Planetary Returns

A Planetary Return happens whenever a transiting planet comes back to the exact position it held in a person's natal chart. Each planet returns on its own cycle, and these returns mark the close of one chapter and the start of another for the matters that planet governs. The solar and lunar returns are the most frequent examples, but the slower planets give the most famous ones. The Saturn return is the best known, occurring around ages twenty-nine, fifty-eight, and so on, as Saturn takes about twenty-nine and a half years to circle the chart. It is widely felt as a time of testing, maturing, and taking on adult responsibility. The Jupiter return, about every twelve years, tends to bring growth and fresh opportunity, while the slower outer planets return rarely or not at all within a lifetime. Each return resets the cycle of its planet, offering a moment to take stock of that area of life and begin again. Knowing where a person sits in these cycles helps explain the natural seasons of a life. A planetary return answers the question of when a particular theme comes full circle.