Anyone work with (non Solar/Lunar) planetary return charts?

If Solar and Lunar returns indicate how the following year/month will unfold, shouldn't the other planetary return charts also provide information on their time periods?

I know dadsnook works with Moon-To-Sun returns. I've ordered his book and am awaiting delivery. But thinking about this, made me think - how do we decide which return charts are worth working with? Does it make sense to cast a chart for Saturn return for example? If so how would you interpret such a chart?

Any experience reports, references, or opinions to astrology techniques involving planetary return charts (other than Solar/Lunar charts) appreciated.

In principle, yes but as Venus and Mercury have the same orbital period as the Sun, using them for returns doesn't help a lot, at least for a general picture of the coming year.

Mars returns could be used to give a two year period, or Mars/Jupiter returns or Mars/Venus returns. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of interest in these compared to Solar and Lunar returns.

There are the individual synodic cycles of planets and the Sun, which are widely used, if not fully understood by those who use them. The Retrograde cycle is part of that Sun/planet cyle but so are helical rising and setting and planets being East or West of the Sun (Occidental and Oriental).

What is used widely is the Jupiter/Saturn cycle, especially in business issues. And the Saturn and Jupiter Return cycles. I know Dave also uses cycles of planets against each other but strangely not the synodic cycles of the planets. You will also see reference to cycles involving the outers but I don't use them. For Mundane questions I certainly would use the Jupiter/Saturn cycle but otherwise it's the synodic planetary cycles with the Sun I use. That isn't exclusive but I will only use Jupiter and Saturn returns for approrpriate questions and not as a general technique.

Thank You MinderWiz

Jupiter/Saturn returns seem very intriguing.

Thank You MinderWiz

Jupiter/Saturn returns seem very intriguing.

For those who are reading and don't understand 'synodic cycles' (I didn't!), an explanation can be found at
http://www.lunarplanner.com/HCpages/SynodicCycle.html

Minderwiz said:

That isn't exclusive but I will only use Jupiter and Saturn returns for approrpriate questions and not as a general technique.

Click to expand...

What would an example of such a question look like? (just curious)

Returns and Cyclic charts.

As noted, Return charts for Mercury and Venus to themselves don't seem to have a clear picture of what the cycle would represent and how it would be used.

Mars Returns are also 'iffy' in nature -- sometimes Mars moves fast enough to provide a reasonable Ascendant, at other times not. That would make house interpretation useless and only the current and unfolding aspects to Mars would be useful. In essence, you are just as well off using a transit chart. The same problems exist with Return charts for Jupiter, Saturn or the others lying far out in our solar system.

Cycle charts, using the synodic cycle are another thing. However, Moon-to-Sun doesn't do much for the individual. What might be useful is transiting Moon relative to transiting Sun with the natal angle used to define Moon-to-phase-angle-Sun. This is a blend of a Return chart and a Synodic chart. I had studied these 'Pattern" charts for a couple of years some three or more decades ago. At that time I couldn't find a reliable use for them. Of course I wasn't as conversant with Returns and Cyclic charts then as I am now. Also, I have computer assistance now to improve their timing and accuracy.

Jupiter-Saturn cycles have long been seen as business oriented. I call them, for personal use, the business-of-life planets. Again, the changes in relationship are slow and best seen and used as development, trending, influencing effects, IMHO.

If one wants to have fun with Return charts, then Moon-to-Sun, Moon-to-Mercury, Moon-to-any planet Returns are fruitful. The Moon portrays the changes that come into one's life, the natal planet is the adjult, adapted expression of that planet that we have come to express. It is no longer 'potential.'
** t/Moon-to-n/Mercury portrays how we deal with news, opinions, communication issues, writing, documents and agreements. I used this type of Return chart in 2011 to track and predict what would happen with Obama's Affordable Health Care act. The fall roll out of the computerized sign-up system was a mess. The Moon repdresented public opinion, Mercury represented the Public Interface, the volunteer programming help for Silicon Valley, the political statements, etc.
** t/Moon-to-n/Mars portrays how we project ourselves, express identity and confidence, push forward with creativity, use and manage anger, fight for survival or self-interests.
** t/Moon-to-n/Saturn is especially effective in portraying how people deal with arrests, constraints, depression, making plans and strategizing. I used both the Moon-Mars and the Moon-Saturn Returns in my blog side that covered the actions of the Scottish serial killer Brady on my blog site.

Any of these and other Moon-to-Planet Returns are highly useful. The cycles are short, one month long --- unless you choose to use a new and full moon half cycle. They portray emotions and changes and reactions (the t/Moon) relative to the expression of the targeted natal planet.

An interesting area I haven't yet explored is the t/Moon to its own N.Node (Draconic Aries point). Who knows. Dave