Think you’re having a quarter-life crisis? Think again – it could be your Saturn Return. You might at first question this since how could planets affect our lives or why does a planet return and where did it even go in the first place?! Well, planets come and go all the time and serve a purpose in their entrance and exit. Some returns are more profound than others. Such as your Saturn Return and others are celebrated annually as birthdays aka your Sun Return. Astrology has much to teach us on an individual and a collective basis if we are willing to tap in and listen to the rhythm of the cosmos. And the best place to start is with your birth chart!
Recently, I chatted with a friend currently in her first Saturn Return. Mid-sentence I had an awakening. What society has deemed to be a “quarter-life crisis” or a “mid-life crisis” could likely be an individual’s first or second Saturn Return. We have been conditioned to place a negative connotation regarding phases of life in which we feel, for lack of a better term, lost. Some of the symptoms linked to what feels like being lost – acting pensive, questioning, doubting or even boredom become the guiding posts that level us up in life. Where we feel lost we are finding ourselves. People, places or things that used to resonate with us no longer match our vibe and there is nothing wrong with this. We’re simply evolving and shifting.
You can think of Saturn as the disciplinarian within the solar system. This planet is focused on responsibility, wisdom, order and cleaning things up. A Saturn Return is when the planet moves back into the position aka the zodiac sign it was in the time of your birth. It happens roughly every 27-30 years although this depends on the constellation of your birth chart. For simplicity’s sake let’s say your first Saturn Return begins at 30, the second at 60 and the third and final (based on the fact that we humans rarely live till 120) happens around your 90th year of life. Saturn remains in this placement for roughly three years during which it can cause a slew of triumphs and tribulations. What is no longer working including how to overcome challenges is dealt with radically when Saturn is in power. It believes in a tough love approach.
The energy can feel intimidating but at the end of the day, this planet strives for your best interest. It can feel like a state of resistance or flow. Break-ups from long-term relationships, quitting a job with no plan after that, moving then moving again. Anything that may dress itself as a setback will ultimately level you up. The first Saturn Return is the equivalent of your inauguration into adulthood. Therefore, each visit can be seen as a transition from one phase of life to the next.
My Saturn Return began in March 2020 when I was 27 and lasted until I was a newly 30 year old. The fact that it began during a global pandemic is symbolism enough for what was to follow in my journey. I went through a shit show of ups and downs feeling both spectrums of genuine happiness to complete depression. I thought I knew who Me was until Saturn came and rocked the boat of my inner world. It was one of the most tumultuous times in my life apart from being a hormonal teenager half a lifetime earlier. Questioning many things in my life and the world from career, dating, spirituality, friendships, capitalism and injustice. It all seemed to throw itself at me to test and refine the person I was meant to evolve into.
Where I experienced loneliness and rejection I discovered the ever-expanding light I can harness within myself. This was the first time I learned of topics such as personal growth and the inner child. Inching toward the psychological benefits that accompany reading tarot cards or sun salutations, I began to understand the term spiritual awakening or being your authentic self. I am by no means fully enlightened nor do I fully view myself as an adult but I do have a greater understanding of who the true me is.
Each day is a chance to evolve however I believe the first Saturn Return arises to firmly shape the individual one will be throughout adulthood until the last return appears … I ponder how exciting the fourth one shall be …
Saturn Return Surthrival Kit
• trust the process – what falls away is not meant to stay.
• take time to reflect – on your actions, choices, behaviour and how it affects you and others.
• believe in yourself – even on those days when the doubt takes centre stage.
• record your internal world – journal writing is the surest way to get in touch with yourself and to make sense of what is going on in your life.
• be patient – this too shall pass.
• learn – whether from your experiences or others, from books or podcasts. Growth comes through learning.
• have fun – our journey on this planet goes by way too quickly!
[…] particular order of favouritism. 1. Almost 30 Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik met during their Saturn Return and created the Almost 30 podcast together. The show is aimed at women and focuses on wellness, […]