Exploring the ‘Saturn Return’
How Embracing ‘Chaos’ Can Cultivate Self-Trust and Empowerment
Illustration by Karenna Yang
A Saturn Return can be considered one of the most challenging seasons of one’s life, with hard questions and harsh revelations; however, the true gift of a Saturn Return lies within one of its core lessons: (re)learning to trust and return to yourself.
A Lesson in the Skies
From the dots of light sprinkled across the horizon to a moon whose phases cause excitement with each cycle, the stars and planets have captivated humanity for centuries. With telescopes that allow us to study our celestial neighbors to technology that grants us the ability to study interstellar objects, such as `Oumuamua, we have the privilege to learn about our place in the Universe through a scientific lens.
Another way humanity studies the skies is through astrology, a hot topic of discussion on social media.
According to Britannica, astrology is a “type of divination that involves the forecasting of earthly and human events through the observation and interpretation of the fixed stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets.”
From daily horoscopes to astrologers such as Evan Nathaniel Grim and AstroEleanor uploading educational short form videos about current astrological transits and natal chart placements, access to learning about the ways in which the skies could influence your life continues to be widespread.
Natal charts, like the one shown above, can tell an individual how the skies looked at the time of their birth.
Screenshot of a natal chart generated by Astro Seek.
Enter The ‘Saturn Return’
Although astrology is considered a pseudo-science and it is advisable to take such topics with a grain of salt, there are astrological topics that reflect (very) real aspects of the human experience. One such topic is called the “Saturn Return.”
It is important to note that astrology offers only one lens to view one’s life; it does not determine your fate. Astrologically significant times, such as a Saturn Return, can provide opportunities for us to do a self audit and implement changes in our lives as needed.
According to Shereen Campbell, founder and CEO of “My Little Magic Shop” and writer for Astrology.com among other publications, a Saturn Return describes a period of time when the planet Saturn returns to the same position it was in at the moment of your birth. Saturn’s revolution around the Sun takes approximately 29 years. As such, a person could experience up to three Saturn Returns in their lifetime, with their first return occurring around the ages of 27 to 30.
In astrology, each planet and some moons, such as Charon, are assigned meanings. Saturn, named the Planet of Karma by Astrology.com, represents long-term lessons, discipline, wisdom, and perseverance.
An article on Astrobasics.com says a Saturn Return can be considered a “cosmic performance review” in which the foundation of one’s life, including goals, career, etc., are called into question: “Is this what I actually want?” - “Am I where I want to be?” - “What if I’m behind compared to others?”
An interesting point to note is that one’s first Saturn Return often occurs around the same time their pre-frontal cortex becomes fully developed, usually around age 25. Cleveland Clinic describes the pre-frontal cortex as the portion of the human brain, located directly behind the forehead, that helps to manage “thinking, emotions and behavior by using executive functions” – skills that allow us “to plan, make decisions, solve problems, stay focused and adjust to new situations.”
Pairing one’s first Saturn Return with a fully developed pre-frontal cortex could indicate that one is at a point in time where they are able to analyze their life from a different perspective, informed by life experiences and critical thinking skills they’ve learned up until then. Thus, each subsequent Saturn Return could build upon the lessons and realizations one makes during their first one.
When Questioning Creates Concern: The Chaotic Discomfort of Uncertainty
While one does not need to be experiencing a Saturn Return to take a step back and reflect, the act of questioning yourself and finding you don’t like what you’re seeing can cause concern, anxiety, and perhaps even some self-deprecating thoughts: “Why couldn’t I [x/y/z]”? – “Why am I not [x/y/z]?”
It is this self-questioning and acknowledgement that one may not “have it all together,” including challenges that could test one’s resolve, that can make a Saturn Return challenging.
Despite this, one’s Saturn Return can present an opportunity to ensure you hold yourself accountable for your life, as well as love yourself enough to remain honest, see if current actions align with your goals, and ascertain whether your internal world reflects the external.
The act of questioning oneself, especially for those who carry fears and concerns around “doing things right the first time,” is not necessarily a sign of failure. It is a sign of progress and can reflect a form of self-love – an act of making sure you are in alignment with what you believe is best for you at one given time.
Lessons during a Saturn Return could present themselves in a plethora of ways. Eldest daughters, for example, may find that their first Saturn Return consists of realizations about how they have a need for stricter familial boundaries; this is especially true for daughters who have spent most of their youth and young adult years putting their family first. Another form a Saturn Return could take is through burnout resulting from an empty cup – an awareness that one has been (inherently) self-negligent and pushing too hard without allowing enough time for rest.
For women in general, a Saturn Return can present a chance to step away from the consistent hustle of life and ease into a softer, balanced approach. As women, we can often feel we must consistently show up and give 110% in order to be seen as worthy and successful. It is important to remember that while being ambitious is great, our self-worth and value are not based on our productivity.
Allow me to share a bit of my own experience: I am in the first year of my first Saturn Return and have already been asking myself the hard questions regarding where I am in life. This includes asking myself if I truly want the career I am in, where I feel like I’ve fallen behind (and why), and how I can re-frame the experience to propel progression forward.
As an archaeologist, working out in the field can be a challenging yet fun experience.
Image courtesy of Kailanianna (Kai) Ablog
This is especially applicable in terms of my career as an archaeologist, where I have significantly less field experience compared to an archaeologist who has been working the same amount of time as I have. This realization, at first, made me feel inadequate and that I “failed” due to a lack of experience on active projects; however, my time in the office drafting planning documents, synthesizing field results, and digitizing hand-drawn maps and profiles allowed me to gain an understanding of what is expected to be collected in the field and what can make or break a final deliverable.
While my field experience is not as extensive, the skills I have developed in the meantime allow me the ability to approach fieldwork in a way that is productive and helpful during the reporting phase of a project.
While a Saturn Return can take many forms, three things remain consistently important: the acknowledgement of realizations, implementation of different approaches, and trusting that you can carry yourself through the experience.
What It Really Means To ‘Trust the Process’
When one’s foundations are called into question, it can be horrifying to feel like one would need to start over and rebuild. Although negative feelings around this are incredibly valid, a Saturn Return (and experiences that feel like one), can present a chance to (re)cultivate self-trust. Anxiety and fear can stem from feeling unsafe due to a lack of trust and certainty. A Saturn Return can teach us that the ability to create safety and stability often starts from our own capability to provide that to ourselves first.
Using the idea that Saturn is a planet that reminds us of long-term lessons and discipline, the alarm and catastrophizing that can arise can be a test of one’s belief in oneself to pull through. It can also be a reminder of the power and autonomy we have within the external circumstances we are given.
This list of suggestions may be helpful for the girlies navigating a Saturn Return or journey (in general) of easing into softness and relinquishing responsibility over things that were never their burden to carry:
Buying yourself a sweet treat once a week (boba or egg tarts, anyone?)
Pausing before responding, as opposed to answering “Yes” to something right away
Using PTO for a mental health or spa day (you’ve worked for that PTO – you’re allowed to use it!)
Allowing someone to help you with a task, instead of shouldering it alone
Dressing up, even if you don’t plan to leave the house
For those seeking to build self-trust within themselves, at any point in their lives, this next list of actions could be helpful:
Journaling using self-reflection prompts or as a means of end-of-day decompression
Mindfulness activities including breathing exercises for relaxation and grounding, writing gratitude lists, and taking walks in nature without earphones
Exercises, including yoga, barre, or dancing as a means to re-connect with one’s body and mind
Making time to reflect on and be honest with what triggered you during the day (Bonus: You ascertain “why”)