6 Things You Should and Shouldn't Do If You Want to Survive Your Saturn Return
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Have you ever felt like something in your life needed to change when you turned 27? As if the life you were living was no longer serving you? While you can potentially blame this feeling on your quarter-life crisis, astrologer Lisa Stardust—who just came out with a new book called Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating This Cosmic Rite of Passage—says it could also be your Saturn return.
According to Stardust, your Saturn return occurs approximately every 29.5 years when the planet completes its full orbit around the sun. Because of this planetary transit, the first Saturn return begins when you're around the age of 27 and ends when you're about 29 or 30. However, this age range isn't the only time you experience a Saturn return. According to Stardust, you'll also notice this transit affecting your life when you're in your late 50s and mid-to-late 80s.
But keep in mind, not every Saturn return follows the same themes. Stardust explains that each transit embodies different life events you'll need to focus on. "The first Saturn return is the cosmic entrance into adulthood between the ages of 27 to 29.5," she says. "The second Saturn is all about moving into the next level of life (i.e. retirement). The third Saturn Return is a time of reflection."
Because these are huge turning points in one's life, these periods of time are often met with fear and worry about the drastic changes that can occur. But the good news is, Stardust has provided a list of the things you should and shouldn't do around this time so you can have the best Saturn return possible. The trick? To use this time for reflection and take responsibility for the things you still need to learn and grow from. If you'll do this, then you'll be A-OK. (And if you're unsure where the Saturn planet falls on your chart, check your birth chart here.)
How to survive Saturn return:
1. Use this time to reflect.
If you find yourself getting nervous about turning 30 soon and having regrets about what you haven't accomplished yet, first, know that this is completely normal. Secondly, Stardust suggests using this time as a "moment of reflection to map out the next phase of your life."
So how do you want the next 30 years to look like? Do you want to travel the world, become a parent, or change careers? Stardust says the best way to figure this out is by journaling your goals and making a to-do list to solidify exactly what you want.
2. Confront past issues.
Depending on where your Saturn return hits on your chart (i.e. is the planet Saturn in your 11th house, which focuses on friendships, or does it fall on your third house, which focuses on communication, transportation, and local community?), that's where you'll most likely notice the kind of the issues you'll need to confront. Stardust suggests dealing with these matters through practices like shadow work (the practice of healing your subconscious or "dark" parts of your personality that you don't want to face) and healing from trauma.
3. Take chances in your life.
If your life up to this point isn't something that you've been actually excited to live, then this is the perfect time to change things up. Stardust says one of the ways you can do this is by simply saying yes to more opportunities. Why? Because saying yes means you're "embracing all possibilities that are offered to you," she explains.
What not to do during Saturn return:
1. Hold onto the past.
Saturn returns can feel turbulent sometimes because some of us can't let go or learn from the past. But Stardust says stop trying to make something work when it's no longer serving you. Letting go with ease will give you abundance for other things to come into your life if you allow them.
2. Settle for less than you deserve.
Look, if you want your life to change for the better, then you have to stop settling, says Stardust. Saturn returns are here to remind you of how powerful and amazing you are, and if you settle for anything less, then you're fighting against what the universe is trying to give to you. Remember: You deserve the best.
3. Ignore big issues.
This is not the time to brush your issues under the rug, as it will only cause more problems down the road (and, frankly, you don't have time for that). Instead, Stardust suggests dealing with matters and people head-on. "This way they won't brim to the surface later on," she explains.
What happens if you don't follow these suggestions?
"Being that Saturn is a karmic planet, you may see the repercussions in time," says Stardust. That's why she suggests doing the best you can with what you've got because if you live life on your highest and most positive frequency, you'll be able to reap the goodness of this transit, which Stardusts says can include a promotion or a serious committed relationship.
Following these suggestions will "allow you to move with gentleness and assurance into the next phase of your life," adds Stardust. By doing so, you won't dwell on the past and you'll actually be happy with the choices you've made.
What does a "successful" Saturn return actually look like?
"Being able to learn the lessons that are being brought to your attention and making necessary changes to align with them," says Stardust. If you find yourself being resistant to change, frustrated at the situations that are presented to you, or unable to move past things to learn and grow, you're going to have a harder Saturn return experience. "You're becoming an adult now," says Stardusts. "So it's time to level up!"
