Saturn Return: A Life-changing Transit in the Path to Acceptance

Saturn is one of the heaviest planets in the birth chart. The energy of this planet leads and sets several aspects of your journey. It usually brings hard and painful experiences that appear and occur through people and situations. Saturn tends to act by restricting and blocking the areas of the Birth Chart it touches. This analysis includes the key concepts of Saturn in astrology.

Saturn Return

The phenomenon known as Saturn Return occurs when Saturn returns to the sign it was in when you were born. This planet does not actually move backwards, it simply keeps moving through every sign until it reaches the sign it was at that time.

A Saturn Return begins when Saturn enters the sign it was when you were born. The length and intensity of this transit depend on the degree of the natal Saturn. Someone with Saturn in the early degrees will experience the hardest part first, while those with Saturn in the late degrees will experience them later. Those with Saturn in the central degrees will have the heaviest Saturn Return, as the intensity will remain stable during the whole transit. The natal aspects of Saturn and the placements of the birth chart that are connected to it will be highlighted at this time.

The phenomenon known as Saturn Return occurs when Saturn returns to the sign it was when you were born. This planet does not actually moves backwards, it simply keeps moving through every sign until it reaches the sign it was at that time.

A Saturn Return occurs three times during an average lifetime. Given that this planet takes between 2 and 3 years to transit each sign, the journey through the twelve zodiac signs takes Saturn a total of 28-30 years. For that reason, a person experiences their first Saturn Return when they reach the age of 28-30 years, and their second Saturn Return when they are between 58-60 years old. The third and last Saturn Return is less known, as it is reached less frequently, but it occurs between the ages of 86-88 years old. Anyone that made it to 118 years would experience their 4th Saturn Return. As with every planet, the cycles are eternal, and will be experienced time after time for as long as the person is alive.

As with every planet, the cycles are eternal, and will be experienced time after time for as long as the person is alive.

The purpose of a Saturn Return

A Saturn Return naturally activates the Cancer - Capricorn axis in the Birth Chart. While Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn and the 10th house, the Moon is the ruler of Cancer and the 4th house. These two signs form the fourth axis. On an evolutionary level, the Moon - Saturn pairing symbolizes the balance between family and career, sensitivity and coldness, flexibility and strictness, feelings and facts. For that reason, during a Saturn Return responsibilities and restrictions are clearly perceived, as reality becomes more obvious, difficult to deal with and heavy. Particularly during the first Return, the weight of adulthood seems to set in, and feels more stressing and overwhelming to handle.

One of the most important themes of the Moon - Saturn axis is acceptance. During a Saturn Return, this theme is mostly related to acceptance of restrictions and fate. The harder your journey has been, the more complex this process will be. Despite the fact that most situations that come from your natal Saturn are experienced externally, the effects of a Saturn Return are most often experienced internally. Even if there are external situations that act as catalysts for the changes that need to take place, Saturn always stirs and swirls internally until everything becomes more organized and clear. Everything includes emotions, beliefs, thoughts, and past experiences. Since Capricorn is more concerned with the present and future, the past is deeply examined and organized during this transit.

The Conjunction

A conjunction happens when two planets are in the exact same sign and degree. For that reason, the Saturn Return could also be called the Saturn Conjunction, or Saturn - Saturn Conjunction, as it is the transiting Saturn in this case that is meeting with the natal Saturn in the Birth Chart.

Conjunctions express as injections or propulsions, that push the individual towards self-actualization, reconnection and upgrades in the area(s) of life that it touches. It activates both of the placements involved in the conjunction, including the corresponding houses. This aspect highlights the need to use the energy that is already present.

The Blockage

Saturn has one special characteristic that sets it apart from the other planets. In the Birth Chart, it acts by blocking the sign it is in. As a consequence, the sign where Saturn is in loses its energy, becoming like the opposite sign. During a Saturn Return, the energy of the natal Saturn comes back to live due to the conjunction between the transiting and natal Saturn.

The Evolution of a Saturn Return

As the planet moves through the 30 degrees, it will come closer and closer to the degree it was when you were born. This transit reaches the highest intensity, also called peak, when the transiting Saturn is within 3º degrees of the natal Saturn. The conjunction will happen when the natal and transiting Saturn are completely aligned, in the exact degree it was at the time of your birth. However, the energy of Saturn will be felt during the entire time Saturn is transiting that sign.

The effects of this transit activate different areas of your journey depending on the position a sign occupies in your Birth Chart. This means having Saturn in Pisces, for example, is not the same as having Saturn in the 12th house.

Saturn Return Chart - Find your next Saturn Return

This chart includes the beginning and ending months for all Saturn Returns in the next 27 years, including the sign Saturn is currently returning to. Remember that you could begin to feel the energy of your Saturn Return earlier if your natal Saturn is in the early degrees, as it will be activated in the late degrees of the previous sign.

As an example, someone with Saturn in Pisces at 0º will begin experiencing their Saturn Return in the last degrees of Aquarius. In the same way, someone with Saturn in the last degrees of a sign, will continue to experience the effects of the transit once the planet has moved into the next sign.

NATAL SATURN	NEXT RETURN STARTS/ENDS...
Saturn in Pisces ♓	March 2023 / May 2025
Saturn in Aries ♈	May 2025 / April 2028
Saturn in Taurus ♉	April 2028 / June 2030
Saturn in Gemini ♊	June 2030 / July 2032
Saturn in Cancer ♋	July 2032 / August 2034
Saturn in Leo ♌	August 2034 / October 2036
Saturn in Virgo ♍	October 2036 / September 2039
Saturn in Libra ♎	September 2039 / November 2041
Saturn in Scorpio ♏	November 2041 / February 2044
Saturn in Sagittarius ♐	February 2044 / January 2047
Saturn in Capricorn ♑	January 2047 / January 2050
Saturn in Aquarius ♒	January 2050 / April 2052

The Individual Purpose of a Saturn Return

Understanding the impact and purpose of a Saturn Return goes beyond the sign and house of Saturn in the Birth Chart. It is necessary to observe all the connections it makes towards other placements, aspects and houses, as these will all be affected during the Saturn Return. For a full report on your Saturn Return, feel free to book a Saturn Return Session through the Bookings Section.

If you wish to understand more about yourself and have a global view of your journey, I encourage you to book a Birth Chart Interpretation or Birth Chart Live Session instead.

Both Bookings will give you valuable keys for your journey in the medium and long-term.

Feel free to leave questions and doubts about this transit in the comments below.