In response to a reader’s question, here’s how I would explain the three Saturn returns – each is the culmination of a stage of maturation, focused in the areas of life represented by the house Saturn is placed in natally and by natal Saturn’s aspects. Saturn represents important roles we play, like parent, spouse, boss, or teacher, and so the return may focus on adjusting to those roles. It is also a mini life review, an interval in which we ask ourselves and are asked by our surroundings,” how am I doing?”

At the first Saturn return (age 28-29), you are beyond a doubt fully adult, and faced with major personal and vocational choices and their consequences – commitments, responsibilities, and the limitations they entail. In other words, you focus on your roles. You may have to play catch up if you have been neglecting the positive qualities of Saturn, such as structure; discipline; desire for quality and accomplishment; maturity; authority; perseverance; and realism.

At the second Saturn return (age 58-60), you are likely to have completed your responsibilities in those adult roles. You now need to assess whether they still serve you and to begin planning for your senior years as Saturn’s cycles continue to evolve. So there may be sadness as those roles draw to a close and anxiety about providing for yourself as a senior. You face the consequences of choices you made around the time of the first return, and you come to terms with your personal limitations and the limitations of significant others.

Although I have no experience with the third Saturn return (86-88), I would imagine that it is another life review, with ample time to ponder how we’ve done in our lines and to reap the rewards and benefits of service provided to our families and communities. It is a time of fully emerging as an elder with experience that can benefit others. And, yes, increasing limitations may cause us to spend time seemingly idle and alone, but it can be a time of grace at a life well spent.

How about you, Members?  Are any of your long-term roles in life being challenged, and how?  Are you reassessing their priorities and continued relevance? What conclusions are you coming to, and what changes have you made?  Tell us about it in the  comment section.

I have Saturn in the 6th house, the house of service, cats (small pets)  and health. 30 odd years ago, I found myself feeling totally overwhelmed, with a full time job, an out of control husband, and two little tiny kids.  I was the full time parent, and I had a menial job too that required me 40 hours a week.

My health was a mess, I had not done anything more physical than chase those kids around for 3 or 4 years,  so my resistance was low and I was always tired. It took me years to climb out of that hole.  I was almost 50 when Saturn was trining my native Saturn  when I realized that if I didn’t change my ways I would be in serious trouble soon.   I was going to a chiropractor at the time, and he would adjust me and I would go home and fall out of adjustment! He could put my bones back, but my muscles were too weak to hold stuff where it belonged. I knew I had to do something different.

So I pursued an exercise program in fits and starts and gradually built a new healthy body and an exercise ethic that seems to be sticking with me.

An old astrologer once told me that the cosmos continues to give you opportunities to change throughout your life. I think I got with the program just in time.

So when Saturn return came along again, here I was with about 16 pounds of muscle mass that I didn’t have before, an understanding of posture, balance, and lots of other details about health that I was missing before; and I still had issues. I HAVE issues. But I know the ropes now. I know what to do.

This Saturn return I was kind of excited because I also was having Jupiter return. In the past, my Jupiter returns have been a lot of fun, but this one sure wasn’t.  Saturn hosed the whole thing down with cold water.  So it hasn’t really been fun.

My out of control husband has turned into my dearest friend, but  for this Saturn return, we discovered that he has something else out of control, cancer. And it’s scary.  Along with me he has been pursuing health by diet and exercise and life style, but of course, life’s not fair, we are learning, it’s not always enough to do everything right, but it helps.

Since it’s not over yet, I will not say anything else, but do tell me how yours is different than the last time. And be sure to tell us where your Saturn is in your chart so we know what page you’re on.

 Note: Second Saturn Return members are invited to share and post their Saturn return stories so we can all learn  from each other. Ineke has studied astrology for a long time, but that’s not a requirement for posting here.

 My first Saturn Return also coincided with Transiting Neptune conj my Natal Sun/Mercury. Much later I did an astrological assignment on the first return and had writings and diaries to sort thru what happened. Saturn came close to my Saturn at the beginning of that year and only one pass in the October. The Saturn Return chart (13 Oct 1981) has Saturn in the 9^th conjunct Sun in 9^th conj Jupiter on MC and Pluto in 10^th plus opposition Moon in Aries in the 3^rd.  

It was a year of much mental and emotional turmoil. The diaries and writings show inner pain, confusion, words of empty, barren and bleak. There were feelings of not having enough to give, hurting others, feeling unworthy and feelings of an unreal quality to life. 

Mid year I wrote ‘Like I am a boat in a storm at sea, sometimes it calms down and I get into the eye of the storm and see things clearly and then slip back into the storm’. Spiritual issues of the church and rituals and needing a higher authority to protect me.  

Before the Return I was getting into alternative health (am a reg nurse) and other different alternative things, I became rather disillusioned with orthodox life. As time went on, Saturn Return got closer and after, the obsessive need for spiritual rituals as well as the huge swing to the alternative fell away and I realized I no longer need outer rituals, became more grounded spiritually and mentally in myself. I came back to a more balanced life straddling both worlds. 

At the end of a piece I wrote one week before the exact Saturn Return I wrote – “I feel as tho a great shattering process has occurred, fragmentation and nothingness and now a coming back together again in a new and hopefully better way.” I dealt with fears of unworthiness, of thinking I could control my life, fix every ones else’s problems — be all things to all people, living for others and not dealing with myself.  

Someone once said it was my “Dark night of the Soul”, I certainly faced much in myself but there was more to come, as there probably will continue to be.

 Then almost to the day TransitingSaturn hit natal Saturn, a long distant male friend arrived in N Z for the 6 mth holiday.  I had blocked him out and he arrived on the doorstep. By Dec we were an item.  He left the following April, I went to Canada later and the rest is history from Career Nurse, footloose and fancy free to love, wife, mother and all it entailed again back in NZ. 

Second Saturn Return plus Return charts

•  Saturn Return first hit: 21 Nov 2010 Saturn is in the 3^rd house – everyday communication issues, siblings etc.
• Rx Saturn return chart: April 2011 Saturn is in the 7^th house of relationships and open enemies
• Last Saturn Return chart: Aug 2011 Saturn in 2^nd taking responsibility for my own feelings of inadequacy and self worth
• Saturn conj Neptune 23 October 2011
• Saturn conj MC 9 Oct 2012
• Natally Saturn is at 13 Libra 40 conj Mars 12 Libra 45 in 9^th house both sq Uranus 12 Cancer 41 in 6^th
• Neptune 21 Libra 19 in 9^th 9 degrees from the MC
• Saturn/Mars are Quintile both Sun conj Mercury are in 11^th and Moon in Leo in 7^th
• Libra / Aries are intercepted into 9^th / 3^rd

 This 2^nd Saturn return is again return to relationships and beliefs around them – different but in essence the same  my strong self responsibility beliefs are tested, challenges and yet another level of lessons to be learned. 

Saturn into Libra (pre Saturn Return)

Saturn first went into Libra in very late Oct 2009 and looking back the seeds of my Saturn Return started then. I had a high position in a worldwide volunteer organisation and ongoing escalating problems with a senior person in my team so I started looking at taking a stand, documented problems, emails etc this became very detailed over time and ultimately very useful in the end.  

These issues continued all 2010 becoming very stressful it brought into focus my relationships with the various people in the organisation I worked with and the part of my role to deal with various people and the sometimes difficult issues and decisions that need to be made. 

 My strong self responsibility beliefs were being tested with my uncomfortable Mars in Libra that wants to make people feel better and feels sorry for them. There was naturally a backlash and an attempt to discredit me which polarized some people which mostly fell flat. I relearned that you can’t be everyone’s friend and you must do what needs to be done in an ethical honest manner for the good of everyone. It took its toll on me. 

In Oct / Nov 2010– the first pass of Saturn: this situation our National office got involved and ultimately the issue was resolved in a beneficial way to the organisation. Our summer holidays came just before Christmas and I did not renew my 3 yr warrant (I was wrung out) and left the organisation with the intention of 6 mths break to think about ‘where to from here’. 

Again back in Oct 2009 we were supposed to have a nursing reunion 40 years since we started and 10 years since the last one. I do not live close to where we trained and thru poor organization, I got involved late by email and phone in the end it was a small reunion. I took it upon myself to be the long distance communicator re the 2010 reunion and contacting people for a 2012 reunion and things are in place already. I am learning about my relationships with my nursing friends, the past – ‘who’ I was then, how much I have grown.  

Mid July 2010 onwards when Saturn had been back into Virgo and came back into Libra and onto as my first Saturn Return hit in Nov2010 the issue and solution became clear in another important group in my life. I have lead an astrology group for 18 years, this group has dwindled in numbers over the years, and became 6 close friends came to share plus a few others who only came to get answers, not learning or sharing / giving to others.  

Mid year I suddenly came to thinking I don’t have to invite everyone, surprised myself and over time made it a closed group with those 6 only, I learned I am allowed to be selfish and not spread myself thin, give and give with no reciprocation. I again learnt more about my need to be noticed, tendency to be nice, not hurt others feelings, feeling responsible to teach and pass on my knowledge and be ever helpful!  

2011 More revelations around my fractured growing up family and particularly 2 closely related male members who for the past 20 years are happy for me to call / visit / contact them but did not reciprocate. I had always held the family together till 1999 (T Saturn trundling thru the 4^th plus other big transits) when there were major ructions and splits by my mother after the death of my father, I had a lot of fear around losing particularly my siblings.  

I am the oldest in an immigrant family, (Saturn in the 9^th) immigrating when I was 4 so there was not much wider family support and a lot was expected of me and I took on. I have always felt and carried a lot of responsibility for my siblings (Mars conj Saturn – Aries intercepted into 3^rd) from a young age and was a 2^nd mother to them.  

In the end in 1999 I abdicated a lot of the responsibility of trying to keep together a disinterested growing up family but continued individual contact and continued to feel responsibility to some family members. Round the time of the 2^nd SR Rx pass inApril I made a clear decision to not instigate the contact. Low and behold in a short time, unprecedented, both male relatives contacted me – and not because I had left it for a long time and my close sister is also making a greater effort not to leave it to me. 

Thru out 2011 the most unlikely people have come back into my life – all with whom I have realised I unfinished business with plus the need to look at our friendship / relationship back then, my need to carry more of the responsibilities of the friendship than I should. Even some present relationships / friendships are being tested and a couple have become challenging – the ways of conducting them etc.

This year particularly, my husband and I have worked thru issues in our relationship and are more and more coming to a peaceful place. Our relationship while loving and mostly great has also been challenging over our 28 years of marriage. 

Our 2 daughters (mid 20’s) – I have been confronted with not having let them go as much as I thought I had, I have looked deep into myself, come to conclusions, apologised and backed off. Consequently they are closer again rather than holding me at arms length. 

Saturn Return and Neptune – Neptune widely conj Saturn / Mars and close to the MC – the glamour of being responsible for relationships, needing to see the reality of them but also being very intuitive about people / others. Saturn coming up over the widely conj Neptune is stripping illusion and fantasy away.

 Particularly this year when the pattern was showing itself I have tried to be very conscious in this process, seeing my part in the events, what I could have done better and so on. I don’t want to be blindsided when and if the universe (what I attract) decides to smack me round J to strip away illusion and rose tinted glasses and expose denial. 

Conclusion

And what a journey it’s been!!! Tested and challenged on the way with no real anguish this time and again a huge amount of positive growth. 

It has been about looking at the idea that all relationships should carry equal responsibility, that it’s a 2 way street and that an unequal giver and taker is not healthy. It’s about my ideas, ideals and beliefs around these relationship things which are being tested, challenging me, the need to let go what is past its ‘sell by date’ both in relationships and my beliefs around relationships including my karma, past / future lives beliefs. 

No doubt as time goes on I will see and understand more of what happened in my 2^nd Saturn return process.

At this stage I have decided to do virtually no volunteer work – have been doing it in some form or another for 30 years and now its time for me / us, the things I have put on the back burner for so long, my family and friends who have often been neglected plus my part time paid job gets more attention. We can now save for and go into retirement with a slower less frantic pace of life. 

I am gaining again a clearer sense of me and the other, where one ends and the other starts. I feel as Donna so succinctly put I have completed a lot of my responsibilities and am beginning to emerge as an elder with experience that can benefit others.

 I hopefully can go into my autumn / golden years with my loved ones as a more whole, responsible and not over responsible person, a place of peace, not worry over the unnecessary obligations to others, but with some wisdom to pass onto others.

So where is your natal  Saturn? Mine is in the 6th house, house of pets, health and service.   I’d love to know where yours is. Below are some very brief descriptions of Saturn in the houses, added just to whet your interests.

Saturn in the 1st house – makes you a bit conservative, serious

Saturn in the 2nd house – makes you shrewd with money, focused on conserving, but financial security will be hard for you to find.

Saturn in the 3rd house – you speak slowly, careful with every word, had a tough childhood.

Saturn in the 4th house – heavy responsibilities in the home, you had a strict parent.

Saturn in the 5th house – romance is no game for you; you find an older partner

Saturn in the 6th house – that’s me! conscientious and dutiful even with dull chores. haha so true

Saturn in the 7th house – you are going to marry a very serious and sober partner (ask my husband!)

Saturn in the 8th house – very strict and restrained about sex and other people’s money.. troubles with other people’s money

Saturn in the 9th house – orthodox in religion, you don’t “buy” astrology. anyone here? lol! long trips for business.

Saturn in the 10th house – Napoleon complex, ambitious, driven in career, doctors lawyers here.

Saturn in the 11th house – Older  very demanding friends, tireless worker for good causes.

Saturn in the 12th house – lonely, but craving solitude.  Maybe work behind the scenes in institutions.

As Transiting Saturn danced back and forth over my natal Saturn, I felt downtrodden, tired, old.  I knew that if I could just hold out to the end of July, I would finally be free of that heavy stone on my shoulders. And I could really feel it, within days, I  had more energy, my frozen shoulder is unfreezing, but Saturn is STILL in my 6th house, the house of health, small animals, and service.

A few days after Saturn passed my Saturn for the last time (until I am 90 years old, anyway) one of my cats died. Her death was expected, she was very old and getting more feeble all the time.  Having a stellium in the 6th house and a house full of cats,  Saturn in my 6th house has always meant I’d lose a cat (or two!), so I wasn’t really surprised.

So as Saturn distances itself from my natal Saturn,  it still has about a year to go in my 6th house, and Neptune is just sitting there, waiting for its own dance with Saturn. And then the other shoe fell.

For the last 5 years my husband has been prodding me to set a retirement date. So I did. I picked April 5, 2012, when Saturn would be past Neptune too, and almost done with my 6th house. Now I wonder if it was meant to be — my very healthy athletic husband was just diagnosed with cancer.. It looks like I have more service to do.  Saturn doesn’t mess around.  During the first go round, I remember being so overwhelmed with having two small children, a boring job and a very difficult husband, I had a fantasy affair.. That would be Neptune.  I have no idea what is going to happen this time, I think I am immune from fantasy affairs.  I find myself reading more, that’s my avoidance mechanism.

During the first go round, it seemed like life was SO HARD, today I think I was just a baby during that first Saturn return.

Note: this article, which originally appeared on Skywriter is part of a series designed to help readers born between 1951-53 with Saturn conjunct Neptune work through their second Saturn return.  We’ll be learning about a variety of healing tools, but essences are an excellent catalyst to growth. 

If residues of a difficult childhood have led to painful adult relationships in which you feel compelled to give too much and try to save others, then a keynote of your second Saturn return is a need to shift this pattern and begin taking care of yourself.

For many who are over-responsible, this transit is a time when you feel physically, emotionally, or financially exhausted, so you need to set limits on yourself and others or there will be consequences. Simply put, things cannot go on in the old way!

You may need a many-layered approach to start changing the pattern—things like counseling or coaching, self-help books, bodywork, and support groups like this project.

In addition, there­ are flower essences (also known as flower remedies) to facilitate the healing process—not magic bullets, you understand, but helpful catalysts to new insights.

Not to be confused with aromatherapy, these gentle, natural remedies can be gotten inexpensively in many health food stores, metaphysical bookstores, and online. If you’ve never worked with them before, download the introductory chapter from my essence book: flower essence information-ch1. It explains more about flower remedies, how to use them, and what to expect.

Below are descriptions of three individual essences that relate strongly to the syndrome we are talking about. My suggestion would be that you take one of these essences at a time, especially if you’ve never used one before, so that it’s easier to sort out and process the feelings, memories, and emotions that come up. Writing your impressions down in a journal would be very helpful.

If you’re identifying with what you’ve read this far, it’s likely that you’ll relate to Centaury, the first essence on the list, and if so, that’s a good starting point. Most health food stores carry it in the Bach flower remedy section.

Three Major Essences for the Neptune-Saturn Group

Essence #1: Centaury: The classic Bach profile of Centaury states ­that it helps individuals who are too easily taken advantage of­ by others. They are quiet, gentle, submissive, eager to help and easily exploited by the unscrupulous. (Companies making the essence: Bach, Flower Essence Services- Flower Essences, Healing Herbs, Pegasus)

Lore: This herb was attributed to the mythical crippled centaur,­ Chiron, who was a healer and mentor to Greek Witches were said to mix Centaury into their incense in order to induce trancelike states. Burning the plants ­supposedly drove away snakes.

Reflections: I find that the person who needs Centaury often­ comes from a dysfunctional family background where their ­boundaries were continually violated. This includes those who ­have been victims of abuse or molestation.

Affirmations:

• I STAND FIRM AGAINST PEOPLE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE.
• I RELEASE MY FEAR OF SAYING NO.
• I HELP ONLY WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE.

Astrological correlations: While I have often used it where ­Neptune is strong, aficionados of the asteroid Chiron feel­ Centaury is an important essence for difficult Chiron placements, ­such as to the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant. This association with Chiron, the wounded healer, strengthens my belief that those who ­need it are often abuse victims.

Essence # 2: Golden Eardrops: Another crucial remedy is ­the Flower Essence Society ‘s Golden Eardrops, which is said to help a person contact and­ release painful feelings from an unhappy childhood, especially if­ it was too traumatic to acknowledge at the time. In releasing unhappy memories, the individual may release repressed tears.

­This pattern of being healed through crying has resulted in this ­essence being nicknamed Golden Teardrops.Golden Eardropsis an important healer for those who carry around shame based in painful childhood events. (Flower Essence Services- Flower Essences also recommends Yerba Santa for gentle release of ­held-in trauma from childhood.)

Essence #3: Saguaro: FES’ Saguaro helps where there was a­ problem with the father, especially with regard to his authority.­ FES recommends it for clarity in relationship ­to authority; for alienation and conflict regarding power ­figures; appreciation of the wisdom of spiritual elders and­ ancient spiritual traditions. Balanced relationship to spiritual­ authority and guidance. (Companies making the essence: Desert Alchemy, FES, Pegasus.)

What the plant is like: Saguaro can become a giant of a cactus, ­up to 50′ (15m) high and weighing several tons, although most of­ the weight is water stored during the short desert rainy season. ­It can live to be 150 to 200 years old. The large, white flowers­ bloom for only one day, during the spring rainy season, and then ­turn to fruits that drop off for seedlings.

Uses: It is shelter for many desert creatures, including­ woodpeckers, who make holes in the trunk. The fruits make welcome ­food for small creatures. The number of saguaro is diminishing­ because of poachers who dig them up to sell to florists. Native­ Americans of the Southwest used the trunks in building homes and­ ate the fruits.

Reflections: This long-lived plant gives shelter and nurturance ­to many. It seems like a metaphor for a beneficent elder or ­authority figure. As it is a desert plant, it ­may encourage self-reliance. (Sunflower can also be helpful where the relationship with the­ father was damaging to the self-esteem. )

Affirmations:

• AUTHORITY ASSUMES ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN MY LIFE.
• I RELEASE AUTHORITY CONFLICTS STEMMING FROM MY PARENTS.
• I STAND IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TO TEACHERS AND ELDERS.

Astrological correlations: Saturn aspects to Uranus, Neptune, or­ Pluto, or aspects by any of these to the Midheaven or the Sun.

Why Flower Remedies are a Natural Part of this Project

As we go along in this Saturn return project, we’ll be looking at a number of healing tools, but in my healing and astrology practice, which included a great many adult children of alcoholics, flower essences were a great addition–a catalyst that enhanced other healing tools and techniques as well.

(Sometimes there is a catharsis involved—a shedding of suppressed tears or finding out you’re more angry than depressed about your situation and relationships. If so, that is part of the healing and part of what helps you make a positive shift. ( For more information, read this: Understanding Healing Reactions or Healing Crises.)

I added essences to my work in about 1979, and have since made it my mission to spread the word among astrologers and clients by editing or co-editing journals about the essences. In 1989, Dr. Deborah Bier and I founded Vibration, a free online journal, which for the last few years has been a blog. The links below are to Vibration articles.

Tired from Giving too Much to Others? Essences can Help. Related Articles from the Archives of Vibration Flower Essence Blog, the free online essence resource:

• Flower Essences for Caregivers, by Sheryl Karas, M.A.
• Self-Care: An Important Concern for Alternative Health Practitioners
• Do-Gooder or Control Freak? A Wounded Healer Gets Help from Vine
• Essences for Burnt-Out Helping Professionals
• Elm Flower Essence — The Last Straw, by Connie Barrett
• Oak–A Balm for the Driven
• A Combination Essence for “Restedness”
• Boundaries and Friendship — Are You and Your Friend Codependent?
• Radiance for Women in Mid-Life and Beyond: Flower Essences for …

This is the first of a series of autobiographical posts about those of us experiencing their second Saturn return.   My name is Mimi.

Saturn in the 6th house points to service, small animals and health issues.  During my first Saturn return, I had terrible problems with my cats, lost jobs, learned a work ethic and had a very small health crisis. I also managed to work full time with a husband who was slowly getting his act together (he managed to be unemployed for the births of both of our kids), and have a tot and a baby. I was completely miserable.

The Saint

So it has been kind of scary looking forward to THIS Saturn Return. especially with 4 planets transiting in Aries (in my 12th house) opposing Saturn,  both natal and in transit.

I figured it was a good time to get a colonoscopy.. (went like a dream, really!) as I was already 9 years late.  I have to wait until I turn 60 in November to get my shingles shot and my  pneumonia shot, but I’m planning on doing those as soon as I can.  I’ve worked hard to get myself into good physical shape, I walk a lot, I ride my bike to work, I take Vit D because where we live we don’t get enough sun.  I do my best to eat a healthy diet, doing mostly home cooking and eating very little processed foods. With Saturn in the 6th, I’ve never smoked, never could drink (tried, didn’t like it MANY times, so when my husband quit drinking for very different reasons, I was happy to never drink again)  I can’t overeat either.

Viola Snodgrass – the schoolmarm

These are good aspects of Saturn in the 6th house, I think it’s easier for me than most people to not overdo  things.

I think all the planets in my 12th house are waking up my spiritual side; I have Jupiter there  natally.  I had a sudden urge to take a Reiki class, a totally different direction for me.

The Gypsy

I have been having all sorts of issues with my connective tissues, currently I am struggling with a frozen shoulder (a painful muscle spasm that severely reduces range of motion) and not having much luck in getting it to go away.

I found myself with a fever and a sore throat last week, spiked to 101. I slept part of that day but the next day, I felt good enough to go for a bike ride,  work in my yard, wondering just what the heck was going on! Anyway last week, the moon went into my 6th house ARGH.  Is this whole Saturn Return going to be like this? the cold just got worse.  Horrible cough, headache,  sore throat.  I find sleep is tough to get what with all the head disturbance.  As the moon winged its way through my 6th house, I realized that for days I have been so focused on this cold, I have not been doing my shoulder exercises!  I laid awake last night thinking of writing this post.

I have been working as a “helper” in a large engineering group for 32 years. Somehow, amazingly, I have accrued enough service that I plan to retire this autumn and will get a pension.

The Peasant (the fisherman’s wife)

I decided on mid to late September because that is when Saturn gets OFF my butt.    Our financial advisor said that we are in great shape.  I still have cats.  They are all stable and healthy, no troubles on that front either.  So really for me, for SOME reason, the focus of Saturn’s strangle hold called Saturn Return seems to be all about health this time.

Enza Waits

I have illustrated this blog post with some of my self portraits and a portrait of one of my cats. I did a series of self portraits, examining some of my  personas.  If you enjoyed them, check out my blog ,  I paint all sorts of other things – and thanks for listening.

GROUP MEMBERS:  We hope you’ll all share your stories with us as time goes on and you become comfortable with one another.  If you want to do that, send what you’ve written to Donna at moonmave@spiritone.com and she or Mimi will post it on this blog.  If you know any of the details of your astrology chart, such as the house Saturn and Neptune are placed in, include it for the members who are astrology lovers.

If so, your second Saturn return is coming, off and on, between September of this year and September of 2012.  Saturn takes about 28-29 years to orbit the Sun and come back to the sign and degree it was when you were born.  That’s referred to as a Saturn return.  The first return happens in your late 20s, and the second happens between 58-60.

Note: you can find an approximate date when your Saturn return is exact with the Saturn Return Calculator , but note that the effects can be felt at least 3° degrees before and after the exact point and that the Saturn return may happen as many as three times, due to it’s direct and retrograde motion.

In this blog, you’ll exchange ideas about what you can do, starting NOW, to understand the issues at stake in this especially intense second Saturn return–given that natal Neptune is also involved. 

For your particular age group, that may well be a challenging period. Old patterns that may have troubled you for decades may come up again strongly; strategies that worked well enough on major life issues may no longer be desirable. If so, you’re not alone–it’s a generational challenge.

This  blog is intended to create a working group so that together you prepare for this major milestone and  build a solid foundation for your senior years.

The Tools We’ll Use

Astrologese is a language most of our members speak, and astrology is a potent tool for self-awareness, as long as we understand that the planets don’t create our difficulties, they just describe them especially well.  Thus some of the articles you are referred to are on Skywriter, and hopefully, we’ll hear of useful articles on other blogs and websites as well. An important foundational article on Skywriter is Getting a Grip on Saturn-Neptune Aspects.  This blog will feature new articles and discussions about the issues you are facing and present tools to help clear out patterns that may be holding you back.

Healthy Boundaries–A Good Place to Start

 A good place to begin is on the page called Boundaries at the top of this blog–since one major trait of people with Saturn-Neptune aspects in the birth chart is to struggle with setting and respecting boundaries. Since all the members will have this aspect, it’s good practice to be alert to your own boundaries and those of your fellow members as you comment and work together.

It’s important, also, for me to make my own boundaries clear from the start so that you don’t expect more from me than I’m able to give. I’m Donna Cunningham, a writer with a dual background in astrology and social work. I’ve created this blog, but as leadership develops among you, I will phase out. I am retired, by necessity, from about 45 years of direct work with clients and so cannot correspond with you or work with you individually.

In fact, that’s the way it should be–you’re the ones with direct experience  in juggling the demands of Saturn-Neptune aspects, while I’ve only observed them. You know how it feels, you’ve found ways to manage it by trial and error, and together you can come up with new solutions.

Getting Started with the Work

As you read the comments that follow Getting a Grip on Saturn-Neptune Aspects –and the comments in various discussions here–you may have an eerie sense of finding long lost sisters and brothers, as though you all had the same parents.

Introduce yourself in the comment section here.  Not your whole life story yet–we’re going to have a series of posts where individual members share their stories.   For now, settle in, and start reading.

You may also find it  helpful to treat yourself to one of those beautiful bound books that you can use as a journal or workbook for this second Saturn Return year.