For those familiar with the astrological implications of the planet Saturn, it should come as no surprise that my return to regular book blogging (read it and weep!) comes in the form of a review on a book on Saturn returns. And before I lose the astrological skeptics that somehow found their way to this link: stay with me, because I haven’t spoken to anyone with whom the concept of a Saturn return doesn’t resonate, at least a little bit.

            I stumbled upon the concept of a Saturn return about six months after I was in the midst of mine. I was scrolling through Instagram—as one did, relentlessly, in July 2020—and I happened upon a podcast called Saturn Returns. I was hooked from the start. Having listened to every single episode, I now know the introduction by heart: it’s a podcast that “aims to bring clarity during transitional times where there may be confusion and doubt.” The “transitional time” to which the introduction specifically refers is your Saturn return, an astrological phenomenon that occurs between the ages of 27 and 30 that’s said to bring immense change into your life. After becoming a religious podcast listener (and even if you’re not majorly into astrology, I’d recommend it—her episodes touch on everything from universally relatable topics like intuitive eating and connecting with your inner child to the more esoteric, like working with the moon and decoding your dreams), I was thrilled when Dunlop announced she was writing a book, which would delve deeper into the concept of the Saturn return and how you can work with the planet to grow through times that might seem tough.  

In an astronomical sense, Saturn is a slow-moving planet; it takes approximately 29.5 years for it to orbit the Earth. So, your Saturn Return is said to be a time in your life when Saturn returns to the exact position it was in when you were born. Most people experience a Saturn return two to three times in their life (around the ages of 30, 60, and 90)—but Dunlop’s book focuses specifically on the first one.  It’s worth noting that, due to it’s rotational axis, Saturn also experiences seasons, but because of how it’s positioned, said seasons last seven years, instead of just a few months. Ever heard of the seven-year itch? Might just be a Saturn transit.

            To understand how your Saturn Return may have affected (is affecting, or will affect) you, you need access to your personal astrological chart. If you haven’t had your chart done, all you need is your exact birth time and place. Astrological charts are divided into twelve houses and the house placement of your Saturn sign is said to determine how you’ll experience your return. To use myself as an example: I have Saturn in Aquarius (and because I’m an Aquarius sun, Saturn is also influenced my Sun, which means my experience with a Saturn return is likely especially potent) in the third house. The third house rules writing and communication. Coincidentally enough (and I didn’t realize it at the time), when I decided to officially transition my passion for writing into a full-time career, I was in the throes of my Saturn return. Any astrologer could’ve predicted my career trajectory—but I had to experience it to believe it. To use the most commonly feared example, Saturn in the seventh house is the house of relationships and life partnerships. This means, during Saturn returns, many people with Saturn in the seventh house experience seismic shifts in their relationships—typically, this means either breaking up or getting married.     

            Even if you’ve already come out of your Saturn return, there are a number of meaningful pearls of wisdom you can take from the book. Dunlop herself is in her mid-thirties and didn’t start her podcast—or the process of writing the book—until after she’d come out the other side of hers. The idea is to use the information the book provides as a guide for understanding why you made some of the decisions you made during that time (or, if you’re yet to experience your Saturn return, to prepare you for what’s to come; OR, if you’re in the midst, to help you make sense of events that might feel unfair or nonsensical). The book is, essentially, Dunlop’s astrological autobiography, but also your own. It’s co-written with the podcasts’ resident astrologer, Nora Bourni, who provides an astrological explanation alongside each anecdote Dunlop shares. As an example: when Dunlop discusses a Saturnian (harsh, sudden) breakup, Bourni puts it in a planetary context: Saturn, which astrologers often refer to as “the planet of destruction,” is ultimately protecting us—its function is to strip away all that isn’t meant for us in order to pave the way for what’s more aligned.

The book isn’t just an analysis of Caggie’s own life, though: it’s an invitation to write your story in the context of Saturn, too. This is the type of book it’s essential to buy a physical copy of (and that’s not just down to the fabulous cover): it includes workbook-style sections that challenge you to look at your own life and patterns and figure out what feels aligned and what doesn’t. Even if you’re an astrology skeptic who only got this far in my review because you’re hate-reading it (a click is a click; I’ll take it), the book is worth buying even if you ignore the astrology in favor of the self-evaluation exercises—although I promise once you start reading, you’ll quickly find something that resonates and feel hooked.