Saturn Retrograde 2024: What It Means for Your Zodiac Sign

Given how much fear mongering we tend to hear about retrogrades, it’s natural to find yourself bristling at the mere mention of the word, but the truth of the matter is that each planet in the solar system takes its turn going retrograde, and we just happen to be embarking on 2024’s Saturn retrograde. So, what happens when Saturn is in retrograde?

From Saturday, June 29 to Friday, November 15, the planet of boundaries, restrictions, commitment, hard work and reality checks will appear to move backward from our vantage point here on Earth. In 2024, Saturn retrograde will occur in the mutable water sign Pisces, co-ruled by Neptune, the planet of spirituality and dreams, and Jupiter, the planet of abundance. In turn, you’ll be encouraged to reassess how you’re putting your nose to the grindstone to achieve long-term goals, how far you’ve come and how you might want to rethink the groundwork you’ve laid in order to pursue future accomplishments. Here’s what to know to make the most of this four-and-a-half month transit.

What is Saturn retrograde?

Every year, for about four-and-a-half months, Saturn, the planet that oversees responsibility and limitations, slows down before appearing to move backward from our perspective on Earth. And when this happens, we’re nudged to go inward and reflect on all of the areas of life that Saturn rules — for example, the way in which you set goals, put in the work to achieve your greatest aspirations, assume authority and follow the rules.

You can think of Saturn as the stern professor of astrology. Its purpose is to require you to take steps that might feel challenging at times but that are ultimately meant to propel you into the next chapter of your life. For example, learning a tough lesson about finances could encourage you to change your spending habits, which ultimately leads to saving up for a fulfilling investment.

It can also help to think of it as the planet that supports our ability to set foundations that will serve us in the decades ahead. Saturn retrogrades are an opportunity to take stock of all of the ways in which you’re building and nurturing those foundations. Are they serving you as you had hoped? Might it be time to pivot? How far have you come, exactly, and where do you want to go from here?

What is Saturn retrograde in Pisces?

Every planet in our solar system moves at a different pace and pattern through the zodiac, and Saturn’s cycle is far slower than an inner planet like, say, zippy Mercury, which moves from one sign to the next every two to three weeks (unless it’s retrograde, and then it can be there for 10 weeks!). Saturn takes 29 years to make a full lap around the zodiac signs, spending about 2.5 years in a sign. And since March 7, 2023, the taskmaster planet has been in Pisces, the empathic, poetic mutable water sign.

When Saturn moves forward (aka direct) in Pisces, the planet’s penchant for rules are applied more externally to areas of life that we associate with the water sign, such as spirituality, psychological well-being and healing. For example, growing awareness of social media’s effect on mental health and related regulations could be attributed to Saturn spending time in Pisces. But when Saturn is retrograde in the sign of the Fish, it compels us to go inward and meditate on our own experience of Piscean themes. You might find yourself reviewing your commitment to a mind-body practice, thinking about how far you’ve come — or where you still want to go — when it comes to self-work and self-healing or how you’re showing up for loved ones and neighbors in need.

What happens for you during Saturn retrograde 2024?

Your mission will become crystal clear, thanks to lucky Jupiter

Jupiter, the planet of abundance and fortune, tends to have an amplifying effect on everything it comes in contact with. Earlier in the year, on May 25, Jupiter entered Gemini, the mutable air sign, and on August 19, it’ll form a tense but activating square to Saturn, throwing a magnifying glass on whatever you’ve been working through — and are meant to keep chugging away at — over the course of this Saturn retrograde.

Go-getter Mars helps you take action during Saturn retrograde 2024

We tend to think of retrogrades as slow-paced and centered on self-reflection, but when action-oriented Mars, the planet of energy, forms a pleasant trine to Saturn on September 30, you could feel like your inner fire has been kindled, pumping you up to make a bold move related to your Saturn retrograde work. You’ll feel more ambitious and have a heightened ability to persevere.

Saturn retrograde in Pisces 2024 overlaps with a time of stunning shifts

While Saturn is retrograde, we’ll go through the second, change-bringing eclipse season of 2024, which features the lunar eclipse and full moon in Pisces on September 17 and solar eclipse and new moon in Libra on October 2. The September event could not only be especially emotional and cathartic but also highlight the same area of life that Saturn retrograde has been underlining for you, given that both are happening in Pisces. If you’ve proven that you’re willing to step up to the plate and take on tough work that’s required of you, you could find you’re better prepared for whatever bumps pop up in the road.

Here, how Saturn’s retrograde in Pisces will affect you based on your sign. (Be sure to read both your sun and your rising sign if you know it. If you don’t, you can find it in your birth chart or by using this CafeAstrology calculator.)

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Aries

Saturn retrograde occurs in your spirituality zone, nudging you to think about the ways in which you care for your psychological well-being and mind-body connection. If you’ve been diligently tending to this part of your life, consider how you might take your efforts to the next level. But if you feel like you could stand to make more room for this aspect of your wellness, you could find that utilizing this retrograde to reflect on the “how” can lead to an enhanced sense of inner peace.

Click through for more on Aries.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Taurus

Saturn retrograde hits your networking and friendship sector, encouraging you to meditate on your platonic bonds and the communities and teams you consider yourself a part of. It’s possible that certain connections aren’t as fulfilling as they once were. Or perhaps you’re realizing that it’s time to lay new groundwork, alongside friends or colleagues, that will ultimately support your long-term wishes. You’re realizing just how wonderful it is to feel seen and connected, and holding that in mind when navigating your friendships and collegial relationships can’t help but set the stage for success.

Click through for more on Taurus.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Gemini

This Saturn retrograde affects your career zone, which will bring up quite a bit of thoughts and feelings related to how far you’ve come professionally and the work you’ll need to do to get to the next level. This can also be a gratifying moment for reassessing how you even define success in the first place. Perhaps you once believed you’d make your mark in a very different way than how you currently are, and that’s OK. Staying open to new paths while honoring your past can serve you well.

Click through for more on Gemini.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Cancer

This Saturn retrograde is happening in your adventure and higher-learning zone, which turns your focus to the beliefs and philosophies you hold most dear — as well as your appetite for personal growth. You could be questioning whether you’re really as invested as you thought you were in certain ways of thinking about the world. And you might also gain clarity around the eye-opening, horizon-broadening scenarios you’d like to pursue moving forward (such as travel or advancing your education). Either way, tuning into and trusting your gut is key during this transit.

Click through for more on Cancer.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Leo

Saturn moves backward through your intimacy sector, and you’ll become more aware of issues related to power and control, as well as your comfort level, within your closest relationships. If it feels like you’ve been lacking reciprocity or feeling another kind of imbalance with a significant other or loved one, now’s your chance to create new foundations that serve you both better. This is also the zone that oversees joint finances, so you’ll also likely be reassessing structures related to this part of your life.

Click through for more on Leo.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Virgo

Saturn retrograde happens in your partnership sector, inspiring you to reflect on the work you’ve been putting in on your one-on-one bonds and what’s required of you — and your dearest friend, loved one, significant other or business partner — going forward. This is a moment in which you can get a clear sense of how you’re each showing up for one another, how you’re both handling necessary compromises and how you’re each taking responsibility within your bond. By thinking about your partnerships in these terms now, you could also find you learn quite a bit about yourself and end up strengthening your sense of self.

Click through for more on Virgo.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Libra

Falling in your wellness and daily routine zone, Saturn retrograde requires you to think about the foundations you’ve set within your day-to-day hustle. Whether you’ve been consistently taking on more than you can realistically handle or you could stand to take on more, expect lightbulb moments that are meant to encourage you to see the truth of the matter and ultimately take action that will boost your sense of balance and well-being on a regular basis. You’ll also be reflecting on your current healthy habits and how you can commit further to ensuring they’re a part of your life.

Click through for more on Libra.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Scorpio

This may sound a little counterintuitive, but with Saturn retrograde falling in your romance and self-expression zone, you’ll be getting serious about finding more room for playfulness and creativity in your life. It’s possible you’ve been working so hard that you haven’t been able to connect with loved ones and share what’s in your heart as readily as you’d like or you’re itching to dive into an artistic endeavor. Now’s your chance to rework certain structures and foundations in your life so that these desires are fulfilled, and you get to experience more joy!

Click through for more on Scorpio.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Sagittarius

Saturn will be retrograde in your home zone, which whips up reflection around your family bonds, inner emotional life and domestic space. You might find that certain behavioral patterns with relatives just aren’t serving you anymore, or your actual living situation isn’t fitting with your long-term goals. Any of these issues might feel quite daunting to address, but tending to your heart and being open to self-work (think working with a therapist) could be truly helpful — not to mention healing.

Click here for more on Sagittarius.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Capricorn

Saturn, your ruling planet, moves backward through your communication sector, which turns your attention to the ways in which you’re satiating your appetite for learning and socializing. You tend to be so industrious that you might find you have the tendency to put plans with friends or colleagues on the backburner so you can keep working, but Saturn retrograde reminds you that making time to foster these connections nurtures your spirit and mental well-being. Meditating on this now could aid you with setting healthy boundaries that keep you firing on all cylinders without sacrificing your platonic connections.

Click through for more on Capricorn.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Aquarius

Saturn, one of your co-ruling planets, will be retrograde in your money zone, which means you’ll be reflecting on the foundations of your financial life. You may realize you deserve to be recognized and rewarded in a way that truly mirrors your self-worth or that it’s time to find a new path to earning that’s more in line with your values. This is also a time to look at practical details, of course, as well, like how you’re spending, saving and earning, but because Saturn is focused on the long game, this moment is for acknowledging long standing patterns then putting in the work to move in a new, even more promising direction.

Click through for more on Aquarius.

What does Saturn retrograde 2024 mean for Pisces

Saturn retrograde falls in your sign, which encourages you to dive into deep self-reflection especially related to how you’re showing up and sharing your passions with the world. Have you been prioritizing the projects and activities that align with and support nurturing your sense of self? If not, you’ll do well to consider how you can find ways to fit more of those pursuits into your daily life, as they’ll go far to boosting your confidence and helping you feel even more comfortable embracing the most genuine version of yourself.

Click through for more on Pisces.