Before the discovery of Uranus in the 18th century, Saturn was the last of the seven planets known to ancient astrologers. Being the furthest out and the slowest in movement, the planet was feared and came to represent a number of archetypes — the Grim Reaper and Father Time. It’s no accident that the symbol that represents Saturn is a scythe and it’s no accident that when Saturn returns its position at the time of birth people feel the planet’s swift and exacting blade.

You reap what you sow and Saturn is there to remind you that.

Everyone has their own personal Saturn lesson determined by birth. According to Liz Greene in her 1976 book, Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil, there is no fast and easy way to make a friend of Saturn. The planet is there, with a strong dose of tough love, to tell you that the party is over. Get your act in gear and start getting serious about life. It’s little wonder that Saturn is representative of the father archetype.

When I was talking to a friend the other day, who is also 29, we both remarked how our lives fell apart around our 28th birthdays. She has Saturn in the 11th house and last summer she saw each and every friendship of hers tested. In many cases she had dramatic falling outs with friends that she had known for years. As Saturn moved through my 8th house, I saw someone take power from me and I saw my debt grow to enormous levels. No, there is no fast and easy way to make a friend of Saturn.

Now that I’m about to hit my exact Saturn Return on September 10th, I have the luxury of hindsight to understand the full grasp of Saturn’s lesson for me and that despite the severity, it was a lesson that my soul needed. Saturn in Virgo says clean up your act and don’t overwork yourself. Saturn in the 8th house says get your finances in order and don’t cede power to anyone. Those were tough lessons, but Saturn has bestowed maturity via my Return to appreciate them.