Forget Mercury Retrograde. If you’re in your late twenties or early thirties and your life is changing in a major way — from your career and relationships to your living situation — then you might be undergoing this astrological transformation. Astrologer Lisa Stardust tells us more.
Oliver Hadlee Pearch. Photo: Courtesy of Art Partner
While you may be familiar with Mercury Retrograde — the astrological phenomenon that can wreak havoc on your life — the Saturn Return is something less talked about. Occurring every 27 to 29.5 years, the Saturn Return is when the planet Saturn returns to the sign and degree it was at in the sky when you were born. The transit lasts approximately 2.5 years.
Saturn is known for its heavy, austere, powerful, and dominant nature. Associated with ideas of structure, organization and rigidity, it’s the karmic taskmaster of the zodiac, here to make sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing.
The Saturn Return, therefore, acts as a sort of cosmic alarm clock — an astrological wake-up call that occurs in your late twenties, fifties and early eighties. It’s a moment for self-reflection and planning, and above all, a way to check whether you’re on the right life path or not in terms of career, romance and relationships with friends and family.
If you aren’t on the right path, Saturn has a way of helping you to readjust. For example, if a relationship requires work and we are unwilling to put the time in, other areas of our lives may suffer due to the karmic nature of the Saturn Return. Likewise, if you are in a situation that isn’t allowing you to shine or live your best life, it will be during this astrological transit that problems will peak.
When it comes to the Saturn Return, it’s important to level up and give all aspects of life a cosmic makeover. Putting the work in will yield great results, as the Saturn Return rewards those who are evolving their lives and spirit.
Here’s how to navigate your Saturn Return.
1. Healing the past
Saturn is said to represent the early paternal figure in our lives and/or structures in society, which is why issues relating to your father, family or figures of authority often come into play. It’s up to us to try to mend these relationships, situations and past pains in order to move on from them.
Understanding the roles that people have played in our early life and dealing with the emotional upsets or letdowns head-on will help to clear out repressed emotions so that you can move forwards. The Saturn Return can be an auspicious time for healing, urging us to see others and certain relationships in a new light. We just need to let it.
2. Planning for the future
The first Saturn Return is our cosmic entranceway into adulthood. It’s the moment we start fortifying the foundation of our careers, families and relationships. Instead of going nightclubbing every night, it’s time to think about staying at home and preparing for a business meeting or appointment the next day. Rather than date around, we’re starting to look for a relationship with long-term potential.
The second Saturn Return occurs during our mid-life and we should use it as a chance to plan for the next stage in life. How will you evolve? What do you want to achieve? And how can you go about this?
The third Saturn Return occurs in our twilight years and represents a moment to think about the time you have left and how to make the best of it.
Saturn is a planet of commitment and structure. Aligning with a routine is key and will ensure that you’re not wasting time. Use your Saturn Return as time to create a plan for what you want to accomplish and when. Remember to be honest with yourself. Don’t criticise or judge yourself; listen to your feelings and put them first.
3. Learning to be responsible
Saturn is a planet that gives respect, fortune and adoration to those who’ve shown that they can do the work necessary to improve their lives. There will be tests during the Saturn Return that require us to make choices that will define our future. For example, it’s imperative to find balance between one’s professional and private life. The Saturn Return is asking us to be more dutiful, so we can’t gallivant around town all night if we have a big meeting in the morning. Being responsible means taking matters seriously.
Internal conflicts will arise, as the universe is urging us to shed people, situations and behaviors in our lives that are no longer working for us, allowing space for others to flourish.
Although tempting, instead of taking the shortcut, put all your energy into making sure that you take care of matters in a responsible way. Saturn is a karmic planet, so it’s important to realize that you will reap what you sow if you’re not careful with how you handle situations.
4. Reflection
All three Saturn Returns (particularly the second and third) are good times to look back on your life and reflect. Have you done everything that you want? Do you have any regrets? This is the time to take note and assess whether you’ve chosen the best path for yourself, finish whatever it is you have left, right wrongs and make peace with any regrets you have.
Looking back at your youth during the second Saturn Return and taking stock of your accomplishments is important because you have time to live out your dreams and visions. This will ensure that you fly high during the third Saturn Return and reflect upon a life well lived.
5. Another chance
Being the taskmaster planet of the zodiac, Saturn will give us as many chances as we need, allowing us to repeat the same relationships, situations and choices again and again until we get it right — although the repercussions may be harder and more challenging each time we get it wrong.
To keep us in check, every seven years Saturn sends us a cosmic jolt. We’ll encounter similar situations with the same players that will question the path we are on. Also, it’ll make us take a different approach to conflict, relationships and how we handle matters. It’s a test that Saturn is giving us to make sure we aren’t fooling around and are taking important aspects of our lives seriously. Pay attention to this, as it will guide you.
6. Rewards of the Saturn Return
If you try to be the best version of yourself and play by the rules, then you’ll succeed and breeze through the Saturn Return. If you don’t learn from the lessons that Saturn is bringing your way, there will be repercussions. Saturn helps us learn from our mistakes. We can and will make them over and over again until we finally realize what needs to change.
Think about the rewards that can and will be bestowed by the cosmos if we act in accordance with the universe and live our truth — the possibilities are limitless. We may get a promotion, a loving partnership and become successful if we play by the rules imposed by Saturn. Do the work that’s needed and required of you.
Lisa Stardust is the bestselling author of Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating This Cosmic Rite of Passage (Hardie Grant, 2021)
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Originally published on Vogue.in
