Ah, the Saturn return. No human is exempt from this astrological rite of passage.

In astrology, a Saturn return occurs approximately every 29.5 years when Saturn completes its orbit around the sun and returns to the position it occupied at the time of your birth. A person’s Saturn return typically occurs around ages 28-30, then again around ages 57-60, and finally around ages 86-88. 

Want to nerd out on Saturn return vibes? Check out our article, ‘WTF is a Saturn Return?’

The Value of Rituals 

Using ritual as a way to connect to the life lessons and wisdom of your Saturn return doesn’t just help you navigate this transit with more grace and ease. It also shows the Universe that you’re aware and plugged in, ready to receive the messages this time has for you. After all, when you’re already “awake,” you don’t need a “rude awakening” to call you to task. 

Cultivating a relationship with Saturnian energy and archetypes can help you feel more empowered by the spiritual journey your Saturn return will take you on, rather than feeling personally victimized by this transformative rite of passage. 

Why Saturdays? 

In astrology, Saturdays are influenced by Saturn, which means you’ll naturally feel a boost in energy related to Saturnian themes like discipline, responsibility, discernment, and life lessons. Plus, having a designated day of the week for your Saturn Return Rituals will bring a sexy, supportive consistency to your practice.

The Rituals

Feel free to adapt or combine any of these rituals and make them your own! 

• Journal. Open your intuitive channel and strengthen your relationship with Saturn and its medicine, using these prompts as a starting point:
  • What does Saturn want me to know? 
  • How am I being called to grow up and show up? 
  • What does my relationship to responsibility feel like lately? 
  • Write a letter to Saturn, OR write a letter to yourself from benevolent Saturn! 
  • What life lessons am I learning lately? Feel gratitude for them, even when they’re hard. 
• Create a Saturn altar or crystal grid and meditate near it to clear resistance or avoidance energy. 
  • You can use any items that hold special meaning or significance to you. Try incorporating relevant Tarot cards, herbs like cypress or patchouli, blue or black candles, and crystals (like obsidian for grounding, black tourmaline for protection, onyx for strength, or smoky quartz for transforming negative energies).
• Tidy your home or workspace. 
  • Saturn wants you to take care of business! Use Saturn’s influence to handle things around the house—take the trash out, make a clothing donation run, do a deep clean, or challenge yourself to one cleaning task that may not be in your regular housekeeping rotation, like cleaning the outsides of your windows or wiping down baseboards. 
• Get out in the world and move your body. 
  • Get into nature and feel your energy expand as you breathe life into your physical vessel. Discipline in its purest form is about being a disciple to yourself. If you’re anything like me and physical movement can feel challenging, you’ll thank yourself for building the practice of moving for self-care, for the process of it—without attachment to the outcome or end result.  
• Ask Saturn for help tackling the tasks you’ve been avoiding. 
  • Invoke Saturn’s energy to aid you in clearing any pile ups or to-do list items, especially the ones you’ve been avoiding for more than a week or so. Give yourself grace and compassion—you’ve probably been resisting those things because they bring up feelings of fear, discomfort, or lack of confidence. Ask for help from your planetary support system and remember that the best way to move through those feelings is to face them head on, with an open heart and willingness to grow. 

BONUS: Ritual Stacking

You may have heard of habit stacking, but what about ritual stacking?! Use your intention to supercharge any tasks or activities you’re already doing. Things like laundry, paying bills, running errands, grocery shopping… they all have the power to help enhance your relationship with Saturn. 

Call to mind the affirmation, “I don’t avoid, I embrace. When I handle my sh*t, I grow and expand in all the ways I’m meant to.”