This blogs covers the final three years of your twenties. At this time Saturn is returning to its original birth sign and degree, and Saturn’s impact will be felt during these years through events which describe how you deal with the foundations which shore up your life. Any cracks or weaknesses start to multiply at Saturn’s Return and you must decide whether to repair or replace as ignore it will no longer work as a third option. In profection we are now looking at home and family, children and leisure, and the difficult sixth house where misfortune seems to lurk around every corner. In Firdaria Mercury is still in charge for the daytimers, whilst Jupiter will continue to be the long-term Firdaria Lord for the night-timers. These two planets will direct life until just into the early thirties for both day and night births (see The Firdaria Diaries: The Basics).

Profections: Moving Forward Through the Houses

27 years old : FOURTH HOUSE

The fourth house concerns the father, his relatives, and sometimes family in general. It is the home of your childhood, and it is the home you choose to build for yourself when you leave your childhood behind. The fourth house is directly in opposition to the tenth house, and often what happens in one, is reflected in the other.

Not only is this axis of fourth and tenth the parental axis, it is also the vertical line which marks the divide between private life and public life, and it describes the past (4^th) as opposed to the future (10^th). Sometimes a new opportunity in work or an advancement in our careers force us to leave home, relocate, or find new housemates, but the fourth house is much more than just bricks and mortar.

The house at the bottom of the chart represents our foundation, the rock upon which our lives are built and at twenty seven years of age, we search for something solid to call ‘home’, something intrinsic within ourselves that we can hold on to through the tough times, and from where we can borrow from the past, and move with confidence into the future. Saturn’s Return often begins sometime during the twenty seventh year and we can find ourselves feeling alienated from our past and disconnected to our future. At times the gaining of our independence fills us with pure joy that we are standing on our own two feet, and at other times, we mourn the past, we are unsteady and confused at being cut loose, or facing the consequences of our poor choices without the buffer of someone else’s Saturn coming to our rescue.

28 years old : FIFTH HOUSE

At age twenty eight the chart has profected to the fifth house and this year can feel a little lighter than the one that came before it. Saturn is still very much present but there is less pressure on us to perform, or to know for sure the direction in which we are headed. The fifth is the house of good fortune, of play and friends, creativity and leisure time, and depending on the planet which rules this year, twenty eight can be one last escape into freedom from responsibility and commitment, especially when Saturn is reminding you that time is passing.

Children are signified by the fifth house and this may be the year when you become a parent for the first time. You can choose to see this event as taking up the mantle of responsibility as you truly leave behind your childhood and take on a new role as parent, or you rediscover the child within you as you share your own child’s discovery of the world. If becoming a parent is a new experience to you in this year then Saturn’s Return means you have created a new generation or a family of your own and there is as much fear as there is love to this new role. If you became a parent earlier in your twenties, adding another child at twenty eight brings more responsibility and Saturn decides if you are capable of the task of parenting more than one child.

29 years old : SIXTH HOUSE

For most people the return of Saturn has been completed by the twenty ninth birthday, but the fall-out can still be felt in the year when the sixth house becomes the house in focus. If the Return has been especially rough on you and has meant that you have separated from an important part of your life, such as the loss of a relationship, financial debt, disappointments in job satisfaction, or any other major life changes, then you are likely to be feeling the effects during this year. Sadness, anger or grief at a time when sixth house is in play can find you suffering from poor health, mental fatigue, or an extremely heavy workload as you try to recover, recoup your losses, or build a new life for yourself.

The sixth house is a dark house and unpleasant surprises abound during this year, many of which you feel unprepared for, and if you are swamped by regrets over the events of the past couple of years, you may struggle to keep going in this difficult year. You might think that by rights you should be enjoying the final year of your twenties, but in truth there is likely to be a feeling of overwhelming tiredness as you deal with one irritating problem after another.

Profections Summary for 27: 28: 29 years of age

Firdaria: Time Portions Belonging to the Planets

Many people who have passed through their twenties and have advanced in years will remember vividly the events that describe their own version of the first Saturn Return.

This can happen anywhere from twenty seven to twenty nine and the focus houses in profection will be just one part of Saturn Return’s story, as will the placement of Saturn in the birth chart, any aspects it shares with the other planets, and where it rules through its two signs of Capricorn and Aquarius.

However, the difference in Firdaria lords between day and night births will mean that Saturn’s appearance will be treated differently by the two categories. Day-timers will view Saturn’s Return through the lens of Mercury and its two changing sub-lords Mars, and the Sun. If it’s a late Saturn Return Venus may also put in an appearance at twenty nine, or it may be that the after-events are handled with more gentleness by Venus as she takes her turn a couple of months into the year. Daytime births are for those born between the twelve hours when the sun has risen and before it sets, that is, approximately 6am to 6pm (no daylight saving).

Night-timers will experience their own Saturn Return through Jupiter’s major Firdaria and the active participating planets, i.e. Mercury and the Moon as short-term rulers, will indicate some of the reactions to Saturn’s influence over life events during these final three years of the twenties. Night births are after the sun has set and before it rises in the east, approximately 6pm to 6 am.

Daytime Births 27 – 29 years of age

DAYTIME BIRTH  – Age at Birthday : 27 years

Major Long-term Lord: MERCURY        (Years)

Minor Short-term Lord: MARS              (Months)

The twenty seventh birthday sometimes heralds a change in career that requires a change in location and housing. Saturn Return prompts Mercury to cast its eye around to see if there is anything better in the offering. Mars provides the impetus to jump from safety and boredom to something new and exciting. However, only time will tell if the move was a stroke of brilliance, or a moment of foolish bravado that leads to hardship or regret; a definite case of ‘Act in haste, repent at leisure’. Either way, Saturn will play a role in this year’s movement and Mars may not be the wisest planet to begin this year of cause-and-effect under Saturn’s watchful eye.

The combination of Mars under Mercury’s direction can bring conflict with others, disobedience and rebellion, and the added pressure of a Saturn Return can result in a battle with those in authority or those whom you think are in control of your life – be it a parent, a partner, an employer, or the law itself.

27 years and 4 months

Short-term Lord Changes from MARS to SUN

Long-term Lord: MERCURY

NEW Short-term Lord: SUN

A change in short-term rulers a third of the way into the year might mean that you are coming to your senses, or if there has been earlier troubles, then you may be able to save face and smooth them over under the Sun’s direction.

The Sun takes over whilst it is still a fourth house year so you might improve your situation if you can get your head in the right space. Fourth house is our early childhood experiences at home and many of the exact memories may be lost, but the unconscious biases we learnt in the privacy of our parents’ home still remain with us.

For those born during the day-time this can be a year when we challenge the opinions of our elders and start to think for ourselves. In the order of the Diurnal Firdaria the Sun rules for the first ten years of life and during that time we are expected to honour our father’s opinions as though they were indisputable law. Now, as adults at the Saturn Return, we find ourselves questioning these opinions and rejecting those that fit neither our mind (through Mercury), or our spirit (through the Sun’s perspective).

This is the year when we start to form the rock of our own foundation and many ideals are discarded – or calcify – during the time that Mercury and the Sun are in control of our Firdaria.  

 DAYTIME BIRTH  – Age at Birthday: 28 years

Long-term Lord: MERCURY

Short-term Lord: SUN

In the same way as we learnt so much about ourselves through play when we were children, a fifth house year allows us to explore once more through the avenue of our own creativity.

Depending on which planet rules this house, the fifth has the potential to be a treasure trove of good luck, pleasures through exploration, and a place where we leave our worries at the door.

The Sun loves to explore new possibilities but often wonders if others are watching, laughing at us, or judging any mistakes or flaws in our behaviour. There is an unwritten expectation from this major luminary that we should be able to instantly master a new skill or be competent when performing an unfamiliar task. It’s complete rubbish of course, but in our solar system everything revolves around the Sun, and unfortunately we carry some of this pressure in our psyche.

How wonderful then to find a fifth house year when it doesn’t matter if we pass or fail. In theory, yes, but in practice, Saturn’s return creates nervousness over whether we are doing ‘it’ right (no matter what ‘it’ is – whether a marriage, a job, study, parenthood, life in general) and Saturn takes a fear of failure up to a whole new level when it revisits its birth sign and degree. What a pity to waste a potentially fabulous year.

The good note is that creativity is often accelerated during this year and the Sun can gain benefits if it puts Saturn to work to manage time or increase productivity or to create a new business opportunity driven by Mercury’s business acumen. If children are the expression of the fifth house during this year, you might find yourself remembering the parent who best describes your Sun sign. Memories of your childhood may come flooding back through Mercury’s somewhat unreliable lens and the Sun’s representative, the father, may play a prominent role in these memories. Saturn also signifies the father, so you have plenty of opportunity to imitate the things you admired about your father, or change the pattern completely, and improve on his mistakes through your own parenting style.

DAYTIME BIRTH  – Age at Birthday: 29 years

Long-term Lord: MERCURY

Short-term Lord: SUN

The Sun is still the short-term ruler at the beginning of the sixth house year. If work commitments have accelerated or a business has suddenly become demanding or time-consuming then the combination of Mercury and the Sun can be beneficial at this time. Mercury feeds the Sun’s desire to be successful by planning long-term goals and working out a way for the Sun to get maximum exposure for its ideas. Self-propelled slavery to the job at hand is one of the ways that the sixth house becomes blind to the needs of other parts of the individual’s life. A partner, family or children will be patient for only so long, so it’s probably a good idea that Venus takes over from the Sun two months into the twenty ninth year.

29 years and 2 months

Short-term Lord Changes from SUN to VENUS

Long-term Lord: MERCURY

NEW Short-term Lord: VENUS

Whilst still a sixth house year, Venus’ appearance can mean that the heart takes over from the head and ambition, success and prestige are carefully put aside for the time being. A sixth house focus is not ideally suited to Venus’s temperament and Venus will do everything in her power to distract Mercury and thwart its plans to work hard and gain an advantage in the market place. Instead Venus focuses on pleasure, good times, friends and lovers so if she is in any way tied to the sixth house in your natal chart, love with a fellow workmate can be part of her distraction.

Another possibility is not so pleasant and a focus on poor health outcomes can involve a broken heart or relationship worries which stress the body and negatively affect the health. Saturn’s return may have seen the destruction of one’s assumed future and the effect of the loss of a loved one cannot be underestimated when we are miserable and grieving for someone with whom we thought we would spend the rest of our lives.

Venus also denotes women in general and this describes half of our population. To narrow it down a little, think of those women who travel through your daily life. Some will bring fun and friendship, making the daily grind a little more bearable. And the behaviour of other women will be a constant source of frustration for you. Either way, this year challenges your attitudes to, and your behaviour towards, women in general, so this year is an opportunity to look closely at any prejudices you may have against your fellow gender mates if you are a woman, or the fairer sex if you are a bloke.

If you are female, this is the ideal time to examine your attitude to yourself as a woman in the workplace, and to look around at other females to see how they are faring each day. A kind word or a helpful act may bring you an ally who watches out for you in the future. If you are a male, Mercury can make Venus flirty, funny and sexually appealing. But it can also overstep the mark and create situations where sexual innuendos are not appreciated to the point of being reportable, and crude humour or lewd behaviour quickly turns into accusations of sexual harassment.

Night Births 27 – 29 years of age

NIGHT BIRTH  – Age at Birthday : 27 years

Major Long-term Lord: JUPITER            (Years)

Minor Short-term Lord: MERCURY (Months)

Mercury is Jupiter’s representative for the next eighteen months and these two planets have a somewhat tricky relationship. Their signs of rulership are opposite one another in the zodiac wheel; Gemini opposes Sagittarius, and Virgo opposes Pisces. In astrological terms, this tends to make them enemies and any hostility one planet expresses towards another is bound to affect the day-time individual going through this period. In real terms, Mercury is too pedantic for Jupiter’s liking and stopping to ‘dot the i’s and cross the t’s’ is extremely frustrating for Jupiter’s broader picture. This can result in a period of constant stops and starts, getting caught up in red tape, and being promised a a shiny future (by Jupiter) that simply cannot manifest because obstacles are constantly being put in the way of progress (by Mercury).

With a fourth house focus this year on living arrangements, real estate and possible family issues, Mercury will try to use its logical processes to find solutions to its fourth house problems. Mercury rules siblings, so although brothers and sisters were last year’s concerns, this year may be about shared accommodation with a sibling.

Saturn’s return may also start some background rumbling during this year and if Saturn makes an aspect to your Mercury in the natal chart, then you could be having serious discussions, making future plans, or completing tertiary studies or degrees during this year. Thoughts keep returning to various career paths and a combination of Jupiter and Mercury gives ample scope to explore a variety of possibilities.

NIGHT BIRTH  – Age at Birthday: 28 years

Long-term Lord: JUPITER

Short-term Lord: MERCURY

Mercury is still the sub-lord or short-term ruler at the beginning of this year. Discussions may have lightened off a little at the movement from fourth to fifth house and instead you prefer to spend more time with friends, or pursuing entertainment or leisure. Saturn is very much present during this year, but as fifth house doesn’t see the tenth house of career, you may be taking time off to consider your options at the moment.

Mercury is quite happy to spend a year playing on the computer, following social media, going to music festivals, watching hours of sport, or bingeing on your favourite Netflix series. But don’t forget that lurking behind all this deliberate idleness is the serious thought that you will have to start making decisions sooner or later on where your life is heading, and Saturn will keep reminding you that Time waits for no man or woman.

 28 years and 7 months

Short-term Lord Changes from MERCURY to MOON

Long-term Lord: JUPITER

NEW Short-term Lord: MOON

Just after the halfway mark Mercury hands over to the Moon and Jupiter relaxes a little more with the Moon at the helm. These two planets have a good relationship – the Moon lends Jupiter its sign (Cancer) for Jupiter’s exaltation – so this sub-period is meant to bring good fortune, fair health, and opportunities for the Moon to provide you with love, safety, family bonds, and a feeling of general well-being.

It is still your fifth house year and the idea of having a child of your own may be creeping into your psyche. Both Jupiter and the Moon are significators of children and fertility, so when the fifth house is also aligned with this theme, there can be an urge to become a parent for the first time, or add another child to the family.

Saturn may encourage these thoughts as nothing says ‘growing up and settling down’ like parenthood and the return of this planet to its natal position will remind you of your own childhood disciplinarians, as you remember what you did like about their methods and want to emulate them, or what you did not like, and how you would change this for your own child.

NIGHT BIRTH  – Age at Birthday: 29 years

Long-term Lord: JUPITER

Short-term Lord: MOON

The movement from good fortune in the fifth house to bad fortune in the sixth house can be dramatic as a possible accident, illness, stress, and exhaustion are the key-points of this house, and this year.

The Moon will do everything in its power to shield the body from harm, but with Saturn’s return also evident in this year, the Moon has its work cut out for it.

Not only is the physical body likely to be under threat, but as the Moon also rules your emotional landscape, this can be a year that turns out to be an emotional rollercoaster for you. Good things might be happening – a new job, a new baby, a new house, a new relationship – but it’s hard for the Moon to keep up with everything that Jupiter is throwing at it.

Jupiter loves to give rewards and benefits, opportunities and new experiences, but if the sixth house matters are really getting you down, then the Moon will feel like you are merely dragging your body from one day to the next and you can’t fully enjoy the ‘newness’ through a fog of exhaustion or repetitive sickness.