Today, it is accepted to believe that from 20 to 30 years of age a person is not ready to grow up. Scientists from the University of Cambridge in the UK, who study the human brain and inertial system, claim this: there is no such thing as childhood – then immediately adulthood because people pass a certain way along a certain trajectory. There is no old age, there is maturity.
Emerging Adulthood
American psychologist Jeffrey Arnett coined the term “emerging adulthood” for adolescents between 18 & 28. What are they?
Research has proven that these people have a sense of instability, a “draft” of life rather than the current situation, they are too focused on themselves, exploring their own identity, optimistic about their future (believing that they have everything ahead of them and that one day they will be able to reach significant heights). For most of them it is a fun and free time, they choose teenage style of clothing – entertainment, pay little attention to authority figures / proposed social roles (parents, bearers of certain corporate ethics, etc.). They are more attuned to education and situational earnings (and nowadays it is possible to earn money via the Internet even at the age of 13) than to long-term work. At this age in the U.S. & Europe, “new teenagers” usually work on projects under contract because there is a tendency not to hire them full-time even if there are vacancies. In addition, social networks provide freedom of self-expression unrelated to the main activity, the craving for this is also a sign of teenagers.
Studies in Japan / Australia show the same results. More and more people under 28 live with their parents & do not yet feel fully grown up. They cannot be considered financially literate, although some of them earn good money. 76% of those who live with their parents do not have permanent love relationships.
Twenties
Putting astrology on the back burner for a sec, the end of your 20s is a pretty big deal. You might see friends walking down the aisle, bidding welcome to new family members, purchasing homes, achieving career milestones—anything that speaks to Saturn energy, which is all about commitment, structure, – creating rock-solid stability. You might be teetering on the brink of setting up the next era of your life, perhaps taking major steps ahead as you go through your Saturn Return. If you're not? It is also easy to feel like you are lagging behind.
And during this period where you are reflecting, sometimes copping a flog to have it all look in a certain way — remember to nurture yourself, to make this period last doing these few things.
The Every-30-Year Test: A Time for Reckoning & Growth
And now back to that old astrology story. Between the ages of 27 and 30, a major astrological milestone that we all hit is the Saturn Return. So if you were born between May 21, 1993, & June 30, 1993, or January 28, 1994, to April 7, 1996, your Natal Saturn is chilling in Pisces zodiac. This means that your Saturn Return is knocking at your door from around March 7, 2023, to May 24, 2025, – then it’s back again from September 1, 2025, to February 13, 2026. So what?
Saturn is unique in that it takes around 29 years to transit the entire zodiac, landing on each spot in your Natal Chart once. Saturn, the taskmaster planet of rules, limits, boundaries, is about discipline & challenges. As such, when we hit roughly 29, 58, and 87, Saturn returns to its natal chart position — we have a Saturn return. This is a time when you are pushed to reassess your progress on the work to do, expecting Saturn to teach you about the lessons of work, duty, how to establish that solid foundation for success in the future.
This period is a huge reality check on being an adult. It's a great time for reflection on how far you've made it and a prime time for planning to the next season. So it is safe to say that this is the perfect time in astrology to reshape that viewpoint, that direction, to plant the seeds to ensure even further success down the road.
Astrology Ages 24-28
Age 24
Every eight years or so, Venus returns to approximately the same place it was when you were born, so your 24th year is your 1 Venus year. This is where Saturn also makes a closing sextile to its birth position prior to your Saturn return, the nodes form a trine to their birth positions. By 24, love is quite literally a big deal. Central themes include your zodiac compatibility connections and demonstration of love, as well as whether your principles jibe with those you are closest to.
Chances are you'll feel a desire to buy into things that feel like they support your values, so the work might move toward making money, living well. With the help of Venus, the planet of love & money, things are likely to be calmer and more stable in your professional life, reinforcing both your economic and social structures. Respect is on the horizon. (Saturn)
Also, you’ll meet people who have the same ambitions, who are the ones to give you the leverage to help you achieve them. It is not what you know, but who you know. (Node)
Age 25
Welcoming the Unforeseen Uranus while 25: When Uranus Trines itself, this also spill-over into the following year. This time can be incredibly humbling in that it teaches you how nothing is certain, life can be right tricky. These unforeseen shifts may present you with the ideal timing for launching into some risks — how prepared are you? Feeling stuck? It is really time to break free this year. If you are born with the moon in the 9th house long distance travel, mingling with exotic cultures, exploring unconventional subjects and people, going on an adventure, exhilarating experiences that open your mind, philosophical debates – endeavors are musts. Stand out from the crowd. It is also a great year to discover new tech, meet new groups of interest.
Age 26: A Year of Communication & Inspiration
At 26, you have a Mercury year—Mercury returns to the solar return position it had at birth. Neptune also does that sextile to its natal position for the first time this year, we continue the trine from Uranus. After your second Jupiter return, Jupiter makes a waxing square to Jupiter, further infusing its brand of energy.
Now is the time to work on improving your communication or educational abilities that will undoubtedly, in a certain way, advance your professional life and smooth out relations. You have so many thoughts in your head, you want to get them out (lessons: Mercury). Life is not just about making more money and more; it also has to have a meaning. Inspiration becomes a necessity, whether that means spiritual beliefs, creativity, either physical self-sacrifice for a cause larger than oneself. It protects us from frustration; if it is absent, then frustration will enter, destroy all your skills, effort to achieve this society. You need to plant – care for your own dreams & ideas.
It may affect personal relationships, raising questions of deeper meaning & true satisfaction, though it could be hard to see. Spectacular contentment lays in a vision that is more than just an ordinary want. You are open to opportunities of change which are driven by your principles, values, enormous personal development takes place, you hold sway over the year. You are stronger in your convictions and see a more balanced view of your future. (Jupiter)
Age 27: Emotional Maturity
This is the age when you feel a very strong bond with your soul, high levels of emotional maturity. You might have kicked up some old shit, facing the demons of generations past, the genepool of emotional traits. This stirs a longing to nurture a family on your terms or motivate you to build and protect a home you can feel comfortable in.
Age 28: Time for Transformation
At the age of 28, you might still feel like you want something more with the only thing on your mind is getting to the other side. It may feel hard to buy into your old concepts and quite frankly, you might not want to. You might second-guess to what extent the path you are on is just what you've been conditioned to follow. Maybe you think the kindling gasoline has left the tank, then it is time for a few positive changes. Reflect deeply on what makes you tired in your life, choose to let it go.
What Comes After Your 30s
Your Saturn return is a celestial wake-up call, motivating you to reassess your goals. You knew, say, in college, that you'd be a big-time scriptwriter by 30, or happily married with a golden retriever living in the suburbs. However, sometimes twists & turns happen in life, and your career takes a different direction, either some of these goals are still a work in progress. This influence is tough, which turns you into the strictest professor / your own child.
Rather than becoming too self-critical, you might adopt a productive, inventive mindset. If you still have those initial dreams at heart, it's a perfect time for you to reconsider your approach. Maybe you will go for higher studies or take a journey of inner healing, self-discovery to meet the one.
If you enjoy setting intentions during new moons or meditating, then definitely incorporate some deep soul-searching into your Saturn return. Now close your eyes, see yourself at 39, 49, & 59. Who's around you? If the day's activities you have planned for yourself? What career paths have you taken? What Are You Doing To Nourish Your Mind, Body & Spirit? Where do you live? Take as long as you need to make this vision as detailed, vivid, and real for you as possible… even write it down. This will assist you in most effectively utilizing this transformational time.
Of course, it can become a harsh lesson, especially if you've been hiding from stepping up, taking control of your own actions, your behaviors, your future. KEEP in mind though that Saturn also pays off – big time – for due diligence, realism, accountability, adulthood, effort.
Life After 35: The Age at Which One Says Goodbye to Youth?
At what age can you be officially declared old and boring? Several recent studies claim it is 35 years old.
As a major boundary point in our lives, beyond which both our personal lives, professional careers begin to slowly roll downhill, it is the age of 35 that many people perceive. Not just because after 35 we are no longer perceived as a “young man” or “young woman” (according to a University of Kent study). But also because that's when the time comes that is considered “peak loneliness” for men and “peak boredom” for women.
Sure, aging doesn't look as spectacular as youth, but your mental health may well improve over time. We already know ourselves better, we make decisions based on our experiences, we become less selfish. With experience comes wisdom, that's what age gives us.
Let's return to our main astrological topic…
You might face two or three more Saturn returns after the first one, but what's the next big astrological event to look out for? Enter the Uranus opposition.
Similar to a Saturn Return, the Uranus opposition happens around the age of 40, when Uranus is directly opposite its position in your natal chart. This period can feel like a whirlwind, often marked by a crisis of faith, relationship struggles, or an internal tug-of-war. It's sometimes dubbed the "mid-life crisis" transit. Don't worry, though—this isn't something to fear. But let's save the deeper dive into this "crisis" for our next article.
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