There are other celestial events that approximate the Saturn transit cycle of approximately 28 -- 30 years and the life changes associated with it.
Saturn's return cycle is actually 59 years with a mean advance of 1:53 (ie 113'). Since it orbits the Zodiac twice in that time, in practical terms, we use a revolution of approximately 29.5 years. This is the "dreaded" Saturn return. These transiting Saturn returns take place at approximately 29, 59, and 88 years of age.
The Moon's Secondary/Major progressed Synodic cycle, is the Major progressed phases of the Moon, the relationship between the progressed Sun and progressed Moon. This is the lunar cycle of 29.53 days, which in Major progressions (ie 1 Day = 1 Year), creates a cycle of approximately 29.5 years. This obviously correlates well with the Saturn transit.
This correlation is the basis of the phenomenon known to astrologers as Saturn chasing the Moon, a situation in which transiting Saturn remains in orb of a hard aspect to the native's Major progressed Moon for an extended period, sometimes for years at a time.
Saturn chasing the Moon is also one example of using transits in combination with progressions as a forecasting technique.
The transit of the Moon’s Nodes completes one complete circuit of the Zodiac in 18.61 years. However, if the transit of the Moon’s Nodes is extended to the opposition of their natal positions, ie another half of the circuit is added, a cycle of 27.92 years is created, roughly approximating the period of the Saturn cycle. Three full circuits of the Nodes take 55.8 years, and four and a half take 83.8 years.
There is also the Moon's tropical month of 27.321 days, the period marking the Moon's return to its natal location. This creates a Major progressed lunar return cycle of 27.321 years. In the writer's opinion, this slightly shorter cycle correlates better to the life changes usually ascribed to the Saturn return cycle, at least for some natives.
To calculate this, the first lunar return after birth would represent the completion of the first 27.3 year cycle, the second lunar return after birth the second 27.3 year cycle, the third return the third 27.3 year cycle. Each of these returns would be read as a set of Major progressions for those periods. As with any set of progressions, transits over the Major progressed positions reinforce and time events.
Another similar period is created by the Tertiary Progressed Solar Return. In Tertiary progressions, one day in the ephemeris corresponds to one lunar month, or 1 Day = 27.32 Days. The return of the Tertiary progressed Sun to its natal positions therefore also creates a cycle of 27.32 years, essentially identical to the Major progressed Moon cycle.
The Tertiary cycle charts can be calculated using the first, second, and third solar return charts after birth, correlating to the first, second, and third 27.3 year cycles for the native, ie at 27, 55, and 82 years of age. These Tertiary progressed positions can also be used with the transiting positions of the planets at these times in the native's life.
The writer is very interested in these Tertiary progressed solar returns and is in the process of investigating them.
The transiting Saturn returns have become an astrological shorthand for the native passing through certain life transitions. The writer believes we should all be aware there are other cyclic motions in the celestial sphere that mark those transitions as well, and may provide additional information.