In the life of women from 42 to 59 years, comes a revolution called menopause by the doctor. Astrologers give it three names: at age 42, the Uranus Opposition, around age 51, the Chiron Return, and at age 59, the Second Saturn Return.
These three phases that encompass the entire occurrence of menopause are the means to cross over to the wise woman years. Like any trip, they also have their pitiful moments of stage showmanship along with silent epiphanies. But would menopause be any different if these stages appeared with an instruction manual in the style of a bunch of us 13-year-olds? “This is menstruation! Welcome to Becoming a Woman.” Would it be different if we received a menopause map?
Astrology offers the best after a wise woman’s survival guide for these times, although the relationships between these three phases of menopause have not really been explored.
Opposite Uranus:
During the first phase of the Uranus Opposition we started our passage with some nervousness and restlessness. Our body’s electrical energy system begins to speed up, activated by new messages from the glandular system. The electrical circuit of our body is governed by Uranus, and it has the evolutionary purpose of making changes: our life opens up; new possibilities and options become visible. These years are called “peri-menopause” by our culture, but astrologers see this as the period when we start to be more true to ourselves, and start doing things in different ways. We can be shocked when repressed aspects of ourselves and dreams that have been long forgotten now appear demanding expression. It even baffles us when the unconscious stirs and we begin to utter crude facts. Because of this energy, we even feel stronger and sexier by becoming serious truth-speakers.
Return of Chiron:
As we approach the Chiron Return at age 51, the truth-seeking electrical tests of Uranus connect with the Chiron prototype and we move towards the stage where the periods really stop, usually at this time. Chiron Return phase.
Chiron can be imagined as the mythological appearance of the “wounded healer”. As we pass 50, the wisdom and experiences we have accumulated can be useful both to ourselves and to others. There is a charming mythological story about the planetoid Chiron. In essence, it is that the mythological god Chiron, who could not heal himself, becomes capable of healing others. Although he was unable to fully heal himself, through the process of self-healing and experimentation, he gained the knowledge to become a healer, mentor, and teacher.
Chiron is similar to all of us coping with menopause, delving into new remedies to seek physical relief, while the perfect cure would elude us. It’s true that menopause is shoddy, but we can learn a lot if we’re good at taking mental notes about the process. We find that change can be good, and experimentation and open-heartedness make healing possible. Because we were able to find our way, we are able to help others to do the same.
Second Saturn Return:
As we make our journey in the late 1950s, we begin to move towards the Second Saturn Return, which appears for most of us at the age of 59. The Second Saturn Return is quite a bit easier than the first, as it takes us back to our years of wisdom. But at this stage we cannot neglect our body and we must pay attention to what needs to be done. If we put off going to the dentist, it won’t be long before we have to call the oral surgeon. We must pay attention to our body’s messages at this time, otherwise we can get harsh lessons with “reality” – that’s Saturn’s job.
