collage by Deliah Flores
My client had a slight tremble in her voice, “I think I’m going through my Saturn Return.”
She wasn’t sure and that’s partly why she scheduled the session. I checked her chart. Soon. Her first Saturn Return would start next year.
“I’m really scared. I just want to make sure that I’m prepared,” she told me.
I wanted to give her a hug. I’m pretty sure that poor old Saturn doesn’t intend to instill so much fear in people. But that is what seems to happen.
“Well, let me tell you my take on the Saturn Return,” I told her. My hope was to help her put this cycle in perspective. I just don’t think that it’s helpful to be afraid of time. Or cycles. They are what they are. We don’t know what they’ll bring. They tend to surprise us with the exact lesson we need to learn.
Did my Saturn Return suck? Yes. Was it also paradoxically one of the most sweet times of my life so far? Yes. There is a sweetness to growth. There is a payoff to going deeper that is amassed in wonderment for life itself. But I think I’m getting ahead of myself.
At this point, you may be wondering, WTF is the Saturn Return? Maybe you are already familiar with this buzzy astrological transit. If not, let’s break it down…
Who is Saturn?
In astrology, Saturn is a teacher. He wants to make sure that you are coming to school, paying attention, learning and advancing. It’s all about growth with Saturn and sometimes it’s tough love.
What’s a Return?
In Astrology, a “Return” happens when a planet comes back to the same position (sign and degree) it was at when you were born.
When is the Saturn Return?
It takes Saturn approximately 29 years to orbit the Sun. Because of retrograde motion, Saturn Returns to the same position it was at when you were born every 28-30 years. So your Saturn Return happens when you’re in your late 20s, late 50s, and late 80s. Usually at the ages of 29, 58 and 87.
What does it mean?
When Saturn Returns, it’s like our archetypical teacher is swinging by to give us a test. The theme of the test is, “Is the way you are structuring your life serving your highest and best interest?”
Why should you care?
In astrology, there’s this idea, “as above, so below.” The notion here is that what’s happening in the macrocosm of the universe is also reflected in the microcosm of individual life. We can use the larger cycles around us to understand our own inner worlds. Who we are, what we need, how we feel and what we do. This insight can help us make conscious decisions that benefit our growth and development.
By understanding and the Saturn cycle, you can shift from feeling limited to feeling empowered. You can take the hint to did deeper to find out where you are stuck. Then from there, you can dissolve what’s not working and lean into your vision instead.
Let’s get back to my client for a moment. She knew her Saturn Return was coming and she wanted to know how she should be prepared. This is a great question! With a trick answer. Getting prepared for your first Return is not like training for a 10 day hike. It’s just not that straightforward. And the whole point of the Saturn Return is to give you the training that you need. It basically is the preparation. It’s preparing you for the life that you want to have.
But, there are some things you can do to get ready for your Saturn Return.
1. Affirm that you are willing to change.
Saturn’s job is to help us define ourselves a little more. Saturn does this by changing the structure of how we’re thinking, which is truly the foundation of our lives. So the best thing you can do to prepare is practice being open minded. Practice looking for new ways of being. Look in the mirror everyday and say to yourself, “I am willing to change.”
2. Therapy or Transformational Coaching.
Saturn Return time is all about learning how to think in a way that supports your life, instead of hinders your life. One of the best ways to get a sense of how you’re thinking is to talk to an objective professional. People train for years to help you identify thought patterns that could use an upgrade. And upgrading your thought patterns is one of the best investments you can make.
3. Practice looking deeper.
Find a list of “limiting beliefs” and read it carefully. There will be some ideas on the list that you identify with. Roll each one over slowly in your mind and notice what feelings arise. For example, maybe you read the statement “I am alone,” and it just hits. Maybe there is a deep sense of, “Yes, that’s me.” In this example, you could try to remember when the first time was that you made that agreement with yourself? What was going on then? Then you could try asking yourself some questions: Is this belief helping you or hindering you? Do you still want to believe it? How does that belief make you feel? How would you like to feel instead? Can you lean into the feeling you would like to have? Can you make a statement affirming the feeling or belief you would like to have instead?
You may or may not have consciously understand where the belief originated. It doesn’t totally matter. You can probably guess. Try to flow with the self-questioning and don’t get too caught up in the specifics.
4. Get support.
The really cool thing about the Saturn Return is that it happens to everyone around the ages of 29, 58, and 87. So you know there are other people out there who are going through something similar! The tone and texture of it is going to be really different for everyone, so don’t bother comparing yourself with others. (That’s another thing Saturn wants to help you quit. Comparison.)
Whether you are preparing for a Saturn Return or anywhere else in the Saturn cycle (aka, alive) there is always room to dig a little deeper into your own patterns and lean a little bit more toward your vision.