Remember the life-altering time that was March 2020? Well, Saturn—the planet associated with karmic debt and growing pains—also made its way into Aquarius in March 2020. You know, the zodiac sign that’s all about challenging the status quo…that Aquarius. Over the last few years, we’ve certainly been pushed to grapple with our past, question norms, and reimagine the future within the Saturnian realms of work and government. But on March 7, the strict planet moved into daydreamer Pisces, where it’ll remain until 2026, heralding a big vibe shift. And if you’re wondering what Saturn in Pisces means for the collective and your zodiac sign, just know that you’re in for a whirlwind of tough love—especially if you’re entering your Saturn return.

What does Saturn in Pisces mean for the overall vibe in 2023?

Saturn’s energy is a pretty slow burn. The planet takes about two and a half years to move through each zodiac sign, and if you do the math, that’s about 30 years for it to orbit through all 12 signs, completely around the sun. (Hence, why your first Saturn return will hit around age 29 to 30, when Saturn makes its way back to the sign it was in when you were born.) Because of its steady pace and mythological properties (the Roman god of Saturn was associated with time), astrologically, Saturn symbolizes discipline, ambition, and commitment to anything long-term.

The planet’s end game is about helping us mature and teaching us discipline, patience, and how to take the high road. The sign of Pisces, on the other hand, is far more dreamy and free-flowing, associated with formless things like the collective consciousness. The opposition created by Saturn moving into Pisces could create some serious friction, according to Erin River Sunday, lead astrologer for astrology-based gift brand Birthdate Co. “We’re all being signed up for a crash course in divine timing,” she says.

“We’re all being signed up for a crash course in divine timing.” —Erin River Sunday, lead astrologer at Birthdate Co.

In particular, we could experience tension around the subconscious limitations we may set for ourselves and how we tend to block our own progress. After all, Pisces’s planetary ruler is Neptune, the planet of wild imagination that knows no bounds—basically, the polar opposite of Saturn’s restrictive nature. Learning where to set boundaries and where to let go and trust your life’s direction (even if you can’t always clearly see the destination) will be a key theme.

Pisces also rules over the twelfth astrological house, which deals with the subconscious and the mystical realm, so we can expect Saturn to experiment with our spiritual boundaries. To that end, we could find ourselves more seriously confronting any Piscean tendencies toward escapism, says Sunday, and turning more toward sobriety and mindfulness, instead.

As the last sign in the zodiac calendar, Pisces also represents completion, which could turn Saturn’s transit in Pisces into a major lesson on endings. “The collective might seem to be tying up loose ends during the next few years, with an intuitive feeling that something entirely new is beckoning,” says Sunday.

What to expect from Saturn in Pisces if you’re entering a Saturn return

All of the themes above could hit in an especially personal way if Saturn was in Pisces when you were born—because that means, with the shift of Saturn into Pisces now, you’re entering a Saturn return! (You can figure out if this is you by plugging your birthdate into a chart generator and checking whether your Saturn sign is Pisces, or just by using a Saturn return calculator.) As noted above, this happens every 29 or so years and is a total celestial rite of passage.

In particular, your first Saturn return is said to mark major changes—think: career shifts, unexpected breakups, or moving across the country—as you navigate the end of your twenties and shift into a new era. Think of it like a total system reset…that involves shifting a few gears (aka combatting a few challenges) to bring to fruition.

While a Saturn return is generally known to be a fraught period of time, you can take some solace in the fact that having your Saturn return in Pisces, of all signs, will offer a gentler blow, according to astrologer Phoebe Fenrir, author of Surviving Your Saturn Return. 

“The energy of Pisces should counterbalance some of Saturn’s harshness, which hopefully means that the next three years won’t be quite as intense as the last three were,” says Fenrir. “Pisces can help us remember that as we check in with where we are and strive to be our best selves, we should also be kind to ourselves and one another.”

Even so, the vibe of Saturn in Pisces could still stir up tension for us all in 2023, as we’re pushed toward growth in Piscean areas of the inner psyche and the collective consciousness. Exactly how that energy will show up for you depends on the astrological house in which this transit falls for your sign. Keep reading for specific insights tailored to each zodiac sign.

How Saturn in Pisces will affect each zodiac sign in 2023

Aries

Endings make way for new beginnings, Aries. You’re ready for a change of scenery. “Transiting the ‘dustbin’ of Aries’s chart [aka the twelfth and final house of karma, shadow, and surrender], Saturn is saying it’s time to sweep away the cobwebs and get ready for the next chapter,” says Sunday. This period is about looking inward and figuring out what it’s time to let go.

Taurus

“Saturn in Pisces is initiating a review of your friendships and how they fit [into your life],” says Sunday, of the transit’s presence in your 11th house of community and social networks. Changes to your inner circle—whether it’s a dramatic falling out or the making of an unlikely friend—could be on the horizon, Taurus. Practice patience, but stand your ground, too.

Gemini

Things are heating up in your professional life, Gemini, and it could be time to reroute. “Saturn wants you to get serious about your work and your public standing,” says Sunday. It’s moving through your 10th house of career and sparking realizations in this realm as it goes. A word of advice? Avoid distractions that may have been deterring your progress.

Cancer

Have you been stuck in a rut, Cancer? Saturn in Pisces could be causing a bit of strain when it comes to expanding your knowledge and experiences, given it resides in your ninth house of exploration. As Sunday says, during this period, “Saturn will have you focusing on [and perhaps rethinking] your greater beliefs about the world.”

Leo

It’s time to let go of unwanted energy without holding back, Leo—you have the power, as Saturn in Pisces activates your eighth house of sex, taboos, death, and resurrection. “Saturn is encouraging a deep dive of your psyche and [a look at] your relationship with control,” says Sunday. What made you feel secure before could be the thing now holding you back.

Virgo

You’ve likely been doing a lot of personal maintenance these past few years, Virgo. But now, it’s time to focus on growing in—or perhaps, out of—your relationships. With Saturn now transiting in your seventh house of partnerships, both connection and separation may be on the forecast. “Saturn will be forcing a review of your one-on-one partnerships,” says Sunday. “New people could enter your life while others with whom you have shaky foundations will exit.”

Libra

Carefully allocating your energy and delegating tasks to others could prove to be super important right now, Libra. Saturn moving through your sixth house of daily rituals will push you to manage your everyday schedule more closely, says Sunday. Balance may come to you naturally, but setting and sticking to those boundaries (no, you don’t need to RSVP “yes” to every social invite) is the main lesson Saturn in Pisces is looking to teach you.

Scorpio

The duality of Saturn’s tough love and Pisces’s lighthearted energy could create some confusion for you, Scorpio. This transit falls in your fifth house of pleasure and fun, pushing you to think about how much—or how little—these things play a role in your life now, and how much they could. “Saturn will have you taking a hard look at your ego and self-expression,” says Sunday. “Whether you’re prioritizing pleasure way high up on your list or not at all, this transit will help you manage your fun and creative side.”

Sagittarius

Prepare to get sentimental during this period, Sagittarius. (I know, not exactly the kind of carefree vibes you might be looking for.) “Saturn will expect you to explore your roots and your concept of home,” says Sunday. That could mean managing major family drama or perhaps just coming to the realization that you should probably clean out a closet or two.

Capricorn

Saturn is your planetary ruler, which could make its current transit in such an oppositional sign feel particularly wonky—especially because it’ll happen in your third house of communication and information. You might find yourself unlearning a few bad communication habits or perhaps outgrowing a few people in your orbit, Capricorn. “Friendships might feel taxing for you, and small talk could become burdensome,” says Sunday.

Aquarius

Got money on the brain, Aquarius? Saturn’s trek through Pisces could place limits on your spending or push you to reconsider where your true value lies, given it’ll happen in your second house of resources and finances. “Saturn’s assignment to you is to witness how the world ‘pays you back’ for your expression of self-worth,” says Sunday.

Pisces

Saturn traversing your territory may induce some imposter syndrome, Pisces. But know that the personal changes you’ll make in the next couple of years, with Saturn’s influence, will help shape you into your most mature self. Exactly what that looks like is for you to define with time, says Sunday. “Any illusions or projections about your personality will be removed during this period.”