Saturn Return: Your Cosmic Initiation into Adulthood with @SpiritDaughter

You’ve most likely heard of the infamous Saturn Return, where it’s often depicted as a life crisis which strikes right before you turn 30. Around the age 29, we rename our wanderlust fund to our house down payment fund and trade in our Coachella tickets for a weekend with future in-laws. Saturn return ushers in a new lifestyle full of long term commitments, retirement accounts and more “adulting” than our 25-year-old brains could even imagine. It happens to all of us and is probably the most undeniable astrological phenomenon that exists. So what exactly is it?

Let's start with Saturn. Saturn is the ringed planet who rules our karma, our life lessons and our responsibilities. He reminds us that every action has a consequence. It is up to us to decide which consequences we would like in our life. Saturn teaches us this notion through tough love, handing us hardships to help us grow into the person we’re meant to be. Saturn also serves our karma in the form of life lessons meant to help us detach energetically from our past, and develop the faith to move forward. Faith for Saturn is not as simple as positive affirmations, it’s the kind of faith we develop because life becomes so hard, we only have two choices: break under the pressure or develop the faith to carry on. This type of faith has no guarantee or evidence, we just have to believe what we are going through is exactly the energy we need at this point in life.

Just like we all have a Sun sign, we also have a Saturn sign. You can look yours up in your natal chart here. It takes Saturn 29 years to orbit the Sun. This means it takes Saturn approximately 29 years to move through all of the zodiac signs and for Saturn to return to his exact position when you were born. This is your Saturn return. You’ll start feeling your Return when Saturn re-enters your Saturn sign, and the energy peaks when he reaches the same degree as defined in your chart. It takes Saturn 2.5 years to travel through a sign, he’s currently in Capricorn. If Saturn is in Capricorn in your natal chart- you’ve just started your Saturn Return. Each zodiac sign is composed of 30 degrees- helping hone in on the exact location of a planet in a certain astrological constellation. Say Saturn is at 21 degrees Capricorn in your chart. You may not be feeling your return yet because he just entered Capricorn, but as he moves through the sign, closer to 21 degrees, you’ll be able to feel his energy more intensely.

During our Saturn Return, we begin to feel the full weight of adulthood. This transition can feel like a lot of things; pressure for one, excitement for whats to come and the urge to “settle down.” It affects each of us differently, but the common theme is a change in long term perspective. All of sudden, we fully understand that what we do today does have an impact on what life will be like in the next 10, 20, even 30 years. We can choose to embrace this notion and start planning our future, or fight it and resist growing up. Often times, Saturn Return makes us question our career choices, seeking stability now for the long term. It makes us question our relationships, compelling us to look for truly compatible partners instead of fun flings. Saturn Return reminds us that we may want children soon, and changes the flow of our life to support that vision. Although some of the things it brings up may feel less glamorous than our carefree 20’s, Saturn is really encouraging us to define what we’re willing to be responsible for in this life. Maybe it’s a dog, or a child, a house or even just holding the space for our dreams to flourish. Right now, anyone born from Feb 13, 1988 - June 9th 1988 and November 11th, 1988 to February 6th 1991 is going through their Saturn Return. For all of you out there with your Saturn in Capricorn, you have about 2 years of this energy compelling you to make mature, responsible decisions. Here are some tips for you, and anyone else, to help you navigate this time.

Change Your Perception of Adventure

In our twenties, we consider adventures to be trips to Machu Picchu, backpacking across Thailand and road-tripping to the Pacific Northwest. Once Saturn return hits, these things are still appealing but there’s a gentle nag to think past the next great Instagram story. There are all types of adventures though. Marriage is an adventure. Picking a city to live and plant roots in is an adventure. Having a child is an adventure, probably one of the greatest actually. Even if you’re not ready to tie the knot at age 29, start to reframe how you experience these concepts. Seeing responsibilities in a different light will make it easier to make them a priority and an exciting one too.

.Be True To You

The traditional paths of “growing up” are not for everyone. Saturn Return is not about conforming to societal pressure. It’s about aligning with YOUR long term visions and making commitments to get you there. Your goals, though, may look completely different than other people your age and may not include a mortgage and white picket fence. That’s great if they do, also great if they don’t. You decide your future and what you want to work towards. Saturn is just here to remind you to do the work and discipline yourself to reach your dreams. The dream, though, is yours to create.

Do The Work
Saturn Return requires us to transform into the next version of ourselves. Evolving becomes much easier if we accept it and give ourselves the space to do the work needed. Saturn gives us structure, so align with this energy to create routines that will help you discover the next you. Get in touch with your core self by making commitments to journal every day, take a yoga retreat or even see a life coach. View this time as a process of inner discovery. Come up with different scenarios on how you’d like your life to unfold and sit with them for awhile. Observe how they make you feel and adjust them as necessary so they resonate with every fiber in your being. What do you really want? Learn to listen to your soul and making long term plans won’t seem so daunting- they’ll seem exciting.

Talk It Out

The best part about Saturn Return is we go through it as a collective. Almost everyone born within two years of you is going through it with you. This is probably a large majority of your peers, plus your older friends have already graduated from the Saturn school of hard knocks. Talk to each other. Share your unique experiences about the changing energies around you. Explore how different personalities are dealing with the same coming of age problem. Through discussions, you’ll expand your consciousness and new insights will come to light about how you want to construct the next phase of your life.

Release The Pressure

Let go every once in a while. This is heavy stuff! Even though it is ultimately positive, taking on responsibilities and thinking long term is stressful. This period also includes doing things that may be new or different in order to create a new life. Unfamiliar territory is also stressful and can feel overwhelming until we learn the new pattern. Give yourself space to unwind and let some of this tension go. Plan trips to the spa, or the desert. Connect with nature to align your energy with the universe and soothe any feelings of pressure that come up during this time. Awareness is key here. Pay attention to when stress accumulates in your mind and body. Take measures to release it and find compassion for what you are going through.

Enjoy It

Saturn's energy in our lives makes hard things easier. Things like paying our taxes, writing a long structured e-mail or staying on track with our disciplines. Use the extra energy given to you by your Saturn Return to do some of the hard planning for your future. Reframe the way you think about challenging tasks during this period and open yourself to the possibility that becoming an adult is an enjoyable thing. Thorough planning will provide the grounding and foundation for the life you’ve always dreamed of living. This is your moment to lay the foundation for your life, you can mold it however you see fit and there is no limit. Allow this period to feel expansive and open new territory that once seemed out of reach. Nothing is unreachable during your Saturn Return.

Interested in learning more in person? Jill is speaking at a Saturn Return event on May 6th in Los Angeles, learn more here.

Jill Wintersteen is the founder of Spirit Daughter and our resident cosmic contributor. Follow Jill on Instagram @spiritdaughter

Photos: @spiritdaughter