The Astrology Podcast

Episode: Recurrence Transit Stories from Listeners

Host: Chris Brennan
Guest: Nick Dagan Best
Recorded: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode explores the astrological technique of “recurrence transits,” where significant natal planetary aspects in a birth chart are repeated by transiting planets later in the individual’s life, often coinciding with pivotal life events. Host Chris Brennan and guest astrologer Nick Dagan Best invite a panel of podcast patrons to share their personal experiences, illustrating the practical application and power of recurrence transits in real life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to Recurrence Transits

• Recurrence Transits Defined:
  The repeated occurrence in the sky of the same planetary aspect found in a person’s natal chart—often significant for personal events.
• Previous Episodes:
  The hosts have covered the foundational theory and historical examples in past episodes, but this discussion focuses on personal, real-life stories.
• Practical Tools:
  Chris demonstrates the use of online tools like Astro-Seek’s Aspect Search Engine to research personal recurrence transit timelines.
  • Tip: Focus on events where recurring configurations happen in the natal sign or during planetary retrogrades for heightened significance.

    “If one of the faster moving planets is retrograde... that's gonna stand out probably as being more significant.” — Chris (08:00)

• Beyond Conjunctions:
  Expanding the conversation to include more complex multipoint aspect patterns (such as triple conjunctions or oppositions).

Listener Stories: Recurrence Transits in Real Life

1. Ginger: Mars-Saturn Conjunctions & Career Turning Points

Timestamps: 13:19–34:20

• Natal Chart: Virgo rising; Mars and Saturn conjunct in Virgo.
• Theme: Nearly every Mars-Saturn conjunction in the sky marks a significant change or development in her career as a hairdresser (moves, education, opening a salon, etc.).
  • 2008: Mars-Saturn in Virgo – partner’s cancer diagnosis and breakup, leading to career restart.
  • 2010: In Libra – starts the foundational step at Vidal Sassoon Academy, marking the true beginning of her career.
  • 2014, 2016: Conjunctions correspond to periods of advanced professional training, opening a salon with her sister.
  • 2020: Mars-Saturn in Aquarius and the COVID-19 pandemic – abrupt, chaotic move across the U.S. transforming work and life.
  • 2024: Mars-Saturn conjunction coincides with a German resume assignment and a Renaissance fair astrology gig.
• Insight: For Ginger, Mars-Saturn recurrences always signal work-related shifts, abrupt changes, and new chapters, mirroring their natal function and the houses they transit.

  “I experience Mars-Saturn that way throughout my life. Things can be very abrupt.” — Ginger (28:43)

• Memorable Quote:

  “That’s literally one of [Valens’] significations: that which is hard or abrupt. So it’s interesting that you mention that.” — Chris (28:59)

2. Jacqueline: Multiple Marriages, Family Echoes & Heavy Natal Stellium

Timestamps: 34:45–61:40

• Natal Chart: Scorpio rising, massive stellium in Capricorn (Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Sun, North Node) in the 3rd house.
• Family Echoes: Multi-generational stellium—Jacqueline, grandmother, brother, and grandchildren all have notable stellia.
  • Quote:

    “My grandmother has a stellium in Capricorn… I had a very significant relationship with my grandmother. She was like my other mother.” — Jacqueline (36:55)

• Key Events Tied to Recurrences:
  • Significant life transitions (teens, early adulthood) often feature tight planetary clusters reminiscent of her striking natal pattern.
  • Recurrence of Mercury-Jupiter conjunction at her volatile first marriage—Mars involved, echoing the natal square to Uranus.
  • Leaving a dangerous partnership occurs on a lunar eclipse—a direct recurrence of her natal lunar eclipse.
  • Multiple marriages and breakups charted along Venus-Jupiter conjunction or near recurrence periods; violent experiences coincide with Mars-Saturn oppositions.
  • The positive conclusion: returning to a previous safe relationship and a joyful wedding, both precisely aligned with Venus-Jupiter or Sun-Venus recurrences.
• Memorable Moments: Life themes paralleling natal chart patterns recur reliably at crossroads such as marriages, separations, or significant birthdays.
• Memorable Quote:

  “You keep doing stuff on the Venus Jupiter conjunctions, either leaving a major relationship or having an important good turning point in other ones.” — Chris (57:51)

3. Karen: Jupiter-Uranus Trine and Major Relationship & Career Shifts

Timestamps: 61:50–71:55

• Natal Chart: Jupiter trine Uranus, connecting 2nd and 6th houses.
• Story:
  • In 2015, as Jupiter and Uranus trined again, Karen received a fortuitous “buy-out” from her company—providing the cash necessary to leave an abusive relationship and keep her home.
  • Soon after, a new career opportunity appeared: a managerial role in Australia, corresponding perfectly with the natal houses and transit recurrence.
  • Later, another trine coincided with completion of yoga teacher training—a passion first explored during the prior trine.
• Insights: Jupiter-Uranus recurrences marked liberation after constraint, dramatic positive turns in resources, employment, and interests.
  • Quote:

    “I was able to get a bunch of cash to help me to make that breakup. I didn’t realize it was going to happen at the time…” — Karen (64:07)

4. Lauren: Venus-Mars, Mars-Saturn Squares, and Physical Accidents

Timestamps: 72:11–90:57

• Natal Chart: Strong Venus-Mars square, Mars in the 8th house, and Saturn involved; Jupiter in the 1st, lending protection.
• Series of Events:
  • 2016: Venus-Mars square recurrence — car accident resulting in a broken right hand, followed by surgery on an exact recurrence date.
  • Following Month: Another car accident causes financial setback, just as Mars approaches retrograde opposing natal Mars.
  • 2019: During a Mars-Saturn square recurrence, a third major vehicle accident, again injuring the right wrist.
  • Noted that each event brought not only risk but an eventual “silver lining” due to Jupiter’s protective influence.
  • 2019 & 2026: Venus-Mars-Sun conjunctions—remarkably, she broke toes on both occasions, reflecting literal, if minor, recurring bodily harm.
• Memorable Quotes:

  “There seems to be… after some hardship and struggle financially, I end up working it out.” — Lauren (81:25)
  “Jupiter… There’s some kind of guardian angel, so to speak, that prevents total disaster from happening no matter how bad things get.” — Nick (83:18)

5. Connie: Venus-Jupiter Squares, Family Recurrences, and Survival

Timestamps: 93:07–107:59

• Natal Chart: Cancer rising, Venus in Leo square Jupiter in Scorpio (5th house).
• Sequence of Recurrences:
  • Noticed a personal sense of “rebirth” and renewed optimism during a Venus square Jupiter transit—a feeling reminiscent of a turnaround during past difficulties.
  • Both children were born during Venus-Jupiter square recurrences matching her natal aspect.
  • In 2011, both survived a severe car accident during a Venus-Jupiter square—a situation where, as the insurance adjuster noted, it was miraculous to come out alive and unharmed.
• Key Insight:
  Recurrence patterns threaded through the entire family, often marking crucial events for all at once—births, crises, and life-or-death experiences.
  • Quote:

    “Nothing was ever the same after that. It was kind of the beginning of the end.” — Connie (106:53, on a difficult family break during another recurrence)

  • Astrological Note: Sometimes, recurrence events are more notable or decisive when other planets (e.g., Saturn) configure in a difficult way (“outside agent”).

6. Overarching Insights from Panel and Hosts

• Recurrence Themes:
  While recurrences often align with the same planetary meanings (e.g., abruptness, hardship, fortune, relationship, or work themes), the specific event’s quality is shaped by additional planetary placements, house overlays, and sometimes involvement of other planetary cycles (retrogrades, nodal returns, etc.).
• Family Patterns:
  Multiple examples support that recurrence transits often “activate” in families, so births or crises are mirrored across the charts of parents and children.
• Good and Bad Events:
  Difficult experiences (breakups, losses, accidents) may show up more clearly only because they are memorable, but positive developments (windfalls, new love, career shifts) also reliably track with recurrence transits.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "It was really the start of a number of major things, that turning point in your life that recurrence of the Trine kind of unlocked." — Chris (67:58)
• "I wonder, have you looked at your upcoming solar return?... your birthday this year has Mars in Gemini square Venus in Virgo very close, within a couple of degrees each, with the sun again at the midpoint." — Nick (89:08)
• "Sometimes aspects we might otherwise overlook can be just as important." — Chris (102:54)
• "Recurrence transits that are also retrogrades involving the slower moving planet... those ones tend to stand out more in the chronology." — Chris (50:34)
• "Every time Pluto would group up with a bunch of planets in my first house, some major explosion ... Something major would happen in my life then." — Jacqueline (40:05)
• "Turns out it was a recurrence not just of the aspect, but also in the natal sign... and what was happening at that time?" — Chris (14:46)

Technical Takeaways

• How to Track Your Recurrence Transits:
  Use Astro-Seek’s Aspect Search Engine to input key natal aspects, specify years, and generate historical recurrence timelines. Notice major chronological or emotional shifts corresponding to those dates.
• Extra Significance:
  • Recurrences in the natal sign or involving retrogrades.
  • Multi-planet or “stellium” recurrences can produce especially potent events.
  • Family members with shared aspects will often experience resonance or mutual significant events.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:54 — Introduction to recurrence transits & research tools
• 09:10 — Triple conjunction research tips
• 13:19 — Ginger: Mars-Saturn recurrences & career
• 34:45 — Jacqueline: Capricorn stellium, relationships, and family echo
• 61:50 — Karen: Jupiter-Uranus trines, breakups, and career leaps
• 72:11 — Lauren: Venus-Mars squares, repeated accidents, and protection
• 93:07 — Connie: Venus-Jupiter squares, mother-child birth chart echoes, and survival stories
• 109:32+ — Q&A, technique expansion and closing notes

Conclusion

This episode powerfully demonstrates how recurrence transits can serve as a living timeline, echoing core natal themes at pivotal life moments in realms of career, relationship, family, health, and crisis. These stories reveal the technique’s nuance, promise, and emotional resonance—reminding all astrologers and astrology students to look for these cycles, not only in their own charts, but within their family trees and life-changing narratives.

For More Information:

• Track your own recurrence transits at Astro-Seek Aspect Search
• Nick Dagan Best’s consultations: nickdaganbestastrologer.com
• The Astrology Podcast archives for previous recurrence episodes
• Share your own stories in the episode’s YouTube comments for future consideration

Listener Takeaway:
Check your chart, find your aspect, run the chronology—and see what hidden pattern or story your own recurrence transits reveal!