If you were born during the periods of April 7, 1996 – June 8, 1998 or October 26, 1998 – March 1, 1999 then you have Saturn in the sign of Aries. What does that mean? And since Saturn has now returned to the place it was when you were born what can you expect? Let’s take a look.
It takes Saturn approximately 28 years to circle the zodiac and return to the place it was when you were born. Saturn is the planet associated with structure, rules, and regulations. It also governs our daily responsibilities, long-term obligations, organizations, teams, companies, and countries.
Saturn’s nickname is “The Teacher,” so when you think of this planetary energy imagine both the best and worst teachers you’ve had in your life. Whether these guides imparted their lessons to you via nurturing or intimidation, the overall point was that you would learn something and hopefully benefit from that knowledge in a wider sense.
Just like every teacher is different, so is every learning experience, and every Saturn return. Likewise, becoming adept at whatever it is you’re trying to learn involves not only mastering technical skills but also developing personal mastery in how you approach the task at hand.
Therefore, a Saturn return can be about both improving your technique at something, as well as developing the proper mental attitude to approach the challenges of life.
Another important thing to keep in mind about the energy of a Saturn return is that aside from its disciplinary aspects, this teaching planet will also reward those who face their responsibilities with effort and dedication.
To better illustrate this last point (which is the hidden secret in every Saturn return) let’s look at how Saturn was affecting Jalen Brunson during the recent Knicks NBA championship run.
Based on the unique day, time, location, and year of his birth, Jalen Brunson has Saturn in the sign of Aries in the 8th House. While Saturn represents discipline and patience, the sign of Aries (ruled by Mars) is about strength and aggressiveness, and the 8th house governs death, transformation, and any resources one shares with others. Brunson’s initial Saturn placement is therefore about the commitment, effort, responsibility, and sharing he is willing to bring to the activities, organizations, and people in his life.
Of course, it’s important to remember that the day, time, year, and location of each reader’s birth will influence the unique way in which Saturn will affect them.
Now let’s look at the natal aspects to Saturn in Jalen Brunson’s chart.
Uranus in Aquarius in his 5th house of creativity sextiles his Saturn, while Pluto in Sagittarius in his foundational 4th house trines it. These dual aspects represent not only being open to the lessons of life but also possessing the strength and flexibility to turn adversity into opportunity.
Brunson’s natal Saturn is also in opposition to Mercury in Libra in the first house. This requires him to be both adaptable and focused (the proverbial walk and chew gum at the same time test). There is also a square between his natal Saturn and Jupiter in Capricorn at the end of his 5th house of creativity. Where Uranus at the beginning of the 5th house helps him to be flexible, Jupiter at end of that same house in the super serious sign of Capricorn (the sign ruled by Saturn) is what drives him to go above and beyond the call of duty and take a leadership role in any group or situation he is committed to.
In the approach to his Saturn return year, Jalen Brunson set himself up for success by utilizing all the above-mentioned Saturn aspects he was born with. This included not only committing himself to an accelerated regimen to hone his personal playing skills, but on a more selfless level he also agreed to take a $113 million pay cut to allow the Knicks the extra capital to acquire the necessary players for the team to excel. By seeing his personal goals and those of the team as being intrinsically one and the same, Brunson simultaneously fulfilled both the individual and collective requirements Saturn demands of us all.
Jalen Brunson’s actual Saturn return occurred on April 3, 2026, yet because Saturn is not a fast moving planet, this return was still going on during the NBA finals that occurred more than 2 months later. During this time, the planet known as “the Teacher” simultaneously sextiled transiting Pluto in Aquarius while also moving into a conjunction with transiting Neptune in Aries. Pluto was positioned in his 6th house of work, and both returning Saturn and Neptune were in his 8th house of shared resources and major transformation. The conjunction to Neptune represented the confusion (and illusion) that the early leads the Spurs held in every game of the series would end up determining the outcome. However, the sextile to transformative Pluto helped Brunson (and the Knicks) make whatever adjustments were necessary to ultimately win 4 out of 5 games in the series. This victorious outcome was also aided significantly by transiting Uranus (the planet of the unexpected) as it passed Brunson’s mid-heaven shortly after his Saturn return and entered the sign of Gemini that governs his 10th house of career and public image.
As a result, rather than fulfilling the standard prediction of lessons and setbacks that some associate with a Saturn return, Jalen Brunson instead earned a reward for his commitment to the details and preparation he engaged in ahead of time. Ultimately, the message here for all of us is that while a Saturn return is commonly thought to bring restrictions and/or denial, these are downsides that usually come about when one has not met the full range of their responsibilities leading up to the return. If you do the work like Jalen Brunson did, Saturn can be a very benevolent archetype that will reward your efforts accordingly
To find out what lessons your Saturn return has in store for you, as well as how you can best approach these challenges, simply fill out the Contact Form on the main menu and I’ll get back to you to schedule a complete astrological (and tarot) reading.