It’s a blur during our late 20s. The years running up to one’s thirtieth birthday can be stressful, chaotic, and loaded with life changes. Ask Adele, who got a tattoo to celebrate her Saturn return, or Gwen Stefani, who wrote an entire album about it. It turns out that pandemonium is caused by an astrological component. A Saturn return is a significant planetary occurrence in astrology that signifies a period of dramatic transition, ushering us out of our infancy and teaching us lessons about maturity — and everyone has one when they enter their third decade.

The term “Saturn return” literally refers to Saturn returning to the exact location in the zodiac that it was when you were born because it takes Saturn approximately 29.5 years to complete one full orbit around the sun. Since Saturn first aligns with its position in your birth chart during these years, everyone experiences their first Saturn return between the ages of approximately 27 and 30. These years are sometimes characterized by a great deal of upheaval – think of breakups or marriages, professional changes, relocations to other cities, or overall accepting the changes you need to make in your life.

If you were born between late 1990 and 1994, your first Saturn return occurred in December 2020, when it entered the sign of Aquarius. What to expect from your Saturn return, what it means, and how to make the most of this life-changing astrological growth time are all covered in this article.

A conjunction aspect between your natal Saturn and transiting Saturn, also known as Saturn right now, is what is referred to in astrology as a Saturn return (aka, where Saturn is located in your birth chart). Conjunctions always mark the start of a fresh cycle, and in the case of a Saturn return, they force us to confront the difficulties that come with closing one book and opening another.

Saturn represents structure and maturity, therefore its returns have the power to upend the foundation of our existence and reveal our frailties and immaturities. A blessing in this turbulence is discovering a renewed ability to come into our power. It might be frightening and stressful to suddenly have to deal with the messes we caused in our teens and twenties. As a result, we may begin to fill in the gaps in our life and assume personal responsibility more maturely and effectively.

When Do You Start Your Saturn Return?

You’re probably at the top of your first Saturn return if you’re getting close to 30. (it typically peaks at around 29 years but can be felt before and after that, too). According to many astrologers, your Saturn return starts the moment Saturn reaches the sign it was in when you were born, thus some people may experience the effects a year or two earlier than others. But according to other astrologers, a person isn’t in their Saturn return until transiting Saturn gets close to their natal Saturn’s exact degree, which calls for a more specific calculation.

What Takes Place When Your Saturn Returns?

This new beginning can lead to a full-blown reckoning and crisis point when Saturn realigns with your natal placement. During this time, it’s common to feel overburdened by obligations and personal problems, but it’s also an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and meet these obstacles head-on.

Honor the voice inside your heart that is screaming for change if you’re living your life in a way that isn’t real to you (such as continuing in a toxic relationship or a dead-end career). While making a leap of faith can be intimidating, your Saturn return is urging you to put in the effort necessary to be genuine about who you are.