Few astrological concepts have a reputation quite as scary as the “Saturn Return”. This astrological rite of passage (that everyone will experience around the time they turn 30, and again in their late fifties and your mid eighties) is a favourite talking point, usually of people who have just emerged the other side, sailing smugly into their mid thirties with an air of “I survived!”
Adele famously confessed she felt like she “lost the plot” during her Saturn Return—so much so she got a Saturn tattoo to commemorate the experience. Emma Watson credited her Saturn Return for a long list of hard-but-humbling moments—from learning to play golf and cook through to losing her grandparents. “Before 29 I hadn’t even heard of a Saturn Return as a concept. Let’s just say that now I am well acquainted… I did a lot of therapy (YESS therapy!),” she said on Instagram when she turned 33.
By now, you might be understanding that the Saturn Return is different for everyone—and it isn’t necessarily all bad. While there’s no denying that in astrology, Saturn is not a planet synonymous with fun and ease, per se, it also doesn’t reap misery for the sake of it. In its highest expression, Saturn is a teacher. Just like your high school experience, while it may not have all been a riot, you probably learned some pretty major life lessons and emerged more “yourself” than when you started.
You may not love every teacher, every subject or even every experience but there’s no denying, school has its merits. Saturn Returns are kind of the same—not easy, but not without reward. They exist so we can learn. If you’re not learning, you’re not growing, and so they teach us, often the hard way, to understand who we are, and who we want to be moving into our next 30-year Saturn cycle.
"If you’re not learning, you’re not growing"
What Is a Saturn Return?
Saturn Return is one of the first big serious transits to our birth chart that we experience in adulthood. The planet Saturn takes roughly 29.5 years to return to the exact same point in the sky it was in at the moment you were born (hence the name “Saturn Return”).
When it returns to this very specific point, our own personal astrology (our birth chart) is activated, and we’ll navigate Saturnian experiences.
Every planet has a different signification and “rules” a different area of our lives. Venus rules love, friendship and beauty, Mars rules conflict, physicality and assertiveness and so on. So what does Saturn mean? Well, that’s where it gets interesting. Saturn represents the less sexy aspects of life—hard work, discipline and tough love. It’s about maturity, wisdom, going without now so you have more later on. It’s tough love—think Dr. Phil or Judge Judy kind of energy.
What Do Saturn Return Dates Mean?
Saturn Return dates are the dates when Saturn is returning to the point it was when you were born. Think of them as peak moments of your “Saturn season”. While the peak dates can be useful, realistically, you’re in your season of Saturn Return from the moment Saturn re-enters the sign it was in when you were born.
Because Saturn (like all planets) goes retrograde, there’s a chance you’ll have a few peak dates in one return. Not everyone will, but if you calculate your Saturn dates and notice you have a few, it’s because your natal Saturn is being activated by a retrograde.
How Do You Calculate Your Saturn Return?
Your exact Saturn Return happens roughly between turning 29 and 30, although Saturn enters its home sign as early as 27 and stays as late as 33, depending on where your natal (birth chart) Saturn sits.
To find your Saturn season (the three year period when you’re in experiencing Saturn themes):
- You only need to discover what sign Saturn is in in your birth chart. Do this by casting your chart. You’ll need your DOB, time of birth (at least a rough estimate) and location of birth.
- Now check when Saturn will next be in the same sign you were born in—google ‘When is Saturn next in *insert sign here* or check this table.
- You should identify a three-ish year period—this will be your Saturn Return era.
To find your peak Saturn Return dates (the times during your Saturn Return era when you might experience pivotal moments), again, you’ll need to:
- Use a Saturn Return calculator like this one to cast the exact dates.
- You can cast your chart to double check you have the right Saturn sign showing.
How Does a Saturn Return Affect Relationships?
A Saturn Return isn’t specifically a relationship transit, but it often coincides with a big evolution within your relationships. Recent Bumble data shows that 45 percent of Aussie singles believe that star signs or astrology is relevant when dating. In fact, Bumble users in Australia who added the Astrology badge to their profile experience 78 percent more matches in a month than people who don’t. However, changes in your relationships during this period are more a symptom of a deeper lesson rather than the root cause.
For everyone, Saturn Returns are a time of clarifying your sense of self. You’ll often experience situations that force you to weigh up your priorities, let go of old parts of yourself and double down on long-term goals.
Meeting your person and getting engaged involves weighing up priorities (what do I really want in a relationship), letting go of old parts of yourself (your single life), and doubling down on long-term goals (marriage).
Equally, breaking up with someone will force you to weigh up priorities (what do I really want in a relationship), letting go of old parts of yourself (shifting from ‘we’ to ‘me’) and doubling down on long-term goals (I want something else/more/better/different).
Commitment in another big Saturn Return theme. Lots of people get married, move in together, have children or get pets during their Saturn Return. It’s a time of growth and going to “the next level”. Change is almost never a smooth transition, but evolving and growing is a critical part of being human.
Is It a Good Idea To Start a Relationship During Your Saturn Return?
I don’t think anyone should take a backseat or miss out on life because they’re worried about astrology. Astrology is planetary weather. It will happen regardless, and how it manifests is beyond our control so you have to go on living life.
There’s no reason why being in a relationship during your Saturn Return will be a bad idea. If you’re facing difficulties in another part of your life at work, with family, housemates, friends—having a partner to support you through it all could be an amazing gift.
What you may find is that if you are experiencing drama in other areas of your life, that your wants, needs and dynamics in intimate relationships evolve as a consequence. The more life is put into perspective—be it through slogging away at a huge goal like finishing our PhD, or having friends move away or losing a loved one—all of these things can change the way you approach love and intimacy. Saturn has a way of making you get clearer on what matters.
How To Set Yourself Up For the Future During Your Saturn Return
First of all, acknowledge that everyone’s experience will be different. Just because your sister had a shocking Saturn Return, doesn’t mean you will too. Saturn is synonymous with karma, and you’ll be dealt the cards you’re meant to master during your Saturn era.
The best way to go into a Saturn Return is with a willingness to “do the work”. Treat it like you’re enrolling in a new course. Embracing routine and self-discipline are great ways to get on the front foot. You wouldn’t expect to get amazing grades without putting in effort and equally you won’t get amazing experiences without putting in the groundwork during your Saturn Return. Prioritise healing. Cut the cord on relationships and situations that don’t serve you. Interestingly, recent Bumble data found that 44 percent of Australians want to focus on the quality of dates, rather than the quantity of dates when dating in 2024, with 44 percent of Australians agreeing with the statement “I now actively avoid situations which disturb my inner peace”.
Focus on growing and dealing with your stuff (therapy is a great idea) rather than fixating on meeting someone, or projecting your stuff onto other people. Recent data from Bumble found that people are increasingly reframing how they date to better protect their mental health, with almost 1 in 3 (31 percent) respondents actively “slow dating” and being considerate of how often they’re going on dates. We’re also seeing this reflected on Bumble, with Self-Care now one of the most popular Interest Badge categories, surpassing music, film and pets. Ultimately, astrology is a way to understand yourself better, and the more you know and understand yourself, the healthier your relationships will be.
To learn more about your birth chart and how to use astrology in your relationships, check out Emma’s book The Astrology Of You: Finding Love, Creativity and Soul Purpose In Your Birth Chart (Hardie Grant, $21.17 on Amazon)
