So...what is the Saturn return?
Answers to your FAQs
Hi, there! Today, I want to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Saturn return.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
FAQs About the Saturn Return in Astrology
What Is the Saturn Return?
The Saturn return is an astrological transit. It occurs when the planet Saturn goes over the same sign it was when you were born.
On average, a Saturn cycle lasts 29 years. However, the exact occurrence of the Saturn return varies from birth chart to birth chart.
The first Saturn return is known in pop culture as the “30-year crisis.”
When Does My Saturn Return Happen?
29 years is the average duration of a Saturn cycle. So you will experience a Saturn return roughly every 29 years:
First Saturn return: ≈ 29 years old
Second Saturn return: ≈ 58 years old
Third Saturn return: ≈ 87 years old
Fourth Saturn return: ≈ 116 years old
I don’t personally know someone experiencing their fourth Saturn return. But I think it will become more common as life expectancy extends.
You could also simplify and think about the Saturn returns in 30-year increments:
First Saturn return: 30 years old
Second Saturn return: 60 years old
Third Saturn return: 90 years old
Fourth Saturn return: 120 years old
Why Does the Saturn Return Happen Every 29 Years?
We all know what a solar return is. Maybe we don’t know it with that name, but we know about a solar return. It's commonly known as our birthday.
It takes the Sun one year to go through the zodiac and return to where it was when you were born. And when that happens, it's your birthday.
But not every planet or celestial body takes the same time to complete a whole return.
The Sun takes a year. The Moon moves faster, and you’ll experience your lunar return every month. Your first Uranus return will happen when you are in your eighties.
For the planet Saturn, the return takes approximately 29 and a half years.
This is why I refer to the first Saturn return as occurring in your “late twenties.” I usually also call it “the 30-year-old crisis.”
How Long Does the Saturn Return Last?
The Saturn Return begins when this planet enters the sign of your natal Saturn. It ends when Saturn moves into the next sign.
This process lasts, on average, 2.5 years. This is how long your entire Saturn return will be.
Saturn retrogrades every year. Sometimes, it can return to the previous sign for almost 5 months.
This means that your return can start and pause when Saturn goes back to the previous sign. Then, it continues when Saturn re-enters the sign of your natal Saturn.
Hellenistic astrology considers the Saturn return begins when this planet ingresses to the sign it was in when you were born. And it ends when Saturn moves into the next sign.
This branch of astrology doesn’t analyze transits using degrees but only signs.
Modern or psychological astrology analyzes the duration differently. This branch considers the return to occur when Saturn reaches the EXACT degree it was when you were born.
Saturn will be in the exact degree of your natal Saturn for a week. Sometimes, it could be longer if it’s retrograde or during the slower part of its cycle. But don’t worry about this just now.
In my astrological practice, I use both approaches.
The whole process takes 2.5 years (inspired by Hellenistic astrology). Still, I also like to pay attention to the dates when Saturn reaches the exact degree it was when my clients were born (thanks to psychological astrology).
If you want to calculate your EXACT Saturn return, you can follow these instructions.
What’s the Meaning of Saturn Retrograde in My Birth Chart?
Retrograde planets often have a terrible reputation in astrology. I don’t understand why.
The retrogradation of a planet is not an anomaly, an error, or an exceptional situation.
Actually, it is part of the predictable, measurable, and cyclical movement of the planet in question, Saturn in this case.
Saturn is retrograde for about 135 days a year. That’s quite a bit.
I don’t believe the world stops when Saturn is retrograde. I also don’t think that people born with this have received some sort of lifelong punishment.
That’s not the core meaning of being born with a planet in retrograde motion.
Being born with retrograde Saturn is not bad. It’s just different.
If you were born with a retrograde planet, the functions or verbs associated with the planet are experienced more intimately. These functions are directed toward your inner self rather than in a social or outward-projected manner.
Saturn is a planet associated with responsibilities, hardships, working to be an authority, and harvests.
If you were born with retrograde Saturn, you’re very responsible and serious.
But strangers wouldn’t notice your serious demeanor directly. All this responsibility and heaviness is directed towards your inner life and not so much to the outer world.
Check this text to learn more about Saturn retrograde in your birth chart.
What Is the Significance of the Saturn Return?
The first Saturn return is the final transition into adulthood. Many astrologers consider you not a proper adult until you experience this astrological transit.
This is a portal that separates you from your family of origin and the place where you grew up. It's an invitation to decide what to do with your life and who you want to be. It’s a rebirth of sorts.
Going through the first Saturn return doesn't mean you must completely cut ties with the past.
But you have the choice to decide what truly serves you. You can craft a list of the values that are going to direct your existence from now on. You can take what you have inherited and maybe do some kind of remix.
I like to see the Saturn return as a PhD in Saturnian lessons. Saturn is all about responsibilities, boundaries, and limits. But it’s also connected with mastery, patience, and the harvest you get after hard work.
In the birth chart, the planet Saturn is linked with those topics that are difficult to integrate into your life. At the same time, if you do the necessary soul work and try to integrate them, you’ll receive Saturn’s rewards.
Once Saturn is activated during the return, those complex topics will become the focus of your attention.
Generally speaking, the Saturn return intensifies the themes associated with the planet Saturn. This life transition intensifies the “good” and “not-so-good” themes.
Here’s a comprehensive list of Saturn’s themes for you.
How Will My Saturn Return Affect Me Personally?
It’s hard to establish how the Saturn return will affect you personally before the transit itself.
That being said, there are some common manifestations that people usually experience in their late twenties:
Fearing that the future may be grim
Sensing that every decision taken is more permanent
Taking decisions with the long term in mind
Not wanting to waste any time
Feeling a deep sense of loneliness
Questioning what you want in a romantic relationship (IF you want a romantic relationship)
Analyzing parenthood as a not-so-remote possibility
Leaving everything behind and starting a new life in a different location
Going through life with the thought of being late to a party
Comparing yourself to others and believing that you are not as successful as they are
Be it as it may, some astrological principles could help you identify the possible threads of your Saturn return’s tapestry.
They are:
Sect of the natal chart: If you were born during the day, your Saturn return will be different than the Saturn return of someone born at night.
Sign of the natal Saturn: Besides analyzing the sign broadly, check its modality and element.
Retrograde or direct motion of the natal Saturn: Look for an “R” next to the planet Saturn in your birth chart to know if it was retrograding when you were born.
How many times the Saturn return is exact?: It could be one or three. If it’s exact three times, your Saturn return may be more challenging.
House where Saturn is located: This astrological house shows the topics you’ll work with.
(An)Other house(s) ruled by Saturn: You have one other Saturnian house if your natal Saturn is in Capricorn or Aquarius. You'll have two Saturnian houses if your natal Saturn is NOT in Capricorn or Aquarius.
Challenging aspects that Saturn makes to other planets or angles in the chart: Focus on oppositions, squares, and conjunctions.
What happened in the previous 7-year cycles of Saturn?: Review your life experiences at ages 7, 14, and 21.
Is the Saturn Return Always Difficult?
Not necessarily.
It can be challenging and rewarding at the same time.
In the future, you’ll tend to remember your 30-year crisis as a turning point in your life.
This period will be memorable. It could be memorable because you went through rough patches, reached crucial goals, or experienced both ends of the spectrum.
As J. Cole would put it, there’s beauty in the struggle and ugliness in the success.
I don’t view this transit as black or white. There are many shades of gray when it comes to the Saturn return. And it can definitely bring positive changes amidst all the chaos.
What Areas of My Life Will Be Affected During the Saturn Return?
Generally speaking, some specific themes become active during the first Saturn return. Here, you can find a list of the most challenging and rewarding themes.
In particular, the affected areas depend on the house where Saturn is in your birth chart.
Also, the aspects that Saturn makes in your birth chart indicate the areas that will be prominent.
How Can I Prepare for My Saturn Return?
You can prepare for your Saturn return up to a point.
Some specific things you can do to prepare include:
Organize your finances by paying debts, saving, and not overspending
Take care of your health (teeth and bones specifically!)
Get a planner and become mindful of time management
Make decisions thinking about the long-term and not just instant gratification
Charge fair prices for your work and/or ask for a raise
Say “no” more often
Take responsibility for the issues you have to solve
Keep your word
Stop procrastinating to avoid moments of discomfort
Journal about your values and the authentic path you want to follow
Besides, you should focus on regulating your nervous system. Doing it will make you more prepared to handle whatever problem may emerge in your life.
In this text, you have some ideas about nervous system regulation.
What Happens if I Ignore the Lessons of My Saturn Return?
Nothing.
I mean, you could suffer and put unnecessary pressure on yourself if you ignore the lessons of your Saturn return. But life will give you more opportunities to integrate those lessons.
Maybe you weren’t ready to do so during your first Saturn return. Don’t worry. You’ll have more chances because Saturn becomes activated every seven years. (Depending on your birth chart, it could also be active at other times.)
Here, you can read about the transits Saturn makes every seven years.
What’s the Difference Between the First and Second Saturn Returns?
Astrologer Steven Forrest states that the first cycle of Saturn (until the first Saturn return) is a time of dreaming. Instead, the second cycle (from the first Saturn return until the second Saturn return) is a time to make those dreams come true.
Similarly, astrologer Beatriz Leveratto argues that the first Saturn return opens the second structure of personality. Your family of origin heavily influenced the first structure of personality.
But the Saturn return invites you to carve your own path. When the second Saturn return comes around, the third structure of personality begins. You must review ALL you have built during the 30 years between your first and second Saturn returns.
The 30 years between the first and second Saturn returns are connected with public life and being busy.
If the first Saturn return is filled with doubts and fear, the second one return offers confidence, patience, and wisdom.
The second Saturn return is a moment to slow down, not in the sense of retiring or disappearing. But with the attitude of knowing your worth and enjoying more rather than fighting for everything you want.
These are the most frequently asked questions I get about the Saturn return. Do you have something else you want me to answer? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Valentina