Mid-Life Crisis Transits :: Age 35-60
Every major turning point in our life is usually marked by an intense planetary transit.
As we experience major squares, oppositions or even conjunctions (ex: Saturn Return: Saturn conjunct Saturn), our entire life, perspective, outlook, beliefs, values and more may shift.
We may change directions or see things in a new way.
And we may go through a total unearthing at first, questioning everything that has brought us to this point.
The way patterns help me navigate the world is one of the many reasons I love Astrology and Human Design. It helps me make sense of nonsensical or really tough experiences.
It provides a level of detachment from getting lost in self-worth spirals or depression.
When you’re in an intense transit, 6 months feels like an eternity, but it is really helpful to be able to reassure yourself that it WILL be over and it’s not forever, nor is it the new normal.
It can be really freeing to just let the transit play out without attaching too much meaning to it or interpreting things about your self-worth.
Often, I work with people in their late 30s and into their 40s that are undergoing a major excavation and sometimes total redirection of life. I always smile internally because it is one of the most transformative periods of your life according to Astrology.
I don’t always offer the information up because I know for some it may feel invalidating to their experience. It may seem like logic-ing away feelings.
But for those who are into Astrology, and experiencing or nearing middle life, here’s what the true “mid-life crisis” is all about according to Astrology. And yes, according to Astrology, it’s very real.
MID 30’s – 60’s
~AGE 36-60::
Your Pluto Square is the starting point. Pluto is a slow moving planet, so it will vary when it occurs for you. It happens between the ages of 36-60 and will last about 2-3 years. It marks a very pivotal point in your life.
Pluto Square Sun::
This transit will bring about major changes to your personhood. It can stimulate your ambition and desire for power. It may be a time of life of total pivot – in career, partnership, sense of self, and more. It will bring your psyche and subconscious motives to the surface and have you re-evaluating anything that is keeping you from moving forward. It is a time of understanding your needs, values, and what makes you, you. It helps you stand in your power and create healthy boundaries, sometimes by first having them challenged.
Pluto Square Pluto::
This transit will be a time of revisiting the past, bringing things to the surface to be acknowledged, transformed, and ultimately healed. It will also be a transit that brings your psyche and subconscious motives to the surface and have you re-evaluating anything that is keeping you from moving forward, as well as, any unhealed wounds that you are still reactive to.
Pluto represents death, rebirth, transformation, your shadows, evolution, metamorphosis, disruption that leads to rebuilding, power & control, beginnings & endings, unearthing, removing masks and aligning with authenticity, intensity, depth, subconscious drive & motives, and more.
It will create irreversible change that ultimately aligns one with their authentic/essential self. But, it may do so by first removing all that is out of alignment, in sometimes a very destabilizing way. It may make certain parts of your life unbearable so you in turn make necessary changes to transform your life. Pluto will highlight any areas of your life that have stagnated (especially in relation to the houses it’s in) and ask you the catalyze a rebirth. If you choose not to change what is no longer in alignment, Pluto will do it for you. So, like all intense transits its better to carve out time to listen. It’s usually things you have known for quite some time and have potentially ignored. Pluto will make it so that you can’t ignore it and encourage change and growth. You may lean more into spirituality during this time and lean into the symbolism of the snake shedding its skin and rebuilding yourself anew.
EARLY 40’s
~AGE 40-43:: Neptune Square Neptune::
Your Neptune Square is next and often happens during your Pluto squares. The Mid-life crisis is such an intense and notable period because you are typically having multiple harsh square aspects at the same time. Depending on your natal chart, you will also have your Neptune square Saturn at some point during these transits as well. Neptune square Neptune usually happens between the ages of 40-43.
This transit will bring about intense self-reflection and questioning of your life, goals, ambitions, and how much you have fulfilled up until this point. This time may feel very foggy and you may not feel grounded in reality. But the purpose of this time is to get you to re-evaluate and re-prioritize what’s most important to you. Your self-worth may come into question during this time, especially if you feel like you haven’t fulfilled your dreams. Leaning into spirituality and developing your intuition will be influential.
It’s not a good time (yet) to pursue any conclusions you come to. Because of the dreamlike state of Neptune, it may be hard to differentiate what’s truly real until the transit is over.
~AGE 40-42:: Uranus Opposite Uranus::
Your Uranus Opposition happens at the height of the mid-life crisis. This transit can be one of the more destabilizing as Uranus is an unpredictable planet of change. Uranus oppose Uranus usually happens between the ages of 40-42.
This transit will bring about a strong urge, restlessness, and desire for freedom. This is the transit you can associate with people buying sports cars, as well as, disrupting their lives from how they had been previously for years. Uranus is known as the “Great Awakener,” so this is often a time that people “wake up” to where they are in their life, what they’ve done, and where they want to go. It often feels like our last chance to really make any change in our lives and there’s a sense of urgency to turn everything upside down (which is not true, but still creates a lot of initiation).
This opposition marks the second period of your life where you turn more inward and begin to recreate yourself. You will deal with issues surrounding: the meaning of life, your relationship to the Universe, etc. Your purpose and meaning in life no longer comes from your external environment. You will now try to find it from within.
~AGE 43-44:: Saturn OppositeSaturn::
Your Saturn Opposition is your “final” mid-life crisis transit. This transit is often called your “mid-life reality check.” It usually happens between 43-44.
The intensity of this transit will be a reflection point from 14 years prior (your Saturn Return). Your Saturn Return will have marked your astrological coming of age, usually marking a time of personal transformation, new beginnings, and realization>alignment with your authentic self. 7 years ago, you went through Saturn square Saturn which would have tested the strength and validity of the new paths you began from your Saturn Return. If you did not make changes to the structures and patterns that were highlighted 7 years ago, this transit may prove harsh, feeling restrictive and bringing about limitations, and endings. However, everything you handled well or addressed from that transit will prove more abundant. You may reach a peak success point in your life. Saturn is the Lord of Karma and rewards hard work, discipline and responsibility. So, if you faced what was shown to you, you will be rewarded (possibly with more responsibility) during this time. Pay attention to the signs and don’t fight them. Try not to fall into self-doubt, despair or depression. Use it as data and information to move toward success in all areas.
EARLY 50’s
~AGE 50-51: Chiron Return::
Your Chiron Return happens quite a few years after the intensity of your early 40s, but it is still an important transit to note. It usually happens between 50-51.
This transit marks a time of reflection, urging us to face the lingering challenges from our past and address the wounds and past hurts that have influenced our path up to this point. It’s a time for deep shadow work and integration; understanding our pain, insecurities, trauma, unhealthy patterns and conditioning and alchemizing them. Resilience, freedom, healing, wisdom, authenticity, compassion and understanding are on the other side of this transit. As we step into our authenticity, we may see changes occur in our external reality that align with this version of ourselves. Any wounds or patterns that continue to resurface throughout our lives will make themselves known during this transit and asked to be healed. As we let go of our past, we see how our hopes and dreams for the future have transformed and help us align with our purpose for this new phase of life.
If you are a 6th line in Human Design, this is when you will fully embody the role model.
LATE 50’s
~AGE 57-60:: Saturn Conjunct Saturn (2nd Saturn Return)::
The famous Saturn Return, your second time experiencing this transit. A time of great change, maturity, growth, and impact. During this transit, relationships may come to an end, especially if they are not in alignment with your authenticity. You may change your career or living arrangements. Anything that you have been ignoring or sweeping under the rug will come up for review during this time. You will be examining every part of your life and aligning yourself with who you truly are at a soul level. This is a time of ending and beginnings, and it may feel isolating and heavy. It is also a reflection of your hard work and dedication since your first Saturn Return ~age 29. Whatever in your life that is false/inauthentic will fall away or become unbearable. There is so much change happening during this period it’s best to carve out time for yourself and offer compassion as it may be overwhelming and disorienting. This is a time when we reflect on how we want the rest of our life to feel and what we want it to look like. This transit instills deep confidence, maturity, wisdom, and freedom.
It’s also important to take note of what house your Saturn Return is happening in, as the themes of that house will be especially important during this transit.
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