The meaning of Saturn return
What is Saturn’s return exactly?
Saturn takes a full circle around a Sun in 28-29 years. When it arrives at the same sign and degree where it was at your time of birth it is called the Saturn return.
For example, if you were born with Saturn at the 14th degree in Aries in your natal chart, your Saturn return happens when its transits conjuncts that degree. Not necessarily that degree, you would Saturn’s influence when it is in Aries, and close to the degree.
Basically, a significant shift in one’s psychology and emotions can be expected with changes in the outer circumstances. Sounds like a tough ride, doesn’t it?
On a side note, Sun, Mercury, and Venus return to the same position every year where it was at your time of birth, while Mars does in every 2nd year and Jupiter in every 12th year. Those are pivotal times, though Saturn’s return is the most significant one.
The first return: initiation for maturity
The first Saturn return occurs around the age of 28-9. Time of maturation and powerful realizations over your life. Aging hits you for the first time, you are more aware of how your body is changing, As well as of your way of thinking, and especially your desires this time around.
If you haven’t succeeded before your first Saturn return, which is quite normal, it can be a bit frustrating. You become ambitious and set goals with plans of attack. Partying and nights out with friends aren’t tempting anymore is normal this time. Or you just lose interest in them and develop a more mature and serious attitude.
If you have lived carefree before without taking responsibility. Or jumping into relationships quite often or experimenting with different jobs, etc. You become more serious about your goals, or you set goals for the first time and your life turns around.
You feel either an inner pressure or an outer pressure to take control of your life. All of a sudden you feel ready for commitments. You realized that you are very close to your 30ies and don’t want to fool around anymore. Rather you want to spend your time more consciously, working towards your goals step-by-step. Time to find the inner CEO.
Related Article: All About Saturn
Some tough lessons to be learned
For some might lose their job in order to find a more authentic one, to find their true calling. Or end a relationship, which doesn’t lead anywhere, and start a new one, which has a longer-lasting potential.
Another possible scenario on the relationship front, as Saturn’s return is an initiation for maturity, the native might feel the urge to strengthen the bond with their partner or make it to the next level by getting engaged or married. It all depends on where Saturn is located in your natal chart and its essential dignity.
Some people develop a desire for having kids and marriage, to settle. And often this time around have their first baby or/and get married. Basically, they take responsibility of sorts for others. And Saturn loves when someone takes responsibility!
And the most beneficial part of your first Saturn is releasing karmic debts. Perhaps the most satisfying feeling ever. Saturn is the lord of karma and the position of Saturn in the natal chart shows where we have karmic debts. What and where we have made mistakes in a previous lifetime and we must pay that karmic debt. And it brings karmic or fated events in that specific area of your life which is under the rulership of Saturn.
I should not sugar-coat the truth, Saturn’s return can be painful too. Depressive, disappointing, and emotionally tough times. If you are not satisfied with your life you face painful realizations. Or others around you already succeeded and you haven’t yet you feel frustrated.
Another possible scenario
What about those who have already succeeded before their first Saturn return? Who worked the hard way before Saturn runs the show?
Well, Saturn’s return can be a time for even more success and more responsibility. Some of them regardless of worldly success feel their job is not meaningful enough. Or they just want to experiment with another career path.
How Saturn’s return plays out depends on the quality (strong or weak) and the position in the natal chart. Whichever area of life is ruled by Saturn, the native always mull over their worldly achievements, career success, and social status because those are the domains of Saturn. Unfortunately, Saturn’s return can indicate a fall from grace too…
The second return
The second Saturn return occurs around the age of 56-58. When you begin preparing for the 3rd Saturn cycle aka the retirement. That is not rare that many people have career breakthroughs and huge success around this time.
This is the time when the karmic debt is paid back fully.
The lucky ones are able to experience their third Saturn return, which comes in the mid or late 80ies.
How to prepare for any Saturn transits or Saturn returns?
When you know Saturn is about to touch a sensitive point in your natal chart soon (Ascendant, IC, MC, Descendant, or the personal planets) you rather get ready for it if you want to avoid Saturn, the strict teacher hard lessons, and to harvest the fruits of your hard work.
- Cut off everything that is unnecessary in your life. It can be psychical things (declutter your environment), habits, people, way of thinking, etc.
- Do what is useful, and do that only.
- Saturn rules time, it loves when the natives use their time wisely. Time management and efficiency is a must.
- Work hard but work smart at the same time. This time taking more effort is inevitable but it pays off handsomely.
- Keep your teeth, bones, and skin healthy. Domains of Saturn.
- Structure, order, and self- organizations are crucial.
- Introducing Discipline, self-control, and responsibility into your daily life.
- Aim for stability and security. Saturn loves that!
- When Saturn has a hit on a sensitive point in the natal chart it is time for manifestation. Though very slowly, a lot of patience is required. No shortcuts, no fast elevation to success rather step-by-step and repeated efforts toward the goals.
- If you know where it is happening in your natal chart introduce all of the above in that specific area of your life.
Guess who had her very first Saturn return?
My personal experience of my first Saturn return:
A good decade ago when I began seriously learning astrology- wasn’t a hobby or self-entertainment anymore- my first Saturn return seemed so far in time and now guess what! My first Saturn return is over! Yaay!
My Saturn is located in my 10th house in Aquarius,-I’m a Taurus rising- therefore it is the ruler of my 9th house too, which is ruled by Capricorn Zodiac Sign. Therefore, my first Saturn return made necessary changes in the 9th house and 10th house matters.
The Saturn return directly affected my 9th and 10th house matters.
Firstly, I experienced a crisis of faith, my belief system that I’d developed in the previous decades fell apart. (9th house matters.) Nothing made sense anymore besides sciences – my approach towards astrology became scientific and lost interest in the spiritual mumbo-jumbo.
As I basically began “unlearning” anything that cannot be proven or explained by sciences I cut the connection with some of my teachers, who had been the guiding light for me for almost a decade. I’m still on the quest to crystalize my belief system- as a Sagittarius through and through it is such a priority! Was it painful? Absolutely, I felt my life was falling apart and I was questioning everything. (Saturn loves to cut off what does not serve you, or what is not useful to you.)
On a more personal note, I accepted the unacceptable.
The other main domain of the 9th house is the father and the 10th house is the relationship with the father. I have nataly a couple of other indicators too for father issues. Due to some painful realizations and events, I could finally “solve” and heal that in myself. How liberating it was! I felt like I was getting rid of a heavy burden I was carrying since birth.
On a more positive note, Saturn’s return in the 10th house pushed me to develop my inner authority– that was the time when my business took off, and I was no longer fiddling with it.
To be frank, as I look back on my first Saturn return I cannot be more grateful for all the internal and outer changes! I really did need them. My life did not become easy overnight but the habits and the mature approach I developed are fairly beneficial when it comes to dealing with some hard things in life. Now I wish I had had such an attitude toward life when I was younger…
What happened with you when you were 28-29 years old or during your second Saturn return? All experiences are welcome, if you share them others can learn a lot from them. Cheers, Niki 🙂
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Saturn in Aries, in Taurus, in Gemini, in Cancer, in Leo, in Virgo, in Libra. in Scorpio, in Sagittarius, in Capricorn, in Aquarius, and in Pisces.
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