A Deeper Look at the Planets: Saturn the Teacher

A Deeper Look at the Planets: Saturn the Teacher


By Carmen Turner-Schott

The planet Saturn is a beautiful planet with mysterious rings surrounding it. In Roman mythology, Saturn was the god of agriculture, prosperity and good harvest. Saturn has been known since prehistoric times and was first observed by Galileo in 1610. Saturn is a planet that many people fear, because it is associated with karmic learning, restriction, responsibilities, and duties. Why is it feared? Saturn is known as the “Teacher” and even the “Grim Reaper”. This means that wherever the planet Saturn is located in the natal chart is where you will feel heavy responsibilities, burdens and where you will feel restricted in that area of life. It is the teacher of karmic lessons and forces us to face our fears. According to Robert Hand, Saturn strips away illusions and points out limitations, allowing you to view yourself in a harsh, often unflattering light. At the same time, it endows you with prudence, practicality, and the perseverance to work hard toward achieving your purposes. Consequently, this is a good time to rearrange your career or lay the foundation for a new one.

It is amazing to me the vast amount of client’s that contact me in times of crisis. I started noticing a pattern and noticed that many individual’s that were contacting me were struggling with similar issues such as divorce, separation, loss of job, changing careers, pregnancy, miscarriage, marriage, moving and overall life changes. I had heard of something called the “Saturn Return” years ago but never really gave it major attention until I myself was slammed by my own “Saturn Return”. What is a Saturn Return? Saturn spends around two and a half years in each sign, taking about twenty-nine years on his journey through all the signs of the zodiac. The first Saturn Return happens when we are between the ages of twenty-eight to thirty years old. Every single person walking on this earth will be affected by the Saturn Return and no one is left unscathed. It is like the law of gravity, the Saturn Return issues will have a great impact on each individual’s life and no one can escape it. What things will happen when Saturn returns to the exact location that it was when we were born? The best word that comes to mind is Change. Saturn Return almost always requires some major adjustments in lifestyle, attitudes, and relationships. Anything you have outgrown, or have tolerated but not found satisfying, must end now or be altered to meet your emerging needs. According to Hand, "Consciously or unconsciously, you are pruning your life of everything that is not relevant to what you really are as a human being."

During my Saturn Return there were many changes in my life. I moved from Germany back to the United States and had a difficult time adjusting. I thought it would be easy since America was home, but I felt culture shock all over again. I struggled in a job that I disliked and did not feel comfortable doing and then I unexpectedly got pregnant. During this time, my husband was deployed every four months so I was totally responsible for the entire household, child, paying bills, cleaning, car maintenance, you name it. These responsibilities were my learning and during this time I learned that I could be independent, responsible for myself and my daughter and take care of myself. It was a major lesson that my soul had to learn because I had always been taken care of my entire life and was sheltered. During this time, many changes came in my life and relationships. My entire world was turned upside down and it was very difficult for me. I finally turned 31 years old this August and felt the weight lifted off my shoulders. My life is settled, things have calmed down and I finally am doing what I love to do. It took this transition to force me into my path and that is exactly what Saturn is meant to do for each of us.

A close friend of mine has been going through his Saturn Return the last two years and he too has suffered tremendous losses. He went through a terrible divorce, was separated from his daughter which was very difficult for him. Then out of the blue, he walked into work and was fired on the spot. Why? Downsizing. This was really a blessing in disguise because he was not happy in the position he had been working in. Many changes were forced upon him during his Saturn Return and he is still going through this now.

Several clients that I have been working with have been going through their Second Saturn Return which occurs during the ages of fifty eight to sixty years of age. It is interesting to note the high number of divorces and deaths that occur during this age span. I read that statistically a lot of people die during their second Saturn Return. The reasoning for this is because theoretically, if the issues are not resolved during the first Saturn Return then they come back intensified during the second and it can be more emotionally draining and physically draining to address them. It is also interesting to note the high number of divorces that occur during the ages of fifty eight to sixty. This phenomenon is making itself seen a lot more often and couples who have been together for 15 or more years are all of a sudden calling it quits. One reason is that the Saturn Return must be addressed and any past issues or things that are not healed must be healed or they will be changed by Saturn. It is fascinating and exciting to go through changes, but it can be scary.

Saturn is the planet that rules Capricorn. Capricorn is the father in the zodiac and Saturn embodies all the energy of a traditional father and teacher. Discipline, responsibility, structure, reliability and sternness are Saturn’s gifts. Saturn is the planet of karma and it will force each of us to address our own deep issues in our lives. Wherever Saturn is located in the natal chart will show where our greatest learning and responsibility comes from and where we feel the most uncomfortable. To overcome our fears gives us strength and helps us to grow to new levels of awareness. If Saturn is located in the 7 th house of marriage, I often see client’s who marry young and are either very responsible or loyal to the marriage, even if they are miserable. It is very difficult for individuals with a natal Saturn in the 7 th house to end partnerships. The other side of the coin is that these individuals may never feel comfortable partnering and may choose to remain single and never marry. Different energies are expressed and these potentialities are always there, but each individual has free will and choice as to how they will address each issue Saturn brings forth.

According to Skye Alexander, our Saturn Return is a personal spring cleaning. No matter how difficult it seems to let go of inappropriate people and things, the first Saturn Return is the time to do it. For if lessons are not learned, the problems will come knocking again during your second Saturn Return at about age fifty-eight, when you are more set in your ways. Once the conflict is confronted, the tension usually subsides. You feel stronger and more capable of moving ahead. Saturn Return is one of the most crucial turning points you ever experience, when you assume the greatest responsibility of all: responsibility for your own life.