Saturn Return – The Cosmic Rite Of Passage You Shouldn’t Miss

If you’re interested in Astrology, then I am sure that you have heard about the elusive Saturn Return. It is a time that people fear because it brings so many challenges you have to deal with. Luckily, this Astrological phenomenon only happens every 29 years when the transiting Saturn meets the natal position of your Saturn.

Here is your opportunity to learn more about this time of awakening and I am sure that once you have read this article, you will come to realize that this isn’t a time to fear and that there is something really beautiful to gain through the Return of Saturn.

What Is Saturn?

Saturn is the planet feared by most because of the way this planet hands out karma. Most Astrologers consider Saturn to be the most challenging planet in Astrology. People often experience their Saturn transits to be especially difficult because it usually brings up lessons of restriction and limitation.

Saturn acts like a guru, a planet we can all learn quite a lot from. But usually, the experiences it brings can be quite difficult and isolating. Saturn can bring on feelings of depression, fear, and a whole lot of darkness.

What Does The Saturn Return Represent?

The Saturn Return occurs every 29ish years. So usually when you are about 28-30 years old and then again when you are between the ages of 58-60 years old. However, the first Saturn Return is usually the worst.

This is because it acts as a wake-up call to help you learn to be responsible. It is basically your initiation into adulthood and this is never an easy thing to go through. You will find that many challenges keep coming your way.

And when the Saturn Return comes around, it can quite often feel like we are hitting rock bottom, but this is just a testing process to help you come through the other side stronger and more capable than before.

You have to go through the darkness to make your way through to the light. The Saturn Return represents your personal meeting with karma. It begs the question; have you been doing the work? Or have you ignored all the lessons?

Everything about your Saturn Return is like a major movement towards greater initiation. It might be really difficult, but the thing to remember about Saturn is that it always leaves a gift when you have learned your lesson.

Saturn And Astrology

Saturn happens to rule two signs in the Zodiac, that being hardworking and dutiful Capricorn, as well as humanitarian and community-conscious Aquarius. Both these signs are quite serious and tend to feel extremely responsible for whatever they have committed to in their life.

Saturn gives these two signs grit, determination, and strong will. Aquarians and Capricorns will always make a success out of their life because they are willing to work hard and sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

Saturn is especially happy in these two signs, but when it finds itself in Libra, it tends to be extremely happy. Saturn is in exaltation in Libra. This makes sense if you think about how Saturn is all about doing what is right and responsible, and Libra is the most fair-minded and law-abiding sign in the Zodiac.

But of course, each coin has two sides, and there are three signs that Saturn feels quite uncomfortable in. Saturn is in detriment in Cancer and Leo and finds its fall in the sign of Aries. These signs don’t like rules or rigidity, so if your Saturn is in one of these signs, then your Saturn return can be a lot more challenging than the others.

What Does The Saturn Return Mean?

The Saturn Return feels like a major crisis in your life. It may feel like everything is falling apart and everything you hoped or planned for is met with so many restrictions and challenges. It can be a breaking point in so many lives.

Everyone’s Saturn Return feels different because it depends on which sign and house it finds itself in. Some people may find it easier to cope with the lessons of Saturn and others find it really hard to adjust to the difficult lessons.

But there seems to be a common thread everyone experiences the closer and closer they get to the age of thirty. You might notice that you and your friends all feel isolated, fearful, and question all the decisions you have made up to this point.

You might find yourself being in a state of constant emotional vulnerability, wanting to break off important relationships with a partner or friends, you might choose to quit the job you are quite comfortable in to follow your purpose, and you might feel like you are constantly failing or that you’re a major disappointment to everyone around you.

These feelings can often lead to mini-mental breakdowns. It is a lot to handle but you are being tested for a reason and this reason is to help you grow and become a more authentic version of yourself.

The thing to remember about Saturn is that it will never abandon you, it gives you the solutions to all of your problems, but you are going to have to listen or the lesson will just become bigger and bigger and more difficult to handle.

Saturn Return Is Not The Same As Saturn Retrograde

The Saturn Return is something totally different and completely individual to each person on Earth. As I mentioned above, it is an Astrological experience that only occurs every 29-odd years. It isn’t something you go through regularly.

A Saturn Retrograde is something entirely different. Each planet goes into Retrograde every so often. Everyone is likely most familiar with the Mercury Retrograde which happens three or four times a year.

The Saturn Retrograde, however, only happens once a year for about six months. This is when the lessons of Saturn intensify and it might feel that the lessons of Saturn become harder to deal with.

These two astrological events shouldn’t be confused as they have really nothing to do with one another. Both experiences bring lessons and karmic events, but nothing will ever be as intense and life-changing as your Saturn Return.

How To Know When Your Saturn Return Is

Your Saturn return is usually from the age of 28 to about 30 or 58 to 60. It happens when the transiting Saturn meets the Saturn of your Natal chart. You can usually start feeling the effects when Saturn enters the sign of your Natal Saturn.

At the moment Saturn is in Aquarius, so everyone born around 1991-1993 is currently going through their Saturn Return and luckily for them, Saturn rules Aquarius and loves being in this sign.

If you’re interested in knowing when your Saturn Return is or how to calculate the position of your Natal Saturn, then check out this nifty tool to help you figure it out and when to expect it.

What Your Saturn Return Can Offer You

There are so many lessons your Saturn Return can teach you but it all really depends on where your natal Saturn is. Keep reading to check out what the lessons are for each individual sign. This will certainly help you out when that time comes around.

Saturn Return In Aries (1967-1969; 1996-1999)

Saturn really hates being in Aries, so for those of you who have their Saturn Return in Aries, it can be quite a tough time full of challenges and restrictions on your usual freedom-loving sign. This is because the energy of Aries and Saturn are so completely different from each other.

Saturn is all about structure, routine, and discipline, while the energy of Aries is impatient, reckless, and unstructured. It can be really hard for you to feel the weight of needing to reign it in because your natural impulse is to just go for it and listen to your instinct.

The biggest lesson of your Saturn Return is going to learn to force yourself to get into a routine and to be more considerate of others. You will need to learn to work in a team which can be really difficult for you because you can be quite competitive and you have a strong will to win, no matter the cost. But that isn’t the attitude of a team player.

Your Saturn Return might urge you to take a step back and let others come first. Your task is to overcome selfishness and see that not everything in life is a competition. Learn to share and consider others before making any major moves.

Saturn Return In Taurus (1969-1972; 1999-2001)

Saturn can easily thrive in the sign of Taurus and this is because Taurus loves everything Saturn stands for; structure, routine, steadfastness, and reliability. This is an energy that you don’t have to fight – you understand it well.

However, the sign of Taurus can be incredibly stubborn and Saturn has a way of shaking things up and forcing you to let go of control. With your Saturn Return, you are going to be forced to take a look at your ideals and preexisting beliefs around certain things. You need to learn to be more flexible and realize that there is still a lot for you to learn.

You might find that certain philosophies you were quite dogmatic about are going to be tested as the Universe urges you to take a look at things from a different perspective. This can be really hard for you to let go of, but if you do, you might really surprise yourself at how flexible you can be.

You may also find that the structures you have built around financial matters might be shaken up for a while. Your task is to learn to let go and surrender and realize that you cannot control and bend everything to go your way. Sometimes you have to trust in the Universe to know what is best for you.

Saturn Return In Gemini (1971-1974; 2000-2003)

The sign of Gemini is known for its openness, curiosity, and lively nature, but when Saturn finds itself in this position it can seriously put a damper on things and make you incredibly serious and even a little grumpy. It is hard for you to know when to take a joke.

Gemini is the sign of communication and the free-flowing of information and stimulus, but with Saturn here, it can make you not want to share or be expressive. What a pity that is because all Gemini ever wants to do is express and be heard.

When your Saturn Return comes along, you are going to be forced to look at the way you communicate and relate to others. Changes need to be made to help you to connect with others.

You need to learn to organize your thoughts and how you relay information in a way that is less critical or perhaps hurtful towards others. To accept the lessons of your Saturn Return, you need to be more open to other ways of thinking and realize that there are many different ways of doing something – you don’t always know best.

Your Saturn Return is teaching you to be more open-minded and accepting of other ideas.

Saturn Return In Cancer (1973-1976)

Saturn finds it really difficult to find structure in the nature of Cancer, which likes to ebb and flow with the tide. Things need to be in constant flux for Cancer, but Saturn makes this quite difficult to express.

Emotions run high in this placement which can make you a little irrational and illogical, and poor Saturn thrives in logical and rational situations and doesn’t do so well in the murky waters of emotions. It can be really hard for you to navigate these tumultuous waters.

As a native with this placement, you might find it quite difficult to actually express your emotions as you feel constricted and restricted by Saturn, even though you might desperately want to connect and share your feelings with others.

When your Saturn Return comes around, you might be met with an emotional crisis of sorts which is more than likely going to force you to take a look at your vulnerability and where you struggle to implement boundaries.

Your Saturn Return will show you that you need to recognize when you are giving too much of yourself to others as you learn to honor your emotional sensitivity. There is nothing wrong with showing your softer side but make it your strength, not your weakness.

Saturn Return In Leo (1975-1978)

The sign of Leo has a penchant for the dramatic, but when Saturn finds itself in this position, you might find yourself to be a lot more restrictive and serious. It may feel like there is less space for you to express yourself freely.

Leo is known for its immense creativity and ability to be self-expressive, but Saturn may influence this position to be a lot shyer and reserved than it naturally wants you to be. Instead of taking the spotlight, you might feel more comfortable in the shadows.

This may cause you to feel quite disheartened and woeful when you don’t receive attention and recognition because this is actually what you truly want in your life; there is just so much fear for you to step into your power.

When your Saturn Return comes around you are going to be pushed to find a productive way to channel and express your creativity. Your Saturn Return will have to teach you to move on from feeling shy and restricted and find a way to be yourself authentically.

The Universe is showing you a way to make yourself feel happy and fulfilled, and stop placing too much of your own validation on others. Give yourself the recognition and validation you know that you deserve.

Saturn Return In Virgo (1977-1980)

Saturn quite enjoys being in the sign of Virgo, these two energies suit each other quite well. Both this planet and this sign have a lot in common, like the love of structure, routine, and discernment.

However, for those of you with this placement, you may feel a strong sense of responsibility to be absolutely perfect no matter what. This can cause quite a bit of pressure which may lead to a lot of anxiety and a strong need for control. You may feel that you are riddled with fear.

You probably have quite high expectations of yourself and may be quite critical of yourself and the world around you. When your Saturn Return comes along it may be rather destabilizing to your environment. You’ll quickly realize that you no longer have that control you desperately need to feel calm.

This is the Universe’s way of forcing you to let go of your idea of perfection and realize that perfection doesn’t actually exist. Your Saturn Return is forcing you to see that you are going to have to learn to surrender and to let go.

This may be very scary for you, but there is an enormous amount of freedom that comes with ceasing control, and only then can you be truly happy. Take a deep breath and trust in the process of the Universe.

Saturn Return In Libra (1980-1983)

Saturn thrives in Libra; it is its favorite position by far! The diplomacy and fair-mindedness of Libra makes Saturn extremely happy. As a woman with a natal Saturn in Libra, you are someone who is commitment-oriented and easily finds the balance in life.

You have a strong need for justice and value fairness above everything else. In your mind, what is fair is fair. However, relationships seem to be your weakness and you may sometimes find yourself becoming lost in your relationships and getting too swept away in pleasing others.

During your Saturn Return, it is imperative that you find structure in your work and the balance between giving and taking in your relationships. You cannot always give so much to others in the hope that they will accept you. You need to accept yourself first.

The lessons you will learn revolve around learning to compromise in a way that benefits yourself while still being able to support those in your life. And that doesn’t mean constantly compromising yourself to make others happy.

The Universe is urging you to make yourself a priority and to learn to be okay with not always being someone else’s rock to lean on. If you want to become the boss of your Saturn Return, then you are going to have to force yourself to be okay with putting yourself first and realize that sometimes being selfish is a good thing.

Saturn Return In Scorpio (1982-1985)

There is a certain intensity that comes with having Saturn in Scorpio. Everything you experience is just on another level. Your lows are low and your highs are extremely high. There is no in-between for this type of intensity.

You feel a deep yearning to have meaning and purpose in your life, therefore you feel a sort of pressure to connect deeply with others and will often turn away from superficial situations. This makes you quite judgmental – especially if others can’t live up to your standards.

You want more out of life than what is offered on a surface level. Everything needs to be a crazy, intense, and dramatic experience for you because you always need to “feel” something. When your Saturn Return comes around you may be faced with a really difficult life choice that you need to make which might make you realize that you have been attracting so much drama unnecessarily.

You need to dig deep and see if the path you are currently on is actually where you want to be headed, or if you need to make a change and pivot. This can’t be an easy decision because you are someone who is quite set in her ways. Change isn’t that easy for you.

But you learn to embrace it because what usually tends to happen with this placement is that you would prefer to take the road less traveled and challenge yourself to transform and grow even deeper into yourself.

Your Saturn Return may very well reveal some gifts of healing you never knew you had in you. This can be quite an intensely spiritual experience for you to finally find a path that feels totally authentic to you.

This journey isn’t always easy and you may have to face certain flaws within yourself, but by the end of your Saturn Return, you will definitely be a more authentic and real version of yourself. And that is all you could ever wish to be.

Saturn Return In Sagittarius (1956-1959; 1985-1988)

Saturn has a hard time adjusting to the freedom-loving energy of Sagittarius. It can be hard for these two distinct energies to find a suitable compromise. This sign tends to idealize and philosophize about strange theories, but with Saturn over here, it takes on the role of astute fact-checker. You rarely believe things unless you have researched them yourself.

You’re an extreme skeptic that doesn’t like fantasy and fiction. You’re one of those people who only care about the facts. As a woman with this placement, you have a hard time accepting unfounded theories and are constantly on a mission to find the truth to the annoyance of those around you. You find faults easily.

You tend to see the world without any nuance, everything is either black or white. There is never any room to play. You are definitely quite dogmatic in your views, but you really know how to get down to the truth and that is a skill within itself.

During your Saturn Return, you may be forced to make some changes and realize that life might not be as straightforward as you thought and there are gray areas everywhere. To really make the most of your Saturn Return, you are going to have to learn to be open to different perspectives and allow yourself to grow out of your comfort zone.

It is important that you become comfortable in taking risks and see that the world is a lot less limiting than you might think. When you start looking outside of the box, you may learn to see that there is actually quite a bit of magic in the world.

Saturn Return In Capricorn (1959-1962; 1988-1991)

This is an exceptionally strong position for Saturn to be in, seeing as Saturn is the planetary ruler of Capricorn. You’re a lucky woman because the lessons of Saturn come naturally to you; it isn’t something you need to fight.

You have a strong and resilient character and understand the complexities of responsibilities and duties well. You don’t mind making sacrifices if you know it is for the greater good of yourself or those around you.

There is a certain maturity you have that likely stems from having to take on a lot of responsibility from a young age. Life hasn’t always been easy for you. You know what it is like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

However, you have a deep knowledge of what you want to achieve in your life which makes you quite ambitious. Whatever goals you set out for yourself, you make it happen with grit and determination.

But remember, because we are dealing with Saturn, you may have experienced all kinds of setbacks throughout your life. You know what it is like hearing the word “no” and that is why you never give up. You know how to persevere.

When your Saturn Return comes around, the Universe is going to force you to lighten up and recognize that you don’t need to take life so seriously all of the time. You deserve some lightness and joy in your life as well.

You might suddenly wake up and realize that you wasted your 20s worrying too much, and now you need to have fun. Embrace a lighter side of yourself and know that good things come to those who wait – life doesn’t always have to be all work and no play! Find the balance.

Saturn Return In Aquarius (1962-1964; 1991-1994)

Saturn is in its home when it finds itself in Aquarius, so you’re quite blessed in this aspect. At your core, you take life and humanitarian issues extremely seriously. You’re a woman who cares about all kinds of issues.

Because of this, you feel the innate pressure and responsibility of having to take care of your community. It makes you an extremely empathetic person who is always willing to help. Although the sign of Aquarius is quite progressive and forward-thinking, Saturn here gives you the ability to add structure to your ideas and give you a practical way of helping others.

When your Saturn Return comes around, you might find yourself being challenged by the ideals you have always held and find yourself upgrading intellectually. You’re quite idealistic, but you might find yourself changing your views completely.

You may have to look at moments from your past that may have been painful and use these memories to implement change for the future to not only help yourself but also those around you.

You need to be open to thinking about life from a different perspective and not be too boxed in by your own ideas and set of beliefs. If you embrace this, then you can welcome a truly unique and authentic version of yourself which can certainly only help humanity to move forward.

Saturn Return In Pisces (1964-1967; 1993-1996)

Saturn has quite an interesting influence on the sign of Pisces, which can often be without boundaries and totally free-flowing. These energies need to really find a compromise to work well together. It is all about give and take.

Saturn in this position gives you the opportunity to be incredibly structured and disciplined in honing your craft and making your dreams a reality. But unfortunately, this position may make you crippled with fear and anxiety with the inability to move forward because of your insecurities.

There always seems to be something holding you back from reaching your dreams or expressing yourself authentically. Something may have happened in your childhood that knocked down your self-confidence and now you need to build yourself up. But this doesn’t always happen too easily.

During your Saturn Return, you are going to be forced to face your fears and let go of all self-doubt. To become the master of your Saturn Return, you need to realize that you are limitless and only you are holding yourself back from reaching your desires. You have a lot more power than you give yourself credit for.

Don’t let your fears and anxieties make you a pushover, a victim, or a martyr. You deserve better than that and Saturn wants you to fulfill your dreams and desires but you are going to have to put in the work.

The Universe is pushing you to surrender and let go by enforcing the fact that you cannot always control what happens to you and it is best for you to just flow with the tides. This takes a lot of self-mastery to attain. By looking within and being introspective, you will learn to harness the power of your intuition and be a greater source of support to the world around you.

Your spiritual awakening is going to be a big part of your Saturn Return. Don’t resist it – put in the work and you will see yourself flourishing and growing into a strong and capable version of yourself.

Self-Care Tips To Remember During Your Saturn Return

Your Saturn Return is a deeply profound and extremely spiritual time, so doing as much work on yourself over these three years will always bring forth the best results possible. If you put in the effort, you will be rewarded. Here are some ideas you can follow to help you process things easier:

1. Turn To The Tarot For Guidance

The Saturn Return often leaves us with many questions that don’t have very obvious answers. This is why I suggest either investing in your own Tarot deck or finding someone who can do readings for you every couple of months.

The Tarot is a wonderful tool that can support you by showing you what subconscious patterns you are currently going through. It can show you what you need to work on and what you need to let go of.

This is very powerful work but just be warned that turning to the Tarot too often can leave you feeling obsessed and might confuse you too much. Get a reading, and let it go. Ponder on the answers that came up and let things unfold naturally.

2. Use Crystals To Support You

Crystals have wonderful healing properties that can support you in times of immense growth. Why not celebrate your Saturn Return by investing in a crystal or two? My advice when choosing a crystal is just to “feel” what is needed for you.

Go for the ones you feel most drawn to because usually, this is what your body and soul need. Don’t overthink it! You can hold onto your crystals when you experience moments of stress and anxiety, or you can leave them next to your bed while you are asleep.

Just remember to recharge them during the Full Moon, or if you forget you can always place them in some garden soil for a few hours to help cleanse any of the negative energy they may have attracted.

3. Spend Time In Meditation

The Saturn Return can be extremely stressful and this is why it is so important for you to carve out time for yourself to just be in stillness. Even if it is just 5 or 10 minutes at the beginning or end of your day, you will definitely feel the benefits.

There are so many helpful apps and videos on YouTube that can help guide you to make it an easier process. It is so important that you find the time to switch off and gather your thoughts during this challenging time.

4. Go For Therapy / Seek Guidance

Your life is changing rapidly when you’re in the midst of your Saturn Return and because of all this intense energy, it can be quite confusing at times. You might feel totally lost and have moments of deep despair.

I suggest asking for help by speaking to a therapist or a counselor. It can really help you to just talk to someone and verbalize what you are feeling because it is an extremely stressful thing to go through on your own.

And if talk therapy doesn’t work for you then perhaps you are one of those people who does better with bodywork or energetic healing like reiki. Perhaps going for regular treatments can help to relieve your stress and take the edge off when things become too difficult.

5. Make Time For Yourself

It is so important that you prioritize yourself when it comes to your Saturn Return because if you don’t, you just might crack. You need to do things that fill your cup and make you feel good about yourself because Saturn has a way of bringing up all of your insecurities.

Make time for your hobbies, join a class, read more books, get painting at home, and make time for trash television. It really doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you are listening to what you need and find something that makes you feel calm and relaxed, it will certainly go a long way.

6. Do Some Yoga

As I mentioned before, going through your Saturn Return can be an immensely spiritual time. This is why it is so good for you to throw yourself into healing spiritual experiences because it can help you to process and heal on a deeper level.

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to do this. Not only is it quite nice to do something physical and get stronger, but it also teaches you the value of your breath in calming yourself down, as well as teaching you to just be present.

The benefits of yoga are endless and regular practice can certainly help you to move through your Saturn Return with greater grace and comfort.

Understanding Your Natal Chart

Reading this article, I am sure you must have realized how important it is to know what and where your Saturn is in your chart. This is why I always say it is so invaluable to know what your Natal Chart is.

It can unlock so many secrets and doors of opportunities for you because you get to know yourself on such a deeper level. This gives you power and authority over your life because you know exactly who you are and where you are going.

I cannot stress how much I recommend having your Natal Chart read. It will change your life and equip you with so much knowledge about yourself, but not only that, you will understand the people in your life on such a deeper and more intimate level.

I hope this article was somehow meaningful to you, and that you understand more about yourself and your Saturn sign.

You are now better equipped to take on your life and the challenges that come your way because you know exactly where you need to be headed.

Remember to embrace your strengths and work on your weaknesses, and always be open to growth and expansion.

But if you still don’t know your Saturn sign, I would never leave you hanging without giving you a helping hand in this process. I realize that not everyone knows Astrology.

You may not even see what you’re seeing when you look at your Birth Chart!

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Wishing you so much love on your journey.

Your friend and Relationship Astrologer,

Anna Kovach