to implement and solidify. As you adapt and root into the shifts, have grace and compassion for yourself. This is probably the first time you’ve done this! This is the long game, the marathon, the expedition.
Most of all, do it for you.
Make the changes. Take the plunge. Commit to the thing. Put in the hard work. But do it for you. This is your life, and any proverbial sirens going off or clocks counting down, should be reminding you that life is precious, YOUR life is precious, and any change is worth making, as long as it’s real and what you want.
** bonus**
Make a mantra.
During my Saturn Return, when things started to get spicy, I would text my friends some variation of “WHEEEEEE”. When my friend was going through hers, I would tell her “It is what it is, what it is, until it isn’t.” These quips offered some lightness during the big shifts and challenges we were experiencing.
Dive Deeper
If you want to explore your Saturn Return story or need astrological support during you can book a reading HERE.
And lastly, if you want some musical medicine, click HERE for a playlist of songs that are perfect for the Saturn Years.
