Four more readers on their Saturn Return.
"Breaking up, burning out, rebuilding, and being in bliss. That's life!"
Welcome back to our Saturn series, featuring Health Gossip readers who have recently finished their Saturn Return. Today, we’re hearing from Savannah Galvin, Chelsey Forbes, Francesca Kritikos, and Tess Manhattan. Read the previous edition here.
Savannah Galvin
Savannah Galvin is an artist based in New York City. She writes the health, wellness, and beauty newsletter, Seasonally.
What were your expectations going into your Saturn Return? On a scale of 1-10, how invested were you in Western astrology?
Going into my Saturn return, I had heard a lot of stories from friends who had already gone through theirs, so I had a general sense of what to expect. It made sense to me that it tends to happen right before entering a new decade, especially your thirties when so much naturally begins to shift. I enjoy Western astrology and find it fun and insightful, but I don’t hold it too tightly. If I had to rate it, I’d say I was about a 6 out of 10 invested in the narratives around Saturn returns.
What house is your natal Saturn in? How did these themes play out during this period?
My natal Saturn is in Pisces, conjunct my Sun, and the beginning of the return was definitely the most intense. I experienced a lot of anxiety around my identity, who I was becoming, and which parts of myself I had outgrown. There was a noticeable energetic shift before it even fully began. It’s hard to describe, but suddenly I was questioning everything: whether I was doing anything “right,” if I had made the wrong decisions, or if I had somehow messed things up. There was a lot of overthinking and self-doubt, and even moments where I wished I were less creative and more logical.
What were some of the most unexpected or surprising moments?
One of the most surprising moments was getting a dog. I had always wanted one, but I didn’t expect it to happen during this period. In hindsight, it makes complete sense. Saturn is about responsibility, commitment, and care, and that choice reflected all of that. Over this past year, I also made new friends, which can feel surprisingly difficult as an adult. Those friendships have become incredibly meaningful to me, and I cherish them deeply.
You can either sink or swim through it, and honestly, I’ve felt both.
Another major theme was the evolution of my relationship with religion. Over the three-year span of my Saturn return, that relationship became much more honest and peaceful. It also helped me clarify what kind of girlfriend, wife, and partner I want to be, and what kind of partner I want in return, how I can show up for others without spreading myself too thin, and what balance actually looks like for me.
What were some of your biggest takeaways? How has your life changed?
One of the biggest takeaways has been making peace with endings. I feel genuinely okay about past relationships and friendships that have ended; they all brought me to where I am now and were part of the journey. That said, old memories would surface and sometimes send me into a panic, this fear of I’ll never experience that again. At times, that realization felt heavy and depressing. But with time, a calmer voice emerged that could say: No, you won’t experience that again — and that’s the point. You’re meant to stretch and grow during this period. You can either sink or swim through it, and honestly, I’ve felt both.
What advice would you give to someone newly entering their Saturn Return?
If I had to give advice to someone entering their Saturn return, it would be this: don’t compare your timeline to anyone else’s. Everyone’s path unfolds differently. Social media can make this especially hard. It feels like every other week someone is announcing an engagement or pregnancy, which is beautiful, but can also create a strange sense of pressure that you should be “there” too.
A Saturn return doesn’t mean everything falls apart but it does ask you to grow up in a very real, honest way.
Practically speaking, journaling helped me a lot. I know everyone says that, but unedited, stream-of-consciousness writing especially first thing in the morning was grounding. Create some sort of morning routine or some time in your day that is dedicated to exercise, whether it’s 30 minutes, is better than nothing. Through this period there were points where I was so in my head and not in my body enough; movement would’ve been beneficial. Having a few close friends and family I could talk things through with made all the difference.
The end of your twenties can be unexpectedly hard. You think you’ll be in them forever, and then suddenly you’re 27 or 28 and thinking, what is happening? A Saturn return doesn’t mean everything falls apart but it does ask you to grow up in a very real, honest way. And on the other side of it, there’s much more clarity, self-trust, and peace.
Chelsey Forbes
Chelsey (@goodcheech) is a Katonah yoga teacher and spiritual storyteller. She has been featured on the newsletter before.
What were your expectations going into your Saturn Return? On a scale of 1-10, how invested were you in Western astrology or narratives around the Saturn Return?
I’m at an 11. I’m at a 22. I have always been witchy and of the spirit. I’m Caribbean. I feel like my Saturn return started when I was 13.
What house is your natal Saturn in? How did these themes play out during this period?
Saturn in Pisces in the 10th. I feel immediately, deeply. I’m going to pull a bit from CHANI [Nicholas] because I just love her:
I am extremely mistrustful of traditional forms of authority, I have an insane work ethic, I am charming, capable, I often get in my own way. I do not appreciate being told what to do and I get sensitive when other people’s restrictions are placed on me. A lot of dreams came true when I leaned into devotion and being myself; a lot of nightmares came true when I took illusionary investments personally.
Saturn was retrograde when I was born, so this is the work of my life. I am constantly revisiting, reviewing, revising — setting boundaries (mostly for myself) and then remembering that I am human and allowed to allow. My commitments are heavily informed by my political, philosophical, and spiritual beliefs.
All of these themes played out for me to eventually understand that these are not the ways of the world and that it’s okay to be disliked or to disagree. Saturn really demands focus and hard work, not perfection. Self worth is a huge thing for me and I think understanding that my superpowers lie in my own truths as well as owning them by going after what I want puts me in charge of my life. Acceptance is a really beautiful thing. Staying curious is the portal to being. CHANI — please call me, I need to record some meditations.
