MODULE NINE: PLANETARY RETURN CYCLES

Day 3: The Planets Return (Part c)

The next three planets returns have a much longer return timeframe so it helps to gauge their path by plotting their aspects and transits they make and planets make to them.

Jupiter

Jupiter’s return cycle takes close to 12 years to do one round and during that time it symbolizes growth and optimism and opening up in those areas of life that Jupiter travels through. On its transit path around the zodiac like the rest of the planets the type of experiences associated with Jupiter can be connected back to the natal and progressed positions of Jupiter. It’s progressed position may only move twenty degrees or so in a lifetime maybe a bit more, however it’s through the transits and each of the areas that Jupiter passes through which takes about a year through each sign, brings to the forefront the types of energies and events in those areas which can be related back to its natal and progressed positions.

Things which are known to come under Jupiter rulership are often associated with wisdom and learning the art of cultivating growth and beneficial energies. It helps to balance out any overly restrictiveness and also is known for higher education matters, and benefactors, long travel, laws, and mind expansion, and where it’s found in the chart shows where to make an effort to grow and make best opportunity and benefit. Ultimately Jupiter return cycle symbolizes a new beginning in wisdom that’s acquired through the experiences of its journey around the chart.

Part of Jupiter’s energies is how to grow without overdoing it, or being unwise about a situation, or acting upon it without a certain amount of awareness in just how much growth is necessary at that time or is being called for to take. Jupiter returns gives the opportunity to move your life forward and advance in the areas it covers in order to giving greater meaning to living life.

Saturn

Saturn’s return cycle takes 28 to 29 years and during the course of a lifetime a person usually makes it to the third Saturn return which happens around the age of 84 to 86 years old. Each Saturn return symbolizes a new major period of the human growth spiral in terms of maturity and the long cycle of time of a human life span. Saturn returns are times when changes are made to the foundation of physical realities life makes upon us and this can have a snowball effect all the way through to maturity in foundation of soul and spiritual values. Saturn is recognized by some as the planet of karma and as it’s the spiritual ruler of Libra—what it represents on the spiritual level is weighing up the scales of one’s life deeds and experiences and coming to terms with them so that it’s all been accounted for and put in the ledger so to speak in order that soul is able to come to terms with life and be in peace.

On the physical plane a Saturn return can be the right time for further establishing foundations, and material values, and building upon the structure of one’s life so that it’s kept strong and fortified over the course of the years in the next round to follow. It’s a proper time to set out and achieve, as its rewards come from whatever tasks were undertaken over the couple of years or so when it returns back to its natal position. So whatever areas it’s in, and the sign of Capricorn, and the 10th house, and the planetary ruler of the sign Saturn is in—need to be all looked at to get a good indication of the things and structures to build and focus on during that time so as to make a solid foundation for building that particular phase of your life upon that’s lasting and will stand the test of time until at least the next Saturn return comes round again.

It’s an appropriate cycle as it’s about those age times in each return that our human nature matures as if it was meant to on cue before we enter into a new role. The ruler of time, Saturn symbolizes reward through taking on extra responsibility and authority, and achievement, due to perseverance, and cultivation of the art of patience. As such no wonder career being something that’s done for many years and worldly standing are a couple of the things that come under its meaning.

The aspects that Saturn makes is approximately every seven years and it’s most noticeable when it makes an aspect to the other planets, or when crossing a cusp of a house, or angular part of the chart. The planet also is known for giving skill in economical values and for restoring balance when too much growth is happening all at once and there is no form or structure for growth to benefit and reward. It also is worth looking at its relationship to the MC, and Capricorn and the 10th house because of its being the natural ruling planet the sign and house.

There are levels as mentioned to every planet and Saturn is no exception. What’s written about it in mainstream is mostly overdone and historically biased with not enough said about its higher levels which is where its forces are unrestrained by karma and opportunity’s for its highest potential realized.

Uranus

Uranus is the type of force that awakens through such activities as inventiveness and higher mind awareness dimensions. It’s an electrifying type of energy and its journey around the chart takes approximately 84 years. Quite appropriately its final return corresponds with a Saturn return just before in fact so quite often you’ll see an uplift in the joys of life in old aged people who are coming to the final so many years of their life before they then enter into a Saturn return 2 or 3 years later where the time of life invites them to assess it once more and decide whether to continue on or let it go.

This planet represents the human desire and intrigue to explore and go beyond the times and restrictions of Saturn’s boundaries so to speak in order that more can be learnt from the unknown and for the future. Uranian progress is made through the ability to tap into creativity and higher mind ideas and bringing those concepts down into form in the material world where they can be developed into technologies and inventions in all areas of life to make it better.

So it is that Uranus plays an important part in awakening our individuality and the calling for change throughout the stages of its cycle which most notably occur every seven years when it passes into a new sign and when it aspects its natal position. The most notable changes occur around the time of each main aspect especially the opposition, in the early to mid-forties stage of life, where it has reached about the halfway mark of its return journey. It’s the middle part of life and as human destiny would have it, a good time for change and things to happen regarding not only the physical world, but also the other planes of consciousness where higher mental awareness energy can empower and shape out a new mental form and life in the physical domain.

This energy is very suitable as the type where change is inevitable and calls for growth due to a situation perhaps that’s gone on for too long and has become stagnate and needs new life and the desire to make something better infused into it. In a sense this energy is analogous to a typical expression of nature’s forces where nothing stays the same for ever—so it’s through Uranus that continuity is continued in enjoying life and further making opportunities for one’s life and others due to the benefits that change can bring. It’s no coincidence then that the main aspects the sextile, and square, and trine of Uranus coincide with the 14th and 21st and 28th years which are all significant change periods in human growth and maturity. Especially at the multiples of the 28 year set of the cycle and at the opposition.

It’s also not surprising that we see transiting Uranus and Saturn and the progressed moon and the moon’s nodal return cycle and the part of fortune are all very close to each other at that time.

The keys to the plotting out of a Uranus cycle is to see what areas of life in its transits it’s going to pass through during each of the seven years it stays in a sign, especially the years when its due to make a major transiting aspect to its natal position and any planets which you can identify with in relation to the types of changes you like to make. The most engaging length of time for Uranian activity is mostly when it is in strong transit aspect, and each period at its ending of the 7 year stage. Those are times to note the area of life it’s transiting at that time as it can be a good time to make transformational changes and invite new energies to make use of its power.

The key to Uranus power is to become familiar with the unexpected, on, and off, nature of its energy and consistently get into the habit of using it when it’s appropriate, especially as a creative power.