The 29-Year Cosmic Clock: Are You on Time with Your Life?
Cycles: Why Fight the Cosmic Waves When You Can Ride Them with Ease and Joy?
The universe runs on cycles. Whether you’re a physicist discussing frequencies and waves or a philosopher or spiritual seeker exploring astrology, cycles are universal. They follow the same patterns, no matter the lens through which you view them.
Take, for instance, Saturn’s cycle around the Sun. It takes about 29 years to complete, tracing a full circle in our sky from Earth’s perspective. That’s astronomy. Now, consider the same 29-year period in your own life — your academic milestones, career achievements, setbacks, and personal growth. You’ll likely notice something remarkable: the structure you’ve built in your life mirrors this cosmic rhythm. And that is astrology.
The first Saturn Return
At birth, we spend about seven years just getting our bearings. The next seven are dedicated to schooling. Around 14 or 15, we experience a shift, realizing life isn’t all play — we face high school challenges, part-time jobs, and apprenticeships. By 21, we’re moving forward with work or academics, with our efforts culminating around ages 28–30. Astrologers call this milestone the first Saturn Return.
Of course, it’s not really about Saturn itself. It’s about that 29-year cycle — how we build structure and accumulate life experiences. Saturn’s orbit simply aligns with this timing, acting as a cosmic clock for easy progress tracking. Are we keeping up? Is it time to pivot? When will the rewards come?
When do the rewards come?
If you’re past your late twenties, you probably don’t need me to explain all this — you’ve felt it. Think back to when you were between 28 and 30. Did life feel critical? Full of uncertainty? Transformative? Rewarding?
I defended my Ph.D. dissertation, graduated, and got my first job teaching at a community college at the age of 29. It was a career pivot from pure research to teaching introductory physics and math — two paths with barely any overlap in responsibilities.
Another person defended their Ph.D. a year before their Saturn Return and got their job, but it was a research job in a major university and a continuation of what they had already been doing. By the following year, however, just as that Saturn Return clocked for them, they were already changing careers from academia to industry.
What did you do around the ages of 28 to 30? Get a new job? Switch careers? Start a family? Go back to work after raising kids? The details vary, but the underlying energy of moving on to something new is universal.
Are you approaching your 60s? Get ready for your second Saturn Return. You might be considering retirement, reevaluating responsibilities, or exploring new passions — volunteering, starting a nonprofit, writing a book, or traveling the world. The possibilities again are many, but the feelings are familiar: fatigue with old responsibilities, a desire to break free from outdated patterns, and an inner urging to do something new.
Do you really need astrology?
Not necessarily. Saturn Returns are so tangible, they resonate to our very core. Astrology merely validates these feelings, reminding us that we’re not alone, we’re not losing our minds, and that everyone undergoes such soul-searching transitions.
There’s comfort in knowing our struggles are part of a natural cycle. It reassures us that change is expected and that clinging to the past is counterproductive. Growth comes from embracing the shift, and we gain the courage to do so.
Knowing a little about astrology also helps with planning. It helps us understand our path better — our skills, desires, and the resources that may be available to us for creating new life experiences. Forearmed with a better understanding of our inner workings, our confidence grows, and we are more likely to follow through on our desires for change.
The 29-Year Cosmic Clock
If the Saturn Return represents the 12 o’clock position on your 29-year clock face, then the “bottom” — around ages 14–15, 42–44, or 71–73 — marks your 6 o’clock adjustment. These periods are equally critical. At the top, you reap the rewards of your efforts, but at the bottom, you face pivotal decisions and determine the direction of your efforts.
Keep in mind that in this cosmic clock imagery, we actually move counter to the clockwise motion, starting from 12 o’clock, then to 9, 6, and 3 o’clock, eventually circling back to 12 o’clock.
Between these two points, 12 and 6 o’clock, lie two other significant, though slightly less conspicuous, markers: the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The 3 o’clock position symbolizes a surge of momentum as you transition from the 6 o’clock obscurity toward the visibility and recognition of the top of the cycle, 12 o’clock. During phases of life corresponding to the 3 o’clock position, your star is on the rise, so to speak.
At the 9 o’clock position, you shift from celebrating crowning achievements and fresh starts toward the introspective phase of the “bottom,” where new foundations are laid. It is a time to savor your accomplishments, but also an opportunity to explore without the immediate pressure to build or achieve tangible results.
Is it a time for rewards or obscurity?
In Astrology for the Millions, Grant Lewi, a former professor of English at Dartmouth and an outstanding astrologer, advises not to expect any recognition of your efforts during the cycle from the 9 o’clock position down to the bottom 6 o’clock position. It’s a time for reflection, personal growth, self-mastery, and self-exploration. You do things because you want to, not for what they will bring you. The focus is on personal growth — learn a new skill, write a book, or master a craft. One thing you shouldn’t expect during this period is recognition; it’s simply not the right time for that.
During my own “obscure” period, I received a prestigious award at work, only to be forgotten and omitted from official recognition rosters soon after. I spent most of my time in professional obscurity — forgotten, overlooked, or ignored at work meetings. Had I not known about the 29-year cycle, I would have been deeply upset by the unfairness at work. Knowing about the cycle, however, helped me stay grounded and focused on what truly mattered — my personal growth.
Finding peace with what is
As soon as I accepted that rewards and recognition were not forthcoming, I was able to give more time to my family and pick up a spiritual practice that I sustain to this day. The spiritual work I started and maintained during my “obscure” time eventually led me to personal transformation, a career pivot, and a completely new way of life.
Could I have done the same without knowing about the Saturnian cycle? Probably yes. But I would have faced many more doubts, false starts, and self-sabotaging periods.
Understanding the Saturnian cycle gave me peace. It helped me navigate challenges with resilience, knowing they were part of a larger pattern. Verifying it in my own life also gave me the confidence to go out into the world and share it with others. It was no longer something I had just read about in books, but something I had experienced firsthand — a piece of undeniable empirical evidence, the most important aspect of Western science.
Want to learn more about the cosmic cycles and how they play in your life?
Check out my free guide, Squash Your Inner Critic, or read more about practical spirituality in my book, Effortless Reality. Prefer listening? Tune into this episode of Dawnversations podcast where Dawn and I talk about astrology and more.
