Age 22 - 28
Septennial #4

This cycle is one of enlargement and refinement. It is this period where we mentally and emotionally enter adulthood. We start the foundations of our careers and intimate relationships with a driving energy that we hope will gain us entry and respect in the larger world.

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The developing sense of discrimination is a hallmark of this cycle. The faculties of insight, intuition, judgement and understanding come to the fore. The personality begins to soften and mellow and the adult emotional age may begin to emerge if one has navigated previous challenges in this area. One has a growing ability to  be something for the partner’s sake without losing one’s own independence or will. Independence and connection can occur together instead of being at opposite ends of the spectrum.

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The sparks of interest that were awakened in the previous cycles begin to be developed along more definite lines. The abilities of the previous cycle flourish now.

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You will begin to confront the issue that you were either born with or that arose through the challenges and pains of the first cycle. These usually show up as the way you handle intimate relationships, whether you can really meet in partnership with others and in how you respond to the external world in all its challenges and opportunities.

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Whatever is not addressed or faced now, healed or re-evaluated, will be faced more directly later on.

At age 28 the first Saturn return occurs. This age is the first step into external integration with the rest of the world. Saturn deals with teaching and relationships to time. It is an opportunity.

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Exercises

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Respond to the following prompts in your journal:

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What were you doing in these years?

How did you explore the world and your emerging values?

What was important for you in these years?

What activities and dreams did you let go of?

What direction did you choose to take?

What were the significant relationships of these years and how did you experience them?

What happened at age 28? Was there any significant upheaval/ breakthrough?

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After completing the prompts, divide a page into two columns. The headings for each column should be ‘negative’ and ‘positive’. In the ‘negative’ column, write an equal list of negative experiences, emotions, themes, actions and reactions from this first septennial. In the ‘positive’ column write the positive experiences, themes, actions, gifts, relationships from this septennial.

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Then, take a few moments with your eyes closed to feel into the negative list, considering each item you have written down. Then do the same for the positive list. Now, allow the two lists to merge – try to sit above or apart from the two lists and allow them to merge into one list, being, or energy – however you like to think about it. From this place, ask for a seed image to emerge, which represents the summation of this septennial, of the two lists and the merged lists.

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Your seed image may appear in your mind visually, or as thoughts describing the image, or in another way. Go with the first image that arises and open your eyes and draw it on the next round piece of paper.