Providence

The Return of The Rings

Dedicated to all between 26 and 31 years old..... (and Heath Ledger ...sob....sob....)

THIRTY. The number seems to strike fear, dread and anxiety in most people. Male or female, one should have, must have, done this, bought that, had this, reached here, gone there etc. When the late 20's hit, there is a maniacal assessment of one's social, financial, physical, economic and even spiritual station in life. Watching those in the last quarters of 20-something I look bemusedly and with much sympathy at those who are going through it all. Unlike many of my peers, I am actually looking forward to hitting the Big 3-0 I still have twenty something months to go as i sit and see if i will fall all two's on the other side. Not because I am right on track with everything I want to achieve, but because of a little known planetary pattern that astrologers have come to call "The Saturn Return."

The what? The Saturn Return, and yes I am referring to the original Lord of the Rings (sorry Tolkien) and it's "return." To be more specific, the first time Saturn completes its cycle through your birth chart and returns to the spot it occupied when you were born. Without getting too technical Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in diameter in astronomical terms but is known as "The Great Teacher" in astrological ones. It completes a cycle approximately once every 29 years, and its energies are believed to be the cause of why those years approaching 30 seem so messed up!!

If you are 30 and over, look back at your life between the ages of 27 1/2 to 29 1/2, if you are between 27-30 or are close to someone who is, stop and read this, please. I can assure you that it's not going to be a sermon, and you can of course come to your own conclusions and use this editorial to train your dog. But, if it does spark an "Oh man, so THAT'S why....?!!" reaction, then do more research on The Saturn Return because it doesn't just come once, but even thrice in a lifetime. The last cycle may catch you at 87, and honey, you had better have learned the lessons by then, or you are going to be one cantankerous old goat! (smile) Although a surly 28-year-old or a 58-year-old is still pretty unpleasant.

What exactly happens during the ages of 27-30 (I'm lazy, so let's just round the numbers off)? Hmmm, why don't you tell me? Perhaps you're in a relationship now, everything blissful, perfect...and yet...you just want to be left ALONE, your partner doesn't UNDERSTAND you, you feel like you don't know whether to STAY or LEAVE. How about work? Normally you content, all of a sudden there are other offers or major changes abound. You feel you're being pulled in all directions, the career path you've chosen is unfulfilling, your colleagues or your business partner PISS YOU OFF, or worse, you have just decided that life behind a desk is hell compared to making beaded underwear for a living. But so what? Life is nothing if one is not happy right?
Basically, on a whole you're going nuts. The normal you is almost unrecognizable, your family, your colleagues, your romantic partner and friends see you turning into something different, and they're right. Saturn asks you to "break" old patterns in your life, in order to sit your ass down, look you in the eye and say "Grow up, or get out."

True adulthood and wisdom are obligatory, because 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. The people and situations that enter your life in this season are literally being "used" by the Universe to teach YOU a lesson. You may even befriend someone suddenly who has recently passed a Saturn Return, because they know "exactly how you feel" even on a subconscious level.

If you, on the other hand have a friend who is going through his or her return, then you have to be the patient and understanding one, it is not an easy time. They'll be a little psycho, and trust me, so were you (ask your older friends or relatives). Sadly, 27-29 is the age when most suicides occur, because instead of growing up, the individual gives up. (yikes)

There is good news though...this phase is temporary, and it's always for the best, because that is what change is for, the chance to renew, to rediscover and to recreate the path this is meant for your absolute peace of mind and peace of heart.

Saturn brings to your attention what is important to you, to fill a void. Think of Saturn as that teacher you had in school, the one who was super strict, but knew his stuff, so even if the lessons were hard, you learned from him the most. That's what this planet is attempting to do with you, and it is a worthwhile education.

Let me clarify that the life lessons you have to endure are directly correlated to the quality of life you have lived during your 29 years. If you learn the lessons quickly, and take them to heart then the dramas won't be as dramatic. And when you hit your 30s you can, like me, look back, with a smile and say "Phew! Thanks for the lesson!" See you again in 29 years.