Saturn Return Survival Guide: The Cosmic Wake-Up Call You Can't Ignore

Until her current Saturn return, Lydia has prioritized partying with her friends from Thursday nights to Saturday nights. She often zigzagged her way into her bedroom at two in the morning and frequently showed up to work the next morning complaining of nausea. Now that she’s 28 years old, Saturn's transit has returned to the same sign in which Saturn is placed in her natal chart and she’s confronted with the harsh reality of life— we’re not invincible or above the law. We have to pay a price for our actions. 

One drunken night, Lydia volunteers to be the designated driver with her two friends in tow. Her eyes cross and she sees blurry white and blue luminous dots as she drives. It’s as if someone else takes over the wheel as the vehicle violently spins and crashes into a light pole. Luckily, no one is badly injured. She goes to jail, gets a DUI (Driving Under the Influence is considered a criminal offense in the United States), and loses her job.  

A Saturn return crisis can manifest in a myriad of ways, depending on the position of Saturn in one’s birth chart and Saturn’s condition. In Lydia’s case, her Saturn return essentially concerns her to minimize her drinking and not drink and drive. Saturn is here to help us, even though he can shine a light on some painful lessons. 

Later in this blog, I will briefly discuss Saturn through the houses, which will describe what you’ll most likely learn during your Saturn return, but for more thorough information about your Saturn and your chart overall, it’s recommended to book an astrological reading.

What is Saturn All About?

Many are fearful of the number seven, Saturdays, and anything else that’s associated with the planet Saturn because it represents hard work, karma, life lessons, hardships, delays, loss, death, destruction, lack, weakness, and so on. Don’t we all want to live a smooth and prosperous life without dealing with hardships and pain? Of course, we do, but Saturn plays a valuable role in our life here on Earth. Without losing things and people, how can we appreciate them while they’re in our lives?

Perhaps the most important and useful aspect of Saturn has to do with detachment. When things fall apart and stop working for us, these agonizing experiences ultimately destroy the unhealthy parts of our ego. Saturn keeps us realistic and humble about our limitations. We’re only going to make so much money or be so happy in a particular lifetime. When we don’t get what we desire and we’re bound by the wheel of fate, the best thing we can do is to detach. By releasing the things and concepts that are no longer meant for us, we can embrace the new things in our lives and make room for new opportunities. If we get let go from a job, by realizing that we got what we needed from that experience and there’s no more fruit for us there, we can be open to a new role and job to come into our lives.

It’s natural and healthy for us to mourn what has been divinely taken away from us, even when we understand that that thing is no longer a karmic obligation, life lesson, or is no longer needed in our lives. At the same time, many hold onto what's no longer meant for them and they sulk as they ruminate on that thing.

Saturn is the hourglass, and as each particle of sand falls, it’s essential to remember that we only have so much time to let go of what we no longer need and accept what is. Each Saturn return reminds us of the limited time we have left to accomplish our mission and to find inner and outer fulfillment.

What Happens During a Saturn Return?

All of the planets continuously transit around the zodiac at various speeds. Out of the visible planets, Saturn has the slowest transit time as it stays in each sign for approximately two and a half years. It takes 28-29 years to come full circle to the same sign Saturn resides in our natal chart. We can have as many as three Saturn returns in a lifetime. 

During our first Saturn return, we’re facing the reality of life– that being an adult has to do with doing the hard work and taking responsibility on a new level. Saturn’s also the planet of doing great things because that requires exceptionally doing the drudgerous things. For example, a person who owns their own coffee shop or law firm is doing something great, but that requires lots of sacrifices and hard work. You have to ensure that your employees are on task and you have to do other drudgerous duties behind the scenes. 

In our late twenties, we’re learning to come to terms with the harsh reality of this world and that life isn’t about only doing things that are easy and pleasant. During a successful Saturn return, we come up with coping mechanisms that allow us to deal with the unpleasant and arduous things in life so that we’re on the road to greatness. If we feel stuck in life during our first Saturn return, it’s because we didn’t develop a strong capacity to deal with the things we didn’t want to deal with. What’s the solution to this? We need to do the hard work and take care of what we need to because those problems won’t disappear on their own and life won’t become easier.

Between the ages of 28-29, for the first time, we’re experiencing what it means to be an adult. It’s often a huge wake-up call for those who haven’t taken care of their health or finances, prioritized partying over taking care of responsibilities, and so on. This pivotal transit is an opportunity to grow up and we can make use of what we learn until our next Saturn return.

During the second Saturn return that happens between the ages of 57 and 60, this is a new start to the rest of your life. An individual realizes that they have less time to live than they have already lived. They’re aware of their mortality and many of their loved ones have transitioned to the next realm. It’s during this Saturnian period that a person is confronted with hardships. Maybe they’re not able to retire and they have to continue working. Or, perhaps they can retire but they don’t know what to do with their free time. For others, they may start a new hobby that becomes a mini career or they pursue an endeavor in which they do great things.

The third and last Saturn return takes place in the 80s. If one makes it to this age, it's pivotal that they accept their life and detach from any regrets so that they can be liberated from any burdens.

Saturn Through the Houses

The following are the areas in which we have major challenges that we need to focus on and learn about during a Saturn return, depending on the house placement of Saturn and the houses that Saturn rules (the houses of Capricorn & Aquarius) in our natal charts.

1st house- Struggles with health, life path, who you are, and what you want to become

2nd house- Problems with material responsibilities and family

3rd house- Competition, overcoming challenges regarding teammates/coworkers, siblings, and skills

4th house- Emotional lack, and struggles with the homelife/mother

5th house- Challenges with children and our creative endeavors

6th house- Obstacles with debts, disease, and enemies

7th house- Difficulties with romantic relationships, business partners, and the public

8th house- Faces longevity/mortality, battles, and hidden psychological issues

9th house- Struggles with one's philosophy/belief system and parents

10th house- Difficulties with obligations, career, and reputation

11th house- Struggle to get ahead, issues with networks/peers, getting respect and desires

12th house- Confront major expenses, results of a battle, and prison/isolation

Greetings! I'm Gina, a California native who has been voraciously studying astrology since 2018. I use Tropical Vedic Astrology and cartomancy as my main vehicles in my cosmic quest for profound spiritual understanding and healing. 

I hold a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy. With over fifteen years of counseling and teaching experience, I've always enjoyed listening to people's stories and helping them on their path.

If you want to discover who you are on a deeper level, download my free ebook today: https://www.hercosmiccrown.com/offerings

The content on this page is to be treated for entertainment purposes only and should never replace professional advice. Her Cosmic Crown uses astrology and the cards as a tool to help with guidance, providing advice during readings. We will not be responsible for the decisions you make after a reading.