5 Signs You're Experiencing Your First Saturn Return
It may feel like your world is being turned upside down.
Getty Images / angelainthefields via Canva The planet Saturn is no joke when it comes to astrology.
What else can you expect from a malefic planet that is literally called "the taskmaster" and gets astrologers twisting in anxiety every time it gets too close for comfort?
At its heart, Saturn in astrology represents dedication, hard work, and discipline. And your natal Saturn reveals how you approach hard work, your capacity to be disciplined, and what karmic experiences you will have to face in this lifetime.
When Saturn travels through the entire zodiac and returns once again to the sign of your natal Saturn, you experience what is called a Saturn Return.
This happens once every 27 – 30 years and brings with it major life changes and events.
Signs you're beginning your first Saturn Return
1. A growing sense of doom.
Call it sixth sense. Call it intuition. But most people know something big is going to happen before Saturn officially returns to their life.
Of course, there will be a few unwary folks every now and then who are too busy escaping life and ignoring the signs. But most people know what's up before their Saturn return happens, even if they can't explain why they feel this sense of impending doom.
2. Life feels like a punishment.
Saturn return is notorious for putting a stop to any and all blessings from coming into your life.
The only exception is if you have your natal Saturn in a benefic sign or it's in Saturn's own house (the 10th and 11th house) with connections to Jupiter, the planet of fortune.
During your Saturn return, you will find yourself slogging away and not receiving the rewards for your hard work.
But the interesting thing is, if you continue to be diligent and work hard, Saturn blesses you at the end of your Saturn return.
3. Things may suddenly feel too easy.
Saturn, like all other planets in astrology, goes retrograde every once in a while.
This prolongs the misery during one's Saturn return because the planet first passes through your natal Saturn, then backtracks partway, before going straight again and exiting once and for all.
This back-and-forth creates weird pockets of good luck that can fool you into thinking your hardships are finally over... until they return like a squatting troll in just a few weeks.
4. You grow up.
Saturn brings misery. But a Saturn return can shape you into a responsible adult.
Of course, not every person grows up when their Saturn return hits them. Some people are too stubborn for their own good and do not want to learn discipline or work hard.
These people continue to behave like fools after Saturn leaves, guaranteeing an extra hard mid-life crisis when Saturn returns once again during their 50s.
But most people do grow up during their first Saturn return.
5. Your friend circle changes dramatically.
It's a truth universally experienced but seldom acknowledged: not every friend will stay your friend until the end.
Sometimes we grow apart as we grow older. Other times we become enemies.
Saturn return makes these realizations unavoidable.
And whether you do it consciously or unconsciously, most people experience dramatic changes in their friends'/social circle when Saturn returns to their life.
It's part of growing up: learning to let go of that which isn't necessary or is dragging you down.
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Valeria Black is a tarot reader and astrology nerd with a dash of wicked humor on the side. Follow her on Instagram @queen.of.vands for more.