Major Life Transits in Astrology
Predictive astrology can be super helpful for knowing what energy to expect and when. The transit, or moving, planets chug along through the Zodiac, and they bring different energy to us all of the time, some good and some really bad. What are some of the major life transits in astrology?
What are transits in astrology?
The currently moving planets in the sky are the transit planets. A natal chart is a snapshot of the transit planets and their location in the Zodiac (and other bodies) at the moment we're born and from the location we're born at.
Transits are when the transit planets impact your natal chart (and can also be used with your progressed chart, return charts, and composite charts, but that's a bit more advanced). Basically, compare the transit planets to any astrology chart.
The transit planets can tour your natal houses. There are 12 houses in astrology, each ruling different parts of your life and personality. The transit planets can also make transit aspects, which means they come to specific distances from the bodies in your natal chart. There are 5 major aspects: conjunction (amplifies), sextile and trine (beneficial), and square and opposition (challenging).
Each transit planet also has its own energy, and brings this energy to whatever is ruled by whatever it's touching in your natal chart. How this energy is expressed, whether beneficial or challenging, is usually determined by the aspect being made.
Transits are when the transit planets impact your natal chart (and can also be used with your progressed chart, return charts, and composite charts, but that's a bit more advanced). Basically, compare the transit planets to any astrology chart.
The transit planets can tour your natal houses. There are 12 houses in astrology, each ruling different parts of your life and personality. The transit planets can also make transit aspects, which means they come to specific distances from the bodies in your natal chart. There are 5 major aspects: conjunction (amplifies), sextile and trine (beneficial), and square and opposition (challenging).
Each transit planet also has its own energy, and brings this energy to whatever is ruled by whatever it's touching in your natal chart. How this energy is expressed, whether beneficial or challenging, is usually determined by the aspect being made.
Major Life Transits in Astrology: The Midlife Generational Aspects
There are certain aspects seen as generational aspects, and these are aspects made by the transit planet to the same planet in your natal chart by the slow-moving planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. These aspects occur around the same age for everyone.
Uranus opposite Uranus, Neptune square Neptune, and Pluto square Pluto are considered the mid-life aspects, sometimes responsible for the "midlife crisis". Each can kick up internalized issues that need to be resolved, but people can do some wackadoodle things as a result. These aspects usually occur in your late 30's to early 40's.
I find that the "midlife crisis" we think about stereotypically tends to happen when people experience the 3 pretty much all at once; you tend to be spared if there's a little space between them. You may have something really big to work on, or some really big experience to endure, when all 3 hit at once.
Uranus opposite Uranus, Neptune square Neptune, and Pluto square Pluto are considered the mid-life aspects, sometimes responsible for the "midlife crisis". Each can kick up internalized issues that need to be resolved, but people can do some wackadoodle things as a result. These aspects usually occur in your late 30's to early 40's.
I find that the "midlife crisis" we think about stereotypically tends to happen when people experience the 3 pretty much all at once; you tend to be spared if there's a little space between them. You may have something really big to work on, or some really big experience to endure, when all 3 hit at once.
Major Life Transits in Astrology: Saturn and Chiron Returns
A return occurs when a transit planet returns to the exact same location in the Zodiac it was at when you were born. The planets comes home for you, and this can often be a trigger for events and developments in your life.
The most notorious of the returns is the Saturn Return, when Saturn returns to the position it was at when you were born. This occurs between 28 and 32 the first time, and it is one of the aspects pushing you into adulthood.
Saturn is the planet of lessons, so this is the time when we usually have a hard lesson to learn associated with our natal Saturn. This can be a rough period when we try to avoid it, which we usually do. But if you come out of it learning, you move forward more confident, and your second (and potential) third Saturn Return is a lot easier.
Chiron is the planet of wounds and healing, and returns in your late 40's to early 50's. This usually comes after you've experienced the hard Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transits, and if you handle them well, your Chiron Return can be a lovely time when you feel more at ease, more comfortable with yourself, and less controlled by your baggage.
If you don't handle them well, then there can be potential for greater wounding, and moving into the next phase of adulthood can be extra difficult. Don't do that to yourself!
The most notorious of the returns is the Saturn Return, when Saturn returns to the position it was at when you were born. This occurs between 28 and 32 the first time, and it is one of the aspects pushing you into adulthood.
Saturn is the planet of lessons, so this is the time when we usually have a hard lesson to learn associated with our natal Saturn. This can be a rough period when we try to avoid it, which we usually do. But if you come out of it learning, you move forward more confident, and your second (and potential) third Saturn Return is a lot easier.
Chiron is the planet of wounds and healing, and returns in your late 40's to early 50's. This usually comes after you've experienced the hard Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transits, and if you handle them well, your Chiron Return can be a lovely time when you feel more at ease, more comfortable with yourself, and less controlled by your baggage.
If you don't handle them well, then there can be potential for greater wounding, and moving into the next phase of adulthood can be extra difficult. Don't do that to yourself!
Major Life Transits in Astrology: Transit Planets and the Natal Angles
There are 4 angles in astrology, the Ascendant (which connects to the 1st house), the Imum Coeli (which connects to the 4th house), the Descendant (which connects to the 7th house), and the Midheaven (which connects to the 10th house). The angles are high energy and tend to kick up activity when they're being impacted by transit planets.
Transits to the Ascendant can trigger major changes for you as a person; transits to the Imum Coeli can trigger major changes emotionally or at home; transits to the Descendant can trigger major changes to your relationships; and transits to the Midheaven can trigger major changes with your goals and direction.
Transit Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto conjunct (aligned with) any of the angles tend to be major transits for you. Saturn conjunct the Midheaven is one of the biggest transits for you professionally, and only occurs 1-3 times in your adult working life. If you've done things the right way and for the right reasons, you can experience massive success. If you haven't, this can trigger big failure.
Uranus conjunct the Ascendant makes you want to change a lot about you, and you may become more oddball. Uranus conjunct the Descendant can bring changes to your relationships, and the people in your life may become more unexpected. Uranus conjunct the Midheaven can bring changes to your goals and direction, sudden shake ups with what you want and where you're going.
Pluto conjunct the Imum Coeli can bring out deeply-rooted issues emotionally, and there can be extra challenges with your home and family. What family is and means to you can completely transform. Pluto conjunct the Midheaven can bring an obsession with achievement and success, so you can attain great heights, but have to be careful of this coming at the expense of everything else.
Transits to the Ascendant can trigger major changes for you as a person; transits to the Imum Coeli can trigger major changes emotionally or at home; transits to the Descendant can trigger major changes to your relationships; and transits to the Midheaven can trigger major changes with your goals and direction.
Transit Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto conjunct (aligned with) any of the angles tend to be major transits for you. Saturn conjunct the Midheaven is one of the biggest transits for you professionally, and only occurs 1-3 times in your adult working life. If you've done things the right way and for the right reasons, you can experience massive success. If you haven't, this can trigger big failure.
Uranus conjunct the Ascendant makes you want to change a lot about you, and you may become more oddball. Uranus conjunct the Descendant can bring changes to your relationships, and the people in your life may become more unexpected. Uranus conjunct the Midheaven can bring changes to your goals and direction, sudden shake ups with what you want and where you're going.
Pluto conjunct the Imum Coeli can bring out deeply-rooted issues emotionally, and there can be extra challenges with your home and family. What family is and means to you can completely transform. Pluto conjunct the Midheaven can bring an obsession with achievement and success, so you can attain great heights, but have to be careful of this coming at the expense of everything else.
Major Life Transits in Astrology: Hard Pluto to the Sun and Moon
If you ask me to choose a transit in particular to mark as the biggest and most important, it would be transit Pluto conjunct, square, or opposite the natal Sun or Moon. Why?
The Sun is who you are underneath the mask, your true self, hence it being so important in astrology. Transit Pluto conjunct, square, or opposite your natal Sun can bring out major power struggles in your life, and you can encounter constant opposition. Everything can feel like a fight, and you may feel targeted everywhere you go.
You have to make major transformations under this aspect, dig deep and be willing to face hard truths about yourself, and get way beyond the superficial. You can emerge as a completely different person.
The Moon is what you need for emotional stability and security, so transit Pluto conjunct, square, or opposite your natal Moon can take away emotional stability and security. It can feel like everything falls apart, and you don't think you can handle it emotionally. You can get put through the emotional wringer, and feel wounded constantly.
The transformation here has to happen emotionally and at your core, and you need to find healthy, positive ways to give yourself emotional support and security.
No one really walks away the same after experiencing these aspects, but this is hopefully for the better.
<strong style="">Suggested Reading: The Survival Series
The Sun is who you are underneath the mask, your true self, hence it being so important in astrology. Transit Pluto conjunct, square, or opposite your natal Sun can bring out major power struggles in your life, and you can encounter constant opposition. Everything can feel like a fight, and you may feel targeted everywhere you go.
You have to make major transformations under this aspect, dig deep and be willing to face hard truths about yourself, and get way beyond the superficial. You can emerge as a completely different person.
The Moon is what you need for emotional stability and security, so transit Pluto conjunct, square, or opposite your natal Moon can take away emotional stability and security. It can feel like everything falls apart, and you don't think you can handle it emotionally. You can get put through the emotional wringer, and feel wounded constantly.
The transformation here has to happen emotionally and at your core, and you need to find healthy, positive ways to give yourself emotional support and security.
No one really walks away the same after experiencing these aspects, but this is hopefully for the better.
<strong style="">Suggested Reading: The Survival Series
